The Books of Bayern Box Set

by Shannon Hale

The first three books in the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series are now available in a beautiful boxed set. It all began with the retelling of a Grimm's fairy tale in The Goose Girl, and now the world of Bayern is rich with fairy tales all its own. Fans will be delighted with this package that features their favorite Bayern characters as well as a sneak peek of the newest book: Forest Born.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Fairy Tales, Fairy Tale Retellings, Clean Romance

1120 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2009

About the author

Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack with husband Dean Hale. They live near Salt Lake City, Utah with their four small children, and their pet, a small, plastic pig.

Reviews

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. The entire quartet of Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern YA fantasy books - The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, and Forest Born - is on a Kindle sale: the whole bundle is only $2.99. https://www.amazon.com/Books-Bayern-B...

The first two book titles below link to my reviews. The other two I never reviewed, but they're quite good for YA fantasy.

The Goose Girl is one of my very favorite fairy tale retellings, a coming of age story about a princess who's sent off to another country to marry its prince. Unfortunately she has a conniving lady-in-waiting. The princess Anidori (who goes by Isi) has the ability to magically communicate with animals, but in the course of her troubles she also develops another magical talent that might be very useful.

Enna Burning is my least favorite of the series, but that's because it tells a harrowing story (and I'm more of a comfort read kind of person). The princess Isi's friend Enna develops a dangerous magical affinity for fire, and an unscrupulous person is ready to take advantage of it, and her.

River Secrets has a young man as its main character: Razo, who's sent as part of a Bayern delegation to another country that has historically been Bayern's enemy. Political scheming mixes with a new kind of magical affinity, and a little bit of romance.

Forest Born's main character is Rin, who's developed a magical affinity for trees, and is having struggles finding herself and her place in life. Some old friends show up from the prior books ... and one old and very dangerous enemy.

If you like YA fantasy you should grab it.

[Emily Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy is one of the best books i have ever read- i think it could even outcomplete the great J.k Rowling! I am a Massive fan of Shannon Hale and i love the research She puts into making her stories really come alive. I have been shouting out about this book to everyone i know for years but in a breif descriptions it's really hard to give it justice. The magic in this book really comes alive and the characters are really relatable. Isi is a fantastic main character who i personally empathise with really easily- the story of the shy girl becomeing brave is not a cliche but just really well written. The other characters are fantastic- even Shelia and Ungolad, who gives me shivers! Are such good Badies!
I could go on and on all about these amazing books- as you can tell, i'm abit of a fan! But i will leave you with this. Bayern is a beautiful land and reading it is so good- it makes real life boring! I definately recommend all three books and forest born which is the Bayern revisted, or just anything else by Shannon Hale she's an brilliant author, and you'll never be able to guess the endings.
Overall- Best book in the World!!! READ IT!!

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh!!! This book was so AMAZINGLY written! It is so good, I loved it!! I got my friends to read it, my cousin, my mum, everyone. It's sooooooo good!!!! I'm not sure which one is my favorite, they're all incredible!!!! The plot and the setting was beautiful, I soooooo badly want to live in Bayern. Razo is hlarious! I love the friendship between Isi and Enna! Geric and Finn are sooooo awesome too!! Every character is!!! I was soo sad when it was finished, but Shannon Hale is such a good author so I read her other books too and there awesome as well!!!
P.S. ♫If you hate Selia clap your hands!♫

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best books I have ever read no doubt! The clever detail and creativity is inspiring and I am crossing my fingers for a fifth book! I am definitely in awe by how Shannon veiws specific details about life and nature and puts a slight twist and makes unique, astonishing books. Would recommend this to any fine girl.

[Brynne Venneman · Rating 5 out of 5]

these are so CRIMINALLY underrated everyone should be talking about them all the time

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series that is forever dear to my heart. The series against which every other book I read in life is judged. I read it initially in middle school and have since reread it multiple times as an adult. Each of the four have a different tone, each of which has spoken to me differently depending on the stage and struggles of life I’m in the middle of. Thank you Shannon Hale, queen of my heart, for these beautiful, perfect books!!

(And my favorite set of the three gorgeous cover renditions too 💜)

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading each of these books. My favorite would probably be River Secrets(#3) with my least favorite (by far) as Enna Burning(#2). I felt like Forest Born(#4) really referred back to the first book, Goose Girl, and basically wrapped up the series and put it all together. All of these books were really well written and even though I said Enna Burning was my least favorite by far, Shanon Hale is a great author and I look forward to reading more of her books.

[Tink Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing retelling of the goose girl

[Bethany Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

god,,,,a really really good series (more torture until lover shows up for rescue core) and one i reread every few years. nice easy read with a well fleshed out fantasy world

[Sage Latimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book. a lot of problems and just enough solutions. its an amazing series!

[Katherine Garvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debated whether to rate as three stars or four.... each story individually I really enjoyed... but not as a series. With each book, there is some conflict which in the end is thoroughly resolved, leaving the idea that everything should be "happily ever after" at this point. Then the next book starts, and nope, something else has gone wrong. Now we start over, solve this new separate problem, and the cycle continues. I didn't even read Forest Born because by that point I care to learn what went wrong THIS time. Yes, conflict needs to be resolved, but there should still be something that binds the books together in one bigger story, something that makes it so that book two couldn't just as easily be the end of the series as book four. As it is, it leaves no suspense for the next book, since each book ends suggesting the end of trouble.

All that said, they still are enjoyable stories. I liked the characters, and listened to the first three books in two and a half days while sorting fabric. There was just that one problem that really bugged me.

[Kennedy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are all really amazing. I loved all the days that I spent reading them all. I just love fairy tale retellings and I also love historical fiction. These books had those and much more in it. With a touch of magic lots of danger, adventure, and finding yourself, and all with a dabble of romance these are my favorite books ever. This is by far my favorite book series the other did a marvelous job of including the story line of my favorite fairy tale (the goose girl) into a series of incredibly magical thrilling books. I recommend all these books to anyone that loves to read anything because there is just a little bit of everything in all these books.

[Shaydy · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars overall*
This a magical series with wonderful writing, vivid characters, and the 1:1, non-fluffy sort of romance. Highly recommended!
Individual reviews:
The Goose Girl:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2270797848
Enna Burning:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2273133971
River Secrets:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2273134157

[Shantell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love magic, and these books are full of them. Plus all the characters are strong people, who need to learn to control their powers and their weaknesses. Each book in the series highlights a different character with a different personality.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved The Books of Bayern series. I have read and reread them many times. They are wonderfully written tales about princesses, adventure, romance, and much more. I would recommend these books to girls of all ages.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always told to read the goose girl but never did. Finally got my chance and was pleased. The beginning was a little difficult to get into but then I really started to enjoy the book. After I had to go and read the rest of the books of Bayern

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great books! The fourth book will be called Forest-Born and will either come out this fall or next fall!

[Camialder · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THIS SERIES SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this.series. Took me a little bit to get into the first book but once I did, I couldn't stop. Loved Enna.Burning and River Secrets. I really liked the ending. Definitely recommend

[ShadeChloe]

really awesome

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goose Girl was my favorite, but I really liked the whole series.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goose Girl I give 4 stars to. It left me wanting more. Enna Burning and River of Secrets were good. 3 1/2 stars for both of them.

[Ⓛeah ✿εїз✾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked all three though the second two were creepier.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man! I loved these! So sweet and refreshingly light. But still such a great story line!! I loved how each different story follows a different character. These are a must read!

[Accelerated Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

i just LOVE these books!

[Chantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done, all of the characters are engaging and I loved the setting through the whole series.

[Swan Bomans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all these books they blew me away I couldn't out the book down

[Caitlin Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love these books! especially The Goose Girl and River Secrets! at least read those!

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Series!

[C-Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all three of these a while ago and just stumbled across some other books by this author and remembered how much I liked these.