BAMBI by Felix Salten | The Tale of a Young Forest Prince

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★★★★☆

I'm quite the fan of Walt Disney's interpretation of Bambi, but was rather hesitant to hear the original tale, due to the many mentionings of its harshness towards the practice of hunting. Yet I was surprised to find that it was not a disappointment!

Felix Salten's Bambi is the tale of a young stag and the future prince of the forest. Hidden deep in the woods with his mother, he watches as his animal friends grow and explore. All the while, an unknown danger stalks their forest...

I personally do not believe that killing wild animals for survival is wrong. However, I do agree with the book's point that killing off does and fawns disrupts the deer population more than the killing of stags.

As to the book rather than the theme, itself: Though I listened to the audiobook instead of reading the actual story, the writing still came across as direct and only slightly descriptive, but still elegant with that old-fashioned flair.

The plot didn't seem to be entirely there; however, Bambi and his family were interesting enough to let the story flow along on their own.

In the end, Bambi made for a charming (if sad) little story. I wouldn't recommend it to children or tweens, -- mainly because of how it portrays mankind as evil -- but it is a somewhat peaceful tale.

You may want to know: Several characters are killed.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

EMMA by Jane Austen | A Satirical, Regency Romance

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★☆☆☆☆

I really do dislike giving such low reviews, particularly when they're of a much beloved story. Perhaps I disliked Emma because I've already seen the 2009 BBC series so many times, or because her character was so very arrogant. The writing was rich, but the story was not intriguing enough to capture my attention. Sadly, this was (yet another) "did-not-finish."

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

DRAGONWITCH by Anne Elisabeth Stengl | The Fifth Volume of TALES OF GOLDSTONE WOOD

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★☆☆☆☆

After trying to finish Dragonwitch for the past two years, I've finally given up. I adore Anne Elisabeth's writing, but this story just isn't for me.

If you have never read any Anne Elisabeth Stengl's books before, please do not assume her other stories are all "one star" worthy. She is probably my favourite author ever!! Her writing is utterly amazing; her worldbuilding is awe-inspiring; her characters are fantastic.

I adore Anne Elisabeth's Tales of Goldstone Wood series, and since the books are not all directly associated with one another, I can't wait to move on to Shadow Hand!

A quick synopsis for Dragonwitch, before I go: Within the walls of Gaheris Castle, an heir dreads his wedding day; a young lady learns to read and write, against everyone's wishes; a reclusive chronicler hides away, harboring a deadly secret...

But honestly. If you haven't read any of Anne Elisabeth's books, go do so. Now. One of my personal favourites is Heartless, the first novel in Tales of Goldstone Wood. You can find Heartless on Amazon and Goodreads.

Click here to read my Goodreads review (of Dragonwitch).

❤, the Book Dragon

AT THE CHRISTMAS LODGE by Rebekah A. Morris | A Sweet, Romantic Christmas Story

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★★★★☆

Set in the cold, winter-y land of Canada, At the Christmas Lodge is a sweet, Christmas short story with just a touch of romance.

I enjoyed this story, and was content with the ending. The writing style was charming, and though there didn't seem to be much plot or character development, it still made for a fun and refreshing read. ☺

You may want to know: There is the slight mention of an inattentive father.

 Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

OUT OF DARKNESS RISING by Gillian Bronte Adams | An Allegorical Novella of Christ's Love for Us

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★★★☆☆

Gillian Bronte Adams's Out of Darkness Rising is a medieval, fantasy retelling of Satan's fall from Heaven, Adam and Eve's mistake in the Garden of Eden, Satan's defeat, and the Lord's love that sets us free.

Though it took me a while to get into the story, I loved how Gillian portrayed Jesus. I've often imagined Him with a good-natured sense of humor, and I thoroughly enjoyed how His character was given just that.

The ending was excellent, as well! Though I didn't connect with Marya much over the course of the story, I began to like her character once she repented and accepted God.

The writing was good and though not as descriptive as I prefer, Out of Darkness Rising was a wonderful story of God's unending love, mercy, and compassion.

You may want to know: There is fantasy violence, as well as a couple un-descriptive human sacrifice scenes.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

FAIREST by Gail Carson Levine | An Original Re-Imagining of SNOW WHITE

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★★★☆☆

Sequel to the Newberry Honor Award-winning Ella Enchanted and a retelling of Snow White, completely its own, Gail Carson Levine's Fairest tells the story of Aza -- a young woman with hideous looks yet a voice to make up for them; abandoned at an inn when she was a child.

I really enjoyed Ella Enchanted, so I had rather high expectations for Fairest. Though the beginning and end were both rather slow, Gail's tasteful writing and curious plot in between helped to make up for it. I greatly admire how Gail can so boldly weave unique cultures and intricate languages into her stories!

The characters, I had a hard time coping with. Aza's battle with discovering inner beauty was certainly relate-able, but I didn't feel like she truly struggled with it -- at least enough to make me empathize much with her.

I also felt no connection to Ijori, Ivi, Areida, or many of the main characters; the character I enjoyed the most was probably zhamH. (Random comment: Gnome Caverns sound like so much fun!)

The setting was good, but I rather wish there had been more description. As interesting as Ayortha's musical culture was, it wasn't enough to make me fall in love with the kingdom.

I do think I'd recommend this book, though likely more so after one's read Ella Enchanted, so they'd have a better knowledge of the setting. Fairest makes for a fun little read, and would probably be enjoyed most by pre-teen girls. :)

You may want to know: There is kissing and mild fantasy violence, along with some magical elements.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

UNBLEMISHED by Sara Ella | An Action-Packed New Fantasy

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★★★★☆

Oh, Unblemished. It seems so long since I've last been completely torn on how to rate a book.

Unblemished tells the story of Eliyana -- a high school senior with a ghastly birthmark that marks her face. She's never considered herself beautiful, and after her mother's death and recurring strange interactions with people she thought she new, her world comes crashing down... and she must be taken to another.

...Don't get me wrong: Unblemished was really good. Sara Ella seems a true wordsmith, and though I'm not a great reader of contemporary fiction (particularly set in a city), she was able to make me like it. It was as if Rick Riordan wrote fairytale-esque novels -- Sara Ella's writing is some of the best I've ever read!

But there were some problems I had with the book. The allegory, for one. I thought I understood it -- it was all rather confusing when I was first introduced to different Reflections, but as time went on, it began to make sense. Until it didn't. I honestly have no idea how the allegory works, or even if there's one at all.

There was also the matter of clichés. Clichés don't typically bother me, but they seemed all too stereotypical for a contemporary fantasy: A girl finds out she's really a chosen one who's supposed to save a magical kingdom surrounded by darkness; she's captured by the villain and escapes multiple times, but every time she's around him, he takes his time explaining his master plans. There's also a love triangle!

So the love triangle. It didn't bother me and seemed somewhat believable, at first. But then there was a giant whirlwind of face-paced emotions, confusing loyalty, and other such drama. The end result was less than satisfactory.

In the end, I think I liked the book? The writing was AMAZING, but I had a hard time standing the characters or the fantasy world. I'd expected Unblemished to be a sweet read about God and true beauty, but there seemed little talk of either, and I must admit that I was a little disappointed... :/  So I'm not sure whether I'd recommend it, or not. If you are interested in reading it, I highly recommend it for the writing style. :)

You may want to know: There was fantasy violence, kissing, and drinking, as well as minor implications.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon