Princess Academy: Palace of Stone

I've been waiting anxiously for Palace of Stone (the sequel to Princess Academy) by Shannon Hale.  It comes out on the 21st, but I somehow got amazingly lucky and won an advance copy a few days ago after answering a Princess Academy trivia question on Shannon Hale's facebook page.  Yay!  I don't want to elaborate on the plot since that would give away what happened in the first book, but read here for a summary of Princess Academy.

This was a fabulous book--one of those sequels that is just as good (or better) than the first book.  The book was true to all the original characters' personalities, just putting them in a new setting.  I loved the developments that took place and also thoroughly enjoyed the chick flick nature of the story.  If you're looking for a good book to read next, this book and its predecessor are awesome picks.  Engaging and exciting plots as well as deep and lovable characters--plus they are just generally well-written books.  Highly recommended!

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Enna Burning (re-read)

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale is the next book after Goose Girl in the Books of Bayern series.

[I'll add to this post another time.  Since it's a re-read, it's not a priority for me to write about it right now.]

Goose Girl (re-read)

Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is a favorite book of mine that I decided to re-read.

[I'll add to this post another time.  Since it's a re-read, it's not a priority for me to write about it right now.]

May B.

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose was another book that looked good at Barnes and Noble, so I found it at the library.  It's about young May, whose parents send her to help at a neighbor's homestead for a few months.  And, as the book's inside cover says, "But when a terrible turn of events leaves her all alone, she must try to find food and fuel--and courage--to make it through the approaching winter."

This was a really sweet book.  It was written in verse (similar to a favorite book of mine, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse), which made it a quick but nice read.  There was fabulous character development--I just felt like I really understood May and loved seeing how she grew throughout the story.  It was such a quick read that I wasn't involved enough to love the book, but I really liked it.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Glory Be

I saw Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood recently at Barnes and Noble and thought it looked good, so I checked it out at the library.  It's about 11-year-old Glory who lives in Hanging Moss, Mississippi in 1964.  As summer hits, things start to change in their town as visitors from the North come to try to give more rights to blacks in their town.  The town council closes the pool for "repairs" rather than allow blacks to swim, and Glory realizes her yearly 4th of July birthday party at the pool will be ruined.  The book follows Glory as she comes to understand the changes taking place in her town.

This was a quick read and a nice story.  It wasn't anything super unique or special; it seemed to be a lot like other books written about the time period.  I did like the characters and following how the various people in the town felt about civil rights and what was taking place.  Sometimes I got distracted in my reading because I felt like Glory didn't act the way I would really expect a girl in her situation to act.  But, it was a thought-provoking book and showed the strength it took for both blacks and whites to stand up for civil rights during this time period.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Criss Cross

Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins is a Newbery medal winner I've owned for years.  I thought I'd read it but recently realized that I never actually did.  The book follows Debbie (and numerous other characters) during a summer in Seldem.

I don't really have much more to add to the summary of the book because it was one of those books without a real set plot or conflict to follow.  Instead, it just followed a bunch of different characters in their everyday lives throughout the summer in this small town.  The book regularly changes points of view as it shows paths crossing among all the different people--mainly preteens and teenagers.  It was not a super engaging book because of the lack of structure, but the book had some cute scenes and catchy or thought-provoking lines that made it a nice read.  I saw there is a companion book, and I'll probably read it sometime.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Al Capone Shines My Shoes

Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko is the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, a Newbery honor book I read a few years ago.  The book again follows Moose and his family and friends who live on Alcatraz Island--alongside the nation's worst convicts.  Moose's dad works as a guard on the island, and Moose's friends are the children of other prison employees.  The story tells what happens as the result of Moose asking Al Capone for a favor to help out his sister Natalie who has autism.

I really liked this book.  It was a fun book with lots of different but entertaining child characters.  The setting of the book is so unique that it just makes it a fun read, and the author adds a note at the end to explain what parts of the book were based on actual events that took place at Alcatraz.  The book kept me interested, so I finished it quickly.  I would definitely read another of these books if she wrote another one.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)