Shadow and Bone

Back of the book:Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is a magical tale laced with action. The Grisha are a group of citizens with special powers. Alina Starkov longs to be one more than anything. When she and her best friend are caught in a dangerous situation, she shows off her new power. One that could save her kingdom. But her life takes several twists and turns as she learns the ways of the Grisha. Does Alina have what it takes to be a Grisha? Or was it all just one big mistake? Action dominates this book, with flares of romance. The plot is uniquely unlike any before, taking unexpected turns with each chapter. Get swept up in Shadow and Bone, a great read unlike any before.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

            The lass is hated from her birth. Born to a mother sick of daughters, the baby is shoved aside namelessly. The lass grows up neglected by a family desperate for the wealthy lifestyle they sent their eldest son to live. But when he returns, penniless and haunted, the ancient legends told to frighten children become more alive than ever.

            But when a visit from a polar bear transforms her life, an ordinary girl must try and uncover her brother’s secrets while attempting to set her beast free. Thrown into a world of mystery and wonder, the lass struggles to comprehend the endless labyrinth of a solitary beast, a mystical blessing, and an icy palace forged from mistakes. Jessica Day George weaves a fascinating tale of going east of the moon and west of the sun for true love.

I just finished this book a few moments ago, but I had to sit down and absorb my shock for a moment. I expected a ho-hum, mundane, run-of-the-mill fairy tale novel. Instead I was served a hefty platter of adventure, romance, and mystery. As usual, Jessica Day George adds life and adventure to an old fairy tale bare of personality.

The lass is nothing more than a woodcutter’s daughter, content with her lifestyle unlike her luxury-craving mother. But when a terrifying beast comes knocking on her door (literally) and takes her to his ice palace in exchange for a royal lifestyle for the lass’s family, the nameless daughter’s life becomes much more than average. She must learn to live far away from the only home she’s ever known. In a very Beauty-and-the-Beast-type manner she must learn to love an unlovable, enchanted creature.

This book made me realize why I love reading so much. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly devouring every word to try and solve the mystery along with the lass. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow bestows a nod upon fairy tales of the past and welcomes the adventure modern readers crave.