The Queen of the Tearling: A Story of Trials

"A young woman, a kingdom, an evil enemy, a birthright foretold..."  A young woman named Kelsea Raleigh Glynn is raised in exile.  Her mother, the foolish Queen Elyssa, has had many assassination attempts on her life, and has sent her daughter away to grow up under the protection of Barty and Carlin.  On her nineteenth birthday, Kelsea has to leave the little cottage that she has grown up in, that has been her home for as long as she can remember, to be escorted back to The Keep by the Queen's Guard to claim her rightful place as the Queen of Tearling.   In the years since Kelsea first left the keep, her mother has died, and her uncle has become the king and joined forces with the greatest enemy of Tearling, Red Queen of Mortmesne.  Kelsea's uncle attempts to have her assassinated during her coronation, yet he fails and is thrown out of the Keep.  Kelsea immediately begins her reign as queen, changing all that she can, trying to make her kingdom a better place.  Being the queen comes with many trails and burdens, though: love, hatred, loyalty, betrayal. Will Kelsea be able to overcome those who stand in her way and become the True Queen, or will she let the betrayals bring her down and end her rule? 

Book Reviews:

"The book The Queen of the Tearling, by Erika Johansen, was, overall, a really intriguing and addictive book.   The intricately woven plot full of mystery and dazzling magic pulls the reader in from the start.  Johansen takes the faults of our world today, and turns them into a story that portrays what our world could be like in the future, mainly with the deterioration of our country.  She uses vivid imagery to set the scene throughout the story, and really seems to be able to connect with all of her characters.  The characters are able to overcome trials, grief,  heartbreak, and powerlessness.  Johansen sets the story in a world of reality, and then throws in just enough fantastical aspects to keep the story interesting.  From beginning to end, the book keeps the reader on the edge of their seat; such a deliciously brilliant book!" -- Aramatta Davisson

 “Erika Johansen bursts onto the fantasy scene with a page-turner full of adventure, sorcery, swords, and politics -- not to mention a clever heroine with guts and conviction to spare. The Queen of the Tearling kept me up way past my bedtime, and left me wanting more!” -- Helene Wecker, New York Times bestselling author of The Golem and the Jinni

Recommendations:

This book is recommended to anyone who enjoys a book with a strong female lead, full of action and adventure, and with a plot that keeps you turning the pages. Anyone who enjoys dystopian or fantastical novels would really enjoy this book.

Similar authors include  Stacey Jay and  George R.R. Martin .

Content:

This book is recommended for mature audiences.  It contains explicit content, which may be unappealing and may take away from the overall greatness of the book for some readers, such as myself.  Aside from this, though, the thick plot unravels to reveal some greater content that makes you think about how you are living your life, and how that might affect the future of our country, of our world.

 Links:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18712886-the-queen-of-the-tearling

http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062290366/the-queen-of-the-tearling

http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_26273569/erika-johansens-queen-tearling-was-fantasy-written-myself

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-queen-of-the-tearling-erika-johansen/1117136196?ean=9780062290366

Flowers in the Attic

Summary: One book that our theme of overcoming grief is shown in is Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews. Flowers in the Attic is a book about four children who lose their father. After their father dies their whole lives get turned upside down. They have to go live with a mean grandmother who doesn't want her husband to know that the kids exist. They are locked in a room and the only way for them to even be able to make sound is to go into the attic. The attic is a large cold room with tons of books, old clothes, and other knick-knacks. The oldest, Chris, has a younger sister, Cathy, and they have two younger siblings that are twins, Corey and Carrie. Because their grandfather doesn't like their mother or even know that the kids themselves exist, their mother abandons them and tries to regain the grandfather’s trust. Since the mother is gone they are left with only a little bit of cold left over food given to them by a very strict grandmother, who will jump on any opportunity she gets to beat or whip them. Since the grandmother is scared of small spaces and doesn't like going into the attic, the four kids often escape to the little taste of the outdoors they made for themselves in the attic. Chris and Cathy made flowers and trees and animals out of paper to make a little garden in the attic. Corey and Carrie help by making little animals as well, but they aren't as good and Chris and Cathy’s. This little fake garden they made would be the closest they got to the outdoors for years.

How did the grief affect them? Grief plays an important role in this book because their father dies and his death causes them to relocate because they lose all their money and need somewhere to go. They mourn over their father the whole time, saying things like none of this would have happened if he never died. They never blame him for his death or anything; they just wish things were different. Their grief affects them deeply because if their father would have never died then they wouldn't be locked away in the attic and none of this horrible stuff would have ever happened. Their father’s death is something they never truly get over. Eventually, however, they just stop talking about him, and Chris, whose full name is Christopher and was named after his father, doesn't like being called Christopher anymore and wants to be called Chris instead. 

How did their life change because of the grief? Their life changed because of this experience because they became more mature and grown up than they were before their father died. They all learned to not take things for granite and they all learned how important they are to each other. They all learned to love. 

How did they deal with the grief? They dealt with it by just telling themselves to get over it and eventually just never speaking of him the grandmother also did not like their father and forced them not to speak of him ever. 

Who would I recommend this book to? I recommend this book to people who like drama and romance. Flowers in the Attic is a sad, tragic book that is a great read. 

http://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Attic-Dollanganger-V-C-Andrews/dp/0671729411 This is a link to Amazon.com to buy the book Flowers in the Attic

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43448.Flowers_in_the_Attic This is a link to goodreads.com where you can find more reviews of the book

Counting by Sevens Review

                                                

                                                       *****Counting by Sevens*****  

     ---Summary---
    The book Counting by Sevens author, Holly Goldberg Sloan, tells an amazing story  through the eyes of a misfit  genius. Her story of courage, fear, joy, sadness and everything in-between is inspiring and moving. Willow is the brilliant outsider that is not your average twelve year old. After being accused of cheating on the state exam when she earns a perfect score, Willow is sent to the lazy school counselor and meets new friends that she finds interesting, a gaping tangent from the rest of her life. Little does she know that far away her parents are driving home, that far away a brutal car crash just took place and puts Willow into the hands of her newfound friends' family. Soon, Willow begins to affect everyone around her in amazing ways that change their lives forever even as she struggles to re-build her own. 




    ---The Cause of Grief---

    Willow Chance is a twelve year old genius who fits in nowhere but her house.  And when she loses her two parents even that goes away. After a tragic car wreck Willow is sent into a state of being lost, her school counselor and the efforts to find her a new foster family can't change that.

--- How it Affected Them---

   Willow goes quiet. She finds no happiness in the things that used to entertain her and rarely eats or sleeps. She becomes extremely depressed, ignoring everyone around her including her school counselor and  the family that agreed to temporarily bring her in. Those close to her begin to wonder if she will ever  be the same.

---How Their Life Changed Because of It---

      Through the combined efforts of her foster family and the school counselor Willow begins to find happiness in the little things. Like the garden in front of her apartment building, the skylight in her room and the family that brought her in. She learns that family doesn't have to be through blood to have meaning in your heart.  

---The Author's Goal--- 

     Reading this book you learn many things. You learn how your life affects others' even when you don't want it to. And I believe the author was trying to show how,  through a series of amazing characters, and their point of views on Willow and how she changed it. 

---My Rating--- 



  




  This review is missing a half a star only because it is a major tearjerker and I cried in class, if you read this book in public remember to bring tissues. Or say it was allergies. Overall, this is an amazing book that is brilliantly written. It's an emotional roller-coaster that you can't put down and you will remember for the rest of your life. Thumbs up to Holly Goldberg Sloan. 

---Recommended---

 When this book leaves you thinking you won't be able to ever feel the way you did reading this book ever again, I'm here to prove you wrong. 

  Out of My Mind 
By: Sharon M. Draper


   Melody is not like the other people at her school. She is a prisoner inside her own body due to the cerebral palsy she was born with. But, just because she is physically challenged doesn't mean she is mentally. Her mind is like a camera, and she is smarter then most of the doctors and teachers trying to say she isn't ready for anything above a kindergarten level education. Will she ever find a voice? And when she does will others be ready to hear it? 

      The Fault in Our Stars
    By: John Green 

   Hazel Grace Lancaster was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer when she was thirteen. But, thanks to a medicinal miracle she has bought herself a couple years and is now a college student. When a worrying mother sends her to the Cancer Kid Support Group Hazel meets the love of her life, Augustus Waters and they go on an amzing journey through love and life. 

   Like Counting by Sevens these feature inspiring storylines, a well written plot, and characters that you will fall in love with every time you read it again. These books are ones  that you won't be able to put down. A common theme  that these books focus on is defying the stereotypes that society has set for these characters because they are different, or limited physically. If you are a person with a heart, that loves being invested in a book until it seems like you are part of it.....well my friend you are in luck because these books will exceed your highest expectations.


   Wondering what you will do with your life for the next ten minutes? Check out these awesome links/videos:


Counting by Sevens official website


If you don't want to read all this watch this *SPOILERS*


Out of My Mind book trailer



The Fault in Our Stars official movie trailer



  *Credit to Google Images for the book covers 




 

†  †  †  †  †  Champion  †  †  †  †  †

       WARNING: The following book review may spoil the first two books of the Legend series!

               Just a refresher; in the first two books of the Legend series by Marie Lu, we meet two people, a girl named June, and a guy named Day. June is a pristine fifteen year-old girl in the upper class sector of Los Angeles, meanwhile Day is a man on the run, only seventeen. Both scored perfect on an aptitude test given to kids at age twelve. Day was the first person to ever get a perfect score, and in term, ended up in a lab with scientists nearly killing him. Day escapes, but he becomes hunted by the Republic, due to his rebellious ways. The Republic learned from their mistakes with Day, and when June earned her perfect score, she was sent to the most pretentious military academy in the country, scoring grades higher than those twice her age. Day and June meet, after June's brother, Metias, was murdered, and the murderer, Thomas, frames Day for the crime. June comes after Day, and pretends to be his friend, however the fake friendship turns into a true alliance when they realize the Republic has been releasing a plague onto the poor sectors for years. 

               Summary: Once we reach the third book, things take a drastic turn for the worst. The Colonies have gone crazy, accusing the Republic of releasing the plague onto their people. Meanwhile, the Republic is in chaos. The poor sectors believe the Republic is holding Day, an icon of hope. The Elector of the Republic has just died in the previous book, leaving his son, Anden, hardly an adult, to pick up and take hold of the Republic. With not many options left, the fate of the Republic is in brittle hands. Day has become ill, and is left to make choices between protecting what's left of his family, or the Republic.


               Grievances in the series: There are many cases in the series where death of someone close to a character occurs. Death happens between all of the prime characters in the series, and it causes many changes in the characters. Metias, June's brother was murdered in the first book by Thomas. Day's mom, brother and even father were all brought down by the hands of the Republic, just in the first book of the series. If that wasn't enough death, let us not forget Anden's dad, the previous Elector, also died during the book. These losses cause drastic effects throughout the rest of the series.


               How loss affected characters, both good and bad: With the death of Metias, June's curiosity towards the Republic's government sparked up. In the beginning, we know she thought it was Day, as she believed Thomas' accusation of the matter. This affected Day, because due to this misconception, his mother was murdered right in front of him. The death of June's brother sparked a chain reaction, first Metias, then Day's mother, and then finally John, Day's older brother, brought down. 


               How their losses affected them in the long term: The deaths of these characters affected people harshly in the long term. Anden was basically pushed to the highest seat in the Republic's government at such a young age, forced to make decisions that hurt him and the people around him. Day as well, changed drastically beginning with the death of his father. Day blamed the Republic, and that sorrow and coldness towards the Republic is what sparked a rebellion. His face became the icon of a new chance at life for people of the poor sectors, and even people from the high sectors.


               Is the Legend series for you?: The Legend series is a great series for people who are into dystopian type novels, as well as action and adventure novels. Series in these genres include Divergent, Maze Runner and The Hunger Games. This book was written by someone who is quite young, so a lot of the writing is relatable to people who fit into the young adult novel category, while the point of views of the characters are still realistic to their age group. 


Other books by Marie Lu:   

The Young Elites is the origin story of a villain. It is set in an alternate fantasy version of Renaissance Italy. After the equivalent of the Black Death sweeps through the world, a few survivors come out of the illness with supernatural powers. The main character, Adelina, is essentially the teenage girl version of Darth Vader or Magneto—the story chronicles her downfall into darkness.



Click HERE to read an interview about the final book!

AND

Click HERE to follow Marie Lu on Tumblr for updates about both the Legend series and her new series, The Young Elites, which came out two days ago, as of the date I published this blog entry!