Huntress by Malinda Lo + Crossed by Ally Condie

Series:N/A

 Author: Malinda Lo
Page Count: 371
Published: December 11th, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  2.5 Stars ★★

Huntress is about powerful sage Taisin and mundane Kaede, who live in a world where crops are failing, people are starving, and their home is in danger. The girls are selected to travel to Tanlili, where they are to speak with the Fairy Queen. But the journey to Tanlili possesses dangers, and some may not make it out alive. Not to mention the girls' hearts, which may be falling for each other.


I really enjoyed Ash, a Cinderella retelling by Malinda Lo. As a result I was hoping to enjoy Huntress, but unfortunately, I didn't. It wasn't the worst book ever, but I'd rather have skipped it had I known it would be like this.


My main issue is with the pacing. It made it very boring. After about 25% of the book, I was just skimming large parts, entire chapters. There was wayyyyy too much description! It kind of feels like the author was just spouting off description to fill the book up! This book could have been better....were it about 100 pages thinner.


I did like the sort of tense, almost resistant romance the two girls developed. Taisin, as a sage, would end up celibate for her whole life, so she was really uncertain concerning starting a romance with Kaede. I thought that added some romantic suspense to the book because I was wondering if she'd choose Kaede, or if she'd abandon her. I also liked the fantasy elements, like the fact that sages even exist as a valid occupation or title in this society, along with the fairies!


Overall, I can't say I truly enjoyed this, however it wasn't entirely horrible. While there was way too much description for my tastes, I did like the romance and the fairies!


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Series: Matched

 Author: Ally Condie 
Page Count: 367
Published: March 12th, 2013
Publisher: Speak
  4 Stars ★★★★

Life forever changed for Cassia in Matched when she dared to question the Society. Now in Crossed, her journey continues as she sneaks away during a camp transfer, and finds herself in the Outer Provinces. She wants to look for the Rebellion and for Ky, who was sent away after the events of Matched, and who she loves.


But attacks and gunfire are common in the Outer Provinces, and she must travel far to reach the Rebellion. She's not sure if she will even find Ky.....will she survive?


This was a good follow-up to Matched, and I like that this book focused on the journey through the Outer Provinces, along with Cassia's hopes and fears. This story was told through both Ky and Cassia's viewpoints, which I also enjoyed because it gave me a peek into what both of them were dealing with, particularly since they were often not together.


I continued to hope that Cassia and Ky would succeed in their mission! But I have to say that I'm not sure if I want Cassia to end up with Ky or Xander. I really like them both! I can't wait to read the next book to see how the trilogy ends.


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Ash by Malinda Lo

 

Series: N/A
Author: Malinda Lo
Page Count: 264
Published: September 1st, 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
 5 Stars ★★★★★

Ash's mother dies, and soon after her father marries Lady Isobel. But when her father falls ill and dies as well, she is left in her stepmother's care. They move away from her childhood home to a new one, where Ash lives her life as a servant. 

 She becomes acquainted with a fairy, Sidhean, and later meets the king's huntress, Kaisa. While she's grateful for their company, she longs to attend the various events taking place around her home, including dances and hunts. But while her wishes may be granted, they come at a price.

 I don't read many fairy tale retellings but this one was worth reading. I was worried that it would be exactly the same as the story, Cinderella, which it was based on, but the author changed things up a bit in interesting and enjoyable ways. I liked the way that fairy stories played a part in this book, and the way that Sidhean was portrayed. He wasn't open and generous as the fairy godmother in the Cinderella stories that I've read, instead everything had a price and this added some tension and a bit of suspense. However, I do wish that the author had added more scenes with Sidhean because I wanted to know more about him. 

I thought Ash was a great main character, she tried to make the best of her situation and she never truly gave up, even when things seemed impossible. She was strong and determined, and at times a little bit impulsive, but she was overall very likeable. Kaisa was also a great character and a good love interest, however I wish the author had added more dialogue between her and Ash. I wanted to know more about Kaisa's life!

The world-building was incredible, I felt like I was there with Ash throughout the whole book and I could picture the settings vividly. The descriptions were amazing, the author describing everything in detail so that I could see everything as Ash did. I usually get bored when there is too much description but I was completely entranced by the way everything seemed to come alive like a movie in my mind. 

I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed and almost convenient. While this didn't take away from the quality of the book overall, it irked me a bit that everything was resolved so easily. If the curses or spells that had been cast upon Sidhean were really so strong as to make him feel emotions as intense as love, it shouldn't have been so easy for Ash to get out of paying the price for her wishes. 

This was a great retelling of Cinderella, with a few twists and amazing world-building. I recommend this to those looking for books with LGBTQ characters without a focus on coming out, fans of fairy tale retellings and those who enjoy fantasy novels.

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