THRONE OF GLASS series reading information

Sarah J. Maas has written an exciting series for Young Adults that some have compared to George R.R. Martin's  Game of Thrones.  

There are many, many short stories and novellas available for this series in ebook form.  I will list them in order after the main two novels.


**all ratings from GoodReads

THRONE OF GLASS
(Throne of Glass #1)

**Starred Review** SchoolLibrary Journal

4.16 avg rating — 23,179 ratings

18 year old Celaena is as beautiful as she is deadly.  And this has landed her in prison where she expected to rot.  However she gains a reprieve when the Crown Prince, Dorian, finds himself in need of her services.  

 Celaena cannot take a direct path to becoming Dorian's champion.  First she must defeat the other contenders; men violent and capable, murderers and thieves.

Reading Information:
Word Count: 113,655
Page Count:  406
Accelerated Reader: 5.7 / points: 18.0
AR quiz: 155818
Reading Counts: 6.1 / points:26.0
--sample pages and reviews available

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT 
(Throne of Glass #2)    

4.59 avg rating — 3,805 ratings

The love triangle continues as Celaena struggles with the intricacies of being the King's assassin.  A king, it should be noted, that is not well liked and who Celaena feels a wavering loyalty.

no reading information currently available
Page Count:  432
--sample pages and reviews available



THE FOLLOWING HAVE NO READING INFORMATION and none is expected:

(Throne of Glass, #0.1)
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
4.09 avg rating — 3,193 ratings — published 2012
An inexpensive introduction!


(Throne of Glass, #0.15)
The Assassin and the Healer
4.14 avg rating — 153 ratings — published 2013
FREE for the MOMENT!!!
http://issuu.com/bloomsbury/docs/the_assassin_and_the_healer_ms_to_w?workerAddress=ec2-23-22-44-20.compute-1.amazonaws.com


(Throne of Glass, #0.2)
The Assassin and the Desert
4.27 avg rating — 2,778 ratings — published 2012


(Throne of Glass, #0.3)
The Assassin and the Underworld
4.25 avg rating — 2,645 ratings — published 2012


(Throne of Glass, #0.4)
The Assassin and the Empire
4.33 avg rating — 2,408 ratings — published 2012


(Throne of Glass, #0.1-0.4)
The Assassin's Blade
4.53 avg rating — 45 ratings — expected publication 2014


(Throne of Glass, #1.1)
The Assassin and the Princess
4.11 avg rating — 240 ratings — published 2013
Appears to be a waste of time and a one page excerpt.
Check GoodReads to see for yourself.


(Throne of Glass, #1.2)
The Assassin and the Captain
4.29 avg rating — 314 ratings
Appears to be another colossal waste of time.
Check GoodReads to see for yourself.


compiled by Pam

Other reviews you might be interested in

• His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers

TAMORA PIERCE reading level information INDEX

Tamera Pierce is a wonderful author.  Her world-building is the best, and her characters are fascinating and strong.

The following books all take place in the imagined land of Tortall.

• ALANA & the SONG OF THE LIONESS
 

• ALIANNE & THE TRICKSTER books (DAUGHTER'S OF THE LIONESS)

• BEKA COOPER 

•  CIRCLE OF MAGIC

• KELANDRY & PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL

DAUGHTERS OF THE LIONESS reading level information

In this series, Tamora Pierce follows the adventures of Alianne, the daughter of Alanna.

TRICKSTER'S CHOICE

Alianne is the teenage daughter of the Lady Alanna.  Unlike her strong and powerful mother, Aly is more like her father, the master spy.

When looking for information she manages to get herself captured and sold as a slave to an exiled royal family in the faraway Copper Islands.  This is where her skills in dealing with intrigue are tested to the max.  This is a land of political intrigue, murderous conspiracy, and warring gods.

Reading Information:
Word Count: 118,720
Page Count: 448
Accelerated Reading level: 5.8 / points: 19.0
AR quiz: 74765
Lexile: 790L
--sample pages available


TRICKSTER'S QUEEN

No longer a slave, Aly is now a spy helping the underground rebellion against the colonial rulers of the Copper Isles.  She fights to aid them and to protect her siblings.  Things don't all work out as expected.

Word Count: 134,322
Page Count: 467
Accelerated Reading level: 5.9 / points: 21.0
AR quiz: 82814
Lexile: 840L
--sample pages available

compiled by Pam

 Tamora Pierce author index 

PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL reading information

Another excellent series from Tamora.  Some sources will tell you it's for Middle-graders, but that depends.  There is profanity and sexual references.

FIRST TEST

4.17 Stars from 21,019 GoodReaders 

Keladry of Mindelan ("Kel") is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that lets girls train to be knights.  In this book she is put on probation by her training master.  But it's the boys that present a huge problem.  Their prejudice and their tradition of hazing which she declares war on.

Reading Information:
Word Count: 54,853
Page Count:  246
Accelerated Reading level: 5.3 / points: 8.0
AR quiz: 44707
Lexile: 760L


PAGE

4.14 Stars from 18,216 GoodReaders

In this book, Kel grows up.  She gets her period and a serious crush on Neal.  In general, this is a book about growing up and coping with fears.  Finding yourself.

Word Count: 61,436
Accelerated Reading level: 5.4 / points: 9.0
AR quiz: 45795
Lexile: 730L


SQUIRE

4.20 Stars from 19,137 GoodReaders

The legendary Lord Raoul chooses Kel to be his squire, much to the dismay of the court  conservatives.  Some think it's out of pity, and that the Lady Knight Alana asked the favor of him. 

Adventure is taken to the next level as Raoul gives Kel more leeway to prove herself.  And on top of everything else, Kel finds herself the 'parent' of a baby Griffin.

Word Count: 95,520
Accelerated Reading level: 5.6 / points: 15.0
AR quiz: 49790
Lexile: 730L


LADY KNIGHT

4.23 Stars from 18,888 GoodReaders

It's war with Scanra.  And where is Kel placed?  In charge of a refugee camp.  She's steaming made about being behind the lines, but she deals with her responsibilities and proves herself at last, so none may doubt.

Word Count: 101,390
Accelerated Reading level: 5.6 / points: 16.0
AR quiz: 61332
Lexile: 770L


compiled by Pam

 Tamora Pierce author index 

ALANA & the SONG OF THE LIONESS Series reading Information

If you love strong female characters, then you're probably a fan of Tamora Pierce. The SONG OF THE LIONESS is the first of the TORTALL books.

Book #1
ALANNA, THE FIRST ADVENTURE
This book starts off in an almost cliche manner as Alanna changes places with her twin.  Thom goes off to be educated in magic, while she goes off to become a squire.  In disguise, of course.

The book breaks out of the norm by taking a much more down to earth and honest approach to being a girl in man's country.

Word Count: 49,061
Page Count:  272
Accelerated Reading level: 4.5 / points: 7.0
AR quiz: 20708
Lexile: 690L
--sample pages available


Book #2
IN THE HAND OF THE GODDESS

Alanna is finally Prince Jonathan's squire. And for the next four years she will have to fight to live up to his trust.  During this time, Alanna participates in her first war, and falls in love --all while in disguise!   She also meets the Great Mother Goddess, and finds trouble with  Sir Jonathan's evil uncle, Duke Roger. 

Word Count: 46,574
Page Count:  256
Accelerated Reading level: 5.2 / points: 7.0
AR quiz: 20709
Lexile: 750L
--sample pages available


Book #3
THE WOMAN WHO RIDES LIKE A MAN
Knighted!  And Alana is off to the desert where she is taken captive by a desert tribe that means to test her to the limits. 

Word Count: 51,569
Page Count:  272
Accelerated Reading level: 5.5 / points: 8.0
AR quiz: 20710
Lexile: 790L
--sample pages available


Book #4
LIONESS RAMPANT

Romance finds the Lioness.   Liam Ironarm, a Shang Dragon warrior garners her attention.  But the real story is back at home.  Johnathan is now king.  And Duke Roger is plotting. 

Word Count: 70,890
Page Count: 368
Accelerated Reading level: 5.0 / points: 11.0
AR quiz: 20711
Lexile: 720L
--sample pages available


compiled by Pam

 Tamora Pierce author index 

GIRLS RULE! Girls of YA That Totally Kick Butt!

A NEW INDEX.  We'll be building up a list of YA Books and Series where Grrls totally break out of the old rolls and take charge, kicking butt where it needs to be kicked.

Sabriel and Lirael of the Abhorsen Trilogy

Alana of the SONG OF THE LIONESS series (Tortall)

Alex of the ASHES Trilogy

Alianne of DAUGHTERS OF THE LIONESS (Tortall)

Beatrice "Tris" of the DIVERGENT Trilogy

Beka Cooper of THE LEGEND OF BEKA COOPER (Tortall)

Bitterblue of BITTERBLUE

June of LEGEND

Katniss of HUNGER GAMES

Katsa of GRACELING

Karou of Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Kel of PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL (Tortall)

"Tris" of The DIVERGENT Trilogy

BEKA COOPER reading levels

Tamora Pierce may be the queen of writers when it comes to writing gripping stories about Girls Who Kick Butt!  In this tale from the lands of Tortall the heroine is a police officer.  Or what passes for one in a medieval setting.  The world building is excellent, and while there is a fantasy element (pigeons carry the voices of the dead to Beka), it is kept realistic and reasonable.  Highly recommend this YA read.  (sexual content here and there)

TERRIER

In this book, Beka is a rookie 'dog' learning the ropes of how to deal with 'rats' (criminals) and her new community.  Tamora begins some epic world building and we are introduced to friends and enemies.  Good crime read.

Reading Information:
Word Count: 133,817
Page Count:  608
Accelerated Reading level:  4.5 / points: 19.0
AR quiz: 111149
Lexile: 700L
--sample pages available


BLOODHOUND

In this book Beka has been promoted from "Puppy" to  full Dog --a full-fledged member of the Provost's Guard.  And she and her partner begin investigating counterfeit coins.

Word Count: 167,010
Page Count:  576
Accelerated Reading level:  4.8 / points: 25.0
AR quiz: 129853
Lexile: HL730L
--sample pages available 


MASTIFF
Beka loses her fiance and to assuage her guilt, plunges into a mystery on behalf of the Queen.  She doesn't understand at first that the future of the throne of Tortall is involved. 

Word Count: 182,686
Page Count:  608
Accelerated Reading level: 5.4 / points: 28.0
AR quiz: 147398
Lexile: 790L
--sample pages available 

compiled by Pam

 Tamora Pierce author index 

LEGEND by Marie Lu [reading information]

Marie Lu's LEGEND is a popular YA dystopia.  Lu has said that this series was inspired by Les Miserables.  In particular the conflict between Valjean and Javert.  Chapters alternate between the two main characters, June and Day.

You can read samples from both published books here, with either your Kindle or by downloading the Kindle eReader software.

LEGEND (book #1)
by Marie Lu

4.10 Stars from 38,913 GoodReaders

Born into an elite family in an apocalyptic future, 15-year-old June is being groomed for the highest military circle. Born into the slums, 15-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. June and Day have no reason to meet --until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect.  Their search for the truth has made this book legendary amongst YA readers.

Reading Information:

Word Count: 75,464
Page Count:  320
Accelerated Reading level: 4.8 / points: 11.0
AR quiz: 148251
Lexile: HL710L
--sample pages available


PRODIGY
(Legend #2)
by Marie Lu

4.34 Stars from 6,558 GoodReaders 

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the Elector Primo dies.  Anden, the Elector's son fills the political void and with this act  the Republic edges closer to chaos.  The Patriot rebels are eager to help Day rescue his brother, but Day and June have one more mission-- to assassinate the new Elector.

Word Count:  97,881
Page Count: 384
Accelerated Reading level: 5.3 / points: 15.0
AR quiz: 156557
--sample pages available



LIFE BEFORE LEGEND (Legend 0.5)
Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

3.91 Stars from  843 GoodReaders

In this Kindle collection readers get to see 12  year-old June was starting her first day of school at Drake University as the youngest cadet ever admitted; and Day struggling just to eat and survive in his world.

Page Count: 38
--sample pages available


compiled by Pam at GoodBooksforKidsLists!

You might also be interested in:   #1

 

ABHORSEN / OLD KINGDOM series reading levels

Garth Nix is a wonderful author, and this series is magical.  Highly recommend to those looking for a good fantasy read.

**This series has a different name in the US vs Great Britain.  Abhorsen in North America.  Old Kingdom in GB.

SABRIEL

4.17 STARS from 62,224 GoodReaders

In this book readers are introduced to Sabriel, and the worlds of Ancelstierre and the Old Kingdom.  

Though born in the Old Kingdom, her father, Abhorsen, has sent Sabriel to a boarding school in Ancelstierre so that she will be away from random power of Free Magic and the Dead who refuse to stay dead.  When he becomes trapped in death, Sabriel begins her search, soon finding herself in the company of a mysterious cat named Mogget, who is an aloof and malevolent spirit that is barely cooperative, and Touchstone, who was trapped in the figurehead of a boat.   

Reading Information:
Word Count: 90,195
Page Count:  311
Accelerated Reading level: 7.3 / points: 16.0
AR quiz: 17837
Lexile: 1060L


LIRAEL

4.28 STARS from 38,553 GoodReaders

Word Count: 133,828
Page Count:  705
Accelerated Reading level: 7.1 / points: 23.0
AR quiz: 49645
Lexile: 950L


ABHORSEN

4.29 STARS from 40,632 GoodReaders

Word Count: 99,206
Page Count:  518
Accelerated Reading level: 6.6 / points: 16.0
AR quiz: 65575
Lexile: 890L


ACROSS THE WALL

3.71 STARS from 6,070 GoodReaders

This book features a collection of short stories.  Even people who don't like short stories like these.

Titles
Nicholas Sayre and the creature in the case
Under the lake
Charlie Rabbit
From the lighthouse
The hill
Lightning Bringer
Down to the Scum Quarter
Heart's desire
Hansel's eyes
Hope chest
My new really epic fantasy series
Three roses
Endings

Word Count: 72,181
Page Count:  415
Accelerated Reading level: 6.5 / points: 12.0
AR quiz: 88997


CLARIEL    to be out in 2014?

Clariel is the lost Abhorsen and this book is about the girl who eventually becomes Chlorr of the Mask. It takes place about 320 years before the events in Sabriel.

compiled by Pam

HUNGER GAMES reading levels

SUZANNE COLLINS set the YA genre on fire when she and Scholastic published HUNGER GAMES back in 2008.  I mean, who would have imagined a series that would outsell Harry Potter.

THE HUNGER GAMES

PublishersWeekly Best Book of 2008  
Kirkus Best Book of 2008 
SchoolLibraryJournal Best Book of 2008 
HornBook Fanfare Choice 
ALA Booklist Best Book of 2008  
100 weeks at #1 on New York Times

In a future North America there are 13 districts dominated by a Capital that maintains brutal control through intimidation.  In order to insure that the districts don't forget that they are subservient, annual games are held where children are chosen to fight to the death against one another.  When sixteen-year-old Katniss's sister is chosen, she defies convention and volunteers to take her place. And this is where the adventure begins.

Reading Level Information:
Word Count: 99,750
Page Count:  384
Accelerated Reading level: 5.3 / points: 15.0
AR quiz: 123740
Lexile: 810L


CATCHING FIRE

PublishersWeekly Best Book of 2009 
Kirkus Best Book of 2009
SchoolLibraryJournal Best Book of 2008 
HornBook Fanfare ChoiceALA Booklist Editor's Choice 2009

100 weeks at #1 on New York Times
#1 New York Times Bestseller
#1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A Time Magazine Top 10 Fiction Book of 2009
A People Magazine (Top 10) Best Book of 2009
A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice
A Los Angeles Times Best Children's Book of 2009

Katniss and Peeta have won the Hunger Games and now they and their families should be safe.  However, because they won by defying the Capital's rules, they find themselves being used as the figureheads for the rising unrest in the Districts.  

Word Count: 101,564
Page Count:  391
Accelerated Reading level: 5.3 / points: 16.0
AR quiz: 132824
Lexile: 820L


MOCKINGJAY

#1 New York Times Bestseller
#1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2010
A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
A 2010 Booklist Editors' Choice
A 2010 Kirkus Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010
#1 USA Today Bestseller
#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.  A dark ending to this amazing trilogy.

Word Count: 100,269
Page Count:  400
Accelerated Reading level: 5.3 / points: 15.0
AR quiz: 138972
Lexile: 800L

LAINI TAYLOR reading levels

LAINI TAYLOR is a wonderfully colorful character.  Striking, with her vibrant pink hair, she almost seems like a fairy herself.  

Her Dreamdark series is suitable for middle-graders+.    Daughter of Smoke and Bone series is for young adults as it has sexual content, language, and violence.

You can find Tayor's blog here.

LIPS TOUCH: TIMES THREE

A National Book Award Finalist
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2009
A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
**Starred Review** ALA Booklist

3 stories in this acclaimed volume.  All about the wonder of kissing that special person.

Word Count: 60,828
Page Count: 288
Accelerated Reading level: 6.4 / points: 10.0
AR quiz: 132412
Lexile: 990L
-- sample pages available


DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
(Daughter of Smoke and Bone, book #1)

**Starred Review** PublishersWeekly
**Starred Review** Kirkus
**Starred Review** SchoolLibraryJournal
**Starred Review** HornBook

In this volume the reader is introduced to Karou, a 17 year-old art student in exotic Prague.  Karou at once seems like a normal teen, struggling to define herself.  But in so many ways she is exceptional.  For one she was raised by monsters.  And it's for these chimaera that she runs 'errands', collecting teeth which the creatures use in exchange for wishes.  It's on one of these missions that Karou crosses the path of a seraph named Akiva, who finds something familiar in her.

It's angels versus darker creatures in a war that might possibly be stopped.  Brilliant world-building.

Word Count: 99,472
Page Count:  448
Accelerated Reading level: 5.8 / points: 16.0
AR quiz: 146487
Lexile: 850L


DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT
(Daughter of Smoke and Bone, book #2)
by Laini Taylor

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Little Brown and Co.
Page Count: 528
AR information not available yet.
--sample pages available


BLACKBRINGER
(Dreamdark series, book #1)

**Starred Review** Kirkus

When the ancient evil of the Blackbringer rises to unmake the world, only one determined faerie stands in its way. However, Magpie Windwitch, granddaughter of the West Wind, is not like other faeries. While her kind live in seclusion deep in the forests of Dreamdark, she's devoted her life to tracking down and recapturing devils escaped from their ancient bottles, just as her hero, the legendary Bellatrix, did 25,000 years ago. With her faithful gang of crows, she travels the world fighting where others would choose to flee. But when a devil escapes from a bottle sealed by the ancient Djinn King himself- the creator of the world- she may be in over her head. How can a single faerie, even with the help of her friends, hope to defeat the impenetrable darkness of the Blackbringer?

Richly drawn world.

Word Count: 92,634
Page Count:  448
Accelerated Reading level: 5.6 / points: 14.0
AR quiz: 115265



SILKSINGER
(Dreamdark series, #2)

**Starred Review** Kirkus

Whisper Silksinger is the last of the secret guardians of the Azazel, one of the powerful Djinn who dreamed the world into being. Relentlessly pursued by bloodthirsty devils, she flees to the city of Nazneen to restore the Azazel to his temple. At the same time, Hirik Mothmage is also on a secret quest, to find the Azazel and restore his disgraced clan’s ancient honor.

And behind them all flies Magpie Windwitch, first champion of the new age of faeries, desperate to rescue Whisper and the Azazel alike before they fall in the clutches of a sinister hidden enemy

Word Count: 95,020
Page Count:  464
Accelerated Reading level: 6.0 / points: 15.0
AR quiz: 132646
Lexile: 870L

DIVERGENT series reading levels

The Divergent trilogy by Roth is a young adult dystopia set in a future where all of society is divided into four groups. Children live at home until they come of age and are tested to see which Faction they belong with. Woe to those who have skills that might place them in more than one group. They're divergent, dangerous, outcast. But perhaps their time has come at last.

**all ratings from GoodReads


Book #1
DIVERGENT
by Veronica Roth

**Starred Review** PublishersWeekly

4.38 avg rating — 416,841 ratings

The setting is Chicago in the future where a large enclave of survivors live, their society structured so that it is divided into 5 factions. At 16, teens must choose their faction and for Beatrice Prior it's a dire decision. Why? Because she's 'divergent' -- a person who's mind is more flexible than most. You would think such an attribute would be appreciated, but no, as it turns out someone is murdering the divergent, and the question is why.

This first book in the series introduces the society and Beatrice's struggles as she switches from Abnegation to the military Dauntless. Adventure packed with heavy romance. (YA)

Reading Information:

Word Count: 105,143
Page Count: 576
Accelerated Reading level: 4.8 / points: 16.0
AR quiz: 144400
 Lexile: HL700L


Book #1.5

Tobias Tells the Divergent Knife-Throwing Scene

4.28 avg rating — 32,711 ratings

Roth retells a Divergent scene from Tobias's point of view and charges you for it.  (At one point this was free.  Perhaps closer to the release of ALLEGIANT it will be free again.)

Page Count:  16
no reading information


Book #2
INSURGENT
by Veronica Roth

4.30 avg rating — 222,795 ratings

Tris and Four find themselves at the center of a Faction war. 

Word Count: 106,028
Page Count: 544
Accelerated Reading level: 5.0 / points: 16.0
AR quiz: 151402
Lexile: HL710L


Book #3

ALLEGIANT

The hopefully exciting ending of this series.

What if your whole world was a lie?

What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?

What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

Word Count: 110,354
Page Count:  544
Accelerated Reader: 5.7 / points: 17.0
AR quiz: 162562
Lexile: 830L


The World of Divergent: Becoming Allegiant

This would appear to be a free Kindle story.

~~~

Four: A Divergent Story Collection  
February 11, 2014

There are five stories in this collection:  "The Transfer," "The Initiate," "The Son," "The Traitor," and "Free Four".   (See Free Four above.  It's the only story currently published.)

You can purchase them all at one, or individually.  Free Four, as just mentioned, is published but the rest of the stories won't be released until the beginning of September of 2013.  This collection won't be available until 2014.

-- The Transfer
September 24, 2013

-- The Initiate
December 17, 2013

-- The Son 
January 21, 2014

-- The Traitor
February 11, 2014


compiled by Pam

Updated November 2013

GRACELING Realm reading levels

Kristin Cashore is a wonderful author. Her world-building skills are top notch, and she has the ability to breath life into even secondary characters. Because of this she has a huge following.

Here are her books and their reading information. Note that as the books of the Graceling Realm progress they become darker and more adult.

Graceling

**Starred Review** Booklist
**Starred Review** SchoolLibraryJournal 
**Starred Review** Kirkus
**Starred Review** PublishersWeekly

Katsa is graced. Which is to say that she is one of the people in the realm who are born with extraordinary skills. Her skill is fighting, which became apparent when she accidentally murdered her uncle when she was only eight years old. In another place and time she might have been allowed to determine her own future, however her uncle, a very nasty king, saw the benefit she could be to him as an enforcer.

Her life becomes one of violence lived as the ultimate bully until she meets Po, another graceling who has different ideas about how their unique martial arts abilities can be used.


Graceling is straight-forward sort of story suitable for most Young Adults. It has mild sexual situations and violence.

Reading Information:
Word Count: 115,109
Page Count: 471
Accelerated Reading level: 5.3 / points: 18.0
AR quiz: 124842
Lexile: 730L
--sample pages available

Graceling (Spanish)
Word Count: 127,823
Accelerated Reading level: 5.2 / points: 19.0
AR quiz: 124842SP


Fire

**Starred Review** Horn
**Starred Review** SchoolLibraryJournal 
**Starred Review** Kirkus

War looms in the Dells. Rebel lords are building armies with the intent of destroying the rule of King Nash. Enter Fire, a human monster in a land where there are monster-mice, monster-birds. And rather than being hideous as you might imagine, she is unbelievable beautiful. But it's a beauty that comes with a cost. The sight of her can make regular folk loose their grasp, drive them crazy with lust, or else the desire to murder her.

To complicate matter, Fire can control people's minds. But unlike her father, who also has this power, she is determined not to use it for evil ends. And to Fire's credit she attempts to hide herself in the countryside. But one day her seclusion ends when Prince Brigan arrives to engage her assistance in saving the kingdom from war.

This is a very imaginative story filled with romance and adventure. This book is a prequel.

I've noted that the readers who love Graceling frequently don't care for Fire as much. Fire is a more adult book to me. It deals more with relationships than Graceling which was more of an action-driven novel. Sexual situations, a darker tone, and violence.

Word Count: 112,634
Page Count: 480
Accelerated Reading level: 6.2 / points: 18.0
AR quiz: 132410
Lexile: 870L 

--sample pages available

Fuego (Fire, Spanish)
no reading information currently


BITTERBLUE

**Starred Review** PublishersWeekly
**Starred Review** SchoolLibraryJournal
 **Starred Review** Kirkus

Bitterblue is now queen now that Leck is dead. But Leck's evil influence persists in this darkly toned book that includes sexual content, sadism, and violence. This is not a book I would suggest for middle-graders. I enjoyed it but it's very dark, and really, a little slowly plotted.

Readers who like Fire are probably more likely to like Bitterblue.

Word Count:147,587
Page Count: 576
Accelerated Reading level: 5.6 / points: 23.0
AR quiz: 153664
Lexile:  HL790L 
--sample pages available

Bitterblue (Spanish)
no reading information currently

compiled by Pam T