Ok, so my first post is going to deal with a fairy tale, which has always been one of my favorite story genres because it tends to combine both magic and adventure and a little bit of fantasy. Even with that combination, there is one thing more that I tend to look for: a self-rescuing heroine (who may or may not be a princess).
In this case, the heroine is a princess, but that doesn't stop her from being brainy or brave. Just as her sister, Gwendolyn (aka Sleeping Beauty) activates her curse, Annie is the one who must spring into action and save the kingdom. Annie's one magical gift is that she is totally resistant to magic, which means, no magically enhanced charm, good looks, or poetic abilities, but also means that Annie is unaffected by Gwendolyn's curse.
What I love about this book is that Annie is clever enough to think up a plan, and brave enough to set off on her own to execute it. E.D. Baker, who also composed my much-loved "Frog Princess" novels, is a fan of the can-do heroine. She uses Annie's lack of magical abilities to highlight all of the gifts that Annie earned on her own, and shows that Annie doesn't need artificial beauty to shine.
This is a great satisfying read from beginning to end - I'm definitely hoping that we haven't seen the last of Annie!
Also, if you'd like a fun game to play while reading - see how many fairy tale stories and characters you can spot in the text - treat yourself to a chocolate for every one - that'll make it a doubly sweet read :)
