REVIEW: Tess of the Road

Tess of the Road
Author: Rachel Hartman

Tessie was born a troublemaker. She is curious and outspoken, which often gets her in trouble. I had to chuckle when reading the intro to this story. Her sister calls her a "spank magnet.'' But it's definitely true....Tessie has a great talent for getting into trouble. After a bad scene at her twin sister's wedding where she punched a priest (he really did deserve it), she decides to set out on her own to avoid being sent to a convent. She disguises herself as a boy and leaves her home.

Tess of the Road is set in the same world as two of Hartman's previous novels, Seraphina and Shadow Scale. I think I would have understood and enjoyed this story more if I had first read the other books. But despite the fact that I didn't understand a few things from the previous stories, I still enjoyed this book. It's dark in places....but....the writing is great, the story is good, and I love the main character. Tess is feisty, intelligent and does things her way.

Tess of the Road is both an adventure tale and a coming-of-age story. Tess has to find herself and a purpose for her life. It was so interesting to read about her learning to experience the world and finding her place in it. Tess grows as a person throughout the story. She's a very strong main character...it was easy to root for her as she got into some scrapes and difficult situations.

Great book! I loved the humor, adventure and vivid details in this story! I'm going to backtrack and read the Seraphina novels, and then re-read this one. An enjoyable story, but I think I will enjoy it more after reading the previous books.

The cover art for this book is awesome!!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Random House via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**