Hale it Up!

Welcome to our virtual book club. I LOVE reading, and I LOVE finding new books to read. If we work and collaborate together, we are bound to have one “Hale of a good time”.

In honor of my cheesy “Hale” statements, we have decided that this first month we will do an author study. You can pick any of Shannon Hale’s books to read this month. For our book club, the 15^th is the magic number. We start a new book and comment on the book we just finished reading on the 15^th. Therefore, on January 15^th, everyone will comment/review on the Shannon Hale book they choose to read.

To help with your reading selections, I thought I’d do a quick sampler plate of the books you can choose from.

Princess Academy: Is a Newberry Honor book, and a fabulous fantasy story about a small village on a steep mountainside. The king’s priests have been divinely inspired that the prince’s bride-to-be will be from this small village, Mount Eskel. Before the prince arrives to choose his bride, all eligible girls must attend a princess academy to prepare themselves for the royal life. Miri, a small but determined girl, does more than attend the academy in this fun read.

Book of a Thousand Days: A classic fairy tale story told in a way that you wouldn’t imagine. Though it is a happy story, you never know how it is going to work out. Lady Saren, and her maid are shut in a tower for 7 years because she turned down a marriage proposal. From their time in the tower, to their escape, it is a story that will keep you turning pages.

Goose Girl: The first in the Goose Girl series. This series does a great job of having distinct books with separate plots, yet still allowing one to read about the characters they have come to love. It is a very creative fairy tale of a princess who was betrothed to a prince in a far away land. A surprising turn of events occur en route to meet her prince, which force the princess to find her own talents before she can lead a kingdom.

Enna Burning: The second book in the Goose Girl series is very original and captivating. Enna finds a powerful and unusual gift that she struggles deciding if she should showcase or extinguish it.

River Secrets: The third book in the Goose Girl series is just as good as the previous two. Razo, becomes a soldier for his country, and has a talent for befriending both the high and low born. A series of murders in a far away land has given Razo the opportunity to find his own talents so that he may help bring his fellow soldiers home safe.

Forest Born: The fourth in the Goose Girl series about Razo’s sister Rin. I am very excited to read this new book this month. It is hot off the press, and I have big expectations for this book.

Austenland: Her first adult novel that is made for a good read on the beach or near the pool. This chick lit is fun for those big Jane Austen fans. Jane Hayes, is a bit obsessed with Mr. Darcy, and has given her quite high expectations for men that seems to be ruining her love life. After a wealthy relative leaves Jane with a trip to an English resort, geared to women obsessed with Jane Austen, does she realize that her own insecurities was what was holding her back from finding her own Mr. Darcy.

Rapunzel’s Revenge: Her first and only graphic novel about the classic Rapunzel story with a western tall tale twist.

The Actor and the Housewife: Just came out this last June. It is another adult novel by Hale, however this one is about a housewife who meets and becomes great friends with her celebrity crush. Another story, that I’ll read as soon as my number comes up on reserve at the library.