Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast

Today's post is on Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley. It is 256 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is white with a red rose on it. The intended reader is someone who likes fairy tale retellings. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character Beauty. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- "Like all of the other doors I had met in the castle, this one opened at my approach. The room it revealed was a large, warm, and gracious one. On one wall to my left a first was burning in a fireplace; two armchairs were drawn up before it. One chair was empty. In the other a massive shadow sat. I caught a gleam of dark-green velvet on what might have been a knee in the shadowed armchair.
"'Good evening, Beauty,' said a great harsh voice."
A young woman, well educated and honourable, accepts responsibility for her father's act and leaves her family to enter the enchanted world of castle and Beast. The Beast she finds is not the one she imagined, but can she stay with him?
A gifted storyteller embellishes the classic tale, developing a new and very real world of her own in a love story that has all the wonder and magic of the fairy tale.

Review- This is one of the best, not the best, retelling of Beauty and the Beast. McKinley is a master of her craft and she gives everything she has in this retelling. Everything is perfect in this novel from the pacing, the characterization, way the castle works, and the relationship between Beauty and her Beast. Beauty is a nickname, her birth name is Honor, and she does not feel very beautiful at all. The Beast is not a young man still angry with his curse but someone who has made some peace with the curse and the choices that he made that invited it into his life. Beauty's sisters are kind and loving, and Beauty herself is more than just a victim in this story. She is clever and wants to have an active role in her choices and life. I love everything about this book. I first read this book about 25 years and I still love it so much today. Everyone should read this book and remember the magic of fairy tales.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this novel with my own money.

Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Quirk Books.

Today’s post is on Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction by Gabrielle Moss. It is 256 pages long and is published by Quirk Books. The cover is a picture of three girls on a bed with a horse poster behind them reading a book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in the history of young adult books and publishing or someone who read and loved those books as a teen and tween. There is some mild foul language, talk of sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A hilarious and nostalgic trip through the history of paperback pre-teen series of the 80s and 90s.
Every twenty- or thirty-something woman knows these books. The pink covers, the flimsy paper, the zillion volumes in the series that kept you reading for your entire adolescence. Spurred by the commercial success of Sweet Valley High and The Babysitters Club, these were not the serious-issue YA novels of the 1970s, nor were they the blockbuster books of the Harry Potter and Twilight ilk. They were cheap, short, and utterly beloved.
PAPERBACK CRUSH dives in deep to this golden age with affection, history, and a little bit of snark. Readers will discover (and fondly remember) girl-centric series on everything from correspondence (Pen Pals and Dear Diary) to sports (The Pink Parrots, Cheerleaders, and The Gymnasts) to a newspaper at an all-girls Orthodox Jewish middle school (The B.Y. Times) to a literal teen angel (Teen Angels: Heaven Can Wait, where an enterprising guardian angel named Cisco has to earn her wings “by helping the world’s sexist rock star.”) Some were blatant ripoffs of the successful series (looking at you, Sleepover Friends and The Girls of Canby Hall), some were sick-lit tearjerkers à la Love Story (Abby, My Love) and some were just plain perplexing (Uncle Vampire??) But all of them represent that time gone by of girl-power and endless sessions of sustained silent reading.
In six hilarious chapters (Friendship, Love, School, Family, Jobs, Terror, and Tragedy), Bustle Features Editor Gabrielle Moss takes the reader on a nostalgic tour of teen book covers of yore, digging deep into the history of the genre as well as the stories behind the best-known series.

Review- I read Paperbacks from Hell and loved it so much. It was funny, the history about the books was interesting, and the writing was engaging. Quirk Books did it again with Paperback Crush. Moss starts in the 1880’s with the first book about a young adult and moves forward to the 1990’s. The book is broken up by genre like jobs, family, taboo topics, and of course teen slasher novels. Within the sections Moss discusses quirks of the particular genre like troublesome siblings or ghost boyfriends, the covers and what made them so unique to the YA field, and the writing style as it changed from very realistic to vampire boyfriends. The only sex talk is very basic and is just covering what is in the books themselves without being sensational. This was a wonderful romp in some of the best and worst YA fiction and I highly recommend it.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. 

Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play, Volume 8: Friend

Today's post is on Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play, Volume 8: Friend by Yuu Watase. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it facing looking in the distance with excitement towards something that the reader cannot see. The intended reader is someone who likes historical fantasy, high fantasy, romance, and shojo stories. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and violence in this story. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Friend in Deeds
A savage storm shipwrecks Miaka and her Celestial Warriors on a creepy island inhabited by a ruthless matriarchal society that enslaves men! Meanwhile, her former friend Yui and the Seiryu Warriors are within arm's reach of the sacred treasures that Miaka so desperately seeks. Will she arrive too late to summon the god Suzaku and save the nation from Hong-Nan?

Review- This is a very sad volume with a major character death. Most of the volume is about trying to get off the island and back on track for the land of Genbu and the artifacts to summon Suzaku. But with whatever the general for Seiryu is planning, he is getting more dangerous. Yui causes some problems for Tamahome but the real thing is that Nuriko dies in killing a very dangerous warrior of Seiryu. I should have seen it coming because Nuriko has some big character growth over the course of this volume. There is some character growth going on with one of the warriors of Seiryu and I think that he is going to be the one to save Yui from whatever the general is planning. Almost half way down with this intense series and I am starting to wonder how this is going to wrap up.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money. 

The Testing

Today's post is on The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau. It is the first volume in her The Testing trilogy. It is 325 pages long and is published by Houghton Mifflin. The cover is dark blue with a compass in front of a maze. The intended reader is someone who likes dystopian stories. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character Cia. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one and the same?
The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.
Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Review- This book is similar to the Hunger Games but I liked this book a lot more. I liked the characters so much more in this novel than in the Hunger Games. The Testing is not about keeping the population subservient to the government but about finding the stronger leaders in this dark future. There was one last huge war that destroyed much of the earth and made it very unlivable but through science and hard work, humanity is recovering. Only the most brilliant get chosen to go to the Testing. The Testing is harsh and Cia is tested in more ways than one. I liked just about everything about this novel from the characters to the world to the way the Testing itself works. It is not about being cruel to be cruel but there are those who are and who just want to see what is takes to crack another human being. The characters, I feel, are more human than in the Hunger Games and that is another reason that I like it better. I am very interested in how Cia is going to handle things in the second book.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

Claymore volume 20: Remains of the Dead Claws

Today's post is on Claymore volume 20: Remains of the Dead Claws by Norihiro Yagi. It is the twentieth the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the first nineteen volumes to understand the story. It is 191 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has some of our heroes surrounded by awakened beings. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Rebel Claymores Deneve, Helen, and Yuma return to the Holy City of Rabona and find it under attack by Yoma hordes. An all-out battle ensues, after which Galatea informs the recently returned Claymores about Miria's solitary and likely doomed quest to bring down the Organization. As Helen and Deneve investigate in separate assays, it becomes clear that the Organization is creating novel and terrifying breeds of Yoma warriors.

Review- Clare is gone, she and what was left of Priscilla are sealed up together and we do not see anything of them in this volume. Most of the volume is about the others fighting in Rabona from an attack of many yoma and awakening beings. The Organization has decided to move against the city and the Claymores hiding there.  Miria's fate is left in the balance until the end of the volume and we see that the Claymores still working for the Organization did not kill her. All the Claymores are in rebellion to the Organization now because they have done too much and pushed too far.  It has been proven that the Organization is making the yoma and releasing them onto the countryside to kill innocent people. Everything is winding down to end game and I am very curious about what is going on the sphere that has both Clare and Priscilla.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Darling Beast

Today's post is on Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt. It is the seventh in Maiden Lane series but you do not have to have read the any of the others to enjoy this story. It is 321 pages long and is published by Grand Central. The cover has the two main characters on it looking sexy. The intended reader is someone who likes historical romance. There is mild foul language, sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving from chapter to chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A MAN CONDEMNED . . .
Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's soldiers at his heels, he finds refuge in the ruins of a pleasure garden, toiling as a simple gardener. But when a vivacious young woman moves in, he's quickly driven to distraction . . .
A DESPERATE WOMAN . . .
London's premier actress, Lily Stump, is down on her luck when she's forced to move into a scorched theatre with her maid and small son. But she and her tiny family aren't the only inhabitants-a silent, hulking beast of a man also calls the charred ruins home. Yet when she catches him reading her plays, Lily realizes there's more to this man than meets the eye.
OUT OF ASH, DESIRE FLARES
Though scorching passion draws them together, Apollo knows that Lily is keeping secrets. When his past catches up with him, he's forced to make a choice: his love for Lily . . . or the explosive truth that will set him free.

Review- A quick and easy love story for when you have a free afternoon. Lily and Apollo are fun and interesting characters to spend time with but the real treat is at the beginning of each chapter we get a very different version of the story of the Minotaur. Hoyt plays with the legend and I really looked forward to the beginning of each chapter to read more about Ariadne and her journey through the maze. But the main love story is nice too. Lily is very clever and a good person and that is what makes her the heroine to save Apollo from his past and make his future a good one.The back story about Apollo is interesting and I was guessing about who the real murderer was. I want to see more of some of the side characters and I hope that I find their books as fun as this one.  

I give this a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Property: The True Story of a Polygamous Church Wife

Today's Nonfiction post is on Property: The True Story of a Polygamous Church Wife by Carol Christie and John Christie. It is 168 pages long and is published by Dundurn. The cover is brown with a keyhole under the title and a house in the distance. The intended reader is someone who is interested in cults, polygamy, and survivor stories. There is very mild foul language, talk of sex, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The true story of a brave woman's nearly 40 years in a polygamous cult, her eventual escape, and her struggle to integrate into a world she barely knew. In the early 1970s, an innocent teenager who had led a sheltered life was forced to leave her family and enter into a polygamous, abusive, and deviant relationship with a man called the Prophet. In 2008, nearly 40 years later, she fled his religious sect. Property is not a misnomer. It accurately depicts how the women in the sect were treated. Carol Christie reveals the degradation, abuse, and brainwashing that the Church Wives endured. She exposes the physical abuse, the mental cruelty, the slave labour, and the sexual deviance that took place near Owen Sound, a small community just a few hours north of Toronto, as well as at other locations. She describes the many opportunities that officials had to investigate but walked away from, swayed by the charismatic Prophet. Carol is building a new life, one of freedom and options. With no money and no job, she started again and is now dedicated to helping others who have escaped while raising awareness about the dangers of the cult.

Review- This book sounds like it is promising to give the reader an inside, up close and personal view into the life of a polygamous woman. It gives some in bits and pieces but it gives any real details about her life, her marriage, or even her cult. Christie just does not want to give details about anything other than some of the abuse that she survived at the current leader's hands. That is it, she does not really talk about being a polygamous wife, she does not really talk about the inside of having other wives, their children, and all the problems that comes with that. I am not sure what she is trying to do with this book as she will not even name who the abusers are, so that outside people can know what is really going on. The writing is not terrible but there is just no substance to the story. I was disappointed, at times bored, and overall unimpressed with this survival narrative.

I give this a book a Two out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play, Volume 7: Castaway

Today's post is on Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play, Volume 7: Castaway by Yuu Watase. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it facing looking in the distance with excitement towards something that the reader cannot see. The intended reader is someone who likes historical fantasy, high fantasy, romance, and shojo stories. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and violence in this story. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Shipwrecked!
Now that the Seiryu Warriors have ruined their attempt to summon Suzaku, Miaka and her Celestial Warriors are forced to travel to a frozen northern country in hopes of gathering the sacred treasures that will grant them a second chance. Little do they know that they have made new enemies, ones who will stop at nothing to wreak their vengeance!

Review- Picking up where the last volume, the real Chiriko has appeared but the scroll of the Four Gods was destroyed by the Warriors of Seiryu and without it Miaka cannot summon Suzaku. We also learn something very important; the priestess must be a virgin so that means that General Nakago has lied to Yui about being raped. So she is angry at Miaka over a lie and is being manipulated by General Nakago for his own reasons. So off Miaka and the Suzaku Warriors go to Genbu's country to find the objects that are needed to do the summons now but so is Yui and her warriors so that she can summon Seiryu. Miaka and Tamahome have a serious heart-to-heart about what their relationship is, with the whole must be a virgin thing, and where they want it go after she summons Suzaku. I enjoyed the character development in this volume and I cannot wait see more of the island they get shipwrecked on in the last few pages.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

The Leaving

Today's post is on The Leaving by Tara Altebrando. It is 432 pages long and is published by Bloomsbury. The cover is a picture of a swing set with one of the swings missing. The intended reader is someone who likes mysteries, young adult novels, and unusual story telling. There is mild foul language, implied sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of three characters moving from chapter to chapter as the story moves. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Six were taken. Eleven years later, five come back--with no idea of where they've been.
Eleven years ago, six kindergarteners went missing without a trace. After all that time, the people left behind moved on, or tried to.
Until today. Today five of those kids return. They're sixteen, and they are . . . fine. Scarlett comes home and finds a mom she barely recognizes, and doesn't really recognize the person she's supposed to be, either. But she thinks she remembers Lucas. Lucas remembers Scarlett, too, except they're entirely unable to recall where they've been or what happened to them. Neither of them remember the sixth victim, Max. He doesn't come back. Everyone wants answers. Most of all Max's sister Avery, who needs to find her brother--dead or alive--and isn't buying this whole memory-loss story.

Review- An interesting story with some very creative story telling elements. Altbrando is telling a kidnapping story but more than that she is playing with the form and way to tell stories. We get three narratives from three characters two survivors and the sister of the boy who did not come back. It is with Scarlet, one of the survivors, that Altebrando does the most with. She uses the text to help the reader understand Scarlet's narrative, like having the text go in circles with Scarlet feels her thoughts running in circles, and other things like that. I really enjoyed that and I feel that it gave her character more depth. A very enjoyable story with interesting characters.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

(Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices

I was given a copy of this book by Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

Today's post is on (Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices edited by Kelly Jensen. It is 240 pages long and is published by Algonquin Young Readers. The cover is dark blue with the title in yellow. The intended reader is someone who is interested is learning about mental health. There is mild foul language, no sex and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Who’s Crazy?
What does it mean to be crazy? Is using the word crazy offensive? What happens when such a label gets attached to your everyday experiences?
In order to understand mental health, we need to talk openly about it. Because there’s no single definition of crazy, there’s no single experience that embodies it, and the word itself means different things—wild? extreme? disturbed? passionate?—to different people.
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a conversation starter and guide to better understanding how our mental health affects us every day. Thirty-three writers, athletes, and artists offer essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore their personal experiences with mental illness, how we do and do not talk about mental health, help for better understanding how every person’s brain is wired differently, and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.
If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, or know someone who has, come on in, turn the pages, and let’s get talking.

Review- With many different pieces about different kinds of mental health issues this book is a useful way to start a conversation about mental health and its concerns. Ranging in topics from PTSD to depression to eating disorders, the book covers honestly and openly about the topic, how the author(s) handles them, and where the teen could look to for help themselves. The pieces are all written differently from poems to lists and even as a script between the author and her anxiety. This book is written in a way that both teenagers and adults can engage with and think about. If you want or need to have a conversation with a teenage in your life about mental health, in general or for someone in particular, then I think this book is a good place to start.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars.

Claymore volume 19: Phantoms in the Heart

Today's post is on Claymore volume 19: Phantoms in the Heart by Norihiro Yagi. It is the nineteenth the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the first eighteen volumes to understand the story. It is 191 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Priscilla as she is transforming on it. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Priscilla relentlessly pursues Clare's destruction, while Deneve and Helen remain just as determined to protect her. But when the combined form of Luciela and Rafaela attacks, Clare and her cohorts are pulled into the twisting mass. Meanwhile, in Ribona, Miria heads east to destroy the Organization. She encounters Rubel and his secret weapons: mysterious warrior twins who may be Alicia and Beth's successors, as well as the Organization's number 10—a deadly fighter who can read Miria's mind.

Review- Priscilla cannot place what about Clare that makes her want to kill Clare so badly but Priscilla is unstoppable. Helen and Deneve are doing everything they can to get Clare away from Priscilla but they are not strong enough to do little more than run juts ahead of her. Miria is in a very bad place and maybe dead because she saw her friend, the one that made her start questioning the Organization to begin with, because of Claymore number 10. It is not that number 10 can read minds but more that she can control others minds and make them react to what number 10 wants them to. Clare is about to get something either information or power from the fused form of Reafael and Luciela because they take Clare from Helen and Deneve but what is a mystery for the next volume. Only seven volumes left and I am very curious about how everything is going to end up with the characters and the world in general.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.