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Review: The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis

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The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie BurgisThe Girl with the Dragon Heart
Stephanie Burgis
Bloomsbury
Published on August 9, 2018

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About The Girl with the Dragon Heart
Once upon a time, in a beautiful city famous for chocolate and protected by dragons, there was a girl so fearless that she dared to try to tell the greatest story of all: the truth.

Silke has always been good at spinning the truth and storytelling. So good that just years after arriving as a penniless orphan, she has found her way up to working for the most splendid chocolate makers in the city (oh, and becoming best friends with a dragon). Now her gift for weaving words has caught the eye of the royal family, who want to use her as a spy when the mysterious and dangerous fairy royal family announce they will visit the city. But Silke has her own dark, secret reasons for not trusting fairies …

My Review
I enjoyed reading the first book in this series, The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart, so as soon as I heard about the second book, I knew I had to read it. I was even more excited to learn it’s Silke’s story. She was one of my favorite characters in the first book as Aventurine’s best friend, the creative and spunky storyteller. She reminds me of a friend, so I couldn’t help loving her from the first page.

Silke has always depended on her stories to get her out of trouble, and for the most part, they’ve worked. She’s always able to distract people or shift attention with wild tales and entertaining bits. She keeps her guard up, not allowing herself to get close to anyone or depend on anything in case she loses them the way she lost her parents. I loved how complex and tender she is.

The Girl with the Dragon Heart also has some sibling themes. Silke has some run-ins with the royal family, specifically the crown princess and her younger sister, who don’t seem to see eye to eye on anything. She rolls her eyes at their shenanigans, but watching those girls helps her begin to evaluate what went wrong in her relationship with her brother, Dieter.

Honestly, I loved this book so much. I liked the first book and thought it was a lot of fun to read, but this one absolutely leaped into my heart. The writing is peppy and smart. I think it’s my favorite of the two by Stephanie Burgis. Will there be more to this series? I hope so! I would read them for sure.

The book’s description says it’s perfect for fans of Shannon Hale and Cornelia Funke, and I say yes to that! I definitely see the comparison, and it held true for me, since I like both those other authors, too.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Silke has brown skin and dark curly hair. The princes have one white parent and one black parent.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Fairies use magic to attack others. A girl shapeshifts into a dragon.

Violent Content
Some instances of peril. Silke has traumatic memories of her parents being kidnapped by fairies. She finds two adults unconscious and feels responsible for what’s happened to them.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Common by Laurie Lucking

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Common
Laurie Lucking
Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing
Published on February 14, 2018

Amazon | Goodreads

About Common
One person knows of the plot against the royal family
and cares enough to try to stop it — the servant girl they banished.

Leah spends her days scrubbing floors, polishing silver, and meekly curtsying to nobility. Nothing distinguishes her from the other commoners serving at the palace, except her red hair.

And her secret friendship with Rafe, the Crown Prince of Imperia.

But Leah’s safe, ordinary world begins to splinter. Unexpected feelings for Rafe surface just as his parents announce his betrothal to a foreign princess. Then she unearths a plot to overthrow the royal family. Her life shatters completely when the queen banishes her for treason.

Harbored by a mysterious group of nuns, Leah must secure Rafe’s safety before it’s too late. But her quest reveals a villain far more sinister than an ambitious nobleman with his eye on the throne.

My Review
Common was a really fun book to read. I enjoyed Leah’s take on things, and especially her relationships with the other female characters, like her friend Gretchen, her Ma, and of course, the awesome mystic nuns. More on them in a minute, though.

I kind of wanted more from Rafe, and I can’t decide if I’m being unfair in that or not. I mean, he taught Leah to read, and he pays attention to her needs in specific instances, but he seems a bit clueless as to what her life as a servant is actually like. That made me question her affection for him a little bit. He does come across like a super honorable guy, though, so I feel like maybe that should be enough, if that makes sense.

]Don’t get me wrong – I was really enjoying reading the story and then once I got to Leah’s banishment, I was super hooked. Then came the mystic nuns and I was like wow, this book is going all kinds of places I did not expect. I loved that! And the nuns were incredible. Deep and wise but also frank and sometimes kind of funny.

The romance element of the story remains sweet and simple—very Cinderella-esque, if Cinderella saved the kingdom instead of finding a dress to wear to the ball. Ha! It reminded me a little bit of The Selection by Kiera Cass or Everless by Sara Holland. I think fans of Traitor’s Masque by Kenley Davidson would also really enjoy this book, and I definitely recommend it.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Leah and other characters reference a deity called the Luminate. She meets mystic nuns who live secluded lives devoted to serving the Luminate.

Some characters possess special abilities given either by the Luminate or a dark power.

Violent Content
Leah overhears someone plotting to kill members of the royal family.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Last Summer at Eden by Christina Hergenrader

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Last Summer At Eden
Christina Hergenrader
Concordia House
Published on March 1, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Last Summer at Eden
Poppi Savot needs a new direction. After her mother’s death to cancer, the smalltown Minnesota girl can’t seem to find her true north anymore. So when she gets a call from a small Christian camp in Southern California, Poppi races into the unknown, hoping a new job will solve everything.
When she arrives at Camp Eden, things already start falling apart. With camp enrollment at a record low and camp about to close for good, her new boss tells Poppi she may as well pack up and head straight back home. But Poppi isn’t giving up. Walking into Camp Eden, she felt the first stirring of peace since she lost her mom, and she’s not going to let go of that without a fight. Poppi rallies together the camp’s ragtag team of counselors and launches a plan to save Eden.

My Review
Last Summer at Eden might get the award for most fun book I’ve read this year. It absolutely felt like being away at summer camp! I loved the references to camp songs and all the emotional highs and lows of the campers plus all the drama that comes from being in close quarters with strangers for ten weeks.

The romance part of the story is sweet and doesn’t dominate. I liked that Poppi figures things out for herself, and that it’s not a “hey, a man has the answers,” kind of story. I also liked the balance between Poppi’s goal of saving the camp and the evolution of her relationship with God.

Last Summer at Eden has some unforgettable characters, too. I loved Wolfgang, the German foreign exchange counselor and the cook obsessed with recycling. And Nat! The enthusiastic, cheerleader who tells the truth straight-up, best friend everyone needs. Everyone seriously needs a Nat in their lives.

The only thing I kind of wished were different about this book is that it were told from the perspective of a younger character (like one of the counselors). That would have placed it more solidly within the young adult arena. At nineteen, Poppi’s a little older than the average young adult heroine.

I liked the book anyway, and I think readers who enjoy books by Laura L. Smith (everyone needs a little Laura L. Smith in their lives, just like Nat!) will absolutely love Last Summer at Eden.

Readers looking for a clean and also hilariously fun camp story really need this one on their reading lists. This is the perfect read for summer or the next best thing when summer feels like a distant memory.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.
Camp counselors talk to a couple of the kids (individually) about saving sex for marriage after they’re caught sneaking out to meet up at night. The talk is pretty vague, referring to sex as “the good stuff” and talking about how other kids might brag that they’re “doing stuff”, etc.

Spiritual Content
Poppi wrestles with feeling abandoned by God. She realizes through trying to save Camp Eden that she stopped believing God will take care of her and is trustworthy. Through her experiences at camp and her efforts to save Eden, she faces the root of those feelings—losing her mom—and begins to rebuild her trust in God.
Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Poppi’s dad is an alcoholic. She talks about this as a struggle for her personally in that she wants to invite him into her life but knows she has to have boundaries. For instance, she wants to invite him to camp but feels like he won’t be able to enjoy a visit without drinking, and that will present a lot of problems for everyone, so she doesn’t invite him.

Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Jenny Han
Simon & Schuster
Published on April 15, 2014

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About To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

My Review

I can’t believe how long it took me to finally read this book! I really wanted to read the book before I watched the Netflix adaptation of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and I’m glad I did. More on the book to movie adaptation in a minute.

Reading the book was so much fun. I love stories about sisters. I have two sisters, too, so it reminded me a lot of my relationships with both my sisters (though I’m the oldest in my family.).

At first I thought I had the romance plot pegged, and I worried that would make the story boring. But actually, a lot of things happened that I didn’t predict, and so much of it was either sweet or funny or packed with emotion that I found myself super invested in what would happen to Lara Jean as she confronted her real reasons for writing the letters and the unresolved issues between her and her older sister.

Also, can I just say that Lara Jean’s youngest sister Kitty is my favorite. I love her quirkiness and the comic relief she provides. Her commitment to a grudge also kept her from being one of those too-perfect little kid characters.
If I’m totally honest, I wasn’t planning on reading this whole series, because I don’t often read contemporary romance. But after reading To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, I really want to know where the story goes next. So I will probably try to read Lara Jean’s other adventures, too.

Thoughts on the Book to Movie Transformation
After reading the book, I sat down and watched the Netflix movie version of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. There were a lot of differences between the book and movie. Some things I totally understood because they simplified the plot (like skipping Lara Jean’s car accident) and other things seemed like they changed the story (like Kitty’s relationship with Lara Jean). I missed Kitty’s capriciousness, I think.

Also, am I the only one who found it super weird that the groom from My Big Fat Greek Wedding was the dad in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before? I don’t know why that threw me for a loop, but I kept doing a double-take for every scene he was in. He did a great job. I just had to adjust to it being him. All in all, I liked the movie. If my daughter was into contemporary romance, it’s the kind of movie I’d want to watch together.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Lara Jean’s mom was Korean and her dad is white. (Her mom died years before the story begins.)

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently. Lara Jean herself doesn’t like cursing (though she does briefly swear at one point).

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Rumors about and references to characters having sex but no details, and nothing more than kissing happens on scene.

Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Lara Jean goes to a party where some other kids are drinking alcohol. She doesn’t drink.

Review: Swallow’s Dance by Wendy Orr

Book Review and Content, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

Swallow’s Dance
Wendy Orr
Allen and Unwin
Published on June 27, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Swallow’s Dance
I wonder if the first day of Learning is always like this – do the girls on the hill always feel the ground tremble under their feet? Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home – and her family – in pieces. And the goddess hasn’t finished with the island yet.

With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira has only the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.

My Review
I wanted to read Swallow’s Dance because something about the story reminded me of Tracy Higley’s City on Fire. Like City on Fire, Swallow’s Dance is the story of a family who flee from a natural disaster. Leira’s family loses everything when a tsunami and volcanic eruption devour her home and village. But Leira’s unconquerable spirit drives her onward, fighting to survive in places where her once prestigious heritage is spurned. Her strength and fierceness made me invest so much in the book. I found myself really wanting her to find peace and happiness.

Honestly, I found it easy to invest in all of the major characters. Even though Leira’s mom suffers a brain injury and barely speaks, she’s a colorful character and never has trouble expressing her emotions. Even the cranky Nunu won me over with her devotion to Leira and her mom.

The cultural details about the girls studying to serve their goddess and gathering saffron all added a richness to Swallow’s Dance. I don’t normally read historical fiction and I don’t know much about this time period, so I can’t weigh in on how accurate the details are, but it all felt very well-researched and I found it easy to get lost in the vivid setting.

I liked the way the story blended prose and poetry, too. I’ve never seen that done before, but often I didn’t notice the transitions. I read the poetry faster, so it really worked to have that in the higher action parts of the story, because it felt like things sped up since I was literally reading faster.

Historical fans and readers who enjoy female-centered books like A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay will love Swallow’s Dance.

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Cultural Elements
All characters are Mediterranean.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A couple very vague references to sex (like acknowledging that it’s a thing married people do which makes babies). Leira’s people wear ceremonial dress which leaves their painted breasts exposed.

Spiritual Content
Leira’s people worship an earthmother goddess personified by a volcano. Priestesses serve the goddess. Each town seems to have its own god and rituals. Some of these are described in more detail than others. At one point Leira witnesses a girl being carried off to be sacrificed to a local god.

Violent Content
Some scary or intense descriptions of earthquakes and injuries caused by falling rocks or buildings. Descriptions of the aftermath – references to bodies being found (no descriptions other than that they smell bad). Brief descriptions of slaves being beaten for disobedience.

Drug Content
Some references to ale being served as a beverage with food, not for the purpose of getting drunk.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Top Ten Tuesday: Thou Art a Villain

Fantasy, Lists, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is about amazing book villains. While there is no shortage of memorable villainish characters out there, I wanted to go a little bit of a different direction with my post and focus on stories that repaint a well-known villain or villain archetype as the story’s protagonist. So here we go.

Elphaba in Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

I feel like this list kind of had to include Elphaba, even though it’s not really a YA book (which is what I normally read and review). It’s a pretty dark book, but I was really fascinated with how Maguire incorporated the plot of the original Wizard of Oz story into this book and twisted things around to make a completely different story.

 

Raven Queen (daughter of the Evil Queen) in Ever After High books

This series was really fun and fast to read. My daughter and I read them together when she was in maybe third grade, and it was a blast.

 

Agnes in the School for Good and Evil series

School for Good and Evil is a little more serious (classical?) in its fairytale-ish-ness than Ever After High, which really just made me love it even more.

Kara in the In the Thickety books

I guess it’s not new for a witch to be the hero of the story, but I love the writing in this book and the creepy forest. Also, plot twists! I seriously need to finish reading this series.

Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos in The Descendants

Carlos DeVille pretty much stole the show for me in this book. I didn’t expect to be such a huge fan of a fairytale mash-up type cast, but now that I’m looking at my list, there are a bunch of those types of stories on here. And I really enjoyed them all. I could probably just do a top ten list of those.

Levana in Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Fairest was not my favorite book in the Lunar Chronicles, but it was cool to see a Levana origin story, and Marissa Meyer always does cool Easter egg type elements to her stories, so I enjoyed that aspect of it for sure.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Heartless is still on my to-be-read list. The Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland is one of those characters I can’t imagine being actually sympathetic, so I’m super interested to see what Meyer did with this one.

Xifeng in Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie Dao

Somehow I didn’t realize this was an evil queen origin story when I picked it up, so I was super confused by how dark it was. I kept wanting Xifeng to resist or thwart her dark destiny, and kept being disappointed when she didn’t. Then about halfway through the book I read somewhere that it was supposed to be a retelling of how Snow White’s stepmother came to be who she was, and I was like, ohhhhhhh. Suddenly it all made sense. After that, I got into the story a lot more.

Evie in Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

This one is still on my to-be-read list. I love the idea, though – an outcast witch girl who’s trying desperately to help someone only she ends up creating a big mess.

Vanessa in Rise of the Sea Witch by Stacey Rourke

Another from my to-be-read list. In this one, the Sea Witch and Triton are brother and sister, and it’s his treachery which provokes her to witch-y-ness. Yeah, I really have to read this.

Who are your favorite novel villains?

Leave me a comment with your top favorites or a link to your list!