Rebecca's Book Blog

Waiting on Wednesday: The Legacy of Tril: Soulbound

2012-01-25T00:09:00.000-05:00

The Legacy of Tril: Soulbound by Heather Brewer (Published by Penguin Books, July 5, 2012

What's worse than being blackmailed to attend a hidden school where you're treated like a second-class citizen? How about nearly getting eaten by a monster when you arrive? Or learning that your soulmate was killed in a centuries-old secret war? And then there's the evil king who's determined to rule the world unless you can stop him...
Meet Kaya, a young woman with the power to heal and the determination to fight. But struggle as she will, she remains tied to three very different men: a hero who has forsaken glory, a tyrannical ruler who wants to use Kaya, and a warrior who's stolen her heart. Kaya learns the hard way that some ties can't be broken...and blood is the strongest bond of all.

This book sounds amazing and different from most of the YA fantasy out there. I can't wait to read it!

In My Mailbox - 1/21/12

2012-01-21T17:14:00.001-05:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

My Story: No Way Back by Valerie Wilding

The riveting true story of eleven-year-old Mary Wade – one of the first and youngest British convicts to be transported to Australia. Raised in the slums of eighteenth century London, Mary is sentenced to death for a petty theft at the age of just eleven. While she is shut up in Newgate prison awaiting execution, her sentence is commuted to transportation to an Australian penal colony. So Mary sets sail aboard a prison ship to the other side of the world. Australia brings the promise of a new life, but it is also harsh and wild. Does Mary have what it takes to survive in this land of danger and opportunity? (already read and reviewed here)

Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words by Rachel Coker

If Sam Carroll hadn't shown up, she might have been able to get to her mother in time. Instead, Allie Everly finds herself at a funeral, mourning the loss of her beloved mother. She is dealt another blow when, a few hours later, she is sent from Tennessee to Maine to become the daughter of Miss Beatrice Lovell, a prim woman with a faith Allie cannot accept.
Poetry and letters written to her mother become the only things keeping Allie's heart from hardening completely. But then Sam arrives for the summer, and with him comes many confusing emotions, both toward him and the people around her. As World War II looms, Allie will be forced to decide whether hanging on to the past is worth losing her chance to be loved.

Titanic 100th Anniversary Reading Challenge

2012-01-21T00:08:00.003-05:00

I said I was done joining reading challenges for 2012, then I came across this one. I've always been kind of obsessed with the Titanic (even before the movie came out) so I will have to join this one! You can find out more info and join the challenge here. I am going to try for the highest level, level 3, Going Down With the Ship, which is to read or watch a combination of 12 (twelve) Titanic related material. I'll mostly be reading books, but I also plan to watch the new Titanic miniseries that will be on TV in April.

Here are some of the books I might read:
By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer
Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke
Ghosts of the Titanic by Julie Lawson
The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf
Hearts that Survive: A Novel of the Titanic by Yvonne Lehman
Dangerous Waters: An Adventure on the Titanic by Gregory Mone
Return to Titanic series by Steve Brezenoff (4 books)
Forget Me Not by Sue Lawson

While I can't include these books for the challenge, since I read them a while ago, here are some other Titanic books that I've reviewed on my blog, for anyone that is looking for Titanic books to read.

Dear America: Voyage on the Great Titanic by Ellen Emerson White
No Moon by Irene N. Watts
Titanic, Book One: Unsinkable by Gordon Korman
Titanic, Book Two: Collison Course by Gordon Korman
Titanic, Book Three: S.O.S. by Gordon Korman
Fateful by Claudia Gray
Dear Canada: That Fatal Night by Sarah Ellis
I Am Canada: Deadly Voyage by Hugh Brewester

My Story: No Way Back by Valerie Wilding

2012-01-20T05:25:00.003-05:00

My Story: No Way Back by Valerie Wilding (Published by Scholastic, January 5, 2012)

Eleven-year-old Mary Wade is the oldest of seven children in a poor family living in London in 1789. Her father is usually away working, leaving her mother to care for the children alone. There is never enough money, and they are often cold and hungry. One day, hoping to help her mother, Mary makes a terrible decision that will change her life forever. With the help of her friend, Mary steals some clothing to sell. The next day, she is caught and arrested. At trial, she is convicted and sentenced to death, all for stealing a few pieces of clothing.

Mary spends the next few months in filthy Newgate Prison, wondering what will happen to her. She misses her family and is terrified she won't live to grow up and try to have a better life and have children of her own. Then her sentence is commuted to transportation to the new colony of New South Wales (present day Sydney, Australia). Mary is grateful for a chance to survive but sad she will never see England or her family again. The sea voyage is very long and Mary wonders what will await her at the end.

No Way Back is a bit different from the other books in the My Story series, since it is based on the life of a real person, unlike the other books, which describe real historical events from the point of view of a fictional main character. Mary Wade was one of the youngest convicts to be transported to Australia. She survived and thrived and grew up to have so many children that she now has thousands of descendents living today. It is also not an actual diary like the other books in the series (since Mary would not have had a diary to write in) but is written in the style of one. I enjoyed this book but I wish it had been a bit longer and more detailed. It ends with Mary's arrival in New South Wales and I would have liked to read about her life there. I think readers who enjoyed other books in the My Story series (or other similar series such as Dear America and Dear Canada) would enjoy this book as well.

Book review: Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler

2012-01-18T01:10:00.003-05:00

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler (Published by HarperCollins, January 31, 2012)

Twelve-year-old Princess Meriel is the only girl in a family with five older brothers. Her mother died when she was very young, so it has just been Meriel, her brothers, and their father, the King, for as long as she can remember. Then one day her father returns home with a new wife, Lady Orianna. From the start, Meriel hates Lady Orianna. She doesn't trust her, especially after overhearing her argue with her father over the fact that if she has a son, he will never be king with five older brothers. The next day, when Meriel wakes up, her brothers are all gone. Lady Orianna says they have been sent away to school, but Meriel doesn't believe her.

Meriel is determined to find out the truth, but when she does, it is more awful than she ever could have imagined. Lady Orianna is a witch, and has cursed Meriel's brothers, transforming them all into swans. Meriel is the only one who can break the curse, but the task will be difficult. And she is running out of time, for it will soon be winter, and then her brothers will have to fly to a warmer land or they will die from the cold.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, since I enjoyed Diane Zahler's previous two fairy tale retellings, The Thirteenth Princess and A True Princess. I was not disappointed and enjoyed Princess of the Wild Swans as much as the previous two books. One of the things I really like about this author's books is that even though they are all set in magical lands, the settings are inspired by real places and cultures, and along with the traditional fairy tale stories she retells, she mixes in folklore and mythology from those places. The setting for this book reads like a fairy tale version of medieval Ireland, due to the Celtic names and folklore. I think readers who enjoyed Diane Zahler's previous books, or who enjoy fairy tale retellings or historical fantasy, would enjoy this book.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Voyage of the Sea Wolf by Eve Bunting

2012-01-18T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Voyage of the Sea Wolf by Eve Bunting (Published by Sleeping Bear Press, February 1, 2012)

At the end of The Pirate Captain's Daughter, Catherine and cabin boy William are marooned on Pox Island by the murderous crew of the pirate ship Reprisal. The young lovers see no hope of escape.
In Voyage of the Sea Wolf, the continuing sage of Catherine's sea adventures, she and William are rescured from their island prison by the Sea Wolf, a pirate ship pursuing the Reprisal. Catherine worries that these new pirates will send her back to the island once they discover she's a girl. But then, she meets the captain of the Sea Wolf. A woman! Surely, Catherine thinks, the bloodshed and brutality she and William experienced aboard the Reprisal can't happen again, especially under the leadership of a female captian.
But just as things seem to be going their way, the captain takes a liking to William. Catherine is forbidden to see him.
If Catherine and William want to stay together, they must find a way to now escape from the Sea Wolf.

The ending of The Pirate Captain's Daughter was a huge cliffhanger, so I really want to find out what happens next. Luckily I won't have to wait too long, since the sequel will be published two weeks from now.

Book review: The Pirate Captain's Daughter by Eve Bunting

2012-01-14T21:58:00.006-05:00

The Pirate Captain's Daughter by Eve Bunting (Published by Sleeping Bear Press, March 1, 2011)

Fifteen-year-old Catherine is the daughter of a pirate captain in the eighteenth century. He tried to keep his true occupation secret from his family, but Catherine learned the truth by eavesdropping. Since then, Catherine has longed to become a pirate, having developed a very romanticized view of pirates and life at sea. When Catherine's mother dies, she begs her father to let her join him on his pirate ship. She doesn't want to live in their house alone, especially when someone tried to rob them right before her mother died, and she finally sees a chance to make her dream of being a pirate come true. Catherine's father reluctantly agrees, as long as she disguises herself as a boy.

Catherine realizes right away that pirates and sailing ships are nothing like she imagined. The ship is dirty, the crew is rough, and some of them are cruel and violent as well. It is difficult for Catherine to keep her secret, especially when she begins to develop feelings for William, the young cabin boy who is one of the few kind pirates. Also, she realizes that he man who tried to rob her house is part of the crew. He wants something valuable from Catherine's father, and he is willing to do anything in oder to have it.

The Pirate Captain's Daughter is a quick, enjoyable read but there are a few flaws. It seemed rather improbable that Catherine's father would willingly allow her to join his ship's crew, knowing what some of the men were like. The story might have seemed more believable if it began with Catherine stowing away on the ship rather than being allowed to go. Also, the reading level seems more suited to a middle grade novel, but the content is definitely more appropriate for young adult readers. The ending is extremely abrupt, but I will forgive that since there will be a sequel published in February 2012, called Voyage of the Sea Wolf. I did enjoy the story, romance, and historical setting, so I recommend this book to readers who are interested in the topic and looking for a quick read, and I definitely will read the sequel to find out what happens next to Catherine.

In My Mailbox - 1/14/12

2012-01-14T20:20:00.005-05:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore

For star-crossed lovers Nimira and Erris, there can be no happily ever after until Erris is freed from the clockwork form in which his soul is trapped. And so they go in search of the sorcerer Ordoria Valdana, hoping he will know how to grant Erris real life again. When they learn that Valdana has mysteriously vanished, it’s not long before Nimira decides to take matters into her own hands—and begins to study the sorcerer’s spell books in secret. Yet even as she begins to understand the power and limitations of sorcery, it becomes clear that freeing Erris will bring danger—if not out-and-out war—as factions within the faerie world are prepared to stop at nothing to prevent him from regaining the throne.

A True Princess by Diane Zahler

Twelve-year-old Lilia must save her best friend, Kai, from a terrible enchantment caused by their perilous encounter with the Elf king and his beautiful daughter. Now the only way for Lilia to break the spell is to find a mysterious jewel of ancient power hidden somewhere in the North Kingdoms. But the jewel will not be easy to find. The castle where it lies is caught up in a different kind of search—the search for a true princess. (This is the paperback edition, I already read and reviewed the ARC last year, you can read my review here)

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler

Princess Meriel’s brothers have been cursed. A terrible enchantment—cast by their conniving new stepmother—has transformed the handsome princes into swans. They now swim forlornly on a beautiful heart-shaped lake that lies just beyond the castle walls.
Meriel will do whatever it takes to rescue her beloved brothers. But she must act quickly. If Heart Lake freezes, her brothers will be forced to fly south or perish.
With help from her newfound friends Riona and Liam—a beautiful half-witch and her clever brother—Meriel vows to finish a seemingly impossible task. If she completes it, her brothers may be saved. But if she fails…all will be lost.
With a mesmerizing voice and delightful imagination, Diane Zahler delivers an exceptionally dazzling retelling—full of magic, adventure, and fascinating characters. Fans of beautifully written and exciting fantasy novels, including those who love Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine, will be enthralled.

The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

Magic, Djinn, Ogres, and Sorcerers. Thirteen-year-old Zardi loves to hear stories about fantastical beings, long banned from the kingdom of Arribitha. But anyone caught whispering of their powers will feel the rage of the sultan—a terrifying usurper who, even with his eyes closed, can see all.
When her own beloved sister is captured by the evil ruler, Zardi knows that she must go to any lengths to rescue her. Along with her best friend, Ridhan—a silver-haired, violet-eyed boy of mysterious origins—and an unlikely crew of sailors led by the infamous Captain Sinbad, Zardi ventures forth into strange and wondrous territory with a seemingly impossible mission: to bring magic back to Arribitha and defeat the sultan once and for all. (finished hardcover copy, you can read my review of the ARC here)

Winterling by Sarah Prineas

With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature—he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land.
Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the Mor rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter.
Sarah Prineas captivates in this fantasy-adventure about a girl who must find within herself the power to set right a terrible evil.

The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbet

All Maya really wants is for her mother to be well again. But when her baby brother James goes missing, 12-year-old Maya has to take on the magical underworld of Paris, in which houses have bronze salamanders for door handles, the most beautiful people are all hooked on the sweet-smelling “anbar,” and a shimmering glass Cabinet of Earths has chosen Maya to be its next keeper. With the Cabinet’s help, Maya may be able to do for her mother what doctors cannot: save her from death, once and for all. But now that the clock is ticking for James, the price the Cabinet demands may be too high.

Interview with Melanie Dickerson, author of The Merchant's Daughter

2012-01-12T16:24:00.003-05:00

Melanie Dickerson is the author of two fairy tale retellings for young adults, The Healer's Apprentice (a retelling of Sleeping Beauty) and The Merchant's Daughter (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast). I reviewed both books and you can read my review of The Healer's Apprentice here and my review of The Merchant's Daughter here. To learn more about Melanie and her books, and to see the book trailers for both novels, you can visit her website.

Why did you decide to become a writer of historical fiction? Have you always loved history?

I always liked history, but there were always certain time periods that I liked more than others, and some that I loved. The Medieval time period I loved.

Why did you decide to set your fairy tale retellings in the Medieval era?

There were a lot of reasons. Many of the stories probably originated in the Medieval period, and they fit in well with the way life was in that period. Also, I love that time period, so it just seemed natural to set my stories in that time.

What kind of research did you do to bring to life the historical settings for The Healer's Apprentice and The Merchant's Daughter?

I read some books on life in the middle ages, especially in Germany, while I was writing The Healer’s Apprentice, and I did a lot of searching on the internet for information. I read a lot of books on England in the 1300’s before I started writing The Merchant’s Daughter, and did a lot more research while I was writing the story. I try to check everything, to make sure I’m getting my facts straight. I consider that a big part of my job as a writer, and even though I know a lot about the period, I try not to assume that I know something, but double check to make sure.

Do you plan to write more fairy tale retellings? What is your own favorite fairy tale of all time?

I do have more fairy tale retellings in the works. So keep an eye out on my blog, website, and facebook page for announcements in the near future. :) And I think my favorite fairy tale has to be Beauty and the Beast. I love the theme of “love is blind” and character being more important than outward physical beauty.

What are some of your favorite books and authors?

I love all of Jane Austen’s books, and Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is another favorite, and I loved Rafael Sabatini’s books when I was a teen, especially The Sea Hawk. My favorite contemporary authors are Mary Connealy, Julie Lessman, Linore Burkard, Kate DiCamillo, and Ruth Axtell.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for having me on your blog, Rebecca! I am excited about 2012 is bringing as far as my writing and future books. I hope you have a wonderful year, too! Happy reading!

Book review: The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

2012-01-12T00:08:00.002-05:00

The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards (Published by HarperCollins, January 17, 2012)

Thirteen-year-old Zardi lives in the kingdom of Arribitha, where the sultan has banned magic, and anyone even heard talking about magic can be arrested. Her best friend is Rhidan, a mysterious foreigner who was found abandoned as a baby and raised by Zardi's family. Rhidan longs to know of his origins, and receives a clue from Sinbad the Sailor, but Simbad must flee before Rhidan can get more answers.

The sultan of Arribitha is cruel and evil, and forces young girls to be take the position of "Praisemaker" - they are forced to announce executions and are eventually killed. Zardi's parents tried to have her and her sister married off so they cannot be chosen, but before they could do that, her older sister is chosen to be the next Praisemaker. Zardi and Rhidan must then go on a journey to save Zardi's sister and discover the truth about Rhidan's origins.

The Book of Wonders is an enjoyable middle grade fantasy inspired by the Arabian Nights stories. The main characters were very likable and I enjoyed the author's descriptions of all the exotic places they visited. This book is very different from anything I have read recently, and since I am sick of urban fantasy I am always looking for fantasy with a more historical or magical setting. If you are like me and enjoy fantasy with unusual settings, I think you would enjoy The Book of Wonders.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

2012-01-11T00:33:00.002-05:00

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (Published by HarperTeen, July 24, 2012)

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper — The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

This book sounds really original - it's a YA historical fantasy with zombies in it! Am I a total geek for thinking that sounds completely awesome?

In My Mailbox - 1/7/12

2012-01-07T19:08:00.001-05:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Secret Letters by Leia Scheier

Inquisitive and observant, Dora dreams of escaping her aristocratic country life to solve mysteries alongside Sherlock Holmes. So when she learns that the legendary detective might be her biological father, Dora jumps on the opportunity to travel to London and enlist his help in solving the mystery of her cousin’s ransomed love letters. But Dora arrives in London to devastating news: Sherlock Holmes is dead. Her dreams dashed, Dora is left to rely on her wits—and the assistance of an attractive yet enigmatic young detective—to save her cousin’s reputation and maybe even rescue a kidnapped heiress along the way.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.
But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.
From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl’s fight to save herself, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Contest: Win a signed copy of Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

2012-01-06T19:43:00.002-05:00

Janet Lee Carey has generously offered one signed hardcover copy of her new historical fantasy, Dragonswood, for a contest. To enter, just fill out the form below! To learn more about Dragonswood, you can read my review, visit the author's website, or view the book trailer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book review: Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

2012-01-06T19:35:00.005-05:00

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey (Published by Penguin Books, January 5, 2012)

The year is 1192 and seventeen-year-old Tess is a blacksmith's daughter on Wilde Island, which is a fictional island, although I think that based on the story, it's intended to be set near England. Wilde Island is the home to many humans, but also to dragons and fairies, who live in Dragonswood, a forest that is supposed to be their sanctuary. Although it is forbidden, Tess has often gone into Dragonswood - to get away from her horrible father, who physically abuses both Tess and her mother, but also because she feels drawn there. Tess fears being forced to marry, because she assumes most men will be like her abusive father. Tess also has a secret - she sees visions in fires. She must keep her power a secret, because the villagers fear witches and would burn her alive.

When Tess is accused of witchcraft despite carefully hiding her secret, and under torture names her two best friends, the three girls must escape their village and run for their lives. They are offered sanctuary by Garth, a young man who guards Dragonswood, and who Tess previously saw in her visions. Tess feels attracted to Garth, but doesn't believe he returns her feelings. She also thinks he is hiding something. Then Tess discovers a surprising truth about her own heritage, and the part she might play in a fairy prophecy.

I really liked the premise of Dragonswood. I love anything set in the Medieval era and I also love fantasy but I'm sick of all the modern paranormal books out there. So I think ther historical setting Dragonswood really makes it stand from the endless sea of young adult paranormal books. I really liked the character of Tess, who was very brave and strong despite her difficult life. I think the author was true to the way of life in the Medieval era, despite this being a fantasy novel. My only real complaint was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt (there is an epilogue, but the conclusion to the main story seemed like it was over a bit too fast), and I wish the romance had been developed a bit more. But overall I enjoyed the story a lot and I recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fantasy or who are sick of all the typical young adult paranormal novels and want to read something different.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by author.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

2012-01-04T16:34:00.001-05:00

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze (Published by Little Brown, May 8, 2012

Happily ever after is a thing of the past.
The year is 2090.
England is a barren land. Food is rationed. Oil has decimated the oceans. The people are restless.
A ruthless revolutionary enacts a plan to destroy the royal family, and in a moment, the king is dead. His heiress, Princess Mary, and her brother, Jamie, have been abducted, and no one knows their fate. Princess Eliza Windsor barely escapes, and finds herself scared and lost in London's dangerous streets.
With a mind for revenge and the safe recovery of her siblings, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. There she is tempted by her first taste of independence -- and true love. Ultimately she must summon her courage and fight to ensure that she does not become... The Last Princess.

This book sounds like a dystopian that will be unusual/different, since it is set in England. I wonder if Galaxy Craze is the author's real name!

In My Mailbox - 1/1/12

2012-01-01T04:42:00.002-05:00

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

This is my first In My Mailbox of 2012. Unfortunately since the mail was slow this week due to holidays, most of the books I ordered online did not arrive. However I did get three new books this week.

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.
Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

Vice and Virtue by Veronica Bennett

What happens when you marry for neither love nor money? 1700, London: a city so crowded and unregulated that anyone, should they so desire, could slip away - disappear down a back street and become someone else. After the death of her father, seventeen-year-old Aurora Eversedge is left without a dowry and agrees to marry a much older man who claims to be wealthy, though in poor health. On their wedding night, Edward Francis confesses that, in fact, he is penniless but that his health is robust - also that his proposal of marriage carried an ulterior motive: he wants Aurora to act as a spy for him. Edward's father had left his fortune to his sworn enemy, Josiah Deede. Edward suspects that Josiah murdered his father and is determined to regain his inheritance and bring Josiah Deede to justice. Aurora's first assignment is to make the acquaintance of Josiah's daughter, Celia, and son, Jos, at a Covent Garden theatre. "Vice and Virtue" is full of acute observation of social life that characterizes Jane Austen's work - the sort of book Jane Austen would have written if she wrote mysteries.

The Mastermind Plot by Angie Frazier

Suzanna "Zanna" Snow can hardly believe her luck: She's just arrived in Boston, the city she's wanted to visit for as long as she can remember. Think of all the mysteries waiting to be solved here! Her grandmother and cousin, Will, welcome her warmly, but her famous detective uncle, Bruce Snow, seems anything but pleased. He doesn't want Zanna meddling in his current case involving a string of mysterious warehouse fires along the harbor front. But Zanna can't help herself. Is someone setting the fires? Just when she thinks she's on to something, a strange man starts following her. Is he a threat? Zanna needs to solve the case before she has the chance to find out.

Waiting on Wednesday: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

2011-12-28T03:06:00.003-05:00

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (Published by Random House, July 10, 2012)

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.
In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.

I can't wait to read this book! I wish there were more YA high fantasy books. And this one has dragons! It sounds so awesome.

In My Mailbox - 12/24/11

2011-12-24T19:58:00.001-05:00

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

I just got one book this week. I won it from a contest and I am super excited to read it.

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.
When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.
But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

My post for the 2012 YA/MG Fantasy Challenge

2011-12-23T22:44:00.006-05:00

I wasn't really planning to join anymore 2012 reading challenges, but I came across the YA/MG Fantasy Challenge hosted by The Book Cellar. And I decided to give it a try, because I'd love to read more fantasy. The goal is to read 10 YA or MG fantasy novels published in 2012.

Books I have read so far:
1. Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
2. Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler
3. A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink (reading now)

Here is the list of books I will possibly read for the challenge. Books in italics I already have an ARC or other copy of:

Eye of the Sword by Karen Henley
Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Daughter of the Centaurs by Kate Klimo
When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Queen of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Crown of Embers by Rae Carson (need to read book 1 before book 2 is published)
Above by Lea Bobet
Shadowell by Juliet Marrillier
Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Shadows Cast By Stars by Cathering Knutsson
The Princess of Trelian by Michelle Knudsos
Defiance by C.J. Redwine
Allegience by Cayla Kluver
Daughters of the Sea: Lucy by Kathryn Lasky
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey
The Grave Robber's Apprentice by Allan Stratton
Warrior Princess: Caradoc of the North Wind by Frewin Jones
Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

End of year wrap-up post for 2011 reading challenges

2011-12-23T22:22:00.003-05:00

For the first time, I decided to do a post for the end of the year to write about how I did on my 2011 reading challenges. I tried for three different reading challenges. One was my general reading challenge on Goodreads. I also participated in the Young Adult Historical Fiction Challenge and the Debut Author Challenge.

For the Goodreads challenge, I started with a goal of 75 books, which I later downsized to 55 books. As of today, December 23, I have read 56 books. I'll probably read a couple more and end at 57-59. So I didn't make my original goal, but read slightly more than my revised goal.

The second challenge I participated in was the Young Adult Historical Fiction Challenge. My goal was 15 books (the highest level) and I ended up reading 45. So most of what I read this year was either historical fiction or historical fantasy.

The third and final challenge was the Debut Author Challenge. I'm not sure how many books I was supposed to read, but I read four 2011 debuts in 2011. I also read 4 in 2010 (ARCs or foreign editions) that I couldn't count, and I read an ARC of one book that got delayed to a 2012 release date, so I can't use that for either the 2011 or 2012 challenge now. So I don't think I did that well. I am trying again and hope to do better with this challenge next year.

How did everyone else do on their 2011 reading challenges?

Book review: Dear America: Behind the Masks by Susan Patron

2011-12-23T20:24:00.002-05:00

Dear America: Behind the Masks by Susan Patron (Published by Scholastic, January 1, 2012)

Fourteen-year-old Angeline Reddy lives in the wild mining town of Bodie, California, in 1880. Her father is a famous criminal defense lawyer who is known for having never lost a case. But when he is presumed murdered, Angie doesn't believe it, and neither does her mother. Many people could have wanted her father dead, but Angie is sure he is alive and in hiding.

Angie is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her father, but it will be difficult. Bodie is wild and dangerous, and a gang of vigilantes is causing trouble in town. On top of everything else, her mother is ill, and there seems to be a ghost haunting their house. Can Angie, with the help of her friends, solve the mystery in time?

Behind the Masks is a bit different than other books in the Dear America series. It's still written in the usual diary format, but instead of being about just the daily life of a young girl from an important place or time in American history, this particular book has a strong central plot, which is Angie solving the mystery of what happened to her father. As a result, it didn't seem as much like a "real" diary, since the diary entries are really long (since it's a 300 page book set over about four weeks). I still really enjoyed the book, and recommend it to readers who love historical fiction set in the Old West, but at times it didn't seem much like a Dear America book.

My top ten new releases I am looking forward to in 2012

2011-12-23T19:56:00.006-05:00

There are lots of great books I am looking forward to in the upcoming year, so I thought I'd make a list of the ten I want to read the most, to go along with my list of my ten favorite books I read in 2011. These are in no particular order, since I couldn't decide how to rank them - it was hard enough to pick just ten! All links go to Goodreads, if you would like to find out more about each book.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diane Peterfreund

Why I can't wait to read it: It's a dystopian retelling of a Jane Austen novel. And it's a standalone. I am so tired of everything being a series. YA needs more standalones!

Courtship and Curses by Marissa Doyle

Why I can't wait to read it: I loved Marissa Doyle's first two books, Bewitching Season and Betraying Season, so I can't wait to read her third book. I think this one is a prequel to the other two books.

Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore

Why I can't wait to read it: I loved book one, Magic Under Glass, as well as the author's standalone novel, Between the Sea and Sky. So I can't wait to find out what happens to the characters!

The Academie by Susanne Dunlap

Why I can't wait to read it: I love Susanne Dunlap's YA historical fiction. The characters, settings, and stories are always great!

The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen

Why I can't wait to read it: Marie-Louise Jensen is another one of my favorite YA historical fiction authors. She always picks wonderful historical settings for her stories, and I love the characters and romance.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Why I can't wait to read it: It's about a girl thief designed as a boy who joins up with Robin Hood and his band. Sounds awesome!

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

It's a YA high fantasy. With dragons. And magic and castles and royalty. And did I mention dragons? Enough said.

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

Why I can't wait to read it: It sounds a lot like the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, which I loved. Plus it's set in England in 1912, which makes it even better!

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Why I can't wait to read it: Because it's a YA historical with zombies. Am I totally geeky for thinking that sounds completely awesome?

The Legacy of Trill: Soulbound by Heather Brewer

Why I can't wait to read it: It's a YA fantasy that actually sounds original and is set in a fantasy world instead of the usual urban fantasy with werewolves or vampires.

So those are the ten new books I'm most looking forward to reading in 2012. What upcoming releases are you eager to read?

My top ten favorite books of 2011

2011-12-22T01:19:00.004-05:00

Just like last year, I read a lot of great books in 2011, so I had a hard time choosing my ten favorites, but here they are. They are in a random order, it was hard enough picking ten, so I decided not to rank them.

Fateful by Claudia Gray

I love books set on the Titanic, but I wasn't sure what to think about the premise of werewolves on the Titanic. But I ending up loving Fateful - it's probably my favorite paranormal romance *ever.* The romance between Tess and Alec, the two main characters, was adorable and I loved the setting on the Titanic. (reviewed here)

Dear America: Cannons at Dawn by Kristiana Gregory

The Winter of Red Snow was one of the first books I read in the Dear America series, and one of my favorites from the entire series. So I was very excited to read the sequel, and I was not disappointed. Cannons at Dawn has now joined the first book about Abigail on my list of favorites from the Dear America series. (reviewed here)

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, set in Medieval England. I enjoyed this book even more than the author's first book, The Healer's Apprentice, which was on my top ten favorites list last year. (reviewed here)

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

This very original YA fantasy tells the story of the romance between a mermaid and a winged boy, who must find a way to be together despite their very different worlds. (reviewed here)

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Heiber

Another very original YA fantasy, this book is set in 19th century New York City and is about a young woman named Natalie, who has been mute since her mother's death when she was a little girl. She falls in love with a mysterious young man who is trapped in a painting. (reviewed here)

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

This book is one of my favorite fairy tale retellings ever. It is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses story, set in Medieval Romania. Reveka, the main character, is a delightful and entertaining narrator, and I loved the unique historical setting. (reviewed here)

Forgiven by Janet Fox

Kula has had a hard life and dreams of something more. So she travels to San Francisco in 1906, wanting a better life. She finds adventure, romance, and mystery, but also learns some hard truths about life. (reviewed here)

In the Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap

After she loses her job as a servant, sixteen-year-old Molly stows away to become a nurse with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. She must confront the harsh reality of war as she struggles with her feelings for two very different men. (reviewed here)

Sigrun's Secret by Marie-Louise Jensen

Marie-Louise Jensen is one of my favorite authors of YA historical fiction, and her most recent book is no exception. Her books always have great characters and interesting historical settings. Sigrun's Secret is set in Iceland and Jorvik (now York, England) in the 9th century. (reviewed here)

Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan

I started reading Gloria Whelan's historical fiction when I was a child, and many years later I still enjoy her new books. This book is the story of fifteen-year-old Rosalind, a girl who has grown up in Indian with her British parents during the time of World War I. She longs to make a difference in the world, but her parents don't understand and force her to visit England to live for a while with her aunts. (reviewed here)

So that's my top ten favorite books of 2011! If you also posted about your favorite books from this year, feel free to share a link in a comment - I'd love to take a look!

My 2012 YA Historical fiction challenge post

2011-12-22T00:44:00.006-05:00

I completed this challenge last year and really enjoyed it (since historical fiction is my favorite genre), so I am glad YA Bliss is hosting it again. You can read more about the challenge and sign up here.

Once again, I am going for level 3, which is to read at least 15 YA & MG historical fiction books. This year, I think I read around 40, maybe I'll get 50 next year! Here is my list of books read as well as a tenative list of some of the books I hope to read, I split it into books I already have a copy of, and upcoming releases I am looking forward to. It's a long list but I hope to read a lot of these. Most of these are historical fiction, but a few are historical fantasy.

1. Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
2. The Pirate Captain's Daughter by Eve Bunting
3. My Story: No Way Back by Valerie Wilding

And the books I hope to read:

Books I already have:
Gilt by Katherine Longshore
The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen
The Wild Queen by Carolyn Meyer
The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell
Ladies in Waiting by Laura Sullivan
Farmer Boy Goes West by Heather Williams
A Forest of Gold by Courtney Maika
Vice and Virtue by Veronica Bennett
The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coates
The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf
Just a Girl by Jane Caro
Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
The Traitor's Kiss by Pauline Francis
The Rogue's Princess by Eve Edwards
Lights on the Nile by Donna Jo Napoli
River of Time series by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Velvet by Mary Hooper
Bracelet of Bones by Kevin Crossley Holland
The Faerie Ring by Tiki Hamilton
Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury
The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
Crusade by Linda Press Wulf
Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer
Secret Letters by Leah Scheier
Scarlet by AC Gaughen
The Mastermind Plot by Angie Frazier

Upcoming releases:
Courtship and Curses by Marissa Doyle
Victoria Rebels by Carolyn Meyer
Untitled Philippa Gregory YA novel (hope this gets a title eventually, since it's being published in May)
Seeking Eden by Ann Turnbull
Violins of Autumn by Amy McAuley
The Lucky Ones by Anna Godbersen
Odette's Secrets by Maryann MacDonald
Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl
My Story: Lady Jane Grey by Sue Reid
My Story: Berlin Olympics by Vince Cross
My Story: Wartime Princess by Valerie Wilding
Dear Canada: Torn Apart by Susan Aihoshi
Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skypruch
Pendragon Legacy: Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts
Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
Spy for the Queen of Scots by Theresa Breslin
Sisters of Glass by Stephanie Hemphill
Daughters of the Sea: Lucy by Kathryn Lasky
The Last Song by Eva Wiseman
The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen
The Academie by Susanne Dunlap
All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls
Venom by Fiona Paul
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Book review: May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

2011-12-22T00:18:00.001-05:00

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose (Published by Schwartze & Wade, January 10, 2012)

Twelve-year-old May lives on the Kansas prairie in the 1870s. She wants to be a teacher when she is old enough, but she has trouble reading. She understands the lessons, but when she tries to read, the words get all mixed up. Her parents have decided that to help out the family, May has to go work for the Oblingers, a married couple who live nearby, for a few months. She will have to leave school and not see her family that whole time.

Shortly after arriving, Mrs. Oblinger, who came from back east and hates the prairie, decides to leave her husband and return home. Her husband goes to follow her, and never returns. May is left all alone in the Oblingers' soddy. When they never reutrn, she doesn't know what to do, because it would take an entire day to walk home and she is afraid she will get lost. So she decides to try and survive on her own until her father comes for her. But then winter comes early, and May must find a way to survive, trapped in the middle of nowhere with dwindling supplies of fuel and food.

This novel is written in verse format. I haven't read many verse novels, but I think the format fit this story well, particularly when May described her struggles with reading (although the condition was not known at the time, May had dyslexia). Because of the format, this was a very quick read, and I wish it had been a bit longer, because I wanted to read more about what happened to May. However, I did really enjoy the book, and would recommend it to readers who enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie and Dear America series.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday: Courtship and Curses by Marissa Doyle

2011-12-21T01:12:00.001-05:00

Courtship and Curses by Marissa Doyle (Published by Henry Holt, August 7, 2012)

Sophie’s entrance into London society isn’t what she thought it would be: Mama isn’t there to guide her, Papa is buried in his work fighting Napoleon, and Sophie’s newly acquired limp keeps her from dancing at any of those glittering balls. If it weren’t for her shopping escapades with her new French friend Amélie and a flirtation with the dashing Lord Woodbridge, she would think this season a complete disaster.
But when someone uses magic to attack Papa the night of Sophie’s first ball, her problems escalate, especially when it becomes clear that all the members of the War Cabinet are being targeted. Can she catch the culprit and keep her own magic powers hidden long enough to win herself a match?

I loved the other two books by this author (Bewitching Season & Betraying Season) so I can't wait to read book three!

In My Mailbox - 12/17/11

2011-12-17T18:36:00.001-05:00

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

This is actually a few weeks of books. I haven't posted an IMM in a while because I've pretty much been sick since Thanksgiving. I got a lot of books this week, so I decided to finally post another IMM.

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley

Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?
In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.
Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

I've known it since last night:
It's been too long to expect them to return.
Something's happened.
May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.
A huge store isn’t the worst place to be stranded. There’s food and water, bedding and books. But what if it’s not safe to leave? Emmy Laybourne had us from the get-go with her utterly fresh and fast-paced debut.
Six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids are trapped together in a chain superstore. Together they build a refuge for themselves inside, while outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapon spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences. Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.
What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

My 2012 Debut Author Challenge post

2011-12-15T03:36:00.003-05:00

I am going to try this challenge again this year. Last year I kind of failed and only read like six books or something like that from my list. Hopefully, this year I do better. I really want to read a lot of the books on my list, so I'm hoping to improve. The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by the Story Siren and you learn more and sign up for the challenge here.

Here's my tentative list:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
May B. by Caroline Starr Rose
The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richardson
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coates
Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
Venom by Fiona Paul
Queen of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Defiance by C.J. Redwine
Dear Canada: Torn Apart by Susan Aihoshi
Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Books in bold, I have already read. If I have reviewed the book, you can click the title for a link to my review.

Books in italic, I have a copy, but haven't read it yet.

Waiting on Wednesday: Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

2011-12-14T00:53:00.002-05:00

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame (Published by Simon & Schuster, May 1, 2012)

The Darlington family is among Edwardian Britain’s most revered,
but underneath this façade of respectability hides secrets that could mean their ruin. Lord and Lady Darlington’s seat at Wentworth Hall is one of England’s oldest estates, but the servants have been whispering about the lack of hands (and funds) for the upkeep of the grand manor. Are the Darlingtons hoping to find 18-year-old Maggie a wealthy husband? Is that why newly moneyed Teddy Fitzhugh, whose father recently drowned in the sinking of the Titanic, has been invited to stay? His visit-and the complete change in Maggie’s personality since her return from a year abroad in France-gives the ever-curious staff even more reason to gossip than usual. When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details suspiciously similar to the goings on of Wentworth Hall, the Darlingtons are determined to keep their secrets to themselves and their affairs (both private and public) in order. And the first order of business is finding the culprit. But where to start? Downstairs among the staff? Or should the Darlingtons look even closer to home . . .
Abby Grahame’s debut novel mixes the teen appeal of series like
Gossip Girl and The Luxe with the upper-class drama of the hit BBC series Downton Abbey.

This book sounds a lot like the Luxe series but set in England (the publisher's summary even compares it to that series) so I can't wait to read it, since I loved those books.

Interview with Tracy Barrett, author of Dark of the Moon

2011-12-13T23:24:00.002-05:00

Tracy Barrett is the author of Dark of the Moon, a retelling of the myth of the minotaur. I previously reviewed the book and you can read my review here. To learn more about Tracy and her books, you can also visit her website.

What inspired you to write a more "realistic" version of the myth of the minotaur?

The minotaur myth as we know it is a garbled retelling by Greek travelers (traders, sailors, whatever) of the religion of ancient Crete, an island that is now part of Greece but that in the Bronze Age was a foreign country to the mainland Greeks. The Cretans worshipped the moon, perhaps as a cow, and the sun in the form of a bull-god. The Greek travelers must have seen a ritual where a shaman or priest wearing a bull's-head mask ritually wed a priestess of the moon, and came back with a strange story of a half-man, half-bull that ate people (the Cretans might have practiced human sacrifice, but even if they didn't, it was in the best interests of the Greeks to cast their rivals, the Cretans, in the worst possible light).

The story we have is full of inconsistencies.

Why would you keep a man-eating monster in a labyrinth? The minotaur wasn't too bright but surely after years and years of confinement, he'd find his way out.
Why would Theseus sail home with a black sail on his ship, after telling his father that a black sail would mean that he had died? Would you really forget to hang a white sail?
Why would his father commit suicide upon seeing the black sail, when he had sent his son (whom he hadn't bothered to meet until he was a teenager) to certain death? Could he possibly have been surprised that he had supposedly died?

Why did Theseus take Ariadne, the minotaur's sister, away with him, and then dump her on the island of Naxos? If he didn't want her, why not just leave her on Crete?

And also, there are no motivations given for the actions of any of the characters in the story, except Theseus, whose motivation in killing the minotaur is to avoid getting eaten.

So I wanted to straighten out those inconsistencies, try to imagine a religion that could have given rise to the rituals that the Greeks so badly misunderstood, and make the characters in the drama more human by figuring out why they acted the way they did.

What kind of research did you do to try and make the characters and setting as accurate/realistic as possible?

I did lots and lots and lots of research! It helps that my major in college was Classics and that I've spent time on Crete. But I still had to look up a lot of things, and many facts that I found gave me ideas, and then I had to research those ideas.

I started with The White Goddess by Robert Graves. I checked out the six mammoth volumes of The Palace of Minos by Sir Arthur Evans, the archaeologist who did the first real excavations there, and studied them intensively. I mostly used books, but I also did a lot of on-line research, including Google Earth to see the places where the story takes place.

I loved how the novel was told from the alternating viewpoints of Theseus and Ariadne. Do you have a favorite of the two main characters, or did you like them both equally? Was it difficult to make their voices sound different from each other?

I originally planned to have the whole story told in Ariadne's voice, but I soon figured out that she had led such a sheltered life that she couldn't really comment on it; she knew nothing different so it wouldn't occur to her to discuss the palace, her brother, her religion. I needed a narrator who was clueless about Crete so someone could explain things to him, and thus to the reader. So I brought in Theseus.

I like them both, but I think I like Ariadne more. She's so courageous and loving, aware of her duty but also aware that the world is changing and that she'll have to change along with it.

It seemed natural for Ariadne, who is mired in the past, to use the past tense in her narration, and Theseus, who's eager for the future, to use the present tense. I noticed after I had finished the first draft that Ariadne is always questioning herself, her mother, her life, and Theseus rarely does. So I went through and took out the few times that Theseus questions himself, to make the contrast between the two of them even stronger.

What are some of your own favorite books and authors?

I'll limit myself to just a few: Linda Sue Park, M. T. Anderson, Philip Pullman, Katherine Paterson.

When you are not writing, how do you enjoy spending your time?

I don't have much time! I'm also a college professor, but I'm quitting in May (see my blog, Goodbye, Day Job!). Maybe I'll be able to answer this question better after that, but at this point I can list reading, reading, reading, and knitting. I used to be a skydiver, but that was long ago, and I don't plan to pick it up again after I retire!

Book review: The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

2011-11-28T02:09:00.005-05:00

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Published by Zondervan, November 29, 2011)

Seventeen-year-old Annabel Chapman grew up as the daughter of a wealthy merchant in 14th century England. Several years ago, her family’s fortune was lost when her father’s ships sank in a storm. Soon after that, her father died from the pestilence. Since then, her family, who believed themselves better than the other villagers because they were once wealthy, has refused to do their share of the required fieldwork. Until now they have managed to get away with it, but with the death of the absent old lord, and the arrival of the new lord, his son, they now must accept the punishment for their actions. They must either pay a fine they cannot afford, or one of them must go to work for three years as a servant to the new lord of the manor. Annabel's family wants to force her to marry Bailiff Tom, a repulsive, cruel man who is old enough to be her father, because he says he is willing to pay their fine if he can marry her. To avoid being forced into an unwanted marriage, Annabel volunteers herself as an indentured servant. Although the new lord is said to be beastly, she knows anything would be better than marrying Tom, even though she would prefer to become a nun so she can study the Bible and learn about God’s word.

Lord Ranulf le Wyse is the new lord now that his father has died. Although he is young, he is very bitter. He was badly scarred by a wolf several years ago. His wife, who married him only for his wealth, was repulsed by him and was unfaithful, and died only two years into their marriage. As a result, he doesn’t trust women and vows never to marry or fall in love again. At first, he sees Annabel as just another beautiful young woman who is not to be trusted. However, soon a friendship grows between Annabel and Ranulf, a friendship that could become something more, if they can overcome their fears of love and marriage.

The Merchant’s Daughter is an enjoyable and very sweet historical romance set in England in 1352. It is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, so there is a bit of a fairy tale feel to the story too. I think I enjoyed this book even more than the author’s first book, The Healer’s Apprentice, which I read last year. I love anything set during the Medieval era and I loved how sweet and touching the romance was. I felt so badly for the characters and so wanted them to have a happy ending - Annabel because her family was so cruel and wanted her to marry such an awful man, and Ranulf because he was so kind and noble yet had been treated so badly by his wife. If you enjoy historical fiction, fairy tale retellings, or more “clean” romance novels, I highly recommend The Merchant’s Daughter.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by author.

In My Mailbox - 11/20/11

2011-11-20T03:13:00.002-05:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

The Wild Queen by Carolyn Meyer

Mary is only six days old when she is crowned after the death of her father, five years old when she is sent to France to be raised alongside her future husband. Surrounded by friends and beloved by the royal family, Mary absorbs the culture, becoming more French than Scot. But when her frail young husband dies, Mary, now eighteen, is stripped of her title as Queen of France and set adrift in the harsh world, alone.
Determined to reign over what is rightfully hers, as well as to claim the throne of England to which she believes she is entitled, Mary returns to Scotland. The fiery young queen must sometimes go to brutal lengths to establish her sovereignty. And she is just as willful when it comes to her love life. Hoping that a husband will help her secure the coveted English throne, Mary marries again, but the love and security she longs for elude her. Instead, she finds herself embroiled in a murder scandal that could cost her the crown. And her attempts to bargain with her formidable "sister queen," Elizabeth I of England, could cost her her very life.

The Merchant's Duaghter by Melanie Dickerson

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past.Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

Borrowed:

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

Waiting on Wednesday: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

2011-11-16T01:02:00.003-05:00

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (Published by HarperTeen, June 12, 2012)

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.
Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.
But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.
Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

There's a few reasons why I can't wait to read this book. I love the idea of a dystopian retelling of a Jane Austen novel. And also, this book is going to be a standalone, and I think YA *really* needs more standalones. I'm tired of everything being a series, and having to wait years to find out the ending, since I'm not the most patient person!

In My Mailbox - 11/12/11

2011-11-12T23:45:00.001-05:00

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

I haven't done IMM in a couple of weeks, so some of these books I got a while ago. I've kind of been in a reading slump lately, which is the reason for the lack of posting. Hopefully I'll get back into it soon.

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.
An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.
The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Daughter of the Centaurs by Kate Klimo

Malora knows what she was born to be: a horse wrangler and a hunter, just like her father. But when her people are massacred by batlike monsters called Leatherwings, Malora will need her horse skills just to survive. The last living human, Malora roams the wilderness at the head of a band of magnificent horses, relying only on her own wits, strength, and courage. When she is captured by a group of centaurs and taken to their city, Malora must decide whether the comforts of her new home and family are worth the parts of herself she must sacrifice to keep them.
Kate Klimo has masterfully created a new world, which at first seems to be an ancient one or perhaps another world altogether, but is in fact set on earth sometime far in the future.

The Double Shadow by Sally Gardner

Arnold Ruben has created a memory machine, a utopia housed in a picture palace, where the happiest memories replay forever, a haven in which he and his precious daughter can shelter from the war-clouds gathering over 1937 Britain. But on the day of her seventeenth birthday Amaryllis leaves Warlock Hall and the world she has known and wakes to find herself in a desolate and disturbing place. Something has gone terribly wrong with her father's plan. Against the tense backdrop of the second World War Sally Gardner explores families and what binds them, fathers and daughters, past histories, passions and cruelty, love and devastation in a novel rich in character and beautifully crafted.

Interview with Jaclyn Dolamore, author of Between the Sea and Sky

2011-11-08T23:22:00.002-05:00

Jaclyn Dolamore is the author of Between the Sea and Sky (which I really loved and reviewed here). She is also the author of Magic Under Glass and the upcoming sequel, Magic Under Stone.

The story of Between the Sea and Sky is very unique. What was your inspiration for it?

The romance between a mermaid and a winged boy was one I tried to write some years ago, but the way I interpreted the idea was inspired largely by Jane Austen novels and the films of Studio Ghibli (Hayao Miyazaki). I wanted to write a cozy sort of fantasy, where there is no villain or world to be saved, but conflicts coming from within the situation. And I wanted an Austen-esque touch of social humor. The Mediterranean-esque 19th century setting and the flying scene are definitely typical of Miyazaki movies like Howl's Moving Castle.

The setting has a very historical feel to it, was it inspired by any particular place or time?

Specifically, the setting is supposed to evoke Italy around 1800.

What are some of your own favorite books and authors?

The Emily books and diaries of L. M. Montgomery, the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (I actually have a biography of Rose Wilder Lane to read right now), A True and Faithful Narrative by Katherine Sturtevant, Nancy Mitford's Love in a Cold Climate and In Pursuit of Love, Mrs. Bridge and Mr. Bridge by Evan S. Connell.

When you are not writing, how do you enjoy spending your time?

Reading is kind of a given... I like to cook, and I also like to eat: total foodie, and I'm particularly passionate about vegetables. They're underappreciated! I just went to an Afghani restaurant the other day and had these amazing turnips. Turnips! Amazing! Who knew? I love to comb thrift stores for vintage clothes although I don't get to do it as often as I'd like because I don't drive. And I spent more time watching TV than I'd like to admit. That's one of those things that just happens

And for a fun question - if you could choose, would you rather be a mermaid, or a winged person?

A winged person. I would love to be able to fly. I seriously get jealous when I watch birds.

Waiting on Wednesday: Spirit's Princess by Esther M. Friesner

2011-10-26T14:45:00.001-04:00

Spirit's Princess by Esther M. Friesner (Published by Random House, April 24, 2012)

Himiko, the beloved daughter of a chieftain in third century Japan, has always been special. The day she was born there was a devastating earthquake, and the tribe's shamaness had an amazing vision revealing the young girl's future—one day this privledged child will be the spiritual and tribal leader over all of the tribes. Book One revolves around the events of Himiko's early teen years—her shaman lessons, friendships, contact with other tribes, and journey to save her family after a series of tragic events. Once again, Esther Friesner masterfully weaves together history, myth, and mysticism in a tale of a princess whose path is far from traditional.

This sounds like a great topic for a historical novel. I have never heard of Himiko before but it sounds like she had a very interesting life.

Book review: Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

2011-10-25T17:40:00.000-04:00

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore (Published by Bloomsbury, October 25, 2011)

For years, Esmerine has longed for the day when she can join her older sister, Dosia, as a siren, and now that day has come. Becoming a siren is a great honor for a mermaid and her family. But the very next day, Dosia disappears. Esmerine's worst fears come true when she learns that her sister has gone to the surface world and married a human. Esmerine fears her sister was taken against her will and is desperate to find her, even though it is unlikely she can save her.

Unable to make her way on the surface world alone, Esmerine seeks out the help of Alan, a young man from a winged race of people called the Fandarsee. As children, Esmerine and Alan played together on an island, but she hasn't seen him in several years, since he left to study. After reuniting, their feelings of friendship begin to grow into something more, but a love between them seems impossible, for Alan cannot live in the sea, and Esmerine cannot live on land without terrible pain, unless she permanently gives up her ability to return to the sea.

I really enjoyed Jaclyn Dolamore's debut novel, Magic Under Glass, so I have been looking forward to reading Between the Sea and Sky, and I am happy to say I enjoyed it even more than her first book. I loved the two worlds she created, the underwater world, and the surface world, which seems inspired by southern Europe in the early nineteenth century. And the romance was adorable! Highly recommended for readers who enjoy fairy tales and historical fantasy.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Our Australian Girl: A Home for Grace by Sofie Laguna

2011-10-23T21:35:00.002-04:00

Our Australian Girl: A Home for Grace by Sofie Laguna (Published by Penguin Books Australia, October 3, 2011)

The year is 1808, and after being sent from London to Australia as a convict because she stole food, ten-year-old Grace is now working as a servant for a young married couple, Tom and Beth, who live on a farm in the Australian wilderness. Beth is very kind to Grace, but Tom has never trusted her. In the previous book, Grace had to take Tom's beloved horse, Glory, and ride for help when Beth went into labor while Tom was away working. Glory was injured, and now Grace fears that Tom blames her for what happened, even though riding the horse was the only way Grace could get help in time.

Grace feels terrible about what happened to Glory, because she has always loved horses. Now that Tom is home and Glory seems to get sicker each day, Grace fears that she will be sent away. She loves helping Beth with the housework and caring for her new baby, Alice, and she doesn't want to have to leave them. Grace decides the only thing she can do is try to help Glory get better, but who can she turn to for help?

A Home for Grace is the fourth and final book about Grace from the Our Australian Girl series. I have really enjoyed reading Grace's story. She had such a hard life as a poor orphan in London, so I loved reading about her finally getting the happy ending she deserved. I love the time period the stories are set in, and since I haven't read that many books about Australian history, I enjoyed learning about what life was like for the convicts and settlers in early 19th century Australia. I think this series is a great choice for young Australian readers who want to learn more about their country's history, although I wish these books were more easily available outside Australia too. As an American, I've always wished for more historical fiction to be available here that isn't set in either the United States or England.

In My Mailbox - 10/23/11

2011-10-23T00:59:00.002-04:00

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

I only got one new book this week, but I am really looking forward to reading it.

The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell

It’s a long way from Baltimore to Oklahoma Territory. But Zora Stewart will go any distance to put the tragic events of her sixteenth summer behind her. So this city girl heads to the tiny frontier town of West Glory to help her young widowed aunt keep her homestead going.
When another Baltimorean shows up in West Glory, Zora couldn’t be more surprised. Theo de la Croix made the long trip out west hoping to court Zora, whom he has long admired from afar.
But Zora has developed an attraction to a rather less respectable fellow: Emerson Birch, a rough-mannered young "sooner" whose fertile land is coveted.
As Zora begins to suspect that there may be more than luck behind Emerson’s good land, she discovers an extraordinary, astonishing power of her own: the ability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a "springsweet" to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden of holding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land.
Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water. Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply surviving and start living.

Enter to win Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2011-10-19T21:31:00.000-04:00

This is my first giveaway with Rafflecopter, so hopefully I set it up correctly!

I am giving away a paperback copy of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. Since I already have a hardcover, I decided to give the paperback review copy away to a blog reader.

If you haven't heard of Before I Fall before, here is the cover and summary:

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Waiting on Wednesday: Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves

2011-10-19T15:05:00.001-04:00

Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves (Published by Flux, April 8, 2012)

A paranormal mystery involving London’s most notorious killer
In 1888, following her mother’s sudden death, seventeen-year-old Arabella Sharp goes to live with her grandmother in a posh London neighborhood. At her grandmother’s request, Abbie volunteers at Whitechapel Hospital, where she discovers a passion for helping the unfortunate women and children there.
But within days, female patients begin turning up brutally murdered at the hands of Jack the Ripper. Even more horrifying, Abbie starts having strange visions that lead her straight to the Ripper’s next massacres. As her apparent psychic connection with the twisted killer grows stronger, Abbie is drawn into a deadly mystery involving the murders, her mother’s shadowed past, and a secret brotherhood of immortals—who’ll stop at nothing to lure Abbie into its “humanitarian” aims.

I have really enjoyed historical fantasy lately and the plot of this one sounds very original, so I can't wait to read it.

In My Mailbox - 10/15/11

2011-10-15T19:24:00.002-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Our Australian Girl: A Home for Grace by Sophie Laguna

It's 1808 . . .
and Grace loves caring for baby Alice and working with her mistress, Beth, on the property at Rose Hill. Grave tries so hard to be a good servant – but still her master, Tom, doesn't trust her. Does he blame her for what happened to Glory, who is injured and growing sicker every day? Grace has to do something to help, but who can she turn to?
Join Grace in the final of four exciting stories about a convict girl who is given a second chance.

Our Australian Girl: Letty's Christmas by Alison Lloyd

It's 1841 . . .
and Letty must leave her job on the sheep-run because drought has brought hard times. Together, she and the Grey family set out over the Blue Mountains. When disaster strikes, Letty needs to be stronger than she could have imagined . . . Will Letty ever see Sydney – or Lavinia – again?
Join Letty in the final of four exciting stories about a free-settler girl and her life in a far-off land.

Our Australian Girl: Poppy Comes Home by Gabrielle Wang

It's 1864 . . .
and Poppy, disguised as a lost princess from India, has joined a travelling medicine show. They're about to enter the town of Beechworth, where her brother Gus told her he was heading months before. Poppy is so happy to think that she might find Gus at last! But when she follows the clues, they lead her to the cemetery. Gus couldn't really be there, could he?
Join Poppy in the final of four exciting stories about a Gold Rush girl who dreams of a better life.

Our Australian Girl: Rose in Bloom by Sherryl Clark

It's 1901 . . .
and even the death of Queen Victoria can't stop the growing excitement as Melbourne gets ready to celebrate Federation – on Rose's birthday! Meanwhile at school, Rose loves being involved in the cricket team. She's so focused on the game coming up that she almost doesn't notice Abigail acting strangely. What's wrong with Rose's best friend? And can Rose help?
Join Rose in the final of four exciting stories about a Federation girl who's determined to do things her way!

Dear America: Behind the Masks by Susan Patron

Newbery Award-winning author Susan Patron brings her talents to the beloved Dear America series in this exciting story of a girl growing up in the Wild West, in a California gold mining town.
Growing up in the wild gold-mining town of Bodie, California, in the 1880s, Angeline Reddy has seen it all -- saloons, brawls, and a whole lot of desperation. When her father, Bodie's greatest lawyer, is declared murdered, Angie knows deep in her heart that he isn't dead and decides it is up to her to solve the mystery of what happened to him. But when her mother takes ill, her uncle Ned is arrested for the murder, and a mysterious ghost appears, putting together the puzzle pieces seems impossible. Not to mention, a gang of vigilantes, the 601s, is raging out of control, running folks out of town, and nobody seems safe.
Will Angie, with the help of her friends Ellie and Ling Loi, and the mysterious and tragically handsome Antoine, be able to uncover the secret of her father's disappearance?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Mastermind Plot by Angie Frazier

2011-10-12T00:01:00.001-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday: The Mastermind Plot by Angie Frazier (Published by Scholastic, March 1, 2012)

Suzanna "Zanna" Snow can hardly believe it: she's finally going to escape boring Loch Harbor, New Brunswick. She's received an invitation from her grandmother--the mysterious woman she's never met--to stay with her in Boston. Think of all the mysteries to be solved there! While she's curious about her grandmother, she's even more excited for the chance to be close to her uncle, the famous Bostonion detective Bruce Snow and her cousin Will, Bruce's assistant. Much to her chagrin, her grandmother enrolls her in Miss Lydia Doucette's Adademy for Young Ladies, where all things proper are taught. In the meantime, Will recruits Zanna to help when a string of warehouse fires can't be solved. Zanna gets some leads, the most interesting being the fires' possible connection to famous paintings. When a stranger starts following Zanna, she starts to wonder if all her snooping has caught the attention of the elusive arsonist.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I am looking forward to reading book two.

In My Mailbox - 10/8/11

2011-10-08T16:54:00.001-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world’s past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.
Michelle Zink masterfully weaves historical fantasy with paranormal romance to create a gripping tale of love and betrayal.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.
But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.
In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

Hiding is Roo Fanshaw's special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment's notice. When her parents are murdered, it's her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.
As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn't believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth.
Despite the best efforts of her uncle's assistants, Roo discovers the house's hidden room--a garden with a tragic secret.
Inspired by The Secret Garden, this tale full of unusual characters and mysterious secrets is a story that only Ellen Potter could write.

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

In sixteen-year-old Felicita’s world, magic is strictly controlled—or so those in power like to believe. After her dearest friend, Ilven, kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven’s death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg’s caste system, and the whole city along with it.

I also got these three books from the Read for Relief auction:

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Jill MacSweeney just wants everything to go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. You can't lose one family member and simply replace him with a new one, and when her mom decides to adopt a baby, that's exactly what it feels like she's trying to do. And that's decidedly not normal. With her world crumbling around her, can Jill come to embrace a new member of the family?
Mandy Kalinowski knows what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, she knows she wants a better life for her baby. But can giving up a child be as easy as it seems? And will she ever be able to find someone to care for her, too?
Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about what it means to be a family and the many roads we can take to become one.

Waiting on Wednesday: Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley

2011-10-05T03:41:00.000-04:00

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley (Published by Waterbrook Press, March 13, 2012)

To prove himself worthy of a princess, Trevin must first defeat the terror of his past.
In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the king sends Trevin on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains, he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.
Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Challenged to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the terror-dream that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

I really enjoyed Breath of Angel, the first book in this series, and I can't wait to read book 2. This series is very different from most YA angel books, the books are high fantasy set in a medieval society.

Book review: Tomorrow Girls: Set Me Free by Eva Gray

2011-10-02T17:32:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow Girls: Set Me Free by Eva Gray (Published by Scholastic, November 1, 2011)

Set Me Free is the fourth and final book in the Tomorrow Girls series, and begins right where book three, With the Enemy, ended. This series is about four young girls, Louisa, Evelyn, Maddie, and Rosie, who were sent to a boarding school to keep them safe during a war between the United States and the Alliance, which happened after natural disasters destroyed part of the United States. However the girls soon learned that the school was secretly run by the Alliance and successfully escaped, joining up with three boys from the nearby boys' school. After traveling many miles and enduring many difficulties, including rescuing Maddie after she was kidnapped by Alliance agents and taken away to be brainwashed, the kids have finally made it back to their home city of Chicago.

Each book has been narrated by a different girl, and so for the last book, the narrator is Maddie. Maddie is probably the character who changed the most from the start of the series. At the beginning, she was rather timid and not as strong as the other girls. However, she has become stronger and braver, especially after learning that her absent mother, who she thought had a support job in the army, is actually the leader of the Resistance, which is the military organization that fights to defeat the Alliance. Now, Maddie and her friends must find her mother and the Resistance to give them an important encoded message, but finding them in war-torn Chicago won't be easy.

Set Me Free is, overall, a pretty good conclusion to the Tomorrow Girls series, it doesn't end with a cliffhanger and the storylines for all the main characters are resolved. I was disappointed by a couple of things, however - we never find out what happened to some of the minor characters, nor is the exact reason for the war ever explained, in fact it's never explained what exactly the Alliance is or where they came from. This series is a good choice for introducing younger readers to the dystopian genre, and for older readers looking for a quick read. I just wish there had been a bit more background information, because I'm still left wondering why there was even a war in the first place.

In My Mailbox - 10/1/11

2011-10-01T21:55:00.013-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.
Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.
In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

Variant by Robison Wells

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

Eve by Anna Carey

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

Magic, Djinn, Ogres, and Sorcerers. Thirteen-year-old Zardi loves to hear stories about fantastical beings, long banned from the kingdom of Arribitha. But anyone caught whispering of their powers will feel the rage of the sultan—a terrifying usurper who, even with his eyes closed, can see all.
When her own beloved sister is captured by the evil ruler, Zardi knows that she must go to any lengths to rescue her. Along with her best friend, Ridhan—a silver-haired, violet-eyed boy of mysterious origins—and an unlikely crew of sailors led by the infamous Captain Sinbad, Zardi ventures forth into strange and wondrous territory with a seemingly impossible mission: to bring magic back to Arribitha and defeat the sultan once and for all.

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler

Princess Meriel’s brothers have been cursed. A terrible enchantment—cast by their conniving new stepmother—has transformed the handsome princes into swans. They now swim forlornly on a beautiful heart-shaped lake that lies just beyond the castle walls.
Meriel will do whatever it takes to rescue her beloved brothers. But she must act quickly. If Heart Lake freezes, her brothers will be forced to fly south or perish.
With help from her newfound friends Riona and Liam—a beautiful half-witch and her clever brother—Meriel vows to finish a seemingly impossible task. If she completes it, her brothers may be saved. But if she fails…all will be lost.
With a mesmerizing voice and delightful imagination, Diane Zahler delivers an exceptionally dazzling retelling—full of magic, adventure, and fascinating characters. Fans of beautifully written and exciting fantasy novels, including those who love Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine, will be enthralled.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Bought:

Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart

When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.
Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.
Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

A Forest of Gold by Courtney Maika

It is the 1920s, and twelve-year-old Emily Pattersen lives in a logging community in northern Ontario — a place where lumber is king and the forests make many men rich. She, of course, has more important things to concern herself with: run-ins with know-it-all Tilly at school, dealing with her frustrating brothers, and trying not to roll her eyes at her very serious mother's penchant for assigning Duties.
A new set of worries comes to her when, against their parents' wishes, her hot-headed brother Joe sneaks off to work at a lumber camp. Emily is the only one who knows where he's gone. Scared and anxious, she gets the post every day to intercept Joe's letters, with word about his safety. Life has suddenly become complicated, as Emily struggles to remain an obedient daughter, while protecting her brother's secret.
Debut novelist Courtney Maika is as inspiring as the feisty young heroine she has created. She wrote A Forest of Gold while in grade twelve. A keen reader of the the Dear Canada series, she says: "...they really inspired me, so at one point, when I was sixteen, I thought 'Why wait? I think I'm capable of writing a book now.'" Readers will be glad she did.

Horse Diaries: Risky Chance by Alison Hart

For all lovers of horses and history, it's the next book in the popular Horse Diaries series. Born in California at the start of the Great Depression, Risky Chance is a gray thoroughbred who was born to race. Life at the track and being spoiled by his jockey's young daughter, Marie, is all Chance could ask for. He loves nothing more than running fast and winning. But after an accident, Chance discovers a side of horse racing that has little to do with glory.
Like Black Beauty, this moving novel is told in first person from the horse's own point of view and includes an appendix full of photos and facts about thoroughbreds, horse racing, and the Great Depression.

The Lily Pond by Annika Thor

A year after Stephie Steiner and her younger sister, Nellie, left Nazi-occupied Vienna, Stephie has finally adapted to life on the rugged Swedish island where she now lives. But more change awaits Stephie: her foster parents have allowed her to enroll in school on the mainland, in Goteberg. Stephie is eager to go. Not only will she be pursuing her studies, she'll be living in a cultured city again—under the same roof as Sven, the son of the lodgers who rented her foster parents' cottage for the summer.
Five years her senior, Sven dazzles Stephie with his charm, his talk of equality, and his anti-Hitler sentiments. Stephie can't help herself—she's falling in love. As she navigates a sea of new emotions, she also grapples with what it means to be beholden to others, with her constant worry about what her parents are enduring back in Vienna, and with the menacing spread of Nazi ideology, even in Sweden. In these troubled times, her true friends, Stephie discovers, are the ones she least expected.

Waiting on Wednesday: By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer

2011-09-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer (Published by Barbour Books, March 1, 2012)

Remember the Titanic 100 years after its doomed voyage with Tricia Goyer’s fictional portrayal of one woman’s journey. To Amelia Gladstone, this ship means promise of seeing family again. To Quentin Walpole, the Titanic represents a new start in America…if he can get onboard. All seems lost until Amelia offers him a ticket, securing his passage—and bringing him face-to-face with his railroad tycoon father and older brother, Damian. As Amelia works to reconcile father and son, she finds herself the object of both brothers’ affection. Can she choose between two brothers? Or will she lose everything to the icy waters of the Atlantic?

This is an adult book, and I don't read a ton of adult books, but I am very interested to read this particular one because I love stories set on the Titanic.

In My Mailbox - 9/24/11

2011-09-24T23:59:00.001-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Cecily longs to return to her beloved Edgeley Hall, where her father was lord of the manor. But now he has completely ruined her life. He is moving them to Caernarvon, in occupied Wales, where he can get a place for almost nothing, since the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will get to be the lady of the house at last—if all goes well.
Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English came and destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now Gwenhwyfar must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl who has taken what should have been hers.
While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And meanwhile the Welsh are not as conquered as they seem. Outside the city walls of Caernarvon, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

It isn’t easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past—and hers?

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Wild Queen by Carolyn Meyer

2011-09-21T07:08:00.001-04:00

The Wild Queen: The Days and Nights of Mary Queen of Scots by Carolyn Meyer (Published by Harcourt, June 19, 2012)

Mary is only six days old when she is crowned after the death of her father, five years old when she is sent to France to be raised alongside her future husband. Surrounded by friends and beloved by the royal family, Mary absorbs the culture, becoming more French than Scot. But when her frail young husband dies, Mary, now eighteen, is stripped of her title as Queen of France and set adrift in the harsh world, alone.
Determined to reign over what is rightfully hers, as well as to claim the throne of England to which she believes she is entitled, Mary returns to Scotland. The fiery young queen must sometimes go to brutal lengths to establish her sovereignty. And she is just as willful when it comes to her love life. Hoping that a husband will help her secure the coveted English throne, Mary marries again, but the love and security she longs for elude her. Instead, she finds herself embroiled in a murder scandal that could cost her the crown. And her attempts to bargain with her formidable "sister queen," Elizabeth I of England, could cost her her very life.

I love Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals series, so I can't wait to read this book. I love the cover, and this is one of my favorite time periods to read about in historical fiction.

Book review: I Am Canada: Deadly Voyage by Hugh Brewster

2011-09-17T22:07:00.005-04:00

I Am Canada: Deadly Voyage by Hugh Brewster (Published by Scholastic Canada, September 1, 2011)

After spending two years living in England, fourteen-year-old Jamie Laidlaw and his parents are returning home to Canada as first class passengers on board the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Jamie is happy to be returning home, since he hated his school in England. And he's excited to be travelling on the grandest ship in the world. Jamie makes new friends and has adventures exploring the Titanic, but he also gets himself in trouble with his parents after being found in a restricted area of the ship.

When the Titanic hits an iceberg, Jamie and his family don't believe at first that the ship could possibly be in danger. After all, the Titanic was specially designed with watertight compartments so it wouldn't sink. But soon it becomes clear that the ship is doomed, and Jamie must fight to survive in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

I love reading historical fiction about the Titanic, so I really enjoyed Deadly Voyage. This book is written in the form of a memoir recorded by Jamie many years later, so we know from the start that he will survive. Jamie and his family are fictional, but most of the other characters are real people that were on the Titanic. I recommend this book to readers who enjoyed other books from the I Am Canada series or who love books about the Titanic, and with the 100th anniversary of the sinking coming up in few months, there is sure to be a lot of interest in the subject.

In My Mailbox - 9/17/11

2011-09-17T18:45:00.001-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan

Eliza dreams of being a playwright for the king’s theater, where she will be admired for her witty turns of phrase rather than her father’s wealth.
Beth is beautiful as the day but poor as a church mouse, so she must marry well, despite her love for her childhood sweetheart.
Zabby comes to England to further her scientific studies—and ends up saving the life of King Charles II. Soon her friendship with him becomes a dangerous, impossible obsession. Though she knows she should stay away from the young, handsome king, Charles has a new bride, Queen Catherine, and a queen needs ladies in waiting.
And so Zabby, Beth, and Eliza, three Elizabeths from very different walks of life, find themselves at the center of the most scandal-filled court that England has ever seen.

The Familiars: Secrets of the Crown by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

When every bit of human magic disappears suddenly from Vastia, it falls on the familiars—Aldwyn the telekinetic cat, Skylar the know-it-all blue jay, and Gilbert the gullible tree frog—to find the Crown of the Snow Leopard, an ancient relic that can reverse the curse. They learn that the only way to do this is by following in the paw prints of Aldwyn’s missing father, who went searching for the Crown several years earlier. This magical spirit trail extends into the Beyond, where our heroes encounter new enemies and danger, while Aldwyn learns about his mysterious past.
Full of high-flying adventure and heartwarming friendships, Secrets of the Crown will make readers want to get even more familiar with The Familiars!

Bought:

Tomorrow Girls: Set Me Free by Eva Gray

In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.
Maddie is ready for action. Louisa, Evelyn, and Rosie helped rescue her from the Alliance's grasp, and she's learned an enormous, game-changing secret: her mother is the leader of the Resistance!
But reuniting with her long-absent mother is not going to be easy. As Maddie and her friends set out to find the Resistance headquarters, they are relentlessly pursued by the Alliance. Worst of all, members of their group have gone missing in the middle of rubble-strewn Chicago.
Maddie and her friends have earned their battle scars, courage, and strength. But at this darkest hour, will they be able to make it back to their families . . . and freedom?

I Am Canada: Deadly Voyage by Hugh Brewster

Fourteen-year-old Jamie Laidlaw is returning to Canada from England aboard the Titanic. In his four days on board, he busies himself with new friends, finding ways to explore the ship’s forbidden areas, and generally landing himself in trouble.
When disaster strikes and the horrifying scramble for survival ensues, Jamie is on the front lines — struggling to help free the lifeboats and get people on board them. When a huge wave washes over the ship’s sloping deck, it’s time for Jamie to take action — and take his fate into his own hands. With hundreds of others, he dives into the sea, hoping he will find a way to survive.
Since its launch in Fall 2010, the I Am Canada series has been praised for its accurate and energetic exploration of fascinating moments in Canadian history, through the eyes of young men who lived through them. In Deadly Voyage, award-winning author and noted Titanic historian Hugh Brewster draws from his vast knowledge of that fateful journey to create an enthralling tale of historical fiction — the ultimate adventure, whose terrifying end we know all too well.

The Hangman in the Mirror by Kate Cayley

A strong-willed 16-year-old girl fights for survival in 18th-century North America.
Françoise Laurent has never had an easy life. The only surviving child of a destitute washerwoman and wayward soldier, she must rely only on herself to get by. When her parents die suddenly from the smallpox ravishing New France (modern-day Montreal), Françoise sees it as a chance to escape the life she thought she was trapped in.
Seizing her newfound opportunity, Françoise takes a job as an aide to the wife of a wealthy fur trader. The poverty-ridden world she knew transforms into a strange new world full of privilege and fine things — and of never having to beg for food. But Françoise’s relationships with the other servants in Madame Pommereau’s house are tenuous, and Madame Pommereau isn’t an easy woman to work for. When Françoise is caught stealing a pair of her mistress’s beautiful gloves, she faces a future even worse than she could have imagined: thrown in jail, she is sentenced to death by hanging. Once again, Françoise is left to her own devices to survive … Is she cunning enough to convince the prisoner in the cell beside her to become the hangman and marry her, which, by law, is the only thing that could save her life?
Based on an actual story and filled with illuminating historical detail, THE HANGMAN IN THE MIRROR transports readers to the harsh landscape of a new land that is filled with even harsher class divisions and injustices.

Book review: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

2011-09-14T17:50:00.004-04:00

Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett (Published by Harcourt, September 19, 2011)

Fifteen-year-old Ariadne lives a very lonely life. Her mother is seen as the Goddess incarnate, and is high priestess of their matriarchal society on the island of Krete. Ariadne will be her successor, and so has the title of "She Who Will be Goddess," which means she has no friends and is feared by many people. Her brother, Asterion, is physically and mentally disabled, and many people see him as a monster because he is unable to stop himself from hurting people, even though he doesn't mean to.

When a ship arrives from Athens, Ariadne meets Theseus, a young man near her age. Since he is not from Krete, he doesn't know their religion or their way of life, and so he is not afraid to speak with Ariadne. She comes to enjoy spending time with him and the two become friends. But then Ariadne must take her mother's place much sooner than she thought she would have to, despite the fact it's a position she never really wanted.

Dark of the Moon is a retelling of the myth of the minotaur, but rather than just following the myth exactly, the author imagines what could have really happened to inspire the myth. There isn't much romance, unlike the original story, and the "minotaur" is not a monster, just a severely disabled young man. Since I love historical fiction, I really liked how the author made this story more historical than fantasy. The society she imagined for ancient Krete was violent, but I think realistic for the time period the story is set in. I also enjoyed how the story was told from two perspectives, Ariadne and Theseus, to show both sides of the story. I recommend this book to readers interested in historical fiction or Greek mythology.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by published.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

2011-09-14T02:17:00.002-04:00

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats (Published by Harcourt, April 17, 2012)

Cecily longs to return to her beloved Edgeley Hall, where her father was lord of the manor. But now he has completely ruined her life. He is moving them to Caernarvon, in occupied Wales, where he can get a place for almost nothing, since the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will get to be the lady of the house at last—if all goes well.
Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English came and destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now Gwenhwyfar must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl who has taken what should have been hers.
While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And meanwhile the Welsh are not as conquered as they seem. Outside the city walls of Caernarvon, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.

I love YA historical fiction with unique settings and so I can't wait to read this book, I don't think I've read any books set in this place/time before.

In My Mailbox - 9/10/11

2011-09-10T16:45:00.001-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Bought:

Dear Canada: That Fatal Night by Sarah Ellis

In the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, a young girl must come to terms with haunting memories from the voyage.

It is May 1912, one month after the horrific sinking of the Titanic, and twelve-year-old survivor Dorothy Wilton is sent home from school in disgrace when she strikes another student. Although she's expelled, her sympathetic teacher encourages Dorothy to write an account of her experience on the ship, with the hopes that it will help Dorothy come to terms with her trauma.
And so begins a truly remarkable story, which reads like a time capsule of the era: Dorothy writes about visiting her bohemian grandparents in England before setting sail back home, the luxurious rooms and cabins on board, a new friend she makes, and the intriguing people they observe. However, amidst all of this storytelling, a shadow lurks, a secret Dorothy is too traumatized to acknowledge - a secret about her own actions on that fatal night, which may have had deadly consequences.
Through young Dorothy's eyes, award-winning writer Sarah Ellis expertly takes a unique perspective on the Titanic tragedy, exploring the concept of survivor's guilt with devastating honesty.

Hartsolve by K.M. Grant

Young Daisy and her six brothers and sisters love Hartslove, the crumbling castle that has been in their family for hundreds of years. But their kind but feckless father, scarred by his experiences in the Crimean War, and by his wife's desertion, is drinking the family money away. Then he puts Hartslove up for sale: he has spent his remaining money on a young, wild, horse. Daisy, passionate about her home and her family, is determined that the horse is the One; that he will win the Derby and save them all. But not everyone at Hartslove is on Daisy's side, and rich people are descending on the castle every day with an eye on snapping it up for themselves. With only months to go before the Derby, can Daisy and her wild brother Garth overcome the odds and lead The One to glory?

Bright, Young, & Luxe Giveaway hop: win a copy of Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

2011-09-10T15:49:00.004-04:00

The Bright, Young, and Luxe Giveaway Hop is hosted by Tiffany from The For Those About to Read and Lea from LC's Adventures in Library Land. There are a lot of other contests you can enter as well from the links below. For my contest, I am giving away a new, paperback copy of Bright Young Things:

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.
Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star…
Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.
The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.
Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

CONTEST RULES

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Book review: Dear Canada: That Fatal Night by Sarah Ellis

2011-09-10T06:12:00.003-04:00

Dear Canada: That Fatal Night by Sarah Ellis (Published by Scholastic Canada, September 1, 2011)

It's May 1912, and twelve-year-old Dorothy Wilton has returned to her home in Halifax after surviving the sinking of the Titanic. She just wants to go back to her normal routine and not talk about what happened, but finds herself expelled from school after hitting another girl who said horrible things about the victims of the disaster. Dorothy's favorite teacher suggests that during her time away from school, she should write a diary about what happened to her, to help her come to terms with her experience.

Dorothy begins the story by writing about her trip to England to meet her grandparents. Her grandparents were very kind and their housekeeper had twelve-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, that Dorothy became close friends with during her stay in England. For her journey home, her father got her a ticket on the grandest ship ever built, the Titanic. Dorothy had fun exploring the ship and made a new friend, but hated her traveling companion, Miss Pugh, who worked for Dorothy's father and had agreed to travel with her since she too was visiting a relative in England. Miss Pugh did not survive the disaster, and Dorothy blames herself for her death.

That Fatal Night is different from most novels for young readers about the Titanic, since it is set after the sinking and is mainly about a survivor struggling to accept what happened. This book is shorter than most other books in the Dear Canada series, and I think it could have been a bit longer with some more description of Dorothy's time on the Titanic. However, I still really enjoyed it, I love almost anything I read about the Titanic and I really liked that this book offered a unique perspective by being set afterwards. I recommend this book to readers interested in the Titanic or who enjoyed other books from the Dear Canada series.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Academie by Susanne Dunlap

2011-09-07T05:54:00.001-04:00

The Academie by Susanne Dunlap (Published by Bloomsbury, April 10, 2012)

Eliza Monroe-daughter of the future president of the United States-is devastated when her mother decides to send her to boarding school outside of Paris. But the young American teen is quickly reconciled to the idea when-ooh, la-la!-she discovers who her fellow pupils will be: Hortense de Beauharnais, daughter of Josephine Bonaparte; and Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of the famous French general. It doesn't take long for Eliza to figure out that the two French girls are mortal enemies-and that she's about to get caught in the middle of their schemes.
Loosely drawn from history, Eliza Monroe's imagined coming of age provides a scintillating glimpse into the lives, loves, and hopes of three young women during one of the most volatile periods in French history.

I loved Susanne Dunlap's other YA historicals so I can't wait to read this one. I'm not a huge fan of the cover, though. The girl's pose seems odd to me.

Book review: Meet Cécile by Denise Lewis Patrick

2011-09-05T01:12:00.001-04:00

Meet Cécile by Denise Lewis Patrick (Published by American Girl, August 30, 2011)

This book is the second in the new American Girl series about Cécile and Marie-Grace, two nine-year-old girls from very different backgrounds who both live in New Orleans in 1853. This book takes place at the same time as Meet Marie-Grace, showing the same events from Cécile's perspective. Cécile comes from a wealthy and respected family from New Orleans' vibrant community of free people of color.

When the story begins, Cécile misses her older brother, who has gone to France to study, and can't wait for his return. At her singing lesson with Mademoiselle Océane, an opera singer from France, Cécile meets Marie-Grace, a girl who was born in New Orleans but lived with her American father in the north the past few years. Although the two girls come from very different backgrounds, they quickly become friends and share an exciting adventure at a children's costume ball during Mardi Gras.

I loved the American Girls series growing up and I credit it, along with the Little House and Dear America books, for helping me develop a love for historical fiction. Even though I am an adult now, I was very interested when I saw that the newest American Girl series would be from the perspectives of two girls from very different backgrounds growing up in New Orleans in 1853. The historical setting is very interesting since New Orleans was such a multicultural city and very different from the rest of the United States in the mid 19th century. I think young girls will enjoy this series while hopefully learning a bit about a very unique place and time from American history.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Troubles for Cécile by Denise Lewis Patrick

2011-09-05T00:54:00.002-04:00

Troubles for Cécile by Denise Lewis Patrick (Published by American Girl, August 30, 2011)

This book begins in July 1853, shortly after the ending of book three. Cécile is worried when she hears her mother and aunt talking about yellow fever. There have always been cases of yellow fever in New Orleans every summer, but this year people seem much more worried. Many people are fleeing the city because they are so afraid.

Cécile's worst fears come true when her beloved older brother, Armand, catches yellow fever. Cécile is afraid for her brother, because many people in the city have died from the disease. Cécile must be strong and help her family and others in New Orleans, while praying that her brother will recover.

I loved the American Girls books as a child, but even now as an adult I am really enjoying the series about Marie-Grace and Cécile. I love the unusual historical setting of New Orleans in 1853, and I think telling the story from the points of view of two girls from very different backgrounds was a good choice. I think young girls will enjoy this series while hopefully learning about about a very unique place and time from American history.

Book review: I Am Canada: Blood and Iron by Paul Yee

2011-09-04T03:04:00.005-04:00

I Am Canada: Blood and Iron by Paul Yee (Published by Scholastic Canada, September 1, 2010)

Fourteen-year-old Heen and his father must leave their home in China and travel far across the sea to Canada to work on building the transcontinental railroad. The family business has been lost to gambling debts, and there are not enough jobs in China. On the day Heen leaves home, he begins writing in a diary given to him as a parting gift from his schoolteacher.

The journey across the sea is long and miserable, and many people are sick. Heen resents his father for continuing to gamble, even after losing the family store because of gambling debts. When they arrive in Canada, Heen finds the work much more difficult than he expected. The Chinese workers must work long hours for less pay than the white workers. The conditions are dangerous and many men are hurt or killed.

I love the similar Dear Canada series from the same publisher, written from the viewpoints of young girls in Canadian history, so I was interested to try the new I Am Canada series, which is similar but from a male viewpoint. The historical information seemed really well researched and I loved the voice of the narrator, Heen. The book really seemed like it could be the diary of a boy his age. At first he was a rather humorous narrator, giving nicknames to all the people he encountered based on their characteristics. However, the story soon became more serious and tragic, showing the horrible working conditions the Chinese laborers had to endure. If you enjoyed the Dear Canada series or historical fiction in general, I think you will enjoy this book.

Book review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2011-09-03T17:44:00.004-04:00

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Published by HarperTeen, November 15, 2011)

Seventeen-year-old Juliette has been locked away because of a dangerous power she cannot control. When she touches people, she can hurt or even kill them. It seems like forever since she saw or spoke to another person. Meanwhile, the world outside falls apart even more from diseases, food shortages, and environmental changes. An organization called The Reestablishment has taken over with the promise to fix the world, but in reality they only want power.

After what feels like a lifetime alone, Juliette is finally given a companion, Adam. She and Adam were in school together and she always liked him, but hasn't seen him in a long time. Soon, their childhood friendship begins to turn into love. But The Reestablishment has decided it has plans for Juliette, plans that horrify and disgust her. Can Juliette find the strength to finally take control of her own life and fight back?

Shatter Me is a book that is very different from most young adult dystoptian novels, mainly due to the writing, which is really lovely and unique though it ocassionally goes a bit over the top with metaphors. The dystopian setting was a bit generic, but I don't think it took away from the story because it was there to be a background to Juliette's personal conflict. And I just *loved* the romance! I really liked how rather than there just being random love at first sight, Juliette and Adam had known each other as children and had just reunited as young adults. A lot of young adult paranormal romances annoy me because the guy acts like a jerk and the girl loves him anyway, so I really liked that Adam was so sweet, caring, and protective towards Juliette. This book is the first of a trilogy, but thankfully doesn't end with a cliffhanger. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read book two.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Our Australian Girl: Poppy and the Thief by Gabrielle Wang

2011-09-03T17:22:00.004-04:00

Our Australian Girl: Poppy and the Thief by Gabrielle Wang (Published by Puffin Books Australia, June 27, 2011)

Eleven-year-old Poppy, a half-Chinese, half-Aboriginal orphan, has disgused herself as a boy and run away from the mission where she lived with other Aboriginal orphans. After she was injured she spent some time recovering at the home of a kind family. Now that Poppy has recovered form her injury, she is moving on, hoping to finally find her older brother, Gus, who ran away from the mission hoping to find gold so that he and Poppy could have a home of their own.

Shortly after Poppy continues her journey, she meets Tian, a young Chinese boy. Poppy doesn't entirely trust him, but she decides to travel with him in hopes that his uncle, a doctor, might be able to help her find her brother and solve the mystery of the Chinese letter Poppy received but cannot read. But when Poppy reaches the town she thought her brother had gone to, he is nowhere to be found.

This book is the third of four books about Poppy from the Our Australian Girl series, which is about young girls during different times in Australian history. Poppy was a very likable character, she is smart, brave, and determined. I thoguht the history in this book was very interesting as I don't know a lot about Australian history, the only other books I have read set in Australia were some of the books from the My Australian Story series. I'm sure young girls living in Australia who are interested in their country's history will love this book, but as an adult living in America, I enjoyed it too, and I look forward to reading the final book about Poppy, Poppy Comes Home, which will be published in October 2011.

In My Mailbox - 9/3/11

2011-09-03T17:14:00.001-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Bought:

Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren

Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times. But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death.

Marie-Grace and the Orphans by Sarah Masters Buckey

Marie-Grace can’t believe what she finds on her doorstep one rainy night: a sweet little baby! But when a stranger comes looking for the little boy, Marie-Grace realizes the baby is in terrible danger. Together, she and Cécile come up with a plan to protect the child. But when rumors of a terrible sickness begin to swirl in New Orleans, Marie-Grace begins to worry—will anyone truly be safe?

Troubles for Cécile by Denise Lewis Patrick

Cécile's summer is off to a glowing start. She and Marie-Grace have been volunteering at a nearby orphanage, playing with the children. But a shadow falls when Cécile hears that a terrible sickness—yellow fever—is spreading in New Orleans. When yellow fever strikes in her own home, Cécile is more afraid than she has ever been before. Can she find the strength to help when her family needs her most?

Marie-Grace Makes a Difference by Sarah Masters Buckey

Marie-Grace is worried. Yellow fever is raging through New Orleans. The orphanage where she and Cécile have been volunteering is becoming crowded with children. And now someone Marie-Grace cares about is terribly ill. When the chance comes to help, Marie-Grace takes it. But will this horrible fever cause Marie-Grace to lose the family she loves?

Cécile's Gift by Denise Lewis Patrick

As Cécile and Marie-Grace volunteer at the orphanage, Cécile becomes especially close to one little girl named Perrine. But there are so many children who hast lost their families, and Cécile wishes she could do more to help them. When she hears that a benefit will be held to raise money for the orphans in New Orleans, she wants to take part. But what can Cécile give to the orphans to lift their sad hearts and let them know she cares?

Velvet by Mary Hooper

Velvet is a laundress in a Victorian steam laundry. With both her mother and father dead, she is an orphan and has to rely upon her own wits to make a living. The laundry is scalding, back-breaking work and Velvet is desperate to create a better life for herself. Then Velvet is noticed by Madame Savoya, a famed medium, who asks Velvet to come to work for her. Velvet is dazzled at first by the young yet beautifully dressed and bejewelled Madame. But soon Velvet realises that Madame Savoya is not all that she says she is, and Velvet’s very life is in danger . . .

For review:

The Mark of the Golden Dragon by L.A. Meyer

Jacky Faber, soldier, sailor, spy, and sometime pirate, condemned for life to the English prison colony in Australia for high crimes against the Crown, has once again wriggled out of the grasp of British authorities. Back on her flagship, the Lorelei Lee, she happily heads back to England in the company of dear friends and her beloved Jaimy Fletcher.
However, due to a typhoon, an earthquake, tidal waves, pirates, and her own impetuous nature, Jacky is cast into a world of danger that extends from the South China Sea to the equally treacherous waters of politics in London's smoky dens of intrigue, deception, and betrayal.
Can she save herself from recapture and a final trip to the gallows? Can she also save her own dear Jaimy from the madness that seems to be overtaking his tortured mind? Devious Chinese businessmen, willowy Eurasian maidens, fierce Gurkhas, loyal friends, and wildly romantic highwaymen are all involved in this tale of love, courage, and redemption.

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong. But even Xavier’s love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can’t keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth’s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well.
The story that Alexandra Adornetto built in her New York Times-bestselling debut, Halo, comes alive in action-packed and unexpected ways, as angels battle demons, and the power of love is put to the test.

Book review: Marie-Grace and the Orphans by Sarah Masters Buckey

2011-08-31T03:06:00.006-04:00

Marie-Grace and the Orphans by Sarah Masters Buckey (Published by American Girl, August 30, 2011)

This book picks up in May 1853, several months after the first two books about Marie-Grace and Cécile. Nine-year-old Marie-Grace Gardner, whose father is a doctor, is working on her schoolwork in his office one night when a baby boy is abandoned on the doorstep. Marie-Grace quickly becomes attached to the baby, who reminds her of her own little brother, who died when he was a baby. She wishes her father would adopt the baby, but he says they must eventually either return him to his family, if they can be found, and if not, take him to an orphange.

When a slave catcher comes to the office claiming the baby is a slave, Marie-Grace is terrified he will be taken away. To protect the baby, Marie-Grace takes him to an orphange, where she often visits him and plays with the other children there. But then a yellow fever epidemic strikes, and Marie-Grace is forced to make a difficult choice to keep the baby safe.

I loved the American Girls books as a child, but even now as an adult I am really enjoying the series about Marie-Grace and Cécile. I love the unusual historical setting of New Orleans in 1853. I think young girls will enjoy this series while hopefully learning about about a very unique place and time from American history.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Song by Eva Wiseman

2011-08-31T00:01:00.001-04:00

The Last Song by Eva Wiseman (Published by Tundra Books, April 10, 2012)

Spain had been one of the world’s most tolerant societies for eight hundred years, but that way of life was wiped out by the Inquisition. Isabel’s family feels safe from the terrors, torture, and burnings. After all, her father is a respected physician in the court of Ferdinand and Isabella. Isabel was raised as a Catholic and doesn’t know that her family’s Jewish roots may be a death sentence. When her father is arrested by Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor, she makes a desperate plan to save his life – and her own.
Once again, master storyteller Eva Wiseman brings history to life in this riveting and tragic novel.

I haven't read much historical fiction about this time period so I am very interested to read this book.

Book review: Tomorrow Girls: With the Enemy by Eva Gray

2011-08-29T01:37:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow Girls: With the Enemy by Eva Gray (Published by Scholastic, September 1, 2011)

With the Enemy is book three in the Tomorrow Girls series, and begins right where book two, Run for Cover, ended. This series is about four young girls, Louisa, Evelyn, Maddie, and Rosie, who were sent to a boarding school to keep them safe during a war between the United States and the Alliance, which happened after natural disasters destroyed part of the United States. However the girls soon learned that the school was secretly run by the Alliance and successfully escaped, joining up with three boys from the nearby boys' school. However, just when they were almost home, Maddie was kidnapped, and the other kids think she was taken by agents of the Alliance.

Each book is narrated by a different girl, and this time the narrator is Evelyn, who has always loved conspiracy theories and was suspicious of their school from the start. So now that Maddie has been kidnapped, Evelyn must take the lead in searching for her. When she learns Maddie is being held in an Alliance facility, the kids must come up with a plan to free up.

The books in this series are fun, quick reads that are a good choice for younger readers not yet ready to read young adult dystopian novels. There is less background information than in books for older readers - I'm still a bit frustrated that there are no explanations for what caused the war and who the Alliance is. But I have enjoyed reading about the chararacters and am looking forward to reading the final book in the series, Set Me Free, which will be published in November 2011.

In My Mailbox - 8/27/11

2011-08-27T23:27:00.001-04:00

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

I only got one new book this week, I ordered some from Barnes & Noble but they haven't arrived yet.

For review:

Fateful by Claudia Gray

Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.
Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .
Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.
In Fateful, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray delivers paranormal adventure, dark suspense, and alluring romance set against the opulent backdrop of the Titanic’s first—and last—voyage.

(This is a finished copy - I read the ARC a few months ago and loved it! You can read my review here)

Waiting on Wednesday: Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

2011-08-24T17:18:00.003-04:00

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey (Published by Dial Books, January 5, 2012)

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.
Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.
In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

This book sounds really good, I love Medieval fantasy and there isn't enough of it these days!

In My Mailbox - 8/13/11

2011-08-13T14:22:00.003-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

EXILED from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as the Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage— and her only hope of staying alive.
Because they must, they will struggle together to survive.
Aria and Perry forge an unlikely alliance—one that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Incarnate by Jodi Matthews

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.
She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.
She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler

Princess Meriel’s brothers have been cursed. A terrible enchantment—cast by their conniving new stepmother—has transformed the handsome princes into swans. They now swim forlornly on a beautiful heart-shaped lake that lies just beyond the castle walls.
Meriel will do whatever it takes to rescue her beloved brothers. But she must act quickly. If Heart Lake freezes, her brothers will be forced to fly south or perish.
With help from her newfound friends Riona and Liam—a beautiful half-witch and her clever brother—Meriel vows to finish a seemingly impossible task. If she completes it, her brothers may be saved. But if she fails…all will be lost.
With a mesmerizing voice and delightful imagination, Diane Zahler delivers an exceptionally dazzling retelling—full of magic, adventure, and fascinating characters. Fans of beautifully written and exciting fantasy novels, including those who love Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine, will be enthralled.

Farmer Boy Goes West by Heather Williams

Almanzo Wilder was the hero who saved the day and saved the town in The Long Winter, who began to court Laura Ingalls in Little Town on the Prairie, and who swept Laura off her feet in These Happy Golden Years.
Now, from the author of Nellie Oleson Meets Laura Ingalls, comes a brand-new Little House adventure that introduces readers to Almanzo as a spirited boy about to embark on his own adventures. Farmer Boy Goes West follows Almanzo and his family as they leave Malone, New York, and head to Spring Valley, Minnesota.

Bought:

Titanic: S.O.S. by Gordon Korman

From bestselling author Gordon Korman, the thrilling conclusion to the adventure aboard the unluckiest ship of all.
The Titanic was supposed to be unsinkable - the largest passenger steamship in the world, one of the biggest and most luxurious ships ever to operate.
For Paddy, Sophie, Juliana, and Alfie, the Titanic is full of mysteries - whether they're to be found in the opulent first-class cabins and promenade decks or the shadows in the underbelly of the ship. Secrets and plans are about to be revealed - only now disaster looms, and time is running out. The four of them need to find the truth, unmask the killer...and try not to go down with the ship. (reviewed here)

Tomorrow Girls: With the Enemy by Eva Gray

In a terrifying new world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.
Evelyn has always suspected that things are more sinister and more complicated than they seem. Now that Maddie has been kidnapped, Rosie, Louisa, and the boys are paying more attention to Evelyn's theories. As the group makes their way toward war-torn Chicago, they're under constant threat of capture. Danger and dark surprises lurk around every twist of the road.
Evelyn knows they need a solid plot to find Maddie. But what the group comes up with may be their riskiest plan yet: infiltrating the Alliance itself. Even Evelyn has her doubts. Can they save Maddie before it's too late?

Book review: Titanic, Book Three: S.O.S. by Gordon Korman

2011-08-12T18:55:00.000-04:00

Titanic, Book Three: S.O.S. by Gordon Korman (Published by Scholastic, September 1, 2011)

This is the third and final book in the Titanic series by Gordon Korman, and concludes the story of Sophie, Juliana, Paddy, and Alfie, four young teenagers traveling on the Titanic. At the start of the series, they had very little in common. Juliana and Sophie are both first class passengers, but come from very different families - Juliana is the daughter of a British earl, while Sophie's mother is an American suffragist. Paddy is a stowaway, and Alfie lied about his age to get a job on the ship, so he could be near his father. These four unlikely friends worked together to hide Paddy and discover the identity of a murderer traveling on the ship.

This book picks up the story right where book two ended, shortly after the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to sink. Like many others, the four friends thought the Titanic was unsinkable, but soon they realize the ship is doomed. Separated from each other in the chaos, they must fight to save their families, their friends, and their own lives.

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and was eager to read the conclusion to find out what happened to the characters when the ship sank. I am happy to say I was not disappointed and I was eagerly turning the pages to find out what happened next and who would survive. Since this is a book about the Titanic, of course everyone does not survive, so I was expecting that some people would die, but it was still sad to read about it. However I am glad the author decided to make the ending realistic rather than an unrealistic happy ending for everyone. Although this series is written for middle grade readers, I really enjoyed it, and I recommend it to anyone who is fascinated by the story of the Titanic.

Waiting on Wednesday: Daughters of the Sea: Lucy by Kathryn Lasky

2011-08-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

Daughters of the Sea: Lucy by Kathryn Lasky (Published by Scholastic, March 1, 2012)

A choice between love and survival . . .
Lucy's family is excited to spend the summer in Bar Harbor, Maine. Her minister father is pleased to preside over such a prestigious congregation, and his social-climbing wife is ecstatic at the chance to find a rich husband for her daughter.
Yet Lucy wants nothing to do with the Bar Harbor social scene; she's simply excited to spend the summer by the sea, watching the waves from her favorite spot on the cliff. Despite having never gone swimming, Lucy feels an intense connection to the ocean, and meets a handsome ship-builder who shows Lucy a world she's never known, yet somehow always longed for.
However, her mother will stop at nothing to keep Lucy and the ship builder apart, even if it means throwing Lucy into the arms of a wealthy man with a dangerous secret. Can Lucy break free and embrace her destiny as a daughter of the sea? Or is she doomed to waste away in a gilded cage, slowly dying of a broken heart?

I enjoyed the first two books in this series and can't wait to read the third. Also I really like this cover, the girl's dress is really pretty and I like how she is looking out at the sea.

Book review: Dear America: I Walk in Dread by Lisa Rowe Fraustino

2011-08-08T18:39:00.003-04:00

Dear America: I Walk in Dread by Lisa Rowe Fraustino (New edition published by Scholastic, September 1, 2011; originally published in 2004)

Deliverance Trembley, who is twelve years old, begins her diary in December 1691. She lives with her sickly seventeen-year-old sister, Mem, on a farm in Salem Village, Massachusetts. Their uncle, who is supposed to be caring for the girls now that they are orphans and their older brother is away with the militia, has gone to sea and ordered the girls to let no one know he has gone away. Deliverance worries the neighbors will find out the truth and hates that she has to lie.

When girls in Salem Village begin to behave strangely, and are said to be bewitched, Deliverance has even bigger worries. Are there truly witches in Salem Village, doing the Devil's work? Or is the mass hysteria sweeping through the village leading to the accusations of innocent people?

I read this book when it was first published and really enjoyed it, and I recommend it to readers who are fans of the Dear America series, or who like historical fiction about the Salem Witch Trials. I'd been hoping for a while that there would be a book in the series about this topic, and I wasn't disappointed at all by this book. The author did a great job at bringing the events in Salem in 1692 to life.

In My Mailbox - 8/6/11

2011-08-06T21:16:00.001-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Bought:

Emerald by Karen Wallace

Emerald St. John is in trouble. She has been condemned to marry a man she hates. Her enemies are conspiring to have her pet bear Molly torn apart in the baiting pits, and the man she loves is far away on the high seas. And she has stumbled into a web of spies with a plot to poison Queen Elizabeth I. To save herself and the kingdom, she must beat the spies at their own game - which means transforming herself from a country girl into a Court lady. Can she do it in time? Set against a detailed and vivid recreation of a great Elizabethan manor house, EMERALD will bring to life a world where the most sophisticated rules of etiquette went hand in with brutality and superstition.

A Tangle of Magicks by Stephanie Burgis

After her antics in A Most Improper Magick, Kat Stephenson is back to cause more chaos! Stepmama drags the family to Bath to find Kat's sister a new suitor. But, unknown to most of its gossipy visitors, Bath is full of wild magic. When Kat uncovers a plot to harness this magic in the Roman Baths, she finds her brother Charles is unwittingly involved. Kat must risk her newfound magical powers as she defies the Order of the Guardians to foil the plot and clear her brother's name.

Sage for Sanctuary by Felicity Pulman

1141 - England is divided by the bitter civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda, and Winchestre is under siege and on fire. Janna's quest to find her father in order to avenge the death of her mother has taken her from forest to farm, abbey and finally to the heart of the royal court at Winchestre. Along the way she has solved many crimes and mysteries, including the mystery of her own birth and her mother's death - secrets that put both her life and her heart in danger. When Lord Hugh comes to Winchestre to finalise his betrothal to a wealthy young woman, bringing with him his trusted steward Godric, Janna knows that it's time to choose between the two men who love her - but her purse has been stolen, she's lost all proof of her real identity and she's working as a lowly drudge in a tavern to support herself. Janna is blamed for trying to destroy Sybil Taverner's business, and needs to find out the truth. Instead, she finds herself fighting for her life against those who would silence her forever.

Thyme for Trust by Felicity Pulman

After the siege of Winchestre in 1441, Janna is overjoyed to finally meet her father but soon realises the threat she poses to her new family when an attempt to poison her goes awry. Spiteful tricks follow until, fearing for her safety, Janna persuades her father to take her to Oxeneford where King Stephen has the Empress Matilda under siege and victory within his grasp. Once again Janna risks her life in the empress's cause, which put her at odds with her father until she confides the truth: that her mother was poisoned and she needs his help to bring a murderer to justice. They journey to Wiltune where Janna's father loses no time in securing the king's consent for Janna to marry one of his barons. Janna is desperate to persuade her father to let her marry the man she loves but, to her horror, she discovers that he has been accused of murder. With her future happiness at stake, Janna has one last crime to solve - until the siege of Wiltune turns her life upside down and changes everything.

The Traitor and the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

This is the third colourful and action-packed Victorian detective novel about the exploits of agent Mary Quinn. Queen Victoria has a little problem: a series of petty thefts from Buckingham Palace. She calls the Agency for help, and they put Mary Quinn - on her first case as a full-fledged agent - on the case. Going undercover as a domestic servant, Mary's assignment seems simple enough. But before long, a scandal threatens to tear apart the Royal Family. One of the Prince of Wales' irresponsible young friends is murdered in scandalous circumstances and the story, if it became public, would disgrace the young prince. Should the Queen hush things up or permit justice to take its course? Mary's interest in this private matter soon becomes deeply personal: the killer, a drug-addicted Chinese sailor, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, James Easton's engineering firm wins a contract to repair some sewers beneath Buckingham Palace. Trouble is, there's a tunnel that's not on the plans. Its purpose is unclear. But it seems to be very much in use - it's just not clear by whom. These overlapping puzzles offer a perfect opportunity for James and Mary to work together again. If they can still trust one another. If they can suppress the emotions that still torture them. If Mary can forget the sight of that exquisite blonde she sees in James' drawing-room...In this, Mary's most personal case yet, she faces struggles at every level - legal, political, personal. And she has everything to lose.

Titanic: Collision Course by Gordon Korman

From bestselling author Gordon Korman, a second heart-stopping adventure aboard the unluckiest ship of all.
The Titanic has hit the high seas--and moves steadily toward its doom. Within the luxury of the cabins and the dark underbelly of the ship, mysteries unfold--a secret killer who may be on board, a legacy that may be jeopardized, and a vital truth that will soon be revealed. For Paddy, Sophie, Juliana, and Alfie, life on the Titanic brings both hiding and seeking, as their lives become irrevocably intertwined.
And then, of course, an iceberg appears, and the stage is set for the final scene. (finished copy, reviewed the ARC here)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen

2011-08-03T05:00:00.001-04:00

The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louisen Jensen (Published by Oxford University Press, March 1, 2012)

Set in Georgian England, fifteen-year-old Sophia is trapped by the limitations of living in a man's world. Forced by her father to give up everything she loves, Sophia is ordered to make a new life in Bath. By day, she is trapped in the social whirl of balls and masquerades. By night, she secretly swaps her ball gowns for breeches, and turns to highway robbery to get her revenge . . . When one man begins to take a keen interest in her, Sophia must keep her distance, or risk unmasking her secret life.

I loved all of Marie-Louise Jensen's previous books - she writes wonderful romantic YA historical fiction. So I can't wait to read her next book!

In My Mailbox - 7/30/11

2011-07-30T23:52:00.000-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

Beautiful Days: A Bright Young Things Novel by Anna Godbersen

For the bright young things of 1929, the beautiful days seem endless, filled with romance and heartbreak, adventure and intrigue, friendship and rivalry.
After a month in New York, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur are small-town girls no longer. They spend their afternoons with Astrid Donal at the Greys’ lush Long Island estate and their nights in Manhattan’s bustling metropolis. But Letty’s not content to be a mere socialite. She is ready at last to chase her Broadway dreams—no matter the cost.
Cordelia is still reeling from the death of her father at the hands of Thom Hale, the man she thought she loved. Now she is set to honor Darius Grey’s legacy . . . and take her revenge.
Promised to Cordelia’s half brother, Astrid is caught up in a world of dazzling jewels and glittering nights—and the sparkle is blinding. Charlie Grey is a gangster playing a dangerous game; and for Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty, the stakes could be deadly.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes the second book in an epic series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

Bought:

The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz

In 1779, when genteel Virginia spinster Roxanna Rowan arrives at the Kentucky fort commanded by Colonel Cassius McLinn, she finds that her officer father has died. Penniless and destitute, Roxanna is forced to take her father's place as scrivener. Before long, it's clear that the colonel himself is attracted to her. But she soon realizes the colonel has grave secrets of his own—some of which have to do with her father's sudden death. Can she ever truly love him?

Waiting on Wednesday: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

2011-07-27T16:25:00.000-04:00

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (Published by Putnam, February 7, 2012)

Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric bluestockings—a little odd, a little unfashionable, and far too educated for their own good. The truth is more complicated; they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it could mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before their mother died, she entrusted Cate with keeping them safe and keeping everyone, including their father, in the dark about their powers. When her father employs a governess and Cate begins to receive notes from her missing, presumed-mad godmother, her task becomes much more difficult. As Cate searches for answers in banned books and rebellious new friends, she must juggle unwanted proposals, tea parties, and an illicit attraction to the new gardener. Cate will do anything to protect her sisters, but at what cost to herself?

This book sounds like a great new historical fantasy and I love the cover!

Interview with Alyxandra Harvey, author of Haunting Violet

2011-07-25T16:04:00.004-04:00

This interview was originally supposed to be part of the blog tour for this book, unfortunately I received the answers after the tour was already over.

Here is a summary of this book if you haven't heard of it before, and you can also read my review.

Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.
Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

What inspired you to write a historical fantasy after writing only contemporary set books before?

I love historical fiction and historical fantasy so it was a real pleasure to write Haunting Violet. I actually wrote it before Drake Chronicles. I’ve always felt more comfortable writing historical fantasy than modern-day...but now my favourite is definitely a combination of the two! (Like in Blood Feud)

If you could have a supernatural ability, what would it be? Would you like to have Violet's abilities, or something else?

I would like to be a time traveler. I’m not sure if that counts as a supernatural creature but I’d just really like to visit different periods in history (Regency, Victorian, Ancient Egypt, Iron Age Celts, Middle Ages...) but still come home for my hot shower and ice cream.

What kind of research did you do for the historical aspects of the book?

Proper historical research was mostly done through books. I used recent forays into Victorian society and séances and also the irreplaceable “Mrs. Beetons”.

We also invited a medium to have a sitting for us, which was fascinating. And a friend let me play with her set of Victorian camisoles, corset, gloves and parasol. I was able to admire tiny stitches and the thin white cotton and ribbon details. And having never been to Highgate Cemetery myself, I found YouTube videos surprisingly helpful!

Can you tell us anything about your next book?

I have an urban Faery YA novel coming out in May 2012 called “Stolen Away” which I’m very excited about! I think it has my yummiest and most angsty couple to date.

And, of course, “Bleeding Hearts”, #4 in the Drake Chronicles (US/NA Jan 2012, UK Oct2011)

What are some of your own favorite books and authors?

I love Jane Austen, Mary Oliver, Susanna Kearsley, Holly Black, Terri Windling, Charles de Lint, Patricia McKillip...

When you are not writing, how do you enjoy spending your time?

Walking with my dogs, watching movies with my husband, going to cafes and bookstores, making jewelry...

In My Mailbox - 7/23/11

2011-07-23T16:55:00.004-04:00

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

I just got one new book this week, which I bought:

Circle of Fire by Michelle Zink

With time dwindling but her will to end the Prophecy stronger than ever, Lia sets out on a journey to find the remaining keys, locate the missing pages of the Prophecy, and convince her sister Alice to help--or risk her life trying. Lia has her beloved Dimitri by her side, but Alice has James, the man who once loved her sister--and maybe still does. James doesn't know the truth about either sister, or the prophecy that divides them. And Alice intends to keep it that way.
There are some secrets sisters aren't meant to share. Because when they do, it destroys them. This stunning conclusion to Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy will make saying good-bye bittersweet for readers.

Book review: Our Australian Girl: Letty on the Land by Alison Lloyd

2011-07-23T16:44:00.003-04:00

Our Australian Girl: Letty on the Land by Alison Lloyd (Published by Puffin Books Australia, June 27, 2011)

The year is 1841, and Letty is living in Sydney, Australia, after arriving there with her older sister, Lavinia. Letty was not supposed to be on the ship, but got stuck on it while saying goodbye to her sister. Now she worries that she is too much of a burden for Lavinia, even though she has found a job helping a woman named Mary care for her baby girl. So when Mary, having recovered from the birth, decides to rejoin her husband and son on their sheep farm and asks Letty to come along, she agrees.

The journey from Sydney is long and the farm is very isolated, with the nearest neighbors living miles away. And Letty feels like she is failure. Baby Victoria loves her, but Mary's older child, a little boy named Harry, wants nothing to do with her and she can't even cook without ruining the food. Letty is miserable and even considers returning to Sydney.

This is the third of four books about Letty from the Our Australian Girl series, which is similar to the American Girls series. I wouldn't suggest reading these out of order, they are one story and meant to be read in order. I enjoyed this book and it was nice to see Letty grow up a bit, she was rather passive and guillible in the first book but has gotten braver and smarter since then.

Waiting on Wednesday: A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

2011-07-20T00:49:00.002-04:00

A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink (Published by Dial Books, March 20, 2012)

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world’s past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.
Michelle Zink masterfully weaves historical fantasy with paranormal romance to create a gripping tale of love and betrayal.

I really enjoyed Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters series, so I can't wait to read her next book!

In My Mailbox - 7/16/11

2011-07-16T17:26:00.003-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Bought:

The Rogue's Princess by Eve Edwards

1586 – London, England. Sixteen-year-old Mercy Hart is the daughter of one of London’s richest – and strictest – cloth merchants. Kit Turner is an actor and the illegitimate son of the late Earl of Dorset. A chance encounter finds Kit falling for the beautiful Mercy’s charms, but their love is forbidden. A merchant’s daughter and a vagabond – it simply cannot be. If Mercy chooses Kit she must renounce her family name and leave her home. Will she favour duty over true love, or will she give Kit his heart’s desire?

Before They Were Famous: Julius Caesar by Caroline Corby

In Ancient Rome, the young Gaius Julius Caesar sets out to decipher a vestal’s prophecy and restore his family’s name. As Rome descends into civil war, Gaius seeks refuge outside the city walls, and is forced to fend for himself as his family is torn apart. The time will come to face his enemies – and embark on his rise to Rome’s most famous emperor.

For review:

The Champion by Carla Capshaw

A Warrior without Equal, a Woman without Options
Triumphs in the Coliseum—and society bedchambers— made gladiator Alexius of Iolcos famous for his brutal skill and womanizing ways. Yet the only woman who intrigues him is Tiberia the Younger, who now needs his help. Protecting Tiberia places Alexius in the greatest danger he has ever known—from her vengeful father and his own heart…
Becoming a temple priestess may be an honor, but Tibi can't bear to surrender her freedom or her newfound faith. Alexius's solution stuns her. Marriage…to a gladiator! Scorned by her noble family, Tibi always felt unworthy. But with her champion by her side, can she accept—and give—a love strong enough to vanquish their enemies?

Waiting on Wednesday: Dear America: The Boldest Mask by Susan Patron

2011-07-13T00:46:00.001-04:00

Dear America: The Boldest Mask by Susan Patron (Published by Scholastic, January 1, 2012)

Newbery Award-winning author Susan Patron brings her talents to the beloved Dear America series in this exciting story of a girl growing up in the Wild West, in a California gold mining town.
Growing up in the wild gold-mining town of Bodie, California, in the 1880s, Angeline Reddy has seen it all -- saloons, brawls, and a whole lot of desperation. When her father, Bodie's greatest lawyer, is declared murdered, Angie knows deep in her heart that he isn't dead and decides it is up to her to solve the mystery of what happened to him. But when her mother takes ill, her uncle Ned is arrested for the murder, and a mysterious ghost appears, putting together the puzzle pieces seems impossible. Not to mention, a gang of vigilantes, the 601s, is raging out of control, running folks out of town, and nobody seems safe.
Will Angie, with the help of her friends Ellie and Ling Loi, and the mysterious and tragically handsome Antoine, be able to uncover the secret of her father's disappearance?

I love the Dear America series and I've always liked historical fiction set in the Old West so I'm really looking forward to reading this book.

In My Mailbox - 7/9/11

2011-07-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Bought:

Act of Faith by Kelly Gardiner

England, 1640. Sixteen-year-old Isabella is forced to flee her home when her father’s radical ideas lead him into a suicidal stand against Oliver Cromwell’s army.Taking refuge in Amsterdam and desperate to find a means to survive, Isabella finds work with an elderly printer, Master de Aquila,and his enigmatic young assistant, Willem.
When Master de Aquila travels to Venice to find a publisher brave enough to print his daring new book, Isabella accompanies him and discovers a world of possibility -where women work alongside men as equal partners, and where books and beliefs are treasured.
But in a continent torn apart by religious intolerance, constant danger lurks for those who don’t watch their words. And when the agents of the Spanish Inquisition kidnap de Aquila to stop him printing his book, Isabella and Willem become reluctant allies in a daring chase across Europe to rescue him from certain death.

Our Australian Girl: Grace and Glory by Sofie Laguna

Grace's journey continues in this, the third of four books about a brave convict girl who is given a second chance.
Grace's life as a servant gets off to a shaky start. Her master, Tom, is strict, and even though Grace means to be helpful and hardworking, she is soon in trouble. But there are good things in her new life, too - her kind mistress, Beth, the mysterious Indigenous people nearby, and Glory, the most beautiful horse that Grace has ever seen... When Tom goes away and leaves Grace in charge, there's an emergency. Can Grace save the day?

Our Australian Girl: Letty on the Land by Alison Lloyd

Letty's journey continues in this, the third of exciting four books about a free-settler girl in a new land.
Letty is finally making a life for herself in New South Wales when her world is thrown into turmoil again. The family she is working for are going back to their home in the country, and they want Letty to go with them to the Blue Mountains! Living in the harsh Australian bush is beyond what Letty could have imagined, and she soon starts to wonder if she's made the right choice. But just when she is at her lowest point, someone appears from Letty's past - someone marvellous...

Our Australian Girl: Poppy and the Thief by Gabrielle Wang

Poppy's journey continues in this, the third of four books about a Gold Rush girl who dreams of a better life.
Poppy is on the road again, desperately trying to catch up with her brother. When she meets a mysterious Chinese boy, she thinks she might finally be getting closer to finding Gus and solving the mystery of the Chinese letter with the very special dragon seal. In Wahgunyah, she makes contact with the Chinese community who have come to Victoria to find gold. She's so close to finding out about her father and her Chinese heritage, but then Poppy is framed as a thief and captured! Will anyone believe that she's innocent?

Our Australian Girl: Rose's Challenge by Sherryl Clark

Rose's journey continues in this, the third of four books about a Federation girl who's determined to do things her way!
Rose is finally allowed to go to school - the magnificent St Swithin's! But Rose has never been to school before - will she be able to keep up? Will she fit in? And will she be allowed to join the cricket team?! In the meantime, change is afoot in Melbourne: Federation is imminent, and the suffragette movement is gathering force. When Mother gets ill and Aunt Alice takes a position in a poor state-run school, Rose realises that she has taken a lot for granted - but the changes taking place around her will change Rose's life forever...

Horses for King Arthur by L.S. Lawrence

Britain, the year 475. The world is darkening. In the darkness, there are some who dream. Artorius dreams of victory over the barbarians who raid in the night. And Alexa, half-Roman, dreams of breeding the horses that will carry him to that victory. Soon she will take her chances and follow her dream, wherever it takes her.

Book review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

2011-07-09T00:45:00.003-04:00

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber (Published by Sourcebooks Fire, November 1, 2011)

Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart has been unable to speak since her mother died when she was a little girl, and so she has lived a rather isolated life. After graduating from a school for the deaf and mute and returning home to New York City, she begins writing a diary to pass the time. Her father works for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which in 1880, when the story is set, had only been open for a few years. Natalie becomes interested in a painting of Lord Denbury, a young English nobleman who was recently presumed dead.

From the start, Natalie is fascinated by the lifelike portrait, and she soon learns why. Lord Denbury is not dead, but has been trapped in the painting by an evil demon who has possessed his body. Only Natalie can visit him in the painting, and in her dreams, which have always been dark and disturbing. Natalie and Lord Denbury soon begin to fall in love, but can Natalie save him by defeating the demon and breaking the curse that traps him in the painting?

Darker Still is a book that really stands out from the sea of young adult paranormal romances out there. Both the setting (New York City in 1880) and the story (a demon who trapped someone in a painting) are very unique, as is the format, since the story is told through Natalie's diary. If you are like me and love young adult paranormal romance but are sick and tired of the endless modern vampire and werewolf books, I highly recommend this book, and I think fans of historical fiction would enjoy it as well.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Our Australian Girl: Grace and Glory by Sofie Laguna

2011-07-08T23:27:00.003-04:00

Our Australian Girl: Grace and Glory by Sofie Laguna (Published by Puffin Books Australia, June 27, 2011)

It's 1808, and after a long sea voyage from England on a convict ship, Grace has arrived in Australia, where she must work seven years as a servant before she will be freed. Grace is chosen by a young married couple, Tom and Beth, who are expecting a baby and need a servant to help on their farm in the Australian bush. Grace is happy to have found a home, and the fresh air of Australia is wonderful compared to the slums of London. However, she has never worked as a servant before and is worried about whether she will do a good job.

Beth is very kind to Grace and teaches her how to cook, clean, and care for the garden. However, Tom is suspicious of her, and nothing she does ever seems good enough for her. He also forbids her to stay away from his beautiful horse, Glory, which makes Grace sad because she has always loved horses. When Tom goes away to work, he leaves Grace to look after Beth, but will she be able to find help in time when Beth goes into labor?

Grace and Glory is the third of four books about Grace from the Our Australian Girl series. This series is part of a larger series called Our Australian Girl, which is a bit like the American Girls series, but set in Australia. Of the four girls from the series, Grace is my favorite. She is a very sympathetic charcater, since she had such a hard life in England, where she was an orphan and her uncle mostly left her to fend for herself in the streets, providing only a place for her to sleep at night. I can't wait to read the final book about Grace, A Home for Grace, which will be published in October 2011, so I can find out how her story concludes.

Book review: Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

2011-07-04T00:30:00.001-04:00

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould (Published by Puffin Books UK, April 7, 2011)

When Laura della Scalla was twelve years old, her father sent her to a convent to train as a nun, preferring to spend all the available money on a dowry for her older sister, Beatrice. Life in the convent was miserable and dull, but now, six years later, Laura is shocked to be told she will be leaving the convent and returning home. But nothing is as she hoped it would be. Beatrice has drowned under mysterious circumstances, and Laura must take her place and marry the man their father had arranged for Beatrice to marry. But when Laura meets her future husband, Vincenzo, she is desperate to escape and wishes she could return to the convent rather than marry a cruel, repulsive man who is old enough to be her grandfather.

Willing to do anything to escape her arranged marriage, Laura turns to the Segreta, a secret society of women. They are willing to help her for a price - she must share with them a secret about a rich and powerful member of Venetian society. Willing to do anything, Laura tells them a secret she had sworn never to share - and shortly after, Vincenzo is exiled from Venice after it is revealed that he is a spy, saving Laura from having to marry him. Laura is happy to be saved from a terrible marriage, but she begins to fear the power of the Segreta. And then Laura learns that her sister's death was not an accident, but murder. Laura is determined to solve her sister's murder, but at the same time she is falling in love with a young man who is far below her social class.

I really liked the premise of this book since I love romantic historical fiction with unusual settings. And overall, I did enjoy it for the most part, I loved the setting of Venice and the mystery and romance. But I did have a couple of small complaints. I guessed who the villain would turn out to be rather early on (not sure if it was really predictable or just a lucky guess) and just when everything seemed to be wrapping up nicely for this to be a standalone novel, the ending comes along and seems to leave it very open for a sequel. I've been disappointed lately by the lack of standalone novels and how almost all young adult books are part of a series. Hopefully if there is another book it will be about a different character since I really liked how this story ended for Laura and I'd hate to see it dragged out.

Book review: Dear America: With the Might of Angels by Andrea Davis Pinkney

2011-07-03T22:58:00.002-04:00

Dear America: With the Might of Angels by Andrea Davis Pinkney (Published by Scholastic, September 1, 2011)

Dawnie Rae Johnston begins her diary on her twelth birthday in 1954, the day after the Supreme Court decision ending segregation in schools. Dawnie is one of the top students in her grade at her segregated school, but she wishes she could go to the white school in town, which is a much nicer building, with new books and supplies and even a baseball field. When Dawnie's parents decide to enroll her at the white school for the following school year, she is excited to be attending such a nice school. But many people in Hadley are racist, and her family suffers as a result. Her father loses his job, and many of the teachers and students are cruel to her.

This was a difficult book for me to review, because it was well-written and well-researched, but not to my personal tastes. I always feel bad trying to decide how to review a book when it's well-written but I just didn't enjoy it. And since the Dear America series is one of my favorite series, I had really hoped to enjoy this book, but it's a bad sign when it takes me over two weeks to finish a Dear America book.

I think there were two main reasons why I didn't enjoy it very much. The first reason was that I couldn't relate to the main character at all. She was a tomboy who was obsessed with sports and loved baseball. I am the least athletic person on the planet, gym class was torture for me, and I just got bored and annoyed whenever she would write about sports or use some kind of sport-y metaphor (Which was really often). And the second reason is that, after reading this book and a few others, I've come to the conclusion that for the most part, I just don't like historical fiction set after World War II. It just seems too modern to me. If you are interested in the Civil Rights Movement or 1950s history in general, and this book sounds like something you would enjoy, don't let my review put you off reading it. I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, and like I said it's well-written, it just didn't interest me.

Book review: Our Australian Girl: Letty and the Stranger's Lace by Alison Lloyd

2011-07-03T22:48:00.005-04:00

Our Australian Girl: Letty and the Stranger's Lace by Alison Lloyd (Published by Puffin Books Australia, May 2, 2011)

It's 1841, and Letty and her older sister Lavinia have just arrived in Sydney, Australia after a long sea voyage from England. Nothing has gone as planned - Letty was not supposed to be on the ship in the first place, and Lavinia's job in Sydney has fallen through. Now they must stay in a boardinghouse for single female immigrants while they try to find jobs.

Lavinia finds a job working as a servant in a grand house, but nobody seems to want Letty, because she is young and not as pretty as her older sister. Her only friend besides her sister was Abner, a young sailor on the ship, and now that the ship is leaving Letty will probably never see him again. Letty feels alone and rejected. Can Letty adjust to life in Sydney and find a job and a home?

This is the second of four books about Letty from the Our Australian Girl series, which is similar to the American Girls series. I wouldn't suggest reading these out of order, they are one story and meant to be read in order. I enjoyed this book and it was nice to see Letty being less passive and gullible compared to the first book. And as an American, I have really enjoyed learning about Australian history from the books in this series.

Book review: Tomorrow Girls: Run for Cover by Eva Gray

2011-07-03T03:35:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow Girls: Run for Cover by Eva Gray (Published by Scholastic, July 1, 2011)

Rosie, Evelyn, Louisa, and Maddie are four young teenage girls who were sent to a remote boarding school to keep them safe from the war. But the girls discovered a terrible secret - their boarding school was run by the enemy, the Alliance, who tricked parents into sending their children there to be used as hostages - and decided to escape.

This book picks up right where book one, Behind the Gates, left off, as the girls decide to try and find their way to Chicago to reunite with their parents and expose the truth about the school. Shortly after, they run into three boys from the nearby boys' boarding school, who are away from the school on a camping trip and who decide to join them after learning the truth about their schools. This time the narrator is Rosie, who has a secret - she knows all about being on the run, because her wealthy parents arranged for their illegal immigration to the United States after their home in Mexico was destroyed. She takes on the job of leading the group, but can she bring them to safety, especially when they find themselves trapped in Alliance-occupied Canada?

While I enjoyed the continuing story of the four girls, and will definitely read the final two books to find out how the story concludes, I had the same problem with this book as I did with book one. There's no information at all about who the Alliance is and what caused the war, just that it happened after life had already changed in the United States due to climate change and natural disasters. I'm still hoping the other books in the series will have an explanation, despite this being a middle grade book I think there should be something more than just "There's a war with bad people on the other side." I think this series would still be a good choice for younger readers who are interested in the popular dystopian genre but not ready for young adult books, and even for older readers who want a quick read. I just wish the background of the story had been a bit more detailed.

In My Mailbox - 7/3/11

2011-07-03T00:33:00.003-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

Bought:

Traitor's Kiss by Pauline Francis

This is the captivating true story of the young Elizabeth I, as she struggles to survive the treacherous world of Tudor England. After the death of her father, Henry VIII, a young Elizabeth journeys to London to live with her father's widow, Katherine Parr, and her new husband, Thomas Seymour, brother-in-law to King Edward. Surrounded by malicious whisperings of her late mother's witchcraft, Elizabeth is desperate to escape suspicion and discover the truth about her mother. A young stranger asserting Anne's Boleyn's innocence sends her on search a that takes her on a dangerous midnight journey to Bedlam, the hospital for the insane, to meet her mother's former lady-in-waiting. This encounter changes the way she views her mother - and herself. Meanwhile, at home, Elizabeth's reputation is increasingly under threat, as her stepfather, Thomas Seymour makes unwanted advances toward her. Her stepmother witnesses a kiss and Elizabeth is sent back to Hertfordshire in disgrace. Here she falls seriously ill and rumours abound that she is hiding a pregnancy. When Thomas Seymour is arrested for treason in a plot to overthrow King Edward, Elizabeth is implicated by association. Now it is up to her to defend her integrity - and her life...From the author of the best-selling Raven Queen comes a new masterpiece of historical fiction.

Wolf Blood by N.M. Browne

A Celtic warrior girl is held captive and enslaved by a rival tribe. When fever takes her only friend she knows she must escape, but she runs straight into the path of two Roman foot soldiers. Thinking they will kill a warrior instantly, the girl disguises herself as a beggar and asks to share their fire. Using her gift as a seer she discovers that one of the soldiers is not what he seems. Celtic blood courses through his veins too, but there is something else. He is a shapeshifter - a Versipellum. He shares his soul with that of the wolf. The girl needs to reach the leader of her dead friend's tribe, and the boy must escape the Romans before they discover his true nature. Their only chance of survival is to help each other. But what will happen when their powers are combined?

Tomorrow Girls: Run for Cover by Eva Gray

In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.
Now that best friends Louisa, Rosie, Evelyn, and Maddie know the truth -- or at least the danger they're in -- the girls have run away from their "safe" country retreat. But life is riskier than ever, and Rosie still doesn't know who she can trust.
Rosie's survival skills are top-notch. But how well can she keep her own secrets?

For review:

The Flappers: Ingenue by Jillian Larkin

Bobbed hair. Short skirts. Cool jazz. Dark speakeasy. Anything goes. Meet the flappers, Gloria, Clara, Lorraine . . . and the rich young boys who love and loathe them.

Waiting on Wednesday: Deadly Voyage: RMS Titanic by Hugh Brewster

2011-06-29T17:04:00.000-04:00

I Am Canada: Deadly Voyge: RMS Titanic by Hugh Brewster

Fourteen-year-old Jamie Laidlaw is returning to Canada from England aboard the Titanic. In his four days on board, he busies himself with new friends, finding ways to explore the ship’s forbidden areas, and generally landing himself in trouble.
When disaster strikes and the horrifying scramble for survival ensues, Jamie is on the front lines — struggling to help free the lifeboats and get people on board them. When a huge wave washes over the ship’s sloping deck, it’s time for Jamie to take action — and take his fate into his own hands. With hundreds of others, he dives into the sea, hoping he will find a way to survive.
Since its launch in Fall 2010, the I Am Canada series has been praised for its accurate and energetic exploration of fascinating moments in Canadian history, through the eyes of young men who lived through them. In Deadly Voyage, award-winning author and noted Titanic historian Hugh Brewster draws from his vast knowledge of that fateful journey to create an enthralling tale of historical fiction — the ultimate adventure, whose terrifying end we know all too well

I love reading historical fiction about the Titanic, and with the 100th anniversary next year, there are several new books being published in the next few months. I usually prefer books with female main characters, but I will be reading this one because it's about the Titanic, and also the series is a male version of the Dear Canada series, which I love. I actually have three other books from the I Am Canada series on my shelf already, but I still need to read them.

In My Mailbox - 6/25/11

2011-06-25T19:10:00.001-04:00

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

Here are the new books I got this week:

For review:

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw

The Night of Souls—when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest—is only days away.
Albion is at war . . . and losing.
The wardens have descended, kidnapping innocent citizens for their army, but looking for one in particular.
And fifteen-year-old Kate Winters has just raised a blackbird from the dead.
As her home is torn apart by the wardens, Kate's discovery that she is one of the Skilled—the rare people who can cross the veil between life and death—makes her the most hunted person in all of Albion. Only she can unlock the secrets of Wintercraft, the ancient book of dangerous knowledge. Captured and taken to the graveyard city of Fume—with its secret tunnels and underground villages, and where her own parents met their deaths ten years ago—Kate must harness her extraordinary powers to save herself, her country, and the two men she cares for most. And she'll make a pact with a murderer to do it.
Those who wish to see the dark, be ready to pay your price.

Bought:

Cross my Heart by Sasha Gould

Laura della Scala knows nothing beyond the convent walls which have trapped and bound her since she was twelve years old. A single night will change her life. She will soon learn the difference between an arranged marriage and true, reckless love. Venice is a dangerous city. Intrigue, romance and power lie at its heart and secrets run through the blood of its rulers. They call Laura 'La Muta'. The Silent One. She is about to break her silence ...but at what cost?

Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.
Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Leo, a lonely lad, befriends Rose Red, and together they begin hunting for the Mountain Monster which, rumor says, stalks these lands.
But the hunt which began as a game holds greater risk than Leo supposes. Rose Red can scarcely guess at the consequences should he insist on continuing his search. Dare she trust him with her secret? Or tell him what dwells at the top of the mountain in the cave only she can find?
Above all, when Leo asks Rose Red to leave the mountain and follow him to the low country, dare she agree and risk the wrath of a Monster that is all too real?

Book review: The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

2011-06-24T13:45:00.001-04:00

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell (Published by HarperCollins, September 6, 2011)

This creative and original retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" is set in Sylvania, a fictional region of Romania, in the fifteenth century. Thirteen-year-old Reveka has recently arrived at Castle Sylvian, where she is an apprentice to the castle's herbalist. Because her mother died when she was a baby and her father was a soldier, Reveka grew up in a convent until her father retired from the army, and it was there that she was first trained in herbalism. Unlike most girls, Reveka hopes never to marry and would prefer to become the herbalist for a convent, but she is not wealthy enough to obtain such a position.

For several years now, the twelve princesses of Sylvania have been cursed. Their dancing shoes are worn out every morning, but no one knows where they go at night. Anyone who stays with them at night to try to find out is cursed with a sleep that no one has woken from. Their father, Prince Vasile, is desperate to break the curse so his daughters can leave the castle to marry, because he has no sons and needs a grandson to be his heir. So he has offered a reward - if a man solves the mystery, he can marry one of the princesses, and if a woman solves the mystery, she will receive a dowry. Reveka knows she could use that dowry to join a convent as an herbalist, so she decides to investigate, and discovers a far more complicated msytery than she ever expected, leaving her with difficult choices.

I love fairy tale retellings, and The Princess Curse is now among my favorites in the genre. It's a wonderful mix of fairy tale, mythology, and historical fantasy, and Reveka is a delightful and entertaining narrator. I also loved the unusual setting of Medieval Romania, which really came to life. The Princess Curse is an enchanting debut novel by Merrie Haskell, and I look forward to reading her future books - in particular, I'd love to read a sequel to this book, because while it has a satisfying conclusion, I'd definitely love to read more of Reveka's adventures.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Fateful by Claudia Gray

2011-06-24T13:44:00.002-04:00

Fateful by Claudia Gray (Published by HarperTeen, September 13, 2011)

For years, Tess Davies has worked as a maid for the Lisle family at their manor house in England. But she has always dreamed of a better life, and now that she has saved up enough money, she has decided leave her job. And she gets the perfect opportunity when she is chosen to accompany the Lisles on an ocean voyage to New York. A new country is the perfect place to start a new life. And they are sailing on the maiden voyage of the largest, most elegant ship ever built, the RMS Titanic.

Shortly before boarding the ship, Tess meets Alec Marlowe, a handsome first class passenger. He saves her life - then warns her to stay away. Alec clearly has a terrible secret, but Tess is drawn to him despite that. The two quickly find themselves falling in love, but the biggest obstacle to their relationship isn't their different social classes. An evil brotherhood of werewolves is stalking Alec, determined to force him to join them - and now they are after Tess, too. And as if that wasn't enough, they will face a far greater danger before the voyage is over.

I have been fascinated by the story of the Titanic for many years (even before the movie was released) so when I first heard about the plot of Fateful, I was a bit aghast at the idea of a novel about werewolves set on the Titanic. But I'll read just about anything set on the Titanic so I knew I had to read it, and I'm really glad I did, because this book turned out to be really good - it's one of my favorite books I've read recently, and probably my favorite paranormal romance ever. I loved the romance between Tess and Alec. They were adorable together and it was so sweet how protective and caring he was towards her, unlike in some paranormal romances where the guy acts like a jerk because of some supernatural curse that made his life miserable and the poor girl falls in love with him anyway for some reason. If you love historical romance, paranormal romance, or books about the Titanic, I highly recommend Fateful.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Meet Marie-Grace by Sarah Masters Buckey

2011-06-23T23:36:00.001-04:00

Meet Marie-Grace by Sarah Masters Buckey (Published by American Girl, August 30, 2011)

Nine-year-old Marie-Grace Gardner was born in New Orleans, where she lived with her father, an American doctor, and her mother, who came from a French family, until her mother and baby brother died in an epidemic. After her mother's death, Marie-Grace and her father moved north, where her father grew up. Now, in January 1853, Marie-Grace and her her father have finally moved back to New Orleans.

Marie-Grace is happy to be back in New Orleans and hopes she never has to move again, since she and her father moved many times in the past four years. She is excited to explore New Orleans, see her relatives from her mother's side of the family again, and go to school, where she can hopefully make friends. But the girls at school are unkind to her and she feels like an outsider. Her only friend is Cécile, a young girl her age who is a free person of color from a wealthy family in New Orleans. The two girls meet at the opera house where Marie-Grace hopes to take singing lessons, and quickly become friends.

I loved the American Girls series growing up and I credit it, along with the Little House and Dear America books, for helping me develop a love for historical fiction. Even though I am an adult now, I was very interested when I saw that the newest American Girl series would be from the perspectives of two girls from very different backgrounds growing up in New Orleans in 1853. The historical setting is very interesting since New Orleans was such a multicultural city and very different from the rest of the United States in the mid 19th century. I think young girls will enjoy this series while hopefully learning a bit about a very unique place and time from American history.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Titanic, Book Two: Collision Course by Gordon Korman

2011-06-23T23:28:00.001-04:00

Titanic, Book Two: Collision Course by Gordon Korman (Published by Scholastic, August 1, 2011)

This book picks up right where book one, Unsinkable, ended, and continues the story of four young teenagers on the Titanic. Juliana and Sophie are both passengers in first class, Alfie is a young steward who lied about his age so that he could work on the Titanic with his father, and Paddy accidentally stowed away in the ship's cargo while hiding from gangsters in Belfast, where the ship was built. Although the four teens had very little in common, they were thrown together by events on board the ship.

Paddy's secret has been discovered, and now he must travel throughout the ship, hiding from his pursuers. Juliana has learned the terrible reason why her father brought her on his business trip to America, and now she is desperate to escape. Meanwhile, they have discovered that a serial killer is hiding among the Titanic's passangers, but how can they discover his identity on a ship with so many passengers? Unfortunately, an even worse danger lies ahead when the Titanic collides with an iceberg.

This book was a good continuation of the story from the first book and once again ends on a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, I now how to wait until September, when the final book in the trilogy will be published, to find out what happens to all the characters when the ship sinks - that's what I get for reading an advance copy! Although the series is written for middle grade readers, I recommend it to anyone who is fascinated by the Titanic. Although if you hate cliffhangers, you may want to just wait until September, so you can read the whole series together.

Waiting on Wednesday: Velvet by Mary Hooper

2011-06-22T16:15:00.003-04:00

Velvet by Mary Hooper (Published by Bloomsbury UK, September 5, 2011)

Rose is a laundress in a Victorian steam laundry. With both her mother and father dead, she is an orphan and has to rely upon her own wits to make a living. The laundry is scalding, back-breaking work and Rose is desperate to create a better life for herself. Then Rose is noticed by Madame X, a famed medium, who asks Rose to come to work for her. Rose is dazzled at first by the young yet beautifully dressed and bejewelled Madame. But soon Rose realises that Madame X is not all that she says she is, and Rose's very life is in danger ...A romantic and thrillingly exciting new novel from an acclaimed and much-loved historical writer for teens.

I have read and enjoyed several other young adult historical novels by Mary Hooper, so I am really looking forward to reading her next book.