Henrietta the Dragon Slayer (The Five Kingdoms, #1)

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Henrietta the Dragon Slayer (The Five Kingdoms #1)

by Beth Barany (Goodreads Author)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 53 ratings · 26 reviews

Henrietta, the legendary Dragon Slayer of the Kingdom of Bleuve, can’t stomach the thought of one more kill. Yet, in order to save her dying mentor, she must go on one last quest. But will the quest for the healing stone be derailed by misfit companions, seasickness, and an egomaniacal king? And will she be able cut past her conscience and kill the dragon?

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Published (first published 2011)

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Jan 22, 2012 Anastasia Pergakis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 2011-reads

I’ll be completely honest and say I was a bit leary about it at first, as I’m not a fan of books about slaying dragons! I love dragons too much. BUT, never fear, no dragons were harmed in the making of this book! I have to say I really enjoyed reading this story. Henrietta is exactly the type of heroine I love to read about. She can handle her self in a fight but that doesn’t mean she necessarily goes looking for trouble either.

Henrietta is a girl that can’t stand the thought of killing one more...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 25, 2011 Lunamoth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Henrietta the dragon slayer is a charming book set in a fantasy world. Henrietta has slayed many dragons in her short life and has resigned not to take any more jobs, but when a pushy knight named Franc implores her to follow him to his lands and slay Mimoto the dragon she hesitates, until she learns her mentor, Master Chen is sick and only the Dragonitas from Mimoto can save him does she embark on her quest.

The cast of Henrietta, The dragon slayer consists of Henrietta, the firey warrior woman...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 14, 2011 ABookVacation rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 stars

This is a really cute coming-of-age novel. Barany has created a wonderful cast of characters, including Henrietta, the haughty, kick-butt heroine, Franc, the heroic, chauvinistic knight, Jaxster, the storytelling jester, and Paulette, the quiet, mischievous witch. Through fate, these four characters are cast together on a quest to save Henrietta’s mentor by bringing back the healing stone after killing a dragon. Perhaps my favorite portion of this novel, on the whole, is Barany’s portra...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 02, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 12x12-challenge, 2012-challenges, animals, author-review-requests, ebooks, friendship, i-own, magic-paranormal, young-adult, wicca-witches

This review was originally posted on Melissa's Midnight Musings
Henrietta is a very private, solitary person. So she isn't too happy when she has to go on a quest to save her dying mentor and suddenly she has this very unique group of people tagging along. She thinks they'll just get in her way. And, some of the time, they do. But over time, she learns to love them all, in her own way. She opens up bit by bit and lets them in to her heart.

Henrietta is a very snarky, sarcastic character, which I e...more This review was originally posted on Melissa's Midnight Musings
Henrietta is a very private, solitary person. So she isn't too happy when she has to go on a quest to save her dying mentor and suddenly she has this very unique group of people tagging along. She thinks they'll just get in her way. And, some of the time, they do. But over time, she learns to love them all, in her own way. She opens up bit by bit and lets them in to her heart.

Henrietta is a very snarky, sarcastic character, which I enjoyed. She reminds me of the way that I wish I could be, if I weren't worried about what other people would think of me. She says what she thinks and doesn't spare feelings. Sometimes this really isn't appropriate, like the time she thinks that Paulette should snap out of it after losing her family. But a lot of the time Henrietta's manner is direct and to the point. I think this is what keeps the story moving along nicely. Henrietta is all about action and moving along, so this story rarely drags, if at all.

The magical touches are also really well done in the book. They're subtle and not overly flashy. It's just the right balance to keep you interested but not too much as to make you want to cringe. Since I'm really partial to characters who are witches, I would really like to see a spin off book with more of Paulette's story. Paulette, as a character does really well to bring out Henrietta's softer, more nurturing side. Plus Paulette has a bit of fire to her, literally and figuratively, so her character holds up really well on its' own.

It's nice to watch the growth of character on both Henrietta and Paulette's parts. Henrietta helps Paulette become more mature and causes her to think before she acts a little bit more. Paulette shows Henrietta that it's okay to care for people and to let them in.

There's also a tiny bit of a romance in the book between Henrietta and Franc. Definitely not insta-love which I appreciate. Their relationship really doesn't develop romantically until toward the end of the book so you're left wondering what will happen to them.

This is a standalone book but I think that it could work as a series as well.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes adventures with a strong female character and magic.

*The author provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review* (less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 06, 2012 Rebecca Graf rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Picture
Fantasy books are not always my thing, but Beth Barany could change my mind with Henrietta The Dragon Slayer. I found myself....Let's into the review first.

Henrietta is....a dragon slayer. She is a dragon slayer with issues. When called to a quest that could save the man who taught her so much, she realizes she has to face the fears and let everyone around her see them. That 'everyone' includes the strangest mixture of traveling companions.

This story has a very steady pace that keeps you...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 01, 2011 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy, ya-paranormal

HENRIETTA, THE DRAGON SLAYER by Beth Barany is a YA paranormal/fantasy.The first in the "Five Kingdoms" series.It is written with depth and details. The characters are interesting,compelling and will capture your heart. Henrietta is a young,fiery,female dragon slayer,who we never see slay a dragon,only hear of her exploits through others,but she does not want to slay dragons any longer.Franc,a knight who is very pushy,is sent by the king of Plumaria to enlist Henrietta's help to slay the dragon,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 02, 2011 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book is a beautiful story about friendship, a heroine, and a quest to kill a dragon. Who wouldn't be excited? The entire concept sounded interesting and I was not at all disappointed.

The character of Henrietta was quite different from all other characters I have read about. She was very tough and stubborn. Rarely, if ever, did she show her soft side. I found myself actually liking her a lot. She was a very strong leader and hero. Usually, the main character in books I read is weak and kind...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Justine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about a 17yr old ex-military and ex- dragon slaying girl, who once again finds herself on a quest which should end in a dead dragon. Along the way Henrietta picks up a few tag-alongs, Franc, a knight sent to return her to his King, Jaxter, and bard folli for another tale to tell and Paulette, a young witch sent along to be safely returned to her hometown. During their adventure, the group meets some evils, gain power and mature.
The reason for their quest in the first place is that...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 09, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I need to start this review by saying that I absolutely adore Henrietta's character! Thank you to Beth Barany for writing such a spitfire and strong female character. Henrietta isn't the type to back down from a fight, but she also won't go looking for them either. She's strong enough to know who she is. On top of that, despite her renown as a dragon slayer, Henrietta can't stomach the thought of another kill. All she wants is peace and quiet. That is, until she is swept off on another epic adv...more I need to start this review by saying that I absolutely adore Henrietta's character! Thank you to Beth Barany for writing such a spitfire and strong female character. Henrietta isn't the type to back down from a fight, but she also won't go looking for them either. She's strong enough to know who she is. On top of that, despite her renown as a dragon slayer, Henrietta can't stomach the thought of another kill. All she wants is peace and quiet. That is, until she is swept off on another epic adventure! Henrietta was a breath of fresh air in a sea of whiny female characters. I'm smitten with her.

Along with Henrietta, we meet her motley crew of adventurers. From a knight with an acidic attitude, to a court jester who just wants to tag along for the stories to tell, they are an amazing group of people. I enjoyed that Barany allowed them to each be so different. The interactions between them are fun to read, and they each bring a little bit of their expertise in various areas to the story. Best of all, each character is explained enough to feel as though you know them, without being overly done. Perfection.

There were only a few things that kept this book from being on my list of absolute favorites. The first being that there wasn't very much dragon slaying action. From the title, I assumed (which you should never do I know) that there would be epic battles in this story. In fact, most of the battling of dragons is done in the stories that are told about Henrietta's past. I kind of understood why this was. Henrietta wasn't eager to dive into the battle at the beginning of the story, and so it does make sense that she wouldn't want to get into any trouble if she could avoid it later on.

The other thing I really missed was world building. Although this doesn't really take away from the overall story, which is fantastic, there wasn't very much said about where Henrietta's story was actually taking place. References are made to forests, plains, etc., but you never know much more than that. As a lover of fantasy I'm a stickler for good world building. I'm hoping that since this is the first in the series I'll get to know a bit more about Henrietta's world later on!

Honestly, Henrietta the Dragon Slayer is an excellent read! As I said it is the first in a series, so there will be more of stoic Henrietta and her adventures. I cannot wait! I look forward to seeing where the story takes her, and applaud Beth Barany for writing such a strong character.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2011 Marva rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My usual complaint. Too many unnecessary words.

In this case, the author tells us way too many times the condition of Henrietta's stomach, guts, throat, mouth. Now if any said: "Henrietta felt good today. She didn't have her usual Crohn's disease, strep throat, or dry mouth. Not a bad day at all," it wouldn't be quite so bad, but still, the condition of Henrietta mentioned so often would make me believe she couldn't swat so much as a fly than to kill a dragon.

The story is actually pretty good. It...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: indie-love

This book was fun. No doubt about it. And I can definitely get behind a strong female lead, which Henrietta is. I'm just not sure if I like her much. Actually, none of the characters were overly likeable. They did begin to grow on me, but it took a long time to get there.

The book, to me, felt like it was half formed. Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful vision. It just needed to go a little further. For example, I wanted to know more about why Henrietta was no longer slaying dragons. How did she...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 09, 2012 Graeme Ing rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is a fun book with all the essential elements of a YA quest adventure. We have the feisty heroine on a mission to save her mentor, a trainee witch, a noble knight and a food-obsessed bard/jester. Henrietta's mission gets more complicated as it goes along, and it is paced well. There are some good sword battles, a dragon, magic, a sea journey... all good stuff.

The characters are well described and play well off each other, and not always in a good way, which brings a constant sense of drama...more

1 like · like · see review

May 02, 2011 AJ Best rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review

Reading about Henrietta and her three unusual companions gave me pause for laugh and contemplation. Their bond went from unsure to friend so seamlessly I nearly missed it.

I truly enjoyed Henrietta learning who she was and how that fit into how people saw her now.

Franc became the hard headed male you love to love and you don't even know why.

Paulette truly scared me for a while. I didn’t know what to think of her and her fire-talent and rage.

Jaxter, always the glue that held the group together,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Wendy Walter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Henrietta, the Dragon Slayer is an adventurous fantasy tale which deals with a young woman grappling with the disconnects that she, herself, engineered in her own life. A collection of unique characters form an odd family of support as she sets out on a quest to save her master teacher and uncover her true destiny. It’s a fine read! There are a couple of twists and turns in the plot which I found delightful as well as some very solid characters. I can hardly wait for the sequel!

1 like · like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Aleisha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fun book. Had me rooting for Henrietta despite her being a bit egotistical. I still quite enjoyed it. I love books which have the characters traveling to a different place-it give the author a lot of potential scenery and characters to run into and this author took advantage of that and did a great job.

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Jan 18, 2013 Shannon McRoberts rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a very interesting read. I am all about kick ass heroines and this one had two strong leads. This is pure fantasy! I hear tale that another one is being published and I am ready for it. very suitable for YA and I love the lost king tale.

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Jan 28, 2012 Shauna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: teens

I find much YA slow, and Henrietta the Dragon Slayer was no exception. Still, it has much to recommend it, such as snippets from songs and tales of this world, a friend who is not what he seems, and an interesting story of redemption.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 08, 2011 Proud Book Nerd rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tours, fantasy, teen-book-scene, ya

This is a fun, enjoyable fantasy. The characters are quite interesting, and I really enjoyed the adventure.

Full review will be visible on August 9, 2011 on Proud Book Nerd:
http://proudbooknerd.com/2011/08/09/r...

1 like · like · see review

Oct 24, 2011 Tahlia Newland rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is a great book and a wonderful addition to the ya fantasy market. Henrietta is a tough cookie and a delightful character, but what is really great about this book is the way she develops as a person through the story. A nice cast of supporting characters too, all growing as the story progresses. The interactions between them are very well done. Definitely one to read if you like this genre. The story is refreshingly different to a lot of others around too.

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 04, 2012 Kristina Franken rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I highly recommend this book for anyone

FTC: I received a free copy of this book and was not reimbursed in any other way.

1 like · like · see review

Jun 12, 2012 J.F. Jenkins rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well written, but I got bored with it. :/

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Aug 15, 2011 Myranda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-for-review, signed, on-my-bookshelf

Very interesting! Longer review TK

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Oct 05, 2011 Jane George rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

Perfect for those who like high fantasy with a little twist and a strong, engaging heroine. Good for age 12 and up, I think.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 18, 2012 Cindy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

i hadnt had a chance to post a review
It took me a while to read the book but i did finish it months ago
the story starts a lil slow but as you continue to read it starts getting intreasting a leaves you wondering as it goes. good read

1 like · like · see review

Jan 21, 2012 Beth Barany rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Shelves: my-books, ya, fantasy

I absolutely loved this book! I wrote it! The sequel is on its way!

5 likes · like · see review

Aug 06, 2012 Lynne Stevie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a really fun read.

1 like · like · see review

May 14, 2013 Carmen Viera marked it as to-read · review of another edition

May 12, 2013 Tim marked it as to-read · review of another edition

May 07, 2013 Heidi Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

May 06, 2013 Amber Meek marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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About Beth Barany

Beth Barany has been making up fantasy and adventure stories all her life. She writes to empower girls and women with her kick ass heroines who have to save the world against great odds.

***

Beth likes to read books for kids and adults, mostly fantasy and science fiction, plus science fiction and paranormal romance, and mysteries and thrillers, too.

She’s been writing since she was a little girl, and...more Beth Barany has been making up fantasy and adventure stories all her life. She writes to empower girls and women with her kick ass heroines who have to save the world against great odds.

***

Beth likes to read books for kids and adults, mostly fantasy and science fiction, plus science fiction and paranormal romance, and mysteries and thrillers, too.

She’s been writing since she was a little girl, and wanted to be a writer. She also wanted to be a spy, detective, broadcast journalist, model, actress, or adventurer. She also wanted to be magic, go to outer space, travel to every continent and learn lots of languages.

Today she speaks fluent French, and so far has had adventures in three continents: North America, Europe and Africa.

While she hasn’t gone to outer space yet, she’s been working on a story set there; her stories also always have some kind of magic.

She was inspired to write Henrietta the Dragon Slayer because all the fairy tales she read as a kid were always about boys as heroes: Jack the Giant Killer this, Jack and the Seven-Headed Giant that, and of course, Jack and the Beanstalk. What happened to Jill? Where was Jill, the girl hero? That is why I wrote Henrietta the Dragon Slayer. I wanted to have my girl heroine fight the good fight and have adventures.

In her off hours, Beth enjoys cardio kickboxing, stick yoga, reading and watching movies with her husband, author and singer/song writer Ezra Barany.

MORE ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany is a writer’s coach, a keynote speaker and a marketing advisor for writers and publishers. The author of the bestselling books for writers, The Writer’s Adventure Guide: 12 Stages to Writing Your Book, Overcome Writer’s Block, and Twitter for Authors: Social Media Book Marketing for Shy Writers, she also publishes the monthly digital magazine, Author Entrepreneurship Magazine, to help authors create successful and sustainable careers. Beth is also the award-winning novelist of the young adult epic fantasy, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, the first of a 3-book series.

As a Master NLP Practitioner and Certified Creativity Coach, Beth has helped authors get their books written, edited and published for over 12 years, as well as guided them in effectively marketing and selling their work. Five of her clients’ books have been best-sellers. Sign up for her newsletter and receive her free Writer’s Motivation Mini-Course at www.BethBarany.com. Also receive the latest issue and a free subscription to Author Entrepreneur Magazine at www.authorentrepreneurship.com.
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Henrietta the Dragon Slayer (The Five Kingdoms #1)

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