Second Time Around

I was a little weary before starting Malinda Lo's Huntress just because, if you remember correctly, I wasn't a huge fan of Ash, her first book.  But Oh My Goodness her second book was 100,000 times better!  I absolutely loved this book. Lo's second book takes place in the same world she created for Ash but it's actually a prequel that takes centuries before Ash's story.  You can, however, definitely read these books in either order. 

Huntress is the story of two girls, Taisin and Kaede who are sent on a quest to visit the fairy queen and save their kingdom from its lack of sunlight that has been killing crops and wreaking havoc of all kinds.  On their journey they face peril at every turn, losing virtually half their traveling party to creatures they were, until now, unfamiliar with.  As I am sure you have guessed, as the story progresses, Taisin and Kaede begin to fall in love.  It's that young, beautiful, innocent kind of love and it's this love that helps the girls triumph in the end, but also what may ultimately force them away from each other for ever.

I really can't believe how much I enjoyed this book.  You can clearly see the parallels between Huntress and Ash and you can tell that they have the same author.  Huntress' story though is more developed and intriguing and wonderful and amazing.  This was one of those books that when I was reading I completely lost myself in the story and when I was drawn out of it I would be startled back into my own surroundings. 

When I was in college I thought for a second that I was going to go into English education.  During my semester student teaching eighth graders I was always looking for books for them to read that showed diversity but that they were still able to relate to.  I so wish that this book had been written two years ago!  I love that Lo can write a young adult book about two girls falling in love that's not an "in your face" lesbian book.  I think this is exactly the kind of author young adults need because she can expose them to LGBT culture, and yet her writing, or at least this book, can be enjoyed by queer and straight teens alike.  Malindo Lo is doing wonderful things for the YA literary community.

Quick Facts

Pages: 384

Most quotable passage: I don't have one... :-(  I was so engrossed I never stopped to write anything down!

Sexiness Factor (1-10): 3- It is still for teens.

Buy It or Borrow It: I definitely think this book is worth buying, even if it is for kids.