The Little Selkie

Title: The Little Selkie

Rating: 3/5

Author: K.M. Shea

Pages: 318

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Synopsis:

Dylan is a selkie which means she has the ability to change from a human form to a sea lion form as long as her sea lion pelt remains safe and undamaged. She also has a special connection to the ocean and a duty to protect it. When the waters are tormented by a wicked sea witch, Dylan brashly races onto land to confront her. Too late she realizes the severity of her mistake.

The selkie is captured and her pelt stolen from her. She’s certain the sea witch will force Dylan to use her special powers to help aid her in her wicked plans. But Dylan’s powers only work through her ability to sing. When Dylan stumbles upon a passing enchantress, she begs her to seal her voice. Now, unable to speak and fearing that she may never retrieve her pelt, Dylan must discover the sea witch’s plot and do whatever she can to thwart it before it’s too late.

My Reaction:

Recently, I saw a book list full of books with strong female characters, so I know that’s something some readers are looking for. If that’s you, than K.M. Shea may be the author for you. One of the positive things about both of her books that I’ve read so far are female protagonists who get the job done!

Aside from that, The Little Selkie was another enjoyable read. However, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Beauty and the Beast. I appreciated the fact that she was a selkie instead of a mermaid. It changed the dynamic of the story a little bit as her motivations are different than say Disney’s version of the tale. Also, there’s no turning into sea foam involved, so that’s a plus for Dylan. I kind of would have liked a just a little more information on selkies. I mean, you can figure out the concept, but I found myself wondering if they spent more time in seal bodies versus their human forms since Dylan thinks of things like all her sister’s books or sleeping on straw mattresses which didn’t really match what I was picturing in my head (waterproof books, perhaps?). But, you’ll understand the important bit—a destroyed pelt equals bad news for a selkie.

Also, I will admit that I googled “selkie” because I wasn’t sure what it was as opposed to a mermaid. See? Reading is good for you. You learn stuff.

You may notice that this book as well as Beauty and the Beast are part of the series, but fear not. You don’t have to read them in order. In fact, you could just read one book out of the series and still be fine. From what I’ve seen, they are stand alone books that may make subtle references to each other just to let you know that they are in the same universe.

Oh! I nearly forgot to mention that there is still a love story in there. Don't worry about that :)

Reader’s Guidance:

I can’t think of anything.

Similar Books:

I feel like I’ve run out of fairy tale books to tell you! Here’s an idea: what are your favorite fairy tale related books out there?

Next Book:

So, I started reading another fairy tale, but then thought, “Maybe I need to shake this up and come back to this one.” But the first few pages seem interesting, so I may just keep reading it anyway. It’s called Goldheart by Kenley Davidson, and it’s a retelling of Rumplestiltskin. I was a little hesitant to start reading a retelling of that particular story as I read Rump last year and absolutely loved it! Based on the first little bit though, I think they’re going to be totally different in both style and twist on the original tale.

The other books I’ve been thinking of are The Prydain Chronicles. You may not know that name, but perhaps you’ve heard of The Black Cauldron, which is one of the books in the series (and not one of Disney’s finest adaptations into film). I read the series some years ago now. I was talking to my husband about Disney’s take on the book and found that I couldn’t remember much about the series as a whole except that I liked it. It’s sitting on my shelf ever so patiently waiting to be read again.

Basically, I’m claiming to be reading two books now, though in all honesty I probably won’t read them simultaneously. I don’t think I’ve ever been successful with that. Usually one book falls by the wayside. Well, I’ve committed now. You’ll be expecting reviews on both. Let’s do this.

Also, does anyone else feel in need of another baking post? Perhaps I need to bake something… I

mean, I bake usually once a week at least, but I should maybe document it. Ha!

Beauty and the Beast

Happy New Year! It's only day four of 2019, and I've already managed to get one book under my belt. I feel accomplished. I should have made the resolution to read a book, and then I could already check one off my list... Next year...

Title: Beauty and the Beast

Rating: 4/5

Author: K.M. Shea

Pages: 293

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Synopsis:

Elle has one job to do, and it certainly doesn't involve falling through the ceiling of an enchanted chateau. But that’s exactly what happens. With one misstep, Elle finds herself falling to the ground below and breaking her leg. She is now forced to heal and rely on the good graces of the chateau’s cursed owner, Prince Severin, and she’s not so sure he has any good graces to spare.

The prince has his own problems to deal with, and although his servants are hopeful that Elle could finally be the one to break their curse, Prince Severin sees her as little more than an inconvenience. At first he is eager for her leg to heal so he can be rid of her, but the longer she stays, the more he realizes that he truly doesn’t want to be rid of her at all.

But will he feel the same once he learns Elle’s secret?

My Reaction:

Have you noticed by now just how much I enjoy a good fairy tale retelling? And let me remind you that Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale. That being said, I’ve read a good handful of retellings of that particular story, some of them better than others. And yet, Shea’s version of the tale offered something different from what I’ve seen before, most noticeably the background of the two main characters. Elle in particular has a secret that drives her motivations which was a new twist to the tale.

I wasn’t immediately pulled into the story, but it didn’t take long for it to catch my interest. By the time I got to the end, I had just the right amount of girlish gushing that I would expect of myself when a love story is involved. You know, when the main character realizes they’re in love, but then there’s a conflict, and then it’s all resolved in the end. Yep, this story had just the right amount of romantic build up and resolution. Not to mention, the characters were well crafted and enjoyable to follow.

There were a couple of small things that made me give it a 4 instead of 5, but they really are small things. The book as a whole is quite enjoyable and is great for cuddling up on the couch and indulging in like I did yesterday afternoon. Without revealing too much, I found the mention of Elle’s secret slightly repetitive. There was also a moment I found a bit cliché, but the rest of the conversation balanced it out. Finally, I didn’t really understand why characters reacted the way they did towards the end. It made a little more sense in the following chapter, but it still just seemed a little unexpected. It came to my realization that the characters' understanding of a major plot element was not the same as my understanding of the major plot element. (FYI, my understanding was the correct one. Take THAT fictional characters!) That threw me off a little bit. All in all, none of those things were enough to keep me from enjoying the book and recommending it. In fact, some of you may not even notice those things. So read on and enjoy!

P.S. Don't be fooled by the cover. This is not a modern retelling. Also, it's not a harlequin romance like my husband thought it was. Ha!

Reader’s Guidance:

There are a couple of moments that involve death by sword, but there are no graphic details.

Similar Books:

I could tell you every Beauty and the Beast retelling I’ve ever read. I also thought of Pride and Prejudice as I read mostly because I couldn’t help thinking how Elle and Severin are totally Elizabeth and Darcy, if Darcy were a man cursed to be a beast until he found true love that is. There are plenty of Pride and Prejudice retellings out there that may suite your fancy.

K.M. Shea has also written a good deal of other fairy tale retellings, so if you enjoy this one, you ought to give some of her others a shot!

Next Book:

I’m thinking I may try out another one of K.M. Shea’s books. I think I’ll go with The Little Selkie which is a retelling of The Little Mermaid. I don’t think I’ve ever read a retelling of that one before. Here goes nothing!

Ogre Enchanted

Title: Ogre Enchanted

Rating: 4/5

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Pages: 352

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Synopsis:

If you’re familiar with the story of Ella Enchanted, then you know that some interactions with fairies are more trouble than they’re worth, especially if that fairy is Lucinda.

Well, Lucinda makes another appearance in this story to ruin someone else’s life. This time, she isn’t blessing someone with the gift of obedience. Instead, she curses a young healer named Evie, turning her into an ogre, all because she turned down a marriage proposal! Now Evie only has a limited amount of time to break the curse, and there’s only one way to do that. Someone must propose to her and she must accept—not the easiest task for a smelly ogre who finds it very tempting to eat a human being despite the fact that she used to be one.

Set in the same world as Levine’s award winning Ella Enchanted, this book is a good stand alone story reminiscent of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast.

My Reaction:

I’m pretty sure I said it before, but I’ll say it again—I always enjoy a good Gail Carson Levine book. This story is such a great addition to her collection of books. If you know someone who is a fan of fairytale type stories, just buy them a ton of Levine’s books.

What’s great about Levine’s stories is that even if they have similarities to stories we’re familiar with they’re so uniquely their own. They are original with great characters. I had a fair idea of how the story would end after only a few pages, but really just one main plot point. Everything surrounding it and leading up to it wasn’t entirely predictable.

Evie is a strong, courageous character that learns a lot in the process of her journey. Sometimes people, or ogres, aren’t all that they seem. Maybe we can lift the lives of others even if our own circumstances are less than favorable.

Ogre Enchanted is a great read especially if you’re already a fan of Levine’s books.

Reader’s Guidance:

Well, there is a part where Evie kills a band of ogres and their heads are later left on display outside of a city. That’s probably the most violent event in the story.

Similar Books:

Ella Enchanted or anything else by Gail Carson Levine

Books by Cameron Dokey—she’s done a good handful of fairytale retellings

Books by Liesl Shurtliff like Rump

Epilogue:

I hope you all are enjoying this holiday season. I know I've been enjoying some good baking. We made up some goodies to take to some of our neighbors, and of course we saved a few for ourselves. So, basically a sugar cookie has been part of my dinner every night this week. And they are delicious! Also, some are in nerdy shapes like Yoda and Mickey Mouse. We couldn't help ourselves. I'm a bit of a cookie cutter fanatic, so we had a good amount to choose from besides the traditional Christmas shapes.

I also tried a couple things I've never done before like fudge (super easy by the way) and Mexican wedding cookies. Nom nom nom! I love baking! What are you guys enjoying as part of your Christmas celebrations? What are some cool traditions you have? I should start a book related tradition. It seems fitting especially when I know that there are some book traditions out there for this time of year. 

It's hard to believe that 2018 is almost over! Stay tuned for a post on my top picks out of the books I read this year!

My attempts to make a storm trooper cookie.

East

Title: East

Rating: 5/5

Author: Edith Pattou

Pages: 507

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Synopsis:

There is an old superstition that children will inherit specific traits based on which direction their mother is facing when they are born. For Rose’s very superstitious mother, the last thing she wants is a north-born child, who would be filled with a need for adventure and wanderlust. Not only that, but when her mother is told that if she has a north-born child that child will surely be lost to her under an avalanche of ice and snow, she’ll do anything to ensure that none of her children are born in that fateful direction.

When her final child, Rose, is born in a rush, her mother is so distraught in finding that she’s a north-born that she convinces herself that she was actually facing east. Rose believed the lie all her life until one fateful evening when a great, white bear appears on their doorstep demanding that Rose come with him. In return, her ailing family would be blessed with much needed health and prosperity. Realizing that she was always destined for something like this, Rose accepts the bear’s offer. She is taken to a mysterious castle where she soon discovers that there’s more to her circumstances than meet the eye. When she makes a terrible mistake, she is forced with the most difficult decision of her life—return to the love and safety of her family or embark on a perilous journey to undo her wrongs and save the very creature that stole her away from her family in the first place.

My Reaction:

I always think twice before I give a book a 5/5 rating, but when I finished this book I couldn’t think of single thing wrong with it! Therefore, it earns a 5/5.

This book is based off of a fairytale called East of the Sun and West of the Moon, a fairytale I had never heard of before. However, it did remind me of other classic tales—Beauty and the Beast and Cupid and Psyche in particular. It also jogged my memory of a movie my sister used to like when we were kids. If I’m not mistaken, the movie is The Polar Bear King which is based off of the same fairytale. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale, so it really comes as no surprise to me that I would enjoy a book with similar themes (I’m not saying all Beauty and the Beast stories would earn a 5/5… I’ve read a couple that didn’t quite make the cut for me.). Part of what I enjoyed about it was how Edith Pattou incorporated some real history and landscape details. She clearly did her research as she developed this story.

The book is told from multiple points of view, which I know bothers some readers. Pattou pulls it off well, and it gives us glimpses of all aspects of the story. The readers get a more in depth tale through these different characters. I’d say the book is still predominately told by Rose, and I think that’s why the different perspectives work so well—there’s one leading voice that solidifies the story and keeps the reader on track. It also makes it a little bit quicker of a read, so don’t be daunted by 500+ pages.

This is a great take on a little known fairytale full of adventure, superstition, making amends, and the importance of love and family. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. I read it during every free moment!

Reader’s Guidance:

This book involves trolls who capture humans to use as slaves. Rose sees a troll kill a human. She also discovers that when humans outlive their usefulness they are left in a frozen wasteland to freeze to death. Neither of these situations was super graphic. I didn’t find the telling of them bothersome.

Similar Books:

Beauty by Robin McKinley – A retelling of Beauty and the Beast that is worth the read!

Next Book:

Gail Carson Levine recently released a new book, and I love me a good Gail Carson Levine book! Set in the same world as her award winning Ella Enchanted comes her brand new story, Ogre Enchanted!

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

Hello, and welcome to another episode of "Listen to Me Talk About how Awesome Liesl Shurtliff is."

Seriously, have you guys read any of these Liesl Shurtliff books yet? If not, what's wrong with you? Just kidding, we can still be friends.

I don't know if you've noticed yet, but I'm a big fan of fairy tales and the retelling thereof. Sometimes it works out great. Sometimes not so great. But all of these books by Liesl Shurtliff fit into the great category. I love seeing how she's re-imagined these stories in a way I haven't seen before. She has good, solid writing that makes this world easy to delve into and imagine. They're fun, touching, adventurous, and there's always something I feel that I take away from the book. Plus, I enjoy how her books have all been connected by the same universe.

Basically, if you are a fan of fairy tales and their retold versions, you must pick up Shurtliff's books!

Title: Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk
Rating: 5/5
Author: Liesl Shurtliff
Pages: 294
Genre: Children's/Fantasy/Fairy Tale

Synopsis:

You know the story--a young lad, giants, and a beanstalk leading up to the sky. Need I say more?

Well, perhaps the story you always knew to be true isn't exactly the truth. Maybe not all giants are bad. Maybe they don't really want to grind our bones to make their bread. They do, however, come down and steal all the crops and villagers...but maybe there's a reason for that, and maybe there's just one lad who can figure it out and save the day.

Jack has always longed for greater adventure than his simple farm life can give him, and he gets the perfect opportunity when the giants appear and raid his village, kidnapping his father in the process.

Can Jack save his father before it's too late?

My Reaction:

In case you didn't get enough of my reaction above, let me restate that this is a great book! I will admit that I like Rump and Red slightly more, but it still earned a 5/5. Like I said, it's adventurous and fun, and I love the messages that some things are worth more than wealth and that we are capable of accomplishing great things even when it seems like we can't.

Reader's Guidance:

Jack gets into a fist fight with another boy. That's about as violent as it gets. I didn't find anything concerning.

Similar Books:

Liesl Shurtliff's newest book Grump: A (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs comes out next month! I'm pretty sure it's going to be another winner. Pre-order it here.

Next Book: 

When I was at the library to pick up Jack, I happened to turn Because of Winn Dixie or The Tale of Desperaux. It's been a while since I've read one of her books, and there are some I haven't had the chance to read yet. That means that next up is her book Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. From what I can gather so far, it's about a girl, who is a natural born cynic, and a very extraordinary squirrel, who also happened to get sucked up by a vacuum... Don't worry! He lives!
around, and on the opposite shelf I spotted one of my favorite children's authors, Kate DiCamillo. You may know her as the writer of

Pick up a copy and read along! See you  next time!

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood

It's official. Liesl Shurtliff has made it onto my list of favorite others. If you haven't read one of her books yet, please do. In fact, she has a new one coming out next month. You can start there if you want. I recommend you start with Rump though.

Is it silly of me that I was actually getting a little anxious when I started to read Red? Rump was so good, and I wanted Red to be equally good, so I was afraid that my high expectations were setting things up for failure. Eventually I got over that I realized that Red is truly a wonderful book that is indeed equal to Rump. Thanks, Liesl Shurtliff, for crafting such wonderful stories!

On to the facts!

Title: Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood

Rating: 5/5

Author: Liesl Shurtliff

Pages: 247

Genre: Children's/Fantasy/Fairy Tale

Synopsis:

After the events of Rump, things are pretty quiet on The Mountain. Most people have gone, but Red is more than content to stay where she is with her family. When her granny gets sick and may be dying, Red is willing to do anything to save her, even if it means meddling with the thing she fears most--magic.

My Reaction:

Clearly you already saw some of my reaction up above, but let me stress why this story is so great.

Firstly, I didn't expect this story to be touching in anyway. But let me tell you, by the time I was down to the last handful of pages, I had a tear in my eye, maybe even two. It may not affect everyone the same way it did me, but aside from adventure and magic and all of that good stuff, at the heart of this story is really a discussion of death. I feel like this was such a great avenue to bring up the topic in a way that a child could relate too without being freaked out, but also it was something I could relate to and reflect on.

One of my favorite lines of the book was, "Life is like a story. It doesn't mean anything if it doesn't end." It was one of things that made you want to appreciate life and the time we are given, not just our own lives, but to value the lives of those we care most about.

Aside from that and other themes such as the fact that it's okay to make mistakes, Shurtliff once again has created great, memorable characters. One of the key characters is Goldie (as in Goldilocks and the Three Bears). The thing I loved about her characer is that I found he just as annoying as Red did, but then also came to love her. She made me smile and laugh, and she was a great addition to the story. 

Like Rump, Shurtliff has taken characters we are familiar with and made them completely their own. I wasn't expecting some of the choices she made, which made the adventure all the more excited. This book is another winner!

Reader's Guidance:

If you're comfortable with Disney's animated movies, you'll be comfortable with this. 

Similar Books:

Aside from Liesl Shurtliff's other books, if you fancy Red you'll may also fancy books by Gail Carson Levine, Shannon Hale, Cameron Dokey, or a few by Robin McKinley. All of these authors have either retold fairy tales or have written books that have the fairy tale feel.

Next Book:

I went to the library today and came out with not one but three books. I almost grabbed more, but I restrained myself. I'm going to start with the first on the stack which is none other than Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff. I can't help it. I just loved the last two! Please pick up a copy and read along!

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

First and foremost, I have to give a shout out to one of the biggest supporters of my reading habits. That’s you, Mom. She is the sweetest, and she sent me Rump on my kindle just for the heck of it, because she thought I would like it! What made that so fateful was the fact that someone had told me about this book months ago, and I had added it to my “To Read” shelf on Good Reads which my Mom knew nothing about. Thanks to my mom, I had the opportunity to read a truly wonderful story. Thanks, Mom. You always have supported my love of reading!

Now let’s talk about Rumpelstiltskin!

Title: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

Rating: 5/5

Author: LieslShurtliff

Pages: 274

Genre: Children’s fiction/Fantasy/Fairy Tale

 Synopsis:

Most of us are familiar with the story of Rumpelstiltskin—little guy, spins straw into gold, likes babies—but we only ever hear about the story from the miller’s daughter’s perspective. Have any of you stopped to wonder just where Rumpelstiltskin came from, why he wanted to help the miller’s daughter, or why he wanted her unborn child in the first place?

Well, look no further! All of the answers to those questions and more are contained in Liesl Shurtliff’s book. It turns out that Rump (as most people know him) is just an average guy. Almost…

All he wants is to have enough food for him and his gran and for those pesky bullies at the mine to give him a break. But more than all of that, he longs to discover the secret of his name and fulfill his destiny, whatever that is. Names have power, so why would his mother have given him one like Rump?

The answer to all his problems comes one night as he discovers his magical ability to spin straw into gold! But as we know from another version of Rumpelstiltskin (Once Upon a Time), all magic comes with a price. Instead of solving all of his problems, the number of problems increases until he’s buried so deep that no amount of gold will ever fix it.

My Reaction:

May I point out that another book has earned a 5/5 in my eyes? It’s not an easy thing to do, and I always hesitate a little because I don’t want to be throwing out 5’s willy nilly, but this was a truly great story that I’ll definitely read again at some future point.

One of the things that made me want to read this book is the pure fact that it’s a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. I’ve never heard of someone doing a retelling of that story, and I was intrigued. What could Liesl Shurtliff have come up with?

It started out good and only got better from there. The story has characters or references to other stories we may know, but it is so completely its own thing. I am amazed that Shurtliff was able to take a short, to the point fairy tale and fill it out to create a whole book from Rump’s perspective. It was quite clever, and had some powerful messages at the end (not just the message to not be a dummy and promise your unborn child…)

This book has heart, humor, and adventure. As mentioned above, it has good lessons about overcoming trials, that being mean is a choice that we don’t have to choose, and what it really means to find your destiny. This is one of those books that is great for both young and old, especially lovers of fairy tales. If you’re one of those parents that likes to read books with your kids, this one is a sure bet!

Reader Guidance:

I’d say this book is safe for all audiences. It does have some bullying—they call Rump “Butt” or once threw poop in his face, etc. It also deals briefly with the death of loved ones. Food is hard to come by in Rump’s village, so there is also talk of being extremely hungry. Overall, the way it’s presented is suitable for readers of all ages.

Similar Books:

Liesl Shurtliff has two other books that seem to be similar in nature:

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

Next Book:

Being December and getting very close to Christmas, I thought the next book should be something Christmas themed. You may have never heard of my next choice, but here’s what gave me the idea.

Probably sparked by our watching of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, my husband asked me about the company that made all those well known, stop motion Christmas specials, and then proceeded to look up youtube videos on Rankin/Bass. One video that came up was someone’s list of what they considered to be some of the weirdest or worst Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. (I don’t know how Cricket on the Hearth wasn’t on his list except for maybe the fact that it’s traditional animation and not stop motion. Just saying.) One of the ones he mentioned was a story based off of an L. Frank Baum book (for those of you who don’t know, that is the author of The Wonderful Wizard of O). The book is called The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, and you better believe I’m going to read it! According to the cover, it's a Christmas classic! We'll shall see!

I actually have seen the stop motion version of this story, and I’m curious to see how it compares to the book. My favorite part of it is the scene a song the children sing after Santa has made his first toy. I’m sure my mom didn’t love it quite so much because for days after watching the show I inevitably go around singing, “I want to wake up to a big surprise! A wooden cat with yellow-green eyes!” Now that I’ve just watched this video, it’s my poor husband who gets to suffer with my random singing this year! Ha ha!

Check out the scene below! And get your own copy of the book to read along with me!

My Favorite Fairy Tale

The grey stuff really is delicious!

Last week I didn’t get any reading done, but I have a very good excuse! I was having adventures at

Disneyland, one of my favorite places ever! What made it even better was that I got to spend the time with some of the most important people in my life. It was a wonderful trip!

I still didn’t do any reading this week because one of my very good friends came for a visit.

But all that Disneyland reflection (plus the fact that I had a Once Upon a Time marathon the other day) got me thinking about fairy tales and their variations.

I usually hate favorite questions (you know, what’s your favorite fill-in-the-blank). I just like so many things. How can I just pick one of anything?! Impossible I tell you! However, if asked what my favorite fairy tale is, I’d probably have to say Beauty and the Beast. It probably helps that Disney’s version is a brown haired book worm (sound like a certain blog writer perhaps?).

I’ve read or seen some different versions of this story, and with the release of Disney’s live action version earlier this year, I’ve been exposed to some other’s thoughts, feelings, and jokes about the story. Here are my general feelings about it:

Besides the brown haired book worm thing, I just love the overall message of it. And it’s not just the “true beauty is found within” thing, although that is a very good point. You can’t judge a book by its cover, as they say. I love the transforming power of love. You may think I’m some sap who just loves the romance, but that’s not it. I think this is a point that doesn’t only reply to romantic love—the kind strong enough to break the spell on a man turned beast! If I reflect on my own life, I can think about times when I have been moved to act in a certain way because of my love for a certain person or thing—my parents, good friends, my husband, my dog, pretty much any flavor of Haagen Dazs ice cream. (That last one is a real motivator. Ha!) So if love can influence my actions, that means it can influence and shape me as a person as a whole.

In some versions of Beauty and the Beast, the beast isn’t so beastly by the time he’s met by our protagonist aside from the literal beast appearance. I really like how in Disney’s representation (as well as others) he is beastly not only in appearance but in personality. It’s when he begins to care about someone else that he begins to change on the inside—he desires to change himself because of the impact of another person, because of love. He becomes a better version of himself.

If we’re to take away a moral from the story—which is kind of the point of things like fables and fairy tales, isn’t it?—besides the “true beauty lies within/don’t judge a book by its cover” one, I would say that a little bit of love can go a long way. I’ve heard stories of how lives or circumstances or differing relationships with whomever have been changed for the better when even just a little bit of love was extended. And it doesn’t just go one way. It wasn’t just the beast’s life that was changed forever, but Belle’s was also.

So, don’t be quick to judge and show a little love. A good reminder, I think.

Okay, now for the book recommendation!

I should probably say first that both the animated and live action versions that Disney has put on the screen are a couple of my favorite renditions of this story (not to mention the stage play which is a lot of fun to see if you ever get the chance). The song Evermore is enough for me to fall instantly in love with Disney’s latest version. Seriously. That was some pure magic right there.

However, as far as books go, the versions I like best out of all the ones I’ve read thus far are both written by Robin McKinley. They are called Beauty and Rose Daughter. Pick them up when you get a chance!

Does anyone else out there have other Beauty and the Beast variations they absolutely love? What is your favorite fairy tale?

The Goose Girl

Rating: 4.5/5

Author: Shannon Hale
Pages: 383
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Synopsis:

Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, or just plain ol' Ani, is the crown princess of the kingdom of Kildenree, although she doesn't think she's very good at the role. As a child she would much rather spend time listening to her aunt's stories and learning to talk the language of the birds, something the queen frowned upon to say the least. As she grew older, she tried to be the princess she ought to be, and often found solace is long rides on her horse with her father riding his own steed beside her.

But when the king dies, Ani's mother determines that the best use for her first born is to marry her off the prince of the neighboring kingdom Bayern and thus avoid any potential future threat of war. Ani reluctantly sets off never guessing what her future would hold. Before they reach her destination, Ani's lady in waiting, Selia, rises up against her with a devious plan to take over Ani's identity as princess of Kildenree. Ani's only choices are to run or lose her life. Forced into hiding and finding work tending the king of Bayern's flock of geese, Ani must form a plan and bide her time to stop Selia before her treachery leads to, not only the deaths of many of her kinsmen, but the death of Ani herself!

My Reaction:

The Goose Girl is a book I've been meaning to read for a long time. I enjoy a good retelling of a fairy tale, and when I saw the cover of this book on a bookshelf some years ago it stuck out to me. It's about time I actually got around to reading it!

The story is based of off the fairy tale of the same title by the Brothers Grimm. It wasn't one I was familiar with, so I didn't know entirely what to expect, which I think was a good thing because I had no idea where things were going. In retrospect, I feel like I really should have seen some of those things coming. So I suppose Shannon Hale gets some points for keeping me interested with some surprises.

I really enjoyed this book. I read a synopsis of the original fairy tale, and I feel that Hale did a good job of staying true to the story while at the same time making it uniquely her own. She has good use of simile in her writing that I enjoyed. Ani is a relatable character with some insecurities, but also with such a great desire to do her part and to do well. It's good to see her change over time and become more of the princess she always wanted to be--strong, confident, capable of changing lives for the better.

It's a great story with some great characters. I also loved the way things were wrapped up in the end. Overall, a good book I could recommend, and I look forward to reading the companion books to it!

Reader Guidance:

It shouldn't surprise you that a book based on one of Grimm's fairy tales should have some grim moments...pun intended. I'll try not to give any spoilers, but here's some bullet points of violence and suggestive material in the book:

• The queen near the beginning pricks her finger with a broach to put a few drops of blood on a handkerchief as a symbolic gesture when Ani leaves on her journey.
• A man hits on Ani a bit, saying something like, "You like that I'm a man." I don't recall the exact quote.
• There are multiple stabbings in the back, a few mentioning swords going clean through the chest, some just cuts because the attacker was unsuccessful in getting their sword/knife deep enough in to kill. There's also a javelin to the back at one point.
• In Bayern, after men have been hanged for their crimes, their bodies are left hanging from the wall of the city. This sight and the sickening effect it has on Ani is mentioned a few times.
• There's one scene at a knacker's yard, a place where dead or unwanted animals are disposed of, especially those not fit for human consumption (some of the meat would be used for dog food). It's a bit of a gross and traumatizing scene through the eyes of Ani. It mentions blood and things like fur and feathers and discarded animal parts.
• A horses head is hung up at a gate.
• At one point a character relates an old story about women encouraging their men during war by alluding to the fact that they would be captured and the enemy would have their way with them.
• There is one line that says, "You would have touched [her]. You would have shared her bed." The man who says it is jealous and angry towards a man that was meant to marry.
• There's also someone who gets stabbed with a knife to the side and a man who receives a sword wound to the shoulder.

With things like war and treachery, there's bound to be some dark stuff. It is intended for a teenage audience. 

Similar Books:

There are three other books that take place in Bayern. My understanding is that they are independent stories from The Goose Girl, but they do involve characters first mentioned in this book. They are:

Enna Burning

River Secrets

Forest Born

Other fairy tale type books you may enjoy include:

- Anything by Gail Carson Levine

- Beauty by Robin McKinley

- Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey

Next Book:

I think I've got to give one of these companion books a try! I really liked Enna in The Goose Girl, so I think the next book up will be Enna Burning.

What did you guys think of The Goose Girl? What should we read after Enna Burning? Happy reading!

The Two Princesses of Bamarre

Rating: 5/5

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Pages: 241 (2001 hardcover edition)

Genre: Children’s/Young Adult Fantasy

 Age Level: 8-12

The Two Princesses of Bamarre tells the story of, well, two princesses of Bamarre… Go figure. Meryl and Addie couldn’t be more different. Meryl is full of life and courage and wants nothing more than to set out on magnificent adventures just like Drualt of old, Bamarre’s greatest hero. Addie, on the other hand, is much more timid, and is very content living life at home with her sister. She’s confident that as long as she has Meryl to take care of her, she’ll always be safe (even from things as dreadful as spiders!).

But there’s one thing that even Addie’s spirited sister cannot conquer. The Gray Death is a sickness that plagues the citizens of Bamarre. Once someone begins showing symptoms, they have a matter of days before they die. The pattern is always the same—weakness, the deep sleep, three days of terrible fever, and death. You cannot avoid it if it chooses you, and there is no cure.

When Meryl is diagnosed with the Gray Death, all seems lost. At first, Addie believes her sister is strong enough to be the first to beat the disease, but even she soon admits that there’s nothing she can do but watch her sister and dearest friend slip away.

No! That won’t do at all! For Addie there’s no other choice than to embark on the most terrifying adventure of her life. Surely facing ogres, gryphons, and even dragons is a small price to pay if it means finding the cure and saving Meryl. But what if Addie can’t make it back in time?

My Reaction:

I first read this book some years ago now. It was a book from my mother, and I remember really enjoying it. Recently I’ve been rereading many of my books, and I really wanted to give this one another go. It was just as enjoyable as I remembered.

I came across the question from an interested reader, “Is this book too childish and predictable?” My answer is, "Absolutely not!" Although there are similar elements found in other stories, Levine has crafted a unique story with great characters. This is the sort of book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. I’ve read books that feel childish, and this is not one of them. It sucked me right in especially at the climax!

Things I love about this book are the fairy tale qualities to it (I love a good fairy tale!) and the way the characters learn and grow. This book is loaded with adventure and has a bit of an unexpected ending. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Reader Guidance:

This is a section I’ve decided to add so you can be aware if there’s anything in the books I review that you might not be comfortable with. I know I’m sensitive about certain things in books, and I know there are people who are more sensitive than me.

For me, this book has nothing to be concerned about. There’s no language or anything like that. Because Addie is going on this grand adventure, facing all sorts of creatures, there are a couple of moments that involve using a sword against said creatures and there is mention of a wound to a specific creature (trying to avoid spoilers here!) bleeding, but nothing major. There isn’t vast detail that may be gross or disturbing.

Similar Books:

Gail Carson Levine won the Newbery Honor Award for her first book “Ella Enchanted” (It took her nine years for someone to publish it by the way). I would highly recommend “Ella Enchanted,” and I would advise that you shouldn’t judge the book by the movie…They are very different. Levine has written a bunch of books that have the same sense of fairy tale and adventure. Any of them are worth a read.

I also just learned that Levine has only recently published a new book that takes place in Bamarre! I don’t know about you, but I’m going to check it out! The book is called, “The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre.”

Next Book:

The next book I’ll be reviewing is “Sheer Power: Crossing Paths” by Vye Brante.

Please leave a comment! Tell me what you think about “The Two Princesses of Bamarre.” And please leave me recommendations for books to read!