Small Book

Here is a quick read that is both mysterious and curious and it does not resolving every problem it presents.  Anna's father wants to shelter and protect her so she lives a quiet life on an island.  Along comes problems that interrupt this quiet life.  Soon there is  treachery and deceit and the discovery of a body washed up on the beach.

Wild Song by Jane Eagland is a short book and it does not have a clear ending. You might have to imagine on your own how a couple of issues play out.  No sign of a sequel.  There is another book by Eagland titled Wildthorn and although they share the word Wild they are not related except that they are both about the adventures of a young girl.

If you or someone you know has little time, read these small books. 

Robin Hood Gets Angsty

Okay, I admit it.  Technically, the main character of Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen is Will Scarlet, who is actually a girl in this telling.  But Robin Hood is also a pretty big part of her story and he's a little more angsty than the Robin Hood we usually see.  And there's Little John and Much the Miller's Son and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Guy of Gisbourne, who everyone loves to hate. 

I love Robin Hood tales.  They were some of my favorites as a child and I spent a lot of time running around the woods behind our house pretending to be an outlaw with a heart of gold.  So when I picked up this book, I was a bit skeptical that this retelling would hold up to my love of the classic tales.  But oh, it does.  I like Scarlet so much!  She's conflicted but tough, smart but still a bit naive, deadly but caring.  Also, she's an excellent pickpocket and she throws knives.  How badass is that?  And there's plenty of action as Robin and his crew struggle to do the right thing in a world gone wrong. 

My little kid self, who was constantly on the lookout for heroines, would have loved this story even more than I do now.  As it is, I think I know what my Halloween costume is for this year. 

~ Book Ninja