The Last Apprentice by Joseph Delaney

The first book in this series The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch introduces Tom Ward, a twelve year old boy who has just been apprenticed to the Spook. As the seventh son of a seventh son, Tom has a special awareness for creatures of the dark - which are what spooks fight against, keeping the County safe for ordinary people. The work is not for the faint hearted - he must quickly learn about ghosts, ghasts, and how to bind the different sorts of boggarts. Perhaps most importantly, Tom will have to learn who to trust and how to get himself out of some particularly difficult situations...

In the second book, Curse of the Bane, several months of Tom's apprenticeship have passed and he has learned a lot. But now he and his master have set out to rid Priestown of a particularly old and malevolent spirit called the Bane. Although the Bane is trapped in the catacombs beneath the main temple of Priestown, it has the ability to convince those outside to do its will. Tom is worried because the last time the Spook faced the Bane, he nearly died. To make matters worse, the Quisitor, a ranking official who will burn them both at the stake as 'warlocks' if he finds them, has just come to Priestown too. Taking care of the Bane and getting out of Priestown alive will require work and some particularly good luck.

The third book, Night of the Soul Stealer, explains what happens when they move to the Spook's winter home in Anglezarke. The 'dark' is closer there and Tom and his master have more than enough work. Their biggest problem, however, is the possibility that someone will try to release an ancient god of winter, Golgoth, and bring about the destruction of everything. Tom will need everything he's learned so far to make it through the winter alive.

These are great books. I'm not usually a fan of 'horror', but these novels venture into the 'dark' without getting too caught up in the suspense and attempts to startle readers. They seem to be geared more toward younger teens, but I think they're definitely at a level that older readers can appreciate as well - the plots are fairly complex and have a level of sophistication that make them unpredictable. There's quite a bit of good characterization in these books, although some characters still have unresolved issues/motives so that readers are not entirely sure what to make of them. I enjoyed reading them and I would absolutely recommend them to fantasy readers, particularly those who prefer the books that are more about the dark aspects of fantasy, but also anyone looking for an interesting series that isn't fluffy.


Notes:

Books 4 (Attack of the Fiend) and 5 (Wrath of the Bloodeye) are also published now, but I have not yet read them.

Since Delaney is a British author, these books were also published in the UK as the "Wardstone Chronicles" with the titles The Spook's Apprentice, The Spook's Curse, The Spook's Secret, The Spook's Battle, and The Spook's Mistake.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: Keys to the Kingdom, Dark Lord of Derkholm, or Fablehaven

Magic Can Be Murder by Vivian Vande Velde

Nola and her mother are witches - that's why they have to keep on the move every time someone starts to suspect. Unfortunately, as she gets older, her mother starts to lose her grip on reality and puts both of them at even more risk. Everything changes the night that Nola accidentally witnesses a murder while using magic - but worse, there's a chance that the murderer might implicate them if he realizes their secret. So Nola sets out in an attempt to cover their tracks and ends up even deeper. Now she has to get herself free from the tangled web without anyone realizing that she's a witch or she and her mother will both suffer.

This was an interesting story and it's a fairly quick read; the end seemed a bit contrived to me, but otherwise, it was all believable. I liked the characters and they definitely kept the plot from becoming too convoluted despite the layers of complications. I would recommend this book to fantasy readers who like a little edge of mystery or a relatively short book that isn't too fluffy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Howl's Moving Castle, Cecilia and Kate, Black Pearls, or The Immortals series

Midnight Pearls by Debbie Viguié

One day a storm comes up suddenly while a fisherman is out at sea. In the midst of the waves, he finds a glowing young girl who has white hair and skin and clutches a giant black pearl. He takes her home and he and his wife raise 'Pearl' as their own. She grows up quickly, however, and realizes that the only way to find happiness for herself and her friends is to discover the secret about where she comes from and who she really is.

This story is a great retelling of 'The Little Mermaid' (it's rather different than both the original and the Disney versions). The characters are well described and easy to envision and the plot is interesting, following the basic story but without being too predictable. I enjoyed this book a lot - the only disappointment was that it was a bit short and the ending seemed a little abrupt. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Snow, The Elemental Masters series, Flora Segunda, or The Princess Academy

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Sophie Hatter lives in a world where magic is real. Unfortunately, she has read enough fairy tales to realize that, as the oldest of three daughters, she's the least likely to have any great luck or grand adventures. When her father dies, she resigns herself to running their hat shop and turning into a timid spinster while her sisters have more exciting futures. Her life changes in an instant when the Witch of the Waste casts a spell to make her an old woman and she realizes that she cannot stay with her family any longer. Sophie decides that her only hope is to seek out the Wizard Howl (the evil wizard who eats the souls of young girls and lives in a moving castle). What she finds, of course, is entirely different from her expectations and suddenly Sophie is in the middle of an adventure of her own.

This is definitely an interesting story with well-written characters and a unique plot. It has a rather odd blend of 'real world' versus 'magical world;' it comes across fairly well since the two are linked in several ways, although I have to admit that there didn't seem to be much reason for it. Other than that, I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it to fantasy readers - particularly those looking for something out of the the ordinary.

As a side note, I happened to see the movie first and I have to say that while it's cute, the book makes far more sense; I was confused by several points in the movie (most of which aren't in the book and the rest of which are clarified in the text). The movie is a nice bit of fluffy fantasy anime, but reading the book helps a lot.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Now You See It, or Cecilia and Kate

Snow by Tracy Lynn

Jessica's mother dies when she is born and her father, the duke of a small Welsh estate, wants nothing to do with her. Instead he searches for a new duchess and a chance to start over as his daughter is raised by the kitchen staff and runs wild. When her father remarries, Jessica must abandon her friends and learn how to be a 'proper lady,' but even that ends when her stepmother decides to punish her by locking her away as a servant. One of her stepmother's servants has become her friend and he helps her to escape to London. Going by the name 'Snow,' she ends up living with a band of outcasts but soon discovers that if she wants to keep her new life, she'll have to fight for it.

I really enjoyed this retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (although, there are only 5 'dwarfs' in this story). The story is definitely different from other versions I've read with a blend of both magic and 'science', of a sort. This book is a fairly quick read, but not too 'fluffy' and the characters are all rather interesting but also believable. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers, particularly fans of retellings.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Elemental Masters series, Cecelia and Kate, Dark Lord of Derkholm, or East

Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey

In this retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Aurore grows up with reminders of her christening-day curse all around her. Forbidden to touch sharp objects or go outside, she feels smothered. Finally, her parents agree to loosen the strictures and make the bittersweet discovery that she is the heir they always hoped she would be. But the curse remains. Aurore grows up and embarks on an adventure to delay the curse, and, perhaps, change her future.

I don't think this is one of my favorite retellings of Sleeping Beauty. The story is certainly an interesting take, although I'm not a huge fan of the writing style: told in first person, the beginning of the story is full of asides which I thought were a bit tedious. After the first couple of chapters, however, the commentaries disappear. The ending is also a bit unorthodox, but ties up all of the loose ends well. Overall, I would say that I liked this story, but I would probably only recommend it to fantasy fans who are really into retellings or readers who prefer the first person narrative-style stories.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spindle's End, Princess Nevermore, or The Frog Princess

The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix

The first book in this series, Mister Monday, introduces Arthur Penhaligon, a fairly average seventh- grader in the (presumably) near future. Arthur is supposed to die, but a twist of fate brings him a 'key' which saves his life and also causes him to see odd things - like the house that takes up half the street in his neighborhood. Suddenly strange creatures come after him, causing those around him to grow sick with the 'Sleepy Plague.' Arthur realizes that to save himself and his family, he must venture into the strange house. Suddenly, Arthur is swept up in an adventure without any idea of what the key means. But soon, he'll discover that he has gotten more than he bargained for: the Will has declared that he is the rightful heir and it's his job to undo damage and set things to rights, even though Monday won't give up his position without a fight.


The next four books tell the story of Arthur's struggle to release the rest of the Will and gain control of the keys:

In Grim Tuesday, Tuesday has decided to call in Monday's debt and will take it from Arthur in any way necessary, forcing Arthur to sneak back into the House and gather new friends and allies as he works through new challenges.

Wednesday follows in Drowned Wednesday; Arthur receives an invitation from Wednesday and discovers that she has been cursed by others of the Morrow Days, causing her to eat until she has turned into a Leviathan. She offers her key freely if Arthur will help release her from the spell, forcing Arthur to make difficult decisions about whom he should trust. Meanwhile, his friend, Leaf, has accidentally gotten caught up in Arthur's adventures and must find a way to keep herself safe while Arthur forges ahead to gain the third key.

After dealing with Wednesday, Arthur discovers in Sir Thursday that a copy of him has taken up residence on Earth and is trying to gain control of everyone around him. Leaf gets sent back to help, but Arthur must stay because he has been called up to serve in Thursday's army, as all denizens must do at some point. Army life would be dangerous enough, but an army of Nithlings ,unlike any the denizens have ever seen, has appeared and started a war. Arthur's only hope may be to gain the fourth key and negotiate peace.

Finally, in Lady Friday, Leaf discovers that Friday is abducting mortals from Earth and experimenting on them. In the House, Friday has lead Arthur and others on a wild goose chase for her key, claiming to have abdicated. Only Arthur can save his friend and the other innocent people that Friday is tormenting, if only he can wade through all the traps first.


Note: According to Amazon, the sixth book, Superior Saturday, will be released in August 2008. The seventh, and final, book does not yet have a release date.

This series is great. It seems to be geared somewhat toward younger teens, but they're interesting enough for all ages. The story is new, imaginative, and fairly unpredictable. There are not many 'solid' characters in these books (most of them are generic 'denizens of the House' that Arthur meets on his quests), but Arthur is definitely well defined and easy to sympathize with. The plot keeps moving at a good pace and these books are all fairly quick reads, but without being too 'fluffy.' I'm looking forward to the final two books and I would definitely recommend them to fantasy fans of all ages.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Last Apprentice, Fablehaven, or Flora Segunda

The Saint of the Dragons by Jason Hightman

Dragons were feared and hunted in the time of St. George, but are believed to be extinct. Instead, they have merely adapted to the new, modern environment and continue to spread their evil amongst humans. Simon St. George is a thirteen-year-old boy who has no memory of his parents and has lived at an elite private boys school since he was very young. Suddenly, a ragged-looking man appears out of nowhere, claiming to be his father and spirits him away, plunging him head-first into the family dragon hunting business. Due to unusual circumstances, Simon and his father are the last dragon hunters of their lineage; unfortunately, things are about to get even more unusual and no one else can stop the dragons' plot. Along with Alaythia Moore, an artist who gets swept up in their adventures, they travel across the seas looking for clues and a way to save the world.

I have to admit that I'm personally not a huge fan of the 'evil dragon' plot, but the author builds an intriguingly plausible scenario in this book. The characterization is fairly good although the relationships between the characters are a bit forced. Additionally, the author relies on the relationships to drive much of the plot which makes it a bit repetitive; the constant fighting between father and son, in particular, tends to get old. Overall, this book has an interesting premise, but the story is somewhat lacking. It is definitely geared toward younger teens and those readers may enjoy it more. It isn't a bad book if you're looking for something with a real-life 'modern' storyline, but readers who want a more sophisticated writing style (or who are easily annoyed by characters who keep making the same mistakes) should probably pass this one over.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dragonhaven, Fablehaven, or Now You See It

Spirit Fox by Mickey Zucker Reichert and Jennifer Wingert

Reminiscent of medieval fiefs, the matriarchal fort communities of the Marchlands have long fought in a battle dictated by their gods. But when the gods make peace amongst themselves, the people embrace the 'Joyous Reunion' and make it illegal to learn fighting or warcraft of any kind. Unfortunately, years of peace have made them an easy target for an invading foreign army intent on wiping out the magic that many people wield as healers and soothsayers as well as those who have been spirit-linked to animals – a magical connection which the foreigners call an Abomination but which the Marchlanders view as a gift from their gods. One young girl, Kiarda, suffers a particularly difficult fate because her spirit link has become corrupted, causing her to turn into a fox. She must learn how to deal with her personal healing and find ways to save her people before their way of life is destroyed.

I really enjoy this book - the plot is relatively unusual, but definitely interesting. The characters are well developed (although occasionally a little too predictable) and the characterization of the invaders in particular added a unique facet to the story. The ending is a little too neat to be entirely 'realistic,' but it does tie up all the loose ends satisfyingly. I'd definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Reserved for the Cat, Half-Human, Resenting the Hero, or Dragonsdawn

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

Meg Finn has few options since her mother died and her step-father has kicked her out. For that matter, she hasn't really been a good kid. But now, her 'partner-in-crime,' Belch, has convinced her that they should break into an old person's house and rob him and Meg has to go along with it even though she isn't very happy. But the crime goes wrong and both Belch and Meg end up dead. Now, Belch goes straight to Hell, but Meg has ended up with an absolute even score and cannot enter either Heaven or Hell. To try and skew the balance, Meg has a second chance - she has to go back and help Lowrie McCall (the man that they tried to rob) finish up his Wish List of things that he wants to accomplish before he dies. It sounds rather simple. Unfortunately, Satan has decided that he'd like to have Meg down below and his second-in-command sends Belch out to 'make her bad.' Meg doesn't have very long to change her fate, and she has no idea how complicated it's going to be.

I'm not sure this qualifies as a 'fantasy' book per se, but it's definitely supernatural, so I thought it might interest some fantasy readers. This was a fairly quick read - it's aimed at the younger teens, but older readers will enjoy it too. The story is rather out of the ordinary and the characters are fairly well done. I'd definitely recommend it to readers looking for something quick and somewhat 'fluffy' or for anyone looking for something a little less 'fantastical,' but still outside the general fiction category.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Summoning, The Keys to the Kingdom, Reseerved for the Cat, or Fablehaven

Princess Nevermore by Dian Curtis Regan

Quinella is the only princess of Mandria, a kingdom where magic still lives beneath 'outer earth.' One of her favorite pastimes is watching the people who live above from the bottom of a wishing well that forms a portal between the worlds. Although she wishes to visit, Melikar, the only wizard who could send her, refuses. When she gets transported above by accident, however, she finds herself in the modern world with no understanding of cars, microwaves, or any other outer earth 'magic.' For that matter, she only knows how to be a princess and has no idea how to deal without the social strictures that she is accustomed to. Worst of all, she left without instructions on how to get back - and she's the only one who can get herself home. Quinn slowly gains more understanding of outer earth and discovers the inherent dangers - now she must make the most difficult choice of all.

This is a fairly quick read. The idea is interesting and the characterization drives the story, showing how a magical princess might view the world. The plot, however, seemed rather contrived and formulaic. Every point was too neat and planned, rendering it unrealistic (by fantasy standards). At the same time, it is clear that even though the book is usually categorized as a 'young adult' novel based on the age of the main characters (15-17), it certainly seems to be aimed at younger teens and might appeal to fantasy readers who want a light, fluffy read.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Once Upon a Marigold, Now You See It, orThe Two Princesses of Bamarre

Poison Study and Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

In Poison Study, Yelena is on her way to hang for murder; instead, she is offered an alternate fate. If she would prefer, she can have a permanent position in the palace with all of her needs taken care of. The catch is that she'll be working as the food taster for the Commander until one of his meals becomes her last. Yelena seizes the opportunity but finds the position less tenable when Valek, the chief of security, poisons her with Butterfly's Dust - only a daily dose of the antidote will keep her alive. With no chance of escape, Yelena discovers that her life is in danger from even more sources: her past still haunts her and a plot involving magic (in a country where magic is illegal) seems to center around her. Yelena must work fast to keep one step ahead before she ends up dead, one way or another...

In Magic Study, Although Yelena's fate has changed dramatically after the events in Ixia, she still has plenty of people out to kill her: an execution order is in effect in Ixia because of her magic, but the magicians training her will kill her if she cannot learn to control her abilities sufficiently. Meanwhile, her parents welcome her with open arms, but not all southerners are willing to accept her so quickly, including her brother. Rumors that she is a northern spy and assassin follow her all the way to the Citadel where students train as magicians. Plots crop up at every turn and suddenly, Yelena discovers that there are just as many complications awaiting her in Sitia as she had left behind. Luckily, she's up for a challenge.

I'm definitely enjoying this series - it's original and intriguing. The characters are well thought-out and the plot is complex but not confusing. I did feel as though some of the character relationships in the first book were a bit forced and unnatural and also that some of the plot in the second book seemed a little repetitive. Overall, however, I like these books and would recommend them to other fantasy readers - particularly those looking for something with a little political intrigue and 'spy work' or for something a bit out of the ordinary.

The third book in the series, Fire Study, is set to release in March 2008. For more information and excerpts from all of these books, you can visit Maria V. Snyder's homepage.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spirit Fox, Song of the Lioness Quartet, or The Last Apprentice

Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge

Mosca Mye lives in a precarious world full of political and religious complications. There are dozens of candidates to be the next monarch (although the appointed committee is taking so long to decide that some of the candidates have died and been replaced by children or grandchildren) and there are even more deities presiding over every facet of life. Meanwhile Guilds maintain order amidst the chaos including the Stationer's Guild which must approve any written publications. Although her scholarly father died when she was very young, he taught Mosca to read (a rare skill) and infected her with a love of language. When Mosca ends up tagging along with an odd fellow who has many secrets and uses interesting words, she and her goose, Saracen, discover that they've ended up in the middle of an adventure.

This was an interesting story. The plot is somewhat complex and full of political intrigue. The characters are fairly realistic, although the world is just odd enough that it takes some getting used to. I had a few issues with this story: for one thing, it's supposed to be horribly strange that Mosca can read (and people have strange reactions to any written word not approved by the Guild) but it's surprisingly easy for her to buy written tracts and no one seems to question it; it seems to attempt a commentary on censorship, but it's all rather heavy-handed or vague enough to be confusing and a little annoying. Also, the story tends to plod; although it's clear that the author loves language and likes to play with it (which is refreshing), the writing is not pretty, mostly just tedious. Overall, I'm not a huge fan - this wasn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it very much. To be fair, however, I don't usually enjoy 'political intrigue' stories, but fantasy readers who do might want to give this book a chance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spirit Fox, Lady in Gil, or Howl's Moving Castle

The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories by Gail Carson Levine & Half-Human edited by Bruce Coville


The Fairy's Return and other Princess Stories is actually a collection of novellas which are all published separately as The Princess Tales: The Fairy's Mistake, The Princess Test, Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep, Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, For Biddle's Sake, and The Fairy's Return. All of these stories are retellings or reminiscent of fairy tales set in a fictional kingdom. I enjoyed this book; the stories are short enough to read quickly and then put down, but longer than most 'short stories.' The plots are definitely creative and interesting takes on fairytale elements although the stories do seem to be geared toward younger readers and are not very sophisticated or complex. I would recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy fairy tales or who are looking for short, quick reads.


Half-Human is a collection of short stories about 'half-humans' including gorgons, mermaids, selkies, and even a tree that becomes a man by authors including Bruce Coville, Tamora Pierce, Gregory Maguire and Jane Yolen. I really love this book; the stories are all short enough to read in a few minutes, but they are interesting and well-written. I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy fans - particularly if you're short on time and need something that you can read in snippets of time. Almost all of them are about half-human children living in the 'real world' so readers who enjoy books about fantasy in the midst of today's world should definitely pick this one up.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: Black Pearls, The Immortals series, Once Upon a Marigold, or The Frog Princess

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley

When the queen finally has a child after years of waiting, the rulers want share their joy with everyone and allow one person from every city, town, or village, to the naming ceremony. Katriona represents the little village of Foggy Bottom. The ceremony is interrupted, however, before the twenty-first godparent can give the little princess a gift: the bad fairy Pernicia places a curse on her which will cause her to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a magical coma. Somehow Kat finds herself carrying the princess home with her. For the next 21 years, Kat and her fairy aunt raise 'Rosie' as their own, hiding her as well as 'ordinariness' can, and hoping that the curse will never come to pass.

This re-telling of Sleeping Beauty is certainly unique. The characters are all well-developed and realistic, as is the magical country where the story takes place. At the same time, this story is incredibly bogged down by McKinley's tendency to describe everything. Particularly at the start of the book, the narrative voice inserts parenthetical comments in nearly every sentence; the end of the book drags on - I almost thought that it would never quite finish. Given this, I would say that this may not be the book for you unless (1) you enjoy re-tellings and want to read them all regardless (and this is an interesting one, I'll admit), or (2) you like very descriptive, somewhat dense books.

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

When her father dies, Rosalind Hawkins is left with debt and few options. A professor of hers mentions a letter he has received from a man in San Francisco looking for a tutor/governess for his children, but requires particular language skills. As a scholar and doctoral student, Rose has the necessary qualifications and she decides to leave what is left of her life in Chicago to start a new one on the West Coast. She discovers when she arrives that there are no children, but that her position may actually be better than she had hoped.

I absolutely love these re-tellings of fairy tales that Mercedes Lackey does; the books are historical and put Magick in the 'real world' to create 'realistic' ways for fairy tale stories to come about. This one tells the story of Beauty and the Beast with realistic characters and an interesting plot. Although this bears no resemblance to the 'original' it is definitely the same story.

I need to give a brief explanation about where this book falls in the series so that it makes sense. This book is not listed among those of the Elemental Masters series [The Serpent's Shadow (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), The Gates of Sleep (Sleeping Beauty), Phoenix and Ashes (Cinderella), The Wizard of London (The Snow Queen), and Reserved for the Cat (Puss in Boots)] presumably because all of the books in the series take place in England around the same time and the later books reference characters from the early ones. However, I think that this one still belongs at the head of the series in part because it gives a more thorough introduction to the 'Magickal' world than the others do. I don't think readers would be confused by not reading this one first, but I do think it helps.

I definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans, particularly those who like re-tellings or stories about magic in the 'real world'/historical fantasy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Beauty & Rose Daughter, The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories, or Wicked Lovely

Erec Rex: The Dragon Eye by Kaza Kingsley

Erec Rex is a twelve-year-old boy living in an unconventional family with his 'mother,' June, who has adopted him and five other children. Erec himself is a bit unusual - he has a glass eye and occasionally experiences compulsions which force him to do things that help people. His life changes forever when one of these 'cloudy thoughts' compels him to go searching for his mother. He meets Bethany, a neglected child subject to her uncle's whims, and she helps him to enter a secret, magical world where his mother has been taken. They get swept up into 'Alypium' where children are competing to be the next three rulers of the magical realm (the current triplets, two kings and a queen, have decided to retire after 500 years and the royal triplets born to King Piter died as children). Between trying to rescue his mother and competing against several hundred youths who know more about their world than he does, Erec finds his hands full and has to scramble to keep on top of it all.

Honestly, I'm not really a fan of this book. The plot is vaguely interesting and new but the writing doesn't do it justice. It starts out with so much happening that I couldn't get my bearings for the first couple of chapters (and I never did catch on to the way that they were naming places). The characters are fairly realistic, but a lot of the development feels forced. In particular, the the dialog feels contrived and unnatural and repetitive in some cases (Erec's conversations with his mother are all the same). Besides that, most fantasy fans will guess the gist of the outcome from his name/the title (I don't think I'm giving anything away by saying that). Generally speaking, I'd have to say that there is a lot of fantasy out there worth reading and if you skip this series, you aren't missing much; consider these instead:

• The Lightning Thief, Dragonhaven,
  Once Upon a Marigold, or The Keys to the Kingdom

Beauty and Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Her mother named her 'Honour' (to go with her siblings, Grace and Hope), but her nickname is Beauty. When her father loses everything he has, they all pack up and move to a small village with Hope's suitor since he intends to be the blacksmith there. After a trip to town, their father returns with a story about a Beast who insists that one of the daughters come to live with him, Beauty knows that she must go. What Beauty finds at the enchanted castle is not what she expects, but slowly, she goes about taming the Beast and learning more about humanity.

Beauty: a Retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast is a very traditional retelling of Beauty and the Beast - it isn't precisely the 'Disney' version, but anyone who knows the story won't be surprised by anything. I enjoy reading this book because it does add some depth to the story, although it is kind of bland in comparison with other stories that have more variation from the 'original.' Anyone who really enjoys re-tellings should read this at some point, although, if you're looking for something really different, you would probably prefer the next book (Rose Daughter).


Rose Daughter is also a retelling of Beauty and the Beast: Greatheart, Jeweltongue, and Beauty are the three daughters of a wealthy merchant. Beauty, the youngest, takes refuge in the garden as soon as she can walk. After their mother's death when the children are young, their father loses interest in his business, causing them to lose everything a few years later. Luckily, Beauty happens to find a will giving her ownership of Rose Cottage in a far away village; without any other choices, they pack up and move. But although they all adjust to their new lives, the villagers hint of a curse if three girls live at Rose Cottage and other strange whispers about the forest and an old quarrel between sorcerers. When their father returns to Town on business, he takes refuge at an enchanted castle and, of course, the Beast demands one of his daughters when he takes a rose. Beauty discovers that the Beast needs her help and does her best to set things to right for him.

The first time that I read this book, I didn't enjoy it much. Since then, I have come to love it - the imagery is beautiful, the characterizations are complex and thorough. Perhaps most importantly, it retells the story with enough changes to make it very unique and satisfying. Some readers may not like the level of detail in this book (McKinley does tend to get a bit wordy with her descriptions) but I think that it is worth it. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy fans, particularly those who like re-tellings and/or the story of Beauty and the Beast.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: The Fire Rose, Cecelia and Kate, or Half-Human

Fablehaven and Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

Kendra and Seth are unhappy about spending time with their grandparents while their mother and father go on a cruise. Once they arrive, however, they discover all sorts of activities to occupy them. It gets even more interesting when they find out that they're actually staying at Fablehaven, a preserve for magical creatures, and that their grandfather is the current caretaker. Although the siblings are enchanted by this discovery, they soon find out that magic isn't all fun and games - some magical creatures are dangerous and they must attempt to help save Fablehaven from dark plots which threaten it.

This book is a lot of fun. It's aimed toward young teens, so it's a quick, light read, but the plot is sophisticated enough to be interesting and engaging. I did notice that some of the dialog didn't seem to fit the characters, but otherwise they were fairly well developed. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.


In the sequel, Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star, strange things start happening at home so that Kendra and Seth must go back to their grandparent's house for safety. The Society of the Evening Star - an ancient organization that believes all magical creatures should be loose in the world regardless of the danger - has started growing more powerful and deliberate in their actions. Grandpa Sorensen has gathered together three experts (a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper) to help keep Fablehaven safe. Their job is to find the hidden relic before the Society can get into the preserve and take it themselves. Meanwhile, Kendra is still discovering new abilities as a side effect of the fairy kisses she received the summer before and Seth is still getting himself into trouble. Now, the stakes are high and everyone must pull together to find answers or the fate of the entire world could be in jeopardy.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. The plot is far more sophisticated, so it really builds on the first installment. Seth bothered me because he cannot seem to get a clue and quit causing more problems for everyone else to deal with, but the rest of the characters are good. Also, just a heads-up, this book has a lot less closure at the end than the first one did because this one seems to be a more blatant lead-in to the next book in the series. Overall, I definitely liked this book and would recommend it to fantasy fans.

For more information, check out the official website - Note: the site is all illustrated/animated and takes a while to load.

Also see the posting for the third book in the series, Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Flora Segunda, The Saint of the Dragons, or The Harper Hall Trilogy

Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

R'shiel and Tarja Tenragen are half-siblings who live in Medalon, a nation run by the Sisters of the Blade and built on the eradication of religion. R'shiel is a novice in the Sisterhood, although she can't seem to live up to the rigorous standards of her mother who aspires to run the Order. Tarja is a Captain of the Defenders: Medalon's military force. Meanwhile, a belief in the Harshini (a fabled, god-like race thought to be extinct), rumors, and religious tensions cause a break in the peace amongst Medalon and her neighboring countries. R'shiel and Tarja are forced to rethink their loyalties and face hard realities.

I'm not a huge fan of this book, honestly. The issue with the 'Demon Child' (a half-human, half-Harshini child) seemed ridiculously obvious and the rest of the plot was no more surprising. It also seemed as if the plot was simply a series of recurring events which made for a rather tedious story. I have to admit that the characterization was good, but undermined by the storyline. This is the first book of the Demon Child Trilogy (Medalon, Treason Keep, Harshini), a part of the Hythrun Chronicles, so it is possible that the series improves once a reader gets past the 'introductory' first book. In general, I don't think I would recommend this book to most readers. If it appeals to you, or you enjoy the religion-based fantasy books, you might want to check it out and give it a try, but otherwise, I would suggest that readers look elsewhere; consider these:

• Spirit Fox, Poison Study, or Before Midnight