Girl, Serpent, Thorn

 

Book: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Reviewer: Yasmin, Grade 11

Rating: 3 stars

 

Soraya has been hidden away her whole life, locked behind palace doors because of her dangerous curse: anyone who touches her will instantly die. Cursed before she was even born by one of the magical “divs”, Soraya has lived her whole life in hiding, longing for a way to end her curse and her loneliness. When one of the notorious magical creatures is brought in as a prisoner after a sudden attack, she can’t help but seek her out to find answers, despite being forbidden to do so. But divs are manipulative creatures, and Soraya quickly finds herself betrayed, forming unlikely alliances, and embroiled in an outright war.

This story follows a unique, well-crafted character and features impressive world building through a clever inclusion of various mythological tales specific to the book’s universe. Though the plot was at times predictable and the characters at times less engaging, the story was interesting as it took a different approach to the stereotypical tale of the princess locked away: not to protect her from the world, but to protect the world from her. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick fantasy read without having to commit to a full series while still experiencing a fun twist on a traditional fairytale. 

The Cruel Prince

Book: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black 

Reviewer: Yasmin

Rating: 5 Stars

Jude is a human girl living in Fairy who desperately wants to fit in, despite being looked down upon by all those around her. Her daily life consists of avoiding her peers’ cruel trickery and mockery, and Jude’s temper doesn’t help her to lay low. Her mortal enemy, the youngest fairy prince, Cardan, never fails to remind her of that fact. However, as Jude’s desire to prove herself gets her more and more embroiled in the royal games of Fairy, she quickly finds herself in mortal danger, and her only chance of survival is her unlikely allyship with Cardan. 

This book is a fast-paced fantasy adventure like no other, with twists and turns along the way that you’ll never see coming. The trickery, deception, and betrayal had me at the edge of my seat and frantically trying to predict what would happen next. You’ll quickly get attached to the well-crafted characters and find yourself laughing along to their antics while they simultaneously fight for their lives, and plot twist after plot twist will keep you breathless in that fast-paced, unpredictable, exciting adventure. This book has the perfect blend of humor, romance, and suspense, topping it all off with a riveting cliffhanger that will have you reaching for the next book in no time. 

I highly recommend this book to fans of the fantasy genre in general, especially those who enjoy authors like Cassandra Clare, Victoria Aveyard, and more