Graceling

This is another book I read on my Kindle. Kristin Cashore has written a novel that will be loved by those who enjoyed The Hunger Games. The main character, Katsa, has a "Grace" that gives her extraordinary powers to fight, and I mean fight to the kill. Her uncle is using her to fight for him, killing those people who don't obey him or who do not honor him. Then she meets Prince Po and the two of them become friends. They frequently "fight" or perhaps I should say "spar." This is just to keep Katsa in shape and prepared for the next deadly fight. Katsa doesn't know that Po is also a Graceling. He has been born with the "grace" to be able to read people's minds. Katsa and Po escape from her mean uncle's grip when Katsa refuses to hurt a citizen of her uncle's kingdom. They proceed on a quest to determine who kidnapped Po's grandfather. This is a wonderful read, and gives the reader a thought to consider: Do all of us have some sort of grace? As students read about the romance that builds between Katsa and Po, they will be faced with a mystery as well as a love story. Another goodie!