Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater: A Book Review

Bravely
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: May 3, 2022
Pages: 384
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: What if you had one year to save everything you loved?

ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she’s frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love.

TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences.

THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself?

FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH – OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.

My Review: Bravely is the sequel to Brave. On Christmas Eve, the Scottish god of destruction named Feradach seeks to destroy Merida’s kingdom. Merida makes a deal with two gods that Feradach will not destroy her home if she can improve her family within a year. Merida then embarks on a journey throughout Scotland to find ways to improve her family’s well-being. Can Merida succeed in her mission before it’s too late? As Merida continues her quest, she realizes that the person who has to change the most is herself.

I love Merida in the movie, Brave. She is a strong woman who has to learn the meaning of family. In Bravely, I could not connect with Merida. Merida stayed the same throughout the novel. She did not undergo any growth at all. She never seems to stop putting down her family and always complains when others try to teach her etiquette. She also seems to be very passive. There was no trace of the strong, mature, and confident young girl that she was in Brave. Rather, she seemed the complete opposite.

Overall, this story is about growth, family, and friendship. I was not invested in most of the characters. The only characters I thought were the most interesting were Elinor and the antagonist. The plot seemed very rushed, and this is probably why I thought the characters had no development. I think that if the plot slowly took its time for character development, I could feel the impact when they change their personalities and thoughts. Instead, I was indifferent. The romance also seemed to be forced and could have been eliminated. Still, I did like the setting and the mythological aspects of this novel. Thus, Bravely had a lot of potential but was not executed well. This novel will appeal to those who are fans of Brave. However, if you are fans of the movie and have not read this book, you are not missing out on much.

Rating: 2 ½ stars out of 5

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath

Before the Alamo by Florence Byham Weinberg: A Book Review

Before the Alamo Author: Florence Byham Weinberg Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Maywood House Release Date: 2021 Pages: 299 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Emilia Altamirano, Tejana, half Native American, half Spanish, is the daughter of a Royalist officer who fought against Mexico's independence in the Battle of the Medina River. Growing up in Bexar de San Antonio, she becomes literate, is adopted as a ward of José Antonio Navarro, and acts as a page in the Ayuntamiento (City Council). She serves as a nurse in the Battle of the Alamo but survives to face an uncertain future. My Review: Before the Alamo chronicles the events prior to the Battle of the Alamo from a tejana’s perspective, a Texan woman of Spanish descent. Emilia is the daughter of a wealthy Spaniard and a Native American slave. She becomes a ward to Jose Antonio Navarro, a Texas war hero. Jose teaches Emilia to read and write. Under his tutelage, she becomes

The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World by Shelley Puhak: A Book Review

The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World Author: Shelley Puhak Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: Bloomsbury Release Date: February 22, 2022 Pages: 378 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: The remarkable, little-known story of two trailblazing women in the Early Middle Ages who wielded immense power, only to be vilified for daring to rule. Brunhild was a foreign princess, raised to be married off for the sake of alliance-building. Her sister-in-law Fredegund started out as a lowly palace slave. And yet-in sixth-century Merovingian France, where women were excluded from noble succession and royal politics was a blood sport-these two iron-willed strategists reigned over vast realms, changing the face of Europe. The two queens commanded armies and negotiated with kings and popes. They formed coalitions and broke them, mothered children and lost them. They fought a decades-long civil war-against each ot

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