Thorn

Lovely retelling of the goose girl story! First of 3.

There was so much I loved about this book. It was such a smooth and easy read, and was just so comforting to open up and return to throughout the day. I felt like the author introduced the fantasy world so slowly that it made it feel so natural and yet made me so eager to learn more. I rarely like female teen protagonists but Alyrra had my heart early on. For once a character I could relate to! Quiet and yet strong in her principles, but without being aggressive either. It was so satisfying and fulfilling to see her find people who appreciate and care for her as the book goes on. I loved that such real and gritty issues like abuse and injustice were dealt with but all without being crude or explicit. No bad language and no hormonal teens all over each other. The romance was actually subtle and incredibly sweet. After reading I ordered The Theft of Sunlight from the library and bought Sunbolt and Memories of Ash. I was not disappointed! I'm so excited to read more from Intisar Khanani.