Sandry's Book

By: Tamora Pierce

Genre: YA/Young Reader Fantasy

Pages: 252

Published: 1997

Told in: Third Person

Series: Circle of Magic, #1

In a nutshell:

Sandry, Briar, Daja, and Tris have always been different from other children. When the mage, Niko, finds them and brings them all to the Winding Circle community they begin to form friendships with each other as they learn more about themselves and the magical powers they possess.

Compare to:

Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Patricia Wrede

The Ordinary Princess, M.M Kaye

A Tale of Two Castles, Gail Carson Levine

What you may enjoy:

A unique world with varying cultural customs, this book works to develop characters and set up the series as a whole. This is a story about people and how they grow and mature. The magic system is subtle and simple making it more believable.

What you may NOT enjoy:

This book does not have much of a plot. It focuses more on the growth of the children and their relationships. Not much really happens in the book. The story switches quickly between each child’s point of view, often leaving the reader confused and lost.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Woman killed by a mob, mentioned several times; girl attacked by a group of kids, mentions kicking; boys get in a fight, kicking and biting mentioned; kids brawl – tripping, punching, biting, kicking mentioned; water cyclone picks up kids and throws them; man and woman found dead and covered in sores; woman lays dead; drunk woman covered in sores, mildly graphic; kids nearly crushed by rocks

Sex and Nudity:

Suggests man may be a pedophile

Language and profanity:

Mild insults

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The Alchemyst

By: Michael Scott

Genre: YA/Young Reader Fantasy

Pages: 390

Published: 2010

Told in: Third Person

Series: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1

In a nutshell:

Nicholas Flamel has been the protector of the powerful book, the Codex. When Dr. John Dee steals the book with plans to use its power to destroy the world, teenage twins, Sophie and Josh Newman find themselves in the middle of legends and magic.

What you may enjoy:

This book is similar to the Percy Jackson series. Scott pulls from well know (and some not so well known) myths and legends and combines them in this adventurous book. The series as a whole takes place within just 10 days, so it’s fast paced with lots of action. The magic system in the book is fresh and original while the writing is simple and straight forward.

What you may NOT enjoy:

If you expect the Nicholas Flamel in this book to have any relation to the character in Harry Potter or even to the real life history of Nicholas Flamel, stop now. This book is not for you. The characters are flat and the plot line is chaotic. There is no break between events and too much (action, myth, etc) has been crammed into one book. This book has good potential but tries too hard, making it weak.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Two men thrown back from magic explosion; two creatures hit by debris; three creatures thrown back from magic explosion; creature explodes; creatures disintegrate; boy tackles man; boy thrown across a room; girl hits a man with a broom; rats swarm; girl fights a creature; creatures sliced by blades, non-graphic; rats sliced by blades, mentioned; crows swarm; car bursts into flames; woman threatens boy; boy knocked down; girl knocked unconscious; creatures battle; creatures burned; creature frozen and shattered; girl fights creatures; woman tackles man; woman dragged away by men; men thrown off their feet; creatures knocked back; creature attacks boy; boy hits a creature; woman frozen and crushed; people fight off the undead; undead predators attack a man; tornadoes kill undead; girl chops up undead; boy runs over a man with a car; building explodes; creature threatens woman.

Sex and Nudity:

None

Language and profanity:

G*d

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The False Princess

By: Eilis O’Neal

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 319

Published: 2011

Told in: First Person

In a nutshell:

Soon after her 16^th birthday Princess Nalia is told that she is only a stand in for the real princess who has been in hiding. She is sent away from the palace after being told she is an orphan named Sinda. As she tries to find her new place in the world, Sinda discovers she possesses magic and that everything she has been told about the real princess is not as it seems.

What you may enjoy:

This is an enjoyable read for people who like authors such as Gail Carson Levine or Shannon Hale. It reads like a fairy tale with a good use of magic, budding romance, and courtly intrigue. 

What you may NOT enjoy:

Good, not great is the common consensus for this book. At times the story is slow and boring and there is a good amount of typos throughout it.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Decaying body described, mildly graphic; man knocked unconscious; window shatters cutting up a boy and girl; man stabbed by a dagger; girl forcefully imprisoned; girl knocks down two men; fire burns down a stable; woman knocked unconscious; man dies, mentioned; woman beaten, mentioned; man stabbed in the arm; two girls pursued by thugs; woman stabbed through the heart, mildly graphic; girl hit by spell and killed.

Sex and Nudity:

Boy and girl kiss; boy speaks of trying to have sex with a girl; boy talks about a girl’s breasts; boy and girl kiss; passionate kissing mentioned.

Language and profanity:

G*d

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The Eye of the World

By: Robert Jordan

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages: 657

Published: 1990

Told in: Third Person

Series: Wheel of Time, #1 (of 13)

In a nutshell:

Raised in a quiet village, Rand, Mat, and Perrin never expected to see the horrible monsters, Trollocs, or the powerful women, Aes Sedai, but the Dark One has singled them out for a reason nobody knows. Now the three boys must learn to trust the Aes Sedai, Moraine as they run from Trollocs, Fades, and the Dark One himself.

What you may enjoy:

Fans of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and other intricate epics are likely to love the Wheel of Time series. Jordan not only gives us a story, he gives us a world filled with a rich and involved history. The details are intricate and all connect―not just in this book but with the others in the series. The world and people have been given so much detail it’s difficult to believe it’s not real.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The book―not to mention the series―is long. And it’s dense. Full of seemingly pointless history and past people. The writing gets confusing and occasionally leaves gaping holes. For an epic fantasy, this book needs a lot of brain power with so many characters, big words, and endless details. At points the story drags and you find that there are some characters you simply do not like.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Dead bodies strewn on the floor, non-graphic and graphic; blood on the floors and walls; man kills his family and entire household, mentioned; man stabs creature; creatures dead bodies lay on the floor; creature tackles man; man stabs creature through, graphic; creatures hunt for man; creatures chase after a group of people; village raided and burned; people injured; raft sunk in a whirlpool; a rat’s spine is twisted and broken, mildly graphic; man and creature battle; creatures are burned; creatures try to catch men in nooses; woman starts an earthquake; woman creates a wall of fire; giant man tries to grab and crush several men; men are watched by unseen evil beings; woman kills husband and self, mentioned; creatures disappear leaving blood stained armor, mentioned; people trapped in a killing fog; creatures are ensnared and killed by fog, mildly graphic; creature tries to stab man with spear, man falls off a cliff into a river; ravens attack, mutilate, and kill animals, graphic; wolves attack men; wolf kills a man, mildly graphic;   lightning kills men; lightning nearly blinds man; dead body described, graphic; man stabs finger; woman attacks men with a poisoned knife; man holds knife to woman’s throat; man is kicked and beaten; man attacks woman with a knife; people attacked by trees; people chased by evil wind; evil wind attacks, mildly graphic; people attacked by creatures; creatures shot with arrows; man covered in blood; battle between men and creatures; man thrown against a building; woman strangled; creature burned and killed; man disintegrates; man creates earthquake; man creates walls of fire; woman stripped and tortured; man stabbed; man dragged and tortured; man driven mad; men driven mad.

Sex and Nudity:

Implied attraction between boy and girl, implied that a girl will try to seduce a boy

Language and profanity:

Curses that are unique to the world (i.e. “blood and ashes” or “Light”)

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Water Song:

The Retelling of "The Frog Prince"

By: Suzanne Weyn

Genre: Retold Fairy Tale/Historical Fiction

Pages: 194

Published: 2006

Told in: Third Person

Series: Once upon a Time

In a nutshell:

Belgium was supposed to be a safe place for Emma and her mother, but when WWI is brought right to their doorstep Emma finds herself alone. Everything changes when she finds a wounded American soldier, Jack, seeking refuge in her well the same day a German army decides to camp on her estate. Now Emma is a prisoner pretending to be married to this strange frog-like man.

What you may enjoy:

This is a fun, light read. It has a unique twist and great ideas on the original “Frog Prince” story. The story has so much diversity with characters from very different cultural and racial backgrounds. Jack, the “frog prince” is an entertaining, lovable protagonist and Emma’s personality rounds out the story.

What you may NOT enjoy:

At times the dialogue and inner monologue is forced. It’s a good idea that could have been executed better. There are slow and disappointing moments that Weyn could have done a lot more with. Also, many find Jack’s consistent request for a kiss annoying and uncalled for.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Woman dies in an explosion, bleeding mentioned; bombed dropped in a field; shooting can be “heard” throughout the book; people screaming in pain; men in pain from poisonous gas; boy thrown from the impact of a bomb; possibility of being tanged in barbed wire, mentioned; poisonous gas burns man’s skin; man trips and is knocked unconscious; man’s eyes swollen shut; man’s skin is peeling off; ship blown up by a torpedo; girl threatened to be shot several different times; girl almost drowns; boy shot through the shoulder, mentioned; boy and two men tortured, mentioned; boy shot and pushed into a pond; two men killed, mentioned; girl shot in the arm; bullet grazes a girls head.

Sex and Nudity:

Girl and guy kiss; guy kisses girl; girl “showers” guy in kisses

Language and profanity:

Mentions cursing in French, G*d, G*d

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