Into the Woods

A Walk in Wolf Wood

By Mary Stewart

Genre: Fantasy

Wonderful time-travel shenanigans in the fourteenth century, told by one of the best Arthurian fantasy writers. A quick read for an afternoon or savoured over a week, this book is light and fun.

John and Margaret are eating a picnic with their parents on a lazy, hot summer's day when they see an unusually dressed figure stumble into the woods. They follow and are transported back in time. It is their mission to cure the cursed unusual man, who is the wolf of Wolf Wood, and save the king from an imposter.

Part of my friend reading challenge, A Walk in Wolf Wood was a delight. One can still enjoy books aimed for youth when they are in their adulthood. If I had found this book as a child, I would have worshipped it and probably would have tried to travel back in time through the woods in our own backyard.

I loved the world and the magical curse of the strange man. It's a story of strong friendship and not being afraid to seek help.

I only wish that John and Margaret's characters had been less cardboard. They felt stiff and boring. I know Stewart is more than capable of enchanting characters. The secondary characters, the king, the evil sorcerer, and the werewolf, were infinitely more interesting.

3.5 STARS

Classroom: This would be a great tie-in story for a Medieval topic. However, be cautious about using books with magic in them. 10+

What's your Grace?

Graceling

By Kristin Cashore

Genre: Fantasy

Kick-butt female character. Swoon-worthy companion. Saving a kingdom from an evil ruler. YES, PLEASE!

Katsa has been gifted with a grace. In the kingdoms where she lives, a grace can be any talent – cooking, sewing, fighting, and in her case, killing. The king, her uncle, has put her grace to his own use. But Katsa doesn't want to be the king's personal assassin. Refusing to do his work, she runs away with a new friend, Po to solve a series of mysterious rumours coming out of a neighbouring kingdom. When there, they find that their troubles have only just begun.

How did I go past this book for six years?! My favourite type of story is one where a girl is fighting to keep a kingdom from falling apart. So if you like those stories, pick this book up definitely. I am now putting the next two books in the series on my “to be read” list.

Can we just talk about Po? Po has to be my favourite character in a long time. In fact, he's a new favourite book boyfriend. But really, he's the only person in the kingdom that can spar with Katsa without her having to hold back. In fighting, they are evenly matched. He is intriguing, exotic, intuitive, and hilarious.

Yes, yes, I liked Katsa too. She didn't have it all figured out, but damned if she wasn't going to get her way. The world built slowly. I want more.

5 STARS

Classroom: Not for classroom. Somewhat descriptive romance scenes. 13+

Fresh Fairy Tale

Keturah & Lord Death

By Martine Leavitt

Genre: Fantasy

A story of life and love, death and triumph. A fairy tale in an ordinary world with an extraordinary character at the heart of it.

Keturah is young and beautiful. When she ventures off into the forest, chasing the Lord's prized white Hart, she encounters Death. This is not the first time she has met him. He has been intrigued by her and he has followed her her whole life. However, this time he refuses to let her go. She uses quick thinking to tell him a tale, for she is a gifted story-teller, and refuses to tell him the ending unless he gives her one more day.

A lovely piece of writing, I read slowly, enjoying every sip. Fairy tales are back in fashion and many authors rewrite and rehash the old ones – Grimm Brothers and Anderson. Leavitt, instead, creates her own (with a nod to Scheherazade).

Not sure if you can see the cover clearly with the image I've attached, but I didn't notice this on my own copy until halfway though the book. There's the figure of Keturah in the red dress, but then opposite, on the left side, is a dark, shadowy figure of Death in a riding cloak and hat.

4 STARS

Classroom: From experience, most boys would not enjoy this book. Independent reading for 12+.

First Year Fan

Fangirl

By Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Contemporary

Currently in your first year of university? Perhaps university was years ago, but you don't mind reminiscing? Maybe you're in grade 12, getting ready to leave the home nest and experience university? Read this book.

Cath is in her first year. Her twin sister, Wren, has always been by her side, but now is pulling away and loving her independence. When real life is too much and Cath feels like she's alone, she escapes to the fantasy world of Simon Snow (a fictional book series, similar to Harry Potter). Not only is she a super fan and plasters her dorm with many posters of her favourite character, but she writes fan-fiction online and is somewhat famous.

I feel like this book is catered to those who: take a while to blossom; feel awkward in every social interaction; have a passion that's isolating and unrelateable to non-fans (muggles, psh); has/is experienced/experiencing their first year at university.

Normally, I do not read contemporary. This was not necessarily my cup of tea, but the book served to remind me that we are not alone is our self-perceived inept-ness. It took me back to my first year. I hid in my room. I refused to talk to people. I felt so uncomfortable in my own skin that it took until the end of the year to fully emerge.

The main character is moving from her teen years to young-adult and the transition is less than smooth. In fact, I'm pretty sure everyone has these bumps and we all believe that no one else is sharing our pain. That's exactly what Rowell captures perfectly in this novel. Not only is Cath struggling with her own identity, her family dynamics are changing much faster than she can adjust. Her social life too, is picking up especially when she meets Nick and Levi.

Delightful, quirky, relateable, laugh-out-loud, smile-inducing, and a sigh-worthy ending.

4.5 STARS

Classroom: As this is a book geared toward university-aged students, I would only recommend this to students in their 12^th year.