Wildwing by Emily Whitman

368 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Wizard

. In 1913 England, Addy's prospects seem glim since she never knew her father and her mother scrapes a pittance of a living as a seamstress. Her only chance is to secure a position with Mr. Greenwood, a curmudgeonly, batty old man who lives like a hermit. Mr. Greenwood is overcome with grief over the disappearance of his young son years ago, but Addy's young inquisitive presence rejuvenates him and they spend many an afternoon chatting over tea and books. One day Addy is alone exploring the old house when she stumbles upon an old lift in the library. No sooner than she steps inside that the door shuts and the lift starts to rumble and rattle. When it stops she steps out onto a vast field apparently nowhere near 1913. Now she's in medieval England, mistaken for Lady Matilda who's presumed killed in a shipwreck and happens to be betrothed to Lord Hughes of a nearby manor. Addy is torn between finding her way back home and playing the role of a Lady whose every whim is catered to by an eager and extensive staff of servants. Here she could have everything she has ever wanted. But should she stay and assume another's identity even if that person is dead? The handsome young falconer's son may help make up her mind. (Pub date 9/11) Recommend this to readers new to fantasy, there is enough that is familiar. Also offer to fans of alternate histories such as Prisoner in the Palace by Michaela MacColl and Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors.

Fairytale Keeper by Angela Cefalo (Gally copy)
267 pgs
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Wizard

Synopsis from back cover
"Snow White was a pet name her mother had given her, but her mother's dead now. Adelaide hates that name anyway. A rampant fever claimed Adelaide's mother just like a thousand others in Cologne where the people die without last rites and the dead are dumped in a large pit outside of the city walls. Adelaide's father is determined to obtain a funeral for his wife, but that requires bribing the parish priest, Father Soren. When Soren commits an unforgivable atrocity, he pushes Adelaide to her breaking point, but if she seeks justice against the cruel priest, she risks sacrificing everything: her father, her friends, her first love, and mabe even her life."

I liked the unusual nature of the fairytale retelling, where the protagonist, Adelaide, appears to be the source of all the Grimm's Tales. Cinderella, Snow White, and The Elves and the Shoemaker all make an appearance. Her father is the shoemaker, Adelaide is Snow White and her mother's beautiful cousin is the evil stepmother from Cinderella. It's a genuinely cool way to interweave more than one fairytale into your story. I did notice however that she also included the tale The Six Swans but there was no indication of that tale in the book. So I'm assuming that means it will appear in some way in the forthcoming titles in the series. The medieval Cologne setting was beautifully laid out and gave the stories depth and ambiance. I really liked the budding romance between Adelaide and Ivo. Ivo was hands down my favorite character in the book. I can so easily imagine him as any number of Grimm characters. It will be very interesting to see where he ends up. The corruption in the church was an intriguing thread in the storyline and I wonder if that will continue in the next installment.
I want to thank the author, Andrea Cefalo, for sending me a copy of this fabulous debut to enjoy and feature here on my blog.

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
416 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

This is an outstanding companion to Dragon's Keep although it can be enjoyed as a standalone book. The kingdom on Wilde Island, mourning its king and anxiously awaiting the return of the prince, is in the hands of the bloodthirsty and evil regent, Sackmoore. The fragile alliance between fairies, dragons and humans is strained. On one of the regent's witch hunts, Tess, who has the gift of firesight, is accused of witchery and is forced to flee with her two best friends, Poppy and Meg. They're offered shelter by a royal huntsman, Garth who is the younger prince in disguise. Tess soon discovers that her father is fey which explains her gift. The dragons play a larger role in the latter half of the story. The pace is slow at first but builds to an amazing climax keeping the reader riveted to the page. All the characters are fully drawn and come to life on the page.This is a must for epic fantasy lovers. There's romance, adventure, history, mythology and political intrigue all against a beautifully rendered medieval landscape. What more could you ask for?