Book review: Ashes by Kathryn Lasky

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky (Published by Viking, February 4, 2010)

Thirteen-year-old Gabriella Schramm lives a comfortable and happy life with her middle class family in Berlin, Germany in 1932. Her father is a scientist who studies and teaches physics at the university. Because of his work, Albert Einstein is a friend of the family. Gaby enjoys reading books, going on after school outings to the zoo and the movies with her best friend, Rosa, and spending summers at her family's vacation home by the lake. Her biggest worry up until now has been the teacher who confiscates the books he catches Gaby reading during class. But all that is about to change, as Adolf Hitler grows in popularity and power.

First, Hitler’s private army, in their brown uniforms, begins to fill the streets of Berlin. Then the persecution of Jews and communists begins. Intellectuals and scientists like Gaby’s father are a target, too, for teaching un-German ideas and for not supporting the Nazis. Gaby is increasingly worried that her older sister Ulla’s boyfriend may be a Nazi. And even the books Gaby enjoys escaping into in these troubled times are becoming a target. As her entire world changes and seems to crumble around her, Gaby must come to terms with all that she has lost.

Ashes is a fascinating and often troubling look at life in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power. Gaby was a very likeable heroine. I especially enjoyed that she loved reading and that books were her escape into another world, which reminded me of myself at her age. If you enjoy historical fiction and are interested in this time period then I highly recommend you read this book, and I also think it would make good supplemental reading for preteens and young teens learning about this era of history in school.

Waiting on Wednesday: Faithful by Janet Fox

Faithful by Janet Fox (Published by Penguin Books, May 13, 2010)

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Bennet’s life is in tatters. Her mother has disappeared, and is presumed dead. The next thing she knows, her father has dragged Maggie away from their elegant Newport home, off on some mad excursion to Yellowstone in Montana. Torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her friends, from society, and verging on no prospects, Maggie is furious and devastated by her father’s betrayal. But when she arrives, she finds herself drawn to the frustratingly stubborn, handsome Tom Rowland, the son of a park geologist, and to the wild romantic beauty of Yellowstone itself. And as Tom and the promise of freedom capture Maggie’s heart, Maggie is forced to choose between who she is and who she wants to be.


There have been so many great new historical fiction books for young adults, as well as many upcoming in 2010. This is one of the ones I particularly want to read. It sounds like it has an interesting and unusual historical setting and a great romance too! I really wish this book was coming out sooner than May. And I love the cover too!

In My Mailbox - 12/26/09

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and got lots of great books!

Credit goes to The Story Siren for creating and hosting the In My Mailbox feature.

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky

Thirteen-year-old Gabriella Schramm’s favorite pastime is reading. With Adolf Hitler slowly but unstoppably rising to power, Gaby turns to her books for comfort while the world around her changes dramatically: The streets become filled with soldiers, Gaby’s sister’s boyfriend raises his arm in a heil Hitler salute, and the Schramms’ family friend Albert Einstein flees the country. When Gaby’s beloved books come under attack, she fears she may have to leave behind the fiction—and the life—she has always cherished.


Good Fortune by Noni Carter

Ayanna Bahati lives in a small African village when she is brutally kidnapped, along with her mother and brother, and forced onto a slave ship to America. As Ayanna, renamed Anna, rises from the cotton fields to the master’s house, she finds the familial love she’s been yearning for—but she is also faced with more threats to her survival. Risking everything to escape the plantation, Anna makes it to the North and to freedom, eventually settling in the free black community of Hadson, Ohio, and educating herself to become a teacher.


The Mark by Jen Nadol

Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.
Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?


Poisoned Honey by Beatrice Gormely

This story begins with Mariamne, a vulnerable girl who knows little of the ways of the world. Much as she wants to be in control of her own destiny, she soon learns she has no such power. She must do as her father and brother see fit, and when tragedy strikes, Mari must marry a man she does not love and enter a household where she is not welcome, for the good of her family.
But she finds a small way to comfort herself when she meets an Egyptian wisewoman who instructs her in the ways of the occult arts. In the spirit world, Mari finds she has power. Here, she really is in control of her fate. But is she? Or is the magic controlling her?
This gripping portrait of one of the most misunderstood and controversial Biblical figures is the story of a young girl’s path through manipulation and possession, madness and healing, to a man who will change the world forever.


Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore (Hardcover copy, reviewed the ARC here)

Nimira is a foreign music-hall girl forced to dance for mere pennies. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing with a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new and better life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets are beginning to stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumors swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. Then Nimira discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman named Erris is trapped inside the clockwork automaton, waiting for someone to break his curse. The two fall into a love that seems hopeless, and breaking the curse becomes a race against time, as not just their love, but the fate of the entire magical world may be in peril.

My top 10 upcoming books for 2010 - part two

Here is the second half of my top 10 wishlist for 2010. I hope everyone got some great ideas for new books to read from the list. If you have any 2010 books you can't wait to read, be sure to leave a comment about them.

6. The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (Published by Delacorte, March 9, 2010)

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.


7. The Fire Opal by Regina McBride (Published by Delacorte, March 11, 2010)

There was a time when Maeve O'Tullagh led a simple life; a time when she and her mother, Nuala, collected kelp on the foreshore near their cottage in Ard Macha; a time when she played among the Celtic ruins with her older brothers and daydreamed about the legendary Holy Isles, an enchanted land ruled in a past age by a beautiful goddess.
But after Maeve's sister, Ishleen, is born, her mother sinks into a deep, impenetrable trance. For years, Maeve tries to help her mother "awaken," and then the unthinkable happens: Ishleen succumbs to the same mysterious ailment as Nuala.
Heartbroken to think that her sister and her mother might be lost to her forever, Maeve sets off on an unimaginable quest to a world filled with fantastical creatures, a web of secrets, a handsome, devious villain who will stop at nothing to have her hand in marriage—braving them all to retrieve a powerful glowing stone that will help her recover the souls of her loved ones and bring them home to Ard Macha.

8. Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink (Published by Little Brown, August 1, 2010)

As sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy that has divided her family for generations, her twin sister Alice hones the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the only thing she wants. There's also Lia's beloved, James.
The sisters always knew that the prophecy would turn their closest allies against them. But they didn't know what betrayal could lead them to do. In the end, only one sister will be left standing.


9. The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood (Published by HarperTeen, June 1, 2010)

Jessamine Luxson lives with her father, Thomas, an apothecary, in an isolated cottage near Alnwick Castle. Thomas’s pride and obsession is his locked garden full of dangerous plants, which Jessamine is forbidden to enter.
When a traveler brings an orphan to their cottage, he claims the boy has special gifts that Thomas might value. Jessamine is drawn to the strange but intriguing boy, called Weed. Soon their friendship deepens into love. Finally, Weed shares his secret: He can communicate with plants. For him they have distinct personalities—and some are even murderous. From the locked garden the poisonous plants call to Weed, luring him with promises of deadly power.
When Jessamine falls inexplicably ill, only Weed’s relationship with the Poisons can save her. But Thomas is determined to exploit Weed’s abilities, even if it risks Jessamine’s life—or drives Weed to the brink of madness.…

10. Sleepless by Cyn Balog (Published by Delacorte, July 13, 2010)

Eron De Marchelle isn't supposed to feel a connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce human charges to sleep. While he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to--after all, getting too involved in one human's life would prevent him helping his other charges get their needed rest.
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia. Julia, with her fiery red hair and her sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. Eron has always felt protective of Julia . . . but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't seem to reach her . . .
Sandmen are forbidden from communicating with humans outside their dreams. But will Eron be willing to risk everything for a chance to be with the person he loves?

My top five reads of 2009

I read a lot of great books this year, and it was hard to narrow it down to my top favorites, but I managed to make a top five list. I have reviewed all of these books here at my blog - click the book title to read the review!

1. The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley

The story of Katherine "Kat" Bab, who has lived all her sixteen years in the English countryside. After her adoptive mother dies, Kat travels to London and the court of Queen Elizabeth I in search of the truth about her biological family, finds intrigue and romance at court, and must decide where her heart truly belongs. A lovely historical novel, with lots of romance and rich historical detail, that has crossover appeal for adults who wouldn't typically read young adult fiction.


2. Prophecy of the Sistesrs by Michelle Zink

A refreshing and unique young adult fantasy, set in 19th century New York, with the feel of an old gothic novel. Sixteen-year-old Lia is an orphan after the death of her father, and soon learns that she and her twin sister Alice are part of an ancient prophecy that makes them mortal enemies. I can't wait to read book two!!


3. Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund

Aerin and Dane are both students at Academy 7, the universe's most elite boarding school. But that is where their similarities end. Dane comes from a privileged background but never had what he most longed for, the love and approval of his father. Aerin is an orphan who has escaped from slavery and is determined to keep her past a secret. Thrown together during a joint punishment, these unlikely friends find danger, mystery, romance, and unexpected family secrets.


4. Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards

The story of a cross-class romance between two teenagers who come from very different worlds, told in poems and set against the backdrop of one of the worst disasters in American history. Celestia comes from a life of luxury where she has everything she wants - except the choice to be with the one she loves. Peter comes from a working class family and meets Celestia while working at the resort her family is vacationing at. Celestia risks the wrath of her family to try and find her way back to Peter but it is caught up in the deadly Johnstown Flood of 1889. Even if you don't usually read books in verse, give this one a try! It is just amazing.


5. Unclaimed Heart by Kim Wilkins

I had books 1-4 already picked out when I started writing this post and they were all pretty much tied in my mind. However, I had a hard time choosing the final book for the list. But I finally settled on Unclaimed Heart. There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about the plot - it's the story of Constance, a rebellious girl of the late 18th century who falls in love with a young man from the wrong social class - but there was just something about the combination of the unique and exotic setting and the very sweet love story that I really enjoyed. It's one of those books that doesn't stand out as something really unique, but that I truly love anyway because it has everything I usually love in a book.

So that's my top 5 reads for 2010. What are some of your favorite books from the last year? Be sure to comment!

My top 10 upcoming books for 2010 - part one

2009 is almost over, and it was a great year with a lot of great new books I enjoyed reading. But now I am looking ahead to 2010 and I thought I would share the top ten books on my wishlist I am looking forward to in 2010, hopefully some of them will catch your interest! And if you have any great 2010 books you can't wait to read, please post about them in a comment, I am always looking for great books to add to my wishlist. Here is part one of the list - be sure to check back tomorrow for part two!!

1. Everlasting by Angie Frazier (Published by Scholastic, June 1, 2010)
Sailing aboard her father's ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a lady in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn't love in order to preseve her social standing. On her last voyage before the wedding, Camille learns the mother she has always believed dead is in fact alive and in Australia. When their Sydney-bound ship goes down in a gale, and her father dies, Camille sets out to find her mother and a map in her possession - a map believed to lead to a stone that once belonged to the legendary civilization.


2. A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis (Published by Simon & Schuster, April 1, 2010)

Magic may be the greatest scandal in Regency England. But that's not going to stop Kat Stephenson when there are highwaymen to foil, sinister aristocrats to defeat...and true loves to capture for her two older sisters.


3. Faithful by Janet Fox (Published by Speak, May 13, 2010)

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Bennet’s life is in tatters. Her mother has disappeared, and is presumed dead. The next thing she knows, her father has dragged Maggie away from their elegant Newport home, off on some mad excursion to Yellowstone in Montana. Torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her friends, from society, and verging on no prospects, Maggie is furious and devastated by her father’s betrayal. But when she arrives, she finds herself drawn to the frustratingly stubborn, handsome Tom Rowland, the son of a park geologist, and to the wild romantic beauty of Yellowstone itself. And as Tom and the promise of freedom capture Maggie’s heart, Maggie is forced to choose between who she is and who she wants to be.


4. The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry (Published by Henry Holt, June 8, 2010)

Joan’s mother is Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the most beautiful woman in the world. Her father is Henry II, the king of England. She loves them both—so what can she do when she’s forced to choose between them? As her parents’ arguments grow ever more vicious, Joan begins to feel like a political pawn.
When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself with a man ten years her senior. She doesn’t love him, and she can’t quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.
As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents’ worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs. Is it too late to figure out whom to trust? And, more important, whom to love?


5. Mistwood by Leah Cypess (Published by Greenwillow Books, April 27, 2010)

Isabel is a shape-shifter, able to shift at will into any animal form. She senses that her power is great. She knows—deep in her soul—that she exists only to protect the king and the royal family. But when she awakens in Mistwood to the sound of approaching horses, she can’t remember anything and she flees. How long has she been in the forest? Who hurt her? Why is she hiding—because it is certain she is hiding. Who are these men riding after her with such determination? And most importantly, why can’t she shift?
Captured and thrust into the mysterious and dangerous royal court, Isabel must uncover her past, separate the truth of her heart from the legend of her magic, and, above all, keep the unbearably handsome new king safe. Even if protecting him means disaster for her.

Waiting on Wednesday: Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (Published by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, May 25, 2010)

The engrossing companion novel to Princess of the Midnight Ball, with a wicked twist on Cinderella.
Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other’s countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It’s got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.


Fairy tale retellings is another one of my favorite genres. This book sounds like it will be a really cute and enjoyable addition to this genre, and I love the cover, it's so pretty.

Holiday Break Reading Challenge Activity #5

1 - Pick up the book you are currently reading.


2 - Since it is December 22nd, turn to page 22 in your book.


3 - Count down to the 22nd line on the page. (If there is a partial word on the line you can leave it off.)


4 - Post a picture of your book cover along with the 22nd line from the 22nd page on your blog.


















There is actually no 22nd line on page 22... there are 18 lines... so I counted forward 4 lines onto the next page... because that's the closest I can get to line 22... and here it is:

"Now?" she moaned. "Now?"

Book review: Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Darklight by Lesley Livingston (Published by HarperTeen, December 22, 2009)

Everything changed in the life of Kelley Winslow, a young actress, when she learned she was really a faerie. She fell in love with Sonny, a changeling and a member of the elite fight force appointed by Kelley’s real father, a faerie king. She saved the world. And she was separated from Sonny, who was forced to return to the faerie realm while Kelley remained in the moral world and attempted to resume her normal life, hoping that she would be reunited with him someday soon.

But life hasn't really gone back to normal. Kelley is haunted by nightmares sent to her by her mother, the faerie queen, violent nightmares about Sonny that makes her wonder how well she really knows him. She soon finds herself in the Otherworld, the faerie realm, where she is reunited with Sonny but also faces great danger from an old enemy. And their reunion isn't the perfect happy one she would have wanted. She is forced to work through her feelings for Sonny and for her family while evading a dangerous band of leprechauns who want her dead.

I actually hadn’t read book one, Wondrous Strange, when I received this book for review. So I think I missed out on a bit by reading book two first. But Darklight was still a very enjoyable read. I liked that the romance between Kelley and Sonny wasn’t perfect but had its ups and downs. I also really liked Kelley’s background as an actress in the theater, it made her an interesting and unique main character. I would recommend this series to readers who like young adult fantasy about faeries but I would recommend starting with the first book, which I now plan to go back and read.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: The Raven Saint by M.L. Tyndall

The Raven Saint by M.L. Tyndall (Published by Barbour Books, January 1, 2010)

Pious Grace Westcott, the youngest of the Westcott sisters, has devoted her life to helping the poor and living a moral life. She spends her days in her home city of Charleston, South Carolina helping the impoverished residents by donating food, caring for the sick, and helping orphans find homes. So when she is kidnapped by Captain Rafe Dubois, a French mercenary, she struggles to understand what purpose God has in allowing this to happen to her.

Captain Rafe Dubois is a man without faith. He has kidnapped Grace so he can sell her to a Spanish don and use the money to help build a hospital for the poor, in order to fufill a promise he made. He should care nothing for Grace, she is simply a means to an end for him. So he finds himself confused by his feelings about her. And Grace is confused by her mixed feelings towards her captor as well. How can she feel anything for a man who took her away from everything she had?

The Raven Saint is a romantic and exciting story of love, adventure, history, and faith. Grace and Rafe are a completely mismatched pair yet their love story was very sweet and in the end believable. If you love a good pirate romance be sure to give this book a try. It is the third in a series about the Westcott sisters, but the story in this book works as a stand-alone novel if you haven’t read the previous two books.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore (Published by Bloomsbury USA, December 22, 2009)

Seventeen-year-old Nimira had to leave her home and make her own way in the world after her mother died and her father lost the family’s fortune. She now lives in Lorinar, where she performs in a music hall and wishes for a better life. When Hollin Parry, a mysterious sorcerer, offers her a job singing with his piano-playing automaton, she eagerly accepts the opportunity. There are rumors that the automaton is haunted but Nimira ignores them, desperate to leave her life in the music hall behind.

Hollin Parry’s estate is lovely, a welcome change from the bustling city she lived in. But it is also a place full of secrets. The biggest of which is that the automaton is not haunted, but contains the trapped spirit of Erris, a fairy prince. As Nimira falls in love with Erris and attempts to free him from the curse, she is caught up in more danger than she expected.

Magic Under Glass is a wonderfully original fantasy from debate author Jaclyn Dolamore. The world she has created is very unique. It is reminiscent of the Victorian era with a bit of steam punk mixed in. If you love young adult fantasy and are looking to read something different and original, be sure to give this book a try. You won’t be disappointed! I am very much looking forward to reading more by this talented new author.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

In My Mailbox - 12/20/09

This is a day later than I usually post IMM because I was going to Strand and wanted to wait so I could post about what I got there. So most of these are from there but a couple came in the mail for review.

Credit goes to The Story Siren for creating and hosting the In My Mailbox feature.

The Raven Saint by M.L. Tyndall

Join bestselling author M. L. Tyndall for another seafaring historical full of romance, intrigue, action, and adventure. Grace Westcott has piously served God her whole life. Captain Rafe Dubois cannot pass up the opportunity to earn more gold toward the hospital he’s building for the poor by kidnapping Admiral Westcott’s youngest daughter. But when the missionary and the mercenary meet, it’s full-sail-ahead into tumultuous waters! Find out what happens when a bitter mercenary who’s sworn off God falls in love with a pious woman determined to change him.


The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.
The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.
The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.


Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston.
But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away, prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City.


Boys of Wartime: Daniel at the Siege of Boston, 1776 by Laurie Calkhoven

Twelve-year-old Daniel Prescott cheered when the Sons of Liberty dumped English tea into Boston Harbor. Then King George sent his soldiers to take over Boston and its port. Now Daniel's home is a city under siege.
When his father slips away to join the rebels, Daniel works in the family tavern and eavesdrops on Redcoat officers. He soon learns how to slip across British lines and becomes a messenger and spy, bringing vital news of the enemy to his father, and even to General Washington. To do so puts Daniel's life in danger. But, to a Patriot, liberty is well worth any risk.


Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out by Meg Cabot

When her parents announce they're going out of town, Allie is convinced she's going to have the best weekend ever with Uncle Jay in charge...until Allie's mom announces that Allie has to go to Brittany Hauser's birthday party.
But Allie doesn't even like Brittany Hauser, or want to go with all her snobby friends in a stretch limo to her big blowout birthday bash at the Build-a-Bear store, and then spend the night in a deluxe hotel suite in the city. Allie's going to miss all her real friends.
Besides, Allie knows Brittany only invited her because Mrs. Hauser made her, since Allie's mom is the star movie reviewer for Good News!, the local cable news show.


Betrayal by Gillian Shields

When Evie Johnson started at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, her life changed in ways she couldn’t possibly have envisioned: the discovery of her link with Lady Agnes, her special bond with Helen and Sarah, and their sisterhood in the astonishing secrets of the Mystic Way. Above all, Evie’s love for Sebastian has turned her world upside down.
Now Evie returns to Wyldcliffe for another term and more danger. The Wyldcliffe coven is plotting to destroy Evie and use Sebastian to secure their own immortality. Evie and her sisters, Helen, Sarah, and Agnes, must master the power of the Talisman before it is too late. But could it be Sebastian himself who will ultimately betray Evie?


Wayfarer by R.J. Anderson

The faeries of the Oak are dying, and it’s up to a lone faery named Linden to find a way to restore their magic. Linden travels bravely into dangerous new territory, where she enlists the help of an unlikely friend—a human named Timothy. Soon they discover something much worse than the Oakenfolk’s loss of magic: a potent evil that threatens the fate of all faeries. In a fevered, desperate chase across the country, Timothy and Linden risk their lives to seek an ancient power before it’s too late to save everyone they love.


Raven Speak by Diane Lee Wilson

In 854, the bold fourteen-year-old daughter of a Viking chieftain, aided by her old and thin but equally intrepid horse and an ancient, one-eyed seer, must find a way to keep her clan together and save them from starvation.

Awesome Contest Alert

Princess Bookie is holding a great contest here: http://www.princessbookie.com/2009/12/day-8-12-blogs-of-xmas-giveaway.html

You could win:

Firespell, Pefect Chemistry, Leaving paradise, Beautiful Creatures, Hush Hush and Along For Ride

Anxious Hearts, Jekel Loves Hyde, Hex Hall, Something Like Fate and Little Miss Red

Or a mystery ARC!!!

Visit her blog to enter now.

Waiting on Wednesday: Mistwood by Leah Cypess

Mistwood by Leah Cypess (Published by Greenwillow, April 27, 2010)

Isabel is a shape-shifter, able to shift at will into any animal form. She senses that her power is great. She knows—deep in her soul—that she exists only to protect the king and the royal family. But when she awakens in Mistwood to the sound of approaching horses, she can’t remember anything and she flees. How long has she been in the forest? Who hurt her? Why is she hiding—because it is certain she is hiding. Who are these men riding after her with such determination? And most importantly, why can’t she shift?
Captured and thrust into the mysterious and dangerous royal court, Isabel must uncover her past, separate the truth of her heart from the legend of her magic, and, above all, keep the unbearably handsome new king safe. Even if protecting him means disaster for her.


This book is another 2010 debut author book and it sounds like it will be a really good YA fantasy! I love fantasy novels set in Medieval type worlds with castles and kingdoms and magic. And the plot sounds really good.

In My Mailbox - 12/13/09

Late this week becuase I forgot! Credit goes to The Story Siren for creating and hosting the In My Mailbox feature.

My new books this week:

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity’s deepest fears: dragons.
Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she’s breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she’d rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, a secret friendship grows between them—even though the fragile truce that has maintained peace between their two species is unraveling around them. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?
In her young adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a modern tale of myths and machines and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.


High Plains Bride by Valerie Hansen

Emmeline Carter was prepared for danger on the new frontier. But she didn't foresee the tornado that tore their wagon train apart. Now her father is dead, her mother and sister are injured and their twin wards are missing. There's nowhere to turn but the fledgling Kansas settlement of High Plains. Town founder Will Logan steps in to search for the twins and house the Carters…for now. He's not cut out for family life long-term. But Emmeline's got her own ideas, and when this high plains bride chooses her groom, nothing will get in her way!


The Duke's Redemption by Carla Capshaw

He came to the colonies for one reason: revenge. Drake Amberly, Duke of Hawk Haven, won't leave South Carolina until he's unmasked the colonial spy who killed his brother. Yet the more he sees of spirited Elise Cooper, the more he's moved by the happiness she brings him…never suspecting the dangerous secret she hides.
Her faith drives Elise to spy for the rebels, dreaming only of freedom for her homeland. Then she meets Drake, and learns that love could be hers, as well. When his pursuit of "The Fox" brings him dangerously close to the truth, she'll risk everything to prove that love and forgiveness are all they need.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees

The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees (Published by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, July 20, 2010)

A lush, epic historical novel by bestseller Celia Rees, with an added Shakespearean twist.
Young and beautiful Violetta may be of royal blood, but her kingdom is in shambles when she arrives in London on a mysterious mission. Her journey has been long and her adventures many, but it is not until she meets the playwright William Shakespeare that she gets to tell the entire story from beginning to end. Violetta and her comic companion, Feste, have come in search of an ancient holy relic that the evil Malvolio has stolen from their kingdom. But where will their remarkable quest—and their most unusual story—lead? In classic Celia Rees style, it is an engrossing journey, full of political intrigue, danger, and romance.
This wholly original story is spun from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, and includes both folly and suspense that would make the Bard proud.


I have read and enjoyed other historical novels by Celia Rees. I especially loved her book Witch Child, and it sounds like this new book will be wonderful as well.

My post for the Holiday Break Reading Challenge

I've decided to participate in the Holiday Break Reading Challenge. This challenge is being hosted by Karin of Karin's Book Nook. To read more about the challenge and to sign up visit this link. There are some great prizes you can win by participating!

The goal I am setting for myself is to read around 5 books. I haven't decided which books yet since it will depend what I finish between now and when the challenge starts.

In My Mailbox - 12/5/09

Credit goes to The Story Siren for creating and hosting the In My Mailbox feature.

Here are the new books I bought or received this week. A lot of these are books I am really eager to read, so I will have some great books to read this holiday season!

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler

Zita’s not just any servant girl: She's a princess—the thirteenth daughter of a king who wanted only sons and banished her to the servants' quarters to work in the castle's kitchen. Then, after Zita's twelfth birthday, her royal sisters all fall mysteriously ill. The only clue is their strangely worn and tattered shoes. With the help of her friends—Breckin the stable boy, Babette the witch, and Milek the soldier—Zita follows her bewitched sisters into a magical world of endless dancing and dreams. Something sinister is afoot—and Zita must find the source of the enchantment and break the curse or the twelve princesses will surely dance to their deaths.
With a mesmerizing voice and delightful imagination, Diane Zahler delivers a dazzling retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." Zita is the spunky and unforgettable heroine that young girls will love.


Hawksmaid: The Untold Story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian by Kathryn Lasky

She’s the headstrong daughter of Nottingham’s most famous falconer. But for Matty, hawks are more than family—they are her destiny. She can hear their thoughts, speak their language, and sense their every wingbeat. When Matty finds Marigold, a golden-eyed merlin abandoned in the wild, their connection is instant and magical. Marigold becomes Matty’s closest winged companion and her fiercest ally under the tyranny of Prince John and the sheriff of Nottingham. It’s up to Matty, Marigold, and their old friend Robin to save England.
A fantastical twist makes this a legendary world of royalty, daring adventure, and deadly peril that will appeal to fans of Gail Carson Levine and Shannon Hale. Newbery Honor author Kathryn Lasky soars to magnificent heights in this bold tale of bravery, romance, and the untold legend of Maid Marian and Robin Hood.


The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.
But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything--his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.
He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.
Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.


This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

It's been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth's climate. For Miranda Evans life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce.
The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda's father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda's complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.


Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents' rules - especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father's office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.
To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen's sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill's accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything - even Tristen's love - just for the thrill of being... bad.


Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s revengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two– the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander–survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.
The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters: Octavia, the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra; Livia, Octavian's bitter and jealous wife; Marcellus, Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir apparent; Tiberius, Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power; and Juba, Octavian’s watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals.


The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

Summer is here, and 16-year-old Allie, a self-professed music geek, is exactly where she wants to be: working full-time at Berkeley’s ultra-cool Bob and Bob Records. There, Allie can spend her days bantering with the street people, talking the talk with the staff, shepherding the uncool bridge-and-tunnel shoppers, all the while blissfully surrounded by music, music, music. It’s the perfect setup for her to develop her secret identity as The Vinyl Princess, author of both a brand-new zine and blog. From the safety of her favourite place on earth, Allie is poised to have it all: love, music and blogging.
Her mother, though, is actually the one getting the dates, and business at Allie’s beloved record store is becoming dangerously slow—not to mention that there have been a string of robberies in the neighbourhood. At least her blog seems to be gaining interest, one vinyl junkie at a time…

My List for the 2010 Debut Author Challenge

I am participating in the 2010 Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren. You can read about this challenge and sign up at this link.

This is my list in progress, which I will update throughout the year. Books in bold I have already read. If I have reviewed the book, you can click on the title to read the review. Books in italics, I own a copy but haven't read yet. Everything else is on my wish list.

1. Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards
2. Everlasting by Angie Frazier
3. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
4. A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis
5. Mistwood by Leah Cypess
6. Faithful by Janet Fox
7. Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
8. The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
9. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
10. The Mark by Jen Nadol
11. Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
12. Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nielson
13. The Boneshaker by Kate Milford
14. The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler
15. The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry
16. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
17. Plain Kate by Erin Bow
18. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien
19. A Golden Web by Barbara Quick
20. Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn
21. Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham
22. Sea by Heidi R. Kling
23. Palace Beautiful by Sarah Deford Williams
24. Good Fortune by Noni Carter
25. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
26. The Line by Teri Hall
27. Montacute House by Lucy Jago
28. The Other Countess by Eve Edwards
29. The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby
30. Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl
31. Ivy's Ever After by Dawn Lairamore
32. The Mourning Wars by Karen Steinmetz

I read Magic Under Glass and Three Rivers Rising in 2009 so they cannot count for my final total, but I included them in the list in case anyone reading this post wants some ideas on what to read for their own challenge list.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry

The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry (Published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, June 8, 2010)

Joan’s mother is Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the most beautiful woman in the world. Her father is Henry II, the king of England. She loves them both—so what can she do when she’s forced to choose between them? As her parents’ arguments grow ever more vicious, Joan begins to feel like a political pawn.
When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself with a man ten years her senior. She doesn’t love him, and she can’t quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.
As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents’ worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs. Is it too late to figure out whom to trust? And, more important, whom to love?


This book sounds like it will be really good. I love royalty and the Medieval era as topics for historical fiction, and this book has both, so I think it will be a really fascinating and enjoyable read. The cover is lovely as well. I wish the release date wasn't so far off!

In My Mailbox - 11/28/09

Credit goes to The Story Siren for creating and hosting the In My Mailbox feature.

Here are the new books I bought or received this week:

Betrayals: A Strange Angels Novel by Lili St. Crow

Poor Dru Anderson. Her parents are long gone, her best friend is a werewolf, and she's just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn't entirely human. (So what else is new?)
Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England Schola for other teens like her, and there's a big problem— she's the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn't be so bad, but Dru's killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide. . .
Can Dru survive long enough to find out who has betrayed her trust—and maybe even her heart?


Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.


Possessed by Kate Cann

Rayne can't wait to start her summer job at a remote country mansion, far from the crowded, noisy London she so desperately wants to escape. But the retreat soon turns into a nightmare -- the mansion is creepy, the legends of ghosts keep Rayne up at night, and she doesn't feel safe anywhere.
Can Rayne figure out why she's so freaked -- before she becomes a ghost story herself?