Search This Blog
2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (2)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa (2)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (2)
- Canada (1)
- England (5)
- France (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)
2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2025 Reading Challenge
2025 52 Club Reading Challenge
2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2025 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2025 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2025 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
2025 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2025 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
2025 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Unique and Lovely, Dolssa Is Another Julie Berry Gem
12:43 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When her reputation as a prophetess becomes a threat to the Catholic Church, Dolssa de Stigata—an 18-year-old noblewoman—is sentenced to death by hanging. Although she manages to escape her grisly fate, she's hardly free. An inquisitor stalks her through the countryside, hunting for his prey with a determination dark and dangerous. Devoted to her beloved Jhesus, Dolssa prays for deliverance.
Like Dolssa, Botille Flasucra harbors a special gift. With an almost supernatural talent for matchmaking, the 17-year-old's services are much requested in the small town of Bajas. Botille uses her skills to supplement the money she and her sisters make from running the Three Pigeons tavern.
The fates of the two women intertwine when Botille discovers Dolssa lying half-dead by an isolated lagoon. Although no one wants to borrow trouble, Botille and her sisters rescue the delirious mystic. Hiding her in the tavern, they nurse Dolssa back to health. When they learn who she truly is, the sisters vow to protect her. As danger creeps ever closer to Bajas, the Flasucras begin to realize just how much they are risking, not just their own lives but those of everyone in the village. Is it worth it to shelter Dolssa and her outrageous claims? When the vengeful friar comes calling, what will happen to Botille and her sisters? To peaceful Bajas? Only one thing remains certain—no one will escape unscathed.
With only three books to her credit, Julie Berry is not a prolific writer (Edit: Turns out this statement is totally false. You can see all the books she's written listed on her website. I apologize for the error.). Which is a real bummer because I'm a huge fan. I've loved all her novels, her newest being just as unique and lovely as all the rest. While I can't see teens flocking to check out The Passion of Dolssa, I adored it. The rich, sophisticated story is told in gorgeous prose. Short vignettes narrated by various everymen and -women break up the narrative, adding interest, local color, and originality to the tale. Dolssa and Botille are intriguing narrators in their own right, but it's all the different voices that really plump this book up, making it stand out from its fellows. The recipient of numerous awards (including a Printz Honor designation and a recent Whitney Award for best YA novel by an LDS author), it's a gem that I can't stop recommending.
(Readalikes: I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Passion of Dolssa from Changing Hands Bookstore with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
16 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
Listening
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
Heartwood by Amity Gaige9 minutes ago
-
-
-
34. Dead Happy5 hours ago
-
Top Ten Tuesday ~ Foolish Books7 hours ago
-
Bookish Travel: March 20257 hours ago
-
Fear Stalks The Village by Ethel Lina White10 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Randomness...14 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
State Of The ARC #4916 hours ago
-
-
-
Monthly Round-Up: March 20251 day ago
-
Lethal Prey by John Sandford1 day ago
-
What I Wore in Australia1 day ago
-
Sunday Salon: March 30 20251 day ago
-
Nonfiction Books on BookTV3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
I have been reading...1 week ago
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up3 weeks ago
-
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery5 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October4 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I7 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus8 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ▼ 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
I can't think of any other book that sounds similar, which is a shame, because this looks incredibly intriguing! So glad you reviewed this, because now I'm going to check this one out! Great review!
ReplyDeleteRight? It's very different from other teen books out there, but it's still very readable and compelling.
DeleteJulie Berry is SUCH a talent! Her books are simply spectacular and incredibly well-written, and entertaining and thoughtful, too. I'm envious in a good way! :-)
ReplyDeleteShe's great. I just wish she wrote faster :)
DeleteI haven't read anything by Julie Berry but love the sound of this. Will have to add to the ever growing pile of books I want to read. Great review!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one. Unique and intriguing. I really liked it.
DeleteYou've convinced me that I have to give Julie Berry's books a try! Which one is your favorite?
ReplyDeleteYay! I don't know if I can choose a favorite. It's a toss up between her two YA novels, this one and ALL THE TRUTH THAT'S IN ME. I really liked them both. Her MG, THE SCANDALOUS SISTERHOOD OF PICKWILLOW PLACE (something like that), is also good but it's less original than her other two.
DeleteI loved this book so, so much! It was so different than anything I had ever read, but wow. I'm so glad you liked it too!
ReplyDeleteRight? Different in a good way, for sure.
DeleteHow have I missed this author's books? I'm looking her up right now.
ReplyDeleteHer work is definitely way underrated. She's a magnificent writer. Definitely give her books a try!
DeleteThis post made me so happy! Thank you for your very kind words. I should tell you, though, that there are more than three books out -- several more -- if you don't mind exploring some of my earlier work. ;) And I have a new middle grade coming out next month. So, I'm not fast enough yet, but I'm trying. :) Thank you for buoying me up.
ReplyDeleteAww, you're welcome! All praise is much deserved. For real.
DeleteHowever, I'm totally embarrassed that I didn't pay enough attention to your website to realize you'd written more than three books. In my defense, the last week and a half has been one of the longest and hardest of my life. Clearly, I'm not at the top of my game :( I apologize for the mistake and will fix it right now. On the plus side, more Julie Berry books to read. YAY!!
Is this book based on a true story??? It sounds good. I need to catch up on all her books. I've only read one. :(
ReplyDeleteWow! This is a great book. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDelete