Title: From the Mist
Released: July 23rd, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Summary:
Kate, Mia, Lainey, and Gabby are special girls. They know how to travel to Never Land, and this time Kate is craving an adventure. She gets her wish when mysterious mist horses arrive in Pixie Hollow and one takes her on a journey through the magical island. Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies star in a magical early chapter book series for girls ages 6-10--The Never Girls!
My Review:
The seven year old me would have been so excited to read this installment of the Never Girls Series. In this book, Kate takes an amazing journey through the island with a magical mist horse. I loved how her ride was written. I would want to ride on one of those horses too! Neverland seemed especially enchanting with the added bonus of the mist horses.
This series continues to be one that I would recommend to young readers that are fond of the magic of Disney. You could pick this one up as a stand alone, although I would recommend reading all of the adventures the girls and the fairies have. I think your young reader will read one and want more!
Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Released: September 2013
4.5 Stars!
Summary:
In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind? A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2013 (Summary via Goodreads)
What I liked: Cath is one of the most realistic and lovable characters I have read recently. Her anxiety and nerves about college and real life is just so real. I totally got her-I was her my freshman year in college, minus writing fan-fiction, having a twin sister and in general being much cooler and funnier than me. You can't help but love Cath and all she brings to the table in this book. I also really liked Cath's roomate, Reagan. She's hardcore and the perfect roommate for Cath. Imagine if Cath and Wren would have been roommates...how different might this story have been.What left me wanting more: I could have stayed in Cath's world the whole time. I understand the importance of the fan-fiction aspect to the development of the story but Cath's real-life journey was my favorite.Final verdict: The romance is sweet and the characters are as true to life as you can find. I highly recommend this book
