My Fair Mermaid

 

My Grandma Paulsen loved the movie 'My Fair Lady', and shared that love with me. A singing Audrey Hepburn? What's not to like?! I also have a deep love for all things beach/mermaid/ocean related. So, when I found a book that was the plot line of 'My Fair Lady', but with mermaids, I jumped on that ship instantly. 'My Fair Mermaid', by Sarah Beran, is the story of a young orphaned mermaid named Maribel. After her parents died, Maribel was taken in by her uncle, who had five daughters of his own. Eager to please her cousins, Maribel will do anything that they ask, even if it may be dangerous or uncomfortable. However, Maribel finds herself in an overwhelming, and impossible, situation when her youngest cousin rescues, and then falls in love with, a human prince of the nearby kingdom. Her cousin manipulates her into becoming human alongside of her to win the prince's heart, even though the effects of becoming human are extremely painful. What's worse, is that there are dire consequences if her cousin fails to marry the prince within ten weeks when the seasons change. It's do or die for Maribel, and failing is not an option! This heartwarming story of sacrifice will take you on the journey of a little mermaid, who not only finds her voice, but her destiny as well. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

 

Addeline LaRue is a young French woman who wants to live her life, her way. While all the other girls want to become wives and mothers, Addie dreams of freedom. Her friend Estelle has taught her to pray to the gods of nature, but never pray to the gods who answer after dark. When her parents choose a husband for her, Addie becomes desperate. She pleads with the gods to answer her prayers, but Addie doesn't realize that the sun has gone down. The wrong god comes to her rescue, but is she willing to sell her soul for her freedom? 

'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue' is a thought provoking novel full of history, romance, art, and human emotion. What does it mean to be human? What are our basic needs to thrive? How much would you be willing to sacrifice to make your biggest dream become reality? This story will have you contemplating all of these questions and more. 

This year I decided to do the 12 books in a year challenge that was going around on Facebook. Basically you asked your friends for recommendations for books, and then chose books that you have not read before. The idea is to broaden your reading horizons and read books that you wouldn't normally choose for yourself. I got a late start on the challenge this year, so this is only the first book from that challenge that I have read. I am so glad I started out the year strong. I definitely would recommend this book. It was one of those books that keeps you guessing until the very end. I am excited to continue on with this challenge, I have a feeling that it is going to be a great year of reading!

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen

 I was meandering around my local bookstore when I saw 'Long Live the Pumpkin Queen', by Shea Ernshaw, sitting on a shelf. Loving all things associated with Halloween, there was no way I was going to just pass it by, especially since it was the last copy. My kids and I are die-hard fans of the movie (who isn't?!), but sometimes spinoff stories don't hold up to childhood nostalgia, so I went into this read with somewhat low expectations. Boy was I surprised when the author had me hooked from page one. Ernshaw did her homework on Halloween Land and I loved delving deeper into Jack and Sally's world. Exploring all of the other lands besides just Christmas Land was such a treat! The author does such a wonderful job at staying true to the mythical worlds that Tim Burton has created, and by the end of the book I was crossing my fingers hoping that this would be turned into a movie as well. 

The story begins with Jack and Sally's wedding. They decide to go to Valentines Land on their honeymoon and have a wonderful day exploring this new land together, for this is the only land that Jack has yet to visit, saving it just for this momentous occasion. They unfortunately can only stay away from home for 24 hours however since it very close to Halloween day and there is just so so much to do still. As soon as Jack and Sally re-enter Halloween Land they are both bombarded by holiday preparations. As the new pumpkin queen, Sally is overwhelmed by all of the new expectations that sit on her shoulders. She begins to have high levels of anxiety about being a ruler, and she desperately wishes she could just be "Sally and Jack", and not "Queen and King". When the witch sisters begin fitting her for a new royal gown, the pressure becomes too much for Sally, and she finds herself fleeing her home in desperate need for some time alone. As she is wandering around the forest, Sally discovers a hidden door that has a moon on it. Leaving the door open unleashes the beginning of a wild adventure for Sally that leads her to a shocking discovery about her past. 

This book will become a Halloween treasure that both you and your kids will enjoy reading together time and time again. 

The Fires of Treason

 

Princess Elizabeth idealizes her big brother, Greg, who is destined to be the king someday. Elizabeth would do anything for him, but when she tries telling him something he doesn't want to hear, he treats her cruelly and unjustly. His words are unforgivable. After Greg is banished from the kingdom, Elizabeth overhears something that she is not supposed to however, and she must warn her older brother. Even if she can't forgive him, she still loves him and doesn't want to see him get hurt. Leaving the lap of luxury to traipse after Greg in the wilderness is a lot harder than she thought it would be, and the adventure she finds herself on is never one that she could have predicted. 

Meanwhile, Greg almost feels relief that the pressures of being king are now off of his shoulders. He has no intention whatsoever to raise an army and fight for his birthright, but is that what is best for his kingdom? Greg has many followers who are both angry and scared that Greg will not be their ruler any longer, and some of them are willing to go to extreme lengths to get him back on the throne. 

In Michele Quirke's debut novel, 'Fires of Treason', two sibling's worlds are turned upside down and they must leave behind everything they have ever known. Their loyalty to each other, as well as to their country, will be tested in ways they never could have imagined. Choosing the right path has never been so difficult. 

I came across this novel through the means of social media, and thought that the storyline was intriguing so I decided to give it a chance. To be honest, I didn't have the highest of expectations for this book, sometimes authors first novels fall flat, but I love fantasy, especially ones that are about royalty, so I gave it a try. Boy am I glad I did! This book exceeded all of my expectations! The plot line hooked me immediately, the character development was well written, and the descriptions were clear and precise. The storyline definitely left me wanting more and I can not wait for the next one. This novel was fantastic and I highly recommend giving it a chance. 

The Impossible Quest

 

Wolfhaven Castle has been invaded unexpectedly. Every single resident has been captured and thrown into the dungeons. The takeover was done so stealthily there must have been someone helping them from the inside, but who is the traitor? And what were those monstrous beings that helped in the attack? Only four people managed to escape, but all of them are just children. How can they possibly manage to rescue an entire castle by themselves?  The witch of the castle has given them a secret spell that is said to awaken four sleeping warriors, but in order to cast the spell they need for impossible key ingredients first - the horn of an unicorn, the tooth of a dragon, the feathers from a griffin, and the scale from a giant serpent. The children don't fully believe that such creatures even exist, but one thing is for certain, if they are ever to see their loved ones again, they are going to need help. The future depends upon a pot boy from the kitchens, a witches apprentice, a knight in training, and the lady of the castle.

'The Impossible Quest', by Kate Forsyth, is a thrilling adventure that will capture the hearts of fantasy readers everywhere. These quick paced books are fast reads with many twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. With so many cliffhangers, you will literally not be able to put these books down, so do yourself a favor and buy them all at once! 

** If you are interested in purchasing these books from me, you can buy them here: 

https://d4538.myubam.com/p/6054/impossible-quest-the-complete-collection-5

The Traitor's Game

I am a little behind (maybe a lot behind) on updating my book blog. I will try and catch up on what I have been reading as soon as I can. Let's start by talking about 'The Traitor's Game' by Jennifer A. Nielsen. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into with this book, but I have read 'The Ascendance Trilogy', which is by the same author, and I loved that series so thought I would give this a try. Let me tell you what, it did not disappoint! I was completely caught up with the action, characters, and trickery. It kept me up late at night and has me craving more. There are so many details and twists that I am sure I'll have to read it again before the second in the series is released in February 2019. Here is a gist of what the book is about:

Kestra Dallisor has spent three years in exile in the Lava Fields, but that won't stop her from being drawn back into her father's palace politics. He's second-in-command to the cruel king, Lord Endrick, which makes Kestra a valuable bargaining chip. A group of rebels knows this -- and they snatch Kestra from her carriage as she reluctantly travels home.

The kidnappers want her to retrieve the lost Olden Blade, the only object that can destroy the king, but Kestra is not the obedient captive they expected. One of the rebels, Simon, has his hands full as Kestra tries to foil their plot, by any means necessary. As motives shift and secrets emerge, both have to decide what -- and who -- it is they're fighting for.

A Wrinkle in Time

'A Wrinkle in Time', by Madeleine L'Engle is the story of how Meg Murry travels through time and space to find her father who has gone missing. She has the help of her younger brother, a boy from school, and three strangers- Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which. Meg goes on some remarkable adventures and meets some unbelievable characters along the way.

I once had a roommate in college tell me that 'A Wrinkle in Time' was her very favorite book. It has been on my "to read list" for many years, and now that it is being turned into a movie, I figured it was time to check this one off. I went into it with high expectations, which may have been the problem, because I was somewhat underwhelmed with the plot. It felt anti-climatic to me. There was so much build up, and then it just kind of ended jaggedly. The author did a wonderful job of giving voice to her characters and detail to her settings, but it's the flow of the story that left me a little disappointed. This just may be one of those rare occasions when the movie actually turns out better then the book- I will have to wait and see on that conjecture however.  It is worth reading, but I definitely would not put this book on a list of favorites by any means.

The Princess Academy Series

Whenever the heir to the throne comes of age, the priests divine what providence the next princess will come from. A Princess Academy is then set up to teach and prepare the noble girls to meet the prince at the Academy Princess Ball. After the ball, the prince will then decide what Princess Academy graduate will be the next princess. When the priests divine that Mount Eskel is where the next princess is from, many in the kingdom are outraged. Mount Eskel is not even a providence,  just a territory. It is a small town full of uneducated, and very poor people, without any nobles. When the people of Mount Eskel learn that their daughters will be taken away from them for one year, fear grips their hearts. They barely have enough to eat, how will they survive through the winter without so many workers in the quarry, their only source of income. Miri is scared to go to the academy too, she has never been away from her family before. However, once at that academy, Miri is taught to read and she discovers a love of books she never knew she had. She loves learning, and learning opens up secrets that she never knew, and may actually save her village in the end. 

I first fell in love with The Princess Academy over a decade ago. I am thrilled that the third and last book has finally been published, it has been a long time coming! If you know me at all you know I have an obsession with Shannon Hale and all of her novels, and these three books definitely did not disappoint. I devoured them and lost many, many hours of sleep over them. They are brilliantly written and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

EEEEEEEEK! Dreams DO come true! I was so excited to get my hands on this book and of course, I devoured it. Heading into it I was a little apprehensive... Do I even like reading plays? Will it be worthy to carry the Harry Potter name? My answer is YES! It is amazing and wonderful and so much more then I expected it to be! I was literally giddy with excitement reading this book because it surpassed all of my expectations!

So what is it about? Well, this is a script for a play. It takes place right where the last movie ends, on Platform 9 3/4 on Albus Sirius Potter's first day of school. When Albus sits by Scorpius Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express, an instant friendship strikes up. Rose, Albus's cousin, is apprehensive of Scorpius, fretting that the mysterious rumors of his origin might be true. To Albus's dismay, and Scorpius's delight, both boys are sorted into Slytherin. Albus fears what people will think of Harry Potter's Slytherin son, but worse, he is worried about what his father thinks of him. Harry and Albus always seem to butt heads and this may just drive the father and son apart for good. When Albus convinces Scorpius to right a wrong made by his father a long time ago, the results are astronomical and lead the two boys on quite the adventure!

I couldn't put this book down. It kept me up way too late at night, but was oh so worth the caffeinated coma I was in the next day. To quote Ron, it was "bloody brilliant!" Now if only I was rich and could jump on a plane to London to see the play... what are the chances it will come to Utah do you think?? Better yet, how about turning THIS into a movie eh?

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

A while back I got into a book discussion with my cousin- one of my very favorite topics of course- and she told me that I absolutely HAD to read a book called 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children', by Ransom Riggs. It just so happened that I had a pile of unused gift cards to Barnes and Noble sitting in my window sill, so the first chance I got I went on a book buying spree and bought this highly recommended book. When I asked customer service where to find it, the lady didn't even need to look it up on the computer, she knew exactly where it was, which is always a good sign in my opinion. When the other workers heard the title of the book I was looking for, they all started exclaiming how wonderful it was and how much I was going to love it. The excitement began to set in and I couldn't wait to crack open this new found treasure. It did not disappoint.

After a family tragedy has left Jacob believing that he has gone crazy, his psychiatrist urges him to go to a remote island where his grandfather once lived, in hopes that it will help him gain some perspective and closure. On the island Jacob delves into his families history, trying to discover the truth about his grandfather for himself. His grandfather was a Jew during WWII, the only survivor in his family, when he fled the Nazi's. Are the Nazi's the "monsters" which haunted his beloved grandfather, or is there something more sinister lurking beneath the wild stories that his grandfather used to spin? Jacob travels to the orphanage where his grandfather lived as a war refugee, hoping to find something to give him some peace of mind, but what he ends up discovering, is nothing like he ever expected!

This book combines literature with photography in such an intriguing way. This story had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I completely devoured this novel and can not wait to read the next one. It is a thrilling, chilling, magical mystery! It is soon going to be released into a movie, and I can't quite decide if I am brave enough to see it or not haha. I don't normally like scary movies, but this one might be worth it! (I'll just have to bring along the hubby to hold my hand!)

If you like suspense, mystery, history, fantasy, romance-- this book pretty much has it all! It really is such a good read and literally  left my skin tingling!

The Ascendance Trilogy

I LOVED the Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielson! The series takes place in a kingdom called Carthya. The king and queen have two sons, but one of them is killed by pirates. When rumors start going around the kingdom that the royal family has been murdered, a regent from the kingdom collects four boys from different orphanages who resemble the younger prince in hopes to pass him off as the royal and have him crowned king. The regent, Connor, is convinced that by so doing this, it will prevent war throughout the kingdom in order to obtain the throne. Sage is one of the boys collected from Connor, but he has no interest in learning table manners, how to waltz, and the history of Carthya. However, running away may be even more dangerous than lying to get the crown.

This series is full of mystery and intrigue. It is adventurous, as well as a coming of age novel. I could not put the book down, it had me nervous with anticipation until the very end. I would HIGHLY recommend this series!

The Storyteller's Daughter

When a king is deceived by those who are closest to him he hardens his heart and swears to never be deceived again. In a twisted plot to keep his heart safe, he announces to his kingdom that he will marry a woman every night, and kill her every morning, unless a woman volunteers, then he will only kill her and no one else. Everyone throughout the kingdom are horrified at the king's proclamation and fear terribly for their daughters safety. If no one sacrifices themselves than there will be one execution a day, but who would be so selfless to give up their own life in order that others might live? So when the storyteller's daughter volunteers, everyone, including the king himself, are completely shocked, for they have never treated her as one of their own, have never been very kind to her. Why would she do something like this for them? Is there sorcery involved? Something isn't right.

This story is a romantic tale with twists and turns along the way. I found the stories within the story very captivating and loved reading this book. The only thing I did not really care for was that the character's names were too much alike and I ended up having to give them nicknames so that I could keep everyone straight. Does anyone else do that or am I just stupid haha? But it was a good read and I really did enjoy it. Cameron Dokey is a great author and I will for sure be reading more of her books in the future.

Tiger's Curse

I have found a new series that I am absolutely in LOVE with! I loved these books so much in fact, that I am most definitely going to buy them and add them to my personal collection. The series is 'Tiger's Curse' by Colleen Houck.

Kelsey Hayes is an orphan living with a foster family. The summer after she graduates she finds a temp job at a circus to help pay for her college. Part of her job is to feed the white tiger there. Something about the tiger draws Kelsey in and she forms a quick attachment to it. When a very wealthy man comes to buy the tiger and take him back to India, he asks Kelsey if she would accompany the tiger on the journey and care for him. Kelsey agrees but has no idea what she is getting herself into. She finds herself on the greatest adventure of her life trying to break a three hundred year old curse to save her tiger.

This series is full of Indian culture, adventures, romance, fantasy, and so much more. It literally kept me up every single night because I just couldn't put these books down. Waiting for them at the library was agony because I wanted to devour them. I loved these books and I promise you will too!

Also, there is an ebook called Tiger's Promise that is really good as well!

Princess of Glass

'Princess of Glass' by Jessica Day George is a retelling of the Cinderella story. It is told from three different character's perspectives: Christian, Eleanora, and Poppy. Poppy is a princess that has recently come out of a curse on her and and her 11 sisters. They were forced to dance every single night until their feet bled and were bruised. Christian is a prince that has entered a sort of 'royal exchange program' to help prevent war by marrying allies. And Eleanora is an orphan that was forced into servitude when her father lost everything and became destitute. Poppy swears that she will never dance again, Christian feels like he is being forced into marriage, and Eleanora is so desperate to change her status that she makes a deal with her godmother that forces these three characters into fighting an evil sorceress so she doesn't end up ruining their lives.

I did like this book, it has an intriguing plot line and lovable characters. It is an interesting take on the Cinderalla story. However, I felt that it started out a little slow and didn't fully captivate me until halfway through the book. The ending seemed a little rushed and didn't give me the closure that I wanted. It even left some unanswered questions in my mind. I would recommend this book as a light, fluffy read.

Ever After High: The Unfairest of Them All

I just finished the second book in the 'Ever After High' series by Shannon Hale and honestly, I loved it just as much as the first book. You can read my review of the first book here.

Ever

I am a pretty big fan of the book 'Ella Enchanted', so when I saw the book 'Ever' by the same author, Gail Carson Levine, circulate through the library I thought I should give it a try. This book is about the wind god who wants to join the mortals and becomes enchanted with one particular mortal. They quickly fall in love but meet trials on their hopes of being together.

I would recommend this book for anyone who is into mythology because this kind of had a Hercules and Meg love story feel to it. It honestly wasn't my favorite book, but she is still a good author in my eyes and I can see how some people would really enjoy this type of writing, I just wasn't one of them.

You'll just have to read it and judge for yourself.

The Iron King

'The Iron King' by Julie Kagawa is an adventure story about a girl who feels like something has always been slightly off in her life. Meghan's best friend starts acting strangely protective of her and weird things are happening at home. Meghan finds herself on a quest to save her little brother in the faery world, a world that she never knew existed but strangely belongs to. It is a story of action, adventure, fantasy, family, and love.

I did like this book, the characters were well rounded, the plot was well written, and it was definitely a page turner. Having said that however, it was not my favorite style of writing. The story line went from one death defying situation to the next, over and over again, and for me personally it was a little too much action. It kind of reminded me of 'Leven Thumps' in that way. So although I am not going to read the rest of the series, I would still recommend this book to anyone who loves action-packed fantasy and adventure stories. 

Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends

Oh hey guess what?! My favorite author, Shannon Hale has done it again! Her latest and greatest book is called, 'Ever After High: the Storybook of Legends'. This book is written for younger authors, and yes, you can tell, but it is still so cute and I enjoyed it immensely! In this book all of the famous story character's children are attending high school together. There is Raven, daughter of the evil queen. Apple, daughter of Snow White. Maddie, daughter of the Mad Hatter. Daring and Dexter, sons of Prince Charming, and many many more. In their second year of high school the children have to follow in their parent's footsteps and sign the storybook of legends, vowing to fulfill their destinies and live the exact same stories that their parents lived. If they do not sign the book, not only will the story cease to exist, but they will no longer exist either.

Everyone is excited to fulfill their destines and live out the stories of their parents, I mean, who wouldn't want a guaranteed happily every after? Everyone is looking forward to Legacy Day when they can sign the book, everyone that is, except Raven. Raven isn't so sure about following in her mother's footsteps and becoming the evil queen, one of the most hated characters of all time. Raven has a desperate desire to be good, but if she chooses to not be evil, she could make herself and everyone in her story vanish forever. Can she really be that selfish?

Honestly, I know this book is meant for younger readers, but I loved it. It is a story of choice, friendship, adventure, and good vs. evil. It is captivating and exciting, witty and funny. I fell in love with the characters and I know you will too. If you need something light and fluffy, a feel good fantasy, than this is the book for you!

Gulliver's Travels

I have a goal to at least try to read all of the classics. My latest attempt was to read 'Gulliver's Travels' by Jonathan Swift.... I didn't get very far. It kind of makes me feel like a bad reader when I have to stop reading a book, but dang, it was SO boring! I thought that this story was going to be an adventure, but the author is all about facts and measurements. He explained how everything and everyone looked in enormous detail, so much so that I was bored to tears. I tried to get through this book, I really did, but it just didn't work out. There are so many great books out there that I honestly feel like reading shouldn't be such a chore. Kuddos to you if you liked this book and actually got through the entire thing, but this was not the book for me.

Rapunzel Untangled

Hello Readers, (If anyone is out there)
Sorry it has been so long. I just had a baby you see, so my free time is now filled with cleaning up spit up, changing poopy diapers, and singing Row Row Row Your Boat. Which means that I didn't have much time for reading. I was however able to squeeze one book in during nap times. That book is called 'Rapunzel Untangled' by Cindy C. Bennett.

 Rapunzel is a 17 year old girl who has known nothing but her tower and the only person she ever sees is her mother. Rapunzel has a rare disease that prevents her from ever stepping foot outdoors and if she ever came in contact with another human being their germs could kill her instantly. The only connection she has to the outside world is her computer which is supposed to only be used for her homework, but she breaks her mother's rules and finds a website where she can look at millions of people without their knowing about it. The website is called Facebook and it shows her a world she has never known before. One day Rapunzel gets brave enough to send a friend request to a boy that she finds lives in her same city. She wants to get to know him because if she didn't have the disease she would probably go to his same school and have known him her whole life. He accepts her friend request and they begin talking over messenger which opens up new exciting possibilities for Rapunzel. This new friendship sets in motion events that will change Rapunzel forever and finally make her question the only home and the only family that she has ever known. This book is a modern day twist on the fairy tale that we all know and love. It is for a young adult audience, it definitely does have a dark side to it, and is a fast, fun, quirky read.