The Two Princesses of Bamarre

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After stealing the hearts of middle-grade girls with her delightful Newbery Honor-winning Cinderella retelling, Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine here creates a fairy tale of her own and gives it a characteristic grrrl-power twist. Twelve-year-old Addie admires her older sister Meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of Bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on Meryl for courage and protection. Waving her sword Bloodbiter, the older girl declaims in the garden from the heroic epic of Drualt to a thrilled audience of Addie, their governess, and the young sorcerer Rhys. But when Meryl falls ill with the dreaded Gray Death, Addie must gather her courage and set off alone on a quest to find the cure and save her beloved sister. Addie takes the seven-league boots and magic spyglass left to her by her mother and the enchanted tablecloth and cloak given to her by Rhys--along with a shy declaration of his love. She prevails in encounters with tricky specters (spiders too) and outwits a wickedly personable dragon in adventures touched with romance and a bittersweet ending. Young fans of princess stories will gobble this one up. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell

Book Description

When a plague strikes Bamarre, Princess Addie must save her sister.

Brave and adventureous, Princess Meryl dreams of fighting dragons and protecting the kingdom of Bamarre. Shy and fearful, Princess Addie is content to stay within the safety of the castle walls. The one thing that the sisters share is their unwavering love for each other.

The tables are turned, however, when the Gray Death leaves Meryl fatally ill. To save her sister, meek Princess Addie must find the courage to set out on a dangerous quest filled with dragons, unknown magic, and death itself. Time is running out, and the sisters' lives—and the future of the kingdom of Bamarre—hang in the balance.

Customer Reviews:

Good Summer Book.......2007-06-14

This is what I have come to call a rennaissace chick flick of a book. The story was a bit bland but still fun. A book about sisters who are so polar in the character and talents yet are so closely tied. I hope everyone reads this book, even tough ella enchanted is so so good too. You cannot just skip over this one. It is a fun, and quick read.

Light Hearted Adventure.......2007-05-15

I have to be honest, the only reason I picked up this book in the first place was the girl on the cover resembled Ginny Weasley from the Harry Potter movies. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. Sure, I had a hard time getting into the story at first, the writing was choppy and I had a hard time distinguishing between the characters at times, but once I was able to get past its few shortcomings it was a fairly pleasant experience. It was a quick read (only 240 pages) and a cute story, perfect for any child (or child at heart) who loves fantasy novels or light hearted adventure stories.

Princess Meryl is an adventurous young girl who does nothing except practice her swordsmanship and dream about charging into battle against the many monsters the plague Bamarre. While her sister Princess Addie is just the opposite, she is timid, shy, and scared of her own shadow. One day however Meryl is taken ill with the 'Gray Death' (a terrible diseases which always ends in death. no cure has ever been found). Addie, although still very scared, sets out on a journey to find the cure. On her quest she encounters Ogres, Gryphons, Specters, Dragons, and Fairies. Overcoming the odds she hopes for a fairy tale ending.

I'm going to list and describe Addies magical items that she takes with her because I feel like they are an important part of the story and/or might give you a little more incentive to pick up the book.

Shadow's Cloak: Not a true invisibility cloak, but as long as the user stays in the shadows he or she will be unseen by most creatures (does not work on Specters or Dragons).

The Tablecloth: At the users command it sets a table and provides an endless amount of food.

Blood-Biter: Meryl's sword, given to Addie.

Moily Herb: An elf remedy that gives you strength to go on, also can heal burns.

Seven-League Boots: When wearing these boots a single step will carry you thousands of miles.

Spyglass: Allows the user to see thousands of miles in any direction. Addie uses this to keep an eye on Meryl's condition and to plan her steps with the League Boots.

This book is a great quick read for anyone looking for a light hearted adventure novel. Perfect for rainy days or summer readings.

Fun read!.......2007-05-12

This book was perfect for when I was sick and stuck in bed all day. Levine does her magic again with creating a different world, adventurous and strong female characters, and an adorable romance. No really, romantic interest was dreamy! However, the writing of this book is just not as strong as that of Ella Enchanted - some of it seems too slow or too unrealistic (if that's even possible in the fantasy world) at times. And maybe it's just because I'm older now, but it was often too easy to guess where the story was going. I would suggest this book as an easy, entertaining, and sweet read. Just tell your inner critic to shush until after you finish.

This book is really good. a real fantasy adventure book........2007-05-06

I read this I would say about five years ago. I thought it was really good. I loved the romance, the adventure, and the wonderful ending. It's very much of a girly fairy tale book, but still enjoyable. I loved when Addie and Rye fell
in love.

you should definitely read
this book and her other book
Ella Enchanted.
thank you for your time,
Loran

Pretty good but I found it frustrating.......2007-04-29

It drove me crazy that time was ticking away and it seemed impossible that Addie could save her sister. But maybe I am just too impatient. I couldn't read all of the section about being kept prisoner by the dragon because I have claustrophobia.

Also, I didn't like the ending but objectively, it was a fitting one.

Searching for Dragons: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book Two

Average customer rating:

I like it!
Patricia C. Wrede
what's his face
Incredible series!
What's next?

Searching for Dragons: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book Two
Patricia C. Wrede
Manufacturer: Magic Carpet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152045651

Book Description

Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, meets her match in the not-quite-kingly Mendanbar. With the aid of a broken-down magic carpet and a leaky magical sword, the two tackle a series of dragon-nappings.

Customer Reviews:

I like it!.......2007-04-22

There are two main characters: Cimorene and Mendanbar. Cimorene is a princess. She volunteered to be a dragon's princess. She knows a little bit of fencing, cooking, Latin, embroiderey and dancing. Mendanbar is the king of the Enchanted Forest. He is very busy. He is good at magic.

The main problem of the story is rescuing the king of the dragons. She's a girl: king is the name of the job. Her name is Kazul. Some wizards captured her.

I loved this book. I'd recommend this book because it's very interesting. I'd recommend the first three books to girls, and the last one to boys. The first three are about girls and the last one is about a boy.

Patricia C. Wrede.......2007-04-19

In Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede there was a king who hated being king of the enchanted forest and one day when he was playing hooky he saw that a whole section of the enchanted forest was burnt to the ground.

He found about four scales in the ashes and a squirrel told him to go to the good witch Morwen and she told him that there dragons scales and to go to the land of dragons to confront the king Kazul who is a girl dragon but instead finds her missing. And so he has to team up with Kazuls reluctant princess Cimorene and there only tools are a magic carpet, a leaky magic sword, and a few buckets of soapy lemon water to get Kazul back and defeat the evil wizard Zemenar.

what's his face.......2007-02-07

I really enjoyed the book, Searching for Dragons. My favorite character, King Mendenbar, can really relate to many people. He is the average person who does ordinary things. There is just one thing: he is the king of the Enchanted Forest.
You can really see Particia c. Wrede's book as an adventure you can never forget. She leaves you wondering what would happen next after you had just finished a chapter, which is very important for the average reader. That is what so good about her books, because she gives you a little "extra" info before you get onto the next chapter. I would recommend this book to those who love a good laugh, some adventure, and some romance in between. Those who do have the above, hurry up and read this book!
By the way, this is book two of four of the series.
A.K.

Incredible series!.......2006-09-25

All the Enchanted Forest Chronicles are so much fun! Definitely at my top of Harry Potter fan recommendations. They're just such an amusing read; I even teach with them. Don't forget to read "The Frying Pan of Doom."

What's next?.......2006-09-19

In the second installment of Cimorene's tale, we find Cimorene still housekeeping for Kazul and dissuading errant princes of their determination to `rescue' her. But when the King of the Enchanted Forest, Mendanbar, knocks on her door, he catches her as she is leaving to find Kazul, who has gone missing. As Kazul is now the King of the Dragons, Cimorene must not let this news leak as panic might ensue. Mendanbar decides that he too must find Kazul to stave off war with the wizards, so they join forces and set off on a journey through the land to rescue Kazul and thwart the wizards once again.

Dragon's Breath: Book Two in the Tales of the Frog Princess

Average customer rating:

Great children's fairy tale book
PUT IT ON THE WEB.
A Good read for fantasy/romance lovers.
Fabulous

Dragon's Breath: Book Two in the Tales of the Frog Princess
E. D. Baker
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1582346666
Release Date: 2005-09-15

Book Description

Emma and Eadric have no sooner turned back into humans (from being frogs) than Emma's mother is in a panic, Aunt Grassina is distracted because she's found her true love turned into an otter, and Emma's magic is so out of control she sends herself to the dungeon by mistake. The neighboring kingdom has chosen this moment to attack, and if Emma can't get Grassina's mind back on protecting the kingdom, life as they know it in Greater Greensward will be in peril. From underwater sea monsters to fire-breathing dragons, this witty pair of young friends manages to sweet-talk, cajole, and race their way to victory. But when it looks as if everything will finally work out, disaster strikes, and Emma finds that magic is not enough-it takes real bravery and a strong, new friendship to succeed.

Customer Reviews:

Great children's fairy tale book.......2007-08-09

We bought the Frog Princess from a school bookfair. I've been reading it to my 8 year old daughter. We both enjoyed the book so much, I bought the next two in the series on Amazon. These are wonderfully funny, engaging stories. This is a children's auther I would highly recommend.

PUT IT ON THE WEB........2007-01-12

The book Dragons Breath is a good story. It takes you to several settings the ones it takes you to the most would be when they set out to find the things they need to un-do Haywood's otter spell. The other setting is when they are at their home place where they stay which would be the castle. A conflict this story gives is Grasinna's mother puts a spell on Haywood because she thinks that Haywood is not right for her she thinks he is not good enough for her. So she turns him in to an otter and they tried to convince her mother to un-do the spell. After all the tries they did with her she did not UN-do the spell .The other part that made it hard was they couldn't find all the ingredients. So the resolution is they figure out a way to un-do the spell by them selves which would be Emma, Edric, Grassina, and Haywood. It takes them awhile to find all the ingredients which would put them in the place of having to travel to other places and find the ingredients to un- do the spell. Well this is a good book for people who enjoy reading fantasies I would recommend it to those kind of people.

A Good read for fantasy/romance lovers........2006-10-25

The book Dragon's Breath by E.D. Baker is a fantastic book for those who like fantasies and also the romantic type. This author has a writing style that moves the story along quickly which is one of the reasons I liked this book.
It's about Princess Emma who goes on an expedition with her prince Eadric, her aunt Grassina, and her husband Haywood. Grassina's mother turned Haywood into an otter under the impression that he was not good enough for her. Wishing for Haywood as a human and not an otter, they all attempt to coax Grassina's mother to turn Haywood back. When they're effort makes the issue worse, they find the way to un-do the spell and decide to turn Haywood back themselves. Under pressure with a clock running they have to gather unusual ingredients for the spell. They barely make the cut in and a ghastly turnout ruins their chance to bring Haywood and Grassina the happily ever after they deserve.
I enjoyed this book because of the good ending and the way the author developed the characters. I enjoyed reading this book because I usually don't like fantasy books, but this one worked for me with the streak of romance woven in. I would give this book four stars for the moving pace, the well developed characters, and the balance between romance and fantasy.

Fabulous.......2006-09-10

This is one of the best books I've read in the past year, and since I work in a bookstore I read a lot. I think Emma is the perfect example of what a good female character can be, and it's a story that I think girls everywhere will love. I'm sure boys will like it too, with all the dragons and giant spiders.

This book has so many great things going for it, my favorite thing being that Emma never uses violence to solve a problem unless she needs to, and always gives humans and animals the benefit of the doubt and lets them prove themselves before thinking badly of them.

The paperback is also very sturdy, and will hold up to repeated readings. And trust me, you'll read it repeatedly.

The Serpent and the Moon: Two Rivals for the Love of a Renaissance King

Average customer rating:

Lackluster depiction of a menage a trois
Biased, superfitial, hardly a true Historic account.
A Splendid Review Of An Historial Love Triangle
Even my teacher thought this summer reading was boring.
History at its most entertaining

The Serpent and the Moon: Two Rivals for the Love of a Renaissance King
Princess Michael of Kent
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743251067

Book Description

Set against the stunning backdrop of Renaissance France, The Serpent and the Moon is a true story of love, war, intrigue, betrayal, and persecution. At its heart is one of the world's greatest love stories: the lifelong devotion of King Henri II of France to Diane de Poitiers, a beautiful aristocrat who was nineteen years older than her lover.

At age fourteen, Henri was married to fourteen-year-old Catherine de' Medici, an unattractive but extremely wealthy heiress who was to bring half of Italy to France as her dowry. When Catherine met Henri on her wedding day, she fell instantly in love, but Henri could see no one but the beautiful Diane. When Henri eventually became king, he and Diane ruled France as one. Meanwhile, Catherine took as her secret motto the words "Hate and Wait" and lived for the day Diane would die and she could win Henri's love and rule by his side. Fate had another plan.

Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent, herself a descendant of both Catherine and Diane, imbues this seldom-told story with an insider's grasp of royal life. The Serpent and the Moon is a fascinating love story as well as a richly woven history of an extraordinary time.

Customer Reviews:

Lackluster depiction of a menage a trois.......2007-04-22

Every now and then, I get to find out something new in history, and a story that had not made sense before falls into place. Such was the case when I read this biography about one of the most unusual ménage a trois in history.

This biography by the wife of the British Prince Michael of Kent focuses mostly on the passion between one couple of this three-way relationship. Set in 16th century France, it's a story that can be taken several different ways -- as a scandal, a story of a great love, a scheming older woman and a much younger man, or that of a spurned wife.

The story opens with a marriage, that of two fourteen year olds, Henri of France, the second son of King Francois I, and Catherine di Medici, the 'niece' of the Pope, and potential heiress of several wealthy Italian duchies. He was a sullen, quiet boy, still traumatized by several years imprisonment in Spain as a hostage for his father. Catherine, having been deprived of her parents in infancy, had been passed around an assortment of relatives and convents, unsure of where she would be from day to day. It was a magnificent wedding, and both young people performed their parts, including Henri consummating the marriage.

The surprise came after the wedding -- when Henri promptly returned to the company of his Lady. She was Diane de Portiers, a highly placed lady of his father's court. She was also eighteen years older than Henri, very beautiful, educated and possessed of a dignified courtesy. In short, she was everything that Catherine was not. She also had the confidence of both of Henri's parents, and ever since her husband's death, she had worn nothing but black and white, and young Henri had adopted those colours as his own, playing the part of a chivalrous young knight to his lady.

It was Catherine who suffered for ten years, enduring rejection by her husband and having to treat his mistress with grace and courtesy. But on the inside, it appeared that she was seething. She adopted a secret motto for herself --- "Hate and Wait" -- and had a peephole placed in the floor of her bedchamber so that she could spy on the amourous couplings of her husband and her lover. It must have been humiliating to know that Diane and Henri eventually gave into King Francois' demands that Henri get his wife with child, and Diane sending her husband upstairs to get his wife, suggesting that he make love to her like a greyhound, and then as soon as the deed was done, return to Diane's arms. Evidently the suggestion worked -- Catherine would have nine children by Henri. Despite this horrible behavior, Catherine would love her husband, still as besotted as when she was a new bride.

When Henri finally became King, Diane remained at his side, recieving properties and becoming his closest confidant and advisor. Henri in turn, championed her, placing their intertwined intials throughout the royal palaces, and having her continually at his side. Diane played her part, creating herself as the goddess of the hunt and the moon, and clearly delighting in the role of uncrowned queen of France. But there was one problem in the relationship -- she was much older than her lover, and what would happen when the years finally caught up with her?

The biggest problem that I had with this was that the author is more than smitten with her leading lady. Continually, she refers to how beautiful, how talented, how good, how noble, how beloved Diane de Poitiers was by everyone. This adulation leaves little room for faults, and the story is certainly one sided -- very little is mentioned if she had any enemies, or if she did anything at all that was wrong. After a while, it does get a bit nauseating to read about. No one likes a perfect person.

Unfortunately, the luckless Catherine de Medici is reduced to the stereotypes of a jealous, bitter wife in this. Little is mentioned of her life after Henri II's death, her elegance and polish, and her love of art and fine living. Instead, Princess Michael doesn't miss an opportunity to refer to Catherine as a dumpy, fat, wife, and how ugly and unattractive she is. Very little is mentioned about Catherine's talents in the arts, or that she was extremely graceful with a sharp wit.

And then, what about the third person in this marriage? Henri II comes across as one of those men who is certainly attractive and charming, but also extremely selfish. His callous treatment of Catherine is certainly dispicable, ignoring her while he went chasing after a woman who was old enough to be his mother.

As far as historical writing goes, this is a very average book. Princess Michael's style is pendantic and repetitious, going over the same track again and again. By the end of the book, I was bored, and very glad to see it end. While there are black and white illustrations throughout the text, and an insert of colour photos, along with the usual notes and bibliography, there's not much that can really save this work.

Instead, I would suggest Leonie Frieda's excellent biography of Catherine di Medici which is much more even handed and sympathetic to read.

Over all, despite some good information and insights, this one gets an average, three star rating for the banality and dullness in this work. Somewhat recommended.

Biased, superfitial, hardly a true Historic account........2006-11-26

This book is a waste of time and a major disapointment . After the recently discovered documents of the period by accredited Historians like Ivan Cloulas you'd expect Kent would deliver a renovated and accurate account of this strange "love" triangle.Nevertheless, Kent gives a biased vision of the story, proving her mediocrity as a Historian.
First of all, I don't understand why the author gets out of her way to prove she is related (very distantly and indirectly if I may add) to Diane and Catherine.How is that relevant to the book? Does that make her a good writer? evidently not.From the beginning she seems to be fascinated by Diane.She even decorates her aparment with black and white colors (the colors of the concubine).The fact that her mother told her about Diane and other "ancestors" instead of using the traditional fairytales is preposterous and out of place.
Long story short, Kent's portrayal of the so called love story is as black and white as her london apartment:Henri II was devoted to Diane because she was a gorgeous woman, inside and out, and Catherine and a fat ugly bitter Italian social climber. First,most sources describe Catherine as a slender princess, pretty much an athlete and a gracious dancer.She was loved by the Valois family upon her arrival in France.It was her close relationship with king Francis I that antagonized her with the future Henri II.It was no secret that Henri hated his father.
Furthermore, Diane's "love" for Henri was a very convenient one: she took countless benefits from him, such as jewels, land and titles.In order words, Diane was a real social climber, very interested in money and improving her political influence.
Finally, Henri was NOT entirely devoted to Diane.He took many other lovers during his life notbaly Filipa Ducci and Lady Fleming.
Catherine belonged to one of the most aristocratic French families on her mother's side; she had land and many titles in France.She didn't need to prove anything to anyone.Diane had a great influence on Henri, but I would hardly call theirs one of the greatest love stories like Kent intends to call it.Diane de Poitiers was no different than other royal mistresses such as Agnes Sorel, Anne d'Etampes, Pompadour and Du Barry, whose "love" for their king was very much conditioned by their love of money and power.
Kent doesn't seem willing to explore such considerations, and that's precisely what makes her book a falsification of History.

A Splendid Review Of An Historial Love Triangle.......2006-10-31

After reading the novel "Courtesean" by Diane Haeger, I was thrilled to discover The Serpent And The Moon. Princess Michael of Kent did an extraordinary job of researching and writing her book, and presented her facts in a nice and easy-to-read manner. Although most feel that she was biased against Catherine de Medici, I found this, in my opinion, to be the opposite. I think Princess Michael was able to present the facts, and she pointed out many attributes of Catherine, such as her ability to become a "quick study" when circumstances called for it. She was noted as being highly fashionable, cultured, and a woman of brains, overall. The proof that she was able to run a country for many years shows Catherine's skills and brilliance. Princess Michael pointed out that Catherine knew balance and how to maintain this when needed, as well as how to be resourcesful. For such a time as Renaissance France, Catherine was no more evil or viscious than anyone else at that time. The author also indicates that she did not exonerate or uphold Diane de Poitiers' behavior or choices in her relationship with King Henri, but wished to present the facts, which she nicely did. I loved this book, and after reading "Courtesan", found that it wrapped up this time in history with an informative overview of how events occurred and the people that influenced them. A "Well Done!!" to Princess Michael.

Even my teacher thought this summer reading was boring........2006-09-11

This book was very boring.

As is obvious from the very start, Princess Michael does nothing but glorify Diane and denounce Catherine on everything from intellect to fashion sense to appearance. It is tremendously biased and one pities Catherine for putting up with her husband's love affair and then, in a book about her own life, being reduced to three words: "Hate and Wait." Henri doesn't even play a large role: he is reduced to the smitten prince of a goddess, his own personality succumbing to the exemplified virtues of his mistress.

HRH has obviously done her research and knows an immense amount of detail on the time period, but that doesn't mean all of it (or any of it) is relevant. Fashion, architecture, and religion are interesting details, but the author wastes whole chapters discussing Henri's grandparents and his father's favorite chateaus. More annoying than the intense prejudice against Catherine is the excruciating detail and redundancy of the beginning and middle chapters. The result is a supernaturally boring account of noble life in the 1500s, not specifically the lives of Henri, Catherine, and Diane. There are so many other minor characters that the reader must constantly flip back to the family tree to get all the players straight--and if you're not familiar with French, forget about it. I think this is Princess Michael's first book, so she hasn't learned how to be concise yet.

Overall, the book is really not worth buying. If you borrow it from the library, read the jacket, the first chapter, and the last chapter and you will get the best part of a supernaturally tedious read.

History at its most entertaining.......2006-07-17

This is one of the few books in English about the intriguing life of Diane de Poiters, mistress of Henri II. Princess Michael handles her material very deftly, giving the reader background of the childhoods of Henri II including his 4-year imprisonment in Spain, Catherine de' Medici his future wife and Diane de Poitiers. The stage is thus set for Henri's strong attraction to Diane and his almost complete lack of interest in Catherine, who, tragically, fell hopelessly in love with Henri at 14 when they were wed. The rivalry between the two women was intense and Princess Michael's treatment of it makes for a page-turning read. A real plus are pages of beautiful color photos of the main figures and places, as well as many black and white pictures of other key persons interspersed throughout. This is an exceedingly well-researched, and as importantly, well-written and engaging book. It rivals popular historical novels for pure entertainment value.

The Lost Queen: Book Two of The Faerie Path

Average customer rating:

Second of a great series!

The Lost Queen: Book Two of The Faerie Path
Frewin Jones
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060871059
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Book Description

Tania is a princess of Faerie.

And now she must return to the Mortal World.

Once upon a time, Tania was an ordinary girl. But then she was swept into another world, where she was the long-lost princess of the elegant and magical court of Faerie, and only she could save the court from great peril.

Now Tania—and her true love, Edric—will go back to the Mortal Realm to seek Queen Titania, lost hundreds of years ago while searching for Tania.

Their return leads to struggles with Tania's much-loved mortal parents and friends as she and Edric try to conceal their secret. But much more serious dangers lurk: The sinister Lord Drake is not yet defeated, they are pursued by dark supernatural forces, and Tania's two worlds are about to collide in amazing and frightening ways she never could have anticipated.

Customer Reviews:

Second of a great series!.......2007-10-10

This books are listed as young adult, but I have enjoyed both of them very much. Very well written, holds your attention and you want more!

Average customer rating:

an awesome read
Guess What?!
Nope nope nope.
A fun kids fantasy
A Short but Fun Fantasy

Of Two Minds (Point Fantasy)
Carol Matas , and Perry Nodelman
Manufacturer: Point Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0590394681

Customer Reviews:

an awesome read.......2006-11-18

This book is thought-provoking and fun to read. It really can make you think about all sorts of random things, and that's one of the reasons that i loved this book so much! It has everything from adventure to (a little) romance. I would recomend this book to any age group and any gender (though i think girls would especially like but that's just me) who likes fantasy and adventure.
~Also recomended: Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer and all of Amelia Atwater-Rhodes' books!

Guess What?!.......2006-01-10

This is such a great book! As a (...), I found this book fun, exciting, and a kind of mystery. If you don't like guessing, or tyring to figure out the plot, this book isn't for you. This book keeps you guessing 'til the very end. My sister, who is 10, also fell in love with this book. The number one reason I read this book is because it has a strong beginning. A little confusing, but strong. A great book that keeps you guessing.

Nope nope nope........2004-02-08

I really cant explain much of this book becuase I didnt even finish it. About halfway through i couldnt take it. I was confused and though it was very slow.

A fun kids fantasy.......2003-01-30

Sixteen year old Lenora is a headstrong, brave and rather spoiled princess who lives in a world where everyone has the power to make the things they imagine real. Unfortunately for Lenora, using this power is strictly forbidden, not that it stops her much. Shy and logical Prince Coren lives in a world where everyone has the powers to read everyone else's mind, a power that he would do anything to get rid of. When Lenora and Coren discover that they're arranged to be married, none of them are too happy about it. Lenora is furious. She doesn't see why she's supposed to marry this boring boy that she's never met before. In an attempt to run away she ends up throwing herself in a completely different world. Unfortunately she accidentally brings Coren around with her. Everything seems perfect in this world to Lenora, from the people to the dashing ruler, Hevak. Coren is a bit more cautious. Everything seems to perfect. It's this caution that ends up getting him in trouble. Now Lenora's the only one who can save him. That is if she can resist the persuasive powers of Hevek.

Although this book isn't all that advanced it's still an original and entertaining work of fantasy. The plot is fast paced, exciting, and easy to get addicted to. The different worlds are wonderful and very well described. The only problem I really see with it are the characters are awfully underdeveloped and flat. They don't seem to grow too much through the book. But since this is a series, that could be fixed in the next four books. I'm very interested in reading the other books in the quartet, the next one being More Minds. I would recommend this to younger readers and older readers looking for a fun escapism book.

A Short but Fun Fantasy.......2002-08-09

Everyone in the kingdom of Gespeth has the ability to make things real by imagining them. For example, if they wish to remove a stain from their clothes, all they have to do is imagine the cloth stainless and it will instantly become so. Lenora, a headstrong and beautiful princess, has a stronger from of this gift than most people.

Everyone in a neighboring kingdom (I can't remember the name right now)can read minds. They can enter someone's mind and speak to them, and they can extract information by reading the minds of people without this gift. Coren, a not-so-handsome and somewhat of a weakling prince who just wants a normal life, doesn't like this reading minds business. He feels it is wrong to invade someone's privacy, partly because everybody keeps on invading his. So, he decides that he will not read minds unless invited to.

When the monarchs of these kingdoms plan a wedding between Coren and Lenora, things start going wrong.

Not wanting to marry Coren, Lenora runs away and somehow ends up taking Coren with her. There, the two encounter what seems to be a perfect world, but they soon discover that that's not what it is. It is ruled by a man name Hevak who is controlling the minds of the people there.

Together, Coren and Lenora must defeat Hevak. And this would be a lot easier if they actually got along....

Book Description

Mile 2 books offer word play and pattern stories to keep beginners hooked, and 2-3 lines of text per page to keep them challenged., , During a thunderstorm, Barbie tells her frightened sisters, Kelly and Stacie, a story through ideas she gets by looking at different objects in her room. Through this story, Barbie takes her sisters away on a magical adventure that is sure to please any Barbie fan. , ,

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Independent reading for Grade 1........2003-01-27

Must have for Barbie fans! Read aloud for 4-5 yr old. Independent reading for 6 yr old. Too easy for 7 or 8 yr old.

Pagan in Exile: Book Two of the Pagan Chronicles (Pagan)

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Disturbing and sometimes violent--yes. But still a stunning read
Great book, but...
Thought-provoking, tear-jerking, and hard to put down

Pagan in Exile: Book Two of the Pagan Chronicles (Pagan)
Catherine Jinks
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0763626910
Release Date: 2005-02-03

Book Description

"The setting is medieval, but the issues addressed have twenty-first century parallels. . . . Jinks's writing is the tour de force of young adult prose." —VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES

The year is 1188, and Jerusalem is in the hands of the Infidel. Upstanding Crusaders and their squires — like Lord Roland Roucy de Bram and Pagan Kidrouk — are returning to Europe, hoping to rally more knights to their cause. The sardonic young Pagan expects Lord Roland's family to be the picture of fortitude and good manners, but he's in for a rude awakening. Brutish and unfeeling, the de Bram clan cares nothing for the Crusades, or indeed for anything outside their neighborhood in France. Meanwhile, local unrest is brewing. Church authorities are duking it out with the de Brams over a group of "heretics" living nearby. And now Pagan and Roland, sworn to defend Christianity, are left to decide for themselves who to stand by — and whom to trust.

Customer Reviews:

Disturbing and sometimes violent--yes. But still a stunning read.......2005-06-28

What's everybody staring at?
All right, so you've never seen an Arab before. Is that any reason to stare? My hair's not green. My skin's not blue. It might be darker than yours, but dark skin is quite normal in my country. So I'm short. So what? I'm not that short. I'm tall enough to see over my own knees. Anyone would think I had a giant candle-snuffer growing out of my forehead.
Look at that fellow there, gawking away. Face like a gob of spittle, and he's staring at ME. Why don't you get yourself a mirror, Spitface, if you really want something to stare at.
A one-armed child makes a rude gesture. Runs away as I poke out a viciously threatening tongue. No backbone, the little coward.
"Pagan." Roland's voice is cold and stern. (Doesn't want his squire eroding the dignity of his arrival.) "Please behave yourself."

The year is 1188 and the infidels have conquered Jeruaslem. Pagan, forced into exile, is accompanying his master, Lord Roland, to the castle of Bram, Roland's home. But the castle, cold, dark and filthy, is not Pagan's idea of how lords live and neither is Roland's family anything like the type of family Pagan imagines someone as noble and dignified as Roland should have.

Pagan is soon caught up in violent clashes between both family members and the family and their neighbours. At the heart of the bloody feud stands Esclaramonde, a highly principled woman whose enigmatic character and heretical religious beliefs both disturb and attract Roland, while Pagan himself finds that he too has unpalatable truths to confront.

I am absolutely bowled over by Catherine Jinks's writing style. She must have done a huge amount of research before writing the Pagan books to be able to create such a wonderful portrait of mediaeval life in so few words. The excerpt quoted above (which is the beginning of the book) is a good example of prose that literally cries to be read aloud. If you are a secondary-school teacher I urge you to try these books on your class.

Great book, but..........2005-04-24

I gave it four instead of five stars because of some suggestive themes in the book. (Adultery and homosexuality) I liked this book, except for the things mentioned. Other than that, it was worth my time.

Thought-provoking, tear-jerking, and hard to put down.......2004-09-18

Jerusalem has fallen to the soldiers of Saladin. Pagan Kidrouk and his master, Lord Roland Roucy de Bram, are in Lord Roland's homeland seeking knights for a new Crusade to free the holiest of cities from the hands of the infidel. It is hard to know what Lord Roland's squire expected in his master's home in the south of France, but it certainly was not what they find when they arrive.

Lord Roland's father, brothers and their families and retainers live in such squalor and have such uncouth manners and ways that Pagan is appalled. How can his almost saintly master come from such a family? It is clearly a waste of time to think that this crowd of unbelieving savages will have any interest in freeing Jerusalem from the clutches of the infidel. Pagan is all for leaving as quickly as possible. He also begins to worry about the effect that Lord Roland's family is having on his master. They are like a disease, corrupting and evil, and Pagan wants to get his master away from their influence as soon as he can. Surely Roland cannot be continuing to hope to "civilize" his family and gain their support for his cause?

The situation then becomes very complicated when a local dispute breaks out between Lord Roland's father and the nearby abbey. People are killed and Lord Roland cannot bring himself to leave until he has done his best to find a resolution to the problem. However, the stubbornness of the Abbot and of Lord Roland's father is such that the dispute only escalates.

Pagan is the most honest of narrators. His voice is funny and vibrant, and it gives us a vivid picture of his world, which is often dreadfully realistic. His first hunt leaves him sick at heart and in the stomach, and there is no doubt that the living conditions in Lord Roland's childhood home disgust the boy from Jerusalem. The people who live in that home don't impress him either. They are cruel, crude, often barbaric, and have very little respect for anyone outside their family circle. Pagan has such a wonderful sense of the ironic. He sees the things in life that make it pitiful on the one hand, and yet worth living on the other. He also sees the greatness in people, and his love for his master is complete. For Lord Roland, he will risk his life again and again and overcome his greatest fears. By the end of the book it is very hard not to feel great pride for this street boy from Palestine who has such a sharp tongue, quick wit, and big heart.

Catherine Jinks has once again given us a book that is difficult to put down, is often deeply disturbing, and leaves one wondering what Pagan and his master will do next. The savagery and often barbarity of the times can be difficult to read about, as well as the hypocrisy of the so-called men of God. There certainly are parallels with our own times, where men kill in the name of religion, failing to see that in so doing, they defile the very faith they profess to follow. Thought-provoking, even tear-jerking, this second book in the Pagan Chronicles series is highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber, editor of Through The Looking Glass Children's Book Review (www.lookingglassreview.com).

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Two Years In The Forbidden City
Princess Der Ling
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Princess Dar Ling's chronicle of life at court.

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Princess Dar Ling's chronicle of life at court.

8 Titles By Krantz - Lovers - Scruples - Scruples Two - Jewels of Tessa Kent - Till We Meet Again - I'll Take Manhattan - Mistral's Daughter - Princess Daisy

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8 Titles By Krantz - Lovers - Scruples - Scruples Two - Jewels of Tessa Kent - Till We Meet Again - I'll Take Manhattan - Mistral's Daughter - Princess Daisy
Judith Krantz
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: B000NTL692

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8 massmarket paperback Titles By Krantz - Lovers - Scruples - Scruples Two - Jewels of Tessa Kent - Till We Meet Again - I'll Take Manhattan - Mistral's Daughter - Princess Daisy

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