Just Ella

By Annette K. Larsen

Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of her curiosity are far more severe than she’d imagined.

I went into reading this book thinking I was getting a lovely little fluff piece about a swollen-headed princess that learns peasants are people too. Wrongo-bongo. This is one of my favorites of its genre now that I’ve found it, and I have a gap on my shelf waiting for it. Just Ella is not a story about Cinderella, it’s a story about a girl who feels alone because she is royalty and looks everywhere for a friend. She is destined to be queen one day, and feels the pressure and loneliness keenly. One day she meets gardener Gavin, who treats her kindly and like a person not just a princess. Of course, inevitably, they fall in love. But is this the whole story? No. This next part is what made me love this book and set it apart as one of the best of its genre. This book features love, as life features love, but it is ultimately about a girl trying to discover who she is and let things take place when and where they should. It’s a coming-of-age as much as it is a romance. The characters are incredibly fleshed out, especially Ella and Gavin. This is the kind of romance that feels truly real, not fairy-tale, not perfect, but because it isn’t a perfect fall into place tale, it makes it perfect! Oxymoron, maybe, but boy does it work! If you love princess stories, good writing, great characters, and a story about courage, love, strength, and sacrifice, this is the book for you. I was so surprised and fell in love with Ella’s story. Well done Ms. Larsen. Well done. You’ve got a fan.

This gets a 4.5 out of 5- yes I wasn’t lying when I said it is fantastic!

Across a Star Swept Sea

By Diana Peterfreund

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo…is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

Here’s the second installment in the world of “For Darkness Shows the Stars”, set in a different part of the world from Eliot’s, this is the world of Persis Blake, aristocrat, socialite, vapid, and empty-headed…or is she? In this lovely sci-fi retelling of  The Scarlet Pimpernel, we see an intelligent and caring young woman risk everything to save those in danger of losing their minds to the new weaponized drug that is Reducing those born with their minds intact. While all this political play is going on, Persis’s best friend, who happens to be Royalty, asks her a favor: look after Justen Helo, a refugee and prodigy in his chosen field of science and medicine. Persis’s secret comes at a cost when she begins to fall for the passionate, and secretive Justen. Justen is smart and observant, and can’t seem to understand why a girl who is obviously almost as intelligent (maybe more) than he is would pretend to be otherwise. Persis doesn’t know what to do with the young Helo when she discovers secrets about him, because she wants more than anything to be able to trust him. This is a great retelling of a fantastic classic, and a great addition to a spectacular world that the author has created. My only difficulty with this book was centered on the relationship between Justen and Persis and the scenes where they are swimming and making out. As per usual, this kind of thing makes me uncomfortable, so I like to warn people when it occurs, in case there are other hyper-sensitive people out there. Other than that very small issue, this book was fantastic and lovely.

4.25 out of 5

Ranger's Apprentice 12: The Royal Ranger

By John Flanagan

Will Treaty has come a long way from the small boy with dreams of knighthood. Life had other plans for him, and as an apprentice Ranger under Halt, he grew into a legend—the finest Ranger the kingdom has ever known. Yet Will is facing a tragic battle that has left him grim and alone. To add to his problems, the time has come to take on an apprentice of his own, and it’s the last person he ever would have expected. Fighting his personal demons, Will has to win the trust and respect of his difficult new companion—a task that at times seems almost impossible.

I was incredibly excited when I found out John Flanagan was going to add one last book to my beloved Ranger’s Apprentice series. When I found out that it would feature an older Will with an apprentice of his own I was even more excited. The dynamics of this particular Ranger’s Apprentice was, of course, different and took me a bit to get into as I was expecting a solo Will and a younger one. The jump in time was hard to adjust to, but once done I was right there enjoying seeing old friends and getting to know new ones. Maddie, Will’s new apprentice, is an arrogant spoiled brat. Oh and she happens to be the Princess of Araluen. Her parents are desperate and hope that training as a Ranger will help iron out Maddie’s attitude. Needless to say, it’s fun to see Will in the situation that Halt was in when Will became his apprentice. Will is the greybeard famous ranger now, with more than a little in common with Halt, but thankfully, still very much himself. The best part of this book was seeing old friends and also the epilogue. One thing I really appreciate about John Flanagan’s books, he never leaves you feeling sad or anxious. Everything, while not perfect, is good. He always leaves his readers smiling and hopeful. This has been a wonderful series, and here’s to Mr. Flanagan letting us see his Ranger’s characters in Brotherband every so often!

This gets a 3.75 out of 5- dangerously close to a 4.

An Unlikely Match

By Sarah M. Eden

It isn’t every day an impoverished young gentlemen inherits a sizable fortune and an estate. Nickolas Pritchard, not only impoverished and young, but a gentleman as well, felt his luck acutely the day just such a remarkable inheritance fell upon him.

The future has never looked brighter for once penniless Nickolas Pritchard. Now in possession of an unforeseen legacy from a distant cousin, he can finally woo the exquisite Miss Castleton, belle of the London Season. What better setting for matchmaking that Ty Mynydd, his ancestral home nestled in the untamed hills of Wales? Ideal indeed…except for the ghost.

For nearly four hundred years, Gwen has walked the halls of the home in which she lived—and died a mysterious death. But despite centuries as the reigning force within her ancient residence, nothing prepares her for the charm and unexpected appeal of Englishman Nickolas.

A deep and abiding affection grows between the two, tempered by the unbreakable barrier that separates them. They cannot possibly hope for a happily ever after. There can be no future between a man yet living and a woman long dead.

But how can Nickolas possibly give Gwen up? And how can Gwen face an eternity without Nickolas?

This was a fun concept for a romance novel. It’s set in regency times and takes place in Wales. Gwen comes from a time long gone, so this could probably be loosely in the historical romance genre. The interplay between Nickolas and Gwen, a man and a ghost, is the best part of this book. It’s a cute byplay, if a little too easily won romance, despite the obvious barrier of life and death. The mystery within the book still leaves me a bit mystified honestly. It all felt…fuzzy. That being said, it was a fluffy little piece that was pretty fun to read, but I do prefer Sarah Eden’s other novels that leaves the supernatural alone.

I give it a 2.75, because it’s just a little below average for the author and genre.

Divergent

By Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where exactly a romance with a sometimes fascinating sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean her death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves…or it might destroy her.

I really pushed to read this before watching the movie that came out this past year because I can’t stand to see a movie before reading the book. They tend to fill each other out for me, the theater bringing the best of the visual storytelling and the book bringing the best of the psychological and philosophical. That being said, I did enjoy Divergent and could see why it has become one of the more popular dystopian novels. Beatrice “Tris” Prior is a fairly typical teenage heroine. She leaves her family because she feels like she doesn’t fit and is searching for who she is. When she begins her training as a prospective member of the Dauntless she is put through a cruel and unrelenting competition. She meets Four, one of her trainers, as well as the other initiates, some of whom break under the enormous pressure. It’s basically a study in brainwashing and seeing how much abuse a person can take. And on top of that there is some funny business going on with the Erudite faction that Tris’s brother chose and something to do with the elusive people known as Divergents. I liked this book, but I feel like The Hunger Games introduced the uber violence that writers are starting to latch onto, and Divergent really latches onto it with gusto.

Content warnings would be for violence, and mentions of intimacy, some swearing.  

This gets a 3.5 out of 5- above average execution

A Series of Unfortunate Events 2: The Reptile Room

By Lemony Snicket

Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky. In the first two books alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odor. In the tradition of great storytellers, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so enchanting, or quite so uproariously unhappy.

Just when the Baudelaire children think they have escaped the Count, and found a relative that is truly interesting and enjoys them, once more a series of unfortunate events unfolds to threaten their safety and their new home. Without going into the actual events of the book, I can say that this series is quite different and enjoyable once you become accustomed to the unusual tone and content. Daniel Handler, AKA Lemony Snicket, is a great writer and very diverse as well as a sarcastic bloke. This book is chuck full of fun archetypal characters and situations as well as fun new words that the narrator loves to explain to kids in his morose style. This series is quite fun and I figure eventually I’ll get through them all someday and find out the eventual unfortunate end.

This gets a 3 out of 5

Chaos

By Taylor Longford

Think you know about gargoyles? Think again. The beautiful winged race disappeared eight hundred years ago. Now they’re back.

Trapped in a harpy’s lair, Chaos must choose between his freedom and the life of an innocent young girl. To save the girl, he must agree to a lifetime of captivity at the end of a monster’s leash, a bleak existence that would crush his wild spirit and impetuous nature.

Starved and abused by the same harpy, Torrie doesn’t trust anyone, especially anyone with wings. She doesn’t realized that the young gargoyle imprisoned with her is her only hope for survival. And when she finally discovers her mistake, it appears to be too late for amends.

This was more like it. The last book, Defiance, was a bit of a letdown and I wondered if I had worked through my liking for the series and it was time to let them go, but Chaos got me in my happy place. It’s told from both Chaos and Torrie’s perspectives, and because we haven’t been introduced to Chaos previously this was fun to get to know one of the three Gargoyles we haven’t met yet. Chaos is captured by a harpy, and in order to get Chaos’s venom, the harpy abducts the first human female she sees, which happens to be torrie. Torrie has no idea that Chaos isn’t just an ordinary guy, and is freaked out to put it mildly at being kidnapped by a monster. As the two are thrown together Chaos begins to care for Torrie, and Torrie can’t help but be attracted to the stoic Gargoyle. She doesn’t understand that he is protecting her and has to make a horrible decision to save her life, because against all odds, he has fallen in love with her. This is a great addition to the series and one I really enjoyed reading. It also adds a little more mystery as to what happened to the other two Gargoyles.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5