Ella Enchanted

Ella Enchanted

 Gail Carson Levine

rating: 9

How can a fairy's blessing be such a curse?  At her birth, Ella of Frell was given a foolish fairy's gift - the "gift" of obedience.  Ella must obey any order given to her, wether it's hopping on one foot for a day or chopping off her own head!  

But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate.  She goes on a quest, encountering ogres, giant, wicked stepsister, fairy godmothers, and handsome princes, determined to break the curse - and live happily ever after. 

I remember feeling very brave when I plucked this book off of the library shelf.  I was about 12 and hadn't read many fiction/fairytale books, so this was a big step and I don't think that I could have chosen any better.  

Although written at a lower reading level, Ella Enchanted is one of my very favorite fantasy/fiction books, the story is just so good!  It's a perfect twist on a classic fairytale (Cinderella) that doesn't feel like it was being completely re-written.  Plus, there isn't much romance, which is always something that I worry will ruin a good book.  

I instantly fell in love with the characters and the world of Ella of Frell.  Ella is perfectly relatable and yeah, I just love her.  Charmont reminds me a lot of Laurie from Little Women, super sweet and fun to watch as he grows into accepting his role as the prince.  Mandy is hilarious and the stepsisters are absolutely horrid, but perfect for the story.  I've honestly lost track of how many times I have read it over the years…  

My only complaint about this book is that I wish it was longer, but only because I loved it so much.  So if you need a quick, easy, fun read: go pick up Ella Enchanted!

Isle of Swords

Isle of Swords

Wayne Thomas Batson

Pirate Adventures Series #1

rating: 10

A young lad awakens on an island, alone and brutally injured, with no memory of his past.

Captain Declan Ross searched for riches that will free him and his headstrong daughter, Anne, from the piracy business forever . . . Bartholomew Thorne, an infamously ruthless pirate, seeks to destroy Ross and any who stand in his way of the legendary treasure hidden by a mysterious order of monks. With these intriguing characters and many more, Wayne Thomas Batson weaves a spell-binding adventure filled with high-seas drama where battles rage, storms brew, a long-dormant volcano awakens, and a sea creature slithers in the deep as pirates race for a cliff-top fortress.

First off, this is my most favorite book, physically.  The cover really draws you in and wants you to read more, and the pages are a charcoal-grey color, with tattered edges.  Yeah, it's pretty awesome...  But what is inside the cover and pages is what really counts, and in this case it doesn't disappoint!  I read this book a couple years ago when a friend let me borrow a copy (thanks Sam!) and it very quickly became one of my most favorite books.  I actually kind of got in trouble for reading is so much, you know getting distracted from doing dishes and making your bed...  That was the time when I learned that sometimes reading is not the most important thing in the world, sometimes. :)  So let me warn you, if you pick up this book make sure that you have a good amount of time on your hands.  It's a really easy read, super well written and extremely captivating!!  

The Characters of Cat, Captain Ross, Anne, Bartholomew Thorne, Padre Dominguez, the crews are amazing.   I especially love a certain Frenchman who is obsessed with explosives. 

The only potentially objectionable things that I can think of have to do with the fact that they are pirates, so things can be a little bloody.  Like when *SPOILER* they cut a tattoo of of someone, or when they talk about certain forms of torture-ish things *END OF SPOILER*  The bad guy, Bartholomew Thorne is bad, really bad, but that's kinda how bad guys are.  They don't ever go greatly into detail but you can easily skip those parts if your squeamish.   

     

 Wayne Thomas Batson is a Christian author who has other great books as well, so even though they don't directly talk about the gospel, you can tell that the characters grapple with the Lord and their lifestyle as pirates.