Rhoswen has only ever known life in her village of Hazelfeur where she has earned the title of bearslayer.  Every spring, the villagers are plagued by bears from the nearby woods.  The bears are daughters of Artio, a cursed goddess.  This spring, Rhoswen has decided that the bears have killed their last Hazelfeur resident and she goes into the woods intending to kill Artio herself. However,  Rhoswen encounters a young woman, Diomath, who steals her heart instead.  Now, determined to help Diomath and Hazelfeur, Rhoswen goes on a quest to attain Dagda's harp which has magical properties to change the seasons and put the bears to sleep. Rhoswen's quest tests her in more ways than she knows and gives her knowledge of her heritage as well as the bears.  On her return, the bears are wreaking havoc on Hazelfeur and Rhoswen must decide who she is and who to help. 

The Bear & The Rose is a beautifully told fantasy weaving together Celtic Mythology and romance. From the beginning, Rhoswhen's character and insights gripped me.  I was intrigued by her feelings about her purpose in Hazelfeur, her friend Nathair and the town of Hazelfeur herself.  Rhoswhen struggled with her purpose in life and in the town as well as in her own life.  As she discovers the truths of the forest and her heritage, Rhoswen's understanding of herself and the world changes, challenging everything she knows.  The writing style is a lyrical prose creating a genuine and emotional journey full of self discovery and insight.  With a fairy tale worthy romance, touches of magic and a satisfying conclusion, The Bear & The Rose is a wonderful story of hope and purpose. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ​

​After a series of rapid changes in her life, fifteen year old Liz's OCD has gotten out of control and landed her in a psychiatric unit.  After her release, Liz learns of another change; instead of returning to the sparkling clean city loft with her mother, Liz will be moving in with her father, his girlfriend and the girlfriend's brother, Cory on their goat farm.  Liz tries her best to deal with the messiness of the farm and does her best to follow her therapist's advice to engage.  Liz finds another obsession at her therapist's office when she mentions that Liz reminds her of the Duchess Sisi of Bavaria and allows Liz to see the Duchess' childhood journal.  In 1850's Bavaria, Duchess Sisi is also going through a series of changes as she grows and realizes that her destiny is more than she can imagine.  As Sisi falls in love the first time, she meets the enchanting Lola who makes promises that seem too good to be true.  With Sisi's locket and journal in Liz's hands, she finds that their lives may be connected by more than their circumstances. 

The Empress Diaries is an enchanting young adult fantasy intertwining the lives of a modern teen and the young Empress Sisi of Bavaria.  Both Liz and Sisi's characters are compelling while facing some parallels in their lives, but have very different challenges in front of them.  Liz is trying to live her life with OCD as everyday situations like eating or  touching a non-pristine surface send her into a panic.  Her time on the farm is challenging her in every single way from the home itself, to sharing a bathroom to eating the food.  I was actually surprised at how unaccommodating  Liz's dad and girlfriend were with her diagnosis, just expecting her to deal with life in this very different environment. I enjoyed seeing Liz and Cory's relationship grow as well as she helped Cory deal with his own demons.  Sisi is dealing with change herself, she is experiencing her first love while learning that her and her sisters are destined to be married off to royalty, their cousins.  Lola's character is intriguing and I wish the magical components of Sisi's locket and journal were introduced earlier.  I was chalking up the happenstance to wishful thinking and imagination.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.