Graceling

How absurd was it that in all seven kingdoms, the weakest and most vulnerable of people -girls, women- went unarmed and were taught nothing of fighting, while the strong were trained to the highest reaches of their skill
Graceling (written by Kristin Cashore) is all about girl power.  Having it, embracing it, sharing it.  Wait, that's Buffy.

Graceling is a young adult fantasy novel.  It's a coming of age story about Katsa. In Katsa's world, also known as the seven kingdoms, certain individuals are graced with extreme skills.  These skills might be cooking, sewing, or singing, or even mind reading.  Katsa herself is graced with killing.  She first killed a man when she was eight by shoving his nose into his brain when he attempted to grope her.  When the story starts she is eighteen and in the employ of her uncle, the king, who sends her out to enforce his tyrannical demands on the kingdom.  Although can't deny him, she has started a secret society, The Council, that seeks to protect people from their harsh king and any other dangers of the world they live in.

Apart from being to kill a man with her bare hands and defeat a dozen armored men without breaking a sweat, Katniss heals very quickly doesn't feel much pain.  She's basically a slayer.  Which is the same as saying she's awesome in almost every way.  She's not so great at relationships, though; her cousin is her only friend.  Then she meets Po, a prince who is graced with fighting, and the closest thing to an equal she's ever known

This story is a lot of fun and I adored all of the characters.  Katsa, who is accustomed to relying on no one but herself must learn to trust Po as they come to depend on each other.  It's an interesting twist, a female character who has no problem taking care of herself learning that maybe she doesn't always have to.  She also learns to stand up for what she believes in and seek her own path in life.

This is definitely a must-read if you like fantasy worlds, strong female protagonists, and hot, sensitive guys.

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