Six Sentence Saturday - November 12, 2011

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.

Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.

At the end of each review I will post a

rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.

Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!

4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.

3 of Hearts- Glad I read but no big deal

2 of Hearts- Why did I finish this?

Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

Six Sentence Saturday is an idea that I occasionally borrow from Staci at Life in the Thumb.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Completion Date: May 25, 2011

Reason for Reading: Sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball.

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances--and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale--until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

I really enjoy fairy tale retellings, so I am very happy to be enjoying this series by Jessica Day George. One of the sisters from the first book, Princess Poppy, is the main character this time. She is on an exchange program where there is a chance she can find a potential husband, but things do not quite go as planned. The story involves an evil fairy godmother, enchanted glass slippers, and a servant who wants more from life. This is not my favourite series ever, but it is enjoyable enough because George tells well-known aspects of fairy tales and writes creative stories. I look forward to what direction her next book will go into.

This book was read for the Once Upon a Time Challenge. (Bit slow on the review, I know!)

Princess Series:

Princess of the Midnight Ball

Princess of Glass

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms: Book One of the Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

Completion Date: May 26, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Yeine will learn how perilous it can be when love and hate - and gods and mortals - are bound inseparably together.

I wasn't sure what to make of this book, not even when I finished reading it, but it was a bit different. I don't read a lot of books where gods play a major role, so it was nice to break out of the normal comfort zone. There is so much going on in this book, so it is hard to narrow down what to even talk about. I really enjoyed it and look forward to getting to book 2 sometime in this century. Yeine is the main character and both her herself and her interactions with other characters make her very readable. I recommend this book for its different idea and good writing.

This book was read for the Once Upon a Time Challenge.

The Inheritance Trilogy:

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

The Broken Kingdoms

Kingdom of Gods

Promises to Keep by Charles de Lint (Newford Series, Book 21)

Completion Date: May 27, 2011

Reason for Reading: Part of the Newford Series.

With the help of a mentor and an anonymous benefactor, Jilly Coppercorn has overcome abuse, addiction, and a stint in juvie. Though she still struggles to stay clean, she has found safety and love in a newly formed family that includes her loyal best friend, a lovely artist, and her caseworker. Temptation comes knocking, however, when her best friend from the bad old days rides in on a motorcycle and takes Jilly to a beautiful, mysterious city full of wonderful opportunities. It seems perfect at first, until Jilly discovers that it was a one-way trip—and she still has unfinished business in Newford. At turns playful and serious, this urban fantasy introduces de Lint’s most enduring character and grapples with the realities of life-changing choices.

I really enjoy Jilly Coppercorn as a character in the Newford world, but this book was a disappointment. It really just rehashes information that has all ready been revealed in The Onion Girl and Widdershins, so if you have not read either of these books this is a good introduction, but otherwise you should just stick with those two books. There were a few different ideas, don't get me wrong, but it still wasn't enough to make me love this book. I still enjoy Jilly, though, and if you have experienced the wonder that is Charles de Lint and his Newford series, you really need to do so! I did enjoy the trip into the world of the dead, but I am not sure I would want to visit there myself. I guess I just don't think this book was really necessary.

This book was read for the Once Upon a Time challenge.

Newford Series:

Dreams Underfoot

The Dreaming Place

From a Whisper to a Scream

I'll Be Watching You

Memory and Dream

The Ivory and the Horn

Trader

Someplace to be Flying (Read, but not reviewed)

Moonlight and Vines

Forests of the Heart

The Onion Girl

Seven Wild Sisters

Tapping the Dream Tree

Spirits in the Wires

Medicine Road

The Blue Girl (Read, but not reviewed)

Widdershins

Make a Joyful Noise

The Hour Before Dawn

Old Man Crow

Little (Grrl) Lost (Read, but not reviewed)

Promises to Keep

Dingo

Muse and Reverie

Once Upon a Week: Reivew: Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Today marks the start of Once Upon a Week! It is the brainchild of Nessie from Today's Adventures. I love fairy tales, so I was in for sure. Today's assignment was to review a fairy tale! Music Munday will return next week, but at least this is a book about dancing and you need music to dance...

A tale of twelve princesses doomed to dance until dawn…

Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.

Captivating from start to finish, Jessica Day George’s take on the Grimms’ tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses demonstrates yet again her mastery at spinning something entirely fresh out of a story you thought you knew.

I love reading fairy tales and fairy tale re-tellings! This book just came out this year and I have been seeing it around the blogosphere, but I wanted to wait until either the library bought it or it came out in paperback. Luckily, the library bought it and I jumped at the chance to read it. I am so glad that I did! The best part of it all is that its dark atmosphere made it perfect for this time of the year. I was surprised by that because I didn't go into it looking for a dark tale. I went into it to see how George decided to retell one of my favourite fairy tales.

I found this book really good. I knew roughly what was going to happen, but that didn't take away from the story at all! George adds just enough to make it a fresh story, but at the same time stays true to the original. By the end of it I really was caught up in the characters and the story. It was magical! Galen was a believable hero. He wasn't too over the top, but he wasn't too meek either. Rose was a wonderful damsel in distress. I hate to say that, but she was trapped and didn't really see a way out of her situation. Her and her sisters had tried various ways to break the curse, but it didn't work out for them. They needed Galen to change things up and save the day.

Even if you are familiar with the story, you should still give this a read! I am glad I did!