Anxiously Awaiting... Winterspell

Winterspell 
by Claire Legrand

Publication date: Sept. 30, 2014 

Description:
The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince . . . but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums.

New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor's ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother's murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, her father abducted--by beings distinctly nothuman. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they're to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets--and a need she can't define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won't leave Cane unscathed--if she leaves at all.

Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.

Oooh! This one sounds dark and delicious.  I can't wait.  

Check out more info here. 

This Week's Library Loot (6)

 


Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

My Library Loot:

Rise

by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade prequels, book two

 

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

 

 

Falling Kingdoms

by Morgan Rhodes

 

So, that's what I picked up at my Library this week... did you swing by yours? 





Peaceweaver

Peaceweaver
by Rebecca Barnhouse
companion to The Coming of the Dragon

Publication date: March 27, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Hild has always been a favorite of her uncle, king of the Shylfings. So when she protects her cousin the crown prince from a murderous traitor, she expects the king to be grateful. Instead, she is unjustly accused of treachery herself.

As punishment, her uncle sends Hild far away to the heir of the enemy king, Beowulf, to try to weave peace between the two kingdoms. She must leave her home and everyone she loves. On the long and perilous journey, Hild soon discovers that fatigue and rough terrain are the least of her worries. Something is following her and her small band of guards—some kind of foul creature that tales say lurks in the fens. Will Hild have to face the monster? Or does it offer her the perfect chance to escape the destiny she never chose? (description from Amazon.com)

I thought that Hild was a very brave and honorable character. She is accused of great treachery and banished from her home, yet she still does what she knows is right and saves the lives of those who do not care for her. She manages to earn their respect and love. As she becomes resigned to the fact that she cannot change her fate, she chooses to embrace it and the good that it will mean someday to her new people.

I really enjoyed the slightly magical adventure that is Hild's journey to her new kingdom. I would be very interested to read a sequel, though, to see how things progress as Hild becomes Queen. I also want to go back at some point to read the story of the dragon that destroys what is to become her new home.

This reminded me in a lot of ways of Megan Whalen Turner or Shannon Hales' books, though not quite as standout. More of a way to ease into this specific type of historical fantasy.

Full disclosure: ARC received to review for VOYA