See Michelle Read

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

2012-01-31T19:53:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh. This video.

It's simply lovely -- and very much deserving of that Oscar nomination.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

2012-01-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

Will Scarlet is a brilliant thief, has more knives than you could count (and a deadly sharp aim with said knives), a sharp temper, and numerous scars gained before and after joining up with the notorious Robin Hood.

Will Scarlet also happens to be a girl.

But no one outside of Robin, John Little and Much are privy to that secret -- something she is hoping to keep even more quiet as the cruel Sheriff of Nottingham has enlisted the aid of the single-minded Thief Taker, Guy of Gisbourne. For all her stealth and cunning, Scarlet begins once again to taste fear at the thought of crossing paths with Gisbourne. But Scarlet's loyalty lies solely with Robin in his quest to help the misused people of Nottingham so Scarlet will stay and help him fight. Even as she watches her most carefully guarded secrets slowly come to light.

My love for the story of Robin Hood is one that goes back quite a ways. And despite the many, many book and movie adaptations, there are just a couple that stand out to me ones that do it justice. So when I came across reviews for new retelling by debut author A.C. Gaughen, you can be sure I was ready to test it out. Happily, Scarlet is one of those rare breed of retellings that manages to alter the characters just so while adding surprising plot developments yet still retaining much of the original Robin Hood story. Which makes for one fresh and entertaining read you can be sure. I was drawn in by Scarlet's distinct voice from word go and enjoyed every single moment I spent in her company. I can see why Rob, John, and Much are so drawn to her. Just like myself, they see this person wrapped in contradictions. A thief who gives everything she steals, a skilled fighter yet a pretty girl, a girl with a foul temper and a tender heart -- she's too mysterious by half. A.C. Gaughen does a fantastic job at slowly revealing each new facet of Scarlet's personality.

Scarlet is a fine piece of historical fiction. Not only is Scarlet's speech rough and coarse but the author doesn't shy away from the violence that was a trademark of the Middle Ages. Death and pain were common aspects of life and Scarlet is surrounded by their harshness at every turn. Confronted by these stark realities at an early age Scarlet has naturally become a defensive person - often rude and unapologetic of her faults and for that alone I love her. Well, not that's she's rude -- but that she's not going to take the easy way out in life. Scarlet's a fighter. And sometimes she's just as deadly with her words as she is with her knives. Which is perhaps why her interactions with Rob are ultimately so satisfying as he plays the Hero to her Criminal. Even if she is something of a hero in everyone else's eyes. You can be sure I'm definitely going to add Scarlet to my oh-so short list of fantastic Robin Hood retellings.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
The Allure of Books review
Angieville review
My Guilty Obsession review

book source: Netgalley

Meg Rosoff at Shelf Awareness

2011-12-14T12:22:00.000-08:00

Today Meg Rosoff is over at Shelf Awareness talking about her latest book There Is No Dog. And while I wasn't over the moon about this one, I always love getting an inside look on the author's perspective.

And if you need yet another reason to check out the interview (i'ts MEG ROSOFF, you don't need another reason!) -- there's also a picture of Eck.

Who is even more adorably odd than I expected him to be.

Have you read There Is No Dog yet? Thoughts?

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

2011-12-09T13:09:00.001-08:00

Funny books are something I am always on the lookout for. Call it a quest of sorts. But funny books with true cleverness, real characters and an intriguing story? Well, let's just say that combination is a little harder to find. But once in a while I get lucky and stumble upon a read with all those qualifications. Actually Hold Me Closer, Necromancer has all that and more to tell you the truth. I mean with a cover quote like the one it's gotten from Sherman Alexie you just know it's gonna rock.

Samhain Corvus Lacroix -- understandably Sam for short -- is 19 years old, a college drop-out and is currently holding onto one of the more coveted careers of fry cook. And while not totally sure what he wants to do with his life, Sam is happy to go to work, hang out with his best friend Ramon and his co-workers Brooke and Frank and maybe add in a game of potato hockey now and then. However, it's the potato hockey that starts all his troubles when a flying spud damages the car of one Seriously Creepy Guy. Turns out Seriously Creepy Guy (aka Douglas) is a powerful necromancer and he doesn't take kindly to another necromancer (that would be Sam) crossing into his turf unannounced. Previous to their encounter, Sam had zero idea that he too was a necromancer but that doesn't mean squat to Douglas who has given Sam a measly week to join up with Douglas. Or else.

My friends, this is seriously one awesome book. In fact, as I was flipping through trying to decide on a tasty snippet to share with you I found myself reading through whole chapters all over again. Finally I gave up and simply re-read the whole shebang once more, it's just that good. Sam is also that darn lovable. Basically he's a nerd who considers skateboarding a fine mode of transportation and video games the height of entertainment but Lish McBride manages to take all that awkwardness and does something magical with it. He's dorky but sweet and so scared out his mind by all the crazy being thrown his way (understandably) but through it all he remains loyal and by the end has truly come into his own. Plus, the kid has some side-splitting one-liners. No joke, I laughed myself silly over this book even during the totally creepy parts. Like the time Sam watches Douglas raise a dead man for the first time:

The finished body was a man, maybe midforties, with a receding hairline. His suit looked a little dirt-stained, but all in all he looked like your average American businessman. Except he was dead. And not just soul-dead like most cublicle workers, but acutally dead.
"Go ahead," Douglas said. "Ask him a question."
"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" The zombie stared back at me blankly.
Douglas glared at me. I heard Brid stifle a giggle from inside the cage. Good to know I wasn't the only one who'd read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. How come I couldn't meet a nice, naked, well-read girl until I was kidnapped and thrown into a cage?

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer is somewhat of an odd duck (sorta like our man Sam) but it's one truly awesome book. And to help tide me over until the sequel comes out next fall (thank you publishing gods!) there's even a free novella about Sam's Harbinger Ashley on Amazon that you'll want to check out for sure.

series reading order:
~ Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
~ Necromancing the Stone (Sept. 2012)

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy review
The Book Smugglers review
Forever Young Adult review
Good Books & Good Wine review

book source: bought

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lanini Taylor

2011-12-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

There are certain books that call to me. It all starts with a tickle when the buzz begins to build around the blogosphere, then a few of my trusted bookish friends simply rave about the book in their reviews and I'm definitely hooked. And hey, a stunning cover doesn't hurt matters much either. Such is the case with Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. It was basically only a matter of time before I picked up this gorgeous book. Really, I am powerless in the face of such an premise:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

This book -- oh, this book is so good. It's utterly intricate and builds to a level of sophistication that made me fall in love from page one. I honestly want to sit down and reread it all over again just so I can go back and smile at all the subtle clues to Karou's unique story that Laini Taylor delicately inserts along the way. It's just that deftly woven. Karou's gorgeous depictions of her artistic life in Prague and her time spent travelling the world over as a messenger from Brimstone - the head of her own personal demon 'family' - could not have entranced me more.

Each character is something special: chimera, seraph, and human alike. Such artistic descriptions of Karou's beloved 'monsters' contrast with the fierce solider-aspect of the 'angels' she encounters. They each have their moments of kindness and brutality but Taylor is quite capable at liberally dosing them all with plenty of wit and sarcasm to keep the story from becoming too heavy.

And if you think the angel and demons trope has been done to death, well, think again. Taylor's mythology is haunting and beautiful and unlike anything else I've ever read. Due in part to her striking language usage (I was all but eating up sections of dialogue and descriptions) this is one truly expertly crafted book. I honestly don't know anyone else who writes like Laini Taylor. She is the definition of Clever. I've been meaning to track down her earlier books for ages but Daughter of Smoke and Bone makes me want to grab them like NOW. Lucky us it's planned as a trilogy. I simply cannot wait to enter Karou's world again.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Book Harbinger review
Chachic's Book Nook review
The Crooked Shelf review
Good Books & Good Wine review
Janicu's Book Blog review

book source: Paperback Swap

The Hour of Dust and Ashes by Kelly Gay + Giveaway

2011-09-01T05:24:00.000-07:00

As far as urban fantasy series goes, the Charlie Madigan books deserve all kinds of love. I was first attracted this is exceptional series by their dynamic covers (I bow down to the genius of Chris McGrath) and have kept coming back for more after spending some time with Charlie and her family. Truly these books have so much going for them: a loyal and determined heroine, unique mythology, and a cast of quippy characters.

**SPOILER WARNING** You know the drill folks. We're onto the third book in this first-rate series so, you know, spoilers for the previous books contained herein and all that.

Special Forces Detective Charlie Madigan has never been one to sit back and let others handle her problems. She's more of a confront them head on and beat them until they lie shivering in a corner type of gal. Unfortunately that tactic isn't working too well for her at the moment. Charlie's currently juggling a precocious magic-wielding daughter who thinks a hellhound makes a excellent pet, a sarcastic revenant currently residing in her ex-husband's body (and in her house), some curious new DNA which is giving her wicked yet unpredictable magical abilities, and a very new and very unexplored relationship with her longtime siren partner Hank. Charlie's most immediate concern however is the safety of her younger sister Bryn whose inadvertent addiction to the off-world drug ash has left her susceptible to possession and even death after other ash addicts begin to commit suicide. As a last resort (frankly the only option she has left) in helping her sister, Charlie agrees to a plan that will most likely kill her if she doesn't play it safe. Too bad she's never been particularly good at toeing that line.

Well. Seeing as we are now onto book three, The Hour of Dust and Ashes certainly ups the ante as far as tension goes. Despite the non-stop action, most of my favorite scenes are the ones that focus more on Charlie's relationships. I simply never get tired of her interactions with the swaggering revenant Rex or her feisty daughter Emma. And as far as Hank is concerned, let's just say that Kelly Gay gets the sizzle juuusst right in that department.

Even though I spend every first 50 or so pages of Kelly Gay's books trying to remember the complicated names and belief systems of the opposing Elysian and Charybdon races, I am still all kinds of fascinated by the heaven/hell mythology she has created. Especially as Charlie visits Charybdon (yeah, that would be hell) for the first time in The Hour of Dust and Ashes. Suffice to say, it's one skeery place. Though our girl Charlie fits right in. I really don't see this series going stale any time soon as Ms. Gay still has so much to explore in terms of cultures and relationships. I for one want to be there with Charlie as she gets a better handle on it all.

And holy crap! Hank!! My lips are sealed on that front, but all I can say is Charlie really has her work cut out for her in book 4. Want. Now.

Thanks to Pocket Books, I have one copy of The Hour of Dust and Ashes to giveaway. Open to US residents only, giveaway will run through September 12, 2011. Fill out the form below to enter.

<p>Loading...</p>series reading order:
~ The Better Part of Darkness - my review
~ The Darkest Edge of Dawn - my review
~ The Hour of Dust and Ashes

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Books and Things review
RT Book Review

book source: review copy from the publisher

Patrick Ness on Shelf Awareness

2011-08-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

Patrick Ness is one of my favorite fantasy authors. I've been anxiously awaiting his latest, A Monster Calls, and truly loved his entire Chaos Walking series (as did the critics - Monsters of Men won the 2011 Carnegie Medal - I mean, did you listen to his amazing acceptance speech?). Today Shelf Awareness featured this unique author on their Maximum Shelf page with an interview and lots of insights into his books. Some fabulous stuff is there. Go check it out. And then go read his books.

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

2011-08-22T05:41:00.000-07:00

I've said this before but it bears repeating: Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry novels are pure bookcrack to me: fast-paced, tension-filled and utterly entertaining. I cannot begin to tell you how much I have been dying to get my hands on her latest book, Chain Reaction, which follows the youngest Fuentes brother, Luis. Especially since I was able to meet the hilarious Ms. Elkeles at the RT Book Fair last April. She mentioned then that she had set up Luis as a good boy who falls for a 'bad' girl - and I have been anxiously awaiting the story ever since.

As the youngest of three brothers Luis Fuentes knows what he wants in life: to someday work for NASA as an aerospace engineer. Which means he's got to work hard at school and stay far, far away from any kind of trouble like his two brothers got into. Luis is all set to see his dream come true when his mother decides to move back to Fairfield, Illinois which means Luis is now surrounded by memories of his past - and the Latino Blood gang. Also there to distract Luis is the prickly Nikki Cruz who, despite her Mexican heritage, wants absolutely nothing to do any guy from the south side of Fairfield - especially Luis.

Oh Luis! How I was hoping to fall for your story! Instead, I came away from Chain Reaction feeling as if the book had only been half-way written. Like I had ended up with the cliff notes version. It's almost as if in the midst of all the family secrets revealed, dangerous gang fights, and tying up of loose ends that Ms. Elkeles forgot to finish developing Nikki and Luis to their fullest potential. The story simply felt too stilted and predictable to be satisfying. Which doesn't make sense at all because Simone Elkeles proved with Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction that she is genius at taking a formulaic story (bad boy meets good girl, sparks fly) and making it special. Neither of her two previous novels could ever be classified as campy or contrived, but that's the vibe I got from Chain Reaction.

For example (but without going into spoilery details) I have NO idea how Luis could ever think he needed to 'stick close' to the LB gang in order to 'protect' his family. Really? Doesn't he already have two prime examples in the form of his brothers Alex and Carlos on Why It's Always Smarter To Stay Away From Gangs? He's supposedly the smart Fuentes brother but all I saw was one stupid choice after another. And aside from one or two honest confessions, it seemed like the boy spouted lies continually - especially to Nikki, which frustrated me to no end. Numerous times she tries to explain to him that lies are a definite deal-breaker yet Luis continues to keep the truth from her. And in the end, it doesn't really matter to her! I suppose lust (since I never saw them develop any sort of real relationship) can make up for a lot of things. That's just one of my frustrations with Nikki and Luis as a couple.

Sadness. I wanted to love this book so much more than I did. I guess I'll just have to go and comfort myself with a much needed rereading of Perfect Chemistry.

series reading order:
~ Perfect Chemistry - my review
~ Rules of Attraction - my review
~ Chain Reaction

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Books Complete Me review
Confessions of a Bookaholic review
The Irish Banana Review

book source: review copy from the publicist

Dilemma

2011-08-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

So I'm busy trying to finish reading The Help in my spare moments (ha!) before seeing the movie with some friends tonight when these two lovlies showed up today.

My self control just isn't that good people.

Minimalist Fairy Tale Posters

2011-08-11T04:38:00.000-07:00

Check out these to-die-for minimalist fairy tale posters featured on Flavorwire.

The cleverness kills me.

Thanks to Julie for the heads up.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

2011-08-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

Gwyneth always knew her family was holding onto generations worth of secrets but she never imagined she'd get a first-hand glimpse at them. It's her beautiful cousin Charlotte who has been prepped to become the next time traveller in the Shepherd family but instead it's Gwen who is suddenly disappearing from school into the 18th century without a clue of what to do. Enter the Guardians and her fellow time-traveler Gideon de Villiers (with eyes to die for ladies) who whisk Gwen off to a life of fabulous period dresses and mortal danger lurking in nearly every year she visits.

I really have no idea how a book in which so little happens could be so much fun. It must be the effortless inquisitiveness of Gwyneth and her best friend Leslie as they attempt to unravel the many, many mysteries of the new life Gwen has been throw into. Despite Gwen being completely unsure of her new role in all this time-travel business, she's not all 'boo hoo! poor me!' - she's actually excited to wear the clothes, see the sights, and get the answers to her questions! I just love me a proactive heroine. Plus Gwen and Leslie's friendship is plain awesome. Leslie is never jealous of Gwen's new 'talent,' frankly she's her biggest fan. And in turn Gwen doesn't forget about Leslie amidst all the drama of her new life. Leslie is still the first person to hear all about her crazy experiences. So very, very refreshing for a YA novel.

If that weren't enough, Ruby Red also offers up a centuries-old secret society (insert misogynist tendencies which I'm sure Gwen will only be too happy to break down), a fantastic Evil Mastermind who gives me the shivers, SECRETS, and the possibility of true love. That's a winning forumla right there my friends. It's no wonder Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red is a German bestseller, the plot is twisty and imaginative with plenty of intrigue and the characters are clever and entertaining. And I want the sequel, Sapphire Blue, like yesterday. Perhaps I could convince Gwen to let me use the famed chronograph to read the translation a bit earlier. I think in this case, she'd make an exception just for me.

series reading order:
~ Ruby Red
~ Sapphire Blue (Spring 2012)

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Bookshelves of Doom review
Charlotte's Library review
Mostly Reading YA review
The Story Siren review

book source: provided by the publicist

The Family Fortune by Laurie Horowitz

2011-08-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

Oh Jane Fortune! How do I love thee!!

Just so you know I did go into this retelling of Persuasion, my all time favorite Jane Austen novel, with a hefty does of wariness. I mean, nothing could come close to imitating the original on this one, right?

Here's a quick synopsis via Goodreads:

Jane Fortune's fortunes have taken a downturn. Thanks to the profligate habits of her father and older sister, the family's money has evaporated and Jane has to move out of the only home she's ever known: a stately brick town house on Boston's prestigious Beacon Hill. Thirty-eight and terminally single, Jane has never pursued idle pleasures like her sibling and father. Instead, she has devoted her time to running the Fortune Family Foundation, a revered philanthropic institution that has helped spark the careers of many a budding writer, including Max Wellman, Jane's first—and only—love.

Now Jane has lost her luster. Max, meanwhile, has become a bestselling novelist and a renowned literary lothario. But change is afoot. And in the process of saving her family and reigniting the flames of true love, Jane might just find herself becoming the woman she was always meant to be.

Truth be told, Laurie Horowitz did a fabulous job of updating my beloved Persuasion for the modern world in The Family Fortune. The Fortunes are decidedly Boston Old Money with connections and oodles of spare time to devote to their favorite pastime: themselves. Of course when financial disaster strikes, the family must retrench* and a whole new world is opened up for Jane. Morphing Anne Elliot into Jane Fortune, an almost-forty year old trustafarian who spends her days editing the Euphemia Review, was pure genius in my book. And once again my heart broke over and over for Jane as I watched the world pass her by. Truly I don't know how such a passive character could ever win me over, but she does. Perhaps it's her eventual determination to take control of her life little by little in order to carve out her own bit of happiness away from her rotten family.

My only complaint with The Family Fortune happens to be a somewhat large sticking point: Max Wellman (the reinvention of Cpt. Wentworth). Throughout most of the book, I ached with Jane as she silently pined for her lost love and then as she was 'reunited' with him only to watch him date other women. To say I was building up their eventual reunion would be a complete understatement -- I was expecting true fireworks people. Sadly, there was no grand moment of love rekindled. Not even an impassioned letter from Max! **cue extreme sobbing** Just simple, no nonsense decisions. Which does go along with Jane's character but I was just hoping for something a teeny bit more swoon-worthy. But honestly? I still love this book for Jane's transformation alone, even if her happily ever after wasn't as blissful as Anne Elliot's. I'm thinking any true lover of Persuasion will think so too.

*I always thought the 'reduced circumstances' bit in Persuasion was hilarious because yes, the Elliots have to retrench, but they still are gentry and have means -- albeit reduced. I mean, they are spending the winter in BATH (a resort town) for goodness sakes! Anyways, Horowitz does a nice job of calling Ms. Austen on this in The Family Fortune.

"From what I hear, he is really crazy about you, Jane."
"That's ridiculous. Does he know about our 'reduced circumstances'?" I asked.
"Honey, the Fortunes in reduced circumstances live better than ninety-nine percent of the population -- but that's not it. He has money. He's not interested in your money."

HA! My thoughts exactly.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Book Harbinger review
Chachic's Book Nook review
Emily and Her Little Pink Notes review
Janicu's Book Blog review
Steph Su Reads review

Interview with Jennifer Echols

2011-07-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Today I am thrilled to welcome the tremendous author Jennifer Echols! Her latest book, Love Story, was released just last week and although it wasn't a big hit with me, I still am a major, major fan of her earlier novel Going Too Far. So needless to say I was thrilled when Jennifer kindly agreed to answer some questions about Love Story and writing in general.

How would you describe the writing process for Love Story? Were Erin and Hunter fully formed in your head from day one or did their story evolve along the way?

I always write blindly and randomly for about 150 pages, then figure everything out, then write the rest of the book by filling in the blanks, knowing exactly where I’m going.

Love Story is about a girl who wants to become a romance novelist. Did you dream of writing in a particular genre yourself? Which one?

Early on I wanted to be the next Hemingway. I think most English majors are taught to think this way. Also, when I was growing up, my mother had an extremely snobby attitude toward romance novels, as if that was the worst, most damaging thing I could read--even though she was handing me her Mary Stewart books! But at some point I realized that even though I was trying to write more literary fiction, the part of my stories that interested me most was the romance. I decided to concentrate on that. And happily, my mother has lost her snobby attitude, because I have introduced her to Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, and Jennifer Crusie.

Of all the characters you've ever written, which one do you love or connect with the most? The least?

Lori in The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer is the character most like me. I was pretty frustrated with my editor when I started The Boys Next Door because I had gone around and around with her about the idea. So I just wrote exactly what I wanted to, so there. I thought it was funny and I really didn’t care whether anybody else thought so or not. When I sent it to my critique partner to read, she wrote me an e-mail that said, “OH MY GOD YOU HAVE WRITTEN YOURSELF!”

I feel some connection with the bad guys in my stories. As a writer you have to understand where they’re coming from or they won’t be believable. But the villain I have disliked most is Zoey’s father in Forget You. A lot of readers have picked up on this and mentioned it in their reviews. He is cold but scarily familiar.

Recently you announced that you have quit your job as a copyeditor to become a full-time writer (Huzzah! Congrats!). Maybe this is a bit premature, but are you now feeling the pressure to produce even more books or are you just reveling in the absolute freedom of being able to focus on your writing full-time?

Thank you so much! Honestly, I have always written a lot faster than the publishing industry wanted to go. For instance, I wrote Going Too Far in 2005, and it was published in 2009. I wrote Forget You in 2007, and it was published in 2010. My hope is always that I have a contract to write something new, but typically what happens is that I have deadlines and stress and write non-stop for several months, and then it’s all over and I am depressed and write something I’m not sure will ever sell and become convinced that I will never publish a book again. I hope that will not happen on March 1 when I finish writing the last of my books currently under contract, but I’m reasonably sure it will.

Are there any books out there you find yourself recommending over (and over) again?

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt...and I haven’t yet read Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore, but I’m dying to, and it’s gotten a starred review from Kirkus. It’s coming out a week before Love Story, on July 12.

Free White Cat Download

2011-07-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

If you haven't had a chance to start into Holly Black's a-MAZ-ing Curse Workers series, then I seriously recommend that you take a moment and go sign up for the Random House newsletter which will give you a free audiobook version of White Cat, book one (here's my review of White Cat and Red Glove). It's narrated by Jesse Eisenberg and is awesome stuff. Happy Wednesday.

Quick Harry Potter Recap

2011-07-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Anyone else planning on going to see the very last Harry Potter tonight? Well if you didn't find yourself with enough time to reread all seven books beforehand, head on over to BuzzFeed for the complete Harry Potter series in comic book form. Truly, it's amazing how the artist Lucy Knisley manages to capture each book in one poster. My favorite bit has to be the pat on the head and 'Good boy' from Dumbledore at the end of each book.

Faves of 2011 (so far): The Books

2011-07-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late the party (I am woefully behind on my google reader), but after stopping by Inkcrush yesterday and checking out Nomes' awesome Faves of 2011 (so far) lists, I just had to join in all the fun. This set-up is especially perfect for me since I have been an extreme slacker of late and haven't sat down to write full reviews for many of the unforgettable books I've read recently. In all total, for the first half of 2011, I have read 78 books - not a good as last year, but hey, I did just have a baby...

So I'm a week late, but here are my picks for The Books.

Favorite book read so far in 2011

This one is toughie so I chose two:

Chime - I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love, adore and cherish this book. Really. Briony and Eldric are superb and the narrative style is simply unforgettable.

The Piper's Son - Melina Marchetta is a genius. But of course you already know this, right? Tom is so much more than what you expect and my love for him is boundless. I just want to spend a day with him and Tara and Francesca and Georgie and really the entire Mackee family. Read this one. You will cry. And laugh. And then you'll hug it.

Most powerful book - A Solitary Blue

Jeff Greene and The Professor fumbling around each other trying to figure out what it means to be a family. I hadn't read the incredible Tillerman Cycle until this past year and once again I am stunned by Cynthia Voigt's brillance.

Brilliantly funny - Magic Slays

One of the many things I love about Kate Daniels is that she always ready with a blindingly witty retort for His Furriness at a moment's notice. Their banter is priceless and is a major selling point for Magic Slays.

Best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read - Unsticky

Another one that I could not get out of my head. Grace and Vaughn have issues upon issues but I still wanted them to be more than just okay by the end. This book is one heck of a emotional ride, but one I promise you won't want to put down.

Most beautiful story - The Piper's Son

Switching from Tom and Georige's perspective does unimaginable (good) things for this book. Two different people at different (yet crucial) times in their lives just trying to make it through the next day.

Delicious rainy day comfort read - Stealing Heaven

Dani's reluctant acceptance of the goofy Greg could not be any sweeter. These two just put a big 'ole grin on my face.

Adrenalin-fuelled, unputdownable award - Red Glove

Holly Black writes some incredibly twisty-turny-cross-and-double-cross cons. The entire book was one surprise after another but never in an 'i'm trying too hard to fool you' way. Cassel is one sharp dude.

The beautiful prose award - Chime

Unlike any other book (or author) out there, Chime has this crazy, forceful yet subtle way of pulling you into Briony's story. I was effortlessly caught up in the Swampsea and the mythology of the creatures there. Simply incredible.

Most atmospheric and vivid setting and Most original and imaginative - Eon

Take elements of historic China, add a bit of Dragon mythology, a cross-dressing girl, some truly nefarious Evil Doers and a empire on the brink of collapse and you basically get the idea of the awesomeness of Eon. Fantastic storytelling that kept me up till the wee hours of the night.

Best under-appreciated, hidden gem book and I-had-no-idea-I-would-love this-so award - Seeing Me Naked

So not your average chick lit novel. Family DRAMA, a lovely relationship and endless descriptions of mouthwatering desserts. Plus witty banter. Love.

Most haunting story - Stolen

The tale of what happens when a 16 year old is kidnapped by a guy who has been watching her for years and is taken to the Middle of Nowhere Australia. Nothing is black and white in this one - not even my possible Stockholm Syndrome.

Series that I’m loving

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels series) and River Marked (Mercy Thompson series) - It's a major tie between these two. They both feature worlds and characters I simply cannot get enough of.

Most memorable voice award - Chime

I've already mentioned this but Briony is unlike any other narrator you will ever encounter. Her humor and feelings of self-doubt are brillant.

Completely Awesome Premise Award - Tiger and Del books

I'm going to cheat here and award this to the entire Tiger and Del series which begins with Sword Dancer. It flips every gender convention on it's head by featuring a female sword master fighting her way thru a mans world. But it's told from a chauvinistic (at least at first) male perspective. Clever, clever.

Would make the best movie - 84, Charing Cross Road

I know this is a bit of a cop out since they already made it into a movie, but hey, I simply adored it.

Want to re-read already - The Piper's Son & Chime

I think I've gushed about these two enough already...

Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer

2011-07-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Ever since having this baby, I've been devouring contemporary novels at an alarming rate (I promise I'm reading, just not reviewing much - slacker that I am). I'm not particularly sure why this genre speaks to me right now, perhaps it has something to do reading about women facing challenges with humor and hoping some of their wit (and experience) will rub off on me... Whatever the reason, I found the perfect read in Liza Palmer's Seeing Me Naked. It came highly recommended to me by both Angie and Chachic and I only have to thank them for pointing me towards this fantastic book. Cause Seeing Me Naked is a complete winner.

Much to her father's disappointment, Elisabeth Page deliberately selected a career as far removed from his own (Ben Page! The two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author!) as possible. She became a pastry chef. Despite Elisabeth's obvious success working at one of the hottest restaurants in LA and her brother Rascal's celebrated author status, the pair continually find themselves falling short of their father's ideal of success. But the strain is starting to wear and Elisabeth is ready for something to give when she inadvertently finds herself giving cooking lessons to a recent LA transplant, Daniel Sullivan, who just happens to be utterly clueless in the culinary department. As a UCLA basketball coach from Kansas, Daniel is utterly unlike her patrician, snobbish family and her longtime boyfriend Will, who she only happens to see once every year or so. All it takes is for Elisabeth to spend a few days with easygoing Daniel for her to realize that different is good. Very good. But old habits die hard and Elisabeth isn't sure she's ready to remove all those layers of self-protection and let Daniel see her 'naked' self.

Witty and introspective, Seeing Me Naked is not your typical chick lit fare (despite its misleading cover and title). Elisabeth is so controlled and focused on her full yet unfulfilling life that you cannot but help cheering her towards Daniel - even if her first attempts are awkwardly hilarious. I do so love it though when a couple truly brings out the best in each other, and Daniel and Elisabeth are quite the pair. Although Daniel is a large part of Elisabeth moving forward, much of the story is dedicated to the highly explosive Page Family Dynamics. Liza Palmer has crafted a deep and layered family of individuals who fight each other just as fiercely as they love one another. Even though I tore through Seeing Me Naked, it's a book I can see myself sinking into time and again, discovering something new about all those messy and beautiful relationships every single time. See, I told you it was a winner.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
4 Girls and a Book review
Angieville review
Chachic's Book Nook review
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books review

book source: purchased

Thirteen Reasons Why Winners

2011-07-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to all those who entered the Thirteen Reasons Why giveaway.

And the winners are...

Annie Lanning

Justine Wang

Thirteen Reasons Why Giveaway!

2011-06-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

After enjoying an enormously long hardcover printing (four years folks!) Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher has finally been released as a paperback book. To help celebrate the release of the novel and the launch of the new Penguin site, www.13RWproject.com, I have two copies to giveaway today. Yay! I was absolutely riveted to this affecting story so trust me when I say you'll want to enter this one for sure. To enter, fill out the form below. Giveaway ends Monday, June 27th -- US/Canada residents only.

If you have a moment, I also recommend that you take a moment to check out the new website www.13RWproject.com, a dedicated site for anyone to post reviews or feelings about the book - if you've read the book, include your thoughts there - alongside many other readers' (including yours truly). Here's what the publisher has to say about the site:

On May 12, 2011, Penguin launched the 13RW Project at www.13RWProject.com, as a place for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why to record their thoughts, stories, videos and photos relating to the book, and to view what other readers from all across the country have shared.

A bit about the book itself or you can read my review here:

Thirteen Reasons Why is the story of a girl named Hannah Baker who takes her own life. But before she does, she records several cassette tapes explaining why and sends them to the people she feels pushed her toward that decision. The story is told from the point of view of Clay Jensen who spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah’s voice as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and learns the truth about himself—a truth he never wanted to face.

The anti-bullying anthem was published in hardcover in October 2007 by Razorbill, and quickly became a word-of-mouth favorite among teenaged readers with fans claiming, “This book changed my life.” The novel has been on the New York Times children’s hardcover bestseller list for 65 weeks, foreign rights have been sold into 30 countries and it has been acquired by Universal Pictures and will star Selena Gomez.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

2011-06-14T05:28:00.000-07:00

Eighteen year old Danielle has never been to high school, she's never lived in one place for more than a few months at a time, and she's certainly never been in one place long enough to make friends. All because Danielle is an expert silver thief. Thanks to her mother's training (and questionable morals) Danielle has been stealing since she was a toddler and can plan the most expert of heists. Even though she loves her mother, Danielle has never wanted the life that gives her mom such a high - a feeling that becomes even more sharp as the pair travel to Heaven, a beach front tourist town, bursting with potential targets. In Heaven Danielle does the unthinkable. Unwillingly, she begins to make friends. Spending time with the chatty Allison is bad enough but when Danielle finds herself drawn to the goofy cop Greg, she knows her world could collapse at any moment.

Why hasn't anyone told me about Elizabeth Scott before? Okay, okay. I'm sure someone has before, but goodness knows why I've waited so long to pick one of her novels up. I'm sure my reluctance is in part due to the lackluster covers. My standards are fairly high when it comes to contemporary YA novels and these headless girl covers do absolutely nothing for me. But really? Stealing Heaven could not have been more perfect! Seriously, I have the wonderful Nomes of Inkcrush to thank once again for her spot-on recommendation of this book.

I honestly loved everything about this book. I love Danielle and her astute observations of people and life. I loved her wry sense of humor and her vulnerability. Yet I also ached for her in her unwavering faithfulness to her flighty mother. And boy howdy, I also totally loved Greg! There aren't many guys who could manage to ask out a girl in front of the grocery store seafood counter and not come off looking like a total idiot.

Elizabeth Scott is a fantastic contemporary writer - I adore that she writes older characters - not just 16 year old teens. In fact (I'm sure this will get me in trouble with some folks, but here goes...), Stealing Heaven was everything I wanted Sarah Dessen's novels to be. Funny and poignant all at the same time with unforgettable characters who are just trying to figure themselves out.

So to all you Elizabeth Scott fans out there (and I know there has to be many) which of her books should I pick up next? Cause I'm definitely ready for more!

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
In The Good Books review
One More Page review
Steph Su Reads review
The Story Siren review
YA Book Reviews

book source: giveaway from Nomes - Thank you! Thank you!

Ruby Red Winner!

2011-06-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those who entered my Ruby Red giveaway!

and the winner is...

Sabrina McClure!!

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier Giveaway!

2011-06-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Talk about your book buzz! I've been hearing some mighty good things about the German bestseller Ruby Red and am so happy to see it finally making its way to this part of the world. It's the first novel in a new time travel trilogy that I, for one, am anxious to sink into.

Lucky for you I've got one copy of Ruby Red to giveaway. To enter, fill out the form below. Giveaway ends Monday, June 13th -- US/Canada residents only.

Official Ruby Red website

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Red Glove by Holly Black

2011-05-31T05:57:00.000-07:00

Last year I picked up White Cat and was fairly stunned at the creative genius involved in Holly Black's latest dark noir fantasy. A few weeks ago I finally read the second book, Red Glove, in her Curse Workers series and have not stopped thinking about it since. Red Glove was absolutely out-of-this-world, I'm-hooked-for-good, I-want-the-sequel-NOW Perfection. I'm not even kidding folks.

**Please, please!! If you haven't read White Cat yet - know that mild SPOILERS follow. Much of the appeal of this series is all the crafty cons and double-and-triple-crossing that occurs, so just trust me when I say, ignorance is bliss here. Honestly though. Why haven't you read these books yet?? I'm waiting over here...

Everyone has their claws in me. Everyone.

Once upon a time, Cassel Sharpe thought he was a powerless nobody in a world dominated by dangerous 'curse workers,' people who have to ability to kill, maim, even change your dreams with just a touch of bare skin. At least until Cassel discovered that his brothers had been altering his memory in order to keep secret his extremely rare and dangerous skill: the ability to transform anything. But Cassel isn't the only one who has been damaged by his family's duplicity: his childhood friend and longtime crush, Lila Zacharov was emotionally worked by his mother to fall in love with Cassel. Now Cassel has no way of knowing if any of what Lila says or does is real. And it's killing him to keep his distance from the one girl he's always loved.

Just when Cassel figures his life couldn't become any more complicated, a pair of Federal Agents pop up, demanding Cassel's help in solving a murder (...or else) that hits a little too close to home. Knowing he's walking a fine line between his con artist family and his own personal safety, Cassel begins to pick apart the mystery that leaves even our hero, the cool and ever unflappable con man that Cassel is, out of sorts and rattled to the core.

Let me tell you Holly Black wasn't experiencing any sort of mid-series slump when she penned Red Glove. If anything, her second Curse Workers novel is better than the first: the cons are twistier and the characters prove they have much, much more at stake. Every single one of Ms. Black's characters are dang good: Sam, Danica, Barron, and goodness LILA - each one is a pitch-perfect. And then there's Cassel. Boy howdy. I could read stories about that guy all the live long day.

Cassel has got to be my favorite male POV narrator (with Split running a close second that is). Full of candor and wit, at first glance Cassel seems easy going and full of life, yet scratch the surface and you discover this freaky-scary intelligent dude who is forever scrambling to keep up with all the various Bad Guys who have him in their sights. To be honest, Red Glove is probably one of the top books I've read all year - in any genre.

*And after you've gone and devoured Red Glove, I highly recommend you check out this short story, "Lila Zacharov in 13 Pieces," written from Lila's perspective on Holly Black's website. It's one freaking amazing collection of insights into Lila's character.

series reading order:
~ White Cat - my review
~ Red Glove
~ Black Heart (??)

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Bookshelves of Doom Review
Dear Author review
Girls in the Stacks review
Icey Books review
Novel Thoughts review

book source: my local library

"Making of Nightspell" Guest Post

2011-05-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

Today I am so excited to welcome the incredible author Leah Cypess -- author of Mistwood and the soon-to-be-released Nightspell, which I really, really loved. Today Leah is here to talk a bit about her writing process for Nightspell - including some very awesome pictures of her writing notebooks.

Making of Nightspell: Notebooks

This is the first of a four-part “Making of Nightspell” feature I’ll be doing as part of this blog tour. Ever wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes of an author’s work? Ever suspect it’s not half as exciting as what goes into making a movie? Well, here’s your chance! Starting with the glamorous world of notebooks.

I write my first drafts in longhand. Needless to say, because I’m a writer, I get obsessive about what type of notebook I use. It used to be that I used all types of notebooks, but would stand obsessively at the drugstore trying to figure out which specific notebook was right for this particular story. The notebook I ended up choosing when I first started writing Nightspell – at the age of 17 – was this one:

I filled about half that notebook, and wrote myself into a complete mess. Since I couldn’t see how to extricate myself, I ended up putting the notebook away and starting something new.

Ten years later, having quit my job to give full-time writing a try, I pulled that notebook out again and went through it, trying to figure out which parts of what I had written were worth salvaging. Most of it got nixed:

In fact, out of that entire notebook, I ended up with maybe a page’s worth of actual writing I wanted to salvage. And then I started from scratch. This time, my taste in notebooks had changed, ever since a friend in law school introduced me to these awesome notebooks from Japan:

I do a lot of writing on the playground these days, and these notebooks are wonderful for that: they’re really thin and fit perfectly into a small backpack. You can also fold them open and closed several million times without having them fall apart. These are the notebooks on which Nightspell was REwritten… for the first time.

For the next part of the Making of Nightspell, check out Books Complete Me on June 3!

****

Many, many thanks to Leah for stopping by and sharing her notebooks with us!

Nightspell by Leah Cypess

2011-05-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, Callie was forced to leave her home and family as part of an arranged marriage to the prince of Ghostland, despite being too young to marry at the time. Still she remained in Ghostland - essentially as a hostage to ensure a tenuous peace between their two countries.

From the day Callie was sent away, Darri vowed to rescue her beloved younger sister. Finally Darri gets her chance when she and her subtly cunning brother Varis travel to Ghostland to deal with the dangerous inhabitants there. More than a simple rescue mission awaits Darri in Ghostland however. Her sister is much changed, the politics of Ghostland are seemingly endless, and the people of Ghostland themselves prove extremely ruthless. That and the fact that it is almost impossible to tell who is still among the living and who is actually a ghost.

Once again, Leah Cypess has caught me with her unique writing, her unforgettable characters and her fantastic pacing in Nightspell. Even after experiencing the fantastic world building of her debut Mistwood, I was enthralled by the complex territory of Ghostland and its inhabitants. Leah Cypess doesn't write easy characters by any means. With the point of view switching from Darri to Callie to Varis and even various Ghostland inhabitants, you are given time to occasionally mistrust or love every single character. Literally everyone had some secret or other up their sleeve and the added tension of complicated court politics ensured that someone was always up to No Good. And that includes the enigmatic and devious Clarisse whom you may remember from Mistwood, who true to form, manages to stir up trouble whatever land she happens to reside in.

As one of those authors who respects her readers enough to not have to spell out every single detail within her stories, Leah Cypess leaves much of the puzzle of Nighspell to her audience to discover. It's a quality I highly appreciate actually. It's also a quality that had me continually flipping back pages trying to work out details and the significance of certain passages. It's work, but a type of work that I enjoy as a reader and something that makes the reading process that much more enjoyable in my book. In other words, Nightspell was one heck of an enjoyable book.

**Be sure to stop in on Friday -- Leah Cypess will be here to share her writing process for Nightspell.

series reading order:
~ Mistwood - my review
~ Nightspell

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Eating YA Books review
Kirkus Reviews
My Bookish Ways review

book source: ARC from the publisher

My Kind of Kindle

2011-05-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

Check out how Rachel Walsh, a design student at the Cardiff School of Art and Design, decided to explain the concept of the Amazon Kindle to Charles Dickens.

She took one large book and cut out 40 little windows in which she placed miniature copies of Dickens' (and her own) favorite novels.

The artist explained that: “I made the book start to finish over five days, and it took about 35 hours to make I reckon. It was pretty painstaking cutting out all the gaps in the book itself, and making the books to go inside. They’re all bound like actual books, so as I waited for them to glue and dry I would design the covers for them. All the covers are copies of real book covers. They include many of Dickens’s novels, his favorite childhood books, and some of my own.”

via Shelf Awareness

In My Mailbox: Baby Boy edition

2011-05-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. This meme is about books that you received or bought during the week.

This week I've got a very special IMM for you - almost weeks ago this little man joined our family:

Benjamin Golden

6lbs 2oz & 19.5"

Needless to say, with a newborn around things will probably be a little quiet around this here bloggy for the next couple of weeks. I'll still be reading (of course), so I thought I'd share all the truly excellent new books that have come my way in the past two weeks.

This first stack I won from All Things Urban Fantasy's huge Paranormal Giveaway. Such a beautiful pile - some of which I've already read but some are new reads for me. Although I am especially excited about Franny Billingsley's Chime after loving The Folk Keeper a few weeks ago.

And then these are the books I've bought recently. Many of which I've already devoured and loved, loved, loved. That includes the Sara Creasy's Song & Children of Scarabaeus books and Unsticky. Many thanks to Holly, Angie, and Janicu for their glowing reviews - my self-restraint is powerless in the face of such persuasive recommendations.

There you have it. The cute new baby boy and all the books that will hopefully keep me occupied in the coming weeks. Anything fun show up in your mailbox this week?

Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

2011-05-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

This past year, I've come to discover some truly unforgettable Australian authors. Many due to the influence (and enthusiastic reviews) of Nomes who recently gushed about Liane Moriarty's latest What Alice Forgot. Well, discovering that Liane is sister to the incomparable Jaclyn Moriarty, I was more than ready to give her books a go on that point alone. Since Alice isn't available in my neck of the woods yet, I set about tracking down her backlist pronto and first up was the infinitely funny yet poignant novel about three sisters, Three Wishes.

Attracting attention wherever they go, the triplets Gemma, Cat and Lyn Kettle couldn't be more different - or closer. Gemma is the flighty one and can't seem to hold onto a job, or a boyfriend to save her life. While sarcastic Cat has always been in control and ready to take charge especially when it comes to her job and her marriage. And organized Lyn seems to have it all: the career, the loving husband, and the kids. As these three independent yet devoted sisters get ready to celebrate their thirty-fourth birthday, each will deal with heartaches and joys aplenty. From rocky marriages to unexpected pregnancies and even long-secret revelations brought to light, these three women manage to conquer each new obstacle in the trademark Kettle way - together.

I suppose I should go ahead and say that Liane Moriarty will now be added to my auto-buy list of chick lit authors. Up there with Jennifer Cruise and Julie James, Moriarty manages to capture the distinct personalities of these three dynamic women in such an endearing way without ever glossing over their less than savory attributes. Cat, Gemma, and Lyn are human. They make mistakes. But they each love deeply and are fiercely loyal to each other which makes me love them that much more. I adored their constant banter, which never fails to highlight their individual temperaments and how they continually poke fun at their infamous triplet status.

The birthday dinners had started in their mid-twenties. They were Lyn's ideas. "No partners," she had said. "Just the three of us. Seeing as we never give each other presents, it could be our present to ourselves."

"How very sisterly," said Cat. "How very triplety."

"It's a wonderful idea. I second it!" Gemma interrupted, as Lyn began to pinch her nose. "I know! We can each have our own birthday cake!"

And so the annual drunken Birthday Bash became an institution.

So you could say it was all Lyn's fault really.

This year they went to a new seafood restaurant in Cockle Bay, with shiny wooden floorboards, disdainful white walls, and sleek chrome hairs. The kitchen was a square box in the center of the room with narrow, horizontal windows revealing bobbing chefs' hats and occasional, rather alarming, fiery explosions.

"I hate it when you can see the kitchen staff," said Lyn. "It makes me feel stressed."

"You love feeling stressed," said Cat.

"You don't know me at all."

"Oh no. You're just a casual acquaintance."

A waitress with a blue-and-white-striped apron and a distressing row of silver studs under her bottom lip appeared at their table, her arms stretched wide around a giant blackboard. "Tonight's specials," she said, plunking down the board and flexing her fingers. "We're out of oysters and scallops, blue-eyed cod, and trout."

"Why don't you just rub out what you don't have?" asked Cat. "Is it just to torture us?"

The waitress shrugged, and her eyes flickered. "Ha-ha."

"Let's share the seafood fondue," interrupted Gemma.

"Could we get this opened soon, do you think?" asked Lyn pointedly, nodding her head at Michael's contribution to the evening -- a bottle of Bollinger.

"What's the occasion, ladies?" sighed the waitress, sounding like a jaded hooker, as she lifted an expert elbow, popped the cork, and began to pour their glasses.

"It's our birthday," said Gemma. "We're triplets!"

"Yeah? Oh, yeah?" The hand holding the bottle hovered precariously off course as she looked at them. Lyn reached over and navigated the glass under the liquid.

"How cool!" The waitress grinned. "Hey! You two are the same, right!"

"Five bucks and you can get your photo taken with us," said Cat.

Never a dull moment with these three around I say.

Cleverly added to the sisters' narrative, Liane Moriarty randomly included various accounts of strangers memories of meeting the triplets. As odd as it may seem, these vignettes (often hilarious) though from an outsiders point of view, often helped me to get a better handle on certain events and made each sister that much more understandable and accessible. Very clever Ms. Moriarty.

Three Wishes is an utter winner all about the highs and lows of being part of a close-knit family of sisters. I simply cannot wait to see what I discover from this fabulous author next.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
The Last Book I Read review

book source: purchased

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

2011-04-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc.

For what seems like months now, Leila over at Bookshelves of Doom has been talking up one particular author: Franny Billingsley. Especially to praise her books The Folk Keeper (which was published almost a decade ago) and her newest novel, Chime. Needless to say, my curiosity was sparked and since I haven't been able to get ahold of Chime yet (but trust me, I will), I was able to track down an older copy of The Folk Keeper in the meantime.

Corinna is a survivor. Not only was she able to transform herself into a boy named Corin to escape the drudgery of life as a female orphan but taught herself to become a Folk Keeper in the process. As a Folk Keeper, Corinna is responsible for watching over the elusive and sometimes dangerous Folk that live underground. Relatively happy with the control she now has over her life, Corinna suddenly finds herself at a loss after she is whisked off to Marblehaugh Park, a wealthy family's seaside manor, where whispers of her own dark past await. Always Corinna has been able to appease the Folk, but in this wild new manor house by the ocean, she is staggered to discover how ineffectual her powers have become. That is, until Corinna discovers new, startling abilities of her own which begin to manifest themselves in response to new dangers.

The Folk Keeper is one of those uniquely atmospheric books that I am clueless as to how to classify; so I will simply say this book squarely resides in a class all its own. Written as a series of journal entries, Corinna details her dealings with the temperamental Folk - her successes and failures - and later, her dealings with the Lord Merton's family. At the outset of her Record, Corinna is sharp, vengeful, and truth be told, almost a little scary in her intensity. But her self-awareness is utterly compelling and the imagery of her new life living close to the sea... utterly stunning. This is perhaps where the author, Franny Billingsley shines - in the crafting of such a tangible, natural (albeit fictional) world where the sea crashes, storms rage, and the land swells with secrets. As the secrets surrounding Corinna's connection to Marblehaugh Park begin to unravel, I found myself wishing there was another 100 pages of Corinna's story to discover.

I've read that fans of Neil Gaiman would probably find themselves a home in Franny Billingsley's books and after finishing The Folk Keeper, I agree. Just enough darkness and excellent world-building based on folk tales to keep you flipping the pages. And occasionally even looking over your shoulder.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
The Book Smugglers review
Green Bean Teen Queen review
Things Mean A Lot review
Wondrous Reads review

book source: purchased

Two Moon Princess Winner!

2011-04-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

A big Thank You to all those who entered the Two Moon Princess giveaway.

And the winner is..

Kristin!

Congrats and thank you again to Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban for stopping by.

Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

2011-04-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

In a fictional world full of medieval castles and kings and knights, Andrea has never wanted to be the princess her parents expect her to become. So Andrea herself finds a way to make her dreams come true. One unexpected evening she finds a portal from her home world into modern California and her life is forever changed afterwards. To help her navigate the unfamiliar world of beaches and universities and parties, Andrea finds help in her Tio Ramiro who has been living a double life between the two worlds for many years. Much as she doesn't want to return home, Andrea does indeed find her way back to Xaren-Ra with her crush John in tow. But Andrea had no idea such a simple accident could stir up such trouble within her family -- even to the point of sparking a war.

I've always had a special spot for fish-out-of-water stories, where characters are thrust into unfamiliar circumstances and expected to survive on their wits alone so Two Moon Princess struck an immediate chord with me. And for most of the novel, Andrea is just that - a young girl trying to figure out where she belongs. One of Andrea's strengths is that she is extremely stubborn and refuses to give up on her dreams but that same trait also helped her to make some pretty poor choices. Often I found myself wanting to yell at her to simply open her eyes to the reality of her circumstances and the feelings of others around her.

Although I felt like Andrea's world of Xaren-Ra was brought to life with great detail, much of the specifics of Andrea's life were pretty much glossed over to the point of extreme vagueness. I never had a clue how old characters actually were and it seemed there were too many coincidences to really ever make the story truly believable. Two Moon Princess was a story that has lots of promise but just failed in the end to capture me like I was hoping.

series reading order:
~ Two Moon Princess
~ The King in the Stone

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Caught Between the Pages review
One Book At a Time review
Poisoned Rationality review
Ticket to Anywhere review

book source: The Teen Book Scene tour

RT Book Fair Recap

2011-04-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned last week, two Saturdays ago I was lucky enough to attend the RT Book Fair down in Los Angeles. With over 300 authors in attendance, you can imagine what a madhouse it was, but it was MY kind of madhouse - stuffed full of booklovers and authors with everyone generally having a good time and lugging around sacks of books. Just check out the size of this place!

I was joined for the day by my good book friend Becca and we both got to meet many, many awesome authors - including:

Julie James (middle)- who, oh my, could seriously be any one of her characters. The woman is gorgeous and very, very nice. We both got our copies of Just the Sexiest Man Alive signed and went away with happy smiles.

Sarah Rees Brennan (right)- Frankly I was extra excited about meeting Sarah and may have wound up babbling like a fool just a little bit while talking with her. True to form, Sarah was more than willing to share spoilers for the upcoming The Demon's Surrender but since I couldn't bear to hear them, she did tell us the story about the time she tried to dye her hair pink like Mae, only to have it turn out a startling green. Also, she was extra generous with the swag and I even scored an alternate first chapter of The Demon's Lexicon with the author's commentary. Excellent reading.

Ann Aguirre - So happy to meet this prolific writer. Ann was even extra nice when I gushed like a goon over her latest YA novel, Enclave. Although I was a bit sad to not see any of her Jax books on display...

Simone Elkeles - So don't look at this picture too long, it's a wee bit fuzzy. Probably because Ms. Elkeles was super expressive and hardly sat still while we were talking. The best part about meeting Simone was hearing all about her trouble while writing Chain Reaction - the third Perfect Chemistry novel which follows the youngest Fuentes brother, Luis, who is..wait for it..a nice guy. Simone said she had no clue how to write a male character that wasn't a jerk who falls for the good girl. Needless to say, I'm even more intrigued now to see how she ended up pulling it off.

Patrick Rothfuss - I have no idea why I didn't get a picture of this awesome author, but for some reason I totally forgot. Probably because I was to busy being incredibly fangirlish at the moment [but you can see him complete with crazy hair here in a picture from the Dear Author's recap]. I adored his book The Name of the Wind and even purchased another copy there just so I could have him sign it since mine was currently on loan to a friend. He was a bit like a fish out of water among so many romance authors and even agreed that it was a little odd to be one of the few men without a rippling six-pack wandering around (courtesy of the Mr. Romance competition).

Linnea Sinclair (right) - As funny in person as she in her books. My favorite author moment? She kept pointing out all of her cats that were used on the covers of her novels.

I didn't get pictures of them, but I also met Kelley Armstrong and Claire Dunkle while catching glimpses of many, many others. All in all, it was a fantastic event - one I wish I had been able to attend more of. But here's the lovely stack of books I got signed:

Annnndd.... Here's the massive amount of swag I came home with. Now, I'm going to be giving some of this away later on when books are released, but I do have a bunch of romance author swag to pass on right now. ~~So if anyone is interested in a bunch of romance bookmarks, teasers etc. drop me a line at mmillet at gmail dot com and I'll send it off to you. First email gets it folks.~~ Taken!

Ann Aguirre Guest Post - Enclave Casting Call

2011-04-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

As you guys probably noticed yesterday, I am a major fan of Ann Aguirre's newest YA dystopian novel, Enclave - which just so happened to have been released this week! Yay!

As part of her blog tour for Enclave, Ann has graciously agreed to stop by today to share a little more about her book by revealing who she thinks would make good casting choices for each character. As I am woefully out of the loop when it comes to current actors (blame it on too much Disneyfied TV courtesy of my 3 year old) - I was much impressed with her choices. But I'll let you judge for yourself ;)

Take it away Ann!

*****

Deuce -- Saoirse Ronan. She proved she has the chops in THE LOVELY BONES, and she's a little older and Deuce is 15 in book one, but the actress looks young, and it's pretty common for people to play younger than they are. In appearance, she's perfect.

Fade -- Paul Dano. He stole the show in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE without every speaking a word. He has exceptional presence and the right look. He -is- Fade. He radiates that brooding energy even in his photos.

Thimble -- Ellen Page. She has the right look, and it would be interesting to see what she did with the role.

Stone -- Chris Evans. He's a little old, but yum. Enough said.

Stalker -- Taylor Kitsch. He can definitely pull off the wild blend of honor and brutality that Stalker embodies. He'd just need to blond up a bit. Yum, Gambit! I know I don't need to say more.

Tegan -- Evanna Lynch. She has such an otherworldly charm that she would be wonderful in this role.

Longshot -- Jeff Bridges. If you saw TRUE GRIT, you don't need to ask why.

Momma Oaks -- Kathy Bates. Just because I loooove her. (You get a bigger part in Outpost!)

There are more characters like Silk, Copper, Twist, Whitewall, and the Wordkeeper, but I'm not going to cast them. Once you read the book, you can do that on your own, and then you'll have some thoughts on how well I did.

*****

So what do you think? Personally, I think Ann's choice for Deuce and Fade are fabulous. And so is Evanna Lynch! Ooooh! And Kathy Bates! Okay, okay, I really love all these actors and am just nodding my head over how well they fit the characters in the book.

Thank you again Ann for dropping by today! Go here to read the first couple chapters of Enclave.

What do you think? Have you read Enclave yet? Which actors would you pick?

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

2011-04-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

All her life Deuce has only wanted one thing: to become a revered Huntress within her underground community, the Enclave. Settlements like hers are the only existing communities left after the Topside world was destroyed and deemed uninhabitable years before. As a Huntress, Deuce has the responsibility of hunting food within the tunnels while fighting the lethal mutant Freaks who roam their depths. But Deuce's naming day becomes a bittersweet event when she realizes her hunting partner will be Fade, the perplexing young man who was brought to the Enclave after surviving on his own for years in the deadly tunnels.

Life within the Enclave is tightly controlled, with rules regarding almost every aspect of life. But Deuce has always believed that the Elder's strict regulations were essential for the continuing survival and protection of their small community. But once Deuce and Fade return to the Enclave with grim information about a local settlement destroyed by Freaks, a warning which is completely ignored by the Elders, does Deuce begin to question the complete devotion the Enclave seems to require.

With her trademark grittiness, Ann Aguirre has yet another winner on her hands, this time a young adult novel no less! Most dystopian novels are somewhat dark and bleak due to the nature of the genre itself but Enclave does not shy away from those harsh details whatsoever. From the very first few pages of Enclave, where Deuce is awarded her Huntress status in a ceremony that leaves her with six perfect (and painful) scars on her arms, I was immediately transported into her world where such extreme sacrifices were commonplace. Descriptions of her patrols with Fade were equally riveting (will they run into Freaks? will they find food? will they wind up forever lost in the tunnels?) - usually because I never knew what the enigmatic Fade would reveal or do next.

That isn't to say that Enclave is only a dark and harsh read. As Deuce and Fade come to rely more on each other and even eventually discover truths about the world as it really is, their relationship really takes off. As I've found in her Sirantha Jax series, Ann Aguirre is beyond talented at crafting complex, emotionally-wringing relationships and this one is no exception. There were some truly lovely scenes between the pair which only served to leave me, once again, waiting another whole year until the sequel, Outpost, will be released. Dang it.

Read the first two chapters here.

series reading order:
~ Enclave
~ Outpost (Fall 2012)

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
All Things Urban Fantasy review
Between the Covers review
Presenting Lenore review
Sophistikatied Reviews
YA Highway review

book source: ARC from publisher

The Masked Retriever

2011-04-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

For all of you librarians out there who secretly think of yourself as a super-hero. Here's your very own theme song.

Interview with Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban & Giveaway

2011-04-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

Today I am happy to welcome author Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban, here to talk about her wonderful time-travel book Two Moon Princess. Since I won't be reviewing the novel here on the bloggy until later next week, here's a quick look at the story:

In this coming-of-age story set in a medieval kingdom, Andrea is a headstrong princess longing to be a knight who finds her way to modern-day California. But her accidental return to her family's kingdom and a disastrous romance brings war, along with her discovery of some dark family secrets. Readers will love this mix of traditional fantasy elements with unique twists and will identify with Andrea and her difficult choices between duty and desire. [via Goodreads]

*****
Welcome Carmen! What sort of music do you listen to while you write (if any)? Does Two Moon Princess have a soundtrack?

I never listen to music when I write. I find it distracting.

When I was writing Two Moon Princess my children were little and I didn't have much time to write. But the characters and their story were always in my mind especially while I was driving. And I remembered listening to a tape (it was that long ago) called Kids Songs Sleepy Heads by Nancy Cassidy. It included children's songs and old Irish ballads. Among them Somos El Barco.

This song sets the mood perfectly for Two Moon Princess because two scenes between the main characters take place in a boat, and because the song is both in English and Spanish. And also because it is a love song and although Andrea doesn't know it, she is falling for her prisoner.

Andrea has the chance to live in two completely different worlds – modern California and the medieval-esque land of Xaren-Ra. If you had to choose between the two worlds which would you pick?

Modern California, no doubt about it.

Let’s pretend you get sucked through Andrea’s portal back into Xaren-Ra. What are the three things from modern life that you just wouldn’t be able to live without?

Electricity. Candles are very romantic but not very practical.
Running water. I can't do without a hot shower in the morning.
Computer. No internet connection? Are you kidding?

I hear a sequel to Two moon Princess, The King in the Stone, is in the works. Can you give us any hints about what you have in store for Andrea (and Don Julian)?

**Spoilers Alert**
The King in the Stone reprises the story just after Two Moon Princess ends. As the story starts, instead of the happy ever after they expected, Julian and Andrea realize their plans are incompatible. Andrea wants to stay in California. Julian, to return to Xaren-Ra as soon as he learns how to irrigate the dry lands of his kingdom.

To complicate things, after their argument, Andrea goes to Spain with John making Julian jealous. Then, before they can work out their differences, the full moon opens a door in the mountains and sends them into the past.

The King in the Stone is told from both Andrea and Julian's points of view so we'll see more of Julian this time.

Is there a particular book (or movie for that matter) you wish you had written?

Apart from Harry Potter? For if I had, I would be rich and could write anything I want and get my books published. And that is any writer's fantasy.

As for movies, I loved Pan's Labyrinth.

What books do you find yourself recommending over and over and over again?

~ The Shamer's Chronicles by Lene Kaaberball. The four books in this series are amazing and not well known. A shame (pun intended). You can read my review of The Shamer's War here; if interested.

~ The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. Another great series.

~ The Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell. He is the best in historical fiction.

~ Rosemary Sutcliff's novels. The Eagle of the Nine, Song for a Dark Queen among many others. Rosemary Sutcliff writes beautifully and her plots are clever, her characters historically accurate, no XXI century characters in period clothes.

Yay! Another Megan Whalen Turner fan! Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today Carmen.

As part of the Two Moon Princess blog tour, I also have one copy of the book up for grabs. You know the drill, fill out the form below and I will pick a winner Monday, April 18th. US residents only please.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

April RAK

2011-04-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

Random Act of Kindness (or R.A.K.) is a monthly event hosted by Book Soulmates, in which everyone creates a wishlist and some outstandingly awesome blogger may buy or send you one of the books you want! Also, you get to make someone happy by sending a book or two from another blogger's wishlist. Basically win-win for everyone, right?

Here are the rules, taken from the sign-up post:

• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.
• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)
• Create a wishlist and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}
• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wishlist and contact that blogger for their address.
• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!
Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!
Lets's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

I'm joining in for the very first time this month, but phew! A fantastic concept, no? Now I'm off to visit the wishlists to see if I can make some other blogger happy too!

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

2011-04-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

***Just so we are all on the same page here, this review contains unavoidable SPOILERS for the previous FIVE utterly amazing Mercy Thompson books. So if you haven't read those ones yet (and why the heck not?!?), consider yourself warned.

Change could absolutely be Mercy Thompson's middle name. Well, that and Trouble. But Mercy's hoping for a little bit of R&R from all her recent troubles now that she's finally snagged her man, local alpha werewolf Adam as the pair are headed off to spend a few days - alone - alongside the Columbia River. Shortly after their arrival however, Mercy lives up to her reputation when a rescue effort reveals the presence of a centuries-old evil now residing in the river's depths. Struggling to understand this newest threat, Mercy is startled to find help coming from her unknown father's family - a Native American heritage she has never felt a part of - but one she must now turn to if she and Adam wish to return home alive.

Words cannot even begin to describe how incredibly pleased I was with this latest installment from Patrica Briggs. Truly I have loved every single book in this outstanding series, but River Marked gave us readers something just a little bit different and I wholeheartedly approve. For starters, essentially 90% of River Marked is about Mercy and Adam, together, but separated from the pack and their own regular friends and responsibilities. Forcing the two to spend so much time together, uninterrupted, allowed for some decidedly intimate conversations. Adam reveled himself to be so much more than Mr. In-Control-Alpha, and whoa baby, that man is all heart. But his love isn't one sided either. Each is so overwhelmingly in love with the other, my little heart just melted as I watched them simply be together... joking, flirting, and yes, even fighting together.

River Marked also gives us a much better handle on Mercy and her Native American heritage, including the father she never knew. I for one found the translation of Indian myths into Mercy's world utterly fascinating and hope like hades some of the key players make return appearances in future novels (sorry for the vagueness here...I'm trying to keep some secrets). Together with her newly cemented status as Adam's mate, Mercy getting a better grip on her own personal genealogy added yet another layer to her already complicated yet vivid personality with satisfying results.

Each and every book in this series is absolutely outstanding, but I think River Marked will always hold a very, very permanent place on my keeper shelf. Primarily due to that final letter which left me with tears streaming down my face and shaking my head over the absolute rightness of Mercy and Adam together. Truly my friends, THAT is something worth waiting six books for.

series reading order:
~ Moon Called
~ Blood Bound
~ Iron Kissed
~ Bone Crossed
~ Silver Borne - my review
~ River Marked

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
All Things Urban Fantasy review
The Book Smugglers review
Fiction Vixen review
Smexy Books review
Tempting Persephone review

book source: my local library

I could start hyperventilating at any point

2011-04-05T05:41:00.000-07:00

Big, BIG news people.

Due to this comfy rock I've been living under for some time (I think it's called pregnancy or something), I just found out about the RT Booklovers Convention to be held this weekend in Los Angeles. Since I just found out about it, I am not going to be able to attend any of the workshops, but I am going down Saturday for the ginormous Book Fair. Can you just see me bouncing up and down in my chair right now? Cause I totally am. There are literally TONS of authors that I simply cannot wait to meet and have them sign my books. Here's just a few of the people with pens I am dying to meet:

Sarah Rees Brennan (!!)
Julie James
Simone Elkeles
Holly Black
Ann Aguirre
PATRICK FREAKING ROTHFUSS
Jeri Smith-Ready
Linnea Sinclair
Kelley Armstrong
Rachel Vincent...

This is actually one of my very first author events I've ever attended, so you can be sure I'll take lots of pictures and look appropriately wide-eyed and dazed in all of them. If any of you lovelies are also heading to the Book Fair on Saturday, please, please let me know! I'd love to meet up with some fellow book lovers and indulge in squealy fangirl moments together. Just look for the highly pregnant (4 weeks and counting people) blonde haired loon wandering around with an armload of books and a perma-smile.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

2011-04-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of years I have seriously lucked out in the book department thanks to the awesome Book Blogger Holiday Swap and my secret santas. This past year, Jennifer of The Introverted Reader sent me a wonderful package full of goodies (edible and readable) including the much talked-about but never read The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. A book which I didn't know much about, besides knowing good things were in store.

Bookish, introverted Frankie has never been much to talk about (as far as her male peers are concerned) until the summer before her sophomore year when she gains weight in all the right places and winds up catching the eye of her longtime crush and Mr. Popular himself, Matthew Livingston. Being the arm-candy of Alabaster Prep's most sought-after upperclassman draws Frankie into a entire new world of Matthew's bold and exciting friends. It's everything Frankie thought she wanted - until she decides she wants more. After a couple of canceled dates and flimsy excuses, the ever-observant and extremely crafty Frankie discovers that Matthew is part of a decades-old all boy secret society -- and Frankie wants in.

Frankie is the best kind of protagonist. She thinks. She analyzes. And then she makes rational decisions in her own trademark-Frankie way. But she's also a far cry from perfect. She makes mistakes and gets her heart broken but that just makes her all the more brilliant in my book. Also, she's hilarious. Her fascination with neglected positives a la P.G. Wodehouse like gruntled or turbed or maculate had me in stitches throughout. The secondary characters were also absolute stand-outs, especially the tongue-in-cheek hilarious phone conversations Frankie had with her clever sister Zada. If I had any complaints (which are very few) it would be the lackluster relationship development between Frankie and Matthew's best friend Alpha, who always came off as much more layered and complicated than Matthew ever was.

Aside from being an incredibly funny yet heart-wrenching story to read, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks also takes an intimate look at the roles females play at Alabaster Prep (and later on in society). As she's heard from her father (an Alabaster alum) her entire life, Alabaster Prep will enable Frankie to form connections and learn truths she'll use the rest of her life. Problem is, Frankie doesn't just want to be the pretty but smart, complacent girl who eventually marries some investment banker. She wants into the Good 'Ole Boys club herself where she can make those kind of lasting connections. Anyone reading this book - male or female - could not but take a moment to evaulate their own expectations for women in general. Genius.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review
Bookshelves of Doom review
The Book Smugglers review
Forever Young Adult review
Presenting Lenore review

book source: Book Blogger Holiday Swap - The Introverted Reader

Jane Eyre Winner

2011-03-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

Mucho thanks to everyone who entered my Jane Eyre giveaway this past week. I can't tell you how fun it was to read about all your favorite scenes from the book that you hoped would make it into the newest Jane Eyre flick. And now for the winner...

Liviania

Who said she most wanted to see Rochester cross-dressing like a gypsy!

Now if I could only find a theater near me actually showing the movie, I'd be a happy camper.

The Three Musketeers

2011-03-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone else seen this new trailer yet? I'm not too sure what to think about this latest incarnation of Dumas' tale. The movie stars Logan Lerman, Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson, Milla Jovovich, Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz and James Corden and will release October 14.

As for me, it looks like the story is taking itself just a little too seriously for my tastes. And what is with all the Matrix slo-mo moves? We really don't need to go there with this classic. That said, I'll probably still go see it because I'm compulsive like that. Thoughts?

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

2011-03-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

In what began with one innocently written request for a few out-of-print, reasonably priced books, American writer Helene Hanff unwittingly launched a decades-long correspondence with English booksellers Marks & Co. And more specifically with one bookseller, Frank Doel, a man she would never happen to meet. Her first letter to the establishment at 84, Charing Cross Road reads thus:

Gentlemen:

Your ad in the Saturday Review of Literature says that you specialize in out-of-print books. The phrase 'antiquarian book-sellers' scares me somewhat, as I equate 'antique' with expensive. I am a poor writer with antiquitarian taste in books and all the things I want are impossible to get over here except in very expensive rare editions, or in Barnes & Noble's grimy, marked-up school-boy copies.

I enclose a list of my most pressing problems. If you have clean, secondhand copies of any of the books on the list, for no more than $5.00 each, will you consider this a purchase order and send them to me?

Very truly yours,
Helene Hanff

And so a beautiful relationship between two extremely different bibliophiles is born. Helene can only be described as your typically eccentric and brash New Yorker who manages to slowly chip away at the equally typical professional British reserve of Frank Doel with her witty requests and sharp retorts. Even from this very first letter, I'm sure Frank Doel was able to paint a pretty clear picture of Ms. Hanff: unafraid and full of dry wit. An assessment that would have been spot-on as her later letters revealed a woman brimming with hilarity and intelligence alongside an astonishing fullness of heart. As Helene would often not only send her trademark letters of sarcasm and good-humor but packages of rationed foods for her British friends too. At different times I giggled, I cried, and above all I marveled at the profound reverence Helene and Frank shared for the written word. 84, Charing Cross Road is such a perfect little volume, one that will find a home in any bibliophiles' library.

Immediately after finishing, I just had to Netflix the movie adaptation, which of course was excellent and probably one of the most brilliant casting decisions regarding Anthony Hopkins (who just happens to be one of my top leading men) that I've ever seen. If you need any more prodding to pick up this delightful book, I recommend giving the movie a chance, I don't see how it could fail to bring a smile to anyone's face.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review
At Home with Books review
Book Harbinger review
Sophisticated Dorkiness review

book source: purchased

Jane Eyre Giveaway!

2011-03-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

Well do I ever have something exciting for you today! Many of you already know of my deep and long lasting love for the story of Jane Eyre - all that tension and drama just gets to me every single time. Which is why I was so excited when the kind people at Focus Features contacted me about doing a giveaway in conjunction with the recently released drool-worthy film, Jane Eyre. I haven't seen it yet (since I'm in one of those unlucky areas where it isn't showing yet), but you can be sure it's currently topping my list of must-see flicks. Just check out this lovely trailer...

Now onto the good part: Thanks to Focus Features, I have some great prizes in store for one lucky winner:

Soundtrack sampler
Bookmark
Journal
Pencil
Copy of the book, Jane Eyre, movie tie-in edition

All you need to do, dear reader, is to leave me a comment telling me what scene(s) from the novel you will be forever crushed if they don't include in the movie. Please be sure to leave me your email address. Contest will run until March 30th and is open to US residents only.

Jane Eyre - The Official Website
Facebook page
Jane Eyre Goodreads Challenge

Chasing Alliecat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis

2011-03-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

Summer is not turning out quite how Sadie Lester would have liked. Even though her mother basically dropped her off in the middle of Minnesota to live with her aunt and uncle and their bajillion kids for the summer, Sadie is determined to still find time for her true passion - mountain biking. Fortunately, Sadie quickly discovers that the wilds of Minnesota are actually the perfect place to not only one her riding skills but to escape the craziness of her new home. And her skills quickly begin to improve, especially after Sadie meets the fearless and focused rider Allie. Accompanied by Sadie's 'cousin' Joe, Allie continually forces the trio to push their bodies to the utmost limits, without ever exhibiting any fear. That is until they discover a dead priest in the woods and Allie disappears after reporting the crime that Sadie begins to realize just how desperate Allie's life has recently become and her determination to help her new friend no matter what.

As unique storylines go, Chasing AllieCat is an absolute winner. When approached with the possibility of reviewing a novel about a teenage GIRL who mountain bikes competitively with the added bonus of a mysterious murder, well you can imagine my desire to dive right in. Talk about your strong, empowered heroine! Sadie (and Allie) is all of those things as she pushes herself physically in her riding. But more importantly she always remains a relatable teenager, suffering from self-doubt and even fear of success.

Rebecca Fjelland Davis does an excellent job of creating a world full of annoying little cousins, redneck neighbors, and above all the ferocious Allie to populate Sadie's summer. Basically every single individual (with the glaring exception of Sadie's 'cousin' Joe who I could never wrap my brain around) was utterly real and full of personality. Combined with Ms. Davis' excellent sense of place - the backwoods of Minnesota - and you have a compelling mystery I'm sure most teens will gobble right up.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Bookworming in the 21st Century review
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf review
The Naughty Book Kitties review
Reading Teen review
Stacked review

**Rebecca Fjelland Davis has generously offered to donate $1.00 for every meaningful comment left during the Chasing AllieCat book tour to Global Giving - a charity which provides bikes to girls in India, allowing them to attend school.

book source: Teen Book Scene tour

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

2011-03-07T05:12:00.000-08:00

It seems like Molly Harper continually gets good reviews for her Nice Girls series, especially by the trusted Kmont over at Lurv a la Mode who named the Nice Girls series her top humor read for 2010. So naturally when I was offered a chance to review her newest title, the first in a series featuring a pack of werewolves in remote Alaska, I jumped at the chance. Although not exactly my preferred genre, this paranormal romantic comedy was just right for putting a big 'ole smile on this readers face.

When Mo Duvall-Wenstein finally decided to dump her vanilla fiance and make a fresh start away from her overbearing hippy parents, remote Grundy, Alaska seemed like the perfect escape. Even if the town happens to be a little on the smallish side, Mo quickly begins to feel right at home after finding a cooking job at the local diner/saloon and making friends with - most - of the locals. With the glaring exception of one Cooper Graham, smokin' hot good looks notwithstanding. Cooper has yet to bestow a single civil remark or gesture to Mo when she unexpectedly finds the surly man on her porch late one night, naked, with a bear trap caught around his ankle. Demanding an explanation, Mo is understandably astonished with Cooper transforms into a very large and very furry wolf. Which isn't the last of Cooper's startling revelations after several hikers and even Grundy locals fall prey to fatal wolf attacks. Attacks that Mo are sure could not have been caused by Cooper even if he can't remember his actions while in wolf form.

With chapter titles such as "When Options A and B Both Suck" and "Moroseville, Population: Me" I found Molly Harper's witty banter and snarky observations in How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf hilarious. Instantly likable with her fast quips and enviable southern cooking, Mo's adventures with the confusing Cooper held my attention completely. I also devoured every single one of Mo's observations on the eccentric and diverse population of Grundy. Each individual added a new dimension and plenty of humor to keep the pages flipping. At times I was a little thrown off by minor details (Mo easy acceptance of Cooper's werewolf status for example) but the story itself was simply too much fun to complain about. And even though there were considerable more *sexytimes* than I was anticipating (which, honestly I don't know what's wrong with me since the title all but screams hot encounters contained within!!) they were never over the top or enough to throw me out of the story. As a light, fluffy read with plenty of comedy, I absolutely recommend How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf.

series reading order:
~ How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf
~ The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf (March 29, 2011)

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Fresh Fiction review
Smokin' Hot Books review

book source: review copy from the publisher

Sword-Singer by Jennifer Roberson

2011-03-04T05:17:00.000-08:00

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc.

After finally tracking down her long-ago kidnapped brother with the help of master sword-dancer Tiger, Del now faces the daunting task of returning to the North to finally pay the price for having slain her sword-master. Tiger isn't about to allow his basha to return to her homelands alone to face a trial and possibly death and so comes along for the ride. All too quickly however, he discovers that the North is nothing like his beloved desert South. Not only is he faced with an unfamiliar landscape and colder temperatures but demons and magic which Tiger stoutly refuses to believe exists. Even though the proof is right before his eyes. Frustrated with the whole venture, a miserable Tiger watches as Del becomes increasingly more detached and withdrawn even as she daily tries to prepare him for the uncompromising severity of her former home.

Well. Whereas Sword-Dancer left me extremely satisfied if not entirely hungry for more Tiger and Del, then its sequel, Sword-Singer left me astounded and downright DEMANDING for the next installment. After having already spent one whole book with these two outstanding characters, I thought I had a pretty good handle on their histories and motivations but boy howdy was I ever wrong. Clever Ms. Roberson had plenty more surprises up her sleeve in Sword-Singer. For most of the novel I truly felt like I was there, right along with Tiger, discovering detail after detail about the North and Del for the very first time. I sympathized with his frustrations and unhappiness even if I sometimes wanted to pop him upside the head. But then, Tiger wouldn't be Tiger without a rash response here or there.

Although once again, Del in her quiet yet unyielding way utterly stole the show and my heart in Sword-Singer. She is so fierce yet still feels every choice so deeply - even though she tries to hide that facet of her personality. I simply do not know how Del has managed to continue after enduring hardship upon hardship. But GAH!! How in heavens name could Jennifer Roberson end the book in such a way?!? Horrible cliff-hanger that it was, I'm still fuming at my mailman for taking over three weeks to bring me the next book, Sword-Maker. You can bet your sweet socks I didn't waste any time diving right back in.

series reading order:
~ Sword-Dancer - my review
~ Sword-Singer
~ Sword-Maker
~ Sword-Breaker
~ Sword-Born
~ Sword-Sworn

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Seedlings review

book source: purchased

Guess who is getting a book?

2011-03-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

"My name is Marcel and I'm partially a shell."

Today I discovered that the hilariously awesome Marcel the Shell is going to be released in November as a picture book from Razorbill called Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: Things About Me based on the awesome video by Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp. Seeing as my little boy loves this video (okay, me too) I think it's gonna have to go on my wishlist. Although I can only hope the publishers offer it as a read-along with the same narrator. She kills me.

What are Wolves, Alex?

2011-02-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

Last night it seems two of my favorite things came together in one big crazy mash-up.

Maggie Stiefvater and Jeopardy!

You heard me right internets. Turns out last night Maggie and her fabulous books, The Wolves of Mercy Falls were featured as a clue on Teen Jeopardy! Jeopardy! I tell you. With Alex Trebek! I used that watch that show religiously in college as a de-stresser and can just imagine the glee Maggie must be experiencing Right. Now. So very awesome.

Here's the clue for all you doubting Thomases (via Maggie herself)

Fabulous case of YAngelism.

Star of the Morning by Lynn Kurland

2011-02-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

If it hasn't become obvious yet, lately I've found myself becoming more and more critical of every new release or YA novel I happen to pick up. At the risk of becoming too harsh (in reviews, on myself, etc) and getting burnt out, I decided this would be the perfect time to switch gears. After taking a peek at my wishlist of 'I've-always-wanted-to-read-that-but-just-haven't-yet" I ran across Lynn Kurland's Star of the Morning. The first novel in a fantasy series about a female mercenary seemed to fit the bill nicely and it didn't hurt that it had come very highly recommended by my dear friends Angie of Angieville and Holly of Book Harbinger. Truthfully, additional prodding wasn't really necessary.

With the loss of King Adhemar's magic and ability to wield his enchanted sword in one fell swoop, the entire defense of the kingdom of Neroche now rests solely upon the shoulders of the royal archmage - and Adhemar's brother - Miach. Even though he is extremely talented, Miach knows this strain will quickly drain him (and Neroche) of all it's defenses if something is not done to augment the realms' magical power.

Trained as a ruthless mercenary, Morgan is quick to mistrust anything that stinks of magic, preferring to rely on her own strengths (which are many) instead. But even though the blade tucked in with her belongings fairly exudes powerful magic, she is determined to fulfill her duty by carrying it to the King of Neroche. Having never before left her island home, Morgan is vastly relieved when she is joined on her quest by a few loyal comrade-in-arms but not so much by the arrival of the arrogant young man Adhemar and a little later, his handsome brother Miach. It quickly becomes obvious however that something - or someone - is intent on harming their small band and Morgan finds herself turning to magic and Miach's expertise on the subject to simply reach the royal city alive.

Star of the Morning is a beautifully written book, infused with a promising bit of romance, that switches points of view between various characters (convincingly well) while still managing to contain enough intrigue without ever letting that become the focus of the story. I do so love me a good character-driven novel - especially when the characters are not at all what they appear at first glance. Our heroine Morgan could have easily come across as a simple sword-wielding mercenary, yet her past and deep-seated aversion to magic grant her a much wider appeal. Tough and talented as she is, Morgan still has fears and watching her face those down with the help of her friends-in-arms and Miach was immensely satisfying. It seems I am developing quite a soft spot for talented warrior-women lately (much to my delight) and Lynn Kurland has delivered yet another winner in Morgan. Star of the Morning has so much to offer any fantasy fan - you can be sure I'll be tracking down book two, The Mage's Daughter in a hurry.

series reading order:
~ Star of the Morning
~ The Mage's Daughter
~ Princess of the Sword

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review
The Book Harbinger review
Melissa's Bookshelf review
Reading for Sanity review

book source: my local library

In My Mailbox: February 13

2011-02-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. This meme is about books that you received or bought during the week.

Once again this week saw some awesome books come my way - mostly via Paperback Swap. One I'm most excited about is Monster Blood Tattoo, mainly due to Leila @ Bookshelves of Doom's constant pimping for D.M. Cornish's largely unheard trilogy. You'll also notice another Tiger and Del novel which is just going to sit on my shelf, taunting me, since I'm still waiting for book three to arrive so I can read that one first. I think my sneaky mailman must be reading them before he brings them to me or something...

Monster Blood Tattoo by D.M. Cornish

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti

Poison Study by Maria Snyder

Sword-Breaker by Jennifer Roberson

Annnnd... I finally finished the brilliant PBS Masterpiece series Downton Abbey. Such drama! Makes me glad my sister and I are such good friends and don't fight like Mary and Edith. Yowza! Although I am not happy about having to wait until next season to find out what happens to everyone. Any theories out there?

What popped up in your mailbox this week?

Sword-Dancer by Jennifer Roberson

2011-02-11T07:23:00.000-08:00

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc.

A few weeks ago I read the exceptional retelling of Robin Hood, Lady of the Forest, by Jennifer Roberson and was obviously intrigued with such a talented author. Immediately I set out to unearth her other novels, which of course led me to discover her Tiger and Del fantasy series. Not withstanding its awesomely bad cover, I quickly ordered the first, Sword-Dancer with high hopes.

Known throughout the Southron for his courage and deadly skill with a sword, the Sandtiger has survived his fair share of dangerous and unusual scrapes as a sword-dancer. But from the minute the strange woman with the pale hair and a sword strapped to her back stepped into the cantina, Tiger knows he's out of his league with Del. Tiger is even more stunned to discover that Del wants hire him to lead her through the Punja desert in search of her brother who was stolen by slavers years before. Knowing a crazy undertaking when he hears it, Tiger still agrees to Del's proposal. No sooner do the pair set off, than they are set upon by viscous desert tribes, fierce sandtigers, and the harsh desert itself; that is when they aren't trading insults or clashing swords.

Holy cow this book is a whole new animal. One that I fell in love with double quick. And that includes its 'unique' cover - which I absolutely adore to tell you the truth - because that is Del. Told solely from the perspective of the arrogant and often narrow-minded (yet oh so lovable) Tiger, Sword-Dancer excels at describing the tricky relationship of Tiger and Del. Both are incredibly strong personalities who are more than capable of taking care of themselves but together they form this crazy partnership that simply works. Obviously Del as a foreigner has buckets to learn about the Southron from Tiger but more often than not, she's the one teaching Tiger a thing or two about his deepest self. And Del. That girl won my heart with her fierce determination and her willingness to challenge every accepted tradition - especially when it comes to women being capable of wielding a sword and wielding it well. I love nothing better than watching strong characters go through the toughest of trials and Sword-Dancer does just that. Tiger and Del face some heartbreaking obstacles and emerge all the stronger. Love this book. Love the characters. I'm anxious to see where Tiger and Del go next.

series reading order:
~ Sword-Dancer
~ Sword-Singer
~ Sword-Maker
~ Sword-Breaker
~ Sword-Born
~ Sword-Sworn

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review

book source: purchased

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2011-02-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Agreeing to travel with her parents as frozen cargo aboard the spaceship Godspeed, expecting to arrive on a new planet 300 years later, was the hardest decision seventeen year old Amy ever had to make. Nothing could prepare her for the actual horror of being frozen nor the semi-conscious state she inhabits afterwards. Unfortunately Amy doesn't understand true fear until she is awakened from her sleep fifty years too early to find herself surrounded by people who all look alike, speak differently, and who see her as nothing more than a deranged freak.

Everyone except for Elder that is. Although he is next in line as leader of the spaceship, Elder is the youngest person aboard and has felt always felt different. Tired of half-truths and avoidance by Eldest - the ships current leader and his mentor - Elder spends more and more of his time with the unique girl who came from Earth itself, hoping for answers. But instead of helping, Amy's life and experiences on Earth only create new questions for Elder - ones that could very well destroy everything he ever believed to be true.

I think I first decided to read Beth Revis' sci-fi debut after reading an online excerpt. Across the Universe doesn't just have a killer first line, the entire first chapter is so gripping I was dying to find out what would happen. Like right then. Make no mistake, Amy's account of watching her parents being cyrogenically frozen (and then experiencing it for herself) was riveting. It wasn't pretty or simple and Amy's fear and revulsion are just so palpable. After that initial burst however, I slowly began to lose interest in Elder and Amy's story, with my attention only being caught now and then by some tidbit or scene.

Although the idea of Across the Unvierse is extremely appealing, I wasn't too thrilled with the direction Beth Revis chose to take Amy and Elder. Instead of taking the time to discuss some of the wicked cool technology developments (which, okay, she does - but only a bit and my inner geek-girl was practically drooling for more) or the background on why the space expedition was even happening in the first place, we got pages and pages on the Season (uck) and a murder 'investigation' that seemed more stale than CSI-worthy. Not to mention the 'romance' of Amy and Elder, which never went past the attraction phase in my book. I'll admit, there were several pretty brilliant ah-ha! moments of discovery, but most came in the last 50 pages or so and consequently felt rushed and not as well developed as I would have liked.

Overall, Across the Universe reads a bit like it's cover. Upon first notice, the spectacular star-strewn sky and title are appealing but then the almost-kiss and cover tag line ("What does it take to survive aboard a spaceship fueled by lies?" ::gag::) go and mess things up for me. Which also applies to the story itself. This is a book with a basic fascinating premise: How would humans truly handle a 300 year long journey through space? Beth Revis gives her readers a believable portrayal but one that ended up getting bogged down by other details. So not really a true sci-fi novel (other than it takes place aboard a spaceship), but perhaps YA fans who like mysteries and romance will find this one fulfilling. It just didn't suit me.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Forever Young Adult review
Frenetic Reader review
Inkcrush review
Janicu's review
Steph Su Reads review
The Story Siren review
yaReads review

book source: my local library

In My Mailbox: February 7

2011-02-08T07:18:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. This meme is about books that you received or bought during the week.

It's been a while since I've done one of these but I couldn't help share some of the wonderful books that have been coming my way lately. In an effort to clean out my bookshelves, I've traded a bunch at Paperback Swap (*love*) and have been happily ordering more with the available credits. This past week, a few excellent selections arrived.

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

Sword-Dancer by Jennifer Roberson

Sword-Singer by Jennifer Roberson

All of these have been on my wishlist for some time now and after having already read a couple, they are all living up to my (high) expectations. Lately I've really been drawn to older books and have discovered some truly unforgettable stories. Hopefully, I'll get some reviews up here in the next day or so.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Masterpiece: Downton Abbey

2011-02-02T16:19:00.000-08:00

PBS Masterpiece just gets better and better every season, doesn't it?

This most recent Masterpiece Classic miniseries brings us the incredible Downton Abbey - a story of a traditional English household, upstairs and down, at the turn of the century. I for one am loving every second of it. So many fabulous characters, intrigues, and insights to that turbulent period of time. If you haven't checked this one out, be sure to do so. It's only online for free until February 22nd. Although - I still have two more episodes to watch, so if you've seen them all already (lucky!) Please. Don't Tell Me What Happens!

In expected fashion, I already have my favorite quote of the series (so far) and it came from the imposing Dowager Countess, played by the fabulous Maggie Smith: "No Englishman would ever dream of dying in someone else's house!"

Love.

Lady of the Forest by Jennifer Roberson

2011-01-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc.

Okay, so everybody knows the story of Robin Hood, right? I guarantee you've seen at least one cartoon or film adaptation based on the story but to my knowledge, there really aren't a ton of books out there (besides Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood) that adequately tell the story of how a nobleman turned thief, gathered a loyal band of 'merry men' and fell in love with that stunner, Maid Marian. Jennifer Roberson does just that (and does it really well) in her stunning tale, Lady of the Forest - which lays the foundation for all the lawless adventures of Robin Hood to come. Thanks to Angie, who highlighted Lady of the Forest one Retro Friday a while back, I've had this retelling on my list ever since and was just waiting for the right mood to strike.

Switching back and forth from a variety of perspectives of Robin, Marian, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Will Scarlett, Alan of the Dales, and even fat Friar Tuck, Lady of the Forest beautifully unfolds the story of the young Marian, orphaned after the death of her father in the Crusades, and the much-heralded Robert of Locksley, recently returned from the same conflict. Broken and battered in soul and body, Robin is struggling to simply remain functioning when the beautiful Marian steps forward, bringing his mind suddenly to the present and to his duties in England. What follows is a brilliantly complete tale of the couple's legendary story of love at first sight amidst the tyrannical rule of Prince John and his lackey, the evil Sheriff of Nottingham while King Richard remained a prisoner of war.

I simply cannot recommend Lady of the Forest enough. The language alone was enough to send me into giddy fits of excitement. But coupled with the slight tweaking of the character's personalities and I was a goner. Take Robin for example - traditionally cock-sure, brash, and witty, Roberson's Robin is in turn a broken man. BROKEN! He's been to war, witnessed its horrors first-hand and cannot seem to find his way back. From our very first glimpse of Robin, you immediately get a sense of something not being quite right with our hero.

Robert of Locksley, heir to vast wealth, an ancient title, and his father's brand-new castle, sat very quietly on the edge of the chair, holding himself perfectly still. If he didn't move, if he did not so much as twitch, the chair wouldn't break.

And neither will I.

From that point on I knew this was a tale worth sticking around for. Never once was I bogged down by its' heftiness (600+ pages); the political maneuverings and intrigues were fascinating and Roberson never stooped to overly glamorizing life in medieval Britain. All the gritty details were there, unjust as they were. Lady of the Forest has something to offer any fan of historical fiction, romance, epic retellings, or just lovers of the written word.

series reading order:
~ Lady of the Forest
~ Lady of Sherwood

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review
The Book Lover review
That's All She Read review

book source: purchased

See Michelle Laugh: Famous Inboxes

2011-01-26T14:30:00.000-08:00

Today I stumbled upon this awesome site - Famous Inboxes - that features a collection of email inboxes for various famous people from history and literature. A few, I found to be truly hilarious. Truly.

Like Gandalf's

Or Snape's

But that's not all! Check out entries for Elizabeth Bennet, Mozart, Peter Rabbit, and even Santa Claus.

It's okay, you're supposed to laugh

2011-01-21T08:18:00.000-08:00

I'm not really a fan of book trailers and it seems as if Ilona Andrews is of the same opinion. BUT she has crafted this excellent spoof of a trailer for the next Kate Daniels book, Magic Slays, which is just too awesome not to share.

Neil Gaiman goes Yellow

2011-01-21T04:19:00.000-08:00

Neil Gaiman is a genius. An evil genius to be sure but still, a genius.

I just finished Anansi Boys a few days ago and I must tell you that it rocked my socks and then some. Loved it to little bits. Especially these few lines when Fat Charlie and Spider are discussing Rosie's mum:

"I really, really never liked her."

"I didn't know her as well as you did. But given time, I'm sure I would have really, really disliked her too."

The cleverness kills me.

After finishing up, I started poking around his journal (a very fun place to be btw) and discovered this little tidbit: Neil Gaiman is going to be a guest star on an episode of The Simpsons called "The Book Job" which will air sometime next year. My favorite bit from his blog however is describing how the director wanted his character to sound:

Him: "Can you do an American accent that would sound to Americans like Dick Van Dyke's English accent sounded to you?" Me: "Er..."

Must watch that episode.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

2011-01-20T04:40:00.000-08:00

Orphaned at an early age and doomed to grow up in a world where death for girls comes at age twenty and boys at twenty-five, Rhine Ellery has tried to carve out a life with her twin brother Rowen. That is until she is kidnapped at age sixteen by Gatherers and sold as a teen bride to the wealthy and young Governor Linden. Even though they are marrying Linden, Rhine and her sister wives, Jenna and Cecily, quickly discover it is their controlling father-in-law Housemaster Vaughn who will ultimately decide their fate. Unwilling to accept life in the gilded cage she has been confined to, Rhine begins to plan her escape - part of which is crafting a mask of happiness that will fool Linden and hopefully even sinister Housemaster Vaughn.

It seems that recently several dystopian novels (Matched, Delirium) have been published which center around the idea of a predetermined or forced marriage in a futuristic setting. While similar in concept, Wither seems to take the concept once step further by actually portraying a teenager in a polygamous marriage. That little tidbit alone initially kept me from sinking into Rhine's story from the beginning. I was turned off by all the inherent implications of such a storyline but once I got further into the story, I found myself very impressed by Lauren DeStefano's careful handling of the topic. Yes, it does read a bit like The Handmaid's Tale but the terrifying bits are kept to a young adult level.

I was especially impressed with DeStefano's rendering of the human conflicts inherent in a polygamous marriage - aspects I was truly nervous about. Rhine's dealings with her two sister-wives, Jenna and Cecily, became a highlight while reading as both characters brought their own unique viewpoints and experiences to the situation. I cannot imagine being thrown into such a situation with two other teenage girls and Ms. DeSefanto does an admirable job of underscoring the unsteady nature of that crazy relationship. And just like her attitude towards Jenna and Cecily, Rhine's role as wife to Linden often winds up becoming blurred as well. None of Rhine's relationships in Wither are simple and that is what really kept me reading until the end.

Despite the readability of Wither, one thing I never quite understood was Rhine's constant aversion to Housemaster Vaughn dissecting bodies in order to better comprehend the genetic alteration responsible for early death. Isn't that what's done in order to develop a cure? Especially since Rhine's parents had been scientists too, I find her unwillingness to see the scientific benefits of performing autopsies unbelievable. Maybe it was simply because it was Housemaster Vaughn doing the dissections? I could tell Lauren DeStefano tried to style him as someone subtly menacing and creepy a la President Snow, yet he never quite reached that level of villain in my book. Otherwise however, Wither proved to be an unnerving and well-thought out debut, with lots of promise for the rest of The Chemical Garden series.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Brittany the Book Slayer review
The Compulsive Reader review
Confessions of a Bookaholic review

book source: ARC provided by the publisher

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

2011-01-18T14:33:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of 2011, I resolved to try my hardest to begin reading all those lovely books sitting on my shelves that for one reason or another I've never gotten around to before. At the top of my list was Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith which I purchased way back in July '10 primarily due to the constant pimping of my good friend and blogger Chachic. She continually has good things to say about this book and of course, I was curious to see what goodies it held in store for me. It wasn't until after I arrived home with my used copy however that I discovered I had actually bought a signed copy - even though it had been dedicated to one Ruthie. Maybe I can start telling everyone that's my middle name...

Originally published as two separate books, Crown Duel and Court Duel - but handily combined in my edition, Crown Duel begins with a promising portrayal of the penniless brother and sister duo Meliara and Branaric who swear on their father's deathbed to do whatever it takes - even if it means going to war - to ensure that the king is removed from his throne. As joint rulers of a small province, Mel and Bran don't exactly have the means or resources to defeat the royal army in an uprising, but that doesn't stop them from trying. And despite the highly unfavorable odds Mel and Bran actually seem to be making progress until the arrival of the famed Marquis of Sheraveth, Lord Vidanric. Determined not to let this foppish lord best her on the battle-field or in the high courts, Mel vows to make things right for her beloved country even if it means working together with her worst enemy.

It's no surprise to me now why Sherwood Smith is beloved by many readers. Meliara's world of Hill Folk and court politics is extremely intriguing with hints of magic and full of complex characters. Even though she is stubborn and often blind to a fault, I still could not get enough of Mel's first-person narrative whether running for her life on a broken ankle(!) from royal soldiers or trying to navigate the equally treacherous yet more subtly dangerous parties and teas of court life. I did cringe on numerous occasions as Mel made yet another blunder, but each time, she simply dusted herself off and drove straight back into the fray. That, my friends, is my kind of heroine. As an added perk, running throughout both Parts I and II are Mel's run-ins with the famed Marquis, Lord Vidanric which gave me no end of pleasure. What a great foil these two characters are with their many differences! I do wish we could have seen more development from Vidanric, but I'll be the first to admit that his silences make him that much more compelling. Overall, Crown Duel was a wonderful book and one I'm glad is now sitting on my shelves. Your loss is very much my gain, Ruthie.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Avid Book Reader review
Book Harbinger review
The Book Nest review
Bookshelves of Doom review
Chachic's Book Nook review

book source: purchased

Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty

2011-01-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

******You've been warned: Spoilers contained herein!!

And now finally, we come to the fifth and final book in Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series. Jessica hasn't seen or heard from Marcus Flutie after finally breaking things off three years earlier when he asked her to marry him. As she is hurrying to catch a flight for Bridget and Percy's wedding(!), Jessica literally runs smack into Marcus. Utterly unprepared for any such meeting, Jessica and Marcus both find themselves questioning their past relationship and if fate truly had a hand in bringing them together once again or if it was just plain dumb luck.

Alrighty then. Y'all all know how I've gone back and forth on this series and Perfect Fifths is no different. Basically, I am divided right down the middle regarding this fifth and final book in the Jessica Darling series. On the one hand, I loved how Megan McCafferty tied up all of Jessica and Marcus' loose ends. The shift from Jessica's first-person tell-all narrative to a third person narrator expertly showcased the idea that this them was telling 'their story.' And unlike the previous novels, I never felt like we were missing out on details since the entire novel only spans about a day. It was a very subtle yet effective way of underscoring the differences in their current relationship. And really, I don't know if there is anyone out that who wasn't thrilled to finally (FINALLY) get a glimpse into Marcus' head after all these years. His insecurities and left-over feelings for Jessica made him so much more human (and therefore likable) than anything else he had done previously as the Game Master.

And how refreshing it was to see Jessica become this confident, if not overworked, responsible grown up. Imagine my surprise to discover that she now went out of her way to try to make others feel better during conversations rather than the 'say anything and to heck with the consequences' method of her youth. It's about time you learned a little thing called compassion honey.

On the flip side, there were numerous details about this book that grated my nerves to no end.

1. The pretentious dialogue. Man, oh man. I get it that Jessica and Marcus are geniuses or something, but did it really have to get beaten over our heads every second of their entire conversation? After a while even I got pretty fed up with having to turn to wikipedia to sort out their latest esoteric reference.

2. Marcus as the ultimate desirable man. Frankly, his unthinkable antics in the previous books pretty much sealed my ambivalence for this guy. Also, I really didn't need the near constant reminders on his incredible sexiness. Seriously. Is there a breathing female that Megan McCafferty writes that doesn't drool over and/or shed her clothes after only a glimpse of him? And that shower scene did nothing to help. Totally awkward and borderline icky.

3. Jessica's breakdown after Sunny's accident. Okay -- rewind. I am so crazy happy that Jessica has finally found a 'calling' in life - something she could put all that passion and extra brain-power towards yet her whole reaction to Sunny's accident was very odd and never quite developed to its fullest potential. Not to mention her utter unwillingness to talk about it with anyone. And I'm not even going to go into Sunny's ~~far-fetched~~ miraculous recovery.

4. Jessica's freaky dream sequences. I can't really even begin to explain these besides to say...whaaaaat?!?

So overall, am I glad I finished reading this series? Yes. I was glad to finally have some closure for Jessica and to actually see her turn into a mature, responsible adult (sometimes I truly worried folks). But there were still many, many moments of sheer frustration. So there you have it. Die-hard Jessica (and Marcus) fans will probably love this one, but I'm okay with returning it back to the library.

series reading order:
~ Sloppy Firsts - my review
~ Second Helpings - my review
~ Charmed Thirds - my review
~ Fourth Comings - my review
~ Perfect Fifths

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Great Books and Fresh Coffee review (a clever review in haiku format)
S. Krishna's Books review
The Story Siren review
The Reading Zone review
Wondrous Reads review
Write Meg! review

book source: my local library

Printz Winners!

2011-01-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

This past week the Printz award winners (along with a slew of other winners) were announced. I usually always end up absolutely loving whatever books the award committee selects and this year will probably prove to be no different. Out of all five books chosen however, I'm a little embarrassed to admit I haven't read a single one. Yet. Although I've heard many, many good things about each.

2011 Winner: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

2011 Honor Books:

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick

Nothing by Janne Teller

******

Also in other book award news, the Cybils also recently announced their 2010 finalists a few weeks ago - if you haven't had time to check out their lists (especially the YA and YA fantasy picks), I recommend you do so.

Seeing as I am woefully behind on both lists, I think I have some major catching up to do. Have you read any of these winners/nominees? Any recommendations on where to start?

See Michelle Read in 2010

2011-01-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years everybody!!

Unbelievable as it may seem, I'm currently sitting here in my California desert home watching the SNOW fall and feeling very ready to curl up and remember some of my favorite reads from 2010. This past year saw some incredible books come my way - some old, some new and many leaving me in a puddle of squealing girlie-fandom. And so now, here are my Best Of's for 2010...

Best Debut ~ Split by Swati Avasthi
One of the best male POV teen books I've ever read, Split is a gripping yet heartbreaking story. Jace's voice stayed with me for days afterward and I just want to shove this book into every single persons hand.

Best Retelling ~ Jane by April Lindner
I think I've made my undying love for this book perfectly clear but I'll say it again: this modern retelling of Jane Eyre is pitch perfect. Jane falling in love with rockstar Nico Rathburn is simply stunning. Haunting prose, soul mates, and chemistry practically oozing off the page. Read it.

Best Urban Fantasy ~ Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
Magic Bleeds packs some serious sizzle friends. This latest installment basically cemented Kate's status as my top UF heroine. Kate is tough yet freaking hilarious and her relationship with Curran... oh boy.

Best YA Fantasy ~ The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan
Mae truly is something else. Pink hair and no magic except for her razor sharp wits. And those Ryves' brothers? Um yes. Their dynamic, volatile relationship is never, ever boring and the twists just keep on coming.

Best Fantasy ~ The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Thank heavens that Ana over at The Book Smugglers gushed incessantly over this one. Day one of Kvothe's tale had me riveted. I just know The Wise Man's Fear (or day two) will be just as astounding.

Best Throwback ~ The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman
I had never yet experienced the awesomeness that is Sally Lockhart until this year but I'm so glad I finally did. This entire series is fantastic, but Sally's first adventure is truly heart-pounding unforgettable.

Best Dystopian YA ~ The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Yeah, yeah. I know this one came out in 2009 so I'm a cheating a bit here folks but I did call it back in January and nothing has even come close to changing my mind. Brilliant and compelling - the complete unravellling of Todd's entire world blew my mind. And Manchee broke my heart.

Best New Author Discovery ~ Jacyln Moriarty
And to think my latest crush all started with a little book called The Ghosts of Ashbury High. I had no idea what awesomeness I'd be jumping into when I first picked this one up but I couldn't help searching out Feeling Sorry for Celia, The Murder of Bindy MacKenzie, and The Year of Secret Assignments right away. Jaclyn Moriarty is flawless in her depictions of friendships and the trials of being a teen. Also, she's side-splitting funny.

So if anyone's keeping track that's about 163 books read this year - not as many as 2009, but still respectable nonetheless. All in all, 2009 was a banner year for sure. What were some of your favorites from 2010?

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

2010-12-29T04:04:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is about Anna Godbersen's novels, but they simply have the best covers and the best titles an author could ask for. Easily capturing the excess and intrigue of turn of the century New York in her Luxe series, she has now turned her attention to the liberating Jazz Age in her latest, Bright Young Things.

In 1929 hundreds of girls make their way to New York City from all across the nation for different reasons. For small town beauty Letty Larkspur, that means a chance at fame and fortune and hopes of seeing her name in lights. But Letty would have never gotten on that train from Ohio to New York if her best friend Cordelia Grey had not planned their escape. Throughout her entire life, Cordelia has lived under the shadow of her self-righteous and overbearing aunt with the one dream: traveling to New York to reunite with her real father. Although once they actually arrive, these naive farm girls find a city full of flappers, booze and men with less than impure intentions ready to swallow them whole. By pure luck, Cordelia becomes fast friends with the stunning yet jaded Astrid Donal who is everything the girls dream of becoming. Wealthy and beautiful, Astrid seems to have it all but in reality this debutante has no ambition beyond the next party or her next beautiful dress. All three possess qualities that could make them into stars of one kind or another yet it remains to be seen where these bright young things will end up.

Oh my word. What incredibly dishy, fun reads Anna Godbersen's novels are! Her books simply are my definition of a guilty pleasure. And what a fabulous way to indulge. The prose of Bright Young Things is breezy yet full of underlying tension and her characters are simply stunning. Even though Cordelia, Letty, and Astrid are three vastly distinct personalities with their own demons to conquer they are what make this book truly shine.

Cordelia (who is by far my favorite) has spent her entire life under the shadow of her disapproving aunt, yet she is determined to get exactly what she wants out of life. Nothing fazes this girl. She's got the nerve to wear red to a white-dress only exclusive country club and never spares a thought for the social consequences. Honestly, I didn't lose any sleep over her ability to come out on top - but I can't say the same for naive little Letty. I truly worry about that girl. She's got a buckets to learn about being an independent flapper and I just hope she figures it out before something truly bad happens to her.

As for Astrid... well, I'm torn. While she does show a few glimpses of being able to take control of her future beyond the selection of her next party dress, girl spends an inordinate amount of time brushing her hair. And sighing. And being bored. Not exactly attractive qualities but that's not to say I'm not curious. She's got an intriguing past with potential galore so she goes on my 'to-watch' list for sure.

Each girl has a complicated history and a definite future. I'm ready the sequel Beautiful Days now, please.

series reading order:
~ Bright Young Things
~ Beautiful Days (September 2011)

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
The Book Scout review
The Book Smugglers review
Forever Young Adult review
Inkcrush review
The Story Siren review

book source: The Teen {Book} Scene book tour

Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty

2010-12-23T04:06:00.000-08:00

Finally finished with her expensive college experience, Jessica has no clue what to do with her future. She's freelancing for an obscure journal, which doesn't even begin to cover her student loans - and looking for that perfect job to come her way. Although Jessica and Marcus have reunited after his long absence, she's feeling particularly unsettled in their relationship especially with Marcus' newest decision to attend Princeton University as a freshman at age 23. And most confusing of all is that Marcus wants her to marry him (!!!). Understandably, Jessica asks for time to consider this crazy proposal from her soul mate and is given a week to come up with an answer. To help explain all her different reasons for her final choice to Marcus she decides to keep a detailed journal for the next week and therein documents all her experiences with job hunting, family drama, her relationship with friends, and most of all her conflicted feelings for Marcus.

Even though I had gotten really fed up with Jessica (and Marcus) in the previous book, I decided to give our heroine one more chance. And I am so glad I did! Fourth Comings returned to everything I loved about Sloppy Firsts - mainly Jessica's intense daily observations (not the filtered time-warp jumps we were getting before) and time away from Marcus to just be herself. Yes, she talks about Marcus and their past, but he's not physically around for the week written about in Fourth Comings. Frankly, I still was pretty fed up with Marcus from the previous couple of books and was very glad to see him take a backseat to Jessica's running dialogue here. Fourth Comings is simply Jessica living her life without anyone trying to pull the strings. Trust me, she's drama enough to handle without all that extra added in.

As far as development goes, I felt like in Fourth Comings, Jessica and Marcus both finally grew up a bit and really got what they needed. Oh, they are both still very young and make stupid choices - but they seem to recognize that now. There was so much character growth and overall development that I couldn't help but be enthralled with Jessica's insightful, no-holds-barred narrative. It's like Jessica especially finally became comfortable enough in her own skin to be able to do those things she knows are hard but that are still best for her. And although it couldn't have been a more difficult road for Jessica to walk, I fully love the ending Megan McCafferty crafted. Hard as it was for her to decide, it was time and I'm glad the author was able to take that crucial step.

series reading order:
~ Sloppy Firsts - my review
~ Second Helpings - my review
~ Charmed Thirds - my review
~ Fourth Comings
~ Perfect Fifths

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Liv's Book Reviews
Great Books and Fresh Coffee review
Oops...Wrong Cookie review
Reading and Ruminations review
The YA YA YAs review

book source: my local library

Second Helpings & Charmed Thirds

2010-12-21T03:51:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I read and absolutely fell in love with one Jessica Darling from Megan McCafferty's Sloppy Firsts. From page one, I fell in love with her humor, her sarcasm and of course her brains. And so I blithely tripped along to the library hoping for more of Jessica (and of course, Mr. Marcus Flutie). But then the unthinkable happened. I got bogged down in the middle of the series and really had a hard time continuing. But luckily I did. Very luckily in fact. Second Helpings and Charmed Thirds were really my Achilles heels in this series so I decided to do a double-mini review in hopes of off-setting some of my disappointment.

Also, let's talk about these covers! I'm so in love with the titles first of all, but I'm also head over heels for those unique little objects on each cover that specifically relate to the story. The t-shirt, the postcard, etc. All very clever and intriguing.

***Just be warned - if you haven't read this series, there WILL BE SPOILERS. I hate to do that, but to talk about one book to the next, you gotta know the plot developments.

Annndddd.... here we go!

After learning of Marcus' betrayal and vowing to never speak his name again, Jessica prepares for her senior year by getting the heck out of dodge...er...Pineville by enrolling in a teenage writers camp called SPECIAL. SPECIAL doesn't really turn out to be the escape Jessica hopes. As if lusting after her writing mentor weren't enough, Jessica is now stuck for the next six weeks dealing with a bunch of hormone-crazed or suicidal teens she has nothing in common with. That is until she accidentally turns in her actual journal instead of her class-required journal for credit and her mentor is suitably impressed. Embarrassed by his praise but full of new ambitions for college and life after Pineville High, Jessica returns to face her senior year and the one boy she wishes she'd never laid eyes on. That is until he turns her world upside down. Again.

Since I fell hard and fast for practically every single thing about Sloppy Firsts I couldn't help but be a little disappointed with Second Helpings. There were tons of great things about this book - Jessica is dead-on with her descriptions of the sheer terror every teen faces in trying to decided what college to attend (I mean really, it's only your ENTIRE FUTURE we're talking about here people) and the odd, bittersweet goodbyes of any senior year. Every bit of that was totally relate-able and hilarious as always. It was Jessica's somewhat subtle change in tone and her sex-crazed mission that put me off this time. Instead of finding her voice snarky and irreverent, she became whiny and pessimistic and downright annoying. But that's not what really got me - it was her whole 'I'm not with Marcus, so I'm gonna be with somebody' motto that lead to her ill-advised quest to lose her virginity with Len. To be honest, I was actually a bit bored until Marcus entered the picture once again - so of course, I was delighted with the ending, it was just a lot of the details leading up to the big finale that left me with mixed feelings on this one.

****

Finally free of dull Pineville, Jessica makes her way to prestigious Columbia University full of wide-eyed enthusiasm. Well as much enthusiasm Jessica is capable of when her boyfriend Marcus is also heading off to college, just all the way across the country in California. And once again, Jessica, who over-thinks everything, begins to over-think their odd relationship. Especially after Marcus begins sending cryptic one-word postcards does she feel like losing her sanity. But financial and family troubles quickly send Jessica into college-overdrive mode and there isn't much room left in her life for anything else.

If I was mildly annoyed with Second Helpings, then Charmed Thirds frustrated me to no end. For the first half of the novel Jessica spends all her time complaining to Marcus that she doesn't want to be 'that girl' who doesn't have a life without her boyfriend (BUT SHE IS). And then the second half is spent complaining about their lack of communication - but doesn't really do anything about it - and that she's too poor. I had truly been looking forward to Jessica's descriptions of college life and the people she meets, yet Megan McCafferty completely blanks out that entire period of Jessica's life. Charmed Thirds covers her entire three years at Columbia yet never once do we hear about it. The narrative simply stops and starts around each school holiday break or return to Pineville. Not exactly what I was hoping for.

Maybe it was the almost complete lack of Marcus in this installment but I also became seriously disillusioned with the Game Master. Perhaps it was Jessica's narrative influencing me, but I was so annoyed with his vow of silence and his choice to go to 'cowboy camp' that allowed him no outside contact for two years -- yet never having the decency to break up with Jessica. Grrr. I'm sorry, but little to no communication over an almost three year period does not a relationship make.

But don't worry, I'll be back in a couple of days with my thoughts on Fourth Comings (which are MUCH nicer, I promise!).

series reading order:
~ Sloppy Firsts - my review
~ Second Helpings
~ Charmed Thirds
~ Fourth Comings
~ Perfect Fifths

book source: my local library

Bull Rider Winner!

2010-12-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Serena who won a signed copy of Bull Rider!!

I've already got your address so hopefully the book will be on it's way soon. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the giveaway and in the book tour and to the author for stopping by.

Esther Friesner Interview

2010-12-19T05:29:00.000-08:00

Today I'm happy to welcome the distinguished writer Esther Friesner. Ms. Friesner is the author of many, many novels -- including her newest release Threads and Flames, which is a historical fiction novel about a young immigrant girl coming to New York City at the turn of the century who finds work at the historically ill-fated Triangle Shirtwaist Factory (check out my full review here). Since much of Threads and Flames is historically accurate, I was happy for the chance to sit down with Ms. Friesner to learn a little bit more about her writing process.

**********
From Raisa's point of view, her job at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was a dream job, at least in comparison to many others. Yet the company owners still treated their employees as something less than human. As many companies do today. What type of discussions or actions were you hoping to foster after readers discovered such injustices?

What I’m hoping for most is that readers will become more aware of such injustices, pay attention to them, and do what they can to stop them, even if it’s no more than standing up and saying, “I see what you’re doing there and it’s not right!” That sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? And it is, in theory. In practice, it’s another story. Our lives are busy, filled with our own problems. Everything from the big worries (Will I pass this course/get into a good college? Will I get a good job/keep a good job? Will I be able to make the rent/buy a house/meet the mortgage payments? Will I find love? Will I stay healthy? What about the people I love? Who’s going to take care of me when I’m old?) to the minor ones (Where are my car keys? Why won’t my jeans close? What’s that thing on my face? What’s that smell? What did the cat do this time?) chips away at us. We’re so preoccupied and worn out from our own concerns that it’s easy to pretend that social inequities don’t exist, or aren’t as bad as all that, or are so huge that there’s nothing that one person can do to change things so why even try?

I’d like to see more people realize that they should try. Even if all you do is speak up when you see something that’s wrong, it counts.

Someone once said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.” I say we should at least put up a fight.

When Raisa first comes to New York - alone - not only can she barely read in her native language, she cannot read or write or even speak English. What were some of the main reasons you decided to saddle her with so many giant obstacles?

The decision wasn’t mine to make. It was typical of the situation many immigrants faced on their arrival in the United States. Like other girls of her time and society, Raisa wouldn’t have received much education in the old country, nor—given her economic situation--would she have had the time to spare for lessons. America gave her precious opportunities to change that.

I've read that Raisa's story is in part a connection to your own ancestors who also immigrated to America around the same period. How much of Raisa's story patterns that of your grandparents?

Not a lot, from what I can gather. Only my mother’s parents were fortunate enough to come to America. My father’s parents and the rest of his family were murdered during the Holocaust. My maternal grandfather was the first to come over, later sending for my grandmother. Their children were born here. Unfortunately, my grandfather died long before I was born and I never thought to ask my mother much about his immigrant experiences. I do know that he was not a garment-maker, like Raisa. He was a cigar-maker, and when he had saved enough money, he bought a candy and sundries store in Brooklyn which he later lost during the Depression. Even though he didn’t share Raisa’s experience, he did get to meet the great labor leader, Samuel Gompers. (That is yet another family story about which I wish I’d asked Mom for more details. Hint to anyone interested in history: Get your relatives to tell you the old family stories before it’s too late!)

Along those same lines, were there sections of the novel where you were not able to find many first-hand accounts and had to simply use your imagination?

I wish I could remember!

What books do you find yourself recommending over and over (and over) again?
Just about anything by Colette, especially her short stories.

Just about everything by Terry Pratchett.

The short stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (An Edwardian trip up the Thames and it’s still funny!)

The Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick (All of the volumes. A great, memorable, painless way to learn about world history.)

The novels of Jorge Amado, such as Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, Gabriela, etc. (In translation, of course. He was a great Brazilian author and I can’t read Portuguese. Many men love women, but he also liked us. That’s important.)

And many more!

*****

Many thanks to the lovely Ms. Esther for taking the time to stop by today. I for one was astounded at the many facts woven into Raisa's story after researching the topic a bit online myself . Threads and Flames is a very satisfying novel for anyone who loves historical fiction.

Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner

2010-12-18T05:57:00.000-08:00

All her life Raisa has dreamed of leaving her small Polish shetl and following her older sister to that golden land, America. At only thirteen years old however in 1910, she isn't the best equipped for traveling half-way across the world, alone, to a country she's never stepped foot in before. But Raisa is determined to reunite with her sister and begins her perilous journey across Europe, the ocean, before finally landing in Ellis Island, New York. Everything is new and confusing to young Raisa who cannot read or write English (or even her own language) and who unexpectedly finds herself the caretaker of a young orphan toddler, Brina.

Neither does America turn out to be the paradise Raisa expected either. Having no idea how to contact her sister, Raisa knows she must find a place for her and Brina while also finding a job in the sprawling city. Her only options are at small sweatshops or factories in the garment district. Even the most coveted positions at these factories are still no picnic as quickly Raisa learns one fateful Sunday morning.

Esther Friesner took on a very ambitious project when she decided to bring Raisa's story of immigration to life in Threads and Flames. The sheer amount of trials Raisa faces would be enough to discourage even the most optimistic youth but Raisa doggedly keeps going, holding onto the hope that she will be able to find her sister, keep Brina off the streets, and learn English. As a character, you can't but help love Raisa. She's so very loyal and honest and fiercely determined to get what she wants out of life. It's no wonder so many people are drawn to her in the book - I would be too.

Historical fiction is a genre I always enjoy and Threads and Flames proved to be a fascinating look at the challenges a youth would face in trying to immigrate to New York at the turn of the century. I particularly enjoyed Ms. Friesner's descriptions of the various cultural neighborhoods that immigrants naturally flocked too. How Italians would find other Italians, Jews looked for other Jews, etc. in order to infuse that area with their own language, culture, food, and religion. This mini-country within a country phenomenon obviously still remains today (although not as strongly) as evidenced by the many distinct cultural neighborhoods in New York. Even more intriguing was to learn that Esther Friesner based Raisa's tale on her own ancestors immigration experiences. Fascinating stuff.

Even though Ms. Friesner obviously took the time to detail the tragedy and heartbreak experienced by those affected by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, I felt as if she tried too hard to tie up a happily ever after for Raisa. Don't get me wrong, I was rooting for this hard-working girl from day one, but the eventual unfolding of events seemed a little forced in my mind. Other than that, Threads and Flames was a compelling read with a worthwhile message to tell that even the youngest historical fiction fan can enjoy.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
A Good Addiction review
The Book Scout review
Squeaky Books review

book source: review copy via The Teen {Book} Scene tour

Heroes Return by Moira J. Moore

2010-12-15T02:17:00.000-08:00

Taro and Lee couldn't be in more of a fix.

On the Emperor's orders, Source and Shield Pair Shintaro Karish and Dunleavy Mallorough have been sent to Taro's backwater home, Flown Raven. Knowing that Taro spent a hellish childhood in Flown Raven, Lee isn't exactly thrilled with forcing him to face those painful memories all over again. Or facing his dragon of a mother, the Dowager Duchess, who lives just down the road and makes your average villainess look positively sweet. Until recently, Flown Raven had never experienced the natural disasters usually associated with the posting of a Pair but recent occurrences have proved otherwise. After Taro gave up his right to rule his ancestral home (much to his mother's fury), the townspeople of Flown Raven have endured a string of bad luck which they believe is solely the fault of their newest titleholder, Taro's cousin Fiona. Things aren't looking much better once our favorite Pair actually arrive, quickly followed by a group of Imperial Guards, who nobody wants around.

So let's see, technically Lee and Taro have been posted in a city they shouldn't be in, by someone who should have no power over them (the Emperor). Their bosses, the Triple S Council, are breathing down their necks for a detailed accounting of their past deeds (which they can't divulge). While they are constantly plagued by Taro's awful mother and her schemes to break them up and to return control of Flown Raven to Taro (which he does not want). And to top it off, the Pair are having trouble channeling - something that should not be happening. Nothing ever is easy for these two, is it?

As always, Moria J. Moore delivers quite a story. As I've come to expect from her previous Hero books, Taro and Lee always wind up in the craziest circumstances - usually ones way beyond their control - with the barest amount of information and Heroes Return is no different. In a series that has such uniquely brilliant world building and stunning characters, I can only say these books are fast becoming more layered and developed with each installment. The author tempts you with glimpses of political maneuverings and tidbits of historical context that leave you clamoring for more. I just know this series is heading for some major developments as Lee and Taro seemed a bit more out of their league than usually. Which is saying a lot really.

Most importantly, after the crazy (good crazy - mind you) events of Heroes at Risk, I was so sure Taro and Lee had finally taken that first crucial step in learning how to function as a couple but sadly, no. Once again Heroes Return is crammed full with Taro and Lee's inability to communicate effectively. [insert my long-suffering sigh here]. I don't know what it will take for these two to finally figure things out (how many books do we even have left Ms. Moore?!?) but I just want to gather them both into a giant hug and just make everything all right. Because they are perfect for each other. Absolutely perfect. Aside from all the misunderstandings, Taro and Lee two trust each other implicitly. They crave the other's good opinion. And most importantly, they would do anything for each other. Really, anything. That's why I think I have such a hard time with all the frustrations in between since it is obvious how much they mean to one another. And to this reader.

series reading order:
~ Resenting the Hero
~ The Hero Strikes Back
~ Heroes Adrift
~ Heroes at Risk - my review
~ Heroes Return

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review
The Book Smugglers review
Skunk Cat Book Reviews

book source: my local library

This might explain a few things...

2010-12-14T02:53:00.000-08:00

I've seen this meme wandering around the blogosphere (here and here and here) and just couldn't resist joining in, because frankly, I think it explains a lot about me. Also because I like that it contains a nice mix of classic and contemporary books.

"The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here." (**okay, try as I might, I couldn't find the direct quote for this anywhere. If anyone knows where this originally came from - or if it's simply a bit of blogger/Facebook lore - I'd love to know.)

Instructions:

•Copy this list.
•Bold those books you’ve read in their entirety.
•Italicise the ones you started but didn’t finish or read only an excerpt.
•Highlight in red the ones that you have but haven't read.

Simple enough, right? Here we go!

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien (heck to the YES!)
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (oh my, swoon!)
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling (anyone out there that hasn't yet??)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (I've read most of his plays - not all - and hardly any poetry. Kudos to anyone who checks this one off their list.)
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot (I NEED to read this one. It calls to me)
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell (this is shameful. I think I have to turn in my southerner card now or something)
22 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (all because of my hubby)
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky (favorite book in HS - I was a weird kid)
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 The Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen (best Austen ever!)
36 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (folks you are seriously missing out on some crazy humor if you haven't picked up these gems recently.)
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt (saw the movie... but that doesn't really count)
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery (in the original French no less! -- Okay, even I know that's pretty nerdy)
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adam
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Total Books Read: 51

Well, my fellow book nerds, after going through this list all I have to say is...yup. I'm a book geek. And proud of it. But really BBC! Do you honestly think most people have only read less than 6 of these titles? How depressing..

To me, the biggest surprise was discovering that even though I did read many of these while in school - either for college or HS classes - a large percentage are actually ones I picked up on my own in the last couple of years for pleasure reading. So yes, you could say this exercise amply proves that I am a bit of a geek. And very happy that way.

How well read are you?

Book Blogger Holiday Swap

2010-12-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

The holidays are just around the corner and once again I was so happy to be participating in the most awesome Book Blogger Holiday Swap. Frankly, this program is fast becoming one of my favorite holiday traditions! Last year, the lovely Melissa of Book Nut sent me some wonderful treasures and this year was no different.

A few days ago I received this lovely package from Jennifer of The Introverted Reader (Yay! Yay!). I've been following her site for some time now so I just knew she'd pick some winners for me.

Included in the package was a copy of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (which I have been dying to read) and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The latter one I may have to wait a bit on since I've already seen the movie and don't know if can handle something that sad during Christmastime (but I'm still really, really looking forward to it). Also included were a mountain of lindt truffles, peppermint bark, page markers, and a batch of home-made Creole Candy (kind of like pralines) with the recipe included. Yum, yum.

Thank you! Thank you Jennifer! This is the best package ever and I appreciate your thoughtfulness in putting it together for me. Merry Christmas!

Suzanne Morgan Williams Guest Post & Giveaway

2010-12-10T02:27:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago I read and reviewed the wonderfully unique Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams. Today I am lucky enough to have Suzanne to stop by herself to talk about those books she wishes she had read as a fifteen year old. Get ready for some fabulous suggestions folks - I am in love wither her list!

******

You asked which YA books I would give my fifteen year old self to read. I read more when I was fifteen. I had demanding teachers, a voracious reading appetite and a lot more time than I do now. I put away a lot of books back then. I’ll never forget Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. These are books, by and large, that speak to social justice and, if there are women characters, they are powerful. Looking over this list it doesn’t surprise me that I was driven to write Bull Rider – which is about the real cost and sacrifice of war. These days I’m still drawn to that type of book.

So what books do I wish I’d read then that I’ve read since? Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson because it’s beautifully written and puts such an accessible and female face on slavery. Reading that book might have helped me see that some people are really, really bad. As a teen, I knew some ideas were bad, but it took me a long time to accept that some people turn out mean. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie because it honestly portrays a world on the reservation that I didn’t know existed then – and that’s always a good thing. And Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe. It presents a giant question and no answer – why did Kyle shoot and kill his friend? He can’t remember and through the book the reader has to decide what is important about the event. Everything is gray, no black and white answers here. That might have helped me understand some nuances of morality.

But here’s the book that I most wish I’d read as a teen – The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. I love this book because it speaks to valuing what is important to you, not what the greater society says you should be. And then it shows how regular folks might actually act on those values and create a life that makes sense to them. I wish I’d known that then. I’m learning now.

********

Wow! Thank you again Suzanne! I'm going to have to track down both Freeze Frame and The Education of Little Tree - both of which I've never read but seem like ones I shouldn't miss out on.

So now for a chance to win your own copy of Bull Rider just fill out the form below. The giveaway is open to US residents only and will run until December 17th. For an added entry (or anyone feel free to chime in with this one -- I'm curious) answer the following question: What books would you have given your fifteen (or twelve) year old self? Good luck!

&lt;p&gt;Loading...&lt;/p&gt;