Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Rating: 8 out of 10
Summary: When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.

As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren’s two suitors—one welcome, and the other decidedly less so—brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.

With Shannon Hale’s lyrical language, this forgotten but classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise. (From book jacket).

My Thoughts: I liked this one very much! I finished 4 books this weekend and this was the only one that was actually worth my time at all. It’s written in journal form–the “Book of a Thousand Days” is the main character Dashti’s journal, or “book of thoughts”, as she calls it. It’s based on a fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm. I know I’ve read it before, but I can’t recall what the original one was called.

Dashti was a great heroine, very funny and original. Her mistress, Lady Saren, I just didn’t care very much for. Always crying and whining and so scared–but she came through in the end.

The plot moved along very well, and the romance was very sweet and fulfilling. Lots of adventure and colorful characters, great background and world-building. It seemed so unlikely to have a happy ending, but Hale managed to execute one perfectly–nothing horribly Deus ex Machina. Everything made sense and came together. Great ending.

Wolfcry by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Rating: 4 out of 10
Summary: Oliza Shardae Cobriana is heir to Wyvern’s Court, home of the avians and serpiente, whose war with each other ended just before Oliza was born. But hatred is slow to die, and not everyone likes the expressive way in which Urban, a serpiente dancer, is courting Oliza–especially not Marus, her reserved avian suitor. And when Urban is found beaten in avian land, Oliza is filled with despair. How can she be expected to lead a unified society if her people still cannot live peacefully together?

Before Oliza can try to mend the rift in Wyvern’s Court, she is kidnapped by mercenaries, who take her deep into wolves’ territory. As Wyvern princess, all Oliza has ever wanted is to see a future where she can find love and take a mate without inciting another war. The time is now. She owes it to her people–and to herself. (From book jacket).

Commentary: I liked some of the earlier books by Atwater-Rhodes, but not so much this one. What was really interesting was that the main romance for the protagonist, Oliza, was a same-sex romance–a lesbian pairing. I’ve never read anything with a homosexual love story, but I think the author handled it okay. I couldn’t get very involved in it because I had a hard time understanding a woman’s feelings for another woman, but that’s just me.

It was slightly confusing and jumped around a lot in several parts, to the point where I had no idea what was going on. The culminating plot point (spoilers) where Oliza orchestrated her own kidnapping and fake abdication because of the horrible futures she saw where she was involved, was a pretty good idea. However, it wasn’t very well executed.

This is the fourth in a series beginning with Hawksong, which I read several years ago and liked pretty well. None of the others in the series have held up to it, though–in fact, none of the later stuff by Atwater-Rhodes has really held up in my opinion. I’ll probably stop reading her newer books after this.

Water Song: A Retelling of “The Frog Prince” by Suzanne Weyn

Rating: 5 out of 10
Summary: Young, beautiful, and wealthy, Emma Pennington is accustomed to a very comfortable life. Although war rages abroad, she hardly feels its effect. She and her mother travel from their home in Britain to the family estate in Belgium, never imagining that the war could reach them there. But it does.Soon Emma finds herself stranded in a war-torn country, utterly alone. Enemy troops fight to take over her estate, leaving her with no way to reach her family, and no way out.

With all of her attention focused on survival and escape, Emma hardly expects to find love. But the war will teach her that life is unpredictable, people aren’t always what they seem, and magic is lurking everywhere. (From book jacket).

Commentary: The only reason I finished this was because it was a mere 195 pages. Definitely catering to the pre-teen, adolescent set of girl readers. Premise was eh, romance was eh, characters were eh. It was a really good idea that didn’t make it very far. I really like retellings of old fairy tales, and this was one of a series called “Once Upon A Time”, yes, very creative, but the earlier ones published in the series were quite good. This one… not so much.

Sex with the Queen by Eleanor Herman

Rating: 5 out of 10
Summary: In royal courts bristling with testosterone–swashbuckling generals, polished courtiers, and virile cardinals–how did repressed regal ladies find happiness?

-Anne Boleyn flirted with courtiers; Catherine Howard slept with one. Henry VIII had both of them beheaded.
-Catherine the Great had her idiot husband murdered and ruled the Russian empire with a long list of sexy young favorites.
-Marie Antoinette fell in love with the handsome Swedish count Axel Fersen, who tried valiantly to rescue her from the guillotine.
-Princess Diana gave up her palace bodyguard to enjoy countless love affairs, which tragically led to her early death.

In this impeccably researched, scandalously readable follow-up to her New York Times bestseller Sex with Kings, Eleanor Herman reveals the truth about what has historically gone on behind the closed door of the queen’s boudoir. (From book jacket).

What I think: Mildly entertaining. Learned a lot of interesting facts. The story of Sophie Dorothea, crown Princess of Hanover, and her lover the Swedish (?) Count Philip von Konigsmark (sp?) was very tragic.

I was also unaware Princess Diana had so many lovers. I guess this public image of her pure, do-good, generous, princess-y heart was the one I thought was true. It seems like she was really unhappy.

Book was fine. The author took some liberty depicting the love affairs, I suppose, but what can you expect.

Snow

It’s snowing! We also have crazy wind so the snowflakes aren’t just drifting down, but flying all over the place.

I had car trouble last night and didn’t make it home until almost midnight. It was quite frustrating. Good thing friends were still there and could give me a ride.

I’ve been listening to the album The Reminder by Feist a lot lately. I thought it was kind of boring at first, but now I’m really enjoying it.