Jaclyn and the Beanstalk
Mary Ting
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: September 4th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

What fate awaits a girl who hears monsters at night…
Sixteen-year-old Jaclyn looks up to her father. An honest man who once fought for the king, he now teaches Jaclyn how to use her wits—and her sword.
But he has a secret. And his secret may have a connection to the one thing Jaclyn is hiding from him.
Upon hearing “monsters” are terrorizing the small villages around Black Mountain, Jaclyn’s father and his friends head out to hunt them … but they don’t return.
Armed only with her sword and three magic beans—a gift from a mysterious old woman—Jaclyn sets out for Black Mountain to save her father.
On her climb, one bean drops and grows into a beanstalk, catching her when she falls.
She isn’t the only one that takes the ride. Jack, her childhood friend and secret crush, is following her.
Together, Jaclyn and Jack must battle to save not only their fathers, but the townspeople the beasts plan to lay waste to before it’s too late.

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My Review

Jaclyn and the Beanstalk is a unique retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk story. Instead of the main character being a boy with magic beans who meets a giant, we have Jaclyn, a teenage girl who is being trained by her father to use a sword. And considering this is set in the 16th century, that's a bit of a no-no. Girls aren't meant to be fighters. Jaclyn has more than just sword fighting to worry about, though. At night, she hears "monsters." 

Now, I don't want to spoil anything about the story, but just know that if you're a fan of retellings, or of unique fantasy in general, you'll definitely want to check this one out.

I really enjoyed the character of Jaclyn, and I thought her best friend Jack was pretty great too. I also liked her father. He seemed like a decent, good, hardworking family man.  

The plot moves along at a nice pace, and I found myself curious to see what was going to happen next. What were the monsters? Where did Jaclyn's father disappear to? It's definitely an intriguing story.

I give Jaclyn and the Beanstalk 4 stars. Check it out! 

Author Bio:
International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

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