Snow White and Rose Red (Once Upon a Time III #3 of 5)

I originally had this book as my last YA Romance books but before I could write my review I read a way better romance so I'll do that one instead. I like Patricia Wrede...I liked the Enchanted Forest Chronicles and the Sorcery and Cecelia books. This one was well written too...but the story didn't really capture me as other retold fairy tales have. It was a fairy tale I hadn't actually heard before, about two half mortal half faerie brothers who get into trouble (one of them is actually turned into a bear) and are helped out by two sisters. The tale is supposed to be set in a "magical Elizabethan England" but I didn't know enough about that time period for that historical setting to matter much. There was an interesting interplay of Christianity with Faerie and I did like that part. I wanted there to be more romance in the story than there was...my guess it that the lack of it was due to the historical setting. It wasn't a bad story certainly, but not one of my favorites.

Rapunzel's Revenge

What a riot. This graphic novel by Shannon and Deal Hale (illustrated by another Hale, Nathan this time) was so fun. An absolutely new look at a long-haired heroine and the woman who kept her captive. Rapunzel lived in a villa with her mother, Gothel, her whole life, never seeing what was beyond the wall that surrounded it. But when she was twelve she chanced looking out and for that she was banished to a hole in the trunk of an incredibly tall tree. It is in there that Rapunzel's hair grows to rope lengthh and she uses it as a lasso/whip. She needs no prince to escape her tower but meets a boy named Jack who is on the run and the two of them link up by necessity at first rather than desire. But it is through their friendship and adventures together that Rapunzel learns what she needs to to take her revenge on Mother Gothel.

Seriously, if you have any desire to try graphic novels if you haven't, you should try this one. The art is awesome, the story is original and full of action. I hope they do another one!

Princess of the Midnight Ball (YA Romance 2009 #2 of 6)

Will I ever get tired of retold fairy tales? Probably not. Especially not if they are as fun as this version of the Twelve Dancing Princesses by Jessica Day George. Rose is the oldest of the dozen princesses and Galen is the young soldier just back from war. Unlike some of the other stories involving late night dancing royalty, the inhabitants of underground kingdom are frightening and sinister and the girls are not there by choice. Jessica Day George includes some sinister elements in the real world as well in the form of powerful religious figures and accusations of witchcraft. The romance that develops between Galen and Rose is very sweet and innocent and I liked the development of their characters. A good quick read.

The Swan Kingdom

Zoe Marriott has created a lovely version of the Wild Swans fairy tale. Alexandra's mother was killed by a beast in the forest on Alexandra's fifteenth birthday and Alexandra was unable to save her. The king goes out hunting the beast and returns with a woman who has him completely spellbound. This is the witch that turns her three beloved brothers into swans.

There isn't anything exceptionally original about The Swan Kingdom...until you get to the end. It's familiar and all the standard elements are included but I love the resolution which of course I will not give away. But it's one of my favorite stories and Alexandra is a great heroine. The Wild Swans is one of my favorite fairy tales and I love this version of it.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

I really wanted to like this book. I really did. I love the East of the Sun, West of the Moon story but this one by Jessica Day George fell a little flat for me. Perhaps it's because Edith Pattou's East is one of my favorite books ever.

Lass, the ninth child in the family, has never been given a name. Her mother didn't want her and refused to name her. But Lass has her brother's love and her father's and she seems to be mostly content with that. When she is twelve, she meets a magical white reindeer and she is given the ability to speak to animals. This comes in handy when the great white bear comes and asks him to go live with him in an ice palace.

I guess my real dissapointment was in the love that developed between Lass and the bear. It didn't feel real to me. It seemed that they didn't have enough going for them for her to risk her life for him. But again, that's just me. But one thing that I really did like about the story is how her brother is woven into it. That was a nice and unexpected twist. It was an okay book, but in my opinion, East far surpasses it.

Chalice

Robin McKinley is probably one of my top five favorite authors and Chalice did not dissapoint. In Willowlands, there is always a Master (male) and a Chalice (female) who together are charged with bringing balance the land and taking care of its people. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen. Marisol, a beekeeper, becomes the Chalice when the old Master and Chalice die in fire. The new Master is a priest of fire and though he has good intentions, can sear human skin to the bone if he accidentally touches it with his bare hands. As Marisol tries to learn her new duties as a Chalice (difficult as she has no one to train her and also because she is the first Chalice of honey), she does not have the full support of the other members of the governing body. Marisol is loyal to the Master who she believes is the true Master of Willowlands but there is a plot to have him removed and have an "outblood" heir put in his place, and this would have almost unthinkable consequences for Marisol.

Wow I loved this book. A lovely fairytale that feels completely new. The only thing that ever makes me sad about McKinley's books is often the romance isn't fully realized until way too close to the end! But Marisol is a fantastic character and, happily a bibliophile like me.

The Swan Maiden (YA Romance Challenge #6)

I have read many many fairy tales in my time...but I had never heard this one. I guessed when I first put the book on my reading list that it would somehow connect with the Wild Swans tale...not so.

Doucette's two older sisters are Swan Maidens - girls who were born with a swan skin who can not only transform into swans but work magic as well. Doucette is stuck being the responsible third daughter who will someday marry and run her parents estate. More than anything she wishes she were a Swan Maiden and able to fly away from the criticism of her mother and the boredom she feels at the thought of doing household tasks for the rest of her life. The only thing that brings her a hint of happiness is talking to Jaume, one of the shepherds.

But everything in Doucette's life changes the instant she discovers a hidden swan skin and decides to fly away.

Oh how I loved this book. It was a one day read...one of the stay up until it's so late your eyes hurt reads. Doucette was such an interesting character - she had aspirations and failures and desires and disappointments. She just didn't know herself. So typical of young girls. Even when she had what she thought she wanted she doubted herself. She loves Jaume but finding out she is a Swan Maiden changes their relationship in ways that may be irreparable.

Beastly (YA Challenge #5)

This modern Beauty and the Beast tale begins in a chatroom for those who have experienced unexpected changes - people like the Little Mermaid and the Frog Prince. The Beast, Kyle Kingsbury, is a ninth grader who has a pretty easy life - his father is wealthy and he is the king of a popular group of friends. But Kendra, a strange girl in his English class sees what he really is...and then makes Kyle see it for himself. When Kyle is transformed into a Beast he is given two years to earn love and a kiss. But finding a girl in New York when you look like Kyle does is a little tricky. Maybe impossible.

Alex Flinn's new version of one of my very favorite fairy tales does not disappoint. She has Kyle's teen selfishness and attitude captured perfectly and his relationship with Lindy, the girl forced to keep his company because of her father's greed, is wonderfully romantic.

Wildwood Dancing (Y.A. Challenge #9)

I could not put this book down. I love this fairy tale anyway but Marillier made it completely new. Juliette Marillier wrote Daughter of the Forest, one of my very favorite fairy tale retellings of the Grimm's Brother's Wild Swans stories. Wildwood Dancing is based on another fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses only in this case there are five sisters, Tatiana, Jenica, Paula, Iulia, and Stella who go dancing in a magic kingdom.

The second daughter, Jenica, narrates the story of the wonders and danger of traveling between worlds. During each full moon, the five sisters use a portal in their bedroom to visit the Other Kingdom. During one of their visits, Tatiana meets and is instantantly attracted to Sorrow, a young man who seems to be one of the Night People who feed on human blood. This isn't even the beginning of their problems.

Jenica and Gogu, her enchanted frog, must figure out a way to keep the secret of the Other Kingdom safe and also keep the sister's ill father's business out of the hands of Cezar, their grasping cousin.

Birdwing

This book is a continuation one of my very favorite fairy tales, The Wild Swans. Rafe Martin tells the story of Ardwin, the sixth brother whose shirt was not finished and whose left arm remained a swan wing. As he grows, Ardwin can't seem to find his place. His wing allows him to talk to animals but at the same time causes him no end of trouble around people. When his father, the king, tries to marry him to the mad king Ulfius' daughter, he heads out on his own to find where he belongs.

This story brought in elements from other fairy tales which would sort of make me say "huh?" at first but in the end I liked the twist they added. A fun fantasy.

A Curse Dark as Gold (Y.A. Romance Challenge #1)

Elizabeth Bunce created a fantastic new version of the Rumplestilskin story with this novel. Set in an industrial era, Charlotte Miller is trying to keep her family's woolen mill running after her father passes away. She and her sister Rosie are forced to deal with the mill's debts, their scheming uncle, the superstitions of the mill workers, and a mill that does not seem to want to run anymore...as if it has a will of its own.

I have always thought the story of Rumplestilskin was full of gaps though this is not atypical of fairy tales. It is a story I have never read a truly satisfying version of, where the actions of the characters make sense. A Curse Dark as Gold absolutely did. Charlotte's desperation to save her family and their business clarify why a mother would promise to give her firstborn child to a sinister figure. Jack Spinner's past explains why he would care about children at all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. As this was part of my Y.A. Romance Challenge, I have to say that Randall, Charlotte's husband, is wonderful. Their courtship develops in a way that seems appropriate for the setting Bunce created. However, their relationship also demonstrates the potential destructiveness of secrets and lack of communication.

castle waiting (graphic novel challenge #1)

my first graphic novel! i was not sure how this was going to go. sure, i read the comics in the washington post but haven't read anything like this before. linda medly's castle waiting is a compliation of the stories of several characters who have all ended up at castle waiting.

the story begins with a mostly traditional sleeping beauty retelling...up until she's kissed by the prince. at that point, sleeping beauty takes off with prince hans and leaves the castle and it's recently awakened inhabitants in the lurch. the town surrounding the castle had long since been abandoned but the castle became a sort of refuge for people and animals and odd combinations of the two.

then jain comes along, a pregnant young woman fleeing her abusive husband who is not the father of her child. as jain adapts to life at castle waiting, she hears the stories of peace, the bearded lady/nun and her friend nessie who is also a bearded lady and clarice, a third bearded lady. their stories sort of ran together for me after a while. in fact, what i thought this book would sort of follow and explain jain's story but jain practically dissapears about halfway through the book and is used only as the person who the other character's stories are being told to.

i think castle waiting is a creative story but i felt a little let down in the end...i wanted more to be explained and concluded than actually was. i almost hope there is another volume written that ties up jain's story. but if not, it was a fun read anyway.

sunlight and shadow

this book is part of the "once upon a time" series made up of re-told fairy tales...many of them by cameron dokey as this one is. the story line is from the opera "the magic flute" which i thought was interesting. i have heard of this opera by name only but had no idea about the plot or any of the characters.

mina is the daughter of the mage of the day and the queen of the night and mina's marriage, as foretold by a prophecy, will alter the world. mina is raised by her mother in the dark and, though it had been arranged that she would live with her father as of her sixteenth birthday, her father forcibly removes her from her mother so he can arrange her marriage. as mina tries to escape her father and find her own way, a number of other characters enter the story - gayna, mina's father's foster daughter, lapin, who plays the bells that can call one's true love, statos, the husband mina's father chose for her, and tern, the prince who carved a magic flute.

the novel is short, not even 200 pages so there is not much intense character development. the story is told from many points of view and sometimes it was a bit confusing figuring out who was talking. it was a fast read and as often happens in these books, the romance doesn't begin until right before the ending. not bad though, not bad at all.