Category: Young Adult

Book Review: Clariel by Garth Nix

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Reviews, Young Adult3 Comments

I haven’t reviewed them here, but I have read and enjoyed Garth Nix’s Abhorsen Trilogy, so I was a bit excited for his new prequel, Clariel.  In fact, I put it on reserve at the library before the release date, and I’m pretty sure I was the first reader of my copy.  It turned out to be an entertaining fantasy–although I may have set the bar too high, as I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped.

Clariel is set 600 years before the Abhorsen Trilogy, in the Old Kingdom where Charter magic does everything from providing spells for light to entrapping Free Magic monsters.  Clariel and her parents have recently moved to the capital city of Belisaere, but all Clariel wants is to return home and take up a solitary life in the Great Forest.  In Belisaere, her family connections to both the aging king and the Abhorsen (a kind of magical Enforcer) make her a potential pawn for dangerous factions, and entangle her in dangers both political and magical.

Nix’s world and magic system have always been very cool, and that continues here.  In a way we get to see ordinary life in the Old Kingdom, and how magic fits in for a more typical person.  I mean, Clariel isn’t exactly average, but comparatively…  In Sabriel we were deep into the Abhorsen’s role as anti-necromancer (sort of), and in Lirael we were with the prophesying Clayr.  Here we get to see people who aren’t high level mages, but still have Charter Marks performing functions in their homes.  And the magic does kick into higher gear in the last hundred pages or so, as Clariel herself starts testing new limits. Continue reading “Book Review: Clariel by Garth Nix” →

Celebrating Witch Week and Diana Wynne Jones

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

Witch WeekI did a lot of reading of Diana Wynne Jones books last spring, so as you can imagine, I was excited to get involved when Lory of Emerald City Book Reviews invited me to participate in her Witch Week celebrate of all things DWJ (among some illustrious company!)

According to DWJ, “Witch Week” is set between Oct 31st and Nov 6th, a special time “when there is so much magic about in the world that all sorts of peculiar things happen.”  Lory has invited five bloggers to share guest posts on favorite DWJ books, and I’ve contributed a review of The Spellcoats, the third (but independent) book in the Dalemark Quartet.  I’ve reviewed this book previously on my own blog, but I expanded and added new ideas for this event.

Visit Lory’s blog for the Guest Post…and you may want to check out Lory’s Giveaway too!

Classic Review: Bloody Jack

On By cherylmahoneyIn Historical Fiction, Reviews, Young Adult2 Comments

I’ve been reading the Bloody Jack series since high school, and recently completed a re”read” of the series by audiobook (highly recommended!)  The final (twelfth!) book in the series will be out next week.  I can’t wait to find out what finally happens to Jacky Faber–and today I’m re-sharing my review of the series!

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The Bloody Jack series follows the adventures of Jacky Faber…sailor, soldier, pirate, fine lady, spy…oh, and Lily of the West.  Among other things.  Set around 1800, it all starts in Bloody Jack, when orphan Mary Faber decides that the way out of the gutter is to sign onto a Royal Navy ship as a Ship’s Boy.  Obviously that second word presents complications, so Mary becomes Jacky and disguises herself as a boy.

Jacky is an incredibly fun character.  She’s endlessly creative with her schemes and ideas, wildly emotive, rarely depressed no matter what life throws at her, fiercely loyal to her friends and endlessly ambitious to better her life and the lives of the people she cares about.  She has dreams of creating a worldwide shipping industry, and despite usually being only one step ahead of a vast number of people chasing her, she also manages to keep chasing those dreams.  Honestly, she’s like a cork–the world keeps trying to push her down, and she just keeps bobbing merrily up again. Continue reading “Classic Review: Bloody Jack” →

Book Review: The Opal Crown

On By cherylmahoneyIn Reviews, Young Adult12 Comments

theopalcrown BannerLast year I was approached with a review copy of Princess in the Opal Mask by Jenny Lundquist–and this year I made good and sure I got hold of a copy of the sequel, The Opal Crown!  As I said about the first one: a fairy tale retelling with gorgeous masks and strong heroines?  Could a book be designed any more brilliantly to capture my interest?  🙂  This second book stems directly from the events of the first, so there will be spoilers for the first one…

PrintI offer the official book description:

In the year since she was betrothed to the crown prince of Kyrenica, no one has suspected that the Masked Princess has been a decoy. That Elara, the secret twin sister, has been pretending to be Princess Wilha all along. The royal family has kept Elara’s identity hidden from the world, and for the girls, swapping lives has not been easy. Galandra is quickly declining, and the sisters continue to be a pawn in the Guardian’s ever-changing endgames.

But the stakes rise when Elara and Wilha’s younger brother, Andrei, takes the Galandrian throne after their father’s death, and he reveals the girls’ deception to Kyrenica’s royal family. Viewed as traitors, Elara and Wilha realize they are now fighting for their lives—and for their country. However, with only one crown and one throne to overthrow, Elara and Wilha must decide who will become queen. Or rather, the next savior for their people.

In the first book we met Wilha, who grew up in the Opal Palace, forced without any explanation to always wear a mask; and Elara, who grew up in a Cinderella-like life that has made her wary of trusting others.  The first book ended with both girls embarking on new lives they had each chosen.  As the second book opens, it quickly becomes apparent that those new lives are unraveling around them. Continue reading “Book Review: The Opal Crown” →

Classic Review: Song of the Lioness Quartet

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Juvenile, Reviews, Young Adult2 Comments

I feel like I talk about Tamora Pierce and her wonderful Song of the Lioness Quartet fairly often…but it was a long time ago that I actually reviewed the books!  Since I’m a little occupied this week with releasing my new novel (which happens to be about a strong heroine in a magical world), it seems like an appropriate time to dust off this review about one my favorite strong fantasy heroines!

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I’m going to try–I really am–not to wax too enthusiastic today.  But it’s hard when I’m talking about a favorite series–when it would actually not be inaccurate to use phrases like “changed my life” and “favorite character ever.”

Am I talking about some great inspirational work?  Well…not a traditional one.  I’m talking about the Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce.

The first book is Alanna: The First Adventure.  Alanna is a girl who wants to become a knight, except that girls aren’t allowed to become knights.  So she disguises herself as a boy and sets out to become one anyway.  Alanna is an incredible character.  When I was younger, I basically wanted to be her when I grew up.  She’s stubborn, determined, and incredibly brave, but also human–she makes mistakes, she has struggles, and she’s not always sure of herself.  She was my favorite character when I was a kid, out of any book I’d read. Continue reading “Classic Review: Song of the Lioness Quartet” →