Graceling by Kristin Cashore (28/81)

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Love, Love Love the cover .... I am going through a teen stage at the moment it seems .... As a majority of books I have picked up are all from this range .... Not that I am complaining because I am not I am loving the books ...

It is great to see a strong female character ... And Katsa is definitely that .... I completed this book in a couple of days .... I loved it ... The chemistry between Katsa and Po is electric to say the least ... And it is interesting to see the character of Katsa discover who she really is ... And to realise that even though you are capable of doing everything yourself it is good to let other people in to help ... And that it is not considered a weakness ...

For a first novel the book is very well done and flows beautifully and you do get carried away into her world ... There are loads of adventures and of course the romance ..... I would have rated this book 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact that the end of the book left me abit deflated ... I know I am probably being petty but the whole book was quite fast paced until you get to the last couple of pages .... Is Kristin going to do a follow up book? .... It would be a shame not to do another book as the characters are wonderful ...

In saying that if you love fantasy, adventure and a touch of romance then you will love this book ...

I rate this book 41/2 ****

I would say this would make a brilliant movie so here is a wee clip to wet your appetite - done by a fan !!!