Book Review: The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Christopher Healy

The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Christopher Healy
Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Publication date: April 2014
Pages: 528
Source: Won from publisher!
For: Fun!
Series: League of Princes, Book 3

Summary from goodreads:

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You think you know those guys pretty well by now, don't you? Well, think again. Posters plastered across the thirteen kingdoms are saying that Briar Rose has been murdered—and the four Princes Charming are the prime suspects. Now they're on the run in a desperate attempt to clear their names. Along the way, however, they discover that Briar's murder is just one part of a nefarious plot to take control of all thirteen kingdoms—a plot that will lead to the doorstep of an eerily familiar fortress for a final showdown with an eerily familiar enemy.

Things I Liked:
Ah, the League of Princes is at it again. Only on the wrong side of the law. And I just still love all the hilarious mix-ups and shenanigans that go on.  Healy is a hilarious writer and I will read anything that he puts out.  It's so relaxing to just read something light, frivolous, and fun.  Also, happy endings are not exactly as you'd expect!

Things I Didn't Like:
Nothing! Need more. A book of tales about Sir Bertram the Dainty perhaps?

Read-alikes:
Reminds me of Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
Maybe a bit like A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Micro Reviews: Finishing Up 2013, Part 1

This is annoyingly painful and rather insane, but I'm just posting the rest of my 2013 books so I can forget worrying about reviewing them (um, 20+ of them, so this is only part 1). Feel free to skip it or laugh at my attempts to recall what it is I read about...


The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Intense, fast-paced, alien invasion story.  Couldn't put it down, but maybe a bit too gory for me to adore it.


Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Seriously geeked-out virtual reality world, complete with quest (of course).  Could have done without all the cussing, but enjoyed lots of the 80s references.


A Soldier's Secret: The Incredible True Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss
A real-life woman-disguised-as-a-man during the Civil War.  Seemed rather like a bunch of episodes cobbled together like vignettes, but was still intriguing enough to keep me reading.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
So much creepier than the retelling I read, The Turning.  And the ending totally leaves it up in the air as to what really happened.


The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
Love the humor in this book, but found the story a bit dull in places.  Also, Egyptian mythology, like most ancient mythologies, is suuuuuuper weird.


Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin
Crazy convoluted and strange plot.  I had a hard time following (and thus buying) what happened.  Also, I seem to recall spotting some big plot holes, but since it's been so long, I don't remember a single one :)


Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill
Interesting futuristic tale, but lacking in details to really flesh out that world.  I had a hard time jumping into the story because of all the crazy lingo too.


Ironskin by Tina Connolly
Definitely one of the oddest Jane Eyre retellings I've read, but with an interesting fairy aspect that made it unique.  Nowhere near as moving as the original, though.


Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
It's absolutely painful, the every-day brutal reality so many people experienced in concentration camps.  Moving and heart-rending.


The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy
A lot of light-hearted Prince Charming humor, as entertaining and funny as the first one.


Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
A fun and thoughtful retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel.  Not as wonderful as For Darkness Shows the Stars, but still entertaining.


Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier
Complete with Marillier's gorgeous writing and complex world-building, this fairy story kept me entertained, despite a rather too-good-to-be-true heroine. Second in the Shadowfell series.


Fox Forever by Mary Pearson
More of Pearson's thoughtful medical ethics complete with full-scale rebellion.  I love how believable this future seems!  Last of the Jenna Fox Chronicles (I think).

Bravo to you if you read this!  Anything on here you loved/hated?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

For more audiobook celebrating, check out Jen @ Devourer of Books' Audiobook Week celebration

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication date: May 2012
Length: 9 hrs 5 min
Source: Won audio from Small Review and Walden Pond Press
For: Fun

Everyone knows the fairy tale stories of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel.  But what about Prince Charming?  The untold and definitely inaccurate stories of the so-called charming princes is finally about to be revealed - Prince Liam, Prince Frederic, Prince Gustav, and Prince Duncan will get their share of the spotlight.  Whether they want it or not.

Things I Liked:
This was a delightfully fun romp into the world of princes charming and how wrong all the fairy tale stories got it.  I loved every minute of it, from Prince Frederic's obsession with Sir Bertram the Dainty to Gustav's desire to rush blade-first at anything that moves.  The personalities of the princes kept me laughing and smiling through the whole thing.  And don't think princesses get the short end of the stick, either.  Cinderella certainly holds her own throughout, though I thought Briar Rose was an especially nice touch.  Definitely a fun fractured fairy tale for any true fans of a good retelling.  I like how it didn't stray into the trap of making everything end neatly like a fairy tale.  It was still pretty messy.  Bronson Pinchot, the narrator for the audio, was fantastic, doing every voice differently and with amazing characterization.  I laughed out loud a number of times on my commute, and that is saying something.  He did a superb job of bringing the princes, the witch, the troll, and more to life.  I think it more than made up for not getting to see the awesome illustrations.

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, I kinda of wish there was more.  When I got to the end, I was hoping for more adventures with the League of Princes and felt disappointed that it ended.  That's about it, though.

Read-alikes:
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
I think maybe one or two mild cuss words

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
most of the fighting is pretty lightly handled

Overall rating: *****

What's your favorite fractured fairy tale?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage