The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

This starts out in typical medieval fantasy fashion. Young girl grows up in extreme poverty, disaster strikes and she loses what little she had, nearly dies, is rescued, finds a new found talent and uses it to rescue her people. Even though it's not a fresh idea, the story is pleasant to read. Emmeline is the damsel in distress and Owen is her longed for love. And there is the typical ruthless bad guy (or bad queen in this case) who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. 

It was an average fantasy story with romance weaved in. I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but probably won't pick it up again. 

Recommend: Sure.

Young adult fiction, fantasy, magic, evil queen.

Books in 2023

 As I looked back and counted up the books I've read in 2023 I was a bit surprised to see the low number of 27, with 6 of them rereads. Of the first time reads here are my top picks: 

• Beauty Reborn by Elizabeth Lowham
• Eyes of the Forest by April Henry
• 23 Minutes by Vivian Vande Velde
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Skull by Jon Klassen

 Jon Klassen is an author/illustrator of children's picture books. His books are unexpected and surprising and just really good. In 2013 he won the Caldecott Medal as the author/illustrator of This is Not My Hat and in 2015 an Caldecott Honor as the illustrator of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett. 

Over the holidays I was in a bookstore browsing with my son (an activity I need to do much more often) and saw this book by Klassen. I immediately picked it up added it to my "look for it at my public library list". This book is more of a chapter book format and not so much like a picture book. It is a very quick read, just 103 pages, with not a lot of text on each page. He took this from a Tyrolean Folktale. Tyrol is state in Austria, so it's essentially an Austrian tale. He put his own spin on it and includes in the Author's Note how his story differs from the original tale. 

The story left me with lots of questions that I discussed with two of my boys as they read it as well. But I don't believe a good book should give you all the answers, just lead you to imagine and discuss the possibilities. 

Recommend: yes please!

Children's fiction, illustrations, runaway girl, skeleton. 

A Hidden Magic by Vivian Vande Velde

 Christmas morning as a child always had my father receiving a book and him reading and finishing the book on Christmas Day. Like father, like daughter. My sister gave me this book, which I have read in the distant past, and which I was all too happy to read again today. Vivian Vande Velde is a favorite of my fantasy authors. It's a quick read, but oh so enjoyable. 

This story mixes bits of many fairy tales: Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, to name a few. Like all fairy tales it has a moral and a nice one at that. Don't judge a book (or a person) by it's cover. 

Recommend: yes.

Children's fiction, fantasy, forest, magic. 

The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland

I was motivated the other day to spend the morning cooking: bread, burrito filling, chicken breasts, etc. and I wanted to listen to something. As I scrolled through my Libby app I saw this title and was intrigued as one of the reviews said it was for fans of the series Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. Perfect, I thought, my time in the kitchen cooking will fly by as I listen. 

It is similar to Fablehaven in that it involves a secret place where magical and mythical animals are safely kept. And of course, there are those who want to expose them and who want to close down these safe havens. There are three young people who will do almost anything to keep them safe and adults who seem to not mind that they are often put in danger. Besides the basics in the plot line, that is where the similarity ends. The Menagerie plods along. I wouldn't call it boring, but it's also not exciting!  It was a bit wordy for my tastes and the main characters were a bit blah. I wouldn't recommend it to a reluctant young reader, but for an avid young reader of fantasy it may be fine. 

Recommend: not really

Children's fiction, fantasy, mythical animals

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

 My teenage daughter loves to read teenage romance novels and gushes about them to me when she is finished. She bought this one while at a bookstore with her brother. I picked it up and read it in nearly one night as I was waiting up for her to come home from her Homecoming date. It was pretty average and I admit I did enjoy the storyline and the characters, at least they kept me awake past midnight!

Liz is a hopeless romantic being raised watching rom-coms with her mother. Sadly, her mother passes away and those romance movies are Liz's connection with her mother. She frames all her relationships in the context of her beloved movies. Liz has a best friend who tries to ground her in reality and a neighbor, Wes, who tormented her as a child and continues to do so as a teenager. Between these two Liz starts to see things as they really are and is able to deal with the continued sadness of missing her mother and finds her happy ending. 

Recommend: Yes

Young Adult fiction, realistic fiction, romance, loss of a parent

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore by Kelly Jones

 Browsing my library's online library I saw this title and was especially interested when the summary compared it favorably to one of my favorite titles, Sorcery and Cecilia by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia Wrede. I enjoy a bit of magic and mystery intertwined with some romance with a backdrop of regency England. 

The story started out well, but after at least 6 or 7 chapters I was still waiting for something to happen. A few more chapters and still not a lot of action. The characters were fine and the setting up of the plot seemed to work well and had great potential. But I was disappointed overall. It seemed the book was in need of a fast forward button to get to the suspense and intrigue which all happened in the last few chapters. 

Recommend: Probably not

Mystery, magic, fantasy, regency England