Trolls, Fairies and more... Matt Haig and Maryrose Wood

While I was sifting through stacks and stacks of books to decide what to read next I came across two that are sequels. Not having the first books in their respective series, I decided to give them a go anyways and see if they could stand on their own.

Samuel Blink returns in Matt Haig’s latest book Samuel Blink and the Runaway Troll. In the first book Samuel Blink and the Forbidden Forest, Samuel and his sister Martha moved to Norway after the tragic death of their parents. Now living with their Aunt Eda and their newly restored Uncle Henrik their peaceful lives can begin or not. A troll, who Samuel had met in the Forbidden Forest, runs away from home to live with Samuel!

Haig does an excellent job recapping the first story. He does so in a way that one doesn't have to read it to understand the second novel, but he still leaves out enough that the reader wants to go back to read it for themselves.

I would recommend this series to anyone who likes the mythological elements. Trolls, witches, transformations and the like are in abundance steadily mixed with the most human of emotions jealousy, fear and love.

The second book that I found is Maryrose Wood’s How I Found the Perfect Dress. The main character, Morgan, first comes to us in Why I Let My Hair Grow Out, as she takes a bike tour around Ireland thanks to parental intervention. There she discovers a secret about herself that changes her outlook on life. Meeting what you thought were mythological creatures can do that to you.

In the sequel, Morgan reunites with her love interest, Colin, and discovers she left him with more than a kiss. Colin has been cursed by the fairies to dance at their nightly balls and is running out of time and coffee.

This was unexpectedly an amazing, funny page-turner. I had little hope for it with a title like How I Found the Perfect Dress. I expected to find a main character who’s main concern was the clothes she was wearing and the boy she was dating not her father’s garden gnomes. Morgan, Colin and even the wise tidbits from Morgan’s little sister Tammy made the book well worth the read.

Now that I know I like what has happened in the future for these characters, I think I will go visit their pasts and get the whole stories.

Until next time...and if you have a YA book you think I'd like or one that YOU like, please drop me a note or comment below!

Tammy