Briar Rose's life is far from a fantasy. She's raising her siblings by herself, she makes very little at the spinning mill and her wages keep getting cut. Her best friend, Henry Prince, has decided to go off on an adventure, leaving her by herself. While he's gone a mysterious peddler comes into town and sells her a new spindle, saying it has magical powers. Little does she know this spindle will bring her danger and possibly death.
I went into this book thinking it was a spin-off of Sleeping Beauty, without giving anything away from the book I can say that it's not. I'm not saying that that means I didn't like the book but it's not Sleeping Beauty. People had similar opinions about this, they expected Sleeping Beauty but that's not what they got. Other than that many people liked the book. I guess I finally read a book that other people liked just as much as me! :)
I recommend this book to anyone who likes fairytales but also I need to warn you that this isn't your classic fairytale so don't get surprised when you start reading it. I think that you'll especially like this book if you like Sleeping Beauty. Although this is not another Sleeping Beauty story it does have aspects of it in it.
Books like this!( with some help from our pal Goodreads)
Spinning Thorns by Anna Sheehan
Becoming Beauty by Sarah E. Boucher
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Dana’s life just can’t get back to normal which, with who her father is and her being a Faeriewalker, it's no surprise. Dana gets invited to Faerie by one of the queens but everyone is afraid it will be too dangerous, but if she were to not go it could put her in even more danger. So Dana, her father, Ethan, Kimber, Keene and some other guards as well as the queen's son, Prince Henry, all set of for the queen's palace in Faerie. It’s a rough journey through Faerie but they finally make it to find out that not everyone is who they say they are and then something goes completely wrong sending Dana running for her life. My favorite thing about this book is that you get to learn more about Faerie since it doesn't mainly take place in Avalon. In the first two books I was always curious about Faerie in general and what Dana would think of it. If you had any questions about Faerie this book helps answer them. To me Faerie reminds me of the City of Glass in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments Series. This book is definitely for the Fae lovers and anyone who enjoyed the first two books, it is a nice addition to the series.
More books like this series!
Need by Carrie Jones
Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
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The Bachelor meets royalty, the Selection is where 35 girls get chosen to go to the castle and fight to get chosen by the prince. America Singer is a 5, one of the lowest castes, and gets chosen for the Selection. This is the last thing she wanted, she just applied to make her mother and her secret boy friend happy. She's in love with someone else, and even tells Prince Maxon this, but he keeps her in the Selection so she can keep getting money for her family. Maxon admits that he's fallen for America and she doesn't know how she feels about it. Will she fight for Maxon's heart or leave the Selection for good? I recommend this to people who like a good royal story, but still likes a little drama and excitement.
Arden is just a normal girl with a crapy life, her mom left her and her brother, and her dad works all of the time. Arden stumbles upon a blog called Tonight the Streets Are Ours, it is basically just someone's diary. She keeps reading it and then when her boy friend ditches their anniversary plans she decides to go find him in New York, but he's not everything she thought he'd be. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good love story, and travel tales. It is one of those read in one night reads, and totally keeps you on your toes.
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Phoebe Martin is a major book lover with many book boyfriends. This makes it a lot harder to find a real life boyfriend because her books have raised her expectations. One of her best friends tries to get her to ask out a boy that she thinks is perfect for her but Phoebe doesn't agree. Eventually the boy loses interest and finds a girlfriend, or so Phoebe thinks. After many shoves and pushes Phoebe develops a crush on him but now he has a girlfriend. She does everything to avoid him and is fairly successful but then they are camp counselors together. This love story is so sweet and makes you go 'awwwww' at the end. It is a fast, easy read but completely enjoyable, and it is very easy to relate to (especially if you're a nerdy book lover like me!). I recommend this to anyone, even if you're not a romance fan. This is a different kind of love story and is not too gushy and romantic. It makes you laugh right out loud and truly pulls you in by each character.
I strongly recommend that you check it out!!
In this world there is silver blood and red blood. If you’re silver you’re practically royalty living a luxurious lifestyle in a time where others are struggling. But if you’re red you’re pretty much nothing and have nothing. Silvers have powers and reds don’t which makes Mare totally different from everyone else. Mare gets a job in the palace and learns that she has electric abilities like a silver but still clearly has red blood. To cover this up the king and queen make up a story and betroth her to their youngest son. Throughout the book Mare has to chose who's side she's on and what she is going to do to help save everyone. This is a good, suspenseful book with some romance and betrayal. I recommend this to any futuristic, post-apocalyptic, book lovers who also enjoy a little romance! This book truly keeps you on your toes. It reminds me of The Lunar Chronicles in many ways.
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Cia's adventure of the Testing may be over but other challenges and adventures have just began. After finishing the Testing Cia starts at Tosu University, studying in government. She gets assigned as the President's intern for her required internship and that makes everything even more hectic and crazy for her life. After Cia starts to regain her memories from the Testing she remembers what she needs to do. This book is slower paced then The Testing but it is a total must read if you loved The Testing and want to know what happens next. I recommend this to anyone who loved the first book!
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Emily and Elizabeth are two different people but are feeling the same things. When in their shared english class starts learning about Emily Dickinson and reading her poems. One of them writes letters to their teacher and includes poems. She's struggling with depression and ends up trying to take her own life. This book is very mysterious and throughout the book you don't know who's writing the letters and who commits suicide until the end. It;s a classic teen tragedy suicide story. I recommend this to anyone who likes those kinds of books, books like Speak and Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It is a really good read :)
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This book is a complete mash up of The Hungergames and the Divergent series. You have complicated tests that define your future successes and whether you live or die, and if you make it through that you get put into a deserted city and have to find your way back to the capitol city. It is filled with suspence, and adventure! It is such an exciting read! I recommend this if you loved the Divergent series or The Hungergames! It is different but very similar, it is worth the read!
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Annemarie Johansen, a ten year old girl, lives in the middle of the Holocaust. Although Annemarie and her family aren't Jewish they are still affected by the Holocaust. Annemarie's closest friend, and her family are Jewish, and when the Nazis come to get them Annemarie's family helps them out. This book is all about Annemarie's journey of hiding her friends and encountering Nazis first hand. This book is short but definitely worth the read, especially if you are interested in the Holocaust. It is a simple book, the first time I read it was for school in fifth grade, but still is interesting and cute. I recommend this book to people who like Holocaust stories that aren't necessarily factual.
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The final story of Katniss, forever known as the Mockingjay. After the thrilling and surprising ending of Catching Fire. In Mockingjay you learn about District 13 and how they are planning the revolution against the capitol, using Katniss as their face of the revolution. Between filming motivating videos to broadcast across all the districts and war starting to kick up, Katniss doesn't have a lot of time to think about everything that's going on. If you loved the first two books you'll love this book just as much.
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With the main characters Luke and Leia, I can understand the confusion about how it's about love and being compared to Star Wars. As any Star Wars fan knows Luke and Leia are brother and sister, not boyfriend and girlfriend, but in this book Luke and Leia are drawn together. Luke is a freshmen in college and is taking a film studies class. Leia is also in the same film studies class and gets partnered up with Luke and they totally hit it off. Through some ups and down throughout the book Luke and Leia become closer and closer. This is a sweet book and at some points slightly odd but it is very good. I recommend it to anyone that likes a good non-traditional love story.
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Tally has become something that has always been nothing but a rumor to her and everyone else, a Special. Specials are remarkably fast, strong and can focus very clearly, it's like having super powers. Pretties and Uglies may go their whole life without even seeing a Special but now Tally is one. Tally is sent to the New Smoke to turn them in once and for all. Tally has to chose whether to listen to what she was programed to do, or to do what she feels is right and save her friends. This is a great way to wrap up Tally Youngblood's story and completely worth the read!
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Part two of the thrilling story of Katniss Everdeen, with so many twists and turns to come. With the Hunger Games over Katniss finally has a chance to some what return to normal. But everything is about to change when the newest Hunger Games is announced. Instead of the normal, chose one boy and one girl from each district, and it causes a shocking twist. This continuation of the Hunger Games series is very exciting and suspenseful. If you loved the first on you'll love this one :)
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Letters from Peyton is a great short story that makes a good quick read. Peyton is just a normal girl who happens to get brain cancer. Through letters to god (although this isn't a religious story) you learn about Peyton's diagnosis, and treatment. She falls in love with a boy named Cody and although it is short lived it is cute and sweet. Even though this story is short it is well developed and thought out. I am a sucker for sudden tragic endings and this has just that. If you don't like sudden or tragic endings this is not the story for you. It is a great story and a fast read.
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High School can be pretty tough, as many of you may know, especially if you don't have many friends. When Melinda was at a party one summer she ended up calling the cops when it got out of hand, this caused her friends to unfriend her and everyone else at school to hate her. Something bad happened to her at that party that continues to haunt her throughout the book. Spiraling into depression Melinda continues to try to keep the truth buried but it slowly seeps it way out. I recommend this to someone who likes sad, struggling books. It really is hauntingly beautiful and truly makes you think.
You should read it!
Step into the world of Beatrice Prior and explore an interesting take on post-apocalyptic life. Beatrice lives in a place full of factions, they are made to keep order and separate differences. There is Erudite, the faction with the brains; Dauntless, who serve to protect but also participate in reckless things; Candor, all about the truth and nothing but; Amity, the faction about peace and happiness; finally there's Abnegation, which is the faction that believes in selflessness and living a plain life. Beatrice is apart of Abnegation but not for long. At age 16 you get to decide whether you want to stay in the faction you're born in or if you want to transfer into another faction. Divergent is all about Beatrice's transfer and the government starting to fall apart. I recommend this to people who like a good 'in the future' story. It also has plenty of action and even a little romance.
You should read it!
In Tally Youngblood's world there are the Uglies and the Pretties. At age 16 you get a surgery that turns you 'pretty', you move to New Prettytown and have a life of parties and fun. Tally's best friend turned 16 before her, leaving her in Uglyville on her own. All Tally's life she's wanted to become a Pretty but when she meets Shay her idea of life is changed. This book is filled with question and adventure. Tally's point of view changes and she learns new things about society and her life. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a little mystery and adventure.
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"May the odds ever be in your favor..." as is the motto of the annual Hunger Games of Panem. Sadly, the odds aren't in Katniss Everdeen's favor when her younger sister Primrose gets chosen to be in the Hunger Games. Katniss volunteers in place of her sister, to save her life. Out of all 12 districts in Panem there are two children chosen to go to the Capitol and fight to the death in an arena, while being broadcasted on live television. By volunteering for her sister Katniss has to go to the Hunger Games. The book describes the events leading to the Games, what happens in the Games, and after. It is action packed, and completely suspenseful. I would not recommend this book to anyone who doesn't like violence, especially with kids.
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If I Stay is written by the same author as I Was Here, and as I said in the review of I Was Here this book is also very beautiful and sad. Most of it takes place in the memories of a comatose girl, Mia. Mia and her family were in a tragic accident, Mia is in a coma but talks about seeing everything going on around her at the accident site and at the hospital. During the book she flashes from telling a memory from her life and talking about what's going on in the hospital. This book made me cry, and from what I've heard from others who have read it, it's hard not to cry. You get to read all about how she's feeling but also get to know more about her life before the crash. I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind reading sad books. There is romance, and tragedy but I don't recommend this to anyone who doesn't like to cry or just doesn't like sad books.
(It's also now a movie!)
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Briar Rose's life is far from a fantasy. She's raising her siblings by herself, she makes very little at the spinning mill and her wages keep getting cut. Her best friend, Henry Prince, has decided to go off on an adventure, leaving her by herself. While he's gone a mysterious peddler comes into town and sells her a new spindle, saying it has magical powers. Little does she know this spindle will bring her danger and possibly death.
