Book Spotlights

Last year, I was a bit of a slacker when it came to blogging. There are a lot of books I read that I never reviewed. Since I don't have a new book to review today (I'm all caught up!), I thought I'd highlight a couple of those I never reviewed here.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

This is a retelling of "Maid Maleen", a Brothers Grimm fairy tale that I had never heard of (though I've since read it) in which a lady of noble birth and her maid are placed in a tower by her father because she refuses to marry the man he wants her to marry. This retelling a surprisingly lovely story of friendship and love set in Asia.

Crewel (Crewel World #1) by Gennifer Albin

What's most striking in this book is its extreme creativity. Adelice can weave the very fabric of the world, and with this skill comes great respect and comfort. But she quickly learns there's much more to the world of Spinsters than it seems, setting her on a course of adventure, danger, and romance.

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) by Jessica Spotswood

Before I read this one, I was absolutely obsessed with the cover. (They've since redesigned it, which I think is a great loss.) Cate and her sisters are witches in a society very much akin to that of The Crucible. If they are caught, they will be harshly punished--perhaps even put to death. But Cate uncovers a secret that could change everything, and she knows she has to investigate, even as she has to decide on her own future.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

I don't doubt most people have heard of Diana Wynne Jones. This is the only book of hers that I have read, but it immediately became a favorite. When the Witch of the Waste comes to Sophie Hatter's family's shop, it spells trouble. In her displeasure, she turns Sophie into an old woman, forcing Sophie to leave home to find a solution. Even as it is laugh out loud funny at times, it makes you think and reading it is a magical experience, very much a modern fairy tale.