Review: Dragon Slippers

Title: Dragon Slippers
Author: Jessica Day George
Genre: Young Adult, MG, Fiction, Fantasy
Pub Date: March 2007, Bloomsbury USA
Hardcover,  pages
Book Source: Purchased at B&N @ Georgia Tech

Synopsis

Many stories tell of damsels in distress who are rescued from the clutches of fire-breathing dragons by knights in shining armor and swept off to live happily ever after.

Unfortunately, this is not one of those stories.

True, when Creel's aunt suggests sacrificing her to the local dragon, it is with the hope that a knight will marry Creel and that everyone (aunt and family included) will benefit handsomely. Yet it's Creel who talks her way out of the dragon's clutches. And it's Creel who walks for days on end to seek her fortune in the king's city with only a bit of embroidery thread and a strange pair of slippers in her possession.

But even Creel could not have guessed the outcome of this tale. For in a country on the verge of war, Creel unknowingly possesses not just any pair of shoes, but a tool that could be used to save her kingdom... or destroy it.

 My Thoughts

Do you ever read a book by a "new-to-you" author and think, "where has this person been all my life?!" Well, that is how I felt about Jessica Day George as I read Dragon Slippers. I have seen reviews of her more recent titles but wasn't really driven to pick them up (who knows why?), and now I can't wait to get my hands on every book she's ever written. Imagine my excitement when I discovered there are actually sequels to this book, as well!

Yes, that's just how much I enjoyed Dragon Slippers. It is definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year--perhaps even since I have been reading. I honestly loved everything about this story: the characters, the plot, the dialogues, the fictional world George created... I actually finished this book a few days ago but have really been savoring it mentally before writing this review. Lately I have felt my reviews have become stagnant and I haven't always felt inspired when I write them, but this one just poured right out of me. Jessica Day George has really taken the meaning of fairytale, dusted it off, and given it a new shine. There were so many scenes and quips that made me smile or laugh out loud, making this book a true pleasure to simply get lost in. Indeed, just reading the excerpt on the back cover was enough to tell me I was going to enjoy reading Dragon Slippers.

I often compare how I enjoy books now to how I might have reacted to them when I was younger, and this is one of those books that I know I would have read over and over again. Maybe I just didn't have as much exposure to the right books when I was a young reader growing up, but I often feel that the selection today is quite a bit richer than it was when I was little. Thank goodness I can still appreciate wonderful books such as this one even now, and I imagine I will for the rest of my life. If anything I've said in this review has given you cause to think you might like to pick this book up, trust me, you definitely want to and should grab a copy as soon as you possibly can.

My Rating:

Other reviews of Dragon Slippers:

Becky's Book Reviews ~ Deliciously Clean Reads

Polishing Mud Balls ~ Bookworm Nation

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see your site listed above, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Review: This Is Me From Now On

Title: This Is Me From Now On
Author: Barbara Dee
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult/MG
Pub Date: April 2010, Simon & Schuster
Paperback, 259 pages
Book Source: Received a copy for review from the author

Synopsis

Sometimes your life just needs a little jolt.

That's what Francesca told me once, and she was right. I mean, she was wrong about practically everything, but she was right about that.

At first Evie doesn't know what to think about her amazing new neighbor. Francesa's wild and funny, with a crazy sense of style, but the only rules she follows are the ones she invents herself. Evie's two best friends don't trust Francesca, but Evie is desperate for a change. And when you're with Francesca, anything--totally anything--can happen.

My Thoughts

Firstly, many thanks to Barbara Dee for sending me a copy of this book for review. This Is Me From Now on has a target audience that is a tad bit younger (ages 9 - 13) than most of the books I usually review, but I was interested in the premise and gladly accepted the opportunity to share this book with all of you.

My first thought upon finishing this book was that I could have seen myself reading it when I was in middle school. It's generally a light-hearted read that is the perfect little escape from real-life into a world that almost could be yours. The storyline is cute, if a bit predictable--but since we have probably all been in similar situations with a new girl moving to town, I suppose that is to be expected. And who hasn't wanted to reinvent themselves the way Evie was so desperate to? I know I used to feel that way as a pre-teen and teen, and even to this day sometimes find myself thinking about a new me. In the end, Evie learn a lot about herself and her friends and we read all about it in a charming story that provides a lot of laughs.

I highly recommend this book for all the tweens out there. The characters are very well-drawn and I would be surprised if others weren't as blown away by Francesca as I was. She was certainly a hoot and a bit over the top, but Evie and her friends were a tad more realistic. All-in-all an enjoyable read!

My Rating:

Other reviews of This Is Me From Now On:

Becky's Book Reviews ~ Booking Mama ~ Carrie's YA Bookshelf

There's A Book ~ Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

My Overstuffed Bookshelf ~ Mrs. Magoo Reads

Redlady's Reading Room

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your site listed above, please leave a comment with the link to your review!