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Review: Beauty by Robin McKinley

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Beauty by Robin McKinleyBeauty
Robin McKinley
Open Road Media
Published on November 8, 2014 (Originally published October 25, 1978)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

When Beauty’s family falls on reduced circumstances, she, her father, and two sisters move to a remote village rumored to be near an enchanted castle. Beauty and her sisters face their new lives bravely, learning to do chores and care for their new home. One night, after a long journey, their father returns home with a magical rose and a chilling story. He has met the Beast and ruler of the castle and now owes a debt: either his own life or the life of one of his daughters. Ever practical Beauty decides she must be the one to take her father’s place. But her new life in the castle turns out to be far different than anything she could have imagined. Invisible servants tend her needs, and the Beast, who seemed terrifying at first, soon becomes dear to her. A family emergency forces Beauty to choose: stay in the castle and let her sister make a terrible mistake, or risk everything to return home and warn her.

Beauty is one of the first young adult novels I ever read, and I happened upon it totally by accident in a used book stall at a flea market in the mountains of western North Carolina. I’ve since read other fairytale retellings by Robin McKinley, and have never been disappointed by any of them. Beauty used to be one of my go-to reads for those awful days when I was too sick to read and absorb something new, but still longed to escape reality in a book. It’s been years since I’ve read it, and still I couldn’t stop reading until I’d reached the end of the tale.

The style isn’t my favorite—it’s a lot more narrative than the kinds of books I usually prefer, but the descriptions are so vivid and Beauty’s character so clearly drawn that I always get sucked straight into the story anyway. This is a definite must-read for anyone who adores fairytale retellings. You’ll recognize a lot of familiar elements in other fairytales retold that authors drew from McKinley’s style and way of reimagining things. (In fact, one of my newer favorite authors who writes reimagined fairytales, Kenley Davidson, draws some inspiration from McKinley’s stories, and I think it’s one of the things that first drew me into her work.)

If you’re looking for clean young adult fiction, this is a great choice. McKinley has other books you might be interested in as well: Spindle’s End, her retelling of Sleeping Beauty; Outlaws of Sherwood, her retelling of Robin Hood; and her fantasy duo, The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown. I recommend them all.

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white and straight.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A brief kiss and a few mentions of blushing or attraction.

Spiritual Content
A couple references to prayer. One character exclaims, “Merciful God.” The Beast’s castle is populated with invisible servants which Beauty often describes as a “breeze.” She begins to hear and understand them to be individuals as her time in the castle progresses.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Wine is served with dinner.

 

Happy New Year from The Story Sanctuary!

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Happy New Year!

We hope you had an amazing holiday season with friends and family and had time to reflect on your faith. This year is sure to bring some great things, and we’ll look forward to celebrating them.

So… my Christmas went a little differently than I planned. I celebrated Christmas from a hospital bed and shortly after, my daughter was born. We’re biased, of course, but she’s beautiful and already an amazing adventure.

Both me and my girl are healthy and doing well. I expected to have a few more weeks to get things in order for her to arrive, but here we are. As far as the blog, Gabrielle and I have some great reviews already in the works and will continue to share them. I’ll probably slow down accepting reviews again until I settle into being the mom of two.

In keeping with the New Year tradition of setting resolutions, I thought it would be fun to post some blogging resolutions– goals for how things happen here at The Story Sanctuary this coming year. So here goes…

Story Sanctuary New Year’s Resolutions

  1. Continue posting reviews! We try to post reviews or updates about three times per week. Over the last year, we posted an average of 13 posts per month. The goal is probably closer to 16. You can check out the books we already have on our review list by visiting the 2018 Reading List.
  2. Add more lists! I love participating in Top Ten Tuesday posts and even creating my own bookish lists. This year I hope to post two per month.
  3. Give away more books! Last year we had some amazing giveaways from Disney and a few more as part of various blog tours I participated in. This year I hope to do a better job passing on some of the best books I receive for review to you, my awesome readers. So watch for those. I would love to do one each month, maybe as a part of my Monthly Wrap-Up posts.
  4. Write a guide for parents on choosing literature! This has been a goal for the last couple of years, actually, and something I’m passionate about as a parent. I’d love to break down my own process of how my daughter and I decide what books she’s ready for and share it with others who may have some similar questions and concerns. I’ll update on this as I get my data together.
  5. Social media better. Y’all, I am so not consistent on social media. My Pinterest account languishes for months with no updates. My Twitter feed becomes a desert with the occasional tumbleweed auto-post from my blog. I’d like to do better at connecting with readers via those outlets so I can meet readers and talk more about great books!

What are your reading or blogging goals for the new year?

Leave me a comment and share your reading, blogging or writing goals for this next year. They don’t have to be big or difficult. Sometimes just thinking about what you want to do and writing it down can help me feel more focused and work toward a thing. Does that work for you, too?

Top Ten Books from 2017

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Top Ten Books from 2017

Here are some of my favorite books that came out this year, that have been reviewed here by Kasey or me:

The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill– February 7th, 2017

Stephanie Morrill’s latest book is a mystery set in Chicago during the Roaring 20s. It features a strong heroine and a swoon-worthy detective, along with several unexpected twists. Kasey reviewed this book back in March, and said it was a must read for historical fiction and mystery lovers alike. After reading it for myself, I definitely would agree!

The Illusionist’s Apprentice by Kristy Cambron– March 7th, 2017

The Illusionist’s Apprentice is another historical fiction/mystery novel set in the 1920s. It had some of the strongest written characters that I have come across, and an incredible plot to go along with it. I love the heartbreaking depth of Kristy Cambron’s writing, and highly recommend her latest novel. This book is a great follow-up for those looking for another book similar to The Lost Girl of Astor Street.

Shadow and Thorn (Andari Chronicles #4) by Kenley Davidson– March 12th, 2017

Kenley Davidson writes some of the best fairytale retellings that I have ever come across. Her latest addition to the series is a retelling inspired by Beauty and the Beast, and features the return of several characters from previous books. Kasey remarked that it was possibly one of the most clever retellings of Beauty and the Beast that she has ever come across, and that’s including the great Robin McKinley’s own retelling, Beauty. If you love fairytales as much as we do, you need to pick up this series ASAP!

Spindle Fire (Spindle Fire #1) by Lexa Hillyer– April 11th, 2017

Another fairytale retelling, but this one is much grittier. It’s a retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a dash of Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent thrown in for good measure. Kasey loved all of the characters in this book, and so did I–there’s a wide variety of personalities in this one, and all of them are fun to read. You might want to wait to read this one until the sequel comes out though–it ends in a horrific cliffhanger!

Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson– May 30th, 2017

In this book, Sara B. Larson (author of the Defy series) tells a story inspired by Swan Lake in a high-fantasy world that will bring back LOTR vibes. Creepy and magical by turns, it’s definitely a book that will give you chills at all the right times. The world-building was epic, and I adored the characters. I can’t wait to read the sequel!

Unraveling by Sara Ella– July 11th, 2017

If Dark Breaks the Dawn will give you chills, Unraveling by Sara Ella will make you cry. In a happy sort of way, of course. This book is the sequel to Unblemished, a world-hopping fantasy adventure that reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia. It features my favorite book couple of all time, and one of the sweetest romances I’ve come across. Kasey likened it to The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, and The Storm Siren trilogy by Mary Weber. If you haven’t read Unblemished yet, be sure to give that one a go before diving into Unraveling, so you can understand what in the world is going on.

Reintegration by Ashley Bogner– August 15th, 2017

While I felt like this dystopian novel got off to a slow start, the ending made up for it many times over. I could not read fast enough to find out what happened! There was a lot of twists and surprises packed into the last few pages, and I’m looking forward to the second book to get some answers. I highly recommend adding this one to your dystopian shelf alongside books like The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron and the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie.

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore by Kelly Jones– September 19th, 2017

This book was hilarious.It’s the perfect light-hearted read, and an excellent way to recover from a book hangover. The tongue-in-cheek humor reminded me a lot of Cindy Anstey’s writing, as did the Regency-era setting. The magic system reminded me of Mary Robinette Kowal’s Glamourist Histories, while being cleaner and more accessible to a younger audience.  I’m hoping that Kelly Jones will turn this into a series, as I would love to see what happens to the characters next!

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson– September 26th, 2017

I was so thrilled to read this book, that I actually ended up preordering it (something that I almost never do). I wasn’t disappointed–this book was the perfect mixture of spooky and epic, and it makes for a great Halloween read. I would love to read more books set in this world, as Rogerson did an amazing job fleshing out the Fair Folk and their realm. This book will especially appeal to fans of Sara J. Maas and Holly Black.

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia– October 24th, 2017

This book was so good, I ended up reading and reviewing it twice. The characters have such amazing depth to them, as did the writing itself. I got chills as I read it through and came across an especially insightful conversation or end to a chapter. While it does have some content issues, it’s still well worth the read, as it gives an incredibly perceptive look at human nature.

What’s on your favorites list?

How about you? Do you have any favorite books that came out this year? Or are you ready to discover a new favorite by picking up one of these? Comment below; we’d love to hear your recommendations!

 

Author Interview: Lily Anderson

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I’m super excited because today, as a part of the Wednesday Books Blog Tour, I get to share an interview with author Lily Anderson. You might have first fallen in reader love with her after reading her debut novel, The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, which probably won you over with its fabulous geek culture and unstoppable banter between characters. Lily’s back with her sophomore novel, inspired somewhat by The Importance of Being Earnest, about a girl who runs away from home to compete for a college scholarship.

Onto the questions and answers!

Author Interview with Lily Anderson

Do you have a favorite character (from either of your books)? Is there something about him/her which you love but just didn’t fit and didn’t get included in the story?

I love Ben West, the hero from THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU. He’s the braying jackass that lives inside me. When I was originally drafting THE ONLY THING, Ben’s dad was a big part of the story. He was supposed to be a former Jeopardy champion who used his winnings to send Ben to the Mess and Trixie taunted Ben with the final question that finally got his dad off the show. It just never really fit with the book so it got cut pretty early on.

Awww – Ben is awesome! That would have been a super cool twist, but yeah, I can see how it didn’t fit the rest of the story. Such a fun idea, though!
One of my favorite things about THE ONLY THINK WORSE THAN ME IS YOU is all the Geekdom and witty banter. Are you a Whovian personally? Were you able to pull a lot of the trivia from things you already knew or were there things you researched for the characters?

I am a Whovian with super strong opinions (mostly about how much I hate Clara—bye forever, Impossible Girl!). For the geeky references in both of my books, I pulled from my own knowledge as much as possible, but I also researched some other fandoms that I’m not as involved with (mostly Supernatural, Game of Thrones, and comics in the Spider-Verse) when I realized which characters would be into things that I’m not. For NOT NOW, NOT EVER, I read a lot more sci-fi than I normally would and got weirdly into Frank Herbert’s Dune.

I have to say, I couldn’t tell where your personal knowledge ended and the research began. Also– right?! My husband got me hooked on DUNE while we were dating. Not my favorite storytelling style, but there’s something about it that won’t let me go.
The rivalry and banter, especially between Ben and Trixie made me laugh out loud so many times. Is there more of this sort of fun to look forward to in Not Now, Not Ever?

NOT NOW, NOT EVER is also full of rivalry and banter, although it’s not an enemies-to-lovers story like THE ONLY THING. Luckily, Ben and Trixie are minor characters in NOT NOW, so you’ll get to see what they’re up to now that they’re in college.

YAYYYY!!! I can’t wait to read it. It will be fun to get a glimpse of Ben and Trixie again, too. Totally looking forward to that.
What is one question about your books you are often asked by readers?

I think what I’m asked most is “what advice would you give to aspiring writers?” And my advice is this: not everything you write will—or SHOULD—get published. Some things will just be for you. Some things just won’t work out. Don’t ever stop. Read as much as you can.

Great advice! What do you most hope that readers take away from your novels (either or both)?

I want all my readers to take away a sense of happiness. NOT NOW, NOT EVER and its predecessor, THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU, are fluff. Hopefully well crafted, artisanal and organic fluff but fluff nonetheless. NOT NOW is very much a story about choosing a path, but also realizing that the paths don’t close behind you. I want my readers to have hope for Elliot’s path and their own.

Hope and happiness are definitely worthy goals for a book. I know I felt both when I read THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU.

About Lily Anderson

website | twitter | facebook

LILY ANDERSON is an elementary school librarian and Melvil Dewey fangirl with an ever-growing collection of musical theater tattoos and Harry Potter ephemera. She lives in Northern California. She is also the author of The Only Thing Worse than Me Is You.

About Not Now, Not Ever

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Elliot Gabaroche is very clear on what she isn’t going to do this summer.

  1. She isn’t going to stay home in Sacramento, where she’d have to sit through her stepmother’s sixth community theater production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
  2. She isn’t going to mock trial camp at UCLA.
  3. And she certainly isn’t going to the Air Force summer program on her mom’s base in Colorado Springs. As cool as it would be to live-action-role-play Ender’s Game, Ellie’s seen three generations of her family go through USAF boot camp up close, and she knows that it’s much less Luke/Yoda/”feel the force,” and much more one hundred push-ups on three days of no sleep. And that just isn’t appealing, no matter how many Xenomorphs from Alien she’d be able to defeat afterwards.

What she is going to do is pack up her determination, her favorite Octavia Butler novels, and her Jordans, and go to summer camp. Specifically, a cutthroat academic-decathlon-like competition for a full scholarship to Rayevich College, the only college with a Science Fiction Literature program. And she’s going to start over as Ever Lawrence, on her own terms, without the shadow of all her family’s expectations. Because why do what’s expected of you when you can fight other genius nerds to the death for a shot at the dream you’re sure your family will consider a complete waste of time?

This summer’s going to be great.

Review: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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The Beautiful Ones
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Thomas Dunne Books
Published October 24th, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Beautiful Ones

In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be.

Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valérie Beaulieu, she hopes to find a suitable husband. However, the haphazard manifestations of Nina’s telekinetic powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

Yet dazzling telekinetic performer and outsider Hector Auvray sees Nina’s powers as a gift, and he teaches her how to hone and control them. As they spend more and more time together, Nina falls in love and believes she’s found the great romance that she’s always dreamed of, but Hector’s courtship of Nina is deceptive.

The Beautiful Ones is a sweeping fantasy of manners set in a world inspired by the Belle Époque.

My Review

This is one of the most amazing books I have read this year. Its depth is incredible, especially in the way that it plumbs the human spirit, and reveals all the nitty-grittiness of a person’s soul. If you’re looking for an exciting book, this isn’t it. But if you’d like to read a story about human nature that will both chill and warm you to your core, than look no further, because this is your book.

The characters are the driving force behind the story. No character is fully good, and no character is fully evil in this book; rather, they are human, with different wants and desires that they are chasing after, and different means of getting them. We get to explore the plot through several pairs of eyes, and it gives the story credibility and depth, as well as allowing us to at least sympathize with characters, if not agree with them.

There was so many themes explored in this book: betrayal, love, idolatry, selfishness, etc. Even though the author packed a lot of material into The Beautiful Ones, she did so with grace. It never felt heavy-handed, or like the author was trying to beat a message into the reader’s head. Instead, she wove it with such subtlety that I wouldn’t realize what she was getting at until the last few lines of a chapter, or certain phrases of dialogue, and then I would get chills. I was astonished over and over again at the depth of this book.

I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list. The Beautiful Ones (perhaps better titled The Broken Ones) is a complex tale of human nature and weakness that is well worth the read. Fans of the melancholy atmosphere and magic of The Night Circus, or the complex characters of Kristy Cambron’s books. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars, with a star subtracted for content.


Recommended for Ages 17 up.

Cultural Elements
All of the characters are white. Some are described as country bumpkins, or rubes.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Several obscene words scattered through the pages. References to fornification and suggestions of adultery.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kisses, embracing, touching, thinly-veiled references to adultery, marital duties, and fornification. It is clear that characters have sex several times (before marriage), sometimes on page, though very few details are given. Characters talk about sex, without mentioning details. Mention of seeing a druggist to prevent having a baby.

Spiritual Content
Some mention of gods and goddesses. Nina briefly ponders if she’ll be damned for fornification, but doesn’t consider it a serious possibility. Mention of priests and martyrs.

Violent Content
Some minor injuries, not overly detailed.

Drug Content
Characters drink wine. 

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Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2017

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The weather is finally beginning to be almost bearable here in Central Florida as we transition into fall. Well, as much fall as Florida ever really gets. Haha! This month, I was able to fit in a few books which have been on my To Be Read list for a super long time. I hope to add a few more of those over the next few weeks!

If you haven’t done so already, hop over to my review of Mistress of All Evil and enter the giveaway before it closes tonight at midnight! Thanks again to Disney Hyperion for an awesome prize pack!

Here’s what you may have missed in terms of reviews here at The Story Sanctuary. Leave a comment below and let me know if you’ve read any of these books and if not, which you’re adding to your own To Be Read list.

October 2017 Reviews

Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

A totally suspenseful read with the biggest liar of all as narrator.

Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Gabrielle praised this book because it “tackled some issues that are especially relevant to YA readers, and carried them off beautifully.” She recommends it to fans of Kasie West and Amy Clipston.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

One of the best books I’ve read this year, and one of the best ever in its exploration of faith versus doubt. Fantastic– total must-read, especially for Christian readers.

Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Such a fun read! Loved the crazy antics of the characters and the heartwarming story.

Mistress of All Evil by Serena Valentino

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Want to know more about one of Disney’s classic villains and how she came to curse a princess? Then you don’t want to miss this book. (Or the giveaway ending tonight at midnight!)

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Gabrielle calls this “the perfect creepy fall read for fans of Heather Dixon and Anne Elisabeth Stengl.”

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

An amazing story based on an impossible-sounding historical place. Fantastic characters, emotive narrative. Not to be missed.

Reign of Outlaws by Kekla Magoon

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

A fresh, fun gender-flipped Robin Hood reboot.

City of Thirst (Map to Everywhere #2) by Carrie Ryan and John Parker Davis

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

The wild, whimsical sequel to The Map to Everywhere, which was one of my favorite books the year it came out.

In a Perfect World by Trish Doller

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

A sweet romance in an exotic setting. One of my favorite books this year.

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What’s on your reading list this fall?

So what about you? What’s on your reading list this fall? Have you read anything amazing lately that I need to add to my list? What books from my review list sound best to you?