Book Review : Huntress by Malinda Lo

Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.

To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

The exciting adventure prequel to Malinda Lo's highly acclaimed novel Ash is overflowing with lush Chinese influences and details inspired by the I Ching, and is filled with action and romance.

*****

I've been wanting to read this book ever since the first time I heard about it. I love LGBT theme and to find it in a young adult fantasy book was super amazing because it is very rare. Maybe my knowledge is limited but please recommend to me if you come across or happen to know any LGBT young adult fantasy / sci-fi books, ya.

This book was about an interesting relationship between two girls on a dangerous journey to escort the prince to meet the Fairy Queen. The land was divided by two kingdom : the land of human and the land of fairies and supernatural creatures. The story began when the king in the human land received an invitation from the Fairy Queen so he sent his son, three guards and two 17 years old girls from the Academy named Kaede and Taisin as his representatives. Both of them were classmates but barely spoken to each other. Taisin was a gifted student and good with magic and sorcery and she wished to be a mage after graduating. However, Kaede was only good with daggers and weapons and had no interest in sorcery at all. The relationship between Taisin and Kaede deepened as they have to rely on each other to complete their mission. 

I love the chemistry between Kaede and Taisin. They were shy and awkward at first (as they barely spoke to each other in class) but once they realized how much they attracted to each other, their relationship deepened.  They talked and giggled like best friends and they find hope to survive the mission in each other. They needed and relied on each other so much. I can only think of good things about their relationship because I ship them a lot. I cried at the end of this book because I think their relationship was very honest  and innocent BUT I hate their ending.

This book was not thick 300++ pages. The plot was okay and fast paced. This book was enjoyable to read especially the romance between Kaede and Taisin. However, I dislike the ending and I wish I could rewrite them based on my own liking. Haha.. I think the writer did not elaborate much on the characters in this book but I like how she wrote about feelings and how Kaede and Taisin fall in love. The description was very deep and poetic and I felt like Kaede and Taisin were very real.

I love the story but I hate the ending. So I give this book 4 stars.

Book Review : Ash by Malinda Lo

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

*****

Ash was a lesbian version of Cinderella retelling, which I like so so much. The book was not thick, I think 200 ++ pages. The language was simple but poetic. This book was about an orphan girl named Ash who lived with her cruel stepmother and two stepsisters. She loved fairy tales and always dreamed about a male fairy named Sidhean whom she believed will take her away some day. But when she met the King's Huntress named Kaisa, she enjoyed her companionship  and started to fall in love with her, but she was torn between her feelings to Kaisa and her promise to Sidhean.

I think the author did a great job in describing Ash. I love her character ; she was a girl full with curiosity, emotions, feelings and she was not a weakling. She was a rebellious girl and always sneaks out from her stepmother to meet the fairy or Kaisa. Ash did not rely on others to make a decision, she fought for what she believed and what she loved. I love Kaisa as well as I always love stories about huntress and women who fight. I ship them. Ha ha

This book was not an ordinary Cinderella tale where a handsome prince came to save the poor girl. It was about making decisions, fight for what you believe and what you want and of course about love. This was the first book written by Malinda Lo and I am looking forward to read her other books.

I give this book 4.5 stars.