Lost Girls Adventures

The Hidden Prince by Jodi Meadows

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication Date: June 2, 2015

Since I enjoyed The Orphan Queen books so much I knew I had to read this novella as well. The Hidden Prince is told from Prince Tobias's perspective and is a sort of origin story for the vigilante Black Knife. We get an insight into Tobias's early life. After being kidnapped Tobias is forced to live a pretty sheltered life by his father. He is struggling with being who he wants to be and who he is expected to be. 

We also get to see a bit of Lady Chey and Meredith and, of course, his cousin James. It was great to see James again and his relationship with Tobias before becoming his bodyguard.

I highly recommend this to be read after The Orphan Queen. There is also a 2 chapter excerpt for the next (and final) book, The Mirror King.  

Pax by: Sara Pennypacker

Published by: Balzer + Bray

Publication date: February 2, 2016

Pax is a fox that has been raised by a 

young boy, Peter, since he was found abandoned as a young kit. When Peter's father enlists in the war, he is sent to live with his grandfather. His father insists that Pax be set free in the wild. Shortly after arriving at his grandfathers house, Peter runs away to go find Pax. He doesn't get very far before he injures his leg and can barely walk. He is found by Vola, a gruff and stern woman who suffers from PTSD who now lives as a hermit. She sets his leg and agrees to let him stay with her until his leg is healed. During this time they learn so much from each other and form a very special bond.

Pax waited for Peter until his hunger and thirst forced him to leave his spot by the road. He encounters several other foxes and they teach him how to be wild again, but his thoughts never strayed far from Peter.

The story alternates between Peter and Pax's point of view. I love the way the author gave Pax and the other foxes a voice without humanizing them. It was interesting to see the world from their perspective.

The illustrations throughout the book are beautiful and capture the mood perfectly. 

The ending was not what I had expected. It wasn't a bad ending, just not the happy reunion I was hoping for. I won't spoil it but just know that Pax does live and he and Peter do find each other.

 It is a story of heartbreak and healing, loyalty and love.  

by Charles Martin

Publisher: Broadway Books, June 28, 2011

After seeing the movie trailer for The Mountain Between Us I knew I had to read the book. This isn't typically my kind of book but the trailer looked interesting and I always have to read the book before watching the movie. 

Ben is a doctor returning home from a conference and Ashley is a journalist trying to get home days before her wedding. While waiting at the airport the two strike up a conversation and this is where we first learn a little bit about the main characters. Due to a snow storm their flight is cancelled. On his way to a hotel Ben sees a private airport and decides to see if he can get a charter flight. As luck would have it, the pilot agrees to take him. Ben goes back to find Ashley to see if she would like to join him. As they are flying over the Utah mountains the pilot has a heart attack and the plane crashes. This is where the story really begins.

As Ben wakes up after the crash he slowly realizes the situation they're in. The pilot is dead, the plane is in pieces, Ashley appears to have a broken leg and multiple cuts, and he has a couple broken ribs along with some cuts and bruises too. The pilot did not have a flight plan and neither Ben nor Ashley told anyone they were going on this plane. So now they are stranded and no one even knows they took this flight or where they are. They are stranded with no hope of help coming.

Because of Ashley's broken leg it's up to Ben to do pretty much everything. He has to find them food, shelter, and figure out how to get out of there. Now this is where it gets a little unbelievable for me. I'll take the chance meeting, the plane crash and all but as it turns out Ben is Super Survival Man. He just happens to know how to make snow shoes and cut up pieces of an airplane to use as a sled and navigate these harsh mountains. Oh, and he can hunt and fish. And it just so happens he has a compass and jet boil and sleeping bags, among other things because he likes to go climbing in his spare time. Mhm, sure. But anyways, I can look past all that because it was actually a great story! The bond that these two developed was really the center of it. Ashley is totally dependant on Ben and he is determined to get both of them out of there alive. The face so many obstacles together and come out of it with a new perspective on life and love. 

I can't say I'll be reading any other books by Charles Martin but this one was fantastic! If you're into romance or adventure and survival books, or even if you thought the movie trailer looked interesting you should definitely pick this one up! 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Published by Walker & Company, February 1, 2012

I had never heard of this book until I saw the trailer for the movie. It looked like any other children's fantasy movie and when I saw that it was based on a book I knew I had to read it. I went into this book not knowing much about it. There was a boy and a monster. Seems pretty harmless and fun, right? Wrong!

This is the story of a boy named Conor and how he comes to deal with his mothers terminal illness. He feels so alone, invisible. So he calls upon a monster. The monster takes the form of a tree, a yew tree to be exact. The same tree his mother looks out the window at often. The monster appears at 12:07. He tells Conor that he will tell him 3 stories and in return he will get a 4th story from Conor and "it will be the truth". The monster appears when Conor needs him and helps him cope with the heartbreaking situations around him. 

The illustrations throughout the book are amazing, adding just that extra layer of emotion. The author's writing is phenomenal! 

A Monster Calls is a rather short book at only 224 pages, but nothing seems rushed, only urgent. It truly captured what it is to love someone and let them go. To face the truth. It is a beautifully tragic story that will leave you sad but also uplifted. 

This book is recommended for children but I don't think young children (under 10 maybe?) would be able to fully grasp the meaning of the story and what it is that Conor is going through. I'd say this one is more for older kids, teens, even adults! I think everyone can relate, in one way or another, to what Conor is facing. 

I did watch the movie after reading this and it does differ slightly from the book. There is a scene at the end of the movie that was not in the book that was so sweet and moving :)

 It was no less heart wrenching though. Still, it is a must see! Have lots of tissues on hand! 

-BW

Wolf Landing by: Aimee Easterling

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform December 2, 2016

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Publisher: Ember (February 10, 2010)

Mary lives in a small village that is surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth. There is only a fence keeping the village safe from the Unconsecrated (zombies). One day that fence is breached and her world is completely shattered.
The village is run by the Sisterhood, very religious and very controlling. After Mary is sent to live with them she learns they are hiding some very dark secrets. One night a girl named Gabrielle shows up in the village but the Sisterhood hides her away in the Cathedral. They do not want the villagers to know that there are others out there beyond the fence. The book wasn't very clear on how it happened, although we know the sisters are behind it, but Gabrielle has become one of the Unconsecrated. A super strong and fast one. She breaks through the fence and unleashes all the Unconsecrated into the village. Only Mary and a few others were able to make it out. This is where the story really kicks off!
 Mary isn't your typical heroine. She is very self centered, stubborn, and a bit immature. But unlike most people in her village she also has a dream to one day leave the village and see the ocean from her mothers stories that have been passed down for generations. It is this dream that keeps her going when everyone else has lost hope. Although there were times when I wish she would just shut up about seeing the ocean! We do see her grow a bit throughout the book. She has to make some horribly sad decisions and this definitely changes her and motivates her to live, to make it to that damn ocean.
There is a love triangle of course! Or maybe this would be more of a love...square? Mary is in love with Travis. Travis is betrothed to her best friend, Cass. Mary has become (a little unwillingly) betrothed to Travis's brother, Harry, who has been in love with her since they were young.. But Cass is in love with Harry. Let me tell you, it is a MESS. Ah, young love.
This isn't a very action packed or gorey zombie story, but it is very intriguing and I couldn't put it down. It doesn't end with what I would call a cliffhanger, but it does seem to just END. I can't wait to start reading the second book, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and find out the fate of Mary and the others!
-BW

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Publisher: HarperTeen (September 20, 2016)

The Mirror King (Orphan Queen Series #2) by Jodi Meadows

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Wilhelmina is an orphaned princess, her parents were murdered and her home kingdom of Aecor was conquered by King Terrell of  the Indigo Kingdom 10 years ago in what is known as the One-Night war. Now she and her band of refugees, known as the Ospreys, are preparing to take back their kingdom. Wil and her best friend Melanie are infiltrating the palace under the guise of a duchess and her companion from Liadia to obtain information that will help them reclaim Aecor.

Wil has developed many talents over the years. She is an excellent fighter, a spy and a thief, master of forgery and a magic user- more specifically she is an animator, she can bring objects to life and command them to do what she wants. Magic is forbidden now and this is a secret she has kept to herself. Magic has created the wraith and it is slowly spreading across the world, poisoning the land and turning animals and humans into enormous monsters.

Black Knife is a masked vigilante in the Indigo Kingdom. He is feared by some and commended by others. He spends each night apprehending criminals and fighting wraith monsters that enter the city. I suspected his identity early in the book and I'm glad I was right. Black Knife and Wil's relationship has to be my favorite part of this entire book. I fell in love with him instantly and enjoyed following Wil along as she slowly did too.

The rest of the characters were pretty one dimensional to me. I would have liked to learn more about Patrick and Melanie and even Prince Tobiah. Maybe we will get more of them in the next book?

Overall, The Orphaned Queen is a spectacular fantasy world full of magic, romance and secrets. Well written and kept me hooked from the beginning.  Oh and that cliffhanger ending- How could you do this to me, Jodi??? Starting the next book right away!

Lone Wolf Dawn by: Aimee Easterling

 By: Beth Barany