The Happy Librarian
Fantasy:
A genre of speculative fiction set in a fictional universe, often inspired by real world myth and folklore
A Touch of Gold
by Annie Sullivan
Summary: King Midas once had the ability to turn all he touched into gold. But after his gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, Midas relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide.
Kora spends her days locked in the palace, concealed behind gloves and veils, trying to ignore the stares and gossip of courtiers. It isn’t until a charming young duke arrives that Kora realizes there may be someone out there who doesn’t fear her or her curse. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals precious items from the kingdom, leaving the treasury depleted and King Midas vulnerable. Thanks to her unique ability to sense gold, Kora is the only one who can track the thief down. As she sails off on her quest, Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not thieves, not pirates, and not even curses. She quickly discovers that gold—and the power it brings—is more dangerous than she’d ever believed.
Midas learned his lesson at a price. What will Kora’s journey cost?
Review: It's not easy to find a story with every appealing element imaginable, but Ms. Sullivan has delivered it here! Pirates, Magic, Curses, Mystery, Romance, Family Dynamics. From sword fights to dancing, from afternoon tea to sailing the high seas, A Touch of Gold has something that appeals to all readers.
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Kora is a likable character, whose love and devotion to her ill-minded father drive her to become the hero and leader her country needs. Being young means making mistakes, but Kora is quick to learn from her fumbles and finds a way to save those she loves and those she's sworn to serve.
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Readers will enjoy Kora's dynamic with her father and her cousin and her desire for adventure and thirst to prove herself.
This is the first book in a book duology.
Key Elements: Pirates, Adventure, Magic, Curses, Family Dynamics, Royalty, Sailing
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Romance
The Cruel Prince
By Holly Black
Summary: Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters and Faerie itself.
Review: A deep dive into fae! The rules of fae and how they impact the characters are nothing short of brilliant in this tale of sisters, evil, love, and torment. Jude is a complicated and uneasy lead character. Readers may support her, even if her decisions are questionable and her motives are gray. The world-building allows readers to become fully immersed in the land of the fae, complete with magical creatures, rules of existence, and political unrest in the supernatural court.
This book is the first in a trilogy.
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Key Elements: Fae, Super Natural Creatures, Adventure, Magic, Curses, Family Dynamics, Royalty, Political Unrest
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Fae, Paranormal
Caraval
By Stephanie Garber
Summary:
A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless, she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.
Review: The best word to describe this world Garber has created: Spectacular! This book is in and of itself a completely overwhelming spectacle. Readers will question just as much about the world of Carval as Scarlet and may find themselves just as confused by the game. As the story builds and pieces finally start to fall into place, readers will be surprised they actually have more questions than when they started!
This book is the first in a trilogy.
Key Elements: Adventure, Magic, Curses, Family Dynamics, Mystery and Intrigue, Sisterhood
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, High Fantasy, Mystery