A Word's Worth

A Weekend with Mr Darcy

2012-03-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

A Weekend with Mr. Darcy
Victoria Connolly
Sourcebooks, 2011 (UK publication: 2010)

This had all the elements I love about 'British chick lit' with the added bonus of Jane Austen! The majority of the novel takes place at aweekend-long conference on Jane Austen, hosted by Dame Pamela at her extensive and gorgeous home Purley Hall. The conference is an annual event, with numerous regular attendees who jump at the chance to spend an entire weekend indulging their addiction to all things Austen (including, oh happiness, a costume ball!). With this romantic backdrop, our three main characters: Warwick, Katherine and Robyn find themselves pulled into their very own Jane-worthy romances. But will all end happily ever after, or is that only for the novel world?

A Weekend with Mr. Darcy is told in alternating perspective from each of the main three characters, which gives us a unique look at the way their stories develop. Especially the growing relationship between Warwick and Katherine - Warwick has a secret, a BIG secret, that we know but Katherine does not. It makes their interactions very interesting, and leads to some awkward moments. Robyn has awkward moments of her own, as her need-to-break-up-with boyfriend crashes the conference. Multiple times. Even more awkward is that Robyn stands a very real danger of falling head-over-heels for Dame Pamela's younger brother.

The best way to sum up this novel is: "the course of true love ne'er did run smooth" - all the right elements are there, but because our characters are human, they make mistakes. Sometimes big ones. Their journey to self-discovery, with the gracious assistance of Dame Pamela and the support of other Jane Austen addicts, is an engaging and entertaining tale. As their self-discovery leads them to new journeys and adventures, things fall into place in a way that even dear Jane would approve of. A fun, light read with just a hint of seriousness to give it flavor. Can't wait to see what the next two installments of the trilogy will be like!

eBook provided by my personal library.

Blue Moon Promise

2012-03-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Blue Moon Promise
Colleen Coble
Thomas Nelson, 2012

While I have drooled over Colleen Coble's covers before, Blue Moon Promise was the first novel I've actually been able to read (thank you, BookSneeze!). Oh my. I know what all the excitement is about now! (And this also means I will be stalking my library and/or bookstore for more of her novels).

Elements of Blue Moon Promise reminded me of the story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis (considering that there are multiple references to this story, I think it's fair to say we should make that connection). Lucy's father has died in a tragic accident, and her stepmother opted to leave her two children - Jed and Eileen - with Lucy while she moseyed off with her boyfriend. It's a bleak situation, made worse by the fact that Lucy suddenly finds herself unemployed, evicted, and being followed by a stranger. When one of her father's former friends shows up with a proposition, Lucy decides it's God's answer to her problems, and she agrees to marry his son - Nate - by proxy.

Upon arriving at the Stars Above Ranch in Texas, Lucy finds that she has her work cut out for her in terms of earning the respect - let alone love - of her new husband. Nate's first reaction to Lucy is loud and vehement: he's not interested in a wife, and especially not a wife his father picked out for him. And she's so tiny and from the city - how will she ever survive on a cattle ranch? As Lucy begins to work at making Nate's tiny cabin into a home, and they slowly get to know each other, each realizes they were wrong and God knew what He was doing when things fell into place the way they did. Eileen and Jed do a lot to smooth the transition as well, though all is far from perfect - and there are many struggles and obstacles to face. Obstacles like discovering someone has followed them from Indiana to Texas, and lingering uncertainties about their father's death. Every thing that occurs tests Nate and Lucy to their core, and each has to come to terms with their pride and need to control every aspect.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this story play out - I wasn't sure where it was going, and a few of the twists and turns caught me by surprise. There were enough details to flesh out the context without coming across as a super technical read on cattle ranching and frontier life. Lucy was a delightfully flawed heroine, as was Nate - where most Christian fiction characters come across as perfect (and thus my main problem with a lot of Christian fiction), Lucy and Nate are very human. I could relate to them, and their struggles - it was believable and realistic. And a truly beautiful story. Definitely looking forward to reading more of Coble's novels, if they're anything like this!

Book provided by publisher for review.

New Books!

2012-03-02T10:08:00.000-05:00

Time for another montly recap of books now in my possession! (Or, you know, on my Kindle...) I like keeping track of my acquisitions this way, and it's also a lot easier to keep them separated properly. You'll notice this month there's a NetGalley category -- I've officially joined the league of NG bloggers, and am thrilled that I've been able to tap into this resource and gain access to great titles!

Won:

For Review:

NetGalley:

Any of these on your To Read list? I must say I'm incredibly excited about Bourne and Unbreak My Heart! Also, stay tuned because Downtown Green and Awkward are both going to be March blog tours!

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

2012-02-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
Morgan Matson
Simon & Schuster, 2010

I've been wanting to read this one for a while, ever since I first saw the cover. (Yes, I confess: book covers go a long way in catching my attention). This is a great summer read, and would be a wonderful choice for crashing on the beach or in the backyard. I read it during February, a very cold part of February, however - and it was like escaping winter for a mini summer vacation.

Amy's life is essentially in shambles. Three months ago her father was killed in a car accident, and she's not driven since. This complicates matters immensely, since her mother has moved to Connecticut, and Amy has to "drive" their car cross-country to their new home. To make matters worse, her twin brother Charlie is in rehab in North Carolina. Needless to say, Amy is a mess - even without being forced to conquer her fear of driving. The solution to the quandary? Recruit Roger, the son of a long-time family friend, to drive Amy and the Jeep from California to Connecticut. Roger has secrets of his own, however, and their trip takes an unexpected turn when Amy takes him up on the half-joking suggestion to "take a detour".

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is an amazing road trip. Really. They take turns picking destinations, and make all kinds of discoveries along the way: discoveries about America, and about themselves. From the Loneliest Road in America to the deliciousness of Chick-fil-A, Amy and Roger are taking each mile of the trip as it comes, never knowing what awaits them. As Amy gradually adjusts to being around people again, she starts realizing that things can't stay bottled inside forever. She and Roger make a true connection, and he helps her gently but steadily break down the walls she put up and deal with the raw emotion she's kept hidden so long. This isn't all Amy's story however, and Roger learns to see past his own mistakes and look more clearly at life. In finding the best eats and chasing down windmills (a`la Don Quixote), Amy and Roger's epic detour becomes a literal journey to new life.

I enjoyed the reading experience: the text is broken into 'segments' by pages from Amy's travel journal. These include the playlist mixes that Roger creates, factoids about the states they travel through, and pictures of things along the road. The pictures are actual photographs that Morgan Matson took when she made the same road trip - which I found to be a very nice touch. At times, the story feels a bit intense, but not overwhelmingly so - especially considering the stuff Amy is working through. The full story of the accident, as well as other memories and instances she has pushed down, spins out slowly, in flashbacks, that match the pace of Amy's journey through the pain and into healing. I don't always like flashbacks, but these are clearly marked as such, and work very well with the story itself. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is a light summer read that had enough substance to prevent it becoming "fluff," and I find myself wondering what other adventures the pair will have.

Book provided by my personal library.

Covert

2012-02-27T08:00:00.003-05:00

Covert
Michael V Kennedy
2010

Covert is unlike any book I've ever read. Not a bad thing, just an observation. It actually had me chuckling out loud half the time, and shaking my head the other half. A spy spoof that made me think of Get Smart! (the 2008 movie, I haven't seen the original show), and took me on an international whirlwind ride Covert is both the title of the novel and the name of the governmental agency where our main characters work.

The premise is simple enough: the prototype of a new nuclear missile has been stolen, and Paul Blaine and his partner Danny Willoughby must catch the thieves and reclaim the missile components before any other agency does. ("Other agencies" meaning the CIA, FBI and Homeland Security, of course). These guys had me cracking up as they hit brick wall after brick wall in their quest. Plus, Willoughby is working on a book of crosswords at the same time - quite a feat when you've got a limited vocabulary, and your brainiac partner is distracted trying to catch bad guys who are always just ahead of you. And what exactly is going on with everyone else in on this hunt - are all the bad guys really bad? Are all the good guys playing fair? As with any good story, things come together just when they ought to, and all ends well -- or does it?

What I really enjoyed about Covert was the 'lightness' - the tongue-in-cheek look at the way government runs, the way people are. I loved the slap-stick quality to the action and adventure, and was literally laughing out loud at times. Blaine and Willoughby are likable, realistically bumbling, characters with a good chemistry and a knack for misadventure, and I look forward to reading about their next case.

Book provided by author for review.

Asenath

2012-02-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Asenath
Anna Patricio
Imajin Books, 2011

Chances are good you've heard of Joseph - you know, from the Bible. The one who had the coat of many colors, and was sold into slavery in Egypt by his own brothers. But do you know about his wife? What is her story, and how did she end up married to Joseph? Those are the answers that Anna Patricio explores in Asenath, her debut novel.

From humble beginnings as the daughter of a fisherman in a small river village, Kiya's life is turned upside down time after time - first by raiders who ransack her village, killing her parents, then by the High Priest Lord Pentephres who brings her to the Temple in Heliopolis and later adopts her. Struggling to maintain her own identity, even as she adjusts to her new life as a member of the nobility, Asenath (as she is now known), grows into a striking young woman. Not just in terms of her beauty and height, but in terms of her person. Asenath is not content to sit idly by and while away her time in luxury, so she begins tutoring children of her parents' friends. Her heart is not bound by the structure of Egyptian society, and she sees the "slaves" around her as people - a compassion perhaps encouraged by her own humble beginnings. Asenath's unwillingness to conform to class distinction is tested - and proven true - when she meets Lord Potiphar's steward Joseph.

Joseph is both an indentured servant and a Hebrew - two strikes against him in the eyes of most Egyptians, but especially Lord Pentephres, who desires Asenath to marry someone of distinction and standing. At first, Asenath just feels an undeniable attraction to Joseph: he makes her feel safe, and he's gorgeous. (Good reasons, no?) But as they become friends through correspondence, she starts to feel a stronger connection. Trials come once more when Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph of attempting to rape her, and he is thrown in prison. During the long years of Joseph's imprisonment, Asenath continues to grow and develop into a charming, accomplished and very genuine young lady. Finding herself employed by Pharaoh's wife as Royal Tutor, she thanks "the God of my dear one" for the chance to be so close - even if still so far - to Joseph. When the story picks back up the familiar Biblical tale of Joseph and Pharaoh's dreams, Asenath finds herself once more in the company of Joseph - and undeniably falling deeply in love.

The course of true love never did run smooth, but everything Asenath and Joseph endure makes their love stronger - and helps burn the dross from each, so their characters are as strong and admirable as their love is true. Their relationship is a beautiful story, and as an imagining of how things may have played out, once upon a time...well, let's just say I find myself hoping something as beautiful is the true story. (There's a particularly telling incident early in the story that comes back into play later, and it made my heart smile). Asenath is not only the story of Asenath and Joseph however: it offers a wonderfully detailed glimpse at Egyptian society and culture. As an Art History minor and History major, I was thrilled to see so many familiar names and references. And the details Patricio paid to the dress and jewels and decor - lovely, simply lovely. If Asenath is a debut offering, I cannot wait to see what Patricio's second novel will be like!

eBook provided by author for review.

Guest Post: Top 10 List with Jessica Grey

2012-02-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I'm turning my blog over to the amazing Jessica Grey -- you may remember her from my review of Awake: A Fairytale last week. Sit back and enjoy, as Jessica shares her Top 10 list! Also, because Jessica is so awesome, she told me I could interject my commentary on her picks - so I'll be the one writing in [blue brackets]. Just so you know.

Hi! My name is Jessica and I love fairy tales! I've recently published an adaptation of Sleeping Beauty called Awake: A Fairytale that Rebecca was nice enough to review here on A Word's Worth. She asked me if I wanted to a guest post about fairy tale adaptations, and course my answer was yes! So, without further ado, here are the Top Ten Fairytale Adaptations as picked by me (this is a very, very subjective list).

10. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, picture book, Jon Scieszka

Anyone who has read any picture books will be forced to admit that Jon Scieszka is kind of a genius. If you haven't loved his books then there might be something actually wrong with you. Okay, that might be a little strong, but it's still probably true. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is told from the perspective of the wolf, and it's hilarious. I may quote it randomly. It's a classic skewed fairytale, making the villain out to be the hero, or in this case, at least not as much of a villain. I mean, really, who wastes a perfectly good ham dinner when they find one? [Ham? Pshaw, he was really after the bacon.]

9. Sleeping Beauty, picture book, Mahlon and K.Y. Craft

My list is a little bit Sleeping Beauty heavy because that is the story that is Awake is based on. The illustrations in this book are so jaw-droppingly gorgeous though that it should be on everyone's list. The story is very well done, although perhaps not quite up to par with pictures, but that's really more the fault of the illustrations being out of this world good than the narration being severely lacking. There aren't all that many picture book versions of Sleeping Beauty in print, and I sometimes wonder if for the last ten years at least, illustrators have been to intimidated by this one to try their hand. This book should definitely be in your picture book library!

8. Hoodwinked, film, The Weinstein Company

If you ever want to teach a class of English students about point of view - this is your movie! In the tradition of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and other turned on their head fairytales, Hoodwinked claims that all is not as it seems in the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. One of the best parts of this movie is that it's done in classic caper comedy style. The computer animation is very well done, and it's funny, clever, and clean. And luckily, unlike with some shows/movies the writers manage to not "out-clever" themselves by being too cutesy. The voice acting is also amazing, Patrick Warburton as the Wolf is genius.

7. Once Upon a Time/Grimm, tv shows, ABC and NBC

I've lumped these two together because they've both only been on for a short while, but so far I am enjoying them both for different reasons. Sometimes t.v. shows seem to come in groups (medical shows in the 1990s for example) and this is really the year of the fairytale with two shows on prime time and two different Snow White movies coming out! Once Upon a Time has a slight edge in my affections because it is just SO good. The premise behind Once Upon a Time is that all the fairytale characters lived together in a land/wood, and then they were transported to this world by the evil queen from Snow White and all live in the town of Storybrooke, Maine. They don't remember who they truly are, and according to the little boy Henry, it is up to Emma, Snow and Charming's daughter to help them remember. The acting is stellar, the back stories the writers are giving the characters is brilliant, and I adore Snow and Charming.

Grimm is really interesting because it meshes many of the characters and concepts (mostly all the creepy creatures) from fairytales into a police procedural. The main character, Nick, is a cop who has just recently learned from his dying aunt that he is a Grimm. His family is tasked with protecting humanity against all the monsters that live among us...monsters that we've read about in fairytales. The genius behind the show is that it pairs completely creeptastic monsters and effects with the comic relief of Monroe, a reformed Blutblad (big bad wolf). Silas Weir Mitchell who plays Monroe knocks it out of the park during every single one of his scenes.

I'm kind of glad these shows are on at the same time because they give us both sides of fairytales. Although there is real evil in Once Upon a Time, it's still a sort of beautiful and fantastical evil, whereas Grimm is very gritty and takes on that evil straight on. But on the flip side, without the delicate beauty of Once Upon a Time to counter Grimm, I think viewers would be missing out on the whole range of human emotion that fairytales encompass.

6. Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theater - DVD

This ran on cable, which I did not have as a child, but it was also released on VHS and I remember renting episodes all the time. Especially the Cinderella episode with Jennifer Beals and Matthew Broderick. The evil stepsister's line "Perhaps some haaaam?" became a favorite saying in our family. The episodes (really more like almost full-length movies) are incredibly well produced, stick very close to the original story lines with some quirky humor thrown in, and feature stars from the 80s like Carrie Fisher [heh...], Christopher Reeve [Clark Kent! Clark Kent in a fairy tale!!! How did I never know this??? I may swoon.], and directed by famous directors such as Francis Ford Coppola and Tim Burton. There's a new DVD set that includes all 26 episodes fully restored and it is on my wish list!

5. Tangled, film, Disney

This movie rocks. Seriously. The animation is gorgeous, the story is tight and entertaining, the voice acting is amazing, and Flynn Rider is hot. [Ahem.] Did I just actually say that? [Yes, yes you did.] Why yes, yes I did. [I'm glad we agree.] He may be fictional (and animated) but he is ridiculously adorable. [Flynn is the total package, whatchu talkin' about?] Rapunzel is no slouch either. I like that she has equal parts of bravery and sensitivity. The animal characters in Tangled are both cute without being annoying, Maximus is a big winner at our house, and Mother Gothel is satisfyingly creepy. I honestly cannot find a single thing wrong with this movie...and Zachary Levi sings! [I may swoon again.] Win.

4. Spindle's End, YA novel, Robin McKinley

I adore how McKinley writes magic, in fact the entire first chapter of this book is about the magic in the kingdom into which the princess who becomes Sleeping Beauty is born, and it's genius. There are two types of McKinley books, the earlier ones which are a bit more straightforward, and then the later ones that are much more dense and lyrically written [you mean the ones that're so detailed, they infiltrate your dreams!] - people usually like one or the other, but I'm a fan of both her styles [I knew I liked you]. To me Spindle's End is the midway book, you get all that gorgeous prose but still get the fresh and open feel of her earlier books. The first part of the book centers on Katriona the young fairy who is entrusted with hiding the infant princess from the evil fairy Pernicia who has cursed her. The reader gets to watch the Princess, Rosie, grow up and see how her circumstances and environment have shaped her. The last part of the book is in Rosie's point of view as she learns about, and come to terms with, her heritage. McKinley is wonderful at creating wholly developed worlds and Spindle's End makes you feel like you are there with the characters.

3. Sleeping Beauty, film, Disney

This one has to be on the list! My novel is a twist on Sleeping Beauty after all! But in all honesty, Sleeping Beauty is my favorite of the Disney Princess movies. I love the animation, it reminds me of beautiful stained glass windows. I'm also from Southern California so Sleeping Beauty's castle is THE Disney castle in my mind. The best part about this movie? Prince Phillip. He's awesome. I've written a whole treatise on why he is awesome over on my blog if you are interested. [It's true. She has. And it's really good, you should read it.]

2. Princess Furball, picture book, Charlotte Huck

Princess Furball is a picture book adaptation of Thousand Furs, a fairy tale that I adore and hope someday to adapt myself into novel format [wha? I've never heard of this...I think I need to find this! Fur + fairy tales = great mix in my experience]. This adaptation is PG rated (as in her father wants to marry her off to an ogre, not marry her himself as in many original versions of the story) and the illustrations are lovely. When I was young I used to babysit a girl named Alexandra (yes, the Alex in my book is named after her) and she had a copy of this book that I insisted on reading to her every time I babysat. She was so tired of it after a few years, but I kept insisting cause I love this book (and she put up with me cause she's awesome)! When she went off to college (yikes that makes me sound old [we are old, hehe]) she gave me the book as a gift. I still love it!

1. Beauty, YA novel, Robin McKinley

Yes, I have two McKinley books on this list, what can I say? This is quite possibly my favorite YA novel fairytale adaptation. It's a pretty straight up retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but I love McKinley's lyrical language and in my opinion, no one writes magic better. McKinley wrote another Beauty and the Beast version years later called Rose Daughter, and people fall into two camps - the Beauty camp or the Rose Daughter camp. I am in the first but I know my lovely host, Rebecca, is firmly in the second camp [I love 'em both, just in totally different ways...They're such different stories, to be the same story. I'm in awe, quite honestly]. I love Rose Daughter, it's dark and lovely and has gorgeous language, but Beauty has my heart for it's simple and open honesty. I love how McKinley treats the magic in the Beast's castle and the relationship between Beauty and her horse, Greatheart, is genuine and believable. I could probably write a ten page paper on why this book is so great, but you'll just have to take my word...or read it yourself! [Definitely read it!]

Now that I've shared my favorite fairy tale retellings, what are some of yours?

Thanks so much, Jessica, for sharing! And for letting me interject commentary, haha... While some of your selections are familiar, others are new to me -- I must track these down! If you enjoyed Jessica's guest post, and want more of her delightful takes on life and literature, check out her website!

Winter's Kiss

2012-02-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

Winter's Kiss
Jennifer Echols & Catherine Hapka
Simon Pulse, 2012

Winter's Kiss is actually two books in one cute little volume: The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols and The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Catherine Hapka. The two novels pair together beautifully, and I read them during a particular cold week - which made them doubly fitting.

The Ex Games is an intense ride. Hayden and Nick were an item in seventh grade, and have been enemies ever since. Well, maybe not entirely enemies, considering how Nick is all Hayden can think about, and if her little brother's logic is right, then Nick maybe likes Hayden more than he lets on too. When their best friends pair off, the Exes find themselves thrown together more and more, and soon Winter Break turns into a hot contest with Poser tickets on the line. A fun mix of snowboarding and high school dynamics, The Ex Games was a perfect wintry read. I also really enjoyed that Echols used chapter headings to introduce snowboarding lingo (I'm a word nerd, and I happen to love the winter X Games).

With a similar theme of exes and potential romance, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is a series of misadventures. Lexi thinks that she and long-time boyfriend Cam need to break up, so she applies the theories of science to orchestrate the plan. It works too well however, and soon she's trying new theories: those of her best friend Allie, who hopes to write a self-help romance book one day. As plan after plan backfires, Lexi realizes that maybe this is not a time for theories and hypotheses. Maybe this requires something even more drastic. A fast-paced read that had me chuckling out loud, as well as cringing sympathetically at times, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is the perfect companion read for The Ex Games.

Book provided by author for review.

Blog Tour: Rebirth

2012-02-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

Hello! Today I'm happy to announce I am the first stop of the Rebirth blog tour, sponsored by Lightning Book Promotions. I was all set to offer a review of Dave Longeuay's Rebirth, but technical and postal difficulties have interfered. All is not lost however, because I have a blurb, a trailer, and links!

How did a remnant of scattered Jews rise to build a mighty superpower in the Middle East? Fleeing his father’s anti-Semitic organization, Charles Devonshire journeys into the most volatile landgrab in history—Post WWII Palestine. Charles pursues a beautiful but mysterious librarian, Gladia, who introduces him to the elaborate Jewish underground.

While joining their plight to reestablish a homeland, he falls in love with her and faces painful challenges in developing a relationship within their culture gap. And in the midst of battling the hostile inhabitants who also laid claim to Palestine, he searches for clues of his own troubled past. Can Charles pursue love, uncover his family secrets and avoid being trapped in the middle of the world’s longest feud? Rebirth draws you into 1948, into a world of intrigue, espionage and anti-Semitism. Witness how ancient prophecies were fulfilled against impossible odds as Israel built a nation and defied skeptics. Journey through the precarious events that led to Israel’s miraculous rebirth on May 14, 1948.

Experience the unrelenting pursuits of the most persecuted race, and how their renewed strength reestablished their original language, customs and land cultivations after 2,000 years of desolation—an accomplishment no other nation can claim. Dave Longeuay is a multimedia producer and has been an avid student of prophecy and Israeli biblical history for over two decades.

Pretty awesome sounding, right? As a history major, I took my non-Western world classes in Middle Eastern history, so this one is most definitely on my To Read List.

And if that doesn't catch your attention, how about this trailer:

Now that I've whetted your appetite, check out Dave's site, and don't forget to swing by all the stops on the tour:

February:

20th Jacque @ Good Family Reads

21st Patricia @ Live and Dream a Little Dream

22nd Lew @ Lew Weinstein’s Author Blog

23rd Linda @ One Desert Rose

24th Michelle @ Healing Hearts

24th Kathleen @ Celtic Lady’s Reviews

25th Masha @ Preppy Girl Meets World

26th Jennifer @ Mommy’s Reading Too..

27th Libby @ Libby’s Library

28th Lisa @ Seeking With All Yur Heart

A Hopeless Romantic

2012-02-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

A Hopeless Romantic
Harriet Evans
Downtown Press, 2007

I have heard great things about Harriet Evans, and when I saw this on my library's new books shelf, I scooped it up. The cover is seriously cute: the fountain spray? It's glitter. The premise sounded interesting, and I got all settled in for a fun, quirky chick lit read. And quickly got frustrated.

My main issue with A Hopeless Romantic is the pacing: it moves...so...slow...ly... Not moving slowly because there's a lot of stuff going down and you need to get all the groundwork laid, but just plain ol' moving slo-o-o-o-w. When I realized I still had 400 pages left, I started skimming ahead, hoping things were fixing to take off. Um. Nope. Nor was the content further on enough to convince me to plod through the story. I couldn't get close to Laura (our main character), and it just wasn't a fun read for me. So I sent it back to the library unfinished.

Because I have heard so much praise for Evans, I'll give another of her novels a go one day. And in the mean time, here's the blurb from Goodreads.com:

Laura Foster is a hopeless romantic. Her friends know it, her parents know it - even Laura acknowledges she lives either with her head in the clouds or buried in a romance novel. It's proved harmless enough, even if it hasn't delivered her a real-life dashing hero yet. But when her latest relationship ends in a disaster that costs her friendships, her job, and nearly her sanity, Laura swears off men and hopeless romantic fantasies for good.
With her life in tatters around her, Laura agrees to go on vacation with her parents. After a few days of visiting craft shops and touring the stately homes of England, Laura is ready to tear her hair out. And then, while visiting grand Chartley Hall, she crosses paths with Nick, the sexy, rugged estate manager. She finds she shares more than a sense of humor with him - in fact, she starts to think she could fall for him. But is Nick all he seems? Or has Laura got it wrong again? Will she open her heart only to have it broken again?

If you've read and loved a Harriet Evans novel, give a girl a suggestion?

Book provided by my local library.

Favorite Love Stories

2012-02-15T08:00:00.004-05:00

It's The-Day-After-Valentine's Day!

Even as a single girl, Valentine's is one of my all-time favorite holidays. I mean really, how can you go wrong on a day that is all about Love? Love of family, of friends, of yourself. I hope you all spent the day happily, and felt loved and special at least once - even if it was when your furbaby snuggled up to you or the bliss of a really good taste of chocolate.

In keeping with the spirit of the 'season,' how about a peek at my favorite love stories?

If you know me, you know this could be an extensive list. So, I have a method: I'm leaving fairy tales out of this list. I also am going to take the drastic step and exclude Austen. Yes, you read that correctly: none of Jane Austen's glorious, beautiful love stories are going to be listed here. But really, think about it: we all know about the timeless romance of Elizabeth & Darcy, or Emma and Knightley -- it's safe to say they're going to be beloved. Although, as I start thinking about this listing, Darcy has some major competition.

Now then, ready to see what I have picked?

Gabi + Marcello, The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren

If you were around in the fall, you got to witness me fall head-over-heels in love with Lisa Bergren's River of Time series. In the first book, Waterfall, we are introduced to impulsive Gabi who manages to travel back in time to meet the amazing (and gorgeous! ahem) Marcello. Their love is timeless, beautiful, and intense -- but not without trials or obstacles that need surmounting. I inhaled Waterfall, as well as its two partners in the series Cascade and Torrent, falling ever more in love with Gabi + Marcello. (Also, there are some other amazing individuals, and love interests, in the series. Definitely read these if you haven't!)

Macy + Wes, The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
I fell in love with Wes the first time I read this, and still think he and Macy are my favorite Dessen couple. I was able to relate to Macy so, so, so much -- and Wes ... well, it's safe to say that Dessen herself (a`la character) described Wes best this way: sa-woon.

Meg + John, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I know that Jo + Prof. Bhaer and Amy + Laurie get most of the attention (and they are stunning love stories in their own right, trust me!), but I love Meg + John Brooke. It's so quiet, so gentle. It's so real. Amy's love story is a fairy tale, and Jo's is a bit unconventional -- both of which suit their respective heroines. But Meg? It's a gradual thing, that just creeps in and is fully in place before you realize what's happening. Simple and beautiful and sweet.

Anne + Gilbert, The Anne books by L.M. Montgomery
Um, yeah. How could I not count Anne + Gilbert??? Ever since I first read the Anne books at age 7, I've been a fangirl. Gilbert is ... well, he's probably one of the most perfect literary heroes there is. Yeah, I said it. And the truly wonderful thing is, Montgomery let us follow the romance the whole way: we meet Anne and Gilbert as children, watch them fight and compete and finally become friends; then struggle to understand their hearts and move into adulthood. We see their children, their children's romances. I love it. Love-love it. And who could forget that Gilbert likes smart girls?

Laura + Almanzo, The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This was the first love story I ever read (Anne was the second, coincidentally), and I never realized how much it had shaped my ideas of love until I reread the series two winters ago. It's an even sweeter unfolding than Meg + John or Anne + Gil. It's simple. It always makes me smile, even chuckle softly. And Almanzo is such a wonderful hero -- he's gentle, he's brave, he's just a boy. I mean, really. I want the kind of guy who can gentle wild horses with a whisper. Plus, of all the couples I've listed: this one is a real-life couple.

My favorite non-Austen and non-fairy tale love stories. What do you think? What are your favorites?

Awake

2012-02-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

Awake
Jessica Grey
Tall House Books, 2012

I am thrilled to review Awake today! I've been aching to get my hands on this novel since Jessica first told me about the idea. As a fellow fairy tale fanatic, I loved the idea of setting the classic tale of 'Sleeping Beauty' in modern Los Angeles, with a twist. What could go wrong? Nothing, nothing at all - I assure you.

Alexandra Martin liked science. And rocks. She understood them, and they made her happy. People were trickier. Especially Luke Reed - her childhood best friend-turned baseball star. So when Luke shows up as a fellow summer intern at the Gem and Mineral Museum, Alex is less than thrilled. Though she tries to keep her distance, and is "oh-so-crushing" on Nicholas (her "boss" at the Museum), there's palpable tension between Alex and Luke -- which does not go unnoticed by Becca, Alex's intern buddy and new best friend. Everything gets a lot more intense when a new shipment of specimens arrives from France, and Alex and Becca find themselves in a face-to-face encounter with a living, breathing fairy tale. Yup, Sleeping Beauty has appeared in LA. Only, in order to 'wake up,' her spell transferred to the gallant Luke who impulsively kissed her sleeping self. What happens next is a whirlwind ride that challenges everything Alex ever thought about science, magic, fairy tales, Love and herself.

I loved Alex - she's so human and authentic. She's like so many teenage girls I've known, and I could totally relate to her. (Except for the anti-fairy tale part at the beginning, of course). Her journey of self-discovery is as wonderful a read as the adventures (or misadventures) that she and Becca encounter as they try to sort out what to do with Lilia - the former Sleeping Beauty - and how to awaken Sleeping Luke. The three girls have great chemistry, and discover a bond that transcends their differences. Luke, though under an enchantment for most of the story, plays a huge role - and is quite a dynamic character. His personality is intriguing, and he's definitely a YA hero to swoon over.

The story is an engrossing and quick read: you've got to find out what happens next! It's a fun read too: no angsty teen drama, just some serious soul-searching and some not-so-typical "science experiments." And the nerdy humor! I died when I got to one glorious line referencing one of my favorite movies. All in all, a stunning debut and I (somewhat impatiently) look forward to the next two installments in Jessica Grey's fairy tale trilogy!

Digital ARC provided by author for review.

Giveaway Winners!

2012-02-10T09:37:00.000-05:00

I've had a pretty "meh" week (complete with getting sick, ugh), so I don't know about you, but I am super happy it's Friday! I do know that two of you are fixing to get real happy about this Friday: I've got giveaway winners to announce!

Yup, The Thorn and the Blossom giveaway ended yesterday, and Rafflecopter helped me pick two winners. Are you ready to find out who the lucky winners are? Who am I kidding, of course you are...

Drumroll please....

Candy M

&

Colleen K

Congratulations, ladies!
I've already emailed you, so check your inboxes and/or spam filters, and let me know where these books need to be sent!

I'm excited for you both - and I hope you'll let me know which side you read first: Brendan or Evelyn!

If you didn't win this time, don't despair - there will be more giveaways!

Blog Tour: Promise Me This

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Promise Me This
Cathy Gohlke
Tyndale, 2012

When I saw this available for review from Tyndale, I was intrigued. I haven't read much historical fiction about the Titanic, but with the anniversary approaching, I decided to give it a go. Promise Me This quickly swept me into the story, and didn't let me go.

I'm going to be very careful with this review, because there is something to be gained from going into this reading without knowing all the details. (Or maybe I just want everyone to experience the 'What on earth?!' feeling I had when I got to a certain part.) The main characters are Annie Hall and Michael Dunnagan. Annie comes from a distinguished and wealthy - though somewhat haunted - London family. Michael is an Irish orphan, fighting for survival on the streets and docks. The link between the two is Owen - Annie's big brother, who takes Michael under his wing, quite literally giving him new life.

Owen sets sail on the Titanic, discovering Michael stowed away a few days into the voyage. Realizing God had some purpose for the boy reappearing in his life this way, Owen begins to teach Michael everything he knows about gardens and plants - preparing him for a new start in America, and adopting him as a brother. But the Titanic has a date with an iceberg, and Owen never makes it to New Jersey, though he makes sure Michael does. And Michael vows to do all he can to bring Annie safely to America too, fulfilling Owen's promises and goals. Annie however, is less inclined to go along with this plan, finding it hard to forgive Michael for living when she is forced to lose so much. So begins a long, painful journey of healing and reconciliation - and the all-powerful force of Love.

Annie and Michael each struggle with their own demons, eventually learning that the only way forward is to embrace the life they're given and the people who love them. They become friends, then more - and plans are set in place for Annie to join Michael and her aunt in New Jersey. When World War I breaks out, those plans are halted, and a new chapter in Annie and Michael's story begins. Annie's letters stop abruptly one day, and she seems to disappear into thin air. Michael returns to England, then goes on to the front lines in France, to find her. What follows is a story that breaks your heart and makes you smile all at once.

I loved this book, but at least once I was sorely tempted to throw it at the wall and scream. Gohlke does a masterful job of creating characters that I can relate to and cheer for, and then wham!, out of nowhere a story twist comes that - seriously - made me want to shriek. But I kept reading! And man, the reward was worth the momentary frustration. So take heart, readers! Keep reading, and you'll be happy again! I promise you this. It's an emotional read - having not read any Titanic fiction, the scenes surrounding the sinking and aftermath were intense. I am a fan of WWI stories, so was more prepared for that emotional rollercoaster. Promise Me This is a exceptional piece of historical fiction I think: it has the historical details to make it feel real, but it's not overly 'historical' - there is a lot of emphasis placed on the characters, on Annie and Michael, but also the secondary/supporting cast. It's like visiting with people from the past, and experiencing their experiences. On the whole, very glad I read it.

Book provided by publisher for review.

For more information about Promise Me This, check out:
Cathy's site http://www.cathygohlke.com
Tyndale Tyndale.com
The full blog tour schedule

Taft 2012

2012-02-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

Taft 2012
Jason Heller
Quirk Books, 2012

Oh wow. I knew this one was going to be a fun read when I got Eric Smith's email about the upcoming release. (You guys should follow him, btw - he's awesome. And if you're a blogger, you definitely want to be on his mailing list: promise the emails will make you smile!) I was not disappointed in the reading.

Picture, if you will, the United States in a frenzy of politics: the 2012 elections are looming closer and closer, and everyone is trying desperately to find the right candidate to go up against the sitting President. Imagine, with me, that one day a former President, who left office 100 years ago, reappears suddenly. Like, literally reappears. Alive and well. Rip van Winkle-style, with a Presidential twist. Yeah. Jason Heller went there. What happens next is a story that could only happen in the American political arena - but in a good way!

What I loved about Taft 2012 is how believable it is. Er, you know, aside from the fact Taft 'woke up' 100 years after he vanished. But the climate? The society? The way things played out? Totally. Believable. All you have to do is turn on the tv or check a news site online and it's easy to imagine the novel as reality. There are a lot of fun 'insider looks' too: tweets, agendas, etc. that help flesh out the story. And the sly comments about the world Taft wakes up in? I dare you not to recognize the connections. I think the very realness of the context is what makes this so enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, alternating between chuckling over the developing story and appreciating the masterful storytelling.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Blog Tour: The Thorn and the Blossom

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to be a part of Quirk Books' blog tour for The Thorn and the Blossom! This book was amazing, and not only am I going to share my review with you, but I also got a chance to ask Theodora Goss a few questions! And, you know, there might be a little giveaway fun too - but you'll have to keep reading...

The Thorn and the Blossom: A Two-Sided Love Story
Theodora Goss
Quirk Books, 2012

This is a book unlike any I've read before: it's literally a two-sided story. Pick it up, think it's like any normal book. Then you realize: it's accordion-folded. Read through one perspective, then turn the book over, and start reading again - from the other perspective. If it sounds a little odd, don't worry: once you have it in your hand, it makes a lot more sense. And you will probably be a little in awe, if you are anything like me.

So much for the book format, but what about the story? Well it's pretty much as amazing as the format. Have you ever read a book, told from one character's perspective, and wondered what the other was thinking? Especially when it's a love story? Theodora has given us a chance to see the same story play out from two wholly different points of view: Evelyn's and Brendan's. I read Evelyn's story first, and found myself emotionally invested fairy quickly - I devoured her story. When it ended, I almost got really sad: it was over! And then I remembered I still needed to flip the book and read Brendan's side of things. Happiness! And wow - what an experience.

I loved seeing the way Brendan reacted to the scenes and situations that I'd read about already with Evelyn. I also really loved finding out the 'background info' - what had been going on during the gaps in Evelyn's knowledge. And the ending? Oh. My. Word. Of course, then I found myself wondering: What if I had read Brendan's story first instead of Evelyn's? How would the experience have been different - how would my reactions have changed? Since I can't go back and reread it all fresh, I'm going to have to wait and see if someone else reads it that way - and then we'll talk. Deal?

Another thing I want to note real fast about the novel overall, before I move on to the Q&A with Theodora, and that is the element of the Green Knight legend. I'm a huge fan of medieval literature - I took several classes in college, and I simply enjoy the language and imagery. Evelyn and Brendan are medievalists, with an overlapping specialty: the Green Knight. It's part of what brings them together, it's part of what tears them apart, it's part of what makes their world continue. And the story is fascinating. Definitely a great addition to an already engrossing story.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Have I caught your interest? I hope so! And to further sharpen your curiosity, here's a quick Q&A I got to do with Theodora ...

We get to see how Evelyn and Brendan discover the story of the Green Knight - how did you discover it? What is your "Green Knight story"?

I found the manuscript, in the original medieval Cornish, in Harvard's Houghton Library, and then I had to translate it . . . No, sorry, I'm just kidding! There's no Tale of the Green Knight, but I love it when anyone thinks there is. That means I've done my job as a writer. There is a real poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, that dates from around the 14th century. I studied it when I was doing my undergraduate degree in English. And there really is a figure called the Green Man, who is represented in medieval art, often on churches. What I did was extrapolate, from that poem and the green man figure, that there was a widespread green man legend in medieval Europe, and I created an imaginary Cornish poem that linked Sir Gawain (Gawan in my story) with the green man, and with a magical woman who was his counterpart. In the real poem, Sir Gawain is actually not the Green Knight, but in my version he is. So when you see translations in the story, they're all translations of a poem that doesn't exist. Maybe I should write "The Tale of the Green Knight," the actual story of Gawan and Elowen! But right now, it's all in my head.

Was it difficult writing the same story from two perspectives?

Yes! I always had to check one against the other. I had to make sure that the two versions were consistent. Also, I wrote Evelyn's story first, and then when I wrote Brendan's, some things happened that made me change Evelyn's. So, for example, Brendan found the letter in his version, and then I had to go back and write a letter into Evelyn's version! You always have to do things like that when you're writing, because things happen later and then you have to change earlier parts of the story. But I've never had such a complicated time with it before. And then, in the editing process just before publication, things were changed, as they often are -- and I noticed some discrepancies, so there we were, making sure all the discrepancies were fixed. Honestly, I hope the story reads as though it all came out easily and instinctively, because that's how stories should read. But a lot of work went into it! (It's sort of like dancing. It should look effortless, but if you've ever taken a dance class, you know it isn't.)

Which was more fun to write: Evelyn's story or Brendan's?

That's a tough question. They were both so much fun to write. Brendan's was easier to write, I think partly because I wrote it second, but mostly because he just is an easier character. He's a good guy who's faced with some really tough choices, and he handles them as best he can. You can really root for Brendan. Evelyn was harder, because she's a different kind of character. A reviewer complained that she was more passive, and I think that's right, she is -- but you know, she's a lot more hurt, a lot more damaged by life. I think that does make people more passive. My editor and I went back and forth on whether she was sympathetic enough -- I argued that I wanted her to be, not necessarily sympathetic, but real. She does some really stupid things -- they both do. But seriously, don't we all do stupid things in relationships? Especially in relationships? If we didn't, a huge chunk of the Western literary tradition wouldn't exist! But the book itself was so much fun to write. All along, it was as though Evelyn and Brendan were telling me their stories. I just hope readers have fun reading it -- I certainly had fun writing it!

Thanks so much, Theodora, for taking the time to answer my questions!

Remember that hint about a giveaway? The awesome people at Quirk Books have graciously offered two copies of The Thorn and the Blossom plus bookmarks! US & Canada only though, sorry any international readers! Fill out the snazzy Rafflecopter form below, and let me know if you have any problems. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Books!

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last year, I tried really hard to do regular posts with my new books. And failed more often than not. So this year, I've decided I'm going to do a monthly recap of the new books I get. I grabbed my cover images as the new books arrived, so I managed to get all of them. Keep in mind: it's a happy-making haul, but it's a whole month's haul.

Books I Won:

Books I Purchased:

Books for Review:

Books Received Through Swapping:

Forget You

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Forget You
Jennifer Echols
MTVBooks, 2010

This is the second Jennifer Echols novel I've read, and I can definitely say I'm a fan. Just like she did with Love Story, Echols created characters who are real, who breathe - and curse - just like the students I encounter every day. She takes these characters and throws them into the middle of a story that's believable - in Forget You, it's a handful of dysfunctional families and the escape/coping that high schoolers turn to. I stayed up way too late reading this one, but that's okay!

Zoey excels at keeping it all together, at maintaining the appearance of perfection. Until the day she comes home to find her mother half-dead, her father exploding in the ER waiting room, and one very rash decision at a beach party. All that week, Zoey struggles to maintain the facade, but after a wreck on the way home from the post-football game beach party, she remembers nothing. Not the wreck, not the events leading up to it. She remembers nothing except her stand-off with Doug at the game. Doug - with his mysterious past and sarcasm, not to mention those beautiful sea-colored eyes. And Doug knows something about the wreck that broke his leg and stole Zoey's memory, but he's not telling.

This is a quick novel, it doesn't cover a long expanse of time. But it's intense. Zoey and Doug, have some heavy issues they're dealing with individually and together. At first, I really wanted to grab Zoey by the shoulders, shake her 'til her teeth rattled, and then curl up with some chocolate and tissues for a "big sister heart-to-heart" - her decisions and reactions made my heart ache a little, because I know so many of them really are happening. But she works through it, and she works through the junk, and she's surrounded by unexpected supporters - like Doug, who genuinely wants her to be "okay." I loved the characters in this, I feel like they're what made the story. And there was just enough tension, enough mystery, to keep me guessing. I had no clue where Echols was leading me, but I loved the journey. And the ending? Oh yeah. It's great.

Book provided by author for review.

The Scorpio Races

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Scorpio Races
Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic, 2011

Oh. My. Word. I'm not even sure how to start...I tried explaining this to a friend, as I was reading, and couldn't find the words then. I'm hoping I can do better now. I'd seen blog chatter about this one, but didn't think anything of it. The title didn't call to me, and for whatever reason, it never 'clicked' that there was a girl on a horse on the cover. Then I actually saw a blog feature talking about the relationship between Puck Connolly and Sean Kendrick, and it registered that not only would this be a good story, but it had mythic horse creatures. Thankfully my library was able to provide a copy, and I began reading. And what an adventure...

Thisby is a tiny little island in the middle of somewhere. (My brain pictured it near Australia). Thisby is special, because every fall, water horses come out of the sea and men risk life and limb (literally) to capture the killer horses, control them, and race them on November 1st. The winner receives glory, honor, and a cash prize. For Sean Kendrick, winning this year means more. If Sean wins, he can buy Cor, his massive red stallion, from Ben Malvern for keeps. And he could easily win his fifth straight Scorpio Race, but something's making him rethink things. That something is Puck Connolly, and her (normal) mare Dove. Puck is racing for her home, a desperate attempt to keep her brothers with her and be able to pay off the mortgage Ben Malvern holds on their house. (Notice a common theme here? Malvern's an interesting character). Puck and Sean find themselves drawn to each other with much the same magnetic pull of the water horses.

The story, told in alternating viewpoints by Sean and Puck, is engrossing. It's foreign, but so familiar. I loved watching Puck 'grow up' during the month or so the novel covers, and Sean didn't grow up so much as discover himself. Their individual journeys make their shared moments that much richer, meaningful. I absolutely loved this, and wish there were more. But at the same time, it all ended just right, which is the best thing possible in a book.

Book provided by my local library.

The Merchant's Daughter

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Merchant's Daughter
Melanie Dickerson
Zondervan, 2011

I loved Melanie Dickerson's first fairy tale retelling, The Healer's Apprentice, so when I found out the second would be a 'Beauty & the Beast' retelling? Oh yeah, jumped all over that. As she did with Healer's Apprentice, Dickerson took the familiar story and shifted it, changing it subtly to make a rich, new story that kept me reading hungrily.

Annabel's father was a wealthy merchant, who lost everything - including his life. His family, unused to working, simply didn't, even though there was no way to pay the "nonworking fee" to the often-absent Lord. When new Lord Ranulf decides to move to the village to make his home there, Annabel's family faces either a hefty fine or three-years of indentured labor by one member of the family. Seeing a chance to help her family, while also escaping the very unwelcome advances of Bailiff Tom, Annabel goes to the Manor House and offers herself and her services. And so begins the heart of the story.

Lord Ranulf is a man of mystery with a dark past and quick-fire temper - though also a surprising tendency towards heroism. Annabel is a girl whose dearest wish is to escape to a convent and become a nun - where she can read the Word of God for herself. The villagers are (in general) skeptical, judgmental and superstitious, their priest's weekly sermons filled with condemnation and warnings against the evil seductions of women. Bailiff Tom is a skeeze holding a deep grudge against Annabel for refusing to marry him, and Annabel's brothers are equally as detestable. It's an interesting, colorful cast of characters and by trick of the narration we get to see both Lord Ranulf and Annabel's thoughts - thus watching as they both struggle to understand the other, and what is going on around them.

I really, really, really enjoyed The Merchant's Daughter. I felt the historical context to be very fitting, and Annabel's struggles to understand herself and her interactions with the community - especially Lord Ranulf - make a lot of sense when viewed within that context. Every week she is told by the church that she, as a woman, is evil and a stumbling block to man. Women are disdained (although their labor is certainly very welcome!), yet once Annabel does gain access to the Scriptures, and reads them for herself - she discovers there's more to life. And more to God. Her journey is one of both spiritual and emotional development, and when her moment comes at last, I cheered for her. Lord Ranulf has a compelling story of his own, and watching them grow together? Yup, everything this Beauty and the Beast-loving girl could ask for.

eBook provided by my personal library.

Blog Tour: Top 12 List with Elizabeth Marx

2012-01-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to today's special post in the All's Fair in Vanities War blog tour, hosted by the wonderful Missy of Missy's Reads & Reviews! If you haven't seen all the other stops, click the banner above to visit "home base" and see what all is available. Also, did you catch my review of All's Fair last Wednesday?

Okay, introductory business aside, let's get to the fun stuff! I asked Elizabeth to do a "Top 10 List" for today's post, and she actually did a Top 12! And it's super cool too, but I'll let her explain it in her own words. Keep writing after the list, because there's information about two giveaways you may be interested in. If, you know, you like to win things.

Elizabeth: You know they say a picture is worth a thousand words, here’s how I imagined the characters in All’s Fair in Vanities War. How do they compare to your imaginings?

1. The Seer

2. Keleigh

3. Locke

4. Madi

5. Wiz

6. Lynx

7. Ciara

8. Liashee

9. Banshee

10. Tristan

11. Boudicca

12. Cernunnos

Giveaway #1:
Elizabeth has graciously offered to give away 2 ebooks of All's Fair in Vanities War at each blog tour stop. She also sent me some snazzy bookmarks to give away. To make things super easy, and so I have a way to contact you, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grand Prize Giveaway:
In addition to all the tour stop giveaways, you also have a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card! How awesome is that? All you have to do is go like the Seer's facebook page, and write a comment on her wall with your favorite line from All's Fair in Vanities War. Pretty easy, right? So what're you waiting for!

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck in any/all giveaways you enter!

Blog Tour: All's Fair in Vanities War

2012-01-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

All's Fair in Vanities War
Elizabeth Marx
2011

When Missy put out a request for blog tour hosts, this one sounded interesting to me, so I 'applied' for a spot. I knew it'd be a little different of a read than normal for me, but I wasn't entirely sure what I'd find. What I discovered, upon reading, was a story that was, indeed, unlike anything I've read before - and also very intense. This is certainly an emotionally-driven story.

We see most of the action through the eyes of The Seer - a normal, human girl who was killed on Halloween night and 'reborn' as a Seer. Her new job is to watch and protect, but she's not sure who. Thinking it's her still-living boyfriend, Locke, the Seer is drawn to his family, where she watches from the safety of invisibility. Soon though, things start going awry - the people she thought she knew, even those opinions formed in her Seer-hood, are not quite as they seem. The dark secrets of Salem are being revealed, and in the process all hell is breaking loose for our 'human' characters - particularly Locke and his cousin (and love interest?) Keleigh, as well as their friends Wiz and Madi (who also happens to be the only person who can see and hear the Seer).

In case you haven't figured it out yet, Locke and Keleigh are not your average American teenagers. They are part of an ancient Order - for generations, their people have had powers and the ability to contact things and beings that live only in myth. Even trying to ignore and deny this 'inheritance' is impossible, as Keleigh discovers through a series of painful lessons. And so, in order to keep themselves safe - as well as help maintain a sense of balance and order - the young people join unlikely forces and begin researching legends and chasing down clues. The result? Well, it's impressive. It's otherworldly. But it's not over yet. While All's Fair in Vanities War isn't a huge cliff-hanger, you can definitely tell there's more to the story and this is just the beginning of a much broader story.

As I said, this was totally different from what I normally read. It's a lot darker, for one, which was a little weird for me. The characters are compelling though, and the tension and chemistry between Locke and Keleigh was my favorite part. (Although the Seer's sometimes snarky commentary was pretty good too! Oh, and Wiz! I loved Wiz!) Most of the story is told from the Seer's point of view, but sometimes the narration seemed to jump in focus, which was a little confusing. By 'reading through it,' I quickly figured out what was going on/who was speaking, but the initial shifts were a little "huh?". I think this is one of those stories that people will either love or hate, depending on what they're used to.

Digital copy provided by author for review.

Be sure to come by Tuesday, to see Elizabeth's Top 12 list featuring the characters. You will not want to miss this! Also, there'll be a giveaway...

First Date

2012-01-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

First Date
Krista McGee
Thomas Nelson, 2012

This one looked too cute to pass up, and I was very happy to snag it from BookSneeze (you have no idea how hard it is to get fiction!). Once I had the book in-hand, I knew it was going to be a fun read. The premise: 100 high school girls, from across the nation, are brought to a Tennessee mansion to 'compete' for the honor of being the President's son's prom date. With the whole thing being taped for reality tv. See? Entirely too much fun! It gets better though, trust me.

Addy never wanted the spotlight. When her principal told her she'd be representing their small, Christian school on "The Book of Love" (the reality show's name), she developed an instant bad attitude. A 'tude that continued through her first weeks on the show - winning her surprising publicity and support, but also earning a few enemies. As the days and weeks pass, Addy continues to "win" - she stays on the show, despite all attempts to make her look foolish, bratty, unpolished, and just plain unworthy. Her attitude also begins to change, as God works on her heart and shows her that she is there for a reason. Beginning to relax and make a few friends, including one of the assistant producers-slash-undercover Secret Service Agents, Addy finds herself drawn more and more to Jonathon - the President's son, and object of all the girls' desire. But is it real, or just another trick of so-called reality tv?

First Date was a lot of fun to read. Addy is a character I could relate to easily, even with the 10ish year difference in our ages, and Jonathon was quite the charming hero-figure-slash-potential love interest. The 'supporting cast' is colorful and adds a lot of texture to the story. Another thing that I really enjoyed is the shadowing of Queen Esther's story - while it's not an exact retelling, elements of Addy's in First Date are strongly reminiscent of the Biblical queen. Esther is one of my favorites, so it was really neat to see the story in a modern light. In short, First Date was an excellent first book (of 2012) to read!

Book provided by publisher for review.

2011 Challenge Wrap-up

2012-01-04T17:59:00.000-05:00

Okay, I thought I'd do one nice post to wrap up my 2011 challenges...And I'll 'fess up: I did not finish one of them. Eek!

The Sense & Sensibility Bicentennial Challenge
Goal: Read/watch 5-8 selections
Status: Complete!
Reviewed Selections:

Historical Fiction Challenge
Goal: Read 20 historical fiction works
Status: So very close, but not complete (16)
Reviewed Selections:

2011 YA Contemporary Challenge
Goal: 13 contemporary YA novels, published in 2011
Status: Complete!
Reviewed Selections:

This was my first time doing year-long reading challenges, and I thoroughly enjoyed the 'guides' for reading. Obviously, since I've signed up for 5 challenges for 2012. Care to join me? Click the 2012 Challenges tab above and check 'em out!

What challenges did you participate in during 2011? Did you complete them? If not, do you feel bad about it? (I don't, just curious).

Stay tuned...My "Best of 2011" post and some vague plans and goals for 2012 are coming soon!

Fairy Tale Challenge!

2012-01-03T20:37:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I already did a challenge post for my 2012 challenges - but I just saw this one, and there's no way I can pass this up! So, without further ado, let me explain the 2012 Fairy Tale Challenge!

Hosted by Tif Talks Books, the 2012 Fairy Tale Challenge lets you pick between four different levels, and then it's pretty wide-open as to selection of fairy tales and/or forms (graphic novels and movies count!).

After perusing the four levels, I've decided I'm going to compete at Happily Ever After (Level 4). This means I will be reading/watching a combination of original/modern fairy tales and movies resulting in a total of 12 fairy tale selections.

I think this will be a lot of fun, and since I love to read (& watch!) fairy tales anyway, this will be a neat way to make sure I'm getting a "well-rounded" fairy tale experience this year.

2011: A Year's Reading

2012-01-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

Here's the breakdown of books read by month, with links to their reviews. After the monthly list, there are a few categories that were not included in the book/page count (picture books, ebooks, etc.) And, in a happy coincidence, my completed books and posted reviews happen to both neatly match up: every book I read (except one) has had its review posted this year! No waiting for updated post listing!

I must say, I have impressed myself. Not only did I read an amazing amount, but I managed to review just about everything!

Come back in a few days for a post spotlighting my favorite reads of 2011, a more detailed reflection of the year's reading and events, and - of course - my thoughts and goals heading into 2012!

January
- Love on a Dime: Cara Lynn James (310)
- Ever: Gail Carson Levine (244)
- The Queen's Daughter: Susan Coventry (373)
- Across the Universe: Beth Revis (398)
- Dash and Lily's Book of Dares: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (260)

February
- The Book of Tomorrow: Cecelia Ahern (310)
- Anna and the French Kiss: Stephanie Perkins (372)
- The Last Polar Bears: Harry Horse (104)
- Rose Daughter: Robin McKinley (292)

March
- Beastly: Alex Flinn (304)
- Prisoners in the Palace: Michaela MacColl (362)
- Dreaming in English: Laura Fitzgerald (420)
- It Can't be Done, Nellie Bly!: Nancy Butcher (93)
- Hearts Aglow: Tracie Peterson (348)
- The Jane Austen Handbook: Margaret C Sullivan (224)
- The Grimm Legacy: Polly Shulman (325)
- Scribbling Women: Marthe Jocelyn (173 (+ notes, not counted in this total))

April
- The Bride's Farewell: Meg Rosoff (214)
- The Lonely Hearts Club: Elizabeth Eulberg (285)
- Goodnight, Tweetheart: Teresa Medeiros (222)
- The Healer's Apprentice: Melanie Dickerson (261)
- Princess of Glass: Jessica Day George (257)
- So Much Closer: Susanne Colasanti (241)
- Attachments: Rainbow Rowell (323)

May
- This Girl is Different: JJ Johnson (315)
- Mermaid: Carolyn Turgeon (240)
- Wings: Karl Friedrich (291)
- What Happened to Goodbye: Sarah Dessen (402)
- Moonglass: Jessi Kirby (232)

June
- A Jane Austen Education: William Deresiewicz (255)
- Galileo: Mitch Stokes (213)
- Spindle's End: Robin McKinley (422)
- Through My Eyes: Tim Tebow (260)

July
- The Luckless Prince: Rie Sheridan Rose (305)
- Entwined: Heather Dixon (472)
- The Little Women Letters: Gabrielle Donnelly (358)
- Folly Beach: Dorothea Benton Frank (354)
- The Seventh Blessing: Melissa Buell (271)

August
- Sense & Sensibility: Jane Austen (309)
- Under a Fairy Moon: TM Wallace (212)
- Freedom's Stand: JM Windle (428)
- Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: Ann Brashares (294)
- The Tree That Owns Itself: Loretta J Hammer & Gail L Karwoski (149)
- Second Summer of the Sisterhood: Ann Brashares (373)
- Girls in Pants: Ann Brashares (338)
- Forever in Blue: Ann Brashares (384)
- Sisterhood Everlasting: Ann Brashares (349)
- The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland: Catherynne M. Valente (247)
- we'll always have summer: Jenny Han (291)
- The Penderwicks at Point Mouette: Jeanne Birdsall (295)

September
- Waterfall: Lisa T Bergren (369)
- The Gutenberg Rubric: Nathan Everett (245)
- The Road to Pemberley: ed. Marsha Altman (485)
- Eleanor's Story: Eleanor Ramrath Garner (263)
- Love Story: Jennifer Echols (243)
- Reaching Riverdale: Geeta Schrayter (271)
- Cascade: Lisa T Bergren (399)
- Torrent: Lisa T Bergren (388)
- Single Girl's To-Do List: Lindsey Kelk (335)
- Reason & Romance: Debra White Smith (316)
- The Cheshire Cheese Cat: Carmen Agra Deedy (229)

October
- Wonderstruck: Brian Selznick (634)
- A Modern Day Persuasion: Kaitlin Saunders (251)
- Northanger Abbey: Jane Austen (236)
- Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Laurel Ann Nattress, ed (432)
- Prom & Prejudice: Elizabeth Eulberg (227)
- Six: Marc Rasmussen (140)

November
- Yankee Doodle Dixie: Lisa Patton (290)
- Race to Splendor: Ciji Ware (519)
- Tuesdays at the Castle: Jessica Day George (225)
- The A Circuit: Georgina Bloomberg (250)

December
- The Other Countess: Eve Edwards (335)
- The Day Before: Lisa Schroeder (307)
- J.R.R. Tolkien: Mark Horne (144)
- Love, Inc.: Yvonne Collins (409)
- Wander Dust: Michelle Warren (375)
- Bunheads: Sophie Flack (294)
- My Life Undecided: Jessica Brody (296)

Picture Books
- Polar Star
- About Habitats: Grasslands
- A Place for Fish
- Planting the Wild Garden
- The Gold Miner's Daughter
- East of the Sun, West of the Moon
- The Lion's Deceit
- The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians
- Railroad John and the Red Rock Run

Poetry Collections/E-books/Misc.
- At the Sea Floor Cafe
- Why Jane Austen?
- Crafting with Cat Hair
- A Shore Too Far
- Caroline Bingley
- Double Clutch
- His Good Opinion

Unfinished
- Love on Assignment
- Summer Rental
- Eliza's Daughter

My Life Undecided

2011-12-30T16:00:00.000-05:00

My Life Undecided
Jessica Brody
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2011

Brooklyn Pierce is a girl with a knack for getting into "interesting" scrapes. As a toddler, she got trapped in a mine shaft. As a fifteen year old, she ended up setting her mother's model home on fire. After getting by with just a warning (and a LOT of community service), Brooklyn begins to realize maybe her problem is her decision-making skills. Or lack thereof. In a moment of inspiration, she creates an anonymous blog where she will post the decisions or choices she encounters, and allow the public to make the decision for her. At first, things seem to be going okay - the public doesn't always chose what Brooklyn would have, but that's the point right: have someone else make (better) decisions for you? As the experiment continues however, Brooklyn starts to waver in her enthusiasm for the idea - especially as life gets trickier and trickier.

As a character, Brooklyn was seriously annoying at first. I wanted to shake her and try to make her see things the way they really are instead of how she thinks they are. But she began to grow on me, as she started waking up a little and realizing that maybe life was a little different. I enjoyed watching her work through things, and while it took a little longer than I'd have preferred - that also lends a sense of authenticity to the story. I mean really: how many of us actually learn the first time? I cringe to remember the lessons I've relearned through the years. And I love the supporting cast, especially "Heimlich". Brody did a good job of creating a high school environment without belaboring the point.

All in all, My Life Undecided is an enjoyable, quick read that also stops to make you think: What if someone else did make all your decisions for you? How would your life change? Would it change?

Book provided by my personal library.

Wander Dust winners!

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

I love announcing winners! And today I get to share the happy news that three people have won something cool!

First, remember the prizes?

One grand prize winner is going to receive a signed paperback of Wander Dust, signed bookmarks, and a really, really amazing Tolkien necklace.

Two other winners are getting signed bookmarks.

All around, it's a pretty cool little giveaway!

So, winners...Are you curious? Well, let me make the big announcement...

Huge congratulations to the winners, who have already been emailed (check your inboxes and/or spam filters, ladies!) and have until Friday morning at 9am EST to send me their addresses.

And a huge "THANK YOU!" to everyone who visited my blog and facebook pages during this tour. I hope you like what you see, and will come back soon! Plus, I have it on good authority that more giveaways are in the future...

Bunheads

2011-12-27T18:00:00.002-05:00

Bunheads
Sophie Flack
Poppy, 2011

I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. The cover is gorgeous. The story is engrossing. The characters are real, dimensional. And perhaps one of the coolest things? Sophie Flack was a professional ballet dancer, so Bunheads is full of little insider info-nuggets. Love it! ((Sidenote: I like this trend of insiders-turn-authors...it gives a sense of authenticity to the stories.))

Hannah Ward has been dancing for most of her nineteen-year-old life. It's her passion, her ambition, her life. The time and energy she has invested as a member of the Manhattan Ballet corps, always working towards the honor of becoming a soloist, have been satisfactorily rewarded by the thrill and rush of dancing. But then, by chance, she meets a cute pedestrian (non-dancer), named Jacob. And everything starts to change. As she continues to fight for her moment in the spotlight on stage, Hannah finds herself also taking a closer look at herself - at the dancers around her - at the world that exists beyond the theatre. The result is an engrossing story that is one-half dance and one-half coming-of-age. A combination I found particularly enjoyable.

I liked that Hannah was a little older than some YA characters; at 19, she's struggling to find her place in the world - orienting herself through the transition into 'adulthood', while simultaneously navigating the uber-challenging world of professional ballet. I loved all the dance details: the vocabulary, the descriptions, the emotions and frank examinations of what it means to be a ballet dancer (let alone achieve that illusive ballerina status). Hannah and the other dancers all have distinct personalities and voices, and their various approaches to handling their chosen life are intriguing and believable. I think that's one of the big appeals of Bunheads: it's believable. Even though I've never been in the professional dance world, the details and voices in Bunheads creates a world I can see and accept. Not to mention watching Hannah finally realize who she is and where she wants to go next - I can totally relate to her questioning and soul-searching.

A beautiful book that ended both too soon, and at just the right moment.

Book provided by my personal library.

2012 Challenges

2011-12-23T16:06:00.000-05:00

Okay, rather than do individual posts for the challenges I want to join in 2012, I'm going to do one BIG post...Keeps things simpler for my brain.

First up, I'm going to rejoin the Historical Fiction Challenge over at Historical Tapestry. This year I 'competed' at the Severe Bookaholism level (20 books), but fell just shy of that mark. So for 2012, I'm going to participate on the Undoubtedly Obsessed level - which means I will read at least 15 historical fiction books. I'm really excited about revisiting this challenge, because I love Historical Fiction and a lot of the books on my To Read list are applicable!

Another challenge I'm excited about is hosted by Laura of Laura's Reviews. The Victorian Challenge 2012 is what I'd consider a "wide-open" challenge in that so many things count towards the challenge! From books to plays to movies! So long as it applies to the Victorian period (1837-1901), it counts. The reading level is super easy, and I'm hoping to actually do more than the 2-6 items.

I don't have a concrete list of things I want to read for this, but I will definitely be visiting Louisa May Alcott and Mark Twain, as well as probably reacquainting myself with George Eliot and the Brontes. I'd also like to finally sit down and read some more biographical stuff on Queen Victoria herself - she fascinates me. Yay!

And of course, anyone who frequents this blog knows I'm a fan of Jane Austen and all the Austenesque literature that has developed. So imagine how psyched I was to discover this challenge: Explore the Many Genres of Jane Austen Spinoffs 2012, hosted by Existing's Tricky!

This one's pretty sweet and simple: just read (at least) one book from each of the 8 categories of Jane Austen spinoff:

Variation
Sequel
Jane Austen as a Fictional Character
Paranormal
Modern Adaptation
Mystery
Supporting Characters
Books by Jane Austen

I've got a whole slew of Austenesque books to read, so this is going to be fun!

And the other challenge I'm really looking forward to for 2012 is the Completely Contemp Challenge hosted by Chick Loves Lit! I absolutely love YA literature, and the thing I really like about this challenge is it covers the last three years of publishing: 2010, 2011, and 2012 contemp YA releases are all fair game. Definitely good for working on that To Read list! I have decided I'm going to participate on the "5-level"...so I will read 5 books published in 2010, 5 books published in 2011 ad 5 books published in 2012.

There ya have it: 4 totally awesome challenges to help stretch and encourage my reading for 2012...Am I crazy? Maybe. But I'm also practical: I've picked challenges that meet my reading interests and goals -- and there's definitely some overlap involved too, which helps. What about you? What challenges are you totally psyched about? Are you joining me for any of these?

Eliza's Daughter

2011-12-22T08:00:00.002-05:00

Eliza's Daughter
Joan Aiken
St Martin's Press, 1994

Confession from the get-go: I didn't finish this one. I don't normally count unfinished books towards challenges (okay, theoretically I don't: I've only had one unfinished book that was relevant to a challenge this year), but I wasted so much reading time on this one that I'm counting it. Fair's fair.

The premise is intriguing: What happened to the baby, the daughter, of Col. Brandon's "lost" ward? You know, the one that Willoughby fathered, and the knowledge of which cost him everything he held dear? See: great premise. I just had a really hard time getting into the story, which is told from the point of view of this baby - also called Eliza. Beginning with her early memories, then wandering into her more 'grown up' experiences, Eliza introduces herself to us as a fairly worldly, if wholly unattached young girl. She's never met Col. Brandon, her benefactor, nor does she know anything at all about her (supposed) dead parents. When she finally, through a series of unfortunate circumstances, finds herself at Delaford, we meet Elinor and Edward Ferrars. And here's where I really started having a hard time with the story. All of Jane's beloved characters from Sense and Sensibility have evolved (or maybe devolved?) into characters so unlike how I imagine them that I had a hard time taking the story seriously from that point forward. It kept moving rather slowly, also, so I started flipping ahead and reading sections/chapters throughout the book until the end.

For someone with more patience, it is probably a better read - and there were a few twists and turns here and there. It just wasn't my cup of tea, and that's a-ok. Because if I loved every book I ever picked up? We'd be in a world of trouble, re: storage.

Book provided by my local library.

Tribute Books: Interview with Nicole Langan

2011-12-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Nicole!

Hello, hello! Today I've got something a little different in store for you. One of my favorite things about the blogging world is getting to meet new people and make new friends. Book bloggers are especially friendly, and I've gotten to know other bloggers, authors and publishers through my adventures. It's a lot of fun! And today, I'm featuring an interview with Nicole Langan, the brains behind Tribute Books. I've worked with Nicole before, and love checking out her book blog, so when she emailed asking if I'd host an interview to help spread the word about her new venture, I wholeheartedly agreed!

AWW: Tribute Books is fixing to undergo a pretty big change, and is traveling in a cool direction. Can you tell me a little about how it'll look and work once everything's up-and-running?
Nicole: Well to tell you where we're headed, let me tell you a bit about where we've come from. Tribute Books began in 2004 and we've published over 30 titles since that time. Some of our books have gone on to win awards such as the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year and the Mom's Choice Award while others were endorsed by PBS and The Thoreau Society. We've covered a wide range of genres from children's picture books to history to sports under both traditional and subsidy contracts. In 2012, Tribute Books will transition into a royalty-paying ebook publisher of young adult titles.

AWW: What made you decide to leave the more traditional route and become an ebook only YA "press"?

Nicole: Over the course of 2011, we've watched our ebook sales outpace our print sales by 2 to 1 due to the explosion in popularity of e-readers such as the Kindle, Nook and iPad. The under $5 price point of most of our e-titles and the ease of purchase and delivery surely facilitated this rapid change.

Overall, our transition is based on three factors. On a business level, the young adult genre sells especially if it is well written and has a paranormal romance theme. On a marketing level, the devotion of the young adult fan base is unparalleled. On a personal level, I thoroughly enjoy a good young adult novel and review many on my blog at http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com. I'm a believer in doing what you love and working with like-minded people, when it's at all possible.

AWW: For authors, or author-hopefuls, what should they know about the new look of Tribute Books? Are you open for any YA authors who want to e-pub, or do you have specific genres?

Nicole: Our preference is for damn good writing, the particular topic is secondary in importance. However, books written with a series in mind or those that delve into the paranormal will have a slight edge.

Manuscripts that have already been professionally edited will receive greater consideration. Our preference is to work with authors who have already been published through a royalty-paying press and who know the ins and outs of book promotion. An established social media platform is a must, and we will not consider writers who do not have a well-followed blog, Facebook page or Twitter account.

Interested authors can submit their manuscripts via email to info@tribute-books.com. There will be no charge for the authors we select to work with, and they will receive 50% of the net profits of their ebook sales in quarterly royalty payments. We're looking for Microsoft Word documents with a maximum of 350 pages of text with no photos, charts, illustrations, graphs, etc.

AWW: What excites you most about this new adventure?

Nicole: My hope is that we are able to recruit some talented writers of well-written, well-crafted stories in order to develop an eager fan base for the titles we publish. We want readers to be excited about the ebooks we produce. Young adult authors have the most devoted fan followings out there, and we'd like to introduce that audience to a whole new host of talent.

We try to keep an active online presence with our web site (http://www.tribute-books.com/), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks) and blog (http://tributebooks.blogspot.com/). We'd love to have anyone who loves young adult literature to join us for the ride.

__________________________________
I don't know about you guys, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing how this develops! Nicole's plan is to work with 12 authors in 2012, publishing one novel a month. Pretty cool, no? So if you are, or know, a YA author who might be interested, let them know! And if you, like me, are an avid read of YA - I think we're fixing to have a great new source for reading material!

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Nicole, and best of luck in this new adventure!

Love, Inc.

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Love, Inc.
Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout
Hyperion, 2011

What happens when three high school girls find out that their amazing boyfriends are actually one boy? In the case of Zahra, Kali and Syd, they unite forces and exact careful, painful revenge. They find it such a satisfying and effective exercise, not to mention a good catharsis, that when word leaks out and others begin to request their 'services,' Love, Inc. is born.

Love, Inc. is all about helping others find happiness in relationship, or at least find a good way through the end of one. From mediating conflicts to running reconnaissance to dabbling in matchmaking, the three girls find themselves with an endless stream of business. And even though they've been badly burned by the three-timing Eric, maybe - just maybe - all their work with the human heart is helping to heal theirs, and love can be found again. Love, Inc. is a fun read, and the concept is one I could definitely see high school girls coming up with - actually, I think it'd make for a really cute movie. Zahra, Kali and Syd have a great chemistry, and I loved watching them overcome their differences and unite forces, finding true friendship. There's a broad spectrum of high school that's seen throughout the book, as students from all circles come to the girls of Love, Inc. for assistance.

The only thing that distracted me from the read, and it's a minor distraction that's more of a personal preference, is that a lot of the characters came across so much older than their 15-17 year old range. I can understand that there are differences in society and culture depending on where you are, and kids do act older than they are in real life, but some of the actions or conversations just felt a little too mature, too far removed from what's probable. Again, minor distraction, and mainly a personal 'mini-peeve' -- definitely does not take away from the story.

Blog Tour: Wander Dust

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wander Dust
Michelle Warren
2011

I fell in love with the cover of Wander Dust the first time I ever saw it on facebook, and once I started learning more about the story - I knew it was one I'd be reading. When Michelle put out a call for bloggers willing to partner with her on a book launch blog tour, I put in my application quickly. Happily, I was picked! Did you see my interview with Michelle on Sunday? Check it out - plus, there's an amazing giveaway. Definitely worth your time, I promise!

Going into the reading, I had a basic idea of the story, but had no idea how 'edgy' of a read I was getting. It's intense, emotional, involving. Sera has lived her life with one concept of reality, only to have it turned on-end on her sixteenth birthday. Suddenly she's having weird 'moments' or 'visions' that combine to make her question her sanity. Once she learns she is a Wanderer (one who can 'wander' through Time), Sera is enrolled in the Academy, where she will learn to navigate her reality and 'new' identity. At this point, the story takes turn after turn after turn.

Before getting into too many details, let me make a quick 'detour' to say that Michelle has definitely created a well-rounded world. With any story, but especially with fantasies, I always appreciate when authors take the time to really think about the world they're creating: fleshing it out, giving it background and context, rather than just scribbling down a setting because it makes their story work. Wander Dust takes place in 'the real world,' but it also features a whole other world as well - and that world is carefully orchestrated, with a history, a mythology, and an uncertain future. It's real. And as we are discovering this mysterious 'second world,' so is Sera. I really appreciated getting to discover the hidden secrets through the eyes and experiences of Sera - it helped add an authenticity to the story, and is a great way to introduce strange concepts (time travel!) without coming across as a manual description or etc.

There's a host of characters, and nobody is quite as they seem. Even with mysteries appearing and being solved constantly, Sera is never sure what exactly is going on - and neither was I, as reader. With every new revelation, my internal reader was rethinking all my assumptions. The reading-journey was so much fun, that I'm hesitant to give away too much in my review. If you have too many 'teasers,' it could mess with your brain while reading, and truly: taking every step and misstep along with Sera and Co. is definitely a big part of what makes this such a great read. It's safe to say this one kept me guessing until the end. Also safe to say I'm very glad to know this is a trilogy, and that more of this story is forthcoming! I need to know what the answers to some of the lingering questions are! Not to mention see where things are going to progress, now that certain misconceptions have been corrected. (Nope, not telling, you've got to read it for yourself!)

Book provided by author for review.

The Day Before

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Day Before
Lisa Schroeder
Simon Pulse, 2011

I'm still new to verse novel-reading, but so far I am definitely liking what I read. I think telling stories in verse can have a variety of effects, and in the case of The Day Before, the poems help build suspense and create mystery. As I was reading, I had absolutely no idea where I was going to end up. The poems suggested a great struggle, a big change coming that will change Amber's life - and her family's lives - forever. There's a rawness to the wording, and a realness. Then letters start slipping in, and the story starts to slip into place. Things start making sense, and I can understand Amber's impulse to spend 'the day before' doing her thing.

And yet, the mystery remains. Cade, the beautiful, unusual boy Amber meets in the aquarium, has a story of his own. As we get to know Cade through Amber's eyes, we see the confusion, feel the tension, the mystery. There's a dark, pressing need to spend 'the day before' on his own terms for Cade as well.

With the give-and-take flow of the ocean they both love, Cade and Amber spend a single, beautiful, magical day together. As they fight their own personal demons, they find strength in being there for each other. Strength in unity, in believing in someone else's success. It's a simple story, taking place over a single day and night. But there's a strong sense of reality, of connection and the pressing need to find out 'why.' I found The Day Before to be a beautiful, moving read. It's definitely one you need to read for yourself, so you can experience the journey without getting distracted by the details.

Book provided by my personal library.

Blog Tour: Wander Dust

2011-12-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

I am happy to be a part of the Wander Dust blog tour, helping celebrate Michelle Warren's debut release! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you come back by Tuesday, when I feature a review of Wander Dust!

As part of the blog tour, I sent Michelle a couple questions and she was good enough to answer them for you! Settle in and read through our little Q&A session, then keep reading for more exciting information and even a giveaway!

A Word's Worth: How would you tweet Wander Dust?

Michelle: Ug! I’m awful at Twitter. I actually consider it my nemesis. Here's my best shot:

If the world snaps shut over you like a closing book, catapulting you into a wormhole, u r not a Normal. U r a Wanderer. #writers #Flitchat

AWW: According to your website, it was your love of scifi, paranormal and fantasy that prompted you to write your own novel. What authors do you think were most influential or inspirational in your writing of Wander Dust?

Michelle: I think my influence was less about other authors and more about the Discovery and History channels. I’m sort of a geek. A typical conversation with my sister will not be about the high heels I want to buy at the mall, because we are more likely to discuss whether angels could be aliens or if aliens could be time travelers. I’m fascinated by science that is perceived to be unrealistic, yet these things could be completely possible one day.

I love this quote from Arthur C. Clarke:

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

AWW: What 5 books do you think everyone should read?
Michelle: My current favorites are:

Anything by Dan Brown
The Tiger's Curse Series by Colleen Houck
Daughter of Smoke and Bones by Laini Taylor
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett & illustrated by Ron Barrett
Wander Dust!

AWW: What’s your favorite place to crash and read, and favorite snack?

Michelle: I have the most obnoxious, fluffy couch known to man. When I’m reading, I love to sink into the pillows and relax. I should say my favorite snack is a granola bar or something healthy like that, but then I’d just be lying. I’m a total chocoholic. There should be a support group for it.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Michelle's pretty cool, right? If you want to learn more, check out these sites:

And here's the official book trailer, which is, you know, pretty amazing:

But wait! THERE'S MORE!

Michelle has generously offered a prize package for readers and blog tour visitors here at A Word's Worth.

In case you can't tell from the photo...the grand prize includes a signed paperback of Wander Dust, an amazing Tolkien necklace (that I'd really like to keep for myself, but I'm sharing), and signed bookmarks!

I'm also going to have 2 winners who get signed bookmarks!

I'm going to make it really easy to enter: Just fill out the Rafflecopter form! If for some reason it's not working (I'm still learning how to use it), leave me a comment and let me know what's going on. And, because I know this is an awesome prize package, you have a few options for extra entries.

Oh, and there's one more thing, you'll want to remember this for a little later:

Good luck! And don't forget to swing by Tuesday to catch my review!

Railroad John and the Red Rock Run

2011-12-10T08:15:00.002-05:00

Railroad John and the Red Rock Run
Tony Crunk & Michael Austin (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers, 2006

I'm a huge fan of tall tales, and Railroad John has all the flair and flavor of my beloved 'classic' tall tales while maintaining a sense of uniqueness. Love it!

Poor Lonesome Bob is finally gonna get hitched, to the illusive Wildcat Annie, and he's terrified he's going to be late. Because if the train's late getting there, Annie's going to leave -- she waits for nobody. And of course, in true tall tale fashion, there is obstacle after obstacle after obstacle that must be out-thunk, out-run, and just plain kick-butt-to-win. No worries, though, Railroad John is proud of his record: forty years and never late!

It's whirlwind ride, a hair-raising adventure, with colorful names and incredible escapes. The illustrations have a vintage, old movie feel that only helps create the atmosphere necessary for a convincing tall tale. Which is to say: quite my kind of story!

Book provided by publisher for review.

The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians
Carla Morris & Brad Sneed (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers, 2007

As a girl whose earliest memories are of the University library where my mom was completing her Master's degree, and who grew up to earn her own Master of Library Science degree, I love this book. Like, love it.

Melvin is one of those cool kids that goes to the library after school every day, and he's made friends with a trio of reference librarians I would love to know in real life! Together the foursome discover any number of things, learning not only how to use the library, but how to learn. These days of exploration and quality library time stick with Melvin all the way through school, and on into college...but is that the end, or only the beginning? Because as I know from personal experience: you can take the kid outta the library, but you can't take the Library outta the kid.

Not only is the story cute and fun, but the illustrations are colorful and quirky - the perfect compliment for the adventures taking place. Definitely a keeper, and one I look forward to sharing with my future little library-going children.

Book provided by publisher for review.

J.R.R. Tolkien

2011-12-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

J.R.R. Tolkien
Mark Horne
Thomas Nelson, 2011

When I saw this up for grabs on BookSneeze, I knew I wanted to review it. Even though I am crazy about The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, I know very little about their author. Having previously discovered that the Christian Encounters biography series is a great way to get a 'crash course' introduction to someone, I settled in for a 'get-to-know-you' session with Tolkien.

Horne does a wonderful job of breaking Tolkien's life into manageable chapters, and corresponding them with Tolkienesque chapter titles that made my inner geek smile. Beginning at the very beginning, Horne looks at Tolkien's life from a dual-perspective: how it impacted the man, and how it influenced the writing. Drawing from previously written, more extensive biographies as well as Tolkien's letters and writings, Horne creates a biography that is condensed without feeling lacking - an enjoyable read, but also substantive. And, of course, there's attention paid to Tolkien's faith and its role.

The writing of the biography is such that I am led from chapter to chapter - not just in the text, but in Tolkien's life as well. Spanning cultural and political changes (Tolkien 'came of age' during WWI, losing all but one of his closest friends), it's interesting to look at how his life experiences may have shaped his writing -- and I'm a literature major who hates to superimpose meaning on texts! In this instance, there's a compelling case. With this informative, though necessarily brief, introduction to the personal story of one of my favorite authors, I now feel compelled to track down some more in-depth information -- and I'm probably starting with Horne's own bibliography!

Book provided by publisher for review.

The Other Countess

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Other Countess
Eve Edwards
Delacorte, 2011 (originally published 2010, UK)

The Elizabethan court - a place and time when chivalry was everything, and maintaining the proper (court-approved) connections required dedication and commitment. Not to mention funds. A time of intrigue and social status, of fine dress and finer manners. A beautiful world - unless you're on the outside looking in.

For Ellie, her father's all-consuming obsession with alchemy has effectively destroyed her chances for joining court. Though she is Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime, her title is only a title, and offers her no foothold for escape. Likewise, Will - the handsome Earl of Dorset - has also had his chances rattled and impaired by Ellie's father, Sir Arthur, who nearly bankrupted Will's father. With this shared history, there's no love lost between Will and Ellie. Until, a few years later, as Will is trying to impress the Queen for funds to save his family, and he encounters the fiesty, lovely, mysterious Lady Eleanor. What follows is a story of the age-old struggle between heart and duty. Friendships are forged and tested, mysteries are unveiled, and events contrive to send our cast of characters down unexpected paths.

The Other Countess is a beautiful story about learning to see past your prejudices, and deciding what really matters in life. It's a descriptive historical fiction, without getting too bogged down in the details. I feel like I have a better sense of how society itself functioned under the celebrated Virgin Queen, and definitely made a connection with the characters. Edwards did a great job of making them realistic and accessible, despite the years and differences between their lives and those of readers. Their context may be different, but their struggles and dreams are not so far-removed from my own. And their stories caught my interest, making me devour the book and want more! I'm looking forward to picking up the story in future books!

Book provided by my personal library.

His Good Opinion

2011-12-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

His Good Opinion
Nancy Kelley
2011

Today, I am super excited to share with you my review of His Good Opinion! Nancy Kelley is one of my #TangledJaneite buddies, and co-owner of Indie Jane. We have some hilarious conversations, and I was honored to be one of her beta readers during the final stages of prepping HGO for publication. I guess I did a good job, because she trusted me enough to let me do an official review of the finished product! And let me tell you, it's even better this go-round!

His Good Opinion is Pride and Prejudice, from Darcy's perspective. Different from Mr Darcy's Diary, this is a complete novel that follows the Austen original with painstaking, careful attention. But it also fills in the gaps of the story. You know, like how exactly did Darcy discover Georgianna and Wickham, and how did he work through that near-disaster? What went on when he was in London, or at Rosings Park, away from Elizabeth? And, perhaps the most pressing question: What did Darcy do after Elizabeth refused him? Nancy does a wonderful job of answering these questions - and more! - while maintaining an authentic feel and tone. All her characters feel true-to-form, and I especially loved getting to see the relationships between Darcy and Bingley, and Darcy and Col. Fitzwilliam.

The story itself is well-paced and well-formed, and the 'behind-the-scenes' material (aka: the stuff Jane Austen left to our imagination) does much to further the story. Instead of going straight from the disastrous first proposal to the reunion at Pemberley, where we meet a more 'mellow' Darcy, Kelley takes the time to explore Darcy's psyche. In sorting through Darcy's reactions to Elizabeth's words, and his subsequent examination of his own words and actions, we are introduced to a man who's wholly human - and entirely lovable. Not to mention one super appealing hero. And he's hopelessly in love with the one woman he can't have -- or can he?

His Good Opinion is a beautiful new look at one of the most timeless love stories ever written. It's fun, it's fresh, it's detailed and delightful. And it hints at so much more to the story - just what is Col. Fitzwilliam up to, anyway? Alas, I must wait for those answers (yes, Nancy Kelley is working on a new novel aready!), but until then, Darcy is quite satisfactory.

Digital ARC provided by author for review.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-02T11:35:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I had some difficulties getting a review finished for today, but...how about a GIVEAWAY WINNER?!

Yeah, I thought you'd like that.

This morning was the cut-off to enter to win an ebook copy of Double Clutch.
There were 3 entries, and when I consulted Random.org, I got this result:

And just who is lucky, winning commenter number 3?

So glad you asked...

Not only does Jessica crack me up, but she's got a really nifty giveaway of her own going on right now! If you like Mr. Darcy and Starbucks, you definitely want to check it out.

Jess, I'm fixing to email you!

And to everyone else reading this: there's going to be another AMAZING giveaway coming up soon. Real soon. Next-weekend-soon. Stay tuned!

The A Circuit

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

The A Circuit
Georgina Bloomberg & Catherine Hapka
Bloomsbury, 2011

Competitive, A Circuit horse shows. A high-stakes, high-dollar competitive circle of the horse world. Late-teenage angst and self-discovery, amplified by money (or lack thereof) and opportunity. And horses. A lot of gorgeous horses.

That is definitely not a description of my world, but it is a very real world - and it's the world explored in The A Circuit (which, by the way, is apparently the first in a series! Yes! That means there's more coming!). I've always been a bit of a horse nut - I decided to go into Library Science in kindergarten when my elementary school librarian refused to let me check out Marguerite Henry books because they were chapter books. I have a lot of memories about horse books, and horse dreams. It's never been a world I was able to enter into however, except through the pages I was devouring. And this is definitely a great addition to that collection.

The storytelling is split between three main girls: Tommi (Wall Street money), Zara (celeb daughter), and Kate (working student), allowing readers to get to know each girl on a personal level: their story, their struggles, their reactions and opinions of what's going on - and of each other. Additionally, there's a whole barn of secondary characters, some of whom play pretty key roles. And the horses. We can't forget the horses! I really enjoyed getting an insider's peek into the world of 'high-end horse showing' (Georgina Bloomberg is a competitor herself), and learning a little more about the way things work. I also, as a fan of YA, I appreciate the characters and story. All the teens have an authentic feel - even with their privileged lives, they've got "normal" problems. They're human. They're young. They're learning - and making a lot of mistakes in the process. And as they make these mistakes and learn these lessons, they're starting to realize that personal actions have an impact on others - that sometimes, your first impression (or prejudice) is wrong - that sometimes, what you need most is to let others in.

Tommi, Zara and Kate - as well as their horses - have caught my attention, and I will definitely be waiting for book two to hit shelves.

Book provided by my local library.

Sense and Sensibility (DVD)

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sense and Sensibility
Columbia, 1995
Starring: Emma Thompson & Kate Winslet

I'm trying to remember if I read Sense and Sensibility or watched this version of the movie, first, and honestly, I can't think back that far. I feel like I probably read the book and then saw the movie. Regardless, this was my first visual introduction to the story, and while I like it - it's not my favorite. (That honor belongs to the 2008 BBC version).

On the whole, this film is a good representation of Austen's original novel, but far from perfect. They've played with the characters, and not always in a good way, especially since I've recently reread the novel. I have a hard time with this portrayal of Edward - he just seems more...wishy-washy? awkward? flat? Something. In contrast, Col. Brandon is a nice, strong character (as he should be), but the difference in age is so dramatic that it's really a wonder Marianne even talked to him. Like I said, I do like the film - it's a fun movie, and it has its high points. This Willoughby is definitely the best there is - he's got just the right amount of charm and appeal that you're thrown off the trail of his 'deviousness' (as opposed to the 2008 Willoughby who just gives me the heebies). Definitely an Austen film-variation that I've watched several times and will see many more in the future.

DVD provided by my local library.

Blog Tour: Double Clutch

2011-11-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

Double Clutch
Liz Reinhardt
2011

Welcome back to the second phase of the Double Clutch Blog Tour! Did you catch Liz's guest post last week? You should definitely check it out - she bares her soul and reveals all about...her First Kiss! Today, I'm going to share my review, and if you keep reading, you just might find a happy little surprise. It is officially the holiday season, after all!

Brenna Blixen spent her freshman year homeschooling in Denmark, and recreating herself. So when she arrives back in New Jersey for sophomore year, she's ready for a new adventure - and seeing just what she's capable of. It's an interesting, eye-opening experience that is nothing like she expected. From the first day - the first day - of American high school, Brenna finds herself in the middle of a complicated, passionate, and dramatic mystery of sorts. The sort of mystery commonly known as 'boy drama'. But it's more than that, as Brenna discovers. What's going on between herself, smooth-talkin' charmer Saxon, and reformed bad boy Jake is deeper than just high school drama, or even boyish competition. It's real, and it's deeply rooted in the boys' shared past as well as the intense attraction each has for Brenna - and she for them.

I really enjoyed Double Clutch, and look forward to reading the second installment of Brenna's story - Junk Miles. I've got to know how this adventure progresses, where it goes, how it ends. Because Liz has created a very *real* story. It's raw, it's authentic, it's believable. The characters are realistic -- if a bit 'growny' at times, that's still realistic: there are a lot of high school kids that I look at and shake my head. Everything feels like it could be going on in a high school, it didn't have that television movie-feel to it, if you know what I mean. It's a serious story that is a lot of fun to read.

Digital copy provided by author for review.

Would you like to win a copy of Double Clutch for yourself?
Liz has generously agreed to supply an e-book! If you want to enter, just leave a comment on this review and include your email (so I can contact you if you win)!
Giveaway ends on December 2nd at 11:00am (EST).

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today is one of my favorite holidays: Thanksgiving...

...and not just because it's the start of a 4-day weekend of football, food and family either.
No, really!

Today is the day when we consciously stop to think about what's important...what we've been blessed with...how good we've got it...

I'm thankful for my family - for the ones who share my genes, and the group of friends who might as well be blood, because we're just that close.

I'm thankful for my country - even when it's messed up and struggling, it's the greatest land in the world. The land of the free, home of the brave. Where I can dream anything, and know I have a fightin' chance to make it come true. Where I can wander around in jeans and bare feet, knowing I'm safe.

I'm beyond blessed with freedom - and always aware that it's been purchased with blood.

I'm thankful for the chances I have, the opportunities I get - to read, to write, to chase down dreams and sunny afternoons...to meet international scholars, to get to know authors and fellow readers...to laugh and to cry, to make new friends and reconnect with old ones...

I'm thankful for the people in my life who make me smile on my bad days, and let me return the favor on theirs.

I'm thankful for every breath I breathe, every move I make, and every beat of my heart.

So while I'm feeding my insatiable hibernation-instinct-hunger with the amazingness of Thanksgiving feasting, and screaming myself hoarse watching football, know that I am, truly, thankful for the sheer ability to do so.

God bless.

Tuesdays at the Castle

2011-11-23T08:00:00.002-05:00

Tuesdays at the Castle
Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury, 2011

I love Jessica Day George's ability to create characters that I can't get enough of. Princess Celie, her sister Lilah and brother Rolf (Bran also has potential, but we don't really get to know him), and the dashing Pogue (the blacksmith's son) are characters I fell in love with. Celie & Co. live in Castle Glower: a mysterious castle that is 'alive', always building on and making renovations to itself. Particularly on Tuesdays. Castle Glower is opinionated, and will always make its feelings known - a fact which Celie's family understands and embraces, but that others, from outside the Castle, tend to think of as a fairy tale. But we all know there's truth in fairy tales, and when the King and Queen suddenly vanish during a routine trip, the Castle starts to share its deepest secrets with Princess Celie - its favorite person.

As Celie learns more and more about - and from - Castle Glower, she quickly realizes that there are a lot of things 'not right' about the whole situation. For one thing, the Castle has not changed her parents' room, convincing Celie and her siblings that perhaps the King and Queen really are alive. With much sneakiness and an amazing sense of humor, Celie, Lilah, Rolf, Pogue and the Castle wage a quiet war to retain their kingdom and their Castle. With twists and turns and unexpected allies, Celie & Co. fight until it appears all hope is lost. And then, in one last, stunning moment of courage, the Castle surprises everyone, and everything falls into place. It's a quick-reading story, with colorful characters and a plot that keeps you guessing. The ending was all I wanted it to be - except...it came too soon! I can't help but hope there's more adventures in store for Celie and the rest of the crew at Castle Glower.

Book provided by my local library.

Jane Austen Made Me Do It

2011-11-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

Jane Austen Made Me Do It
Laurel Ann Nattress, ed.
Ballantine, 2011

I am a regular visitor to Laurel Ann's amazing blog Austenprose, and several of my blog buddies were finalists in the contest to have their short story featured in this anthology. So when I was emailed asking if I'd be willing to review Jane Austen Made Me Do It, I accepted with a happy grin. As with The Road to Pemberley, a variety of authors have written short stories in their own unique styles and voices - the difference is where Pemberley was limited to Pride and Prejudice-related stories, Jane Austen Made Me Do It features all things Jane: so long as there's a connection to our beloved Austen, it's fair game.

A sampling of my favorite stories:

“Jane Austen’s Nightmare”: Our dear Jane comes face to face with her characters, and is surprised to discover their true feelings. While a few (think Bingleys and Darcys) are happy with their stories, others are rather disgruntled. The nightmare experience however, provides the inspiration for a new story – about a Naval captain in Bath, with sad eyes, and a heroine the ripe old age of 27.
“Nothing Less than Fairy-Land”: Have you ever stopped to think about what it must have been like when Mr. Knightley moved in with Mr. Woodhouse?
"Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss": This is just a sweet Christmassy story. It made me smile, and just feels like a cozy read - especially this time of year.
"When Only a Darcy Will Do": Any guy who takes that much time and effort to meet a girl? Yeah, he totally earns the 'Darcy' tag!
"Me and Mr. Darcy, Again...": I loved getting to see how the story picks up for characters I met in Me and Mr. Darcy a few years ago. So. Awesome.
"The Love Letter": This is the story that won the contest for inclusion, and it's simply beautiful. A good example of how Jane Austen can still play key roles in 'modern' lives (and romances).

This is a wonderful collection of Jane-related stories, and definitely one I want to keep handy for when I need a 'pick-me-up' without wanting to read a whole novel.

Book provided by author for review.

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Liz Reinhardt

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am very excited to be participating in the Double Clutch blog tour hosted by Missy's Reads & Reviews! Be sure to swing by and check out the complete line up: interviews, guest posts, reviews, and giveaways. In fact, you might want to swing back by here next Friday for my own review - and you never know, there just may be a little 'holiday cheer' thrown in the mix. Today, I am handing the blog over to Liz Reinhardt, and she's going to tell us about her First Kiss. Young love...happy sigh...Find some cookies to munch, and read on for Liz's delightful walk down Memory Lane!

First Kiss! How Lurlene McDaniel Helped Me Know
I Should Kiss Aaron T

I recently wrote a YA contemporary romance called Double Clutch, and writing it made me reflect on all of those amazing firsts...first heartbreak, first crush, and, of course, first kiss! My first kiss was fantastic, and I'd like to share the experience with all of you!

If you read about my first crush on Mike A. on http://smmirza.blogspot.com/, you'll know that I came within a hair's breadth of kissing him in order to save our week-long, sitting-by-each-other-at-lunch-and-meeting-at-our-lockers relationship. In the end, I decided to hold out and pursue my studies instead of joining into the kissing drama, and I'm so glad I did!

I had a few years to read. And read. And read. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. And when I cleaned out all the children's books and classics, I moved up to romance novels for YA. What I read most (and most voraciously) were Lurlene McDaniel's tragic tales of love and terminal illness. If you've never read on, pick one up NOW! They were addictive, romantic, and left me a sobbing, blubbering mess at the conclusion of every single book.

I don't know if I read this specific one, but this is what I remember the covers looking like, and they were wonderful! Me and all my book-loving friends devoured them, and would come to school with red, puffy eyes from crying over them!

But Lurlene McDaniel taught me something essential about love...she taught me that it was important to cherish love, because life could be short. Tragically short!

The summer after seventh grade I went to Danish language camp in Minnesota (I know! Awesome! Oh. Wait. Were you thinking 'nerdy'?). I was dragging my suitcase through the camp to my cabin when a boy with the sweetest drawl I'd ever heard said, "Can I help you?"

It seemed silly not to allow an adorable guy with dreamy hazel eyes to help me out, but this was the first time I was staying away from my parents at a sleep-away camp, and I was determined to prove my independence to everyone. "No! Thanks!" I yelled.

He smiled. And helped me anyway. Aaron T. was a boy Lurlene would have approved of...well, she may not have written him into a story. We were both extremely healthy young people. But she would have liked him because he knew a good thing when it told him to go away.

Because I did. Over and over. Camp was going to be about learning the ancient, guttural language of my Danish ancestors, not mooning around with some boy.

Denmark, you have my sincere apologies. I meant to take a very active interest in you...but that boy! How could you compete with his drawl, and those long lashes, and those highly kissable lips? I know you understand!

"Wanna go walk by the lake?" Aaron asked as I helped mix a gigantic bowl of almond cookie batter with a group of grimy younger kids.

"No! Thanks!" I yelled over the din. "I want to learn to make traditional Danish almond cookies and eat them."

Aaron raised his eyebrows. "Sven's arms are a different color above the elbow. You sure you wanna eat those cookies?"

I glanced down and young Sven did, in fact, have two-toned arms. The half that were buried deep in the dough were clean and light, right down to his over-long fingernails. The half that weren't in the dough were a dirty, grisly grey. Even my iron stomach blanched. I wiped the flour off of my hands and joined Aaron for a walk around the lake.

He was quiet. He liked to read, too. He was from Tennessee. He didn't want to come to camp. He wanted to work so he could save up money and not have to borrow from his mom. He liked that I was gruff and bookish and knew my own mind. I liked his Soundgarden shirt, his black hair, and the slow way he talked and smiled.

Camp romances work because camp is intrinsically romantic. Walks by the shimmering lake. Rustic cabins. Way more campers than there are counselors to keep an eye on them.

C'mon! Who could see something that freaking beautiful every evening and not swoon!

Aaron and I spent many afternoons skipping crafts/sports so we could lie around on benches at the boat house, watch the sun in the trees, and talk until we settled into a comfortable silence.

Our easy friendship blossomed on the way back from a campfire, where he pulled me aside in the shadow of a cabin. Everyone else was coming back slowly, so we had a few minutes to ourselves. He brushed his hand over mine. All the air in my lungs locked down.

"I wish we could see the moon," he said with a nervous shuffle of his feet. The thick pines of northern Minnesota kept us from seeing any sign of the moon.

"Why?" I demanded.

"It's romantic." He smiled.

I pressed my eyebrows together. "So?"

"Don't you want to look at the moon with me?" This time his hand didn't just brush mine. He full-on grabbed my hand and locked our fingers together.

Shock sent my adrenaline racing. "But there is no moon! No moon!"

"Well, there's a romantic-lookin' patch of grass. Kinda looks like the man in the moon," Aaron said, his eyes flicking to the spotty, much-trampled grass by the side of the cabin. He twisted his lips. "Or maybe Colonel Sanders? What do you think?"

My brain was turning to goo, but I managed to say, "Definitely Colonel Sanders."

"I agree." He grinned and leaned in. "We have a lot in common." He tilted his head and leaned closer.

"Are you trying to kiss me?" I asked as panic seared through me.

He backed away and chuckled. "Um, trying. Trying really hard, actually."

"Oh." My heart was hammering all over, so I talked even louder. "I have a hat on. That's why you couldn't get close to my face!"

Aaron's shoulders shook, and he covered his face with his hand, laughing so hard, I thought he'd double over. "I'm sorry. I'm rushin' this. I thought you wanted to..."

"I do!" I panicked. Did I? I did! I liked him! I liked this boy, and I wanted to kiss him! I was going to kiss someone! I was going to kiss Aaron! "But my hat?"

Obviously, the excitement of the impending kiss rendered me deficient in the problem-solving area.

"You could take it off," Aaron suggested. He reached out and plucked off my very sexy Notre Dame ballcap, pulled me closer, and kissed me.

I still can't pass a Kentucky Fried Chicken without sighing over my first kiss!

It was a fireworks and saliva and beating hearts and screaming nerves kind of kiss, and I almost instantly went from 'never been kissed' to 'want to kiss this boy every second for the rest of my life.'

Then a screen door slammed. I popped my lips off of his, shoved at his chest with both hands and bolted to my cabin. I sat on my bunk and tried to contain the total, impossible, blood-humming, crazy joy coursing through my veins.

"Liz?"

I knocked my head on my bunk and stifled a scream. Aaron's voice came through the screen.

"Go to bed, Aaron!" I demanded in a whisper, suddenly unsure what to say to this boy-I-had-kissed.

"That was nice. Can we do it again sometime?" His voice was quiet and sweet in the dark.

"Go to bed," I repeated. I heard his feet crunch away. "Aaron!"

The footsteps came back. "Yeah?"

"Yes, we can! Now go to bed!"

I could hear him laughing all the way back to his cabin.

Ah! Young love!

And we did practice kissing. For the rest of camp, we used every spare minute. It was much more fun than painting bird houses or playing soccer. And when the last day of camp rolled around, my gut clenched at the thought of leaving my kissing buddy.

We stayed penpals for two years, writing long, mopey letters back and forth. But Aaron was older, and high school was in full swing for him, so eventually, the letters petered out, and my summer kissing friend existed only in my memories. But what awesome memories they were!

Thank you, Rebecca, for letting me tell my insane first kiss story on your blog! If you'd like to hear about my first real boyfriend, please check out my post on November 22 at alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com!

A Race to Splendor

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

A Race to Splendor
Ciji Ware
Sourcebooks, 2011

The cover of this one caught my attention immediately. That is a gorgeous dress. Like, seriously. gorgeous. And then, Laura's Reviews hosted Ciji Ware for a guest post and giveaway, and I realized I had to read A Race to Splendor. (Happily, I won the giveaway!)

This is one of those involving stories that just keeps evolving. Every time you think you have something figured out, there's a new twist: either a character reveals a little more of their personal secrets, or the plot shifts on you, or you just suddenly realize you'd been reading it all wrong. I loved getting to know Amelia as she struggled to overcome the massive curveballs and setbacks life hurled in her way following graduation from architecture and engineering school in Paris. A full-fledged architect, Amelia faces not only the 'normal' struggles of a being a woman in a man's world, but this is San Fransisco in 1906. The Earthquake and Fire that destroyed much of the city - and also gave it new life. Then too, there's the small detail of her father gambling away her rightful inheritance - the Bay View Hotel - and her ongoing 'battle' with the new owner JD Thayer. It's a complicated story, but Ware has detailed it beautifully.

This is the kind of historical fiction that gives historical fiction a good name: very researched, very detailed. Ware didn't just skim the surface, she got down into the heart of the history - researching and writing not just the aftermath of the Earthquake, but also the 'inner-workings' of San Fransisco: the corruption, the day-to-day struggles, the people. I absolutely loved the characters. Every one was well-developed and real. They read like living people, with secrets and pasts and a mix of good and bad - some with more bad, some with more good. They're flawed, but they're human. Their relationships feel authentic and believable, taking what could have been a dull, dusty novel and making it a living story. If this is the way Ware's novels always read, I'm definitely going to be looking for more of them.

Book provided by my personal library.

Chronicle Books: Happy Haulidays, take 2!

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Chronicle Books has brought back their Happy Haulidays extravaganza, with an added 'perk' this year: Not only will one lucky blogger win their $500 wishlist, but one commenter on the winning post will also win the wishlist. That's not all! This year, the winning blogger also gets to pick a non-profit/charity of their choice to win $500 to spend on books/products from Chronicle Books! Amazing.

Of course I'm participating, my wishlist is below. Check it out, and leave a comment if you like what you see. If I win, someone will be picked from my comments to win too!

There are so many great non-profits out there, it was a little hard to pick just one. But I decided to go with my first impulse: The Tim Tebow Foundation. You can check out their site for more details, and as for why I pick it as my charity of choice? I have been a fan and admirer of Tim Tebow since the first time I saw him on the Florida sidelines as a freshman. In the years since, he's proved himself to be a class act person and role model, as well as athlete. His foundation is one I can fully support - with a mission to "bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need."

The Wishlist (click on image to go to Chronicle Books' description):

Total: $495.88

Don't forget to swing by and check out all the other blogs participating too! So many wishlists...
And if you're entering here, leave an email or some other contact with your comment - in case you win!

Why Jane Austen?

2011-11-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Why Jane Austen?
Rachel Brownstein
Columbia University Press, 2011

When I was approached to review Why Jane Austen? I jumped at the chance - over the last year, I've really gotten involved with the Janeite community, and I welcomed the opportunity to take a closer look at the concept of Jane's attraction. Going into the reading, I expected something along the lines of A Jane Austen Education - a look at what Jane's novels mean to us as a people or society, what we learn from them, why we love the stories and keep returning to them over and over. What I got was something far more scholastic - and while different, definitely not 'bad.'

Why Jane Austen? is essentially a literary critique, with a healthy dash of analysis and a sprinkling of cross-curricular thought. That is to say: Brownstein has definitely done her research and gathered the works and opinions of scholars and readers spanning from Austen's contemporaries (and herself!) on through to our own contemporaries. I think it's striking that there is such a body of 'work' to draw from, in terms of just how deeply Jane Austen has been embedded into not only the scholastic cannon but also the social experience. With deft handling and navigation, Brownstein presents her findings and interpretations in a way that is accessible for readers who are merely lovers of Jane (assuming, of course, they're read at least a little nonfiction/critical analysis-type works before - otherwise, they might get a little lost). I learned a great deal, and found myself wishing I could have either been in an English class that used this as a text or could teach a class myself using this as a text.

With Jane Austen being such a hot commodity right now, there's an overwhelming amount of information available - Why Jane Austen? is a concise volume that guides readers not only through the literary aspects of Jane's appeal, but also looks at the social and cultural elements. There's even a foray into Jane's place in gender studies and feminism. (I'll be honest: not my favorite part.) Why Jane Austen? is not the light, introspective read I thought it'd be, but I am happy to have read it and broadened my Janeite horizon.

Book provided by publicist for review.

Prom & Prejudice

2011-11-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Prom & Prejudice
Elizabeth Eulberg
Point, 2011

By now, you've probably figured out that I'm not only a confessing Janeite, but also a big fan of YA literature. Elizabeth Eulberg's second novel (the 'follow-up' to her smashing debut novel: The Lonely Hearts Club), is a delightful and enjoyable blending of those two loves. In this contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice - the beloved, timeless Jane Austen classic - Eulberg shifts everything into the world of twenty-first century, old-money boarding schools. Longbourne Academy is the girls' school, and Pemberley is the neighboring boys' school. Most Longbourne and Pemberley students come from old money, and fit that distinct social mold - with a few exceptions, like Charles and Jane. Unlike these students, Lizzie is at Longbourne on scholarship, and the society girls are not too keen on her arrival. Jane and Charlotte (the other scholarship student in Lizzie's class) help make things bearable, but nobody can wholly deter the likes of Caroline (Charles's twin) or Cat De Bourgh. And then there's Will Darcy, who alternates between seeming human and being just like any other Pemberley boy.

Prom and Prejudice is a quick read that follows the storyline and general make-up of Pride & Prejudice, while making it 'real' and relevant. It's still a world far, far removed from my reality - but it's got a sense of possibility. With just enough of the fairy tale. I loved the characters, and felt like Eulberg did a great job of imagining how the 'originals' would look like as contemporary teenagers. This was definitely a book I had a hard time putting down, and the twists the familiar story took brought a smile. I am now officially a fangirl of Elizabeth Eulberg, and eagerly await her upcoming third novel Take a Bow!

Book provided by my personal library.

A Shore Too Far

2011-11-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

A Shore Too Far
Kevin Manus-Pennings
2011

This new fantasy offering is the first in the Daughters of Damendine series, and it's a very intriguing read. Kara is both Princess and High General of her father's kingdom, Avandi. She's much more 'in touch' with her warrior-side, and her first instincts always reflect battle strategy -- a trait her older brother Eric points out to Kara, causing her to actually see the difference. Where he sees people and their personal obstacles, she sees military statistics and odds. Kara does finally get what Eric is saying, but it takes a while. This journey to discovery is at the heart of A Shore Too Far, and is also what kept me reading.

The story revolves around strange 'demon' visitors who have appeared on the northern shores of Avandi, north of Abringol. Kara is sent by her father to assess the threat and deal with it accordingly - which also includes negotiations with this new people. There's a lot of waiting, of trying to see past the obvious and track down the illusive truths just out of reach. The characters are interesting - there's a lot of backstory hinted at, backstory and relationships I really want to know about and hope are addressed in future installments.

The pacing of the story was a little slow for me - I felt like this was more of an introduction to set-up the series, and for us to see the progression and development of Kara and the other characters. The actual chronology of the tale is short, but it's stretched out, which actually works with the events, but still. I kept thinking I was being led to a huge build-up, and then things just drifted down again. Still, characters are interesting and the concept is intriguing. I'll be interested in seeing how future novels proceed.

Digital copy provided by author for review.

Caroline Bingley

2011-11-04T08:00:00.011-05:00

Caroline Bingley
Jennifer Becton
Whiteley Press, 2011

Caroline Bingley. Anyone familiar with Pride & Prejudice probably shudders at the name. Miss Bingley is one of Miss Austen's most Love-to-Hate characters. She's snobbish and catty, she snubs Jane Bennet and makes scathing remarks about Lizzie. In short, Caroline Bingley is not a nice person. So why read a book about her? Because Caroline, like any good villain, has a story of her own. And Jennifer Becton does a masterful job of letting Caroline tell her story.

Caroline has been banished. Or rather, Charles - manning up and demanding his sister make things right with Jane and Elizabeth (both now married to their Heroes) - has sent her home to their mother, giving her plenty of time to rethink her decisions. Needless to say, Caroline is seething over the perceived injustice of her punishment - especially the addition of her 'companion' Mrs. Pickersgill. After trying so hard and so long to redeem her family's heritage in trade, Caroline Bingley is not about to see herself squandered in the country. After indulging in some well-deserved self-pity, Caroline quickly takes stock of what's what and formulates a plan that will both insure her place in society and prevent the humiliation of apologizing to Elizabeth Darcy.

As with Caroline's other, more infamous plans, things do not go as she believes. The pieces do fall in place, yes, but Caroline is shocked to discover that she is not able to follow through. You see, Caroline has a heart. Seriously! And even a strong sense of morality. And both of these come to her rescue - though it takes her a while to realize just what she's supposed to do, who she's supposed to be. But not before several mishaps, misunderstandings and surprises to keep things interesting! With a knack for story and an ability to weave historical and cultural details into a fleshed out, enjoyable narrative, Jennifer Becton has made 'Caro' come alive.

Digital copy provided by author for review.

Northanger Abbey

2011-10-31T08:00:00.005-05:00

Northanger Abbey
Jane Austen
Barnes & Noble Classic, 2005 [Originally published 1817]

I remember watching the Wishbone episode about Northanger Abbey years and years ago, and thinking it was a little weird. This was long before I was bosom buddies with Jane Austen, and as a late elementary/early middle school kid, Northanger Abbey just didn't capture my attention the way Joan of Arc and Ivanhoe did. The lingering sense of 'weirdness' kept me from visiting it once I was older and a confessing fan of Jane. But the ladies of Indie Jane have been telling me I must read it - if for no other reason than to meet Henry Tilney - so I decided to join their NA-Readalong.

Northanger Abbey is Jane's response to the Gothic novels sweeping through society. Catherine Moreland, our naive heroine, loves these novels, and much of her 'education' about society and people have come from them. Growing up in a happy-but-sheltered home, Catherine was unprepared for her 'debut' in society when family friends invite her to join them in Bath. Wholly out of her element, the first person Catherine meets is the too-smart-and-appealing-for-his-own-good Henry Tilney, who quite captures her attention. But soon Catherine makes new friends, who also end up being her brother's friends: Isabella and John Thorpe. The Thorpes are as far removed from the Tilneys as characters can get, and Catherine's attempts to figure everyone and everything out help us see into not only the story, but also society.

For me, the time in Bath was like a giant set-up for when the scene shifted to Northanger Abbey and Catherine's visit with the Tilneys. It was a time to get to know Catherine, and see how her mind works, how she sees the world and interacts with the people around her. It was also a time of wanting to throw a bucket of water on Isabella (she's not bad-bad, but she's the queen of catty divas) and duct tape John Thorpe's mouth not only shut, but also to his right knee. But I didn't really feel like the story was moving very much in Bath. Once we landed in Northanger however, things got going and I really enjoyed Catherine's story. Henry Tilney is a hero worth reading, and I loved how smart alecky he was - and that Eleanor (his sister) would turn around and give him what-for when he got too carried away with himself. Watching Catherine's ideas of romance grow was sweet, and rather realistic, I think.

On the whole, I'm glad I waited to read Northanger Abbey - I don't think I would have appreciated it as much when I was younger; as an ancient mid-twenties reader, I got more enjoyment out of the endeavor. Talking about it with the Indie Janeites every week was fun too!

Book provided by my local library.

Six

2011-10-28T08:00:00.003-05:00

Six
Marc Rasmussen
South Dakota State Historical Society Press, 2011

I am a football fan. Some call me a fanatic. And I love learning more about the game. So when I saw this available for review on LibraryThing, I knew I had to try for it. Going into the read, I had never even heard of six-man football. I thought you could only play eleven-man -- the variety I watch avidly every fall weekend. To say Six opened my eyes to a whole new world would be an understatement.

Functioning primarily as a biography of Coach Bill Welsh, Six also offers an in-depth look at life in rural South Dakota 'back in the day' when times were tough, and people were tougher. This was a time when sports meant everything to a town (although prior to Welsh's arrival, the primary sport in Claremont was baseball). Growing up in a similar environment, and working hard to earn - and play - his way through high school and college, Welsh was able to relate to his players on a personal level. He'd been there. He knew what they were going through, and he had a plan. Thanks to the positive influence of his own former coaches and teachers, Welsh understood the importance of investing in students as young men and not just players. This was the underlying theme of his entire coaching career - and it resulted in strong teams, and winning records. Respect and leadership are wonderful partners to enthusiasm on the playing field, and the Honkers had those factors plus talent.

Six is a biography of a man that is also the chronicle of a team. Under Welsh's leadership, the Honkers (Claremont High School's mascot) went on to earn an unprecedented, national record. Football fanatic that I am, I was mesmerized by the numbers put up by the teams who competed during the amazing run from 1947 to1954. The idea of six-man football is as foreign to me as it must have been to the town of Claremont back in the day, but man - what a show! I'm thinking we need to bring six-man football back, it sounds like an amazing spectacle. Back to the book: Rasmussun, whose father was one of Welsh's players, does a great job of explaining the concepts and weaving the story of the football and other athletic teams into the biography of Welsh. Including photos and mementos that he found in family collections, Rasmussen gives visual depth to the story he tells. Perhaps not something most people would just pick up on a whim, it was definitely an informative and enjoyable read from a sportsy-perspective.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Wonderstruck

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wonderstruck
Brian Selznick
Scholastic, 2011

Oh. Man. I read Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret for a graduate school assignment, and was fascinated by the illustrations. So I knew what I was getting when I picked up Wonderstruck from the library, but I didn't realize just how beautifully the story would be presented.

As with Hugo Cabret, Selznick uses simple black-and-white graphite drawings paired with his written text to create an elaborate and rich story. The drawings are beautifully detailed (favorite 'hidden' detail from Wonderstruck: the Star Wars movie poster in the subway!), and Selznick has a tendency to either start with a close focus and 'zoom out' in subsequent drawings/pages, giving you a broader context and visual, or starting wide and 'zooming in' as he guides your eye to the significant feature(s). Whereas Hugo Cabret used this technique to supplement and enrich the written text, in Wonderstruck the illustrations tell their own separate story.

The text story follows Ben, a partially-deaf boy who feels a bit lost following the death of his mom. After a freak accident leaves him totally deaf, Ben decides to take a chance and follow the few clues he has regarding his mysterious, unknown father. The journey takes him to New York, and a 'conclusion' he never dreamed of.

The illustrated story is set decades before Ben's story, and is about Rose - a deaf girl struggling to find her place in the world, looking for love and acceptance.

The stories intertwine and as the stories become a story, illustrations and text start overlapping and intermingling. The effect is simply beautiful. A surprising, moving story that's a feast for the eyes as well as an enjoyable journey for the mind.

Book provided by my local library.

Torrent

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Torrent
Lisa T. Bergren
David Cook, 2011

Just as Cascade picked up right where Waterfall left off, so does Torrent pick up the story from the moment Cascade leaves us wondering. Gabi, Lia and Mom have returned to the future - er, present? - and must decide whether they are able to successfully navigate the time portal to save Dad. I'll go on and tell you: they do. And then it's return to Marcello (and Luca), post-haste! Only to discover that more time has passed than expected, but everything's a-okay. The guys are ready to reunite with their ladies, and even to meet the challenge of proving themselves to The Dad.

As their father tries to wrap his mind around everything that's happened - and happening - the girls quickly find themselves swept back into the pace of things in Medieval Tuscany. Including, unfortunately, the never-ending struggle with the Fiorentini. Knowing that things have to end for there to be any hope of peace in Siena, let alone any hope of convincing Dad that they need to stay in Medieval Tuscany, Gabi convinces Marcello to agree to a truce-meeting with the Fiorentini, who want her - the She-Wolf of Siena - in exchange for the release of Fortino. After carefully laying out plans for escape and rescue, Marcello agrees and the meeting happens. Only, things definitely do not go as planned (who didn't see that one coming?), and Gabi finds herself in quite possibly her biggest predicament yet, face-to-face with amazing temptation in the form of handsome, mysterious Lord Greco who offers safety - and more.

Torrent was a wild ride, with fewer 'battles' and military maneuvering than is present in the first two books, but no shortage of drama. Gabi faces some major challenges on a personal level - challenges that will affect not only her life, but the lives of everyone she holds dear, and, possibly, all of Siena. Lord Greco really comes into his own as a character in this novel, and is compelling indeed. He's definitely a hero in his own right, and if not for Marcello, I'd definitely be his fangirl. Gabi has to come to terms with this too, and really dig deep in her heart to figure out what is what. Torrent is very much Gabi's story, but the other characters - especially her parents and Lia - play a central part in making it complete. And man, but there are some swoon-worthy scenes in Torrent! This may be the most involving novel in the series, for me anyway, as I was kept guessing what would happen next, and how. And yes, I'm being intentionally vague about details, because you have really got to experience this for yourself - it's so much more powerful that way.

I devoured Torrent, just as I did Waterfall and Cascade, and the story developed into all that I wanted it to become and more. My only regret is that there are no more adventures for me to explore - no more Gabi and Marcello, Lia and Luca, no more Lord Greco. Here's hoping that things work out and Lisa is able to continue writing River of Time adventures!

Book provided by my personal library.

The Single Girl's To-Do List

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Single Girl's To-Do List
Lindsey Kelk

Harper, 2011

Rachel has just been unceremoniously - and a bit dramatically - dumped, leaving her shell-shocked and entirely at a loss re: who she is and how she relates to the world. Thankfully, she has two amazing friends, Emelie and Matthew, who know just how to be single and are more than ready to guide her through the 'initiation process.' Their solution: with the assistance of way too much alcohol, create a To-Do list for Rachel, who is borderline obsessed with making lists and checking things off. Turns out, the Single Girl's To-Do list is just what Rachel - and Emelie and Matthew - need to rediscover themselves, and what is really important in life.

This was a fun read, a quick read - both in terms of actual reading time and the chronology of the story. Roughly ten days pass during the bulk of the novel, with the ending picking up a month after. Definitely a fast-paced story, but one that reflects and captures the mania of adjusting to new singleness and re-finding one's self. I loved watching Rachel work through her 'issues' - figuring out why she had been who she was, and how she could become who she wanted to be. I cheered as she realized she did not have to settle, but could chase after whatever dream captured her heart. Emelie and Matthew are colorful sidekicks in this adventure, and each goes through the journey with Rachel - discovering truths about themselves they'd forgotten along the way. Don't worry though: this is true, glorious British chick lit, with hijinks to spare. I chuckled and smiled my way through the To-Do List, and contemplated making one of my own.

Book provided by my personal library.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-10-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's October 12th, which means one super-exciting thing: I get to announce the winner of the Cheshire Cheese Cat giveaway!

Since I used the super-nifty Rafflecopter giveaway system, the winner is announced on that widget. But I won't make you go back to that post, I'll tell you here!

So now, without further ado - but with much smiling applause - allow me to congratulate ....

Entry 16: Stephanie M!

Stephanie has already been emailed and has 48 hours to claim her prize. If she does not, then I'll have to draw another winner.

For those who didn't win, there's still a chance! Swing by and check out The Cheshire Cheese Cat Challenge hosted by Peachtree Publishers - but hurry, it ends Friday evening!

Crafting with Cat Hair

2011-10-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

Crafting with Cat Hair
Kaori Tsutaya (translated by Amy Hirschman)
Quirk Books, 2011

In a world where craft books abound, and people are making things out of anything and everything, this book still came as a delightful surprise. When I saw the title, I laughed out loud and knew it had to be explored. Crafting with Cat Hair is bright, colorful, entertaining, and has some really neat crafting ideas. All of which use, you guessed it: cat hair provided by your own purring felines. Tsutaya has very carefully outlined the appropriate ways to collect and store the fur without injuring your cats (or you!), and even the less-crafty will quickly realize they can do this!

There are several projects in the book, designed to familiarize crafters with the ideas and techniques behind the process, so they can continue to experiment and create cat hair crafts as their imagination and skill allow. Each project is broken down by tools and materials needed (including the cat hair), then well-photographed instructions lead crafters through the steps to finished product. While the techniques used are not necessarily 'common' (I'm a crafter, from a family of crafters, but have never even heard of a felting needle before), they are explained clearly, and between the written instructions and the photographs, the 'foreignness' is not overwhelming. After reading through the projects in Crafting with Cat Hair (my personal favorite being the finger puppet shown on the cover), I'm now more than ready to begin doing a little crafting of my own! I just need to convince my cats to cooperate and collect a stockpile of soft fluffy cat hair - and I may use the fur my bunny sheds also, for experimenting.

I'd definitely recommend this as a gift for cat lovers, especially if they happen to also be crafty. Likewise, crafters up for a new challenge will enjoy the endeavor, I believe. Additionally, it's just a "fun to flip through" book with pictures of very cute cats.

Book provided by publisher for review.

The Road to Pemberley

2011-10-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

The Road to Pemberley
Marsha Altman, ed.
Ulysses Press, 2011

When I first learned about The Road to Pemberley there was no way I could turn this one down: an anthology of Pride & Prejudice-inspired short stories. Amazing. In the dozen stories selected for inclusion, there are adventures - and laughs - for all fans of Pride & Prejudice. Even minor characters get to have their day in the spotlight, and the end result is a lovely collection that lets readers further explore that beloved original novel in ways both fascinating and unexpected.

A couple of my favorites:

"The Pemberley Ball" -- this is a fun look at what might have happened if Darcy had been less enamored with Elizabeth's spunk. I love it because it features a duel of sorts, and a beautiful ending.
"The Potential of Kitty Bennet" -- A beautiful exploration of Kitty as an actual character and not just a shadow for Lydia. Love, intrigue, misadventure and dashing heroes. Yeah, this one's fun.
"Father of the Bride" -- Have you ever wondered what Mr. Bennet thought of Lizzy & Darcy? Now you can find out what was going on in his mind.
"Pride and Prejudice Abridged" -- I was cracking up laughing reading this one. Wonderfully amusing distillation of the story!

This is definitely an anthology worth adding to your collection of Austenia. Equally enjoyable to read straight through or to pick up and read an individual story when an Austen-fix is needed.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Cascade

2011-10-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Cascade
Lisa T Bergren
David Cook, 2011

In case you somehow missed it, I have fallen in love with Lisa Bergren's River of Time series! I got to spend 5 weeks discussing Waterfall with a bunch of other bloggers, and had a blast! There's just one problem: the story is addicting. Have no fear, though! I will happily tease you with the further adventures you will have surfing the River of Time in a post-Waterfall adventure...

Cascade picks up *right* where Waterfall leaves off - something I truly appreciate in a 'sequel.' There's no need to try and figure out what happened in the missing interval, a venture that would be ultra complicated in this case since Gabi and Lia can bounce around history. When the story picks up, they've just successfully returned to their own time - and it's as if no time has passed at all. Yet Gabi's left her heart behind her, and can't return without Lia. After much discussion, and a eureka!-moment to use 'science,' Gabi convinces Lia to use the time tunnel again, this time taking Mom with them. It works.

With all three of the Betarrini ladies in medieval Tuscany, some major adventures can happen. And romance can bloom. Right? Yes, and no. Mom, understandably, experiences some major culture-shock when she realizes that Gabi and Lia had been telling the truth. This is amplified as the story kicks into high gear and she gets to experience first-hand that particular flavor of adventure the girls are apparently used to. That's right: there's more Luca and Marcello goodness, and of course the Fiorentini are up to their old tricks again now that the She-Wolves of Siena have returned. And boy are they up to some tricks! Old enemies return, new ones are met - and is that an actual friend lurking behind enemy lines? Just who is this mysterious - and oh-so-handsome Lord Greco? Only time will tell, and that's something that Gabi and Lia are learning to handle quite deftly.

I loved this as a follow-up and/or continuation of Waterfall. There's drama, there's intrigue, there are suspicious activities and daring feats. There's battle (of course), and romance (duh). The characters are further developed - we get to know them all better, and their relationships with each other are explored further. Lia starts to truly come into her own, adjusting and adapting - even starting to embrace - her place in the medieval world. Luca may be helping with this evolution. Maybe. Of course Marcello is there for Gabi, who finds her heart more and more embroiled in the affairs of this ancient time. Even Mom realizes that there's a place for her in medieval Tuscany - if only...Faced with a massive battle, the Ladies Betarrini must decide if they are to stay or go, and if they go: would it be possible to somehow, some way, save their father's life? Time alone will tell.

Book provided by my personal library.

The Lion's Deceit

2011-10-05T08:00:00.002-05:00

The Lion's Deceit
Mpho Otukile & S.B. Bow (Illustrator)
Village Life Books, 2010

I love stories. I especially love traditional stories - my senior thesis for English was on American Tall Tales. Mpho Otukile, a native of Botswana (now living in Canada), has undertaken the challenge of recording the traditional tales she grew up hearing the village elders tell. Pairing these familiar stories with bright, simple illustrations, Otukile is successfully sharing her heritage with new generations.

The Lion's Deceit is a moral story that makes you think of Aesop's animals. Lion, great King of the Beasts, is too lazy to do what lions do. So he and Fox cook up a scheme that appears flawless. Of course, as anyone familiar with these stories will guess, there's always some animal who catches on. In this case, it's Jackal who discovers the ruse and tells all the other animals the truth. Poor Lion's brilliant plan backfires, and he's forced deep into the jungle - where he has no choice but to behave like a lion.

I enjoyed the simplicity of the story - it's straightforward and stays true to the form of an oral tradition. The illustrations are brightly colored, but not so elaborate or overpowering as to detract or distract from the text. It's a quick read that would serve as a good starting point for a relaxed family 'teaching moment' about lying, as well as an introduction to the stories of other cultures.

Book provided by author for review.

Blog Tour: The Cheshire Cheese Cat

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Cheshire Cheese Cat
Carmen Agra Deedy & Randall Wright; Barry Moser, Illustrator
Peachtree Publishers, 2011

Oh. My. Goodness. I knew from the cover and blurb that this was going to be a fun read, but I had no idea it'd be so fun - nor so adorable. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to join the Cheshire Cheese Cat blog tour and am super excited to get to share my thoughts with you, as well as offer a copy to one lucky reader and I get to give you a sneak peek at the illustrations awaiting you! Oh yes. This is a great Monday indeed!

Skilley

Skilley is a cat with a secret. A secret that turns into a secret mission of sorts, when he joins the establishment of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn as resident mouser. You see, Skilley doesn't like mice. He's not really fond of meat at all. Skilley is a cheese-eating cat - and the Cheshire Cheese is notorious for its cheese (of course). So what's a cat to do when he's "hired" as a mouser, but doesn't like mice? Simple: Make a deal with the mice.

Enter Pip, the go-between mouse with a secret (or two?) of his own, and this adventure just got a lot more entertaining. Don't forget to toss into the mix the fact the Cheshire Cheese is a favorite haunt of writers - including Charles Dickens who is struggling to find an opening line for his next work. Oh, and things get even more interesting when Skilley discovers the source of the 'ghosty' noises in the garret and his alley cat nemesis Pinch shows up as a second mouser. This is a tale-of-many-tails that takes several twists and turns before everything comes to light and gets settled.

Pip

I'm particular about middle grades novels, but this one is wonderful. The story is engaging on multiple levels, the characters are colorful and memorable, the illustrations are pitch-perfect (not to mention adorable - you can't look at the three I've included in this post and tell me they're not cute!), and the overall design of the book matches the fun, whimsical tone of the text. I love the creative use of typography and design - adds a nice dimension to the story. There's a trace of history that appeals to my inner history geek and gives a sense of authenticity.

Book provided by publisher for review.

For More Fun:
Check out today's other blog tour stop:
From the Mixed Up Files of Jennifer Bertman
And...the totally amazing and interactive Cheshire Cheese Cat site!

Giveaway details:

Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Rafflecopter will show your whole name you put in, so pick a nickname or etc.
Giveaway ends at 12:01 EST on October 12th, and winner will be announced that day. Giveaway is only open to US addresses. I'm keeping it simple - but since I'm still learning Rafflecopter, let me know if it won't accept your entries, and I'll still include you in the giveaway! Good luck!

New Books!

2011-10-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I've been really bad about doing new book posts on a regular basis. Today, I present to you roughly a month's worth of book-deliveries! Enjoy!

Won:


Single Girl's To-Do List via Chick Lit Central Jane and the Canterbury Tale via The Austenesque Extravaganza Deeply Devoted via Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot A Walk in the Morning at Rosings Park via Austen Authors Juliet via publisher

Happy winnings from Katelyn's Blog!

For Review:

Crafting with Car Hair via QuirkBooks
Marching with Aunt Susan via Peachtree
Six via LibraryThing Early Reviewers
Jane Austen Made Me Do It via Laurel Ann of Austenprose

Reason and Romance

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reason and Romance
Debra White Smith
Harvest House, 2004

I remember getting super excited about this when it first came out freshman year, but didn't get a chance to read it for another year or so. At which point I devoured the whole series and thought they were really cool! Jane Austen rewritten as contemporary Christian fiction: it was mesmerizing. My first foray into 'Austenesque' literature, but decidedly not the last. When I realized Reason and Romance would count towards the Sense & Sensibility Bicentennial Challenge, I jumped at the chance to reread one of my first Austen-plus reads! It did not live up to the remembrances.

Reason and Romance takes the story Jane told in Sense & Sensibility and transposes it into 20th century living. Most of the details are 'the same' and it's easy to pick up on the original themes in the beginning. But Smith took some interesting liberties with the story itself - Ted (the 'Edward' of our tale) is a student in Elaina's (Elinor) graduate course and is much more involved with the Wood (Dashwood) ladies' lives than in the original. Other characters are tweaked around and storylines fuzzed a bit. I understand adjusting things to make them fit contemporary society, but some of the changes are just awkward. Maybe even a little weird.

I also had a seriously hard time with Ted's portrayal of Edward. Ted is in a (second) secret engagement with Lorna (Lucy), but has no qualms about making moves on Elaina - going so far as to consider how to get out of his engagement. Where Edward is sort of lovably oblivious, and determined to keep his word, Ted comes across as keenly aware of what he is doing and actually works out a plan to rid himself of Lorna. I found Ted rather distasteful as a hero. In an interesting contrast, Willis (Willoughby) was actually more believable an interest for Anna (Marianne) - he was the 'star' she'd joked with Elaina about marrying one day. Yeah, he turned out to be scum, just like his original, but there was a bit more foundation for his character than the Ted-Edward thing. Dr. Brixby (Col. Brandon) was endearing, as he should be, which was a relief. And I liked the sense of humor Elaina displayed.

I am much more familiar with the original Austen now than I was when I first read Reason and Romance, so maybe that's why I had a hard time getting into the story. For someone who's new to Austen, it's a good, clean, introduction to the story. It's not an overly preachy Christian fiction, and the God-talk doesn't take away from the story. I'd recommend it for 'beginners' for sure, but if you're already not a fan of Sense & Sensibility, I'd avoid this rewrite.

Book provided by my local library.

Waterfall Wednesdays #5

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

You guys, it's the last Waterfall Wednesday! This is very sad. I've had so much fun reading Waterfall with you guys, and talking about all the crazy-awesome events and people, and now...it's over. But, I've not finished sharing the River of Time goodness with you! Did you see my review of Waterfall Monday? Check it out if you haven't, and know that reviews for Cascade and Torrent are coming very soon! (Yes, I confess: There was no way I could torture myself and not see how this story continued...so I picked up copies of the other two and read my happy little heart out). You guys have absolutely got to read these books! Plus, if there's enough interest, there's a good chance we could get more River of Time awesomeness! Anyway, enough of my intro...How about we tackle the last set of questions?

Waterfall by Lisa T Bergren

Discussion 5: Chapters 24-28

Today's Questions Hosted by Irresistible Reads

1. After Gabi is injured, the doctor gives her a tonic. Gabi questions the doctor several times what is in it but he refuses to tell. Would have you taken the tonic in Gabi situation?
Honestly, I'm not sure. The doctor was acting a little sketchy, but at the same time - Gabi was a woman, and in his eyes she was out-of-place in questioning him (he didn't know she's such a kick-ass chick). I'm a little wary of mystery meds myself, but sometimes you have to take things that are weird to fix it. So I'm not sure...She was hurting pretty bad, and it did make things feel better, so...Yeah.

2. Before the games Gabi asks Lia to let Lord Forabosch win in the archery event as people especially Lord Forabosch are becoming suspicious of them. But during the games Lord Forabosch upsets Lia trying to throw her off her game. So Lia decides to win. Do you think she did the right thing by not letting Lord Forabosch bully her or do you think she took an unnecessary risk?
I cheered for Lia, I'm not gonna lie. I felt like it was a bit of a turning point for her - like she was realizing this is 'real life' and there is a place for her, and Gabi, in it. Plus, Lord Forabosch is a major creeper. So seeing him get his butt kicked publicly was pretty awesome. At this point, I don't think it was any riskier than simply "being" there - Lord Forabosch had already come to his various dubious conclusions, and if he'd managed to beat one of the She-Wolves, would he really have been any kinder?

3. When Gabi is dying and she and Lia decide to return to the tombs so they can get the cure at home but they have to tell Marcello the truth. Even though Marcello thinks that it is madness that they are from the future he believes in Gabi because he loves her. Do you think this is believable? What would you have done if you were Marcello?
He believed her and it was with much questioning and doubt. Love won out, sure, but not without some struggle. And I'm thinking, somewhere in his mind, knowing the truth made other things start making a lot more sense. I kinda have a hunch that total belief didn't happen until he and Luca saw the girls actually disappear.

What would I have done? Hmm...Well, considering she's suffering from arsenic poisoning, and there's no cure, so she's gonna die no matter what, I think I'd be willing to try. Staying alive is a big thing, ya know? And if it worked once, it should be able to work again. And even if it didn't work, at least you'd know you tried everything you could.

4. In the end Gabi and Lia return home. Do you think Gabi will return to Marcello? Would you go back?
If Marcello's waiting on me, I'm totally going to go back. Plus, I think the whole experience would be one I'd want to explore more. This is like the ultimate history geek's dream! This goes beyond reading a primary source that managed to survive, this is making your own personal record. Awesome. Totally. Awesome. Plus, Marcello's there. And he's a definite perk. Just sayin'...

5. Looking back at Waterfall what was your favourite moment?
Oh man...That's probably the toughest question of all! And I have no idea how to answer. I loved this book. Like, loved it. I didn't want it to end, and before I even finished I'd ordered Cascade and then before I finished Cascade I picked up Torrent. There's something about this story that has sucked me into the vortex - I've connected with the characters, I'm fascinated by the idea, I'm in love with the River of Time.

Thanks to all the lovely ladies who hosted these discussions and made it happen! You guys rock, and I'm glad we were all able to come together and enjoy such a great, quality read. May we all find our Marcellos, Lucas, and Lord Grecos!

Don't forget to swing by and check out everyone else's answers!

Waterfall

2011-09-26T08:00:00.003-05:00

Waterfall
Lisa T. Bergren
David Cook, 2011

Oh. Em. Gee. In case you have somehow missed my Waterfall Wednesdays posts, let me catch you up to speed: I have fallen in love with this book. And subsequently, with the River of Time series. True confession: I wasn't able to make myself stretch the read over all five weeks. I finished it quickly, but opted to post the review during the last week of Waterfall Wednesdays, to help build anticipation and intrigue. (PS: If you haven't read them, you really should check out the discussion questions from each week: a whole lot of fun, and definitely made my reading experience a richer one.)

Waterfall is a story that takes your wildest dreams and half-imaginings, and explores what would happen if they really happened. Gabi and Lia, two sisters stuck for the summer in Tuscany (poor kids, I should be so lucky!) as their mother excavates an archeology dig, stumble upon a portal of sorts - seemingly custom-made for them - and find themselves 600 years in the past. Right in the heart of medieval Toscana. Waterfall primarily focuses on Gabi's adventures as she tries to find Lia, because they were slightly separated in the transport. Along the way, Gabi meets knights - like, real knights - and comes face-to-face with the often harsh reality of life in the 1342 Italian countryside. Sienna and Florence are in a battle for dominance, and the lords between the two are on the frontlines. Add to that "normal" inter-family drama and human nature? Oh yes, this is an adventure worth having. Did I mention the very amazing knights? Because Marcello and his cousin Luca are definitely worth the read. Just sayin'.

If you've read the Waterfall Wednesdays posts, you have some idea of the story. Rather than repeat myself, I'd like to turn this review into a sort of reflection - try to tell you just what it is about this book that has captured my attention so wholly. Normally, time travel is kind of weird for me, I'm not going to lie. But in this case, it works. Really, really well. Maybe because my History major self would thoroughly appreciate the opportunity that Gabi and Lia stumble upon. Maybe because Lisa handles it in a way that makes it less weird and/or freaky, while still letting it be fantastic. Or maybe because the story itself is so effective. The characters are compelling (and not just because they're gorgeous! Promise!) and real, they're not perfect but they've got good hearts, and learn from their mistakes and their differences. It's Christian fiction without that overwhelming preachy-ness that occurs sometimes - actually, the "Christian" part is an undercurrent, a thread in the story that helps weave things together without becoming the story. And it's natural-feeling, very realistic.

The pace and setting of the story draw you along, teasing and taunting and getting you entirely engrossed and must. find. out. what. happens! Before I finished reading Waterfall, I had already ordered Cascade (book 2), and made plans to get my hands on Torrent as soon as possible. I must know how this story continues and develops, I've got to find out if Gabi and Marcello ever figure out how to make it work; to discover just what Lady Rossi is hiding behind her pretty face and sweet words; to laugh more at Luca and see if Lia can ever comprehend the draw the Forellis have for Gabi.

These books are amazing. That is all.

Book provided by my personal library.

Love Story

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Love Story
Jennifer Echols
MTV Books, 2011

This is the first novel I've read by Jennifer Echols, but I'm now a fan. Her characters are realistic, the dialogue is authentic (complete with the scattered f-bomb that rattles me just as much in text as it does when I hear it in the halls at work), and the story is orchestrated nicely.

The novel itself is a mix between the stories Erin and Hunter write for their Creative Writing seminar and their actual story. Sometimes this type of set-up is a mess, but in this case it works beautifully - building tension and filling in the gaps between the things we get to see take place and the things that happened to shape those events. It's masterful, without being overwhelming. It feels real, plausible. There's a history that has shaped Erin and Hunter, and their non-relationship - a history that is complicated and intricate, and one that they are discovering at the same pace we are, as readers. Surprises, twists, turns, revelations and mistakes. The setting may be one that few of us are familiar with (prestigious horse society? In my dreams, but definitely not my reality), but the struggles are universal. And the story? Well, it's a quick, compelling read that still manages to touch on very, very raw and personal questions.

And as an entirely random, personal interjection: It's been a while since I've indulged in "horse stories," and there was just enough "horse" to this tale to make me want to find a barn. Or at least revisit some old favorites from the genre.

Book provided by author for review.

Waterfall Wednesdays #4

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hello, hello! It's Wednesday again, which means time for another installment of thought-provoking questions about one of my favorite books of the year! Oh heck yes, I'm doing happy dances. I know, I know, I do a lot of happy dances regarding books in general - particularly this book (*cough*and series*cough*). What can I say? I get very involved - on a personal level - with the books I read. The more I like 'em, the more involved I get. (Although, sometimes, the more I 'hate' it, the more involved...hmm...I digress). Okay, I'll stop the chatter and move on the the discussing now...

Waterfall by Lisa T Bergren

Discussion 4: Chapters 18-23

Today's Questions Hosted by Supernatural Snark

1. Gabi and Lia both face several life and death situations in these chapters, having to pick up weapons in defense of those they love and experiencing first hand the brutality of close combat. If you had the choice between picking up a weapon and standing on the front lines or staying behind to tend to the wounded as necessary, which would you choose?
Hmm...I'm trying to think this one through logically: I'm not skilled in a weapon, the way Gabi and Lia are, so there's a very good chance I'd end up making a bit of a 'mess' if I joined in the fight. At the same time, I don't always handle 'tending the wounded' very well, haha...My gut instinct says that if I found myself in that situation, I'd want to be doing something - so, give me something dangerous, and lemme at'em!

2. Both girls get to wear extraordinary gowns to their victory celebration; what would your dream medieval gown look like?

I love, and I mean love, historical gowns. I've been drooling over the dress descriptions in Waterfall so far, and now I get to talk about my own dream gown? Oh happiness...Here's what I'm envisioning:
Something akin to the dress to the right, but in a rich, dark, dusky purple, with a complimentary underskirt. Close-fitting bodice, with a flowing skirt. Sleeves that bell below the elbow to a wide, graceful drape. A neckline that shows off my collarbones and shoulders. Embroidery - mayhap in silver or gold thread - and maybe some beads, depending on fabric and exact cut.

3. Gabi has crude stitches put in and must endure both their removal as well as the cauterization of the wound. How is your threshold for pain? Do you think you would have simply gritted your teeth as Gabi does?
My threshold for pain is pretty good, most of the time. I've had stitches a couple times - including on my lower back, where everything hurts a lot more when they puncture your skin (dang bones/nerves being so close to the 'surface' haha), but I did also have not only local anesthesia but a highly skilled doctor stitching me. Hmm...I dunno, I'm kinda thinking I might would have passed out like Gabi eventually did. After I started screaming at people.

4. Marcello wants to properly court Gabi after they express mutual feelings of affection, wanting to speak with her mother about his intentions. What do you think is the most romantic aspect of medieval courtship?
I'm going to go with the 'Respect Factor' -- they didn't do the whole casual dating thing that's so prevalent today. Relationships were serious, even when they were 'practical' (*cough*business arrangements*cough*) rather than 'romantic'. There was a code of conduct, of expected behavior: certain things were deemed respectable, and others were not. But at the same time, there was also freedom for expression and things could go beyond those boundaries (case in point: Marcello kissing on Gabi). Even during these...slip ups...there's an underlying foundation of respect: respect for the Lady, for her family, for tradition. Love it! Call me old-fashioned, but I much prefer a guy who wants to let my family know his intentions (and himself!) and who respects me as a person and not just a physical indulgence.

5. Gabi and Lia find themselves with conflicting desires toward the end with Lia wanting to return home and Gabi hoping to stay. Do you think that Gabi is being unfair to Lia for wanting to stay, or is Lia being unfair to Gabi for demanding they go? A little of both?
I think it's a little of both. Lia's experience has not been quite the same as Gabi's, nor has she been as involved for as long. Gabi's been able to make meaningful connections, her heart's invested, and - whether she really knows this or not - she's becoming better acquainted with herself during her stay with the Forellis. So while Gabi has all kind of personal, emotional ties to the time - Lia's in a bit of a panic. (Entirely understandable, I might add). So yeah, I think it's a little of both - but neither is to blame, because of their individual experiences, their points-of-view are perfectly understandable. It's just a matter of both ending up on the same page.

There's only one more week of the read-along left! Come by next week for my last answers and my review of Waterfall! Until then, I need to check out everyone else's fantasy gowns...

Top 100 YA Books

2011-09-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

I've been seeing this around the blogosphere, and decided to join in...Someone, somewhere, compiled a list of the top 100 YA books, and I'm going to show off my reading of said books.

Key:
Purple = books I've read
Blue = books I want to read & just haven't yet
Bold = books I really, really loved

Top 100 YA Book List:

1. Alex Flinn - Beastly
2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
3. Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
4. Ally Condie - Matched
5. Alyson Noel - The Immortals (1, 2 , 3, 4, 5, 6)
6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)
9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
11. Aprilynne Pike - Wings (1, 2, 3)
12. Becca Fitzpatrick - Hush, Hush (1,2)
13. Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
14. Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15. Cassandra Clare - The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
16. Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)
17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3)
18. Christopher Paolini – Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
19. Cinda Williams Chima - The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)
21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
28. Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)
31. James Patterson - Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
34. Jeff Kinney - Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
37. John Green – Looking for Alaska
38. John Green – Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - Caster Chronicles (1, 2)
41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
42. Kristin Cashore - The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
43. Lauren Kate - Fallen (1, 2, 3)
44. Lemony Snicket – Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
48. M.T. Anderson – Feed
49. Maggie Stiefvater - The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
50. Margaret Peterson - Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
51. Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
52. Markus Zusak – The Book Thief
53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55. Mary Ting – Crossroads
56. Maureen Johnson - The Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
60. Meg Rosoff – How I live now
61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
65. Melissa Marr - Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
66. Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind
69. Neil Gaimen - Coraline
70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust
71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast - House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
77. Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
79. S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
85. Scott Westerfeld – Leviathan (1, 2)
86. Scott Westerfeld – Uglies (1, 2, 3)
87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
88. Shannon Hale - Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91. Simone Elkeles - Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
92. Stephanie Meyer – The Host
93. Stephanie Meyer - The Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)
94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
96. Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)
97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
100. Wendelin Van Draanen - Flipped

I haven't read as many as I would've thought given the title of the list - but at the same time: there are a lot of YA novels. Just because I read a lot of them, doesn't mean I'll read all of them - or even a majority, if you stop and think about it. But it's always fun to see these lists and compare...

...How do you read?

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
Jeanne Birdsall
Alfred A. Knopf: 2011

This is the third installment of the Penderwick adventures, and it's just as fun and cute and quirky as the previous two. It is summer again for the Penderwick girls, but this time, they're being separated! Rosalind is vacationing with a friend, leaving Skye "in charge" as OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) while she, Jane and Batty go with Aunt Claire to Maine for a few weeks. Needless to say: Adventures ensue.

Joining the Penderwick girls (and Hound, the faithful dog) is old friend Jeffrey, and the posse quickly makes new friends - young and old. There are misunderstandings and misadventures galore, surprises and discoveries, first kisses and bonfires. It's a very eventful few weeks, and I loved reading every moment of it. The characters are very well-written, and remind me of my cousins and other people I actually know. I feel like I could pick the Penderwick girls and Jeffrey out of a crowd. And I do hope the series continues - I have enjoyed watching them grow and develop over the last three volumes, and hope to see the story go further. I have a particular weakness for wanting to see how Skye and Jeffrey continue their friendship.

Even though this is the third Penderwick novel, you can read it as a stand-alone. It is fun however, to read them in order, just to get a better sense of the characters. They're a lot of fun, and their adventures are hilarious. Definitely fun reads that middle grade readers would enjoy, and this older reader appreciates.

Also, purely random observation: The covers! I love the covers of all three - and, truthfully, the cover of The Penderwicks is what got me to read it, and subsequently fall in love with the story. Delightfully old-fashioned, and very fitting with the story.

Book provided by my local library.

Reaching Riverdale

2011-09-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

Reaching Riverdale
Geeta Schrayter
The Little Things Publishing, 2011

The title caught my eye on this one - it made me think of Tolkien, something the dreamy-nature of the cover art supported. Then I read the blurb, and realized this was going to be a contemporary novel about a girl not so very different from me, and I was hooked. (PS: Did you see my interview with Geeta yesterday? Check it out, this girl is fun, y'all!)

Annabelle always thought leaving Riverdale was the answer - that somewhere, out there, would be the solution to her problems, the dream she couldn't even define. So when she left for college, she never planned to come back. Well, she thought she'd visit, but she never saw herself staying. Eventually visits proved to be impossible, and Belle's first return to Riverdale came on the heels of her graduation from Graduate School. What happened next would change everything. Literally. Planning to stay for only two weeks before heading south to Georgia and a high-profile office job, Belle never expected it to be so easy to slip back into the routine of daily life in Riverdale. She had no idea how much she'd missed the small town - and it's cast of characters - until she found herself inundated by memories and slipping right back into the paths she used to travel. Fighting her initial response to Riverdale, Belle quickly realized that maybe - just maybe - life didn't always go as you mapped it out. Maybe, you have to leave the map and follow the trail.

I loved Belle - actually, I loved Riverdale; it reminded me of the small towns I've grown up with, and the town and its people breathed on the page. But I really like Belle - I could relate to her, and the struggle to make what you think you want and what you really need match up. I'm roughly Belle's age, and have my Master's degree in-hand but no real clear picture in terms of where I'm going. So I was feeling her story, you know? (And I may or may not have been able to recognize myself in her relationships with other characters). I always like when I can make a personal connection with the characters I'm reading about, and it's always doubly-nice when they're roughly my age and in realistic, true-to-life contexts (surprisingly hard to find, I might add!). My immediate connection with Belle aside, all of the characters in Riverdale are well-drawn and make me think I might run into them on the street one day. Their personalities are clear, their conversations and responses to each other are pitch-perfect. I'm telling you: this story breathes. I loved the ending, but it made me sad too -- because it meant there was no more story. Yet! I'm holding out hope for a return to Riverdale.

Digital copy of book provided by publisher for review.

Q&A with Geeta Schrayter

2011-09-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Geeta Scrayter, whose debut novel Reaching Riverdale released on September 10th from The Little Things Publishing! Many thanks to Geeta for taking time to chat with me, and to Caroline over at TLT for setting things up. Also, be sure to swing by tomorrow when my review of Reaching Riverdale is posted! Now then, grab a drink and a snack and get to know Geeta...

A Word's Worth: Okay, so I absolutely loved Reaching Riverdale -- and also twinged a bit at just how much of myself I saw in Belle (which is a good thing!)

Geeta Schrayter: Really? That makes me so happy to hear! I'm SO glad you related to her

AWW: You obviously know how small-towns work and were able to create an environment and characters that breathed on the page -- how much did your own experience(s) help you create that world?

GS: I grew up in a couple of different towns... all of which were relatively small. So I think the experiences I had living there definitely helped me create Riverdale. Along with that, my family has a summer home in the mountains of Vermont that I positively love to visit - my experiences there certainly helped as well. The details in the story don't stem from any particular experiences... my own life didn't play out like Annebelle's does, but I'd say the overall occurrences are influenced from a lot of what I've been a part of or at least seen growing up

AWW: A conglomeration of observations channeled into one 'perfect' town :)

GS: Oh I like that! That could be the slogan for Riverdale's creation :)

AWW: With baking being such a constant theme (thus why I read it at lunch: made. me. so. hungry!) -- I've gotta ask: Do you bake? And what's your favorite baked goodie?

GS: I do bake. Baking is one of those themes that definitely stemmed from actual experience. Good old fashioned baking is one of my favorite things. When the holidays roll around, I can't wait to make dozens of cookies and all sorts of pies. I love looking through my grandmother's recipe box and baking something she used to make. It's like she's still here! That being said, I just started baking vegan, gluten free cupcakes and they're absolutely divine (I'm sure there are plenty of skeptics out there but I'd gladly prove anyone wrong... they're SO good!). But one of my favorite things to make is a batch of my Almost Famous Ebony & Ivory Cookies.

AWW: Those did sound amazing! As did the blueberry-cream cheese pies...I was like "mmm...oh, I'm eating hummus", haha

GS: Hummus is delicious too! But don't worry, you can justify a blueberry cream cheese pie... after all... it has fruit.

AWW: and Cream Cheese is good protein! ;)

GS: Exactly! I'm an expert at justifying various desserts

AWW: I think we're long lost sisters, haha

GS: Wouldn't surprise me in the least! Haha...Eat the hummus first for the heath food quotient, then justify some pie. Perfect plan.

AWW: Love it! Yes, must stash this away and use it...Random topic jump alert: What's your writing process like? Are you a plan-it-out girl, or a write-and-see-what-happens girl?

GS: I'm a write-and-see-what-happens girl who always tried to be a plan-it-out girl... it just never happens. I do usually get ideas for various scenes, characters, plot lines and the likes all throughout the day... when I'm running, driving around, taking a shower... so I always write those down and plan on using them somewhere within the story. But I never really know where they'll actually come in to play. Similarly, after a day of writing I'll always have an idea for what I might want to happen next. Sometimes it goes as I plan, but most of the time it changes on me.

AWW: Gotcha. Keep a stash of ideas and see what happens :) I like that! It also lets characters develop and "live"...

GS: Exactly. Characters are a great example. In Reaching Riverdale, for example, I pictured Annebelle a certain way before I began, having particular struggles and having gone through certain things, but when I actually got into writing, she changed on me. It sort of got to the point where I didn't even really have to think "ok I want Annebelle to have this attribute" - it just happened. It was obvious. Like "well duh, Annebelle IS like that."

AWW: That's awesome -- and also make sense in terms of how...real...Annebelle comes across. Was it hard to end the story? Do you think you'd write a sequel - or another book set in Riverdale?

GS: Actually, the ending was another one of those things that didn't go as planned. I had originally thought I'd make the story run through to the end of summer in Riverdale, but again, it sort of took on a mind of its own, and ending it where I did just made sense. But I always like to leave some loose ends or areas that could be developed further in another story - in another interview I think I referred to them as "literary breadcrumbs." I guess I'll have to wait and see how Reaching Riverdale is received before deciding whether or not to venture back there. But there are a couple of characters who I could definitely go back and focus on, like, say, Meredith or Clara. I hope it's received well... because, honestly, there are a couple of things I left open because I've had thoughts for another story... before this one was even finished!

AWW: I like that: "literary breadcrumbs"...yeah, both of those ladies would make a great story in their own right! And since Riverdale is so small and connected, we could get another peek at Belle's adventures! I hope it's received well too! I want to read more! :)

GS: Well then we know right off the bat I'd have at least one interested reader! That's a start :)

AWW: Speaking of readers -- tough question: What 5 books do you think everyone should read?

GS: Oh. That's a tough one, because everyone's tastes are so diverse... but I'm a big advocate of the classics. Pride & Prejudice is my absolute favorite story, so that'd have to be one because I'm so partial... I've even gotten a couple of guys I know to read it over the years. Then... To Kill A Mockingbird, definitely.

AWW: Yup, definitely long-lost sisters: I'm a major Pride & Prejudice girl!

GS: Love it! I'll have to send you a photo of my Pride & Prejudice shelf. Okay Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would be another. Then, hmm... you're right this is hard. There are so many! I have to say... Uncle Tom's Cabin, too

AWW: haha, I love the tough questions ;)

GS: Haha well you've got me thinking over here so well done...you make me want to quote Ever After here

AWW: haha, yes!

GS: "I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens!" I'm going to make myself pick one that's not a classic... yet. And I'll say The White Tiger

AWW: ooooh, love the title - I will have to look this one up!

GS: It's by Aravind Adiga. It's definitely a bit different from what I'm usually drawn to... classics, or happy stories, romance and all that, but it's still good. I think it won The Booker prize

AWW: Definitely going to be looking it up :) Okay, after such tough questioning...Here's an easy one: Favorite place to read & snack to enjoy while doing so?

GS: Hmm I end up reading in my room a lot, or sprawled out on the couch. But I also like reading in parks or coffee shops... I've had conversations start up with strangers when I'm just sitting and reading somewhere (not always welcome interruptions, but I like meeting people) Snack-wise, well, I can't say I know! I devour the books I'm reading so I have no room for actual food. I'm trying to think, there must be something... but truly, I get so into reading, I don't usually have any attention to spare for eating

AWW: :) This means you pick really good books!

GS: Or I'm just a dork who gets really into reading haha. If I were to have a reading snack, it'd have to be something you can eat without looking... like... grapes or pretzels.

AWW: Good choices :)

GS: I had to think about it. I could have just as easily said chocolate chips.

AWW: LOL! I like m&ms myself ;)

GS: Ah, perfect!

AWW: Thanks so much for meeting with me - it's been a blast getting to know you and finding a long-lost sister!

GS: No no, thank you! I had fun, and again, I'm so happy you enjoyed the story.

Did you have as much fun reading out chat as we did having it? I hope so! If you'd like to learn more about Geeta, check out her website or twitter! And, of course, come back by to see my review if Reaching Riverdale tomorrow.

Waterfall Wednesdays #3

2011-09-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Guess what?! It's Wednesday again! In the past, Wednesdays have been weird days for me - kind of stuck in the middle, and either feeling like a second Monday or a really early Thursday. But that's all changed, thanks to Waterfall Wednesdays! Seriously, this is incredibly fun - I haven't done a read-along quite like this since my undergrad days (and I must confess: most of those were not this fun, haha), so it's doubly fun to be reading the same book as a whole assortment of people, and all having the same set of questions and seeing how our responses vary - or agree. Plus, I have absolutely fallen in love with this book, and this series. But I'll stop rambling, and let you see my answers for Week 3...

Waterfall by Lisa T Bergren

Discussion 3: Chapters 12-17
Today's Questions hosted by Edgy Inspirational Romance

1. In Siena, on her way to the ball at Palazzo Pubblico, Gabi likened her experience to being on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, the goal being "to see and be seen." If you were a peasant, watching from the crowd, what would you be thinking as this procession passed by?

Hmm...Well, obviously these are the people who are making the decisions that keep you safe and 'alive' - so I wouldn't want to tick 'em off by staging a protest or anything. On some level, I think my response would be similar to that of the red carpet idea: this is so obviously not a part of my day-to-day world, but it's fun to see - the colors, the fabrics, the intrigues and mysteries...

2. Though quite nervous about dancing at the ball, Gabi discovers a strange feeling of connection to the time, the people, and the society through the unified beauty of the dance. Have you ever been in a position where you felt out of your element, but, in one, pinpointed moment, became a part of or connected to something bigger than your fear?

Okay, I've been thinking about this one since I saw it, and saved it to come back to, to give myself more time to think...and I'm still drawing a blank. I definitely have times and instances where I am (often quite clearly) out of my element - but these are never moments that either A: truly 'scare' me or B: have a 'unifying factor' like Gabi experienced with the dance. Really, the only thing I can think of that comes closest to 'matching' that is everything surrounding 9/11: Everything changed, so my element wasn't really an element anymore, it was a new one, ya know? But the thing that got me - everyone - through that time of uncertainty and doubt and fear was knowing that we were all going through it, and we were all going to survive and triumph. So it's an imperfect answer/comparison, but it's the best one my mind can find in the archives.

3. The kiss. Oh, the kiss. When Marcello finally kisses Gabi, he believes the experience to be proof that they are meant to be together. What did you think about his assumption? Were you surprised at Gabi's reaction to it? Have you ever experienced a kiss that seemed to be prophetic in a similar (or opposite!) way?

The. Kiss! I loved the way he set it up - I was chuckling to myself, thinking "That is such a boy-thing"...I think it was also pretty daring of him, considering the situation and context, but hey - we like Marcello for his guts, right? As for Gabi's reaction...I like that she really is trying to "do the right thing" in regards to Marcello, even though it's painfully obvious there is something major-league-significant between them. I give her props for trying to convince him to take time and think about things, and while neither can deny The Kiss and its 'power,' there is definitely wisdom in what Gabi says. Especially considering the HUGE gamble they're all fixing to take. Oh man, I love this stuff, haha...

As for personal experience...in the nature of true, book-bonded, confession: I am still waiting on my first kiss. With the advantage of hindsight, I'm very happy that none of the past cases were able to stake that claim. But when it does come? Yeah, I'm thinking it'll probably be on a prophetic-level like this...

4. Many go through their teen years with a subdued sense of immortality. Do you think Gabi has a sense of this teen feeling? And did you think Gabi's converse observation, "Sometimes death came hunting and there was no way to cut it off at the pass." was informed more by the experience of losing her father, her self-admitted closet hypochondria, or the forced maturation of being transported to a different time? How does this observation show Gabi's growth as a character?

I think Gabi has a bit of the immortality 'tude, but more from being transported into a different time than just the normal teenage perspective -- almost like "I'm from the 21st century, nothing can happen to me here." I think her death observation is a combination of losing her father fairly recently, and seeing what she is seeing as "normal living" during her time with the Forellis. She's been transported to a different time, where Life isn't certain, and Death is often ugly. She's seen it face-to-face already, and it's settling into her awareness, her subconscious, and helping her grow into an ever-more-likable, better rounded, developing heroine.

5. In the span of a few moments, Gabi goes from sword-wielding teen beauty to man-killing warrior. Did you think her realization of the finality of death -- and her justification for its necessity -- was realistic? And, in her slippers, could you have done the same?

I think the scene did play out realistically: it's not an easy time, this is a life-or-death situation, and if you "show mercy" it does not mean your enemy/opponent will show the same mercy. I especially like how the threat to Luca and Marcello is what helped spur her on -- Gabi's showing good loyalty, true friendship, a real connection to these people and this place. Could I do the same? I don't know. I'd hope, if my life or that of my close friends, was on the line that I could step in and take whatever actions necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of those involved. But I think that's one of those things you don't find out about yourself until you're placed in the position of decision.

This story gets better and better as I keep reading - and I really hope I'm catching your interest and you're wanting to jump in to the River of Time (if you haven't already)! I'm already looking forward to next week's installment - but for now, I'm going to see what everyone is saying...

...But before I go, I need to do something very important. You guys, I'm declaring myself. I have made my choice, and I am posting it proudly on The Blog. (Which, you know, is almost as BIG as making it facebook official!). I am... ::drumroll please:: ... Team Marcello! I know there's a lot of complication and so many things keeping us (er, I mean, Marcello and Gabi) apart, but take Lady Rossi outta the picture, take everything that's complicated - heck, take everything romantic outta the picture - and I love Marcello as a character. (And I'm using a lot of italics...) He's a true hero - he's amazing, but he's also human. He makes mistakes, but he's manful about them. He's loyal and true. Le Swoon. And *now* I'm going to go see what everyone else has to say this week.

Eleanor's Story

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Eleanor's Story: An American Girl in Hitler's Germany
Eleanor Ramrath Garner
Peachtree Publishers, 1999

This is a striking, intriguing, and moving read. Eleanor is the American daughter of German parents. Her extended family still lives in Germany, and right before WWII breaks out her father decides to take advantage of a prosperous job opportunity and move the family from New Jersey to Berlin. War breaks out during their ocean crossing, and they find themselves stuck in Germany. At first, things aren't too bad and War seems like a bit of an adventure to Eleanor, her older brother Frank, and their new friends. But anyone familiar with the history of WWII knows that things get serious, and the story Eleanor tells is a unique perspective of the chaos and destruction.

Maybe it's just me, but I can't think of many accounts of WWII from a child's perspective - Diary of Anne Frank comes to mind, obviously, but other than that the titles I think of are historical fiction written after the fact by an unattached author. Eleanor's Story is different - it's the remembered experiences of a real-life American girl who found herself essentially trapped in Germany for the horror and aftermath of WWII. For me, this was a new reading experience - but a very 'enlightening' one. Eleanor's naivety and childish interpretations of what global War means ring true, and as she grows up - and the War is still going strong - her growth in understanding is also believable. Some of the stories -- I just can't even imagine. Most of the WWII books I've read have tended to focus on either the Holocaust aspect or the lives (and loves) of American forces...Eleanor let me see a different side: that of the German civilian and, in her case, the added danger of being an American - and thus a potential threat. At times it's a rough read, but it's a rough time in human history too, and I would be less inclined to give a "roses-and-puppies"-account of WWII Germany credit.

Eleanor's Story extends beyond the official end of WWII, which also offered a neat perspective, and includes two sections of pictures of Eleanor and family. All in all, it's an eye-opening read that offers a different look at things for someone who has some background knowledge/experience of WWII, but also is a really neat introduction for students. I think seeing the story of someone they are close to in age can help explain some of the trickier aspects of WWII, whether it's in a classroom setting or some other form of reading.

Book provided by publisher for review.

The Gutenberg Rubric

2011-09-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Gutenberg Rubric
Nathan Everett
NWE Signatures, 2011

I won a signed galley of The Gutenberg Rubric through ArmchairBEA, and happily my reading schedule worked out to be able to post the review during Nathan Everett's blog tour. (Speaking of, did you see his guest post yesterday? Check it out!) Now then, back to the book...I was intrigued by this one from the back cover blurb - as a History major and Librarian, how could I pass up a book about Gutenberg and hidden clues? Even though it's labeled as a 'thriller' and I tend to avoid those, it seemed similar enough to The Librarian and National Treasure movies that I had to give it a chance. (Yes, movies got me to read a book. What can I say? I absolutely love those movies!)

Keith, an expert in "old books," is a man with a secret - he's part of a Guild with mysterious, well-protected ties to Gutenberg - and the secret knowledge he may (or may not) have left unshared. Keith's ladylove, Maddie, is a rare books librarian with her own associations with the mysterious and secretive Guild. (Needless to say: they're a match made in Heaven). Together they are a force to be reckoned with - and also somehow the target for library bombings? The Gutenberg Rubric is one of those quick, engrossing reads you don't want to put down because you Have. To. See. What. Comes. Next! There's a lot of mystery and intrigue, many layers that overlap and come together in surprising ways. There's a colorful cast of characters, and tidbits and morsels of historical trivia that had this History graduate actually missing the History classroom.

It's an elaborate-yet-simple story: mysterious fragment of a letter or manuscript, clues hidden in texts, alchemical challenges to determine worth, and an international scavenger hunt of epic proportions. Not to mention all the inter-character drama. I'm not going to go into too many details, because a lot of the fun of The Gutenberg Rubric is the thrill of the hunt! I honestly wasn't sure where any of it was going until I got there, and I don't want to spoil that adventure and the "thinking process" for anyone. Just know: if you loved the National Treasure or The Librarian movies, chances are exceedingly good you'll enjoy this novel!

Galley provided by my personal library.