YA fiction

It started with my reading The Wand in the Word, which I mentioned in a previous entry. This was a great book for being reminded of childhood favorites. I had re-read the Prydain chronicles several times, but forgotten all about the Westmark books. So, I re-read Westmark. It was good, I'd give it three stars. I got the two sequels out of the library and will re-read them as well.

Then 7j loaned me Instead of Three Wishes. This is an anthology by Megan Whalen Turner, who wrote the story "The Baby in the Night Deposit Box" in the first Firebirds anthology. The title story was my favorite. She's really fun as an author, and the anthology was good. I recommend it.

Finally, I finished book 66, Scholar of Magics, the sequel to College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer. I mean that in both senses of the word - for some reason, this book took me a while to get through, despite the fact that I very much enjoyed it. Both books are quite good. I would recommend them to anyone who likes period pieces with magic in them. To focus in on SoM, I love that the romance in the book is not resolved conventionally at its conclusion. I also loved the portrayal of the female protagonist - saying she's a spitfire doesn't even begin to cover it. Three stars for Scholar of Magics. And I'm planning to read When the King Comes Home soon. After that, I'll have to wait for The Mislaid Magician to come out this fall.

A friend of mine is thinking of starting a YA book club for adults. I really hope that happens, because I think it would be awesome.