Graveyard Rose: A Gothic Fantasy Romance (The Rose Chronicles, Book 1)
by Ginny Clyde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Set in the time of fancy dresses and horse drawn carriages, yet not your average paranormal romance. Nothing about Lena is typical, she may wear the fancy dresses to parties when required, but she is a Guardian, the only female in the ranks and she works hard to prove her worth. Far away in Transylvania, The Graveyard Rose tells us the story of a time when a select group of families were appointed as Guardians and their job was to protect the land from the upstart vampires and werewolves. At this time the werewolves are not organized, they do not hunt in packs yet and they haven't been able to access their humanity while in the wolf form. Not only does Lena protect the land, but she protects her younger sister and would do anything for her. Author Ginny Clyde tells the story of her struggles in a patriarchal society and her desire to just take care of her family.
The Graveyard Rose is titled as the first book in a series, but a note inside the book mentions that it is part one of a full novel. However you want to think of it, this book starts off the story of Lena and her life, the area where she is living and the situation going on in that time. Trouble is, it ends just as it is getting intriguing! Of course that is just another good way for author Ginny Clyde to make sure that you are reading the next book. This book has adventure and hints of romance. It combines fantasy, paranormal, historical and gothic. It is reasonably clean, so I would be more than willing to allow my middle schooler to read it. Good read for adults and younger as well!
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A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, Book One)
by Libba Bray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
All Gemma wants is to get out of India and go to boarding school in England, and she can't understand why her mother refuses to let her go, even her grandmother still lives in England. When strange events on the streets of India one day lead to Gemma seeing visions, her mother's death, her father's unraveling and the family's sudden move back to England she finally gets her wish.
Spence Academy for Young Girls is not what Gemma was expecting, but maybe it is just what she needs. Her roommate is not the type of girl Gemma would have picked as a friend, but maybe there is a reason they are together. When the most beautiful and the most popular girls end up befriending Gemma, first as a joke then as a new club, they all discover secrets of Spence Academy.
Author Libba Bray takes the reader back in time, but gives us girls that fight the status quo of their time. They want more than to be seen and not heard. They are discovering more about themselves and learning right, wrong and the grey areas in between. There is power, strength and so much more in this story that these girls are just scratching the surface of, and the whole way learning so much about life and friendship.
This is a great young adult, teen read. It is even a great parent read. Even better, a teen and parent read and then talk about together! There are discussion questions in the back of the book, so it is already set up for a book club or classroom, or even parent/child discussion. I personally love to read books my kids are reading and then talk with them about those books, question them and challenge them to see more than the surface meanings of the book, find what is hidden in that second and third levels that the author want to get through.
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