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Review: The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

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The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

The Blue Sword (Damar #1)
Robin McKinley
HarperCollins
Published April 26, 2016 (Orig. 1982)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Blue Sword

Harry Crewe grew up a tomboy in forests, until her brother joined the Homelanders guarding the far desert reaches. Now an orphan, she joins him. Only a few months later, asking for military aid against advancing Northeners, comes Corlath, the Hillfolk King. After exchanging a single glance, his inner magic compels him to kidnap her, without knowing why. She does not know the Hillfolk language or why she has been chosen.

Renamed Hari, she sees visions, and brings one to all, of the Golden Age legendary Dragon-Killer Queen Aerin, who smiles upon her. Hari is trained in the arts of war until she is a match for any of the elite royal guard, and carries Aerin’s famed Blue Sword. Does she have the courage to accept her true fate?

My Review

I feel like the first thing I have to address right off is the fact that there is a kidnapping which ultimately results in a romance, and though Harry has had her freedom for a long time before she falls in love, it’s still, er, perhaps a bit problematic? I like that she doesn’t fall in love as a captive. She’s won her own renown and has even broken away from Corlath and his riders before she examines her feelings. Still, just know that the story goes there, and if that’s going to be an issue that makes it impossible to enjoy the book, then you probably want to pass on this one.

The first time I read THE BLUE SWORD, I was probably twelve? So it’s hard for me to step back from my love for the story and see it the way that I might evaluate it now if I’d read it for the first time. I have read this book probably half a dozen times at least? I love that Harry becomes a warrior and sort of crafts her own role in her new life. The cat, Narknon is my favorite! I love that Harry becomes something of a bridge between the people she grew up with and the people she belongs to now.

I’m also really fascinated by the idea that this book was written before THE HERO AND THE CROWN, which is kind of a prequel (??) which follows the story of Aerin, the legendary dragon-slayer woman who appears to Harry in this story.

Some of the characters in the book have colonized some of the land of Damar. While they think of themselves Homelanders, as good people creating a life in a hostile desert environment, the Hillfolk think of them as Outlanders and invaders. I liked that the story showed a more balanced view of those things.

Conclusion

All in all, this is still one of my favorite stories. It’s probably the first book by Robin McKinley that I ever read. I can’t believe it was written almost forty years ago. Wowza! I think readers who enjoy fantasy with a strong female hero or enemies to lovers stories should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Corlath is the Hill King (King of Damar), described as dark-haired, brown-skinned desert people.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used briefly.

Romance/Sexual Content
A kiss between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Harry sees visions and learns that she has the strange kelar magic that Corlath also possesses.

Violent Content
Corlath kidnaps Harry from her home. Some situations of peril and description of battle. No gory details.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: The Great Cookie War by Caroline Stellings

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The Great Cookie War
Caroline Stellings
Second Story Press
Published April 13, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Great Cookie War

Life in her traditional Mennonite community is peaceful if a little dull for twelve-year-old Beth, who dreams of being an artist. One day excitement shows up in the form of a determined lawyer from New York who insists she needs a family cookie recipe to win a million-dollar lawsuit.

Beth’s parents are bemused, but her grandmother is determined that the recipe will not leave her kitchen. As Beth tries to balance her love for her family and faith with the promise of adventure in New York, she learns that she is stronger than she believes.

My Review

So, two things I loved about this that didn’t get enough attention in the cover copy:

  1. It’s based on or inspired by (I’m not quite sure where the line is there) real events! There really was a lawsuit about cookies where one company had a patent for a cookie recipe which produced cookies that were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. When another company made and sold cookies with a similar claim, they were sued. The Mennonites were involved because a woman had written a cookbook with Mennonite recipes called FOOD THAT REALLY SCHMECKS. The lawyer representing the company that had been sued wanted to see the family recipe for rigglevake cookies, a type of spiral cookie made with two types of dough: one that came out crispy and one that came out soft.
  2. Beth is the real star of the show. The whole cookie conundrum places her in a position where she’s watching two strong-willed women facing off, each pushing hard for what they want. That experience encourages her to speak up for herself and pursue the art classes she dreams of. Then, she faces a choice: guaranteed opportunity to go to art school if only she’ll swipe the recipe book from her family without their permission.

It’s probably obvious from all that, but I enjoyed reading this book. It’s got peppy, fun characters and a great setting as well as some really cool scenes exploring and celebrating Mennonite life. I think readers who enjoyed PIE by Sarah Weeks will absolutely need to read this one.

Content Notes for The Great Cookie War

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Beth and her family are Mennonites.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Beth and her family are Mennonites.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE GREAT COOKIE WAR in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Excalibur Curse by Kiersten White

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The Excalibur Curse (Camelot Rising #3)
Kiersten White
Delacorte Press
Published December 7, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Excalibur Curse

While journeying north toward the Dark Queen, Guinevere falls into the hands of her enemies. Behind her are Lancelot, trapped on the other side of the magical barrier they created to protect Camelot, and Arthur, who has been led away from his kingdom, chasing after false promises. But the greatest danger isn’t what lies ahead of Guinevere—it’s what’s been buried inside her.

Vowing to unravel the truth of her past with or without Merlin’s help, Guinevere joins forces with the sorceress Morgana and her son, Mordred—and faces the confusing, forbidden feelings she still harbors for him. When Guinevere makes an agonizing discovery about who she is and how she came to be, she finds herself with an impossible choice: fix a terrible crime, or help prevent war.

Guinevere is determined to set things right, whatever the cost. To defeat a rising evil. To remake a kingdom. To undo the mistakes of the past…even if it means destroying herself.

Guinevere has been a changeling, a witch, a queen—but what does it mean to be just a girl?

The gripping conclusion to the acclaimed Arthurian fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White finds Guinevere questioning everything—friends and enemies, good and evil, and, most of all, herself.

My Review

I’ve loved reading this whole series. I love the way it celebrates the Arthurian legend but centers around female characters. There’s really something magical and immersive about it.

If you know me at all, you know I really struggle with third-and-final books in a series. I long for them. I dread them. Too often I put off reading them until the last possible minute. Then I read them, remember all over again why I fell in love with the series or characters, and can’t believe it took me so long to read the book. Which is pretty much what happened here, too.

Guinevere is such a great character. I loved the way she wrestles with finding the balance between protecting the people she loves and giving them respect and autonomy to take the risks they deem appropriate. And the way she faces questions about her own existence and her value.

I love that the story celebrates Arthur’s magnetism and shows his pursuit of being a good king but also acknowledges his flaws. It made him seem like a much more real person than some of the other Arthurian stories that I’ve read in which he seems too much a legend and not enough an actual person.

One of the amazing things about the story really is the way that it’s not just Guinevere’s tale. She builds friendships and relationships with many women around her. They play key roles in the story and in her journey, and I loved how that played out.

All in all, I think this is a great fantasy series, and I’m so glad I read it. I think fans of Leigh Bardugo or Brigid Kemmerer will enjoy this series.

Check out my reviews of the first two books in the Camelot Rising series: THE GUINEVERE DECEPTION and THE CAMELOT BETRAYAL.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Main character has romantic feelings for a man and woman. There are two female side characters in a romantic relationship. Another side character is bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between man and woman. References to sex between a man and woman and between two women.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to do magic. The Dark Queen wants to use magic to destroy humanity. Merlin and the Lady of the Lake used a kind of magic to create Camelot.

Violent Content
Battle scenes, situations of peril and some descriptions of death.

Drug Content
Guinevere and another woman drink a truth potion which makes them feel drunk but speak only the truth.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE EXCALIBUR CURSE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Sea is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt

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The Sea Is Salt and So Am I
Cassandra Hartt
Roaring Brook Press
Published June 8, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Sea Is Salt and So Am I

West Finch is one hurricane away from falling into the sea.

Yet sixteen-year-old Harlow Prout is determined to save her small Maine hometown. If only she could stop getting in her own way and find someone, anyone, willing to help. But her best friend Ellis MacQueen “fixes” problems by running away from them―including his broken relationship with his twin brother, Tommy. And Tommy’s depression has hit a new low, so he’s not up for fixing anything.

In the wake of the town’s latest devastating storm, Tommy goes out for a swim that he doesn’t intend to survive. It’s his unexpected return that sets into motion a sea change between these three teens. One that tests old loyalties, sparks new romance, and uncovers painful secrets. And nothing stays secret in West Finch for long.

My Review

This book wrecked me so badly. In a good way, I think? Haha.

It’s got big emotions. Secrets. People who desperately care about each other but somehow go to great lengths to do anything besides deal with the ways they’ve hurt each other. I couldn’t stop reading it. I thought about it for days after I finished reading it.

The writing is so steeped in feeling. It’s got an amazing small town setting, where everyone is waiting for storms to hit and knowing they might destroy the places they love. The story is complex. It’s deep. It’s unforgettable.

And then the ending. I… don’t even know what to say.

The ending is great, just…. abrupt? I love the book, and I’m not unhappy with the ending, I think it just left something unclear that I wanted more completely spelled out for me. But even that doesn’t dim the incredible journey that reading this story was for me. I loved it.

I think readers who enjoy books with big emotions and small towns packed with secrets will love this one. Fans of John Green or Kyrie McCauley should absolutely check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Tommy has depression. Ellis is bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing betwen boy and girl. Kissing between two boys. A couple scenes show people kissing without shirts and reference sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content – Trigger warning for suicide attempt.
One character tries to die by suicide by swimming away from shore.

Drug Content
Tommy is on medication for depression but isn’t happy with how it makes him feel. He stops taking the medication at one point. He drinks beer with Ellis at one point, which he isn’t supposed to do on his medication, either.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE SEA IS SALT AND SO AM I in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes

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Spin Me Right Round
David Valdes
Bloomsbury YA
Published December 7, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Spin Me Right Round

From lauded writer David Valdes, a sharp and funny YA novel that’s Back to the Future with a twist, as a gay teen travels back to his parents’ era to save a closeted classmate’s life.

All Luis Gonzalez wants is to go to prom with his boyfriend, something his “progressive” school still doesn’t allow. Not after what happened with Chaz Wilson. But that was ages ago, when Luis’s parents were in high school; it would never happen today, right? He’s determined to find a way to give his LGBTQ friends the respect they deserve (while also not risking his chance to be prom king, just saying…).

When a hit on the head knocks him back in time to 1985 and he meets the doomed young Chaz himself, Luis concocts a new plan-he’s going to give this guy his first real kiss. Though it turns out a conservative school in the ’80s isn’t the safest place to be a gay kid. Especially with homophobes running the campus, including Gordo (aka Luis’s estranged father). Luis is in over his head, trying not to make things worse-and hoping he makes it back to present day at all.

In a story that’s fresh, intersectional, and wickedly funny, David Valdes introduces a big-mouthed, big-hearted queer character that readers won’t soon forget.

My Review

Though it explores some heavy issues, SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND was a really fun story to read. I loved Luis’s indomitable personality and his ability to charm for days. Even though I felt like he has a tendency to go on about how pleased he is with himself, he also showed vulnerability in exactly the right places and absolutely had me cheering for him. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat at all the right moments.

The whole Back to the Future, 80s vibe of the book was a lot of fun, too! I loved the celebration of the 80s in all its weird, glorious splendor. I loved the way music was included in the story. More than that, I found myself really drawn in to the way Luis’s life in his present-day and his struggles for acceptance and equality were contrasted against the prejudice and danger the students at his school in the 80s faced. I loved the way that experience impacted him, too.

On the whole, I’m really glad I read this book. There’s so much to enjoy here, and though it’s got some dark moments (trigger warning for homophobia), it’s a beautiful triumph celebrating finding the courage to be your true self and how those choices can impact others for the better.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Luis is gay and Latino. His best friend is nonbinary. Other minor characters are gay, too.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity and homophobic slurs. There are also some instances of crude humor.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boys. References to an affair between a teacher and a student. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
Luis time travels back to the 80s where he attends a Christian school. At that time, being gay is referred to as a sin. Other behaviors, like lying or hateful behavior toward others, are labeled as sins, too.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning for Homophobic Slurs and Homophobic Violence
The F slur is used several times in reference to Luis and another gay boy. Luis learns of a gay boy’s death that’s ruled a suicide, but which he thinks was actually murder. A group of boys hit two other boys with rocks and threaten to further hurt or kill them.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Födi

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

Spell Sweeper
Lee Edward Födi
HarperCollins
Published November 30, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Spell Sweeper

Magic is messy. A standalone middle grade fantasy featuring a failed young wizard and her chaotically fun cleanup crew.

Cara Moone is a wizard—and she’s basically flunked out of wizard school. Now she’s in training to be a MOP, a.k.a. Magical Occurrence Purger, a.k.a. it’s Cara’s job to sweep up the hazardous dust a real wizard’s spells leave behind.

A real wizard, that is, like Harlee Wu, the so-called “Chosen One” destined to save the magical world. But when one of Harlee’s spells goes awry and leaves behind a rift in the fabric of magic itself, it’ll take more than magic to clean up that mess. Luckily, messes are kind of Cara’s thing.

My Review

I feel like snarky books can be kind of a risk for me, because sometimes I love the quirkiness and confidence of the main character, and other times it kind of grates on my nerves and seems like the character can never be happy with anything. This book packs a lot of snark, but it brings an awful lot of fun, too, so I felt like the upbeat, quirky fun elements created the perfect balance.

I enjoyed the way the relationships developed and watching Cara learn new things about the magical world in which she lives as well as her journey toward finding her place in it. I really liked the idea that certain types of magic leave behind a residue that has to be cleaned by specialists like Cara. I’ve never seen anything like that before, and I loved that at the end of the story, there’s a note from the author about his family member who made his own brooms, too. How cool to be able to bring something so personal to life in a fantasy novel. I loved that it was part of the inspiration.

To be honest, I’m a little bit sad that SPELL SWEEPER is a standalone! I would definitely read another book about Cara, Harlee, Gusto and their friends. I feel like readers looking for stories about schools for wizard students will love this fresh, fun book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
There’s a magical hierarchy at Cara’s school. Wizards get additional privileges and access to certain coursework that Cara, as a Spell Sweeper, doesn’t get.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
There are some made up swears, like “dratch”.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic or can use objects to perform magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
Some teen characters vape or smoke cigarettes.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SPELL SWEEPER in exchange for my honest review.