Book Review: The Goose Girl (Books Of Bayern #1), by Shannon Hale

Genre: Young adult fairy tale retelling
Date Published: August 2003
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 383 pages/10 hours

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: She was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste. Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. And when she was older, she watched as a colt was born, and she heard the first word on his tongue, his name, Falada. But does she fit the quota of Ruling Queen? Her mother seems to think not, and she is sent off on the start of her adventure. But can she trust everyone she travels with? And what will life be for her when she arrives at her destinations?
From the Grimm’s fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original, and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can lead the people she has made her own.

My Rating:

 ★★★★★

.....For being a wonderful retelling that is 100 times better than the original tale

Book Review: Palace Of Stone (Princess Academy #2), by Shannon Hale

Genre: children's/YA fantasy
Length: 323 pages, or 7 hours and 53 minutes on audiobook

Goodreads | Shelfari | Audible

Synopsis: Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding.There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some frightening plans. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place.
Picking up where "Princess Academy" left off, and celebrating the joys of friendship, romance and the fate of fairy tale kingdoms, this new book delivers the completely delightful new story that fans have been waiting for.

My Rating:

★★★★

...for being a much better story than it's predecessor.

Book Review: Princess Academy (Princess Academy #1), by Shannon Hale

Genre: Children's fantasy
Date Published: January 1st, 2005
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Length: 250 pages, or 7 hours and 24 minutes on audiobook
Source: Audible

Goodreads | Shelfari | Audible

Synopsis: Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.
Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits seek out the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must rally the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates.

My Rating:

★★★

....for being creative and interesting, but not as amazing as The Goose Girl.

Book Review: Forest Born (Books Of Bayern #4), by Shannon Hale

Forest Born by Shannon Hale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Forest Born (Books Of Bayern #4), by Shannon Hale
★★★★

Synopsis: Rin is sure that something is wrong with her…something really bad. Something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest homestead where she’s lived all her life. Something that is keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all. When her brother Razo returns from the city for a visit, she accompanies him to the palace, hoping that she can find peace away from home. But war has come to Bayern again, and Rin is compelled to join the queen and her closest allies—magical girls Rin thinks of as the Fire Sisters—as they venture into the Forest toward Kel, the land where someone seems to want them all dead. Many beloved Bayern characters reappear in this story, but it is Rin’s own journey of discovering how to balance the good and the bad in herself that drives this compelling adventure. Once again, Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale brings readers to a world where great friendships, unexpected plot twists, and a little dose of magic make for incredible storytelling.
In A Sentence: Not my absolute favorite in the series, but still a lot of fun.

Book Review: River Secrets (Books Of Bayern #3), by Shannon Hale

River Secrets by Shannon Hale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

River Secrets (Books of Bayern #3), by Shannon Hale
★★★★ ½ (rounding up to 5)

Synopsis: Razo has no idea why he was chosen to be a soldier. He can barely swing a sword, and his brothers are forever wrestling him to the ground. Razo is sure it's out of pity that his captain asks him to join an elite mission--escorting the ambassador into Tira, Bayern's great enemy. But when the Bayern arrive in the strange southern country, Razo discovers the first dead body. He befriends both the high and low born, people who can perhaps provide them with vital information. And Razo is the one who must embrace his own talents in order to get the Bayern soldiers home again, alive. Newbery–Honor winner Shannon Hale returns the reader to the intrigue and magic of Bayern, first introduced in her critically acclaimed novel, The Goose Girl . Enter a world where even those with no special magical skills find in themselves something they never imagined
In A Sentence: An adorable read that makes you chuckle out loud.

Book Review: Enna Burning (#2 In Books Of Bayern), by Shannon Hale

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enna Burning (#2 in Books Of Bayern), by Shannon Hale
★★★★ 1/2

Synopsis: Enna and Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee (Ani for short) became fast friends in The Goose Girl, but after Ani married Prince Geric, Enna returned to the forest. Enna's simple life changes forever when she learns to wield fire and burn anything at will. Enna is convinced that she can use her ability for good--to fight Tira, the kingdom threatening the Bayern borders--and goes on secret raids to set fire to the Tiran camps and villages. But as the power of the fire grows stronger, she is less able to control her need to burn. In her recklessness she is captured by the Tiran army and held captive by a handsome, manipulative young captain who drugs her to keep her under his influence. Can Ani and her old friends Finn and Razo rescue her without sacrificing themselves? And with the fire still consuming her, will Enna find a way to manage the gift that threatens to destroy her?
In A Sentence: A very good book with some excellent qualities for a sequel

Book Review: The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale
★★★★★

Synopsis: She was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste. Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. And when she was older, she watched as a colt was born, and she heard the first word on his tongue, his name, Falada. But does she fit the quota of Ruling Queen? Her mother seems to think not, and she is sent off on the start of her adventure. But can she trust everyone she travels with? And what will life be for her when she arrives at her destinations?
From the Grimm’s fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original, and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can lead the people she has made her own.
In A Sentence: A wonderful retelling that is 100 times better than the original tale