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The Beggar Queen –Lloyd Alexander

Finishing up the “Westmark” trilogy is “The Beggar Queen.” For the last two years, Theo has been acting as Queen Augusta’s consul, wishing they could go back to the days when she was just Mickle and they could be together. As her consul, they can’t get married until his term of service is over. But things are about to get even more treacherous – Cabbarus is planning his return to power in Westmark, acting in concert with Duke Conrad of Regia. Together the two men have plotted the death of King Constantine, but the young king figured out the plot … Continue reading →

The Illyrian Adventure – Lloyd Alexander

In “The Illyrian Adventure,” Lloyd Alexander kicks off a new series which is combination fantasy and archaelogy. Think Indiana Jones meets Amelia Peabody meets Arabian Nights, starring a teenage girl in the late 1800’s, and you’ve pretty much got it. Vesper Holly is that sixteen-year-old girl, and she’s just been informed that she’s an orphan. Her father was a great archaeologist, and she frequently studied alongside him, and so has quite a grasp on the subject matter. When her father’s good friend Brinton Garrett and his wife Mary are given the unfortunate task of telling Vesper that her father has … Continue reading →

The Passing of Lloyd Alexander

I honestly feel like I’m going to cry. I just found out a few minutes ago that Lloyd Alexander passed away this last May, just two weeks ago. Alexander has been one of my favorite authors since I was twelve. I started with the Chronicles of Prydain, then moved on to the Westmark trilogy, and tonight while at the library, I found a whole new series of his, called the Vesper Holly series, that I’ve never read. I snatched up every one of them, and when I went online just now to discover what order they come in, I saw … Continue reading →

The Kestrel – Lloyd Alexander

“The Kestrel” is the sequel to Lloyd Alexander’s young adult fantasy novel, “Westmark.” Mickle, once a street urchin but revealed to be the long lost daughter of the king and queen, is now the ruler of Westmark. Her father passed away and the crown came to her, making her Queen Augusta. Still more comfortable in breeches than in a crown, she doesn’t want to merely sit on her throne; she wants to make a difference in the country. Cabbarus, exiled former cabinet minister of Westmark, has a plan for revenge. He has gone to the neighboring country of Regia and … Continue reading →

Westmark – Lloyd Alexander

After I finished reading every installment in the Prydain Chronicles, I began hunting down everything else Lloyd Alexander had ever written. I enjoyed the Westmark series nearly as much as I did the Prydain. “Westmark” is, appropriately, the first book of the series. Our hero is Theo, an orphan who has found an occupation as a printer’s devil. King Augustine, ruler of Westmark, is sick with grief over the death of his daughter and has essentially left the running of the kingdom to his right-hand man, the evil Cabbarus, who has made strict laws governing the press. Theo and his … Continue reading →

Uglies – Scott Westerfeld

I have seen this young adult science fiction novel reviewed in countless places, and decided I’d better give it a try. It sounded interesting, but I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Tally Youngblood lives in Uglyville. Across the river, she can see New Pretty Town, where she will go to live in just a few short months. When she reaches her sixteenth birthday, she will undergo plastic surgery and all of her faults will be erased. She will be made absolutely lovely, and then she can go live in New Pretty Town, because she will … Continue reading →

The Crimson Oak – E. M. Almedingen

This young adult novel was set in a time of Russia’s history where education was only allowed to the rich, and peasants were allowed very little at all. The author was born in Russia and the story is rich with culture and heritage. Our main character is Peter, a boy who dreams of more. One morning, he had the rare treat of a whole day off to do whatever he wanted. His mother asked him to go pick some berries, and he didn’t want to do it, but he sighed and headed off anyway. On his way back from the … Continue reading →

The Window – Michael Dorris

Rayona knows her mother’s not responsible enough to take care of her, but that doesn’t keep her from having fierce loyalty. For years she’s made excuses for her mom’s midweek benders and hangovers, the lack of food in the fridge from grocery money spent on alcohol instead, and the days missed at work because her mom was too “sick” to go in. When Rayona’s dad comes for a visit and sees how things really are, he removes Rayona from the house and calls in a rehab clinic to take in the mom. At first, Rayona thinks she’ll be living with … Continue reading →