Monday, August 13, 2012

Mailbox Monday - 8/13/12

Mailbox Monday is being hosted by 5 Minutes for Books for the month of August.

This post has the last two weeks of books, since I forgot to post last week.

My Story: Lady Jane Grey by Sue Reid

This is the tragic story of Lady Jane Grey who was Queen of England for nine days in July 1553. Jane grew up watching her cousins in training as heirs to the throne, little imagining that by a twist of fate she would one day be crowned. But this is Tudor England where nobody plays fair, and even a queen isn't safe from those who wish her harm.


My Story: Nowhere to Run by Carol Drinkwater

Becky Mortkowicz's family are Jewish refugees from Poland, while Claudette leads a happy carefree life in Paris. Two girls from very different backgrounds, but the horrors of the Nazi occupation will bring them dramatically together. Becky's family have been forced to flee Warsaw for France and are offered a home by Claudette's father. The friendship between the two girls blossoms, but Becky's safe haven is short lived as the Nazis edge ever nearer the French border. Her family are soon on the move again. But even in the so-called Free Zone there are murmurings that an invasion may be imminent. Will Becky survive the war to see Claudette again?


Meet Caroline by Kathleen Ernst

Caroline Abbott is doing what she loves most—sailing on Lake Ontario with Papa—when her world turns upside down. A British officer boards their sloop, announces that Britain and America are at war, and takes her father prisoner. As Papa is led away, Caroline promises him that she will stay strong and steady until he returns. She tries hard to keep her promise by helping Mama run the family’s shipyard. Then the British attack her village and it looks as if the American side is in trouble. Can Caroline stay steady enough to help win the day?


The Book of Tormod: A Templar's Destiny by Kat Black

The final book in Kat Black's historical fantasy trilogy!Tormod MacLeod's brother, Torquil, has been captured and locked in a dungeon hidden in the depths of the French royal castle. Tormod and Aine journey to France, hoping to save him, but the search is proving more difficult than they ever imagined--and getting out alive seems impossible. Meanwhile, they must stop the wicked plot that King Philippe le Bel has put in motion to destroy the Knights Templar from within. Their journey takes them all the way to the French court, where they meet the enchanting Princess Isabella. She has her eye on Tormod, and Aine notices. Their chances of accomplishing all they've set out to do while keeping the power of the Holy Vessel from being exposed to the world are slim, and in the end, Tormod has a devastating decision to make.


Horse Diaries: Tennessee Rose by Jane Kendall

Alabama, 1856. Tennessee Rose is a dark bay Tennessee Walking Horse with a rose-shaped marking on her forehead. She loves dashing around the plantation in the running walk that her breed is famous for, then coming back to her comfortable stall and her friend Levi, the slave boy who is her groom. But as the Civil War approaches, Rosie begins to question plantation life. Is slavery fair? Could Levi be free? Like Black Beauty, this moving novel is told in first person from the horse's point of view and includes an appendix full of photos and facts about Tennessee Walking Horses and the Civil War.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen

Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen (Published by Oxford University Press, March 1, 2013)

"You're smugglers?" "That ain't what we call ourselves." His voice rumbled deep in his chest. "We're Gentlemen o' the Night.
In the autumn of 1720, Isabelle does something which changes her life for ever. But though Isabelle has fled, she is still trapped. If the secret of her previous life is revealed then the smugglers who have found her will not let her stay on board The Invisible - and she has nowhere else to go. To survive, Isabelle must help her captors - even though she detests what they do. But soon her principles are thrown into confusion, as she discovers that outwitting the King's Men fills her with excitement. Soon she finds herself becoming fiercely loyal to the crew - and to one mysterious smuggler in particular ...


I love Marie-Louise Jensen's young adult historical novels - they always have great stories and interesting (and usually unique!) historical settings. So I can't wait to read her next book.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: Dear America: A City Tossed and Broken by Judy Blundell

Dear America: A City Tossed and Broken by Judy Blundell (Published by Scholastic, March 1, 2013)

From National Book Award-winning author Judy Blundell, a thrilling account of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
When Minnie Bonner's father disappears after losing the Bonners' Philadelphia tavern, the wealthy gentleman Edward Sump, led by his avaricious wife, offers Minnie a chance to work as a lady's maid to support her family. The Sumps have grand plans, grander than the city of Philadelphia can offer, and decide to move to San Francisco--the greatest city in the west. But when a powerful earthquake strikes, Minnie finds herself the sole survivor among them. After the dust settles, Minnie discovers a bag belonging to the Sumps filled with cash and papers that could drastically change her fortune. With no one else to claim it, Minnie has turned into an heiress overnight.
Wealth comes at a price, however, and she is soon wrapped up in a deception that leads her down a dangerous path. As the aftermath of the earthquake ravages the city, Minnie continues to maintain her new identity. That is, until a mysterious but familiar stranger appears.


I have enjoyed the Dear America series for many years, and I always thought the San Francisco Earthquake would be a good setting for a book in the series, so I am happy there will finally be a book with this setting, and I can't wait to read it.
 
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