Review: The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

When a mysterious piece of jewelry and a strange visitor arrive in the jewelry shop where she works for her evil aunt, Lucinda's course takes a surprising turn. With the help of the Amaranth Witch, a young (and harmless) con-artist, and a prince, Lucinda uncovers secrets about her own royal past. A strong seller in hardcover, this original fairytale marks an exciting debut from a lyrical new voice


My Review: A sweet re-telling of the Cinderella story with a few twists.  Lucinda is an orphan being raised in her Aunt and Uncle's jewelry store.  Her Aunt (the wicked step mother) treats her horribly and Lucinda dreams of the days she remembers of living with her parents, who died when she was very young.  When a strange women arrives with a magnificent pearl, everything begins to change.
 
Lucinda is a sweet girl that is perfect as a Cinderella role.  She is just innocent enough without getting overly sappy and washing out her personality.  She doesn't always make the right choices, but tries her best to make up for the mistakes she makes along the way.  With the Amaranth Witch to help guide her to a better future, Lucinda may just find a new and better place for herself in the world.
 
Buy it now:
 
Barnes & Noble: The Amaranth Enchantment

Nook: The Amaranth Enchantment

Review: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

A stunning modern-day fairy tale from acclaimed author Anne Ursu

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

My Review: "The Snow Queen" was always a favorite of mine growing up.  I had several different versions that I just couldn't get enough of.  Anne Ursu's version live up to all that I remember "The Snow Queen" ever being.  Hazel is a fantastic character, and the world she trales while trying to rescue Jack is full of surprises and fantastic characters waiting to either help her or hinder her.  Hazel needs to use her wits to try and bring Jack back from the clutches of the Snow Queen.


This is a must read for lovers of fairy tales everywhere.

Buy It Now:

Paper: Breadcrumbs

Nook: Breadcrumbs

Book Review: Thornspell by Helen Lowe

Thornspell by Helen Lowe

Helen Lowe reimagines the Sleeping Beauty story from the point of view of the prince who is destined to wake the enchanted princess in this lush, romantic fantasy-adventure.

Prince Sigismund has grown up hearing fantastical stories about enchantments and faie spells, basilisks and dragons, knights-errant and heroic quests. He'd love for them to be true—he's been sheltered in a country castle for most of his life and longs for adventure—but they are just stories. Or are they?

From the day that a mysterious lady in a fine carriage speaks to him through the castle gates, Sigismund's world starts to shift. He begins to dream of a girl wrapped, trapped, in thorns. He dreams of a palace, utterly still, waiting. He dreams of a man in red armor, riding a red horse—and then suddenly that man arrives at the castle!

Sigismund is about to learn that sometimes dreams are true, that the world is both more magical and more dangerous than he imagined, and that the heroic quest he imagined for himself as a boy . . . begins now.

My Review:  Prince Sigismund has grown up sheltered and protected while his father's kingdom is at war.  He has fallen in love with all the stories of enchanted creatures and heroes rescuing princesses.  Then one day it all becomes real.  A not-so-chance encounter with a sorceress sets events in motion that will change his life forever.

Hearing the tale of Sleeping Beauty from the prince's point of view was fantastic.  He wasn't a hero, but had to learn how to be one.  With several teachers to help him along the way, he must face powers that he could never imagine, even after reading all the old tales.  He finds himself drawn to the enchanted forest, a place that is forbidden to all.  When he discovers that his dreams of a princess trapped in the forest are all real, he knows what his destiny is.

Sigismund is not perfect, and this is one of the many things that makes the story so good.  He is trustworthy to a fault and has to learn that not everyone is what they seem to be.  Caught up in events that seem to be spinning out of control, and taken away to fantastic realms that are not his, he learns the lessons and skills that it will take to save the princess.

The resolution had everything you ask for in a fairy tale, along with a few extra surprises thrown in to keep things a little interesting.

Buy it now:
Paperback: Thornspell
Nook: Thornspell

Book Review: A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

A Lion Among Men (The Wicked Years, Book 3) by Gregory Maguire

The story of the cowardly lion is a very interesting one. The third book walks us through his childhood, how he met Dorothy, and the part he is to play in the future of Oz.


The lion, Brrr, has quite an eventful past, and the way he received the name "cowardly" is very entertaining, and yet very sad. Brrr's entire life has been trying to fit in, somewhere, anywhere, and the fear that he never truly will haunts him.

We are introduced once again to the strange character of Yackle, the old woman who has followed the story of Oz through all three books so far. We also get a glimpse into her history and why she seems to be so eternal. We meet the Clock of the Time Dragan and it helps us to tie many of the loose ends together. Although the series still seems to lack a true conclusion, most of what has been on my mind was cleared up throughout this book.

4/5

Book Review: Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

Son of a Witch [SON OF A WITCH] [Mass Market Paperback] by Gregory Maguire

The continuing story of Oz through the eyes of Gregory Maguire. We meet the boy Liir, often seen at the side of Elphaba in the first book of the Oz series. Liir is found beaten, battered, and barely alive by a secluded order of Maunts. As they nurse him back to health he relived in his dreams his past and what has happened in his life since the wicked witch, Elphaba, was killed by Dorothy.


As much as I enjoy Maguire's books, this one had me a bit confused at times (which may have been his intent) about why Liir was acting the way he did. At times it just didn't seem like a logical or an emotional choice was made, he just did something completely random.

I fell in love with the Emerald City all over again - not because it was beautiful, but because it was so real all over again. We run across a few people and places from Wicked, and it was wonderful to visit and see how they turned out.

4/5

Book Review: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

I read this book awhile ago, shortly after it was released in hardcover, and decided to read it again before I picked up the rest of the series. In Wicked, we read about the life of Elphaba, eventually known as the wicked witch of the west. We visit the shocking circumstances of her birth - the first green child ever seen. We follow her as she grows up, a fairly normal childhood, and then leaves for school. While at school she meets the rest of our cast of characters and becomes very politically active. Here is where the book really becomes interesting so I won't say too much more and risk giving too much away.

I actually loved the young Elphaba and enjoyed seeing her grow up and learn. Maguire shows us a side of her story that does not stray from the facts of the original Wizard of Oz, but gives us an alternate viewpoint where evil may not really be so evil. Elphaba is just like any other person in the land of Oz, but gets a bad reputation by standing up to the Wizard and the things he does that she feels are wrong.

Wicked is a quick read with enjoyable characters throughout. While the story is familiar, it is told in a way that makes it seem brand new. I hope to start Son of a Witch soon.

4/5