Graceling

Title : Graceling

Author : Kristin Cashore

Citation : Cashore, Kristin. Graceling. Orlando, Fla. : Harcourt, 2008.

Grace, that is a term for people born with an extreme skill, are feared and exploited. One of them is Katsa who carries the burden of the skill, the Grace of killing. Living under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, she is expected to punish and torture anyone who displeases the king. Then, meeting Prince Po who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no idea of how her life is about to change: to learn the truth about her own Grace and the secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms. Those who are Tamora Pierce fans must love this thrilling, action-packed fantasy adventure with a slight hint of steamy romance. Every character is depicted with the same meticulous devotion to human understanding, making this novel is compelling with its strong heroine, political intrigue and action. The author juggles her complicated plot with effortlessness rivalling Katsa's. Although there are some undeveloped plots, the exquisitely drawn romance will satisfy the thirst of Twilight fans, but one measure of this compelling novel's achievements lies in its broad appeal

The Blue Sword

Title : The blue sword

Author : Robin McKinley

Citation : McKinley, Robin. The blue sword. New York : Greenwillow Books, c1982.

An orphan girl, Harry Crewe, leaves her Homeland to live in a desert country called Damar, after the dead of her father. Damar is a bleak landscape where Homelanders and the secretive magical Hillfolk share the area that once part of the great kingdom. She then gets kidnapped by Corlath, the Hillfolk King, who takes her deep into the desert. Without knowing the Hillfolk language, she is wondering why she has been chosen by Corlath who does know that she is to be trained in the arts of war. Will she be ready to accept her true destiny's that of the heir to the Blue Sword, Gonturan?  There had no woman who can handle and use weapons as skillful as the Lady Aerin that gone into battle with the North in the Hill-King's army. The Blue Sword is the first installment of the Damar series. A world-building storyline, fast-paced and strong sense of place mix together with a descriptive and engaging style have made this book of New York Times bestseller.  

Other book in the Damar Series : The hero and the crown (1984)

Sabriel

Title : Sabriel

Author : Garth Nix

Citation : Nix, Garth. Sabriel. New York : HarperCollins, c1995.

This is an Australian fiction about Sabriel, a young girl sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre to be a necromancer, a person who fight the dead who seek to return to life.   She has little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But then when her father, Abhorsen, goes missing, she must enter the kingdom to save him. Accompanied by Mogget, a raging natural force contained in the form of a cat, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, every step of the way bring them closer to the battle of life and death. This first instalment of the Abhorsen trilogy incorporates the virility and compassionate love of a young girl making her a sympathetic heroine. With a rich, complex, world-building and fast-paced, the novel makes it hard to put down. Although it is bleak, readers who enjoy the intricate tales of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, will find this trilogy is also appealing.

Other book in the Abhorsen Trilogy: Lirael, daughter of the Clayr (2001); Abhorsen (2003)

Trickster's Choice

Title : Trickster's choice

Author : Tamora Pierce

Citation : Pierce, Tamora. Trickster's choice. New York : Random House, 2003. 

As a daughter of the famed Alanna, the Lioness of Tortall, Alianne Cooper or Aly is expected to be a knight. But her parents do not support her dangerous wish to be a spy like her father. Aly begins a furious argument and then runs away. On her escape, things go horribly wrong. Aly is captured by pirates and sold as a slave to the noble Balitang family of the Copper Isles, where she is straightaway entangled in royal family intrigues. Aly has to create a secret spy network and fighting force to defend her charges from royal assassins. She then discovers that she is about to enter a life and death wager with the Trickster God, Kyprioth. This book is the first installment of the Daughter of the Lioness series. The world-building and action packed storyline seems to go hand in hand with angst-filled and upbeat tone. The author is smart to deliver not only the continuation of the Alanna series but also creates a sassy heroine that is struggling to escape her parent's expectation. This aspect will resonate mostly with teens. The readers will never forget Aly's interesting interest such as transforming from a crow. With some elements of political intrigue, interfering gods and humorous undertones, the readers who have engrossed in the tales of Alanna the Lioness will be equally fascinated by this rich and complex tale of Alanna's teenage daughter.

Other book in the Daughter of the lioness or also known as Trickster Series : Trickster's queen (2004).