#TNReads: Real Quick Reviews for Lazy Readers featuring Megan Bannen

Tallulah James unconventional childhood is made up of the stuff that would send most of us into years of therapy. The James children, Tallulah, Griff, Walden and Dharma, are “free range”, not because of a parenting philosophy, but due to the cavalier attitude of their mother and mental illness plaguing their father. The guidance the children receive from their grandmother may be their saving grace, but family secrets and small town gossip are hard to overcome with genteel southern tradition as your only weapon.

Set in the tumultuous 60’s and 70’s amid war protests and the civil rights movement, Crandall uses skillful storytelling and beautiful prose to unfold the stories of Tallulah’s childhood, and her return home as an adult drawn back by a new family tragedy. The Myth of Perpetual Summer will make you ache and root for the James family as they ultimately try to find the balance to both overcome and embrace their family legacy.

The Bird and The Blade is a historical YA novel based on an Italian Opera called Turandot. Turandot, in turn, is based on a story from 12th Century Persian poet Nizami. Author Megan Bannen places her version in the 13th Century Mongol Empire, and it’s an incredibly fresh and unexplored historical landscape.

Our main character is Jinghua, a Chinese slave of a Mongol Khan. After experiencing a late-night act of kindness from the Khan’s youngest son Prince Khalaf, Jinghua voluntarily follows Khalaf and the Khan into dangerous exile after a failed war campaign. They journey through the treacherous wilds together, trying to outrun the assassins determinedly tracking them. Through physical hardship, danger, and fear, the three inevitably bond despite their many secrets and opposing goals. A tragic epic of loyalty, love, and sacrifice, it explores self-worth, beauty, family relationships, and the things we’re willing to do for love.

What I Loved: The writing is beautiful and clear, and the author masterfully incorporates Persian and Chinese poetry and literature to give the story a rich depth and nuance. All the characters are compelling and multidimensional, utterly likable despite their flaws. You learn fascinating details about the setting within the Mongol empire. The romance between Khalaf and Jinghua is slow and heartbreakingly exquisite. I could go on and on. I simply adored it.

This story was slow to start, but eventually ramped up and became un-put-down-able. It centers on Kate Brighton, more commonly known as Traitor Kate, since her dad tried to murder the king, NBD. She once had a pretty easy life in the castle, being friends with Corwin, a prince of Rime, where our story takes place, but now she’s been exiled and is generally hated by everyone. It happens. But of course, she gets a chance to redeem herself, by helping to defend the land against daydrakes, stinky non-flying dragon things who were once relegated to the night but suddenly have started appearing in the day too, hence the name.

I enjoyed the main characters, Kate and Corwin, and how their relationship (re)developed. The mystery surrounding the nightdrakes and the daydrakes was engaging and it was interesting to see how the plot unfolded. I definitely didn’t see the plot twist coming. I would definitely recommend this book to YA fantasy lovers and I’m excited to read the sequel!

Cam and Vee had one of those crazy deep high school loves that falls apart before it can really begin. So when she joins her best friend’s band as an intern on a reality tv show the last thing she expects is for Cam to be their newest guitarist. Now she has a long summer ahead of her of avoiding him and the cameras.

Love Songs and Other Lives switches between the past and present in a way that frames their love story nicely while adding to the mystery of what exactly drove them apart.

A good summer read.