bookshelf love update {mini reviews}

I went into this reading challenge expecting to have a pile of unread books at the end, but miraculously, I've been reading an average of two books per week! Which means I have a fair chance of devouring all 12 books by March 22. Here's the list:

The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith

The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert

Holding Up the Earth by Dianne E. Gray

Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen

Flying Changes by Sara Gruen

Grace at Low Tide by Beth Webb Hart

Blessed are the Meek by Zofia Kossak-Szczucka

Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
Wolf Speaker by Tamora Pierce

Valley of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams

If you'd like to join me in the Bookshelf Love reading challenge, jump on over to the introductory post. And in case you missed it, you can view more details about my personal Bookshelf Love challenge here.

I have reviews planned (but not necessarily written...) for all four of the books I've already read as part of this challenge so far, but for now, here are the first two: Wild Magic and Wolf Speaker by Tamora Pierce. Judging by Goodreads, I somehow managed to get my hands on the least attractive covers. The upside: they match.

Wild Magic (The Immortals #1)
by Tamora Pierce

Young Daine's knack with horses gets her a job helping the royal horsemistress drive a herd of ponies to Tortall. Soon it becomes clear that Daine's talent, as much as she struggles to hide it, is downright magical. Horses and other animals not only obey, but listen to her words. Daine, though, will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers, her past, and herself.
(from the back cover)




This was such a fun read! It's fast-paced without feeling rushed, and I found Daine easy to relate with. I enjoyed watching her friendships develop (Numair and Onua are wonderful characters), though some of the minor characters were difficult to keep straight at times. And due to the lack of quotation marks when Daine converses with animals, on a few occasions I wasn't entirely sure who said what. Speaking of animals, I love Daine's special abilities. It was so much fun seeing her relationships with different creatures and how she grew into her abilities throughout the book.

4/5 leaves

Wolf-Speaker (The Immortals #2)
by Tamora Pierce

When humans start cutting down trees an digging holes in peaceful Dunlath Valley, the wolves know that something is wrong. They send a messenger to the only human who will listen -- Daine, a fourteen-year-old girl with the unpredictable power of wild magic. Daine and her closest companions heed the wolves' cry for help. But the challenge they are about to face in the valley is greater than they can possibly imagine... (from the back cover)





I enjoyed this book every bit as much as the first one, and perhaps more -- it seemed better written, with the dialogue easier to follow and the characters easier to keep straight. It also included wonderful morals (you guys know I'm a sucker for good morals), fun new characters (many of them four-legged, but a few of the two-legged variety as well), and a dragon (everyone likes dragons, yes? of course they do.).

4/5 leaves