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Title: Enchanted
Author: Kontis
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Princesses, Magic
Pages: 308
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Ages: 6th grade and up
From the Publisher:
It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday's only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true. When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday's family despises. The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past—and hers?
I'm highlighting this title today for several reasons:
(1) It's awesome!
(2) It's this week's Sync free audiobook download. Click here for details.(And it's paired with "Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There" so a good week for audiobooks from Sync).
(3) It was on almost everyone's Top 10 books of 2012. (Teen books, Best books, Best audio, etc.)
(4) It's awesome!
Please do NOT do what I did and say, "Meh, girl in dress on cover...fractured fairy tale spinoff...been there, done that." I let entirely too much time go by until I finally read this book (and honestly, I cannot say ENOUGH good things about this on audio. The narrator is incredible and the production was time well spent).
There is so much going on here. Sunday is an incredible mix of all that is great about fairy tale heroines. The world-building is outstanding, and the incorporation of traditional and "fractured" fairy tales in unique and unusual ways is so very clever. I promise, you will enjoy this!
Title: Selection; Elite
Author: Cass
Genre: Fiction, Dystopian, Contests, Prince/Princess, Marriage, Love
Pages: 327 (Selection)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (for both)
Ages: Middle School and up
In this first installment of "Series Saturday," I thought that I would highlight a series that I recently discovered. This is not a new series, since the second book came out in April, but for some reason I never got around to reading it when the first book hit the shelves. And I think I know why...I have a natural aversion to girls in floofy dresses on the cover of the books I'm reading.
So, in my case, this was a terrific lesson in "Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover!" Dang, all this time I've missed out knowing these characters.
From the Publisher:
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself'and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
I finished the first book, and am waiting until school starts so I can "steal" our library copy of "The Elite." I am very excited to know where the story is going, and what is going to happen to America...and who she will choose. This book has a little bit for everyone: romance, action, political intrigue...and girls in fancy dresses if that's what you like.
Title: Daughter of Xanadu
Author: Yang
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Ancient China, Mongolia
Pages: 352
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Princess Emmajin, grandaughter of the Great Khubalai Khan, wants nothing more than to be a warrior in her grandfather's army. But the Khan wants her to act as a court liason to three travelers from the West...Marco Polo, his father, and his uncle.
Emmajin is a strong, female character, wanting to go against tradition. Her first-person narrative provides an excellent account of the action and adventure of the Mongol army, but also what is was like in China at the time Marco Polo arrived.
The setting and sense of time, place, and culture in the story are fully realized. There is action, drama, history, and a little romance. But at its core, it is a universal story about a teenager who must decide whether to follow her family's expectations, or go against tradition and dare to follow her dreams.
An excellent example of historical fiction, as well as a novel that appeals to girls and boys equally. Because we had the author visit in the spring (a visit I highly recommend by the way...see my earlier post about it), many of my students have read this book and it is popular with both genders.
Title: Palace of Mirrors
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 297
Ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Cecilia is 14 years old and her parents the king and queen of the kingdom Suala were murdered when she was a baby. So to keep Cecilia safe she was whisked away and given a fake identity. And a replacement princess, Desmia, was put in for her. As Cecilia gets older, it becomes harder to keep her secret. One night her house is attacked. She ends up sneaking away and confiding everything about her real identify to her best friend Harper. Cecilia decides that she can’t live watching someone else do what she is supposed to do. After Harper and Cecilia travel to the Palace of Mirrors where Desmia lives they run into two problems. One being that Desmia doesn’t believe them, and two, there are 12 other girls along with Cecilia who also claim that they are the true princess.
I am very glad that I chose this book and got to read it because it was truly a magical book I had never heard before. The author does an amazing job on the storyline, not one chapter was predictable. This literary technique kept me on my feet while reading this book forcing me to find resolution and get to the end. The emotions the author puts in words for the character make you feel like you are going through the same thing as the character.
The theme of this book is multiple things, but I think the most important theme is coming of age because in the beginning of the book Cecilia is very immature about difficult circumstances she is put into when she is traveling to the palace. She doesn’t really understand how to take bad news. Another theme to this book is, trusting and caring for your friends because they will always be there for you and this is a big factor for Cecilia because everything that happens through the book she doesn’t realize that her best friend Harper was there the whole time with her.
I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars because the storyline was the best I have ever read. But I felt that the book was lacking in description of the setting; sometimes the author just flat out said where the character were instead of vividly describing it. Overall I would strongly recommend that you read it.
Think about what it would be like to think you knew exactly who you were with maybe even a little secret and then once you have the guts to say that secret have your true identity stripped from you. Who are you then? Anybody?
--Marisa, 8th grade
A very popular author here at EJH!
Title: Princess of Glass
Author: George
Genre: Fiction, Magic, Princesses, Fantasy
Pages: 257
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I am borrowing this summary from Goodreads.com, because it says exactly what I wanted to say, but in a lot fewer words! Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, where young princes and princesses travel to each other’s countries to make good political alliances, and good matches for marriage. For Poppy, it has the makings of a fairy tale...until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince.
This is the second book in which Princess Poppy makes an appearance, so I suppose that you could call it a sequel. However, "Princess of the Midnight Ball" centers around Poppy's sister Rose and the wicked curse put on all the sisters. I am sure that if you have read, or do read, "Midnight Ball" first you will really appreciate Poppy's history. But it is not necessary to enjoy this book.
This is a book about mysteries and magic. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers all make an appearance in this story that may sound familiar, but is entirely fresh and new. A fun, romantic, and action-packed happily-ever-after story. And even though I'm typically not a "princess-love story" book kind of girl, I am already hoping for another book in the series!
Title: Sphinx's Queen
Author: Friesner
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Ancient Egypt, Adventure, Runaways
Pages: 368
Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
This book is a sequel and picks up where "Sphinx’s Princess" left off. Nefertiti is escaping Thebes with her secret love Prince Amenophis and her slave girl Nara. The three are sailing to Dendera to reunite with Nefertiti’s family, hoping they can save Nefertiti from the charges of treason against her. The villainous crown-prince Thutmouse, Nefertiti’s betrothed, relentlessly pursues the trio.
While hiding out along the banks of the Nile, Nefertiti ponders how to prove her innocence and this leads to an eventual showdown with Thutmouse and his evil mother, the queen. Nefertiti, based on the mysterious Egyptian queen, is still the same strong-willed, independent girl from the first novel.
Fans of Egyptian mythology, adventure stories, and princesses who determine their own fate will enjoy this. However, having not read the first book yet, I can tell you that this sequel does not stand alone. So take my advice, read the first book first. It will be worth it so that you will completely appreciate the story. I know, I know...always read the first book first. I tell my students all the time, but I just didn't follow my own advice this time.
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