Review: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

Review: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

Publishing Date: August 21, 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Pages: 323 pages (Hardcover)

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding.There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some frightening plans. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place. Picking up where "Princess Academy" left off, and celebrating the joys of friendship, romance and the fate of fairy tale kingdoms, this new book delivers the completely delightful new story that fans have been waiting for.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Note- There will be spoilers in this review if you have not read Princess Academy, the first book in the series.

I had such high expectations for Palace of Stone.  Sadly, though, it just did not reach the par that I had set for it.  

Princess Academy was a lovely story that I read when I was a child, probably around 4th or 5th grade.  I remember being fascinated with it, completely in love with the characters and the mountain village and, really, just the idea of this story on the whole.  

When I heard that Shannon Hale was going to write a new book, a sequel, I got pretty excited.  It had been years since I'd read the novel, so I took to reading it again earlier this year.  I loved it no less the second time around than the first.

So, I finally got my hands on Palace of Stone, extremely excited that I was able to read the story that the child inside of me was so ecstatic to continue.  It sat on my shelf for quite a few months, however, because of how crazy my school schedule was.  But, this Christmas break, I was finally able to dive deep into the world of Miri.  This time, though, I was not quite so impressed.

I'll go ahead and get through with the worst part of the review:  I could not stand the ending (no spoilers).  I felt like very little happened the way that I felt it should have, and that major problems were solved much more easily than if they had been in real life.  I thought that the ending was very rushed.  It seemed almost as if Shannon Hale was running close to the final word count that she needed, so she tried to close everything up much more quickly than she should have.  It just seemed very abrupt, unrealistic, and even slightly cliche.

Other than the ending, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It was full of excitement, adventure, adjustments, friendships, passion of the unfairly treated citizens, and much, much more.  

One of the things I loved most about Palace of Stone was that I felt like Miri was growing up with me.  Princess Academy was, in my opinion, a novel written for children, and though teenagers and adults can easily love the story or follow along, it was directed more towards young girls, of late elementary school or early middle school age.  Palace of Stone, on the other hand, seemed to be written more towards readers who were a bit older, like teenagers.  Miri is older in this one, and along with that comes all the "teenager-ish" feelings to which we so easily connect.  

Also, I felt as if the content of this book was much more rich than the first.  Had I not been enrolled in 9th grade history this year, so much of this novel would have gone over my head.  The connections that Shannon Hale has made in Palace of Stone most definitely are made for teenagers in my opinion, making it perfect for those who read Princess Academy when it was first published, but have now grown a bit in age.

As I mentioned, allusions to history have much to do with Palace of Stone.  So much of this book coincides with the ideas and events of the French Revolution that I was absolutely shocked.  I loved it so much, being a bit of a history geek.  I loved being able to make the connections that I'd just learned about and see them come alive in this novel.  Anywhere from the Salons that Miri attended (gatherings to discuss politics and other major topics or goings-on of the country) to the revolutionary ideas that Hale intertwined to the novel, this book clearly connected with our own world's history.  Miri came across this passage in one of her books:

"A king is a servant to his people.  He rules by their consent.  If the king fails his people, it is their right to rebel."

This, I noticed, came almost directly from the ideas of John Locke, who was a major influence on the French and American revolutions.  So many things I loved about Palace of Stone, but I think nothing excited me more than the relations to our own history.  It gives the reader a chance to think and discover, if he or she only looks. 

Also, the plot of this book (up until the end, of course) was entirely captivating.  I could barely set the book down, it had me so wrapped in the story.  Hale does a lovely job in exciting her readers and enticing them to read more.

So, this book was an absolutely lovely read, though it pales in comparison to the first book, in my opinion.  I would recommend it, though, as it is a wonderful story that keeps the readers hooked throughout the story.

Favorite quote from the book:

"Words can fall hard like a boulder loosed from a cliff.  Words can drift unnoticed like a weed seed on a breeze.  Words can sing."

Peace out Girl Scouts!

-Maggs

Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Publishing Date: January 3, 2011 (First Published 1905)

Publisher: Simon and Brown

Pages: 268 (Paperback)

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
Armed with only his wits and his cunning, one man recklessly defies the French revolutionaries and rescues scores of innocent men, women, and children from the deadly guillotine. His friends and foes know him only as the Scarlet Pimpernel. But the ruthless French agent Chauvelin is sworn to discover his identity and to hunt him down.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

This is another one of those "for-school" books that no one gets excited about.  I saw that we had to read it and my basic thought process was, "Dude.  Seriously? This is ridiculous.  No one wants to read this."  And, yes, for the most part, no one in my grade really wanted to read the book.  But we all had to.  So, I sucked it up and started.

The best thing that I can compare The Scarlet Pimpernel to is a Jane Austen novel, for those of you who have read any books by her.  I would say the structures are almost parallel.  

Let me lay it out for you: 

The beginning: dreadfully, awfully, painfully slow.  Horrid beyond compare.  Makes me want to throw the book across the room.  Or vomit.  It's awful.  (This is where the 5th star is lost.)

The slightly-after-beginning-slightly-before-the-middle: decent.  I can maybe tolerate this.

The middle: Wow.  This is growing on me.

The turning point (around the middle, somewhere in there (here we mirror Jane Austen novels): BAM.  WHOA.  DUDE.  I SUDDENLY CANNOT PUT THIS DOWN.

Somewhat towards the end: OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. I'M GOING TO DIEEEEEEE.  THE SUSPENSE.

The end:    EMOTIONS.  FEELS.  EMOTIONS.  FEELS.  OH MY GOSH.  FREAKING PERFECTION.  YOU'RE MAKING ME CRY.  AHHHHH.

So, as you can see, this book did not turn out to be too bad.  I was so sucked into this book that I ended up reading majority of it over Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  Which, is an extremely busy time, and it is quite amazing to me that I was able to do it.  I seriously couldn't set it down.

The basic set up for The Scarlet Pimpernel: for those of you history fans, this is set during the French Revolution.  For those of you who aren't so interested in history (or if you are, but you can barely remember  high school history classes), basically, the French Revolution was a BLOODY war where the French common people overthrew their monarchy.  Thousands upon thousands of French nobles in that time period (including the king and his wife) were put under the guillotine (beheading device) and sentenced to death for nothing more than a mere rumor or for their title.

In this book, Baroness Orczy takes the facts from the French Revolution and adds in her own story line, that of an elusive, mysterious hero under the title "Scarlet Pimpernel".  The Scarlet Pimpernel takes these nobles, who had committed no crime other than their titles, and sneaks them out of Paris and into England, the "safe-zone", where the French Government cannot touch them.

Basically, this book blew my expectations out of the water.  The reader is SO emotionally attached to the characters, and the story is filled with the perfect balance of action and romance.  As strange as it may sound, it is actually a quite interesting book that captivates many who read it.

Favorite quote from the book:
"Fate is usually swift when she deals a blow."

Peace out Girl Scouts!
-Maggs

Cover Reveal: The Obvious Game by Rita Arens

Cover Reveal: The Obvious Game by Rita Arens

Praise for The Obvious Game:

“I couldn’t put down The Obvious Game. Arens perfectly captures the hunger, pain and uncertainty of adolescence.” -- Ann Napolitano, author of A GOOD HARD LOOK and WITHIN ARM'S REACH

"The Obvious Game is a fearless, honest, and intense look into the psychology of anorexia. The characters—especially Diana--are so natural and emotionally authentic that you’ll find yourself yelling at the page even as you’re compelled to turn it." -- Coert Voorhees, author of LUCKY FOOLS and THE BROTHERS TORRES

"Let’s be clear about one thing: there’s nothing obvious about The Obvious Game. Arens has written a moving, sometimes heart-breaking story about one girl’s attempt to control the uncontrollable. You can’t help but relate to Diana and her struggles as you delve into this gem of a novel." -- Risa Green, author of THE SECRET SOCIETY OF THE PINK CRYSTAL BALL

Book Information:

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Release Date: Feb 7th, 2013

ISBN: 978-0-9856562-7-0 (ebook), 978-0-9856562-8-7 (Paperback)

Paperback Price: $13.99

Kindle: $4.99

To be available at all major online outlets: Amazon, B&N, The Book Depository

Pre-order now at Inkspell Publishing Website at a special discount of 30% on both paperback and ebook!

About The Author:

Rita Arens is the author of The Obvious Game and the editor of the award-winning parenting anthology Sleep Is for the Weak. She writes the popular blog Surrender, Dorothy (www.surrenderdorothyblog.com) and lives in Kansas City with her husband and daughter. The Obvious Game is her first young adult novel. She is at work on a second.

Rita has been a featured speaker at BlogHer 2012, BEA Bloggers Conference 2012, BlogHer Writers 2011, BlogHer 2011, Blissdom 2011, Alt Summit 2010,  BlogHer 2010, BlogHer 2008 and BlogHer 2009, the 2008 Kansas City Literary Festival and 2009 Chicks Who Click and appeared on the Walt Bodine Show in 2008.

  

She’s been quoted by Bloomberg Businessweek, The Associated Press, Forbes Woman, the Wall Street Journal, Businessweek and Businessweek Online and featured in Breathe magazine, Get Your Biz Savvy, The Kansas City Star (archived material available on request), Today Moms (Today Show blog) and Ink KC.

Website/blog: http://www.surrenderdorothyblog.com or http://www.ritaarens.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritaarens

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rita.arens

BlogHer: http://www.blogher.com/member/rita-arens

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=4048495&trk=tab_pro

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/ritajarens/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002KRLEHE

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1371209.Rita_Arens

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“Everyone trusted me back then. Good old, dependable Diana. Which is why most people didn’t notice at first.”

Review: Reached by Ally Condie

Review: Reached by Ally Condie

Publishing Date: November 13, 2012

Publisher: Dutton Books

Pages: 512 (Hardcover)

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads): 

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times-bestselling Matched trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Note- There will be spoilers in this review if you have not read Matched or Crossed, the first two books in the trilogy.

Wow.  I cannot believe this is the end.  I have so many feelings, so many stories, so many little anecdotes and moments I've collected from this outstanding trilogy.  I can't believe this is the end.

This whole thing started at the very beginning of this year.  I'd seen the cover of Matched around, and it drew my eye immediately.  I knew that I had to read this series.  It was just a feeling I got when I saw the cover.  I knew that it'd be good. Little did I know what I was walking into when I picked Matched up at Books-a-Million.

I remember, when I first got Matched, I got it at the store along with a couple of other books, and I chose to read those books first.  My best friend, Abby, had already tried reading Matched before, and she wasn't that into it.  So it sat on my shelf for a while.  Then, one day, I caught some bug and was left sick in bed all weekend.  I finished up a book that I had been reading the first night that I was sick.  When I woke up the next morning, still being sick and left with a hunger to read, I picked up Matched from my bookshelf, thinking eh, what have I got to lose? 

I finished the entire book the first day, pretty much in one sitting. I called my best friend up and said "ABBY.  You have to read this book." And so our love for the series began.

Since then, we've both had many a conversation about this series, one of the greatest when we decided that we no longer liked Ky, the lead male.  We decided that he was a snotty, stuck-up jerk.  And I still hold that opinion.  Ha.  But we figured that if she should end up with anyone, it should be Xander.  We've had discussions trying to figure out what Ally would do in Reached for months on end.  And now it's here, and the series is over, along with a part of our lives.

What can I say? This book was the most well-written and the most beautiful of all three.  It was definitely my favorite.  Cassia was stronger.  Xander was more independent.  Ky was perhaps more understanding.  Indie was more... Indie.  And along with the classic characters, we meet several more lovable companions this time around.  

Told from the viewpoints of Xander, Cassia, and Ky, Reached tells the beginning of the Rising.  At the beginning of the book, the Rising finally strikes on the Society, with aims to take over and cure the Society of the Plague, a vicious disease spreading throughout the Society.  But trouble awaits, and not everything goes as planned.  The Rising doesn't quite have everything as "under control" as they believed themselves to.  And Cassia, Xander, and Ky hold the keys to the fate of the provinces. 

The plot of Reached was exciting, and kept me on edge the entire duration of the book.  Rather than each book playing an equal part in the series, Reached definitely took the main role in this trilogy.  It was the longest, most exciting, and (in my opinion) most important part of the trilogy.  Everything may not have turned out exactly the way that I wanted it to, but the way things ended just felt right.  Condie ended the series beautifully.  

Thanks for the memories, Ally.  This series is truly an unforgettable one. 

Favorite quote from the book: 

"There are people swimming against the current and shadows moving slowly in the deep.  I have been the one looking up when something dark passed before the sun.  And I have been the shadow itself, slipping along the place where earth and water meet the sky."

Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Publishing Date: April 2010 (first published 1960)

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads): 

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

I've never really been the biggest fan of classics.  I feel as if they are dreary, dull, and never-ending.  In fact, most of the time, as I read classics, I spend majority of my time trying to figure out how these books became "classics" in the first place.  Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird completely obliterated all of that thought.  

Set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, this book gained my interest immediately.  Being an Alabamian myself, I rarely, if ever, see stories set in Alabama, and here is one of America's greatest classics set in my home state.  So, I thought I'd give it a try and see what all the fuss was about.  Little did I know what I was walking into.  

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in 1930's America, during the Great Depression.  In this novel, Harper Lee takes two stories, the story of Boo Radley and the trial of Tom Robinson, and blends them into one heart-felt and emotionally entangling story.

Scout, the narrator, is a rambunctious little six-year-old tomboy.   The novel, told from her adult perspective, covers about 3 years of her childhood.  She spends her days at school, and during the summer, she comes along for the escapades of her older brother, Jem, and Dill, their friend who stays in Maycomb during the summers.  These children help any reader to beautifully connect to his or her childhood, and allow any reader to fall immediately in love with them.  

Atticus, Scout and Jem's father, is probably the most respectable character that I have ever read about.  Atticus is honest, conscience-bound, smart, and compassionate.  He is not quick to speak, and he cares about doing what is right, even when it is hard.  He truly personifies Exodus 23:2, which says, "You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice."  He does not follow the crowd; he follows his heart.  He knows what is right, and he stands up for it.

The novel begins with the story of Boo Radley.  Boo is a mystery to the town.  According to Jem, Boo Radley is kept under house arrest by his father and never leaves his house accept at night.  He allegedly eats raw animals for fun, and he spies on the people of Maycomb though his shuttered windows.  No one's seen him for many years, and Scout, Jem, and Dill are aching to make him come out of his hiding hole.  

Towards the middle of the novel, we start to move into the case of Tom Robinson.  As this novel is set in the 1930's, there is extreme racial prejudice in the south, and Tom Robinson is a black man.  He is accused of a crime by a white man, Mr. Bob Ewell, and the lawyer who takes Tom Robinson's side of the case is Atticus. Atticus fights for what he believes in, but he knows that he most likely won't win the case, because he's taking the word of a black man and putting against a white man's.  Still, he pursues and fights for Tom, even when the going gets tough.  

To Kill a Mockingbird is a beautiful, well-written novel that is full of excitement and speaks to the hearts of many.  It speaks of conviction, of justice, of truth, and of family love.  I fully recommend this book to readers of all age.  It is truly a work of art.

Favorite quote from the book: 

"'They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions,' said Atticus, 'but before I can live with other folks, I've got to live with myself.  The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.' "