Stepsister

Run, don’t walk , to get this book. In this retelling of Cinderella, the focus is on the ugly stepsisters. But these stepsisters are not the ones found in the classic tale. This is Isabelle’s tale. After her mother forces her to cut off her toes to fit into the slipper, Isabelle cant’ take it anymore. She is tired of being ugly. She is tired of wearing fancy clothes when all she wants it to rider her horses and sword fight with Felix. But her life doesn’t allow that making her jealous of Ella. After Ella is swept off to the palace, Isabelle makes a deal with the fairy queen to be pretty. But first she must find the broken pieces of her heart. Unfortunately she doesn’t know what those are. Behind the scenes, Fate and Chance are working to effect her life. Chance steals Isabelle’s fate map, setting a battle in motion. Fate wants the map back and is willing to send every obstacle into Isabelle’s path to keep her fate in control. Chance wants her to have a chance to change her life. So this is the story of Isabelle realizing that pretty isn’t the answer. That ugly is in the eye of the beholder. And that when you let those titles go, you can be anything you dream. And that forgiveness is divine. And that all is not what it seems. And that a smart, fierce girl with moxie can change the world. I LOVED this book more that I can say and it’s message isn’t just for young girls, but all girls, even if they are in their 50’s. The mirror shouldn’t determine our worth. We are who WE say we are. I can’t recommend this book enough. It should be required reading for all. Happy reading my friends, take your chances and determine your own fate..

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

What if the story of Frankenstein was told from a female point of view? This retold tale is from the mouth of Elizabeth Lavenza, the orphan girl sent to be Victor Frankenstein’s playmate. She is desperate to have a home and sees early on that in order to stay, she must find a way to control the odd, young boy. She suppresses who she is, becoming who he needs. As they grow older, she stays determined to keep him by her side. And so it would seem, is he. He is extremely possessive of Elizabeth and does not want even death to separate them.. Thus his experiments to defeat death begin.   When Victor runs off, Elizabeth goes on her own journey to find him. But what she finds is what the legends are made of. Who is really the monster? And how can Elizabeth defeat what she has helped to create. This was an interesting take of the classic story by Mary Shelley. I didn’t care for any of the characters though, so I really became uninterested in what the outcome would be. I do appreciate that Elizabeth wanted to clean up the mess she created, but I never really warmed up to her. Onward, and happy reading my friends.

The Gender Game

One side of the river is Matrus- a matriarchal society and on the other side of the river is Patrus- a patriarchal society. Violet lives in Matrus.. But due to some unfortunate circumstances she is incarcerated for her violent actions. Just as she is about to be released, she kills a fellow inmate. In Matrus that means death. But someone wants Violet’s help and she finds it’s her only way to escape the death penalty. She must go into Patrus and recover some technology that they had stolen. The only way she is allowed to enter that society is if she is married. So she marries another ‘agent’ and begins to help formulate the plan. When she and Lee decide that someone must take the fall for their theft, Lee (her husband) chooses Viggo, a warden who is already in trouble with the law. Violet must gain Viggo’s trust in order to frame him. Of course, that doesn’t go as planned once Violet gets to know him- and to know him is to love him. But Violet has a lot on the line, if she doesn’t go along with the plan, she may never see her brother again. She finds herself torn in two as the night approaches. All hell breaks loose and Violet must make some rapid decisions that may change both her and Viggo’s lives for good. I enjoyed the premise of this book, a society where there is no middle ground. No where is safe, and no where is simple. I think both genders would like this book. There is enough action for the boys and enough romance for the girls. Is that gender biased? Ironic I suppose. I will look for the sequel to see where this cliffhanger lands. Happy reading my friends!

Enchantee

Paris, Marie Antoinette, Versailles and Magic? When Camille finds herself responsible for her younger sister after her parents death, she must use all means necessary to keep them from living on the streets. She uses her magic to turn metal into coins, but the magic isn’t holding. She is desperate to find a solution and does what her mother told her never to do- use dark magic. Camille works her spells to become a member of the aristocracy so she can infiltrate the card games at Versaille. She meets a circle of friends and finds herself intertwined in the goings on at court. But she doesn’t notice the darkness swirling around her at every turn. Meanwhile, as herself, she meets a balloonist named Lazare, who takes her for a ride in a hot air balloon and changes her views of life and the city. The more time she spends with him, the more she wants to know more about him. When their two worlds collide at the palace, the have to find a way to save each other from the evil reaching out for both of them. I love some historical fiction, especially this time period. So the added twist of magic made it even more interesting- what if  Marie Antoinette used magic to keep herself relevant or beautiful? Hmm. I enjoyed this novel, don’t know if it will work with the kids but I’ll find out in a month or so.. I however, found it easily readable and fun. Happy reading my friends!

Two Can Keep A Secret

Karen McManus’s first book- One of Us is Lying was a show stopper of intrigue and action. Her follow up is no different. Girls keep going missing in the sleepy town of Echo Ridge. When the Corcoran twins are forced to move there to live with their grandmother while their mother is in rehab, they find themselves in the middle of mystery. Ellery is fascinated with all things crime related. She immediately throws herself into the middle of the investigations. See, her mother’s twin sister was one of the girls who went missing in high school and no one will talk about it. The twins make friends with the brother of one of the suspects in one of the missing girl cases and see first hand what an accusation like that can do to a family. Ellery  on the homecoming court and a target for the next round of killing. As one of the girls on the court goes missing, the entire town is on edge. And the last person to see Brooke- Ellery’s new friend Malcom. As the kids get closer to the truth, they find themselves in extreme danger. Dun dun dun... This is a great who dunnit with a killer last line. Every classroom bookshelf needs books like this one. An easy read, lots off intrigue, interesting characters, a little love story and a whole lot of page turning moments. It’s rare to find a stand alone novel and sometimes you just want to be done at the end. No cliffhangers, no waiting for a sequel. So both of these books are perfect for a summer read. Happy reading my friends.

Internment

Sadly, this one is a scary glimpse into the possible future of our country. Layla is an American who is also Muslim. The President has decided that Muslims are a threat to the country and decides to start an Exclusion Camp in the desert outside Independence, California. When Layla’s family is rounded up and sent to the camp, Layla doesn’t know what to do. She is incensed that she is ripped away from her boyfriend and her life to be stuck in the desert under the watchful eye of the Director and an whole lot of white guards. Things at the camp slowly descend into unlivable conditions. People going missing, guard brutality, rules, regulations and an all around feeling of helplessness. Layla and her friends decide that can no longer sit silently, that someone needs to speak up. And it may as well be her. With the help of a sympathetic guard, Layla somehow gets under the skin of the Director and is set on a path of a deadly confrontation. The question is asked, what does it mean to be American and how can that be protected? This book was an unpleasant reminder that we are on the brink of some critical decisions and people will need to take a stand. How many rights will be lost before more people speak out against hate and discrimination? Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. I hope we do not repeat the atrocities of Manzanar. Happy reading my friends. 

King of Scars

Back into the world of Nikolai Lantsov, last seen in his demon form flying over the Fold as the Darkling was burned by the Sun Summoner. Nikolai is now leading his people as king, with Zoya by his side. But the darkness is still inside him. And it is starting to take over. With the help of Zoya, Genya, David and the Twins, he is determined to find a way to remove the darkness from inside him while keeping his kingdom safe. Meanwhile, Nina, of Kaz Becker's gang is on a mission of her own to round up and protect the Grisha. She is mourning the loss of Matthias and needs time to figure out who she really is. Her Heartrender powers have gone awry and she is lost, searching for purpose. What she finds is horrifying. Grisha girls being forced to have babies to be used as weapons hooked on Parem. Nina cannot let this atrocity go unanswered and devises a plan to free the girls. But it will take a lot of lies and deceit to make it work. As these two factions work towards their goals, a movement to make the Darkling a saint has begun. Nikolai must be very careful while playing the game, to make sure all his cards make a winning hand. Can he defeat the monster inside him, keep his country safe and stop the Darkling once again? This is a familiar world with characters you can't help but root for. You have to start with Shadow and Bone and meet the characters where they begin to appreciate their journey. Remember- "No Mourners, No Funerals" Happy reading my friends.

Furyborn

What could two girls, with amazing powers, separated by a thousand years possibly have in common? More than you realize! Rielle is the Sun Queen. The one who was prophesied to arrive amidst other signs. Or is she the Blood Queen, the other queen said to rise at the same time. Rielle wants nothing more than to be the Sun Queen, the good one, the kind one. But her nature and desires drive her in other directions. And when Corien, an angel, decides to take an  interest in her, all hell breaks loose. Eliana is a poor girl, the Dread of Orline, the assassin of the King. She is indestructible, a secret she must keep to herself. She will do anything to protect her family. When girls start to go missing, she takes it upon herself to find out what is happening. When her mother is one of the missing, she joins forces with an enemy to find her. As their stories unfold, the connection between them takes shape and sets Eliana on a path that may destroy all she loves. Or she just might save the world. While I liked this book, I don't know that I really liked either of the main characters. Their dark sides really rule them and it is at the cost of those who love them. But I love a good girl empowerment story as much as the next person so I didn't put it down. I am not sure I will read the sequel, my summer pile is high and I am determined to make my way through it. At least before I buy any new books. with the exception of the new Sarah Dessen! Wish me luck- happy reading my friends!

Aurora Rising

Last year I read three of the most interestingly told stories- The Illuminae Files. The authors of this series have done it again. While this novel isn't told in an interesting fashion, it is un-put-down-able. Aurora climbs on board a ship to meet her father on the planet he is colonizing. Over 200 years later, she is saved by Tyler, an alpha out on a run. In order to save her, he has to give up all he has worked his whole life for. When he returns to his ship, he is stuck with a team made up of leftovers, instead of the dream team he had planned. His sister and 3 other misfits are forced together to help keep space in order. But Auri isn't all she appears. Tyler finds himself drawn into her mission, a mission that even she is unsure of. As forces align, the only way to save Auri is to go on the run with her against his own people. And as the tangled web untangles, Tyler realizes that he must have faith if he even stands a chance to save the galaxy. This is another novel filled with interesting characters who do not do the typical things. Each one could fill a novel of their own. And when the real reason Auri is alive is revealed, it is as creepy and scary as it should be. The imagery will make a great movie, which I'm sure must be in the works. I enjoy these civilizations the authors keep creating as I don't believe space is something I will see in my lifetime. It's fun to go into a world better explored in the pages of a book. Looking forward to the rest of this series! And anything else Kristoff and Kaufman choose to write. I'm hooked. Happy reading my friends, let the summer of reading begin!