Reviews are back!! I have been doing a lot of reading while traveling and camping. I finally finished the Cinder series and think I will have to break from tradition and review a non-indie author next week to cover all of my feels and thoughts…there are just too many right now to order. So, this week I’m sticking with indie author’s and one who has a lot of books on Kindle Unlimited (in case you didn’t know my book is available on there now too!!). The book is the Frog Prince by Jenni James.
With this book, James does what she does best: weave a simple story with complex undertones. The story follows the familiar path of a prince being turned into a frog and a kiss being able to change him back. This time though the prince asks to be turned into a frog so he can get to know his betrothed beyond her vapid letters. Princess Blythe is a tom-boy princess and isn’t at all excited about marrying Prince Nolan so she writes letters responding to his vanity and making herself seem less appealing. Of course, they learn to see past the defenses they both have and recognize the faults in themselves they were too blind to see.
This is really a fun book. I took my Kindle camping (because it goes everywhere with me) and while we were there my ten year old son realized he didn’t have a book and asked what I had for him to read. Since he had already read Harry Potter and doesn’t have interest in romance (thank goodness) or anything with witches and ghosts (aka The Seventh Son series), I told him to give this one a try. He loved it! I should just stop my review right here. If a ten year old picky reader and his picky reader mom both like a book, it’s worth giving a try.
The character of Prince Nolan was my favorite. Even as a frog he had an overabundance of confidence and an upbeat outlook, but was still humble enough to realize his own faults and sacrifice for the princess. The princess was more complex (she’s a woman after all, right?). She was strong and smart, but didn’t realize just how lovable she was or could be.
I would put this one on your to be read list. James does a lot of different genres, but her fairy-tale retellings are her best stuff (in my so very inexpert opinion). If you haven’t read any of her books, I would recommend starting here….or maybe her retelling of beauty and the beast. I loved it too! Happy summer reading, my friends!!
