The Cheap Reader

Oh boy, where do I begin with this book. Cashore creates a wonderful story with such ease. I was drawn in almost right away. I wanted nothing more than to get lost with Katsa, Po, and Bitterblue.Can we talk about how much I loved Katsa? I love strong heroines. Not to mention she's totally able to take care of herself. Most of all, I appreciated her approach to romance. She's not one of those girls who falls in insta-love. (YAY) She's actually pretty hesitant about falling for Po. She almost doesn't want it and is scared about being with him. It's one of the most true to life interactions I've read. Being that open and honest with anyone is terrifying. She's got a good head on her shoulders and she's not afraid to be honest about what she wants (or rather what she doesn't want). Po was just wonderful as well. I don't normally get wrapped up or swooned by fictional guys but he definitely won my heart.The story was a bit long and complex. The story was paced pretty well. It is long but I never felt like it was dragging. The story moved perfectly along for my taste. Cashore was able to mix the action and the "feelings" pretty well. I never felt like I was overwhelmed with either one. I'm still a bit fuzzy about everything that happened and the circumstances surrounding the story. I enjoyed the idea of being Graced. I know there probably aren't "rules" to it but I would have liked to know more about it. What exactly is it? What can you be Graced with? Where does it come from? Why is it such a bad thing? I need more information!The bottom line? I loved this book. You should pick it up ASAP if you haven't already read it.