Bibliophile Support Group

The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette

2012-02-01T00:30:00.001-08:00

The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette is a YA historical fiction novel in the Young Royals series by Carolyn Meyer.

Marie-Antoinette has long been hated and scorned as being a superficial, partying, uncaring queen – but here we get her story. At only fourteen she is betrothed to the dauphin of France and presented as a future queen. Rules and etiquette are poured upon her in a foreign country where there are many already wishing for her to fail. She is under the pressure of perfection from the get-go – but often falls short.

What springs forth from the years of stress and scrutiny is a spirit desperate for love, attention, and fun. Yet she doesn’t fully comprehend what is going on beyond the palace walls – the anger, starvation, and increasing rage of the peasants.

She doesn’t know yet that she will pay with her life.

This is her story, from her point of view.

I am a huge fan of Carolyn Meyer and all the other books in the Young Royals series. I have read them all but one (and want to get that rectified ASAP!), which is Duchessina. But I have been floored by the jarringly real, touching, sad, and very memorable stories she has brought to the table among Elizabeth I (Beware, Princess Elizabeth), Mary Tudor (Mary, Bloody Mary), Catherine of Aragon (Patience, Princess Catherine), and Anne Boleyn (Doomed Queen Anne). So, I doubted that this one, featuring Marie-Antoinette (who has always fascinated me), would disappoint.

And I was right.

The Bad Queen starts off with many terrible losses for Marie when she loses her beloved and kind governess is dismissed for being too easy on Marie. Instead she gets someone who provides no affection or caring, but only strict teaching. Then we get a firsthand look at absolutely barbaric dental work to beautify Marie – all for Marie to secure the betrothal to Louis-Auguste, dauphin of France. Oh my. It’s an effective way to start and immediately introduces us to a girl that you sympathize with, despite her faults. After all, don’t we all have faults?

Carolyn Meyer really lets us sink into this story, providing riveting detail on the perplexing, maddening etiquette required in the bizarre and decadent French society. Many of these ridiculous, stern rules are the beginnings of rebellion in Marie’s trained obedience.

Engrossing drama and political intrigue populate The Bad Queen, showing us the immaturity, naiveté, and understandable desire for amusement in a young queen – after so many years of misery – creating an ominous tone, as we know the horror it’ll all lead to. Meyer breathes vibrancy and life into history without flinching.

This is a haunting page-turner, truly gripping – I felt frustrated with Marie-Antoinette, but also couldn’t help but wonder what I would have done in her shoes at that age, with that upbringing, in that situation. Overall, it is her inevitable fate that unsettles you.

Increasing hostility, danger, and violence is disturbing – and you feel like you are in the thick of it, as though it as real as the air you are breathing. As the mob gains control of France it is enough to make you sick, make you weep, and make you have nightmares – it is that potent.

The Bad Queen is a heartbreaker – absolutely unforgettable. This another remarkable novel by Carolyn Meyer, an author with an incredible ability to give a fictitious first-person narrative in history and create an amazing reading experience.

Wow.

Sign me up for her next foray into the Young Royals series – The Wild Queen, about Mary, Queen of Scots. In the meantime, where’s Duchessina?

You can’t afford to miss even one of these staggering titles – seriously.

Welcome to Bordertown

2012-01-31T00:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Bordertown is a collection of YA urban fantasy stories and poems by numerous authors and is edited by Holly Black and Ellen Kushner.

Inside this large volume are thirteen short stories, one graphic novella, and eight poems – all of which are centered on the city of Bordertown. Bordertown sits on the edge of the human world and elfin realm and is a place where different rules apply. Neither magic nor technology is highly reliable there and runaways and fantasy-lovers find refuge here – sometimes.

It’s not a perfect place. Many find that they are leaving one kind of prejudice behind for another. But it is a place where music, art, and imagination flourish and people learn more about themselves.

Yet nobody has been able to enter Bordertown for thirteen years. For whatever reason, the way was blocked. On the side of Bordertown, only thirteen days passed. But now that is has reopened both sides are crashing together in the confusion of new residents, new technology, and all sorts of trouble this block has made for either side of the city limits…

Welcome to Bordertown is varied, interesting and fun – though a little dryer and sparse than I expected. Each story feels more like the beginning of a novel rather than a short story. They don’t feel complete to me. Also, I had a hard time because some of the tales felt rather superficial and even boring or mean-spirited with jabs that glare of liberal leanings. However, some of the stories do sparkle with eccentricities, inventiveness, and memorable plots.

Among my favorites were: dark hope in A Voice Like a Hole by Catherynne M. Valente, a true second chance in Incunabulum by Emma Bull, a bizarre prophecy in A Prince of Thirteen Days by Alaya Dawn Johnson, one of the more upbeat and lighter toned stories in The Sage of Elsewhere by Will Shetterly, a poignant tale of best friends in Crossings by Janni Lee Simner, an intriguing and surprising fantasy mystery in The Rowan Gentleman by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, and the sad but sweet A Tangle of Green Men by Charles De Lint.

Among the others though, some interesting poems aside, I found most of the offerings to be lacking in vibrancy – flat and kind of dull. This was unexpected because I love YA fantasy and have become convinced that short stories can be awesome. This collection, however, just didn’t do it for me. I’ve only seen positive feedback everywhere else though, so make sure to read it for yourself if you are a fantasy lover – especially a fan of other Bordertown collections!

In the end I felt torn. I half liked it, half didn’t. Where I wanted creativity, entertainment and must-read status – I didn’t get it. Even in the stories I named that I liked, only a few of them would I have any real strong desire to reread. This is far away from the enthusiasm I’ve had for other YA paranormal/fantasy collections – such as Kiss Me Deadly and Corsets & Clockwork, both edited by Trisha Telep.

I can see, however, that Welcome to Bordertown has a wide fan base and there will be many readers absolutely ecstatic with this newest offering. So, please don’t be dissuaded to pick it up!

Where Wildflowers Bloom

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

Where Wildflowers Bloom is an inspirational historical romance by Ann Shorey.

Twenty-year-old Faith is haunted by the Civil War, which is only recently over in 1866. Her small Missouri town of Noble Springs only plagues her with memories of her father and brother, both of whom died in the war – and she’s desperate to leave.

Her grandfather, the only family Faith has left, has strong roots in the town though. His mercantile is a common shop among their neighbors, and he only recently turned over the reins to Faith to manage, causing rather a bit of scandal in Noble Springs for having a female manager, which is practically unheard of.

Despite her managing the store, she knows that only her grandfather can sell – and it’ll be necessary if her dream to travel west to Oregon with him to start a new life free of the constant reminders of their heavy loss will ever happen. But as she’s trying to work out how to broach the subject to him, Royal Baxter returns to town.

For years Faith has constantly checked for news on Royal Baxter, the man she wanted to marry. He was believed to probably have died in the war – but now he’s back alive, well, and handsome as ever. And, amazingly, he seems interested!

But is it love she feels for Royal Baxter? Or is it the strengthening of her desire to leave Noble Springs?

Does the Lord have entirely different plans for Faith?

With Faith’s young age of only twenty, Where Wildflowers Bloom is easily accessible to YA readers as well as adults. It has a firm foothold in a Missouri landscape, giving the impression that you are indeed in 1866 among the townsfolk.

This novel is, in a general sense, a historical romance – and a fun one at that. However, it also features issues like possible Alzheimer’s, post-traumatic-stress-disorder, and the struggle to be taken seriously as a women when those around you belittle that very fact. This gives a depth to the story that is helpful when you have a good idea where it’s going. Thing is, with good romances you enjoy the journey to the expected end – and that I did here!

There’s just enough of a puzzle to keep things intriguing in Where Wildflowers Bloom while we settle in to the vibrant mixture of characters that range from the charming and kind to the judgmental and cruel. What with the family drama and financial difficulties, I also found Faith and her grandfather to be very relatable and believe they will be to many readers as well.

And once you realize who the true romantic lead is, besides Faith of course, it’s really splendid. I loved the non-superficiality of it. I won’t tell you who – are you kidding? Read it for yourself! All I’ll say is that Ann Shorey managed to get me all tied up in knots dying for the inevitable moment that our meant-to-be-together-duo would finally be, well… together!

Very entertaining, satisfying novel that, though it wraps up a bit quicker than I’d prefer, was well worth the read. Check out Where Wildflowers Bloom!

*Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a copy of Where Wildflowers Bloom from the Baker Publishing Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

You Against Me

2012-01-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

You Against Me is a YA contemporary novel by Jenny Downham, author of the bestselling Before I Die.

Eighteen-year-old Mikey is trying to hold everything together. His sister Karyn has been sexually assaulted by Tom Parker when she partied at his house. She’s become terrified of leaving their home, refuses to go back to school, and only just got the courage up to report what happened the day after. His mom is handling it by drinking more – so Mikey is juggling work, taking care of his little sister, and watching Karyn disintegrate. He needs to be a good brother and seek revenge – right?

Sixteen-year-old Ellie Parker is shaken by the crime her brother has been accused of. She’s being named the only witness and his best chance of getting off. Everyone is telling her what a liar and loser Karyn is – and she tries to agree. Her brother says he didn’t do it, after all. That would make Karyn a liar then… So she needs to be a good sister and defend him – right?

When Mikey and Ellie meet, Mikey’s trying to get at her brother – but he’s disarmed by her virtuousness, her intelligence, and the magnetism that seems to pulsate between them. They both feel like their betraying their siblings, and the ugliness is a heavy weight on them both – yet their feelings seem to grow…

This is the story of their worlds colliding.

You Against Me is a stark, bleak, genuine and sad take on a harrowing crime and how it effects those around the victim and the accused. I immediately believed Karyn’s story, yet when we switch viewpoints to Ellie – you almost wonder. The author paints a portrait of persuasion and denial that is convincing and unsettling. It’s uncomfortable.

I was struck by the psychological repercussions, reaction, and fallout of the Ellie and Mikey, siblings to those involved. How they deal with the pressure, the fear, and the expectations of those around them is hypnotic. It’s awful, disconcerting, frank, and raw. Yet there’s a optimism, inspiration, and fledgling love that feels like a spot of light in the night – though even that is marred by the situation. You as the reader dare to hope for something better, a happy resolution, but know that in the end – someone will be hurt.

You Against Me is poignant, painful, and complicated – just like life.

The Colonel's Lady

2012-01-26T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Colonel’s Lady is a Christian-based historical romance from Laura Frantz.

Roxanna Rowan is determined to reach the remote Kentucky fort her father is serving at – now that her mother has died and her betrothal has ended in humiliation, she has nothing left in Virginia. She’s desperate to reunite with her father, whom she’s always been close to, and with whom she hasn’t seen in a long time – due to the war for America’s independence in the year we are following: 1779.

However, once the campaign returns to the fort Roxanna is told her father died in action. She has no options, no family, and no money. She’s in strange, wild land not quite civilized among the immense dangers of battle. To brave leaving the fort’s walls without her father by her side seems impossible.

So, when Colonel Cassius McLinn, an Irish patriot highly respected by his soldiers, invites Roxana to stay on as scrivener, her father’s position, she feels she has no choice but to accept. He’s offering her wages and safety, after all, and once she earns enough she can try to get back to Virginia once the exacting winter turns to spring.

Yet as Roxanna gets used to the daily grind and begins to warm to Colonel McLinn’s magnetism and disarming attractiveness, intrigue and danger begin to take shape and turn a protected fort into a potentially enemy-infiltrated war zone. According to her father’s ledgers, he had been suspecting a spy among Colonel McLinn’s men before his death.

Secrets and falsehoods seem to abound – and though Colonel McLinn appears the most trustworthy as he becomes her friend, and sometimes she imagines maybe more, he may be the one hiding the most from her…

When I read Laura Frantz’s Courting Morrow Little I was carried away in a gorgeous Kentucky landscape, elegant prose, and a stunning story – and she has done it again!

The Colonel’s Lady is a lovely story rich in historical detail that spotlights war and soldiers in a respectful way. She doesn’t try to water it down, she doesn’t judge, she just writes it as it is. War isn’t pleasant but it’s oftentimes necessary – and in Colonel McLinn she has created a robust, caring, tough leader that is determined to keep his men in line, alive, and well. Plus, she fleshes him out by showing us his fears, his weaknesses, and of course letting us know the role he played in Roxanna’s father’s death (read it to find out!) which haunts him. He’s an excellent male lead!

And with Roxana we have a feminine, clever, vulnerable woman that has become insecure over her imperfections over the years, in no small part due to a demanding mother that was never contented. She’s now twenty-nine and husbandless, not the best situation in 1779. She was born with a physical imperfection that makes her hobble unless she’s wearing special shoes to hide it. Her previous fiancé was embarrassed by it, and then he ended up jilting her. You can see why she is less than sure of herself. Though sometimes I became frustrated with her continued doubting and distrusting of her own worth and beauty, I also felt Laura Frantz provided enough psychological reason for me to understand.

Now, the two together – ooh boy! Roxanna and Cass (the Colonel) has a chemistry that sizzles! Once again, I love that the author doesn’t hesitate to show legitimate attraction in a book that has Christian characters – it never goes too far, of course, but she provides realism and a romance that sometimes other inspirational romance writers seem to fear.

I really, really enjoyed it! The Colonel’s Lady had unforeseen twists related to the war and potential spy, killer moments of humanity dealing with guilt, forgiveness, grief, betrayal and compassion, and a love story that was built on a foundation of friendship. Beautiful!

The Colonel’s Lady has goose bump-inducing, lump-in-the-throat gratification and is truly a tender, sweeping novel. I look forward to more from Laura Frantz!

The Project

2012-01-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Project is YA thriller by Brian Falkner.

It all begins when trouble-making buds Luke and Tommy call The Last of the Mohicans the most boring book in the world in front of their principal. They’re given a goal: prove the book is indeed the most boring book in the world through an outside source, and not only will they be allowed to do their report on another novel, but they’ll also avoid punishment on their latest escapade.

During that particular research, Luke learns of a book called Leonardo’s River. There is only one remaining copy surviving, and it has been misplaced over the last one hundred years. Apparently, this is the most boring book in the world. And it’s so rare and so weird, that there are people offering two million dollars from it!

Before he’s able to continue his study to get Tommy and him out of trouble, a major flood is starting and they volunteer to help out at the library. There they assist in moving the books tucked away in the basement to higher ground – and that is when Luke sees it.

Leonardo’s River.

Tommy and Luke are determined to have it – and justify their stealing it by rationalizing that the library really never knew what it had in the first place! But after it’s in their possession, they begin to wish it wasn’t.

Other people are looking for the book – dangerous people. And it appears that Leonardo’s River might be hiding secrets inside its mind-numbing pages that Luke and Tommy can’t even begin to understand yet.

But they better figure it out soon, because whatever these people want to do with it – it doesn’t look good!

The Project started off relatively strong for me. Luke and Tommy’s antics were amusing and certainly made their characters vibrant from the get-go. However, once the actual plot kicked in, I felt the book started to fall flat.

Remember, this is just my opinion – and I’m always sad to give anything other than high-praise. But in this instance, the thriller aspect, running from bad guys, figuring out the mystery of the book, it all didn’t click for me. I pretty much couldn’t get in to it. I did like Luke and Tommy, like I said. And there were parts I was a big fan of – particularly when Luke tried to read Leonardo’s River to find clues. That was hilarious! So, believe me, this was in means a “bad” book – I just didn’t find the enjoyment or suspense that the book’s inside jacket cover promised me.

Yet – you may. I almost feel like The Project may be a more male-oriented book. I hate to say that because it sound so sexist, and I know there will be girls that will like it too! But with the tone and characters and overall plot, I think there are probably a ton of guys out there who would love The Project.

I liked good portions of it, but in the end I skimmed the last quarter. The Project simply wasn’t for me. I do, however, like how Brian Falkner slipped in a large amount of book-praising in a subtle manner. Any bibliophile couldn’t help but have their hearts warm from that!

Tiffany's Table Manners

2012-01-24T00:30:00.000-08:00

Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers is fiftieth-anniversary edition from Walter Hoving, a former chairman of Tiffany’s of New York.

This is a little book of manners – specifically targeted at teens. Walter Hoving went home and wrote this after having lunch with his grandson (according to the introduction).

You get the step-by-step instructions for everything you may have wondered about. Such as: what is that fork for? Or: what do I do if I drop my utensil on the floor? And a ton more!

All in all this is an illustrated, old-fashioned, fun book of manners. Half of the things talked about in Tiffany’s Table Manners I’ve never even heard of! I felt like I was a first-class passenger on the Titanic while I was reading it.

Jam-packed with interesting factoids and new questions (with the insistence of using your right hand all the time, I have no idea how a left-handed person could ever be polite!), I found Tiffany’s Table Manners to be entertaining, informative, and fascinating.

And, really, we could all do with more manners these days! I’m sure Walter Hoving would be more than pleased that his book is being re-released in a time when most of us really have no clue.

This would probably make a amusing gift – as well as an excellent hint! :)

Dragonswood

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

Dragonswood is a YA fantasy novel by Janet Lee Carey.

Still reeling over the recent death of their king, Wilde Island’s already paranoid people become even more riled when a cold-hearted, dangerous witch hunter arrives.

Tess, a seventeen-year-old blacksmith’s daughter, is aware of the tensions – especially regarding the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans. However, she still enters the forbidden Dragonswood – a mysterious, magical sanctuary set apart for the use of dragons and fairies. She’s drawn there, especially after each particularly bad beating from her malicious father, or after yet another death of a newborn sibling.

But someone has spotted her on her excursions to Dragonswood. Now, Tess finds herself in the midst of an accusation that could take her life: witchery.

She manages to escape, with the unanticipated help of a dragon, and flees with her two best friends. If they’re caught, they will die.

Her guilt weighs on her as she sees how she’s ruined her friends’ lives. And the secret of her fire-sight, in which she sees glimpses of the future, doesn’t help at all. Their journey appears doomed – if they don’t die at the hands of the witch hunter, then starvation and harsh outdoor conditions will do it.

Yet when they cross paths with an enigmatic man, a man she’s seen visions of, things begin to change. If for the better or worse, Tess isn’t sure. But her attraction to him unsettles her.

As an ancient prophecy begins to take its first steps toward coming true, how can Tess know who to trust and where her loyalties must lie?

Dragonswood is a sequel of sorts to Janet Lee Carey’s Dragon’s Keep. Though you could read them as stand-alone novels, I recommend reading Dragon’s Keep first because of the extra knowledge it brings to the table, as well as making some revelations even more meaningful.

The stunning prologue of Dragonswood gives us the impression of a forbidding, distrustful world and a girl who eludes it whenever possible through spending time with the magical elements, which are portrayed in an ethereal, dreamy way right off the bat. Carey sets a fantasy tone, with her characteristically mature, melancholy backdrop.

Almost instantly the novel is effectively frightening and suspenseful with an alarming glimpse of mob mentality as the witch hunt begins in all its irrational fury. Carey uses historical detail of the time period and real witch trials to bring a raw, convincing, chilling feel to this situation. I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Janet Lee Carey!

It’s hard not to just rattle off adjectives! I loved Dragonswood. This is an epic fantasy but with roots. I always, always admire roots. If you are a fan of books that are intense, heart-wrenching, and nerve-wracking before fifty pages are even through, then here you go!

My goodness, Tess is a phenomenal main character. She’s relatable, sympathetic, and brave. There is such a loneliness and wounded core to her that I attached myself to her very, very fast. That is the mark of a great author, making you care that quickly! Just as in Dragon’s Keep, this is a novel just about personal growth and finding a place in a world you feel distanced from as much as it is an epic fantasy tale. I’m always captivated by that.

Dragonswood has non-stop movement and plot developments, a true page-turner of the fantasy sort. It’s sad, stark, hopeful, lovely, emotional yet strong. I was entranced and hypnotized by the intricacies and subtleties of the world, as well as by the character development, unique plot, and simmering-beneath-the-surface potential romance.

There’s a feeling of uncertainty in the character and the reader – keeping us involved, interested, and fully invested with shockers that kept me on my toes. This is a new, mesmerizing take on fey – I devoured and soaked it in all at once.

Plus, there are wonderful touches that follow up on Dragon’s Keep – creating a feel of a continuing story. I cannot wait until there’s a third book in Wilde Island!

I hope I’ve convinced you to pick up a copy of Dragonswood, because it is more than worth your time!

Chasing Mona Lisa

2012-01-20T00:30:00.000-08:00

Chasing Mona Lisa is a historical fiction novel by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey.

In August 1944 change is on the brink in Nazi-occupied Paris. Civilians have become liberators, military men have become heroes, and their liberation draws nigh. But the Third Reich is still a strong, determined opponent and they have need of a bargaining chip.

Reichmarschall Hermann Goring, Hitler’s right hand man, has been collecting art – or, rather, stealing art – from those whom they’ve imprisoned, as well as Paris’s own Louvre. But the Parisians have been careful to keep the location of their national treasure the Mona Lisa a closely guarded secret and constantly on the move.

Yet there may be an informant inside the rebellion, and Goring is making it his number one priority to find and leverage the priceless painting.

Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler have been sent to Paris to aid in its liberation – and now they have a new goal: get to the Mona Lisa before Goring. It may very well be a deciding point of the war…

I’ve said it before – historical fiction can be awesome, or it can lean toward the dry and boring. Happily, Chasing Mona Lisa was far closer to the former!

Action-packed, intense, and extremely suspenseful, the historical detail and seamless writing seem to place the reader as an observer on the ground in Nazi-occupied, war-torn France. I truly felt like I was there – and it was scary.

There’s a constant paranoia, smartly so. You can practically hear the Germans turn a corner, the gun shots, the screams and the gasps. Add that with intelligently drawn characters, including a strong yet feminine female lead in Gabi, you get an excellent overall package!

With the budding relationship between Gabi and Eric, as well as a struggling Parisian couple, Chasing Mona Lisa also manages to be romantic at times. Primarily, though, this is a page-turner. A page-turner that is sometimes gruesome and disturbing, which is why it feels so real. This isn’t war watered down.

The viewpoints switch regularly between the characters, even to the enemy, keeping things fresh and fast-paced. I’ll be honest with you – when it came to some of the more detailed war-talk, I wasn’t always entirely sure of what was going on, but I did get the general idea. And it was fascinating, breathless, and nerve-wracking.

Chasing Mona Lisa was brutal in an honest way and very effective as a slice of WWII. Apparently there is a prequel in which we originally met Gabi and Eric in the authors’ The Swiss Courier. After reading Chasing Mona Lisa, I am tempted to go pick up the first book – though this was fine to read as a stand-alone.

I can’t help but hope a third book will help round it out and show us the last dredges of WWII!

*Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a copy of Chasing Mona Lisa from the Baker Publishing Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

First Day on Earth

2012-01-19T00:30:00.000-08:00

First Day on Earth is a YA contemporary novel by Cecil Castellucci.

Mal is on the outside and doesn’t care much about looking in. School doesn’t matter – why should it? He doesn’t care about grades, about friends, about what people think – about anything. Why should he? After all, he was abducted by aliens’ years ago – and he plans on returning with them the first chance he gets.

Of course, no one else believes him. They tell him that disappearing for three days and having no memory of the time period was just a breakdown, something explainable, something real. But he knows the truth. He has to believe it was more.

Otherwise he might have to stay in this world where his dad left his mom a broken shell, a woman who drinks the days away and is scorned by others. Otherwise he might have to live this life.

He needs to know for sure. He wants proof that he was abducted. He needs that hope.

Then one day at his abductee support group he meets Hopper. Hopper tells him something that might finally bring him close to the truth. Hopper might just turn Mal’s world upside down.

And Mal’s ready for it.

This is the second book I’ve read by Cecil Castellucci – the first being Boy Proof, which was surprisingly good. Again, she’s penned a beyond-the-ordinary contemporary novel that is one-of-a-kind and a little bizarre, but in a shockingly relatable way.

Mal is at times painfully bitter and self-pitying, but he also has this sense of compassion and desperate hope that makes you feel for him. And Castellucci is excellent at presenting the whole alien abduction thing in an objective way – you aren’t quite sure if you believe Mal, or if he did have a mental breakdown and continues this fantasy because of the dismal state of his life. It’s fascinating.

Without giving away any more plot points, I will say that I found First Day on Earth to be absorbing, inspiring, distinctive, offbeat, and charming in a minimalist, quiet way. It’s a very short book at only 150 pages but packed inside its words is a stunning, remarkable story very much worth reading.

And, oh my, the end? The end is incredible – and if you’re anything like me, bibliophile – it will leave you wondering for days later.

Reaching Through Time

2012-01-18T00:30:00.000-08:00

Reaching Through Time is a YA contemporary fantasy book containing three novellas written by Lurlene McDaniel.

In What’s Happened to Me? we meet Sarah. She wakes up in a gorgeous estate with no memory of who she is, where she came from – nothing. But a young, handsome man named Heath de Charon tends to her every need, attentively taking care of her as he explains he found her, unconscious, on his property. Her attraction to him is strong, but she begins to hear voices – voices urging her to “come back”. In her confusion, Sarah knows one thing: she needs to find out where she belongs.

When the Clock Chimes is the second novella in Reaching Through Time and features Drake, a teen boy who is happy to find a summer job that won’t require he be up and about too much, as showing off his imperfection and hobbling walk is not his favorite thing to do. His wish is granted when he is hired on with a professor needing help cataloging his artifacts – but isn’t as pleased when he realizes he has to do it all by hand since no electricity works in this area of the mountains. Yet nothing could be tough enough to keep him from the job, especially since the best part is being around Gina, the professor’s daughter, who is pretty and nice. However, Drake is sure that something else is going on the house and is determined to figure out what it is…

Finally we have The Mysteries of Chance where we’re introduced to Maura, a teen girl that let her curiosity get away with her and ends up in a place (and time) that’s far away from home. Dylan, a boy who lives near where she “appeared” is friendly and helpful as she tells him a story about running away from home. As their friendship blooms, as well as possibly more, Maura struggles with continuing to lie to him. But when she realizes that Dylan has secrets of his own, she sees that their budding relationship may be doomed from the start.

I read Telling Christina Goodbye by Lurlene McDaniel when I was younger and despite almost all the review being raves, I just couldn’t gel with it. Unfortunately, I find that again my personal reading tastes don’t seem to match up with McDaniel’s writing style.

Now, don’t get me wrong! Reaching Through Time was an enjoyable, fast, easy read and had some sweet, surprising moments – but overall it just came across as lightweight supernatural fare for me, especially compared to some of the intricate, amazing YA novels that have been coming out lately.

To individualize my opinion, What’s Happened to Me? was a tad cliché for me, though diverting to follow along with. When the Clock Chimes was more interesting and effective, though I still had a pretty good idea of what was going on. Meanwhile, The Mysteries of Chance was the best in my opinion, had the most depth and darkness, as well as the most obvious paranormal plotting – but I didn’t care for the end.

I think part of my lack of enthusiasm for Reaching Through Time might be that Lurlene McDaniel might write for a younger audience? I’m not sure – I just can’t connect with her writing, it seems. Maybe it’s a little cheesy for me, too. And sometimes the word choice is just awkward for me. I don’t know. But don’t let that stop you!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again! If you’re a fan of Lurlene McDaniel, if you’re a fan of supernatural fiction and like the sound of Reaching Through Time – read it!!! Who cares what I say? I’m just one person’s point of view! I encourage you to find out what YOU think!!! :)

The Scorpio Races

2012-01-17T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Scorpio Races is a YA fantasy novel by Maggie Stiefvater.

Whoa.

What can I say here? I went into The Scorpio Races with little to no knowledge about what it was about, trusting in the author to deliver an excellent story, as she’s done with the Shiver trilogy. Now that I’ve read it, devoured it, and been absolutely dumbfounded by it – well, how can I give a synopsis? If I do, I know that you won’t have the same experience I did – but if I don’t, what if you don’t read it?

Here’s what I’ll do – I will give a slight summary of the basic plot for those of you who want/need it. I’ll make identifying marks “---“ to indicate where the description is. Then, those of you who want to have the no-previous-knowledge experience can just look for the ending “---“ to read some adjectives I would use to explain my flabbergasted response to The Scorpio Races. Sound good? Alright, here goes:

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Nineteen-year-old Sean Kendrick has been involved in the Scorpio races since he was very young. In fact, he’s a multiple winner and seems to have an almost supernatural effect on the wild, lethal, massive, flesh-eating water horses than emerge from sea, the water horses that are used as the means of racing.

Puck Connelly has lived on the same island as Sean her entire life but has never has aspirations to race. People died, it was bloody – and really, she’d rather ride on her beloved horse and stay away from the competition that always turned vicious. But now her parents are dead and she and her brothers are in serious trouble financially – she feels she has no choice but to join the Scorpio races in the ambition of winning and saving her family.

But Puck is the first girl ever to ride and there are many who aren’t happy with that changing. Both Sean and Puck have reasons to desperately want to win - and will find that this race, this time, their lives may be entirely different when the race is over.

That is, if they still have their lives at all…

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Okay. Maggie Stiefvater has really outdone herself this time. I really, really liked the Shiver trilogy. In fact, you could say I loved it – but that pales in comparison to the masterpiece that she has created in The Scorpio Races!

I’m not even kidding. For me, The Scorpio Races was just flat-out brilliant. She takes a myth, a legend, which I’ve never heard of and presents a terrifying, gory, deadly race with horses that are more like monsters than pets and creates one of the most stirring, unique books I’ve ever read!

Her characters have grace, maturity, and depth as they struggle with relatable issues of loss, fear, family, worry, jealousy, vindictive cruelty of others and love. She manages to make this ruthless race seem almost ordinary – not necessarily without its fantasy elements, but more that she weaves an environment of people who are used to, if not always pleased with, these races and these water horses that arise from the ocean to kill and race.

It’s hard even to describe it, really.

The Scorpio Races is a heartbreaker for animal lovers like me, and probably for almost anyone – as Maggie Stiefvater so eloquently, masterfully writes with raw emotion.

This is literature at its best. You absolutely must read this. At least give it a chance, because this one floored me.

The Scorpio Races is a superb, brilliant, powerful, beautiful, spectacular, breathtaking, matchless, nerve-wrackingly suspenseful, poignant, phenomenal, exquisite, passionate masterpiece of a book!!!!!

Wow.

Ingenue

2012-01-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

Ingénue is the second novel in the YA Flappers series by Jillian Larkin.

If you haven’t read Vixen, the first novel in this series, you are looking at some major, inevitable spoilers in this review of Ingénue if you persist in reading it! I strongly recommend that you don’t – enjoy the series in order and go pick up a copy of Vixen!

For those of you who have read Vixen, we’ll begin the synopsis now…

Last we left our main characters we were in 1923 Chicago. Lorraine Dyer had recently exposed the innocent-appearing Clara Knowles as phony with a scandalous past – only to lose her lifelong best friend Gloria Carmody in the process.

Gloria, in the meantime, had begun to live a secret, speakeasy life as a nightclub singer – and fell for the handsome black pianist Jerome Johnson. Her taboo love affair caused ripple effects that sent the two of them running from the ever-present mob.

Then there was Clara Knowles, the revealed former flapper queen, who feared her relationship with the charming, gorgeous Marcus Eastman would be immediately over once he found out the truth about her. She was happily surprised to be wrong.

But now some time has passed – where have our gals gone?

All three are in New York, though not to each other’s knowledge.

Lorraine is working hard before going to school in the fall – and one of her main pursuits is a little friendly revenge. Gloria can’t get away with what she did to Lorraine. The only thing to distract from her goal is a very attractive bartender… is it too much to hope that Lorraine might finally find true love?

Gloria and Jerome are barely surviving – having a hard time trying to find work, as well as keep their relationship hidden since almost nobody would understand or appreciate it. Their dreams of marriage are hampered by impossibility and a continued fear of being found.

Clara is continuing in her progress of leaving her partying life behind her – but now that she’s back in New York she finds the glitz and glamour of old friends and locales harder to resist than she thought they’d be. Is Marcus enough to keep her going in the right direction?

Ooooh boy! Ingénue is just one of those books that are too much fun to deny!

Immediately you’re presented with 20s garb, slang, and diversion. We’ve got murder, gangsters, and liars, forbidden love on the run, payback, gossip, and speakeasy’s! I am so there.

When I read Vixen last year, I was torn. I had wanted more from it – maybe a bit more depth or investment in the characters. But this time around, with Ingénue, I found it be flawless just the way it is. The characters are really coming into their own, and there is just something comforting and gratifying about sitting back and reading something as dishy, glittery, starry-eyed, cinematic, and twisty as Ingénue.

I actually did find myself more invested in Clara, Lorraine, Gloria, Jerome, and Vera (Jerome’s sister) than the first time around, too. But primarily, the whip-fast, swiftly paced dialogue and switching viewpoints kept me in its Roaring Twenties grips!

The cliffhanger end was pitch-perfect, and I am very much looking forward to the third book – Diva – when it comes out. I can’t help hoping that this is not the final book in what is turning out to be a lively, wild, romantic, opulent series!

Want to sit back, relax, and be flat-out entertained? Grab Ingénue! That is, after reading Vixen! :)

Flyaway

2012-01-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

Flyaway is a YA/middle-grade contemporary novel by Lucy Christopher.

It’s a long held tradition that thirteen-year-old Isla and her dad go out to watch the swans fly in to winter at the lake. But this time, something goes wrong. As they’re running across the fields to get a good view, her dad falls. And when she gets to him, she can tell something is seriously wrong.

Time blurs and distorts as an ambulance is called, and Isla tries her hardest at being strong – not shedding a tear. But at the hospital it all begins to sink in – her dad is not well. And instead of watching the fear and worry reflected in her mother and brother’s faces, Isla wanders in her shock and sees a head of brilliantly red hair.

The hair is on a boy named Harry’s head. He stays in the children’s ward – one of the oldest, at thirteen. Harry, unlike the kids at school, finds the swans just as fascinating as Isla and her dad. It’s comforting and helpful to have someone to look forward to seeing when she goes to the hospital to see her dad. He seems healthy and full of life – why is he in the hospital?

During their visits, Isla and Harry become entranced by a lone swan that has somehow lost her way from her flock and has been outside the hospital in view of Harry’s window. Isla believes she recognizes her from one of the times she was out with her dad.

Unable to help out in any other way, Isla becomes determined to help this swan. It seems to be having difficulty flying, which is keeping her from her flock - a fate very dangerous for a bird.

Deep down inside, against all reason, Isla hopes that by making things okay with this lost swan, she’ll be making things okay with her dad. Is magic possible?

As a major animal lover, I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to stories with animals. It also can be hard to be a devout, addicted reader and sensitive to the love of our furry friends as so many books out there tend to use the loss of pets/animals as a coming-of-age plotline. So often it’s done so well – but rips my heart apart! So, I approached Flyaway with caution.

Yet the very thing that made me cautious also gave me an enhanced understanding and investment in these characters as I sunk happily into what was quickly a subdued but incredibly dynamic story.

Lucy Christopher portrays the medical issues of Isla’s father in such a lifelike, frank way that you feel the way his loss would threaten the balance of their family – the heartbreak, fear, and shock permeates the pages vividly. We get an amazingly three-dimensional family – one with disagreements and pain, but also love.

Flyaway stunningly contrasts the ordinary, personal, quiet of life with the disquiet of worry and sadness. I was absolutely riveted as we follow Isla in her handling of the crisis – rapt as she first gets face-to-face with the solitary swan. This is a poetic, gentle, emotionally effective novel that envelopes the reader (namely, me) in powerful, majestic, almost dream-like encounters with this mysterious, beautiful swan.

I can’t begin to emphasize how Flyaway hit all the right notes for me. This was a book that feels magical, yet possible – hopeful, yet realistic – and overwhelmingly inspiring and touching. I was truly wowed by this soaring, elegant piece of literature.

Flyaway deserves to be savored. As both an animal lover and a bibliophile, I was more than pleased!

You Don't Know About Me

2012-01-12T00:30:00.000-08:00

You Don’t Know About Me is a YA contemporary reimagining of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Brian Meehl.

Billy Allbright has spent the entire sixteen years of his life on the move with his mother. They’ve never stayed in one place very long as she is constantly either on the run from authorities who aren’t too pleased she’s defaced a store (or replace with another establishment) in the name of removing the Devil or running towards a new destination that she believes needs their services of cleansing.

Having always been home-schooled and involved in this lifestyle, Billy is sheltered and knows very little about the way others live. But when Billy receives a fancy Bible in the mail it contains more than the story of Christ’s resurrection – it also contains knowledge that his mother has been lying about his father, whom he never met, being dead.

Finding out about his mother’s deception throws Billy into a tailspin, and he makes the decision to ditch the Bible camp he’s supposed to be going to in favor of his own, unscheduled road trip to find his dad. But his road trip is far from point A to point B as he meets a runaway baseball star, nudists, a girl with neon body parts, and unnaturally zealous group of aspiring movie makers.

Suddenly Billy’s trip to find his dad has mutated into a journey of self-discovery – though it’d be nice if he could get to his dad eventually…

You Don’t Know About Me is an ambitious coming-of-age retelling but, sadly, it fell flat for me. It was overly wordy and self-important, I felt, and lacked insightfulness and cohesive plotting. I really stress that this is only one gal’s opinion – I’m sure there are numerous people who will love/like You Don’t Know About Me.

For my own personal tastes, the novel’s theology and philosophy dialogue was excessive, uninteresting, and oftentimes hypocritical, blasphemous, heavy-handed, and offensive. I very much appreciate the author’s intent – it’s clear that he meant well in You Don’t Know About Me. He was trying to tell a story of tolerance in a humorous, meaningful way. It just happened to rub me the wrong way and overall not be my kind of book – that happens!

I think You Don’t Know About Me is a bit of a polarizing novel – and I encourage you to read it. I believe it’ll arouse a passionate response one way or another, and I’d love to hear it!

Icefall

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-08:00

Icefall is a YA adventure thriller set in ancient Nordic times by Matthew J. Kirby.

Solveig was no happier than anyone else when her father the king sent her, her brother the crown prince, her beautiful older sister, members of the household staff and an army of soldiers to a concealed fortress tucked between mountains and ice. It’s a cold, lonely, and unpleasantly long winter.

Yet the king set them there for their safety, as a sudden war was upon them. But their safety may or may not be what they’ll find in the fortress. Solveig’s sister has been quiet and guarded since they’d arrived, and when suddenly an act of betrayal leaves them shocked in its wake – the conclusion is that there is a traitor in their midst.

It could be that instead of hiding the royal children from the kingdom’s enemies, they might be tucked in close with them – sitting ducks in an increasingly claustrophobic environment. Suddenly the many ways that they can be killed seem numerous – and there is no escape from the ice that closes them in. Their protection may be their grave.

Solveig has never been considered much as the middle child of the king – not beautiful like her sister or the heir like her brother oftentimes she was simply overlooked. But she is determined to find the traitor among them and help those she loves survive the winter months.

Though her greatest fear gnaws at her: what if the conspirator is among one of those she loves?

Icefall was unlike any other book I’ve read – a sweeping, vivid, icy Nordic tale. It was far more intimate than I initially expected, a heart wrenching coming-of-age story of learning who you are and where you might fit in a world that doesn’t seem to care you exist - in the epicenter of war, treachery, and assassination.

Solveig’s personal journey and the gripping, nail-biting sense of suspicion and secrets create a unique historical novel that is powerful and impressive for any age. Icefall is very effective and extraordinarily different – and (*minor plot spoiler alert*) certainly a killer for animal lovers!

Icefall is a compelling, moody, atmospheric tale of loyalty, heroism and courage that lingers in your mind.

I hope it will soon linger in yours!

Sass and Serendipity

2012-01-10T00:30:00.000-08:00

Sass and Serendipity is a YA contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, by Jennifer Ziegler.

Daphne and Gabby Rivera are sisters but are nothing alike.

Daphne, fifteen, is a romantic soul – she dreams of proms and marriage and love. She’s on the cheerleading squad and tends to be a peppy, cheerful girl without a care in the world. She’s always ready and waiting for that epic love to be right around the corner. And when the new guy, Luke, moves to town she’s sure she’s found the One.

Gabby, seventeen, is a practical soul – she works, studies, and looks at life as it is. She helps pay the bills and if she does any dreaming it’s only about leaving their small town far behind her. Love and romance couldn’t be further from her priorities. In fact, human interaction in general has never been Gabby’s strong suit. The only person she can really put up with is her loyal, longtime best friend Mule – he’s always been there for her and puts up with her perpetual grumpiness like no other.

Their parents’ divorce has affected both of the sisters, though in different ways. For Daphne, her heart is broken to be away from a loving father that she feels was pushed out by an unfeeling, passionless mother who cares too much about bills and money. For Gabby, she sees those bills and blames her father’s lack of responsibility and tries her best to help out her mom, whom she feels was left high and dry by her dad. She has no desire to spend any time with him.

It ends up being their financial woes that shake things up. Unable to continue to afford the rent any longer, an offer by a wealthy neighbor to live as a renter on a nice little house on their property is taken up – despite Gabby’s horror. The move, however, provides a couple of unlikely suitors for the sisters and a lesson in how complicated and multi-layered love can actually be…

I love Jane Austen and I love Sense and Sensibility, so I didn’t know if that would take away from Sass and Serendipity or take away from it. In the end, though, it really didn’t influence my opinion one way or another!

Gabby and Daphne are indeed our 21st century Elinor and Marianne, though Gabby’s a bit more pessimistic and angry than I ever remember Elinor being and Daphne is perkier than I recall poetry-inclined Marianne. But that’s just the thing. Jennifer Ziegler proves a wonderful basis of similarity while also creating an entirely new story.

Sass and Serendipity presents strongly written characters. Sometimes I wanted to shake Daphne just as much as Gabby did, and sometimes I was put off by just how mean Gabby could be – but one thing always stayed the same: Ziegler shows us their pain. Not all of it right away, but slowly and deliberately we get to really know these two sisters and very much root for them to let go of their dissimilarities and be there for each other.

I felt the romantic side of the novel was a bit more restrained than it needed to be – I could have used a bit more oomph on that side. Yet, it was still very well done. The character development, healing, and learning these two girls do is transfixing and causes a fast-paced read. There are time the novel hurts to read as see raw, real heartache, but it is an overall lovable and wistful story.

Sass and Serendipity is an exceptional, relatable tribute to Jane Austen – and though it might not be replacing Sense and Sensibility’s spot on my bookshelf anytime soon - I really, really liked it.

Wonderstuck

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

Wonderstruck is a new novel by Brian Selznick.

Ben and Rose both feel lost.

Ben, in 1977, has only recently lost his mother. Then when tragedy strikes again in his life, he finds himself yearning to find the father he’s never known – desperately unraveling small clues to try and find him.

Rose, in 1927, spends her time scrapbooking pictures and articles about a beautiful, mysterious actress. She rejects the teacher that arrives at her house to teach her lessons – his lessons are too hard for her to accept. So, when she reads a certain headline in the newspaper she sets out to find a piece of her life she’s missing.

Ben’s story is told all in words, like a traditional novel, whereas Rose’s story is told in pictures only – almost like a silent movie. Both of these children are setting off alone in a world that doesn’t seem to have room to fit them and despite being fifty years apart, their stories mirror and complement each other in striking ways.

Brian Selznick is, of course, the author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret in which he told a story in words and pictures. This time he uses that idea in a different way, and manages to create yet another unique method of weaving a tale. He has 460 pages of original artwork – can you imagine how long that took?

Again he is more that successful at providing a poignant, beautiful, grandiose novel that crosses age limits and genre preferences. Wonderstruck is a powerful gem that has an astonishing amount of surprises and twists! I am so tempted to say a little bit about what’s going on with Ben and Rose, but to spoil the stream of revelations and quiet, careful, charming way Selznick presents them would be terrible.

Wonderstuck causes a roll of adjectives: touching, stunning, subtle, understated, deeply moving, and very effective. It’s hard not to be captivated by the intricate, delicate ways in which Selznick begins to interlace the two children together through gorgeous illustrations and lyrical prose. The merging of their individual stories is a wonder.

Anybody who has read The Invention of Hugo Cabret will already want to read Wonderstruck, I’m sure. I was in that boat! If you haven’t though, this is a fantastic way to start! I cannot stress how lovely and special Wonderstuck is – it’s a cinematic experience in book form.

And I hope for many more from Brian Selznick!!!

The Summer I Learned to Fly

2012-01-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Summer I Learned to Fly is a YA coming-of-age novel by Dana Reinhardt.

Drew is thirteen-years-old in 1986 as this story takes off. We get the sense that an older Drew is telling the story.

She’s a loner and an obedient daughter to her single Mom, working diligently at their cheese shop. Drew carts around her best friend, her rat, everywhere with her in her backpack – against the rules - and has been reading her deceased dad’s Book of Lists without her Mom’s knowledge. She found the Lists by accident, but savors every second of getting to know a father that died before she had any memory of him.

As she spends her days in routine, happy to spend her days with her crush, Nick, who is older and works behind the counter in-between surfing – one night at closing, things change. Drew meets Emmett Crane.

He’s eating the cheese shop’s castoffs because he apparently likes their food, has a cut on his cheek, and is very friendly with Drew’s rat – not to mention oddly knowledgeable about rats in general. He intrigues Drew.

This new kindling of friendship is so unfamiliar for Drew, but also exciting. She may have found her first real friend – that is, if he’ll ever tell her what he’s hiding.

The Summer I Learned to Fly is the epitome of a coming-of-age story, and the summer setting only increases the tender nostalgia of it. I found Drew to likable and believable in her young teen years, realistically portrayed as a cautious loner. The fact that the story is told in past-tense, from an older perspective, brings a level of maturity and depth to it as well.

Dana Reinhardt definitely makes the novel emotionally magnetic. It’s a slice-of-life, lessons-learned type of book done very well. There’s a raw simplicity to her portrayal of the ordinary tragedies of life in motion. Without giving away the various plot developments, I will say that The Summer I Learned to Fly was at times very painful to read, sad, and touching as are the real-life growing pains of learning to make decisions that hurt and moments you’ll always remember.

It was enough to make you cry, sob, and look back on your own childhood – or maybe remind you of your current one. I don’t always love these kinds of books, because sometimes I feel like they purposefully pull on your heartstrings, and I didn't adore the end of this one – but it’s impossible to deny the excellent storytelling of this author and worth of this slim but memorable little novel.

Bring a box of Kleenex.

iBoy

2012-01-05T00:30:00.000-08:00

iBoy is a YA sci-fi novel by Kevin Brooks.

Tom was just a normal, teenage guy walking home from school – thinking about Lucy and how she had asked him to come over to talk about something. He was hoping it’d be about more than helping to straighten out her brother’s recent inclination toward unsavory friends and wondering how early he could come by without seeming too eager.

Then his whole life changed. An iPhone, thrown from a high balcony, collides with his skull at such speed that shattered fragments of it imbed themselves in his brain. Next thing he knows, Tom wakes up in a hospital alive, but different.

Somehow he is now a walking App. As the doctors talk about organs and muscles in the body that ordinarily he would never know a single thing about, his iBrain rattles off dictionary-like explanations. It doesn’t take Tom long to find out that his way of thinking and his way of life may be forever altered.

Before he gets the chance to adjust to his new way of life, though, he finds out that Lucy and her brother were viciously attacked at the same time he was hit in the head with the iPhone.

His new powers allow Tom to try and avenge the horrible crime and rid all of South London of the sickos who did it – but will Tom succeed? And if he does, will he be the same person once it’s over?

iBoy is much darker than I expected it to be. And much better!

The slums of London seep into your nerves as Kevin Brooks portrays the setting vividly. The gang life and lack of any hope of police help is frightening and feels sadly convincing. It was easy to begin rooting for Tom and for his new iAbilities to help turn things around.

Kevin Brooks makes Tom, his gran, and Lucy all very likable characters. So you become invested very early. And as Tom starts to experiment with his new powers it almost felt like the beginning of a new superhero for a modern age – a story with humor, hints of romance, and tons of grim realism.

iBoy is riveting and fast-paced. I was sucked into the psychological aspects and deeper criminal aspects of the novel, which were shocking and unsettling (especially for a book with a title like iBoy). I, of course, don’t want to give anything away – you want to enjoy this rollercoaster ride without knowing anything, believe me – but I will say that iBoy has truly scary developments and is very, very suspenseful.

Though I felt the end was bit abrupt (but good), I was wowed. iBoy is quite the inventive sci-fi thriller for older teen readers! I’ll now be on the lookout for more Kevin Brooks novels, an author I was unfamiliar with before iBoy!

Ship Breaker

2012-01-04T00:30:00.000-08:00

Ship Breaker is an award-winning YA sci-fi/dystopia novel by Paolo Bacigalupi.

Nailer is a teenage boy working as a ship breaker in America’s Gulf Coast region. His small size is prized as he can go into the smaller, tighter areas that others cannot in order to scavenge valuable metals and other materials out of the old, grounded, rusted oil tankers they find.

Making quota is extremely important – because if you’re fired… well, you’re probably not going to last long. The climate and culture leaves very little wiggle room for a non-useful person. So, Nailer does what he needs to do to survive. Only problem? He won’t stay small for much longer. Natural growth will soon leave him without value. Then what will he do?

But then he finds a new, gorgeous clipper ship beached from a recent storm. At first his mind races with trying to figure out how he could possibly claim this wreckage as his (and coming up empty), but then when he and Pima, one of the only fellow crew members he trusts, board it they find that there is one survivor onboard – a young, beautiful, obviously wealthy girl. Pima and Nailer have never even imagined so much wealth as she wears decorated on her fingers and clothes, let alone the food stored in the clipper.

And she may be their ticket out of this hopeless, futureless life of ship breaking…

At first I wasn’t sure if this was going to be a more male-oriented novel, but no – this well-written, taut sci-fi novel is a bleak glimpse into an unhappy future, scary, and thrilling for either male or female, in my opinion!

Ship Breaker surprised me. I’ll admit, sometimes when a book wins awards and gets heaped with praise – I am a little leery. The reason why is that in the past I have read books that I’m told by all the critics blurbs and award-givers is fantastic, only to find it stale and tedious. Or maybe a little self-important.

But then you also sometimes totally agree. This time, with Ship Breaker, I am in the latter category!

We have a sympathetic, yet edgy, main character that has an abysmal way of life – both at home and at work. In this absorbing, original adventure we see Nailer war with his instincts of protecting himself and his conscience. Almost no one can be trusted, as everyone is just looking at for themselves at any cost – which we are introduced to from the get-go in an adrenaline-thumping first couple of chapters.

Ship Breaker is an extremely well though-out and excellently plotted novel that comes off as a unique coming-of-age story in a frighteningly different world.

One thing that was strange to me, though, was that I felt like the last fifty pages or so were erratic and rushed. However, I was still satisfied and happy with the novel, which in the end I found quite exceptional and readable for any age.

I will be keeping my eyes open for a sequel!

*I received a copy of Ship Breaker from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity did not influence, nor seek to influence, my opinion of this novel.

Death Sentence

2012-01-03T00:30:00.001-08:00

Death Sentence is the third book in Alexander Gordon Smith’s YA horror series Escape from Furnace.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the series, this review will have inevitable spoilers for the first two books - Lockdown and Solitary. You’ve been warned!

Alex has now tried to break out of the terrifying, underground prison Furnace Penitentiary twice. He almost made it this time. Almost.

But he was caught. And now he is being punished.

This punishment is even worse than going in solitary, where he was sure he was losing his mind. This punishment assures him he will lose his mind – literally. He’s being turned into a minion of Furnace, a muscled twin of the other blacksuits.

The shadowy, treacherous warden is determined to have Alex forget himself – but the only way to survive is to try and remember.

This time it’ll be a lot harder to escape… since the prison is his mind.

I have read each of the Escape from Furnace books and have found them to be creatively disturbing, grisly thrillers. Death Sentence certainly puts itself on that same caliber. However, I also am beginning to feel like the overall concept is starting to get a tad old, a bit repetitive and maybe a little frustratingly monotonous.

Though there was some great plot development and answers given to long held questions, the revelations weren’t as satisfying as I wanted. It could most certainly just be me – so don’t stop yourself from reading Death Sentence because of what I’m saying!

Here’s the thing, a good portion of the last quarter of Death Sentence was quite interesting and exhilarating – it’s just that I’m not super into the series anymore. Now, if I was told that the next book (Fugitives, apparently coming out in winter 2012) was the last in the series, then I might be more involved. Because, in my opinion, the story is being stretched out farther than it really needs to be. I don’t think I would be rushing out to read/buy more books in the series if I don’t know when the end date was, and that it was soon.

Yet I know that I may be in the minority in this opinion – so please read Death Sentence for yourself and enjoy it! It could be that the series has run its course for me, but is just kicking in gear for you!

Dragon's Keep

2012-01-02T00:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first post of 2012! Let us begin another fantastic year of reading here at the Bibliophile Support Group! Without further ado:

Dragon’s Keep is a YA fantasy novel by Janet Lee Carey.

Rosalind is a beautiful princess, an ancestress of Evaine, of the forgotten Pendragon royal lineage, and the prophesied 21st queen, the one Merlin said would end wars and bring honor back to their banished throne on Wilde Island.

Yet only her mother, the current Queen, knows the truth of her “loveliness”. On her ring finger she has not a finger but a dragon’s talon – ugly and sharp. She wears gloves at all times and not one person outside the queen knows of her disfigurement – of her flaw.

Constant streams of healers are brought to Rosie, but no one cures her ailment – or is even allowed to know of it before they begin trying to heal her. It seems impossible that a six-hundred-year-old prophecy could be about her.

But when a lethal dragon seems to target her directly and takes her to his cave, Rosie begins to realize that her hated claw may be inextricably intertwined with her fate – and that there are many secrets she needs to unveil to meet her destiny…

I previously read The Dragons of Noor by Janet Lee Carey and was hypnotized and impressed – here I am again.

Janet weaves a graceful, melancholy prose that places us right in 1145 medieval times, a time of royalty and treacherous dragons. The flaw Rosie is afflicted with is mysterious and fascinating, as well as being heartbreaking on the personal, shame-ridden point of view. We see a girl that from birth has been told to hide a part of her that she had no control over – it is very sad.

I was entrenched in the plot and characters before fifty pages were over. Dragon’s Keep is horrifying, affecting, and twisty! There is a gravity, a depth that sinks in, an anguish and sorrow, and a compassion and intrigue to this new fairy-tale. It is most assuredly entertaining, but also solemn. This is a journey of sprawling fantasy proportions – full of kingdom conspiracy, a longing for friendship and love, and the agony of loss and betrayal. You hope for a happier, lighter future – but you don’t know if one is coming.

You know that I refuse to give out spoilers, so all I can say is that if you are a fantasy lover, you need to read Dragon’s Keep! The suspense is taut and the realistic human nature of the characters brings believability to the story that is not always available in these plot-heavy books. There is a raw, natural fear, deep feeling, and unexpected plot turns that keep Dragon’s Keep fresh from start to finish.

Dragon’s Keep gave me a lump in my throat! It is a lovely, striking, eloquent novel – and I am so very happy to know that a companion will be available this month. I’m ready to return to Wilde Island!

Are you?

Stand-Out Books of 2011!!!

2011-12-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year’s Eve!

It is now time for the second annual Stand-Out Books of the Year (2011) post! It has been a crazy, reading frenzy this year! Anybody who’s been frequenting the blog for a while now, will know this is the most review-ridden year I’ve had! Don’t believe me? Here are the stats for 2011:

How many books did I read?

171

That is 76 more than in 2010!!!

How many pages did I read?

55,037

That is 26,310 more than in 2010!!!

How many pages (on average) did I read per day?

151

That is 73 more than in 2010!!!

Yep, it’s been an insane, wonderful, bibliophile-friendly 2011. Hopefully for you too!

So, now it’s time to pick my Stand-Outs! I can never name anything my “favorite”, because there are far too many – and that is just too hard for me! Especially when there are just SO many amazing books out there!

All this extra reading make it even HARDER to pick Stand-Out titles and keep the list short! Inevitably, it is going to be longer than last year’s. However, to make it a little easier I’m going to be listing the books that stood out to me the most over 2011 by categories. For example, I’ll list books as “Sweeping Historicals” and “Contemporary Tear-Jerkers”.

I’m doing this to simplify things and be a bit more organized, but keep in mind that a historical novel might very well also be a tear-jerker! This applies to all categories. I’m going to place them in what I consider the most obvious, easy to identify category. Also, this year I will be imbedding the link to my direct review right in the title of the book, so feel free to read more on each title, as I will only give a tiny bit of my opinion of each here.

Just like last year, these are the books that stood out to me the most over my reading this year. It doesn’t mean that ALL of these books were published in 2011, just that I read them in 2011. Also like last year, I loved/liked MANY books in 2011 – so believe you me, I’m being tough keeping the list down to 43. In fact, I'm still struggling with not including books like Anna Dressed in Blood, Faerie Winter, and others. Yet, I figured that being tough on myself would be the only way to keep from having 100 books on the list!

Are you ready? Hopefully, many of you bibliophile maniacs got gift cards for Christmas and are ready to go purchase some of these absolutely AWESOME titles!!!
Okay, here goes:

Contemporary Tear-Jerkers

Bitter Melon by Cara Chow
A story about an Asian girl’s struggle with fulfilling her mother’s high expectation for her academic future and her desire to find her own path. Stunningly simple, yet anything but.

Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman
A novel taking the perspective of an immigrated Argentinian teen girl, following her as she tries to acclimate to American culture, language, and homesickness – while also watching her family life disintegrate.

I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Profound book about two brothers who have grown up with next to no normalcy, but a strong, unshakeable bond to each other – the older of which begins to experience what life might be like outside of the hard, sometimes mad hand of his ever-traveling and thieving father, after he meets a girl his own age at a church.

Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Wowza of a unique story about a girl who “remembers” the future, but never remembers the past. She writes down notes to herself about what happened each day, before she “resets”. Fascinating and fast-paced, and absolutely unforgettable.

Kindred by Tammar Stein
Down-to-earth college freshman story about a girl who is confronted with a message from an angel, whose twin brother seems to be getting supernatural visits from the opposite spectrum. Some of the most memorable parts of it are the character development, honesty, and raw emotion of sibling love and coming-of-age.

Rotters by Daniel Kraus
Shocking, gruesome foray into the world of grave digging, in one of the year’s most original novels. Teen boy loses his mother only to be reunited with a dad he never met, and begin to become involved in the age-old, hard-core, illegal career and how it affects his entire life.

Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray
This reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet from a contemporary standpoint, giving up Ophelia as our main character is tragic, painful, and flat-out gripping.

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman
A horrifying story of a young teen girl meeting up with an older online chat friend – and what happens.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Sara Zarr almost got two slots on the list this year, but like I said, I’m being tough! We are introduced to two hurting teen girls as one mourns her father and the other comes to give her baby to them and has her own secrets to hide.

Unique Sci-Fi/Dystopia

Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
This was a thrilling, futuristic, short novel that presented us with a time when everybody literally forgets their troubles. And what happens when certain teens decide they want to see what happens when they don’t.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
I think this may be the scariest book I read all year. Zombies have never been presented in such an expertly crafted way, in my opinion. Whoa.

Star Time by Henry Melton
Sci-fi extraordinaire Henry Melton outdid himself with this end-of-the-world meets aliens epic. I was floored by the originality mixed with classic themes. Quite something.

Dark Parties by Sara Grant
A dystopia featuring a controlling, enigmatic governing body that encourages procreation even among teens. A world where everyone looks so similar that they go to extremes to find individuality.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This is why sometimes it is worth it to read something besides YA. A brilliant hodgepodge of virtual reality, 80s pop culture and thrilling adventure in a future where next to nobody lives out their life in reality, but instead inside of a giant videogame where an embedded puzzle of clues will lead to complete ownership of the creator’s fortune.

ROFL Hilarious

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin
A refreshing new twist of black-and-white film noir with a teen private detective and his investigation into the death of one of the more dangerous high schools out there. Super clever, super fun!

Seven Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes by Amber Kizer
Frank and laugh-out-loud funny as our heroine tries to figure out romance and the further expectations in high school. Shocking and maybe a bit inappropriate for younger readers, but always in good fun and delightful.

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Take a geeky, smart girl that is relatable and has big doctor dreams and place her in a situation where almost the entire student body is turning into zombies. Fresh, original, and awesome!

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
There’s a classic romantic comedy feel to this book, but that is part of its charm. We have likable characters and interesting romantic tension that makes you frustrated in the best way – not to mention tons of humor as we follow a girl that is so fed up with her never-ending display of bad decisions that she begins a blog to have other run her life – by multiple choice polls!

Jane. Jones. Worst. Vampire. Ever. By Caissie St. Onge
One of the best vampire books I have ever read! Imagine a teen vampire girl who is allergic to blood! Therefore, being a vampire really really sucks since she’s sick all the time with malnourishment! A dash of romance and mystery mixed with hilarious situations equals amusing joy!

Starstruck by Cyn Balog
Overweight girl finds out her best friend/long distance boyfriend (who hasn’t seen her since she was at least fifty pounds lighter) is coming back to town! That’s horrifying enough, but then he seems oddly obsessed with the sun, and her, to be normal. What’s up? Gotta read this gem to find out!

Fantastic Fantasy

The False Princess by Ellis O’Neal
This is a traditional-feeling fantasy story about a princess that finds out she may be false. But there may be even more lies and sorcery going on than is easily noticed. The human elements of betrayal and finding one’s place in the world after having everything you thought you knew turned on its head brings this fantasy YA novel to another level.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
A sweet, epic, classic-in-the-making about an orphaned boy going on the adventure of his life as he helps a dragon and his friends try and find a place where the dragon race will be safe. Surprisingly poignant and easily readable, this is a children’s novel that reminds you that when they’re done right – they can be read by any age!

Reckless by Cornelia Funke
Another side of Funke is shown here as we are given a set of older characters and an alternative world full of refreshingly different, and quite often creepy, creatures. This starts off what will hopefully be a series of many books featuring the dashing Reckless. In this novel he races to save his younger brother from becoming something entirely inhuman.

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
A delightfully fun and festive-feeling Victoria-era fantasy/adventure. We get the perspective of pickpocket teens as they try to survive in life lacking in guardianship. Then, of course, the main character of Tiki ends up mixed up in an age-old truce with rather menacing faeries – a truce that she may have accidentally broke.

Phenomenal Paranormal

Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman
One of the darker, more unique novels of the year. It’s hard to even explain, really. Except to say that after a teen boy’s guardian speaks a few words to him and then dies in a car crash that leaves the boy unscathed, he seems to become next to impossible to hurt. He and his friends try to figure it out… but may be too late.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
The newest YA novel from Clement-Moore is stock full of wit, romantic tension, and ghostly mystery. It’s tons of fun to read and left me hoping/wishing for a sequel.

Corsets & Clockwork edited by Trisha Telep
This anthology of short stories by some of the biggest names in YA fantasy/steampunk is something to behold. You get numerous tales of Victorian era faeries, mechanical people, mermaids, and more – some of which are super creepy, some of which are lighthearted, and some of which are just flat-out romantic. It’s a great introduction to many fantastic authors and an overall excellent read!

Abandon by Meg Cabot
Meg’s newest YA paranormal series is hot, dark, and super entertaining. It’s a new spin on the myth of Persephone and makes the underworld a whole lot more appealing. With an amazing mix of scariness, humor, and expert plotting this is a book that I’m sure many of us are anticipating the second novel for!

Fallen by Lauren Kate
This was a hard pick. I almost put the sequels Torment and Passion on here as well, as I read and thoroughly enjoyed all three this year. However, like I said, I’m being tough on myself. And despite all three being great, Fallen was the spookiest, most enigmatic experience for me. Having a novel take place almost entirely in a sort of “mental hospital” sort of school was so different. Finding out the beginning of Luce and Daniel’s connection was entirely hypnotic.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Quite possibly the bloodiest novel I read all year – I was floored. Here we have a new sort of magic. It’s not cool or sweet – it’s weird and kind of masochistic (which is better than the alternative, we learn later). We have a couple of unique, sympathetic teens characters that are slowly falling for each other while they’re also experiencing this dark, scary sort of magic that the main character’s murdered father may have been involved in. Twists like crazy!

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
I am so on the bandwagon with this novel. I am practically jumping up and down knowing the second book in the series, The Nightmare Garden, will be out in February! This book takes place in an alternative 1950s where otherworldly creatures have eaten away at society (sometimes literally) and a girl who slowly learns more about the secrets hidden from society – while she struggles with her oncoming, genetically-inherited madness. Wowza! This is steampunk and awesomeness combined!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
An epic start to a new, magnificent series! We meet characters descended from gods, and find out about prophecies and curses passed down over the years to now torment two new lovebirds. I hate to give too much away because of all the twists and turns – all I’ll say is that it is a fantastic new take on mythology and is both romantic and suspenseful from start to finish!

Sweeping Historical

Cleopatra’s Moon by Vicki Alvear Shecter
Historical fiction can’t get much better as we follow Cleopatra’s only daughter navigate through enemy-ridden Rome to keep her and her brothers safe from those who wish to harm them. An untold, fascinating story given life – infused with horror, compassion, and human emotional depth.

The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller
Soon after the civil war in the South, Katie Calloway escapes from the heavy, abusive hand of her husband and takes her young brother to the North. They don’t know where they’re going or what they’ll do, but she knows that they can’t survive any longer with the madman that is her husband. In this touching, down-to-earth, rich novel we follow their journey to a work camp deep in the woods as she works as a cook and begins to fall for a man that treats her with kindness.

A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman
I loved this family of Irish Christians in 1930s Boston! Emma Malloy is a scarred, previously abused wife that has lived in Boston and become successful for many years now. Her morals and fears war with her as she begins to fall in love with someone she’s known for a long time. Also we follow married couples, some for a long time, some newlyweds, and become increasingly involved in this loving, realistic family.

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander
This historical novel takes place in 1800s Nashville in a huge, beautiful place called Belmont Mansion. Our main character is hiding her past, and trying desperately to escape from it, as she finds a job with the wealthy, powerful, demanding woman of the manor. Infused with character development and raw human flaws, this is a lovely tale of redemption and love.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
A fantastic children’s novel written with both words and pictures, we follow young Hugo in 1930s Paris as he struggles to fulfill his and his now deceased father’s wish of fixing an old, forgotten automaton. This is an adventure full of secrets and a brilliant foray into original filmmaking. This is an unforgettable book that is poignant and meaningful, while also being a unique feast for the eyes and imagination.

Spectacular Sequels

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
For the sequel portion I won’t be giving too many details – because all of the plots should be kinda secret until you read the first novel! But oh my is the books stunning! This is the sequel to Raised by Wolves, a truly original take on YA werewolf novels – full of terror and a more grounded main character. I cannot wait for the third book!

Forever Princess by Meg Cabot
I finally got to read the final book in The Princess Diaries and I was more than satisfied. If you haven’t yet, you totally should!

In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton
A fantastic, extremely well-written follow-up to Tyger Tyger in which we continue the story of Teagan, Finn, and Aiden as they explore the dangerous, horrifying, mesmerizing world of goblins and Irish folklore come-to-life.

A Web of Air by Philip Reeve
It was soooo hard not to add Fever Crumb, the first novel in this series, to the list! This is an amazingly different, futuristic, dystopia London and a girl engineer who is carving her own place in it.

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev
Beautiful, stunning, heart-stopping conclusion the elegantly magical Theatre Illuminata trilogy. Oh how I wish there were more!!!

The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson
Touching, incredibly, genius follow-up to her previous The Adoration of Jenna Fox.

Ascendant by Diane Peterfreund
A unicorn novel like you’ve never read before – frightening, powerful, and unforgettable. I struggled with not putting Rampant on the list… Oh, so there are so many amazing books that I’ve read in 2011!

The Empire of Gut and Bone by M. T. Anderson
Again, I sooo wanted to place The Game of Sunken Places and The Suburb Under the Stars on the Stand-Out Books of 2011 list, too! This is the third and penultimate novel in the fun, intelligent, amazing Norumbegan Quartet of sci-fi YA novels.

Alright, so that completes the list of Stand-Out Books of 2011 this year! I hope you all are ready to go out and purchase some of these titles as I can put my Bibliophile Support Group stamp of approval on each one!

I’m excited to enter a whole new year of reading and I want to thank all the authors, publishers, editors, and publicists still in the business of promoting the written word for continuing to offer such high-quality entertainment every year!!!

Most of all, though, I thank YOU – the reader and follower of the Bibliophile Support Group! You have made 2011 the most successful year yet! I hope you all help to make this blog grow and support even more admitted, mad bibliophiles that want to hear about books, books, books!!!!!

I’ll see you all in 2012!

Murder at Midnight

2011-12-29T00:30:00.000-08:00

Murder at Midnight is a middle-grade adventure/mystery novel by Avi.

Fabrizio has only recently found a home among the city of 1490 Pergamontio, Italy. He’s been taken in by a magician and his wife, but only the wife seems to be finding him pleasing so far. Fabrizio is entranced by his Master’s magical talents, and yearns to do the same tricks – but his Master seems intent on kicking him out one of these days.

When Fabrizio’s Mistress goes to visit her ill sister, she implores Fabrizio to make himself indispensable to Master.

But then the trouble begins.

When potentially rebellious papers begin showing up all over the city, each one exactly the same without the inevitable mark of uniqueness from the human hand, suspicion falls on Fabrizio’s master, Mangus. His magical talents are placing the blame on him, though Mangus insists there is no such thing as magic – that what he does is mere illusion.

A plot of unknown proportion seems to be amongst them – a plot of politics, revolution, and murder! Fabrizio finally has the opportunity to make himself invaluable to Mangus – by saving his life!

I have head of Avi, though as far as I can remember this is the first novel I’ve read by him.

Murder at Midnight was most certainly a fun, extremely quick read, though I was never quite sure if it was supposed to be humorous or serious. I lean toward the former, and find that quirkiness to be one of its strongest points. That is, if I’m right!

I did enjoy the story, but overall I couldn’t really sink my teeth into it. There wasn’t enough detail of the time period and setting for me to feel like I was there, and I’ll admit that I was usually a step ahead of Fabrizio in the plotline. Perhaps the intended audience is a bit younger, as sometimes I found Murder at Midnight to be on the staler, juvenile side.

However, Murder at Midnight is a sweet, good-natured, excellent way to be lightly entertained!

*Remember, tomorrow is the big Stand-Out Books of 2011 post! Don't miss it!!!

The Other Countess

2011-12-28T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Other Countess is a YA historical romance set in Elizabethan times by Eve Edwards.

When Ellie (titled as the Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime, worthless and penniless as it may be) was twelve, her father was turned out of the house they had been living in. Her father's shared obsession with the Earl of Dorset of the alchemical search for turning items into gold left the Earl quite destitute in death. So, when William Lacey (at the time only fourteen) became the new Earl his first order of business was to get Ellie and her father off their property.

That was the first time Ellie and Will met. It was not pleasant.

Four years later, Ellie's affection for her father wars with her frustration with his alchemy pursuits. They are often poor and certainly never well-liked. Her witty tongue and surprisingly learned mind makes her even more of a pariah in Queen Elizabeth's court. However, her Spanish-infused beauty and feisty spirit make her eye-catching to some undesirables - one of which is Will Lacey.

Will doesn't know of his past with Ellie when he firsts sees her on his return to court. He's there to find a wealthy bride and save his family from financial ruin - all of which started with his father's time with Ellie's father. But Ellie entrances him, beguiles him, and intrigues him like no other - and before he knows it, he's convinced he's in love with her.

Yet to be in love with Ellie does not help his family - she has not a penny to her name and the suspicion of being the daughter of a Spanish Countess - a country England is not at peace with. Not to mention, there are others who most certainly don't want them together. What will they do?

The Other Countess is foray into the rowdy, randy, complicated world of the Elizabethan court, mixing family pride, misconceptions, and political intrigue with attraction and allure. It's definitely a fun, frothy historical to enjoy.

However, I did have a hard time liking Will all that much. His character tended to be judgmental, mean, and self-absorbed. With time and patience, a better Will did begin to surface and chemistry with Ellie became more romantic, yet I was still never completely convinced of them as a couple.

Now, Ellie I liked. She's smart and self-sufficient and honorable. She's, in my opinion, in the worse situation here. We see the difficulty of being a female with values and self-respect in a time when being a mistress might be the easier choice. The forbidden love that develops between the two leads is certainly ooh-la-la, but not as spicy and authentic-feeling as I would've liked it to be.

Yet The Other Countess is quite entertaining with it's view of class differences, social life, and hidden intentions. It's fascinating and scintillating with it's historical details and many characters, some with very questionable morals.

Overall I found it a good start to a series, though it lacked the depth that would have lifted it up a notch, in my opinion. When later some depth was attempted, it felt a bit overdramatic to me. It was effective, but not as honest and raw as I felt it could be. But I will most assuredly be keeping my eyes open for the next installment - The Queen's Lady - and look forward to it being as good, if not better, than The Other Countess!

The Daughters Join the Party

2011-12-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Daughters Join the Party is the fourth and final book in the YA contemporary series by Joanna Philbin.

I personally recommend reading the Daughters books in order, if you can, to save you from spoilers. They go: The Daughters, The Daughters Break the Rules, and then The Daughters Take the Stage.

We have long been introduced and become invested in Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson - best friends that share a common understanding of having famous parents. Now we meet fifteen-year-old Emma Conway - she's a bit of a rebel and has spent the last year at a boarding school - breaking rules.

Being the daughter of a New York senator tends to give her less-than-perfect ways some leeway - but once her dad tells her that he is getting a campaign for President together - that leeway is gone. The things her parents already didn't like - such as her vibrant hair colors and modern fashion choices - are now becoming verboten.

And when she accidentally lets it slip on network TV that her dad is running - the lease is even tighter. Between her dad's intelligent charisma, her mom's lawyer past, and her brother being an ideal son in pretty much every way - Emma has gotten used to being the disappointment of the family. But now it's more public.

Fortunately, she's now enrolled at a New York school where she meets Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson. They know exactly what it's like to be in the spotlight against your will - and maybe screw it up. Emma hopes that they can help her deal with her sudden new life and scary future...

I have loved the previous Daughters books. I wasn't sure what I thought about being introduced to a new daughter, since I would've been happy with just more stories about the three we love already - but Joanna Philbin has done it again!

The Daughters Join the Party, like the others in the series, has an easy, smooth, engaging manner that presents us with realistic, complicated issues of parental and sibling issues - as well as things like self-esteem and self-worth. It doesn't take long to realize that Emma may be putting up a facade of toughness.

Despite the trouble she gets in, Emma is very likable - she's an animal lover, that's clear. Plus she has dyslexia, making her unique in YA, as well as more relatable. Joanna Philbin is excellent as portraying the hidden hurts in those who pretend to be unaffected - the fear in the "fearless".

The Daughters Join the Party is subtly poignant and insightful. We are shown the struggle to feel wanted, needed, and competent - and it's executed simply and intimately. This final book manages to be fun, addictive, and satisfying just like the others! Plus, we always get a good, hearty dash of romance in there, too!

Though it's a great way to end the series, I don't think I'll ever accept that we can't rejoin these characters in the future. Their lives are fascinating and foreign to us, yet they are just like any other teen when it comes to growing up and realizing the need to mature.

Read the series from start to finish, and you'll see what I mean!

*I received a review copy of The Daughters Join the Party from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

The Eleventh Plague

2011-12-26T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Eleventh Plague is a futuristic dystopia YA novel from Jeff Hirsch.

The America we know is gone. Through a series of events and a brutal war, America was hit with something the survivors now call the Eleventh Plague. It was an airborne agent that caused a new, deadly strain of flu - and killed two-thirds of the population. Very few people are left. And many of those who are should be avoided.

Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn never saw any of the actual war or carnage, he was born after. His parents were already living a mobile life, finding happiness in their love, along with his grandfather. His family are salvagers, those who travel the desolate countryside looking for things of value and importance to trade for food, weapons, and clothes. It's their survival.

It's been many dark years since Stephen's mother died and it's been just him, his dad, and his grandpa. But when his grandfather dies - a mean, bitter, tough old man - trouble begins to snowball for the two remaining generations of Quinn men.

Stephen's dad seems lighter out from under his father's brooding, angry shadow - and when he sees a couple of Slavers (a different kind of survivor, those who buy and sell people for their livelihood, as well as snatch them up whenever they can), he intervenes. One thing Stephen's grandfather always stressed was not to intervene - keep to your own business, protect yourself.

And in Stephen's father's heroic moment, he is injured so badly that he is in a coma. And Stephen is suddenly all alone. But then he meets up with people from a place called Settler's Landing - a community with houses and civility and even a school! It seems impossible and suspicious to someone who has grown up like Stephen...

When things spiral out of control, Stephen knows that he was right - nothing as good and well-intentioned as Settler's Landing was meant to last after the Eleventh Plague...

The Eleventh Plague is very effective in the beginning in setting a grim, stark tone of a world completely different from ours - but realistic enough to believe, making it scarier. It's a dirty, unpleasant life surrounded by multiple dangers - but you root for Stephen right away.

Jeff Hirsch has created a well-done, good, futuristic world that is hopeless - yet hopeful. Especially as we come to Settler's Landing. There's a tone of classic paranoia and survivor-instinct in The Eleventh Plague. Yet, for me, the most fascinating thing about the story was Stephen's psychological adjustment. His distrust warring with his deep-set desire for a place to call home, a place to be safe is certainly effective.

I don't want to give too much away, as the premise is already meaty enough - but I'll say that The Eleventh Plague is a very good novel - and will find many fans, I'm sure. I liked it quite a bit, but the last third or fourth of the story just didn't keep me as hooked as I expected. I was still very satisfied with the novel overall, I just wasn't jumping up and down about it.

It happens. But - of course - you may jump up and down with book-love! So go pick up a copy! :)

How to Save a Life

2011-12-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

How to Save a Life is a YA contemporary novel by Sara Zarr.

Jill MacSweeney has managed to sabotage all of her friendships, and even her longtime relationship, while grieving her father's death. Her Dad understood her, they were alike. Now, Jill feels so achingly alone. But then her Mom decides she wants to adopt a baby. Jill hates the idea of replacing her Dad with a new family member, and is frustrated with the way her Mom is going about it.

Mandy Kalinowski is pregnant. She arrives at the MacSweeney home a little further from her delivery date than they expect. She just couldn't stay at home any longer. She couldn't be around her Mom and her Mom's boyfriend one more second. So, she fudged the details a bit. Mrs. MacSweeney seemed like a nice person. She didn't mean to lie, she just knew that something had to be done. She's determined to give her baby a better life than she's had with a family that actually wants her. Like Mandy's never had...

How to Save a Life is extraordinary. It's told from both perspectives, switching narrators every chapter. The premise sounds simple enough, but it's when the plot line is straightforward that you can see just how amazing an author is - and Sara Zarr is amazing!

This novel brings grief to the table. In it, we experience the major life changes through the stark, raw, realistic voices of two young women in pain: Mandy and Jill. Each of them are awkward is social situations, but in polar opposite ways. Jill is grumpy and a bit selfish, but entirely relatable as she isolates herself in her utter sadness. Then we have Mandy who is talkative and sweet, but doesn't realize that she puts people off with her forwardness. She doesn't read signals well. Both of these girls intrigued me from the get-go, and Sara Zarr fleshed them out so thoroughly and believably, that by the end of How to Save a Life I was fully invested in them both. In fact, I was fully invested way before the end.

How to Save a Life feels personal, intimate, honest and messy - like life. Sara Zarr's characters talk like real teens, make choices like real teens, and are overall some of the most relatable characters in the YA world. Sara Zarr is becoming an author like Sarah Dessen for me, poetic and poignant and inspiring through the painful times of life.

I cannot stress enough how beautiful, sincere and absolutely touching How to Save a Life is! I mean, whoa - tear-jerker alert! This is a stunning must-read - I implore you to read it!!!

*I received a copy of How to Save a Life from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity no way influenced, or tried to influence, my opinion of the novel.

**By the way - Merry Christmas! Have a wonderful weekend full of presents and family fun - and hopefully many new books!!! :)

Faerie Winter

2011-12-22T00:30:00.000-08:00

Faerie Winter is the YA dystopia fantasy sequel to Bones of Faerie, both by Janni Lee Simner.

I strongly recommend reading Bones of Faerie before reading any synopsis' or reviews of Faerie Winter. If you have yet to do so, I suggest avoiding this review and picking up a copy of Bones of Faerie. Then, after you are riveted by it's story, come back here. Okay?

As I've said before, as a rather crazed, eccentric bibliophile I not only shun spoilers like they'll give me the plague, I also don't read the book jacket unless I absolutely have to. Especially when it comes to sequels. I'm just weird that way. Maybe you are to. We bibliophiles tend to be strange, right? But that's what gives us our charm!

Anyway, if you've already read Bones of Faerie - I would hope that the fact that you loved it is more than enough reason to pick up Faerie Winter. If so, skim over the next few paragraphs to get to my opinion of it, without reading the summary. However, if you want a little idea of what happens in Faerie Winter, read on. It'll be lightweight though, nothing more than bare bones - so you can be swept away by the magic of it all, like I was!

Liza found her mother in the world of faerie - nearly dead from radiation poisoning. Now she's back, but their relationship is still strained. She now knows that every child that began to get magical abilities knew to go to her mother, except for her. She had no idea. Her mother kept it from her. She didn't trust her with the secret.

Yet Liza's own powers of Summoning have manifested now, and it is her talents that are now drawing forth life - sometimes even beyond death - and driving away dangers from her family and town. One of those dangers was her father, whom she's banished. With him gone, those with magical abilities aren't as frightened and are finding a semblance of acceptance and learning - though not all in the town are happy with it.

As Liza struggles to get a handle on what she can now do, and grows closer to Matthew - the boy that can turn into a wolf that went with her on the dangerous journey of searching for her mother - the world around them, which has been stuck in a state of perpetual life since the War between humanity and faerie ended, is suddenly deadened. It's winter now, and the crops aren't growing - starvation looms.

Thing is, this doesn't feel like an ordinary winter. There's something dark and purposeful behind it. And Liza realizes she's going to have to come into her powers more and face the stories told by her mother and others who lived in the days the faeries walked among them, fighting them, before she can confront it...

Faerie Winter returns us to Liza and company soon after Bones of Faerie ended, and takes us a whole lot further.

Wow! Faerie Winter, for me, was an improvement on it's predecessor - and that's saying something, because I was quite impressed with Bones of Faerie! But Faerie Winter has an ever stronger plot, more romantic hints, and a more complicated look at human nature, as well as deeper, darker mystery. It didn't take me long at all to be liking - no, strike that - loving it!!!

This is an original coming-of-age story in the midst of a ruined, post-apocalyptic world. The mother-daughter dynamic feels so realistic, painful, and ordinary, while taking place in the war ravaged world. Makes for an amazing fantasy thriller.

In Faerie Winter, the stakes are even higher, the danger feels even stronger - truly frightening and suspenseful. I was hooked as new characters were introduced and Jannie Lee Simner delved deeper in the all-encompassing fear that she presents us as we see the darker side of faeries. Absolutely gripping!

Faeire Winter was fantastic! It's startling, gruesome, scary, and most certainly a page-turner! Simner's lovely and poetic way of writing meshes with the fantasy/magic plot to present a novel with character development, nerve-wracking twists, and a hunger for more. Much more.

I seriously want more novels featuring Liza!!! Faerie Winter was just too good, too satisfying, too amazing of a treat for fantasy/dystopia bibliophile fans (of any age, honestly) to be the end. You can't do that to us, Janni!

What say you, fellow bibliophiles? Shall we start a petition?

Bones of Faerie

2011-12-21T00:30:00.000-08:00

Bones of Faerie is a YA fantasy/dystopia novel by Janni Lee Simner.

It's been many years since the War - when faeries crossed over to our world and began attacking with their powerful magic, turning even the plants violent. The modern world fell, or so they've told fifteen-year-old Liza, and many died because of magic and those who brought it here. It's been many years since the faerie folk left, but the results remain.

New rules apply now. Everybody knows not go out alone in the dark. Everybody knows not to touch a stone that glows with faerie light. Everybody knows to cast out those who are born with magic, before it can eradicate the town.

That's how Liza's baby sister died. She was born with the glass-clear hair of a faerie, so Liza's father immediately took the baby outside and left it. Liza's mind can't forget the image of her sister's bloody bones in the moonlight.

And then the next day, Liza's mother disappeared. Nobody expects her to live, wandering around alone in such dangerous lands - so her father gives her up for dead. Now it's just the two of them.

But the brutality of her father haunts her... and after witnessing an event that turns everything she knows to be true upside down, Liza escapes the town to find answers - and her mother.

I had very high expectations for Bones of Faeries - the excerpt was chilling and the reviews are excellent. And the opening did not disappoint! It was disturbing, sad, startling, and well-done - capturing my attention and keeping it.

Disquieting fear has taken hold of people after the faeries brought magic to our world - but the origins of the War and everything that happened was not witnessed by Liza, or us. So, we stand by Liza's side as we wonder if the story told is true, or shaped by the horrifyingly irrational, all-too-believable panic left behind.

Janni Lee Simner has created a dangerous world - in more ways than one. The journey she sets us on with Liza, who becomes an outcast, and the mysterious Matthew is one written simply and openly. I constantly wanted more details than I was getting, and Simner fed that hunger.

Bones of Faerie is a compelling novel mixing a dystopia with the fantasy of faeries. It met emotional peaks and plot depths that were quite good, but I thought might be even more powerful. It could be because my expectations were so high that I didn't think it was as fantastic as it could have been... I guess we'll see once I read Faerie Winter, the sequel.

Yet there is no question that Bones of Faerie is an excellent story with a likable heroine. Of that there is absolutely no question. I would put Bones of Faerie in the same category as Lois Lowry's The Gift, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger - magical realism with undercurrents of humanity becoming the biggest threat of all... Definitely worth the read!

Sound Bender

2011-12-20T00:30:00.000-08:00

Sound Bender is a middle-grade/YA sci-fi novel by Lin Oliver and Theo Baker.

Thirteen-year-old Leo Lomax has just lost both his parents in a plane crash. He and his brother Hollis go to live with their odd, wealthy uncle Crane. He deals rare (and possibly illegal?) antiques out of his Brooklyn warehouse. Soon after they move in, Leo receives a birthday present from his dad - something he sent before dying. It breaks Leo's heart as he reads the handwritten letter - he misses them so much.

But cutting through his grief is the message in his father's gift - new information on Leo's birth and hidden ability that may just now be beginning to show itself...

Leo's always been fascinated with sound, but now he's hearing things he logically shouldn't. When he picks up the spoon to eat his soup, he hears the cook arguing with her husband. And then he begins to hear something haunting - a cry, human-like and so very sad - and feels it is connected to an object in his uncle's warehouse that practically radiates evil.

Suddenly, Leo is faced with a new destiny. He's determined to help whatever's cry penetrates his mind, even if he has no idea how he's going to do it. Because, he must have been given this ability for a reason...

Sound Breaker is a goodhearted novel with a bit of mystery and suspicion as Leo's powers begin to manifest. I liked the solid friendship presented and the smartness of the characters, but I could quite connect to the book in an adult level. I wasn't as interested as I'd have liked to be, unfortunately.

For me, the dialogue didn't feel genuine 100% of the time and the writing felt like it could use a little more polishing, maybe, to be more accessible to older readers too. But I had nothing against Sound Breaker at all, just felt a bit ambivalent towards it.

Sound Breaker is a sweet-natured and well-intentioned book, which I appreciated. It got a tad heavy-handed with the lesson near the end - but it was a good lesson. I would recommend this book to nine to thirteen-year-olds, and think boys would like it.

Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer

2011-12-19T00:30:00.001-08:00

Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer is a YA mash-up by Cecily von Ziegesar.

It's a story most of us are familiar with. Except with more blood.

Serena van der Woodsen went off to boarding school right after a little indiscretion with Nate Archibald, her best friend Blair Waldorf's boyfriend. Now she's back and ready to make it all right - with a little homicide. After all, if Nate wasn't around, there'd be no reason for Serena and Blair's friendship to be strained. They could go back to being BFFs!

But Blair isn't all warm and fuzzy for the idea. She loves Nate, even if sometimes she feels like strangling him herself. And the fact that Serena can come back after being gone for so long and get away with murder - literally - while still looking gorgeous and blond makes Blair more than a little irritated. If Serena can do it, so can Blair.

But Blair can do it better.

Watch out Upper East Side...

Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer is the first mash-up/reimagining I have read. It certainly sounded interesting. I was a moderate fan of the series (read it through book seven), and liked the first couple seasons of the TV show. I thought this sounded like it might be satirically funny... but unfortunately, no. Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer was not for me.

We all have our own tastes and bibliophile preferences - so don't hesitate in trying the book out for yourself! However, for me, I found Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer to be very dry - and pretty much a copy of the original book with horror gore shoved in awkwardly. In my opinion, it had a lack of creativity, and instead just ended up being graphically violent and gross. Plus, the characters (especially Serena) became extremely unlikable to me.

I don't know. Like I said, this is only my opinion - you may completely disagree! It was just too bad that Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer rubbed me the wrong way. I felt there was a starvation of humor - it was more about being scandalous and disgustingly gory in a rather mean-spirited way. I wanted something more tongue-in-cheek, crazy, and clever.

This genre is probably just not for me. I couldn't get into it and ended up skimming through it.

Let me know if you disagree - I'd love for you to love it!

*I received a review copy of Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Lips Touch: Three Times

2011-12-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

Lips Touch: Three Times is a YA fantasy collaboration of three novellas by Laini Taylor, with illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo.

Three teens girls who have lived entirely different lives, and never cross each others paths, find out how monumental a kiss can be. Especially when it may have unintended consequences.

In Goblin Fruit, the first novella in Lips Touch: Three Times, we meet Kizzy. Kizzy has lived a very strange life with a very odd family, making her an outcast at school and in life. But then a very good-looking new guy at her local high school seems to take a surprising interest in her. Why?

Then we have Spicy Little Curses Such as These, in which we come across a girl who has been cursed from babyhood to have the most beautiful voice in the world - but to have that voice kill every ear who hears it. She has lived as a mute, believing the curse real. But when she falls in love for the first time, her surety falters and wonders if she dare risk speaking aloud and testing it for certain.

And finally we have the third novella Hatchling. In this one we're introduced to a fourteen-year-old girl who finds out that her ever-traveling lifestyle she shares with her beloved, beautiful mother has to do with running away from a past that is neither beloved nor beautiful. A past that has to do with another world - one where a stunning, powerful queen keeps little girls as pets until they reach childbearing age...

Laini Taylor impressed me with Daughter of Smoke & Bone, which I read and reviewed pretty recently. So, I was extra excited for Lips Touch: Three Times. It already looked cool - but now I knew for a fact that Laini Taylor is a great writer, too!

Goblin Fruit is a great way to start the novel, I think. It starts off darkly humorous and entrancing. It's disturbing, yet has fun, hilarious banter and witty dialogue to pepper the dreamlike fantasy of it. I kind of saw where Goblin Fruit was going, but still had no idea how it would end. Taylor is excellent at making a story feel truly otherworldly and creepy with an understated elegance. That skill is definitely on display in this first novella.

Spicy Little Curses Such as These is more romantic than the other two, in my opinion. Again Laini Taylor takes us to a dark place, but weaves a sweet first love scenario in it. Our mute girl and the soldier who loves her both have valid reasons for both fearing and doubting the curse that keeps her quiet. We get a stunning amount of human, emotional depth in such a small amount of pages. This is clever, smart, and surprising story.

Hatchling is my favorite. I loved all three, but Hatchling is so deliciously wrong and unsettling, so creative and different - it was magnetic. The methodical unfolding of this mother-daughter story has a slew of twists and raw pain and love. Laini Taylor could probably expand all three of these novellas into amazing full-length novels and build on these tales even further. Truly a stunning, magical, sometimes quite grim fantasy triple-play that is quite satisfying.

Lips Touch: Three Times has the kind of writing that you can sink your teeth into, the kind of writing you want to read aloud to hear the poetic rhythm of, the kind of writing you enjoy the flavorful, vibrant, lively, fairy-tale beauty of. It's definitely a book to appreciate and devour again. And the illustrations are perfect - lovely graphics to bring an ever stronger sense of magic and hypnotic mythology.

Fan of fantasy, fairy-tales, and/or magical realism? Grab Lips Touch: Three Times!

Bunheads

2011-12-15T00:30:00.000-08:00

Bunheads is a YA contemporary novel by debut author and former dancer Sophie Flack.

Nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward lives, breathes, and dreams ballet. Since she was a very young girl, she knew she wanted to be a dancer. Her parents took her to dance lessons - but then at fourteen she was offered the chance to move to New York, alone, and join the super-prestigious Manhattan Ballet company.

Her focus and drive is entirely centered on dance. She's always either rehearsing, performing, or conditioning. One of these days she hopes to get noticed in the crowd of beautiful, talented dancers and be singled out for a solo. If only she can stay thin enough, strong enough, and passionate enough.

That's never been a problem before. But then Hannah meets Jacob.

He's a college student, a musician, and incredibly cute. And interested in her. He's a nice guy, their conversations are fun, and their attraction seems to be mutual. But he's not a dancer. He doesn't understand her life. How can he?

All of a sudden Hannah's entire universe shifts - her perspective changes. She begins to notice how much pressure she's under, how she has next to no time for a life outside of her career - things that never bothered her in the past. Yet now she has the potential of more, of something new and exciting - and she's missing it.

While shifting through the backstage drama, competition that never de-escalates, and her own personal dreams and career goals, Hannah realizes that she has to make a choice.

Professional dancer... or normal girl?

Bunheads instantly placed me in the world of pro ballet where cattiness, competition, and dreams are clearly fierce right from the start. It has a a truly interesting and unique perspective, but I'll be honest - Bunheads didn't pop for me right away.

However, it didn't take too long and didn't require too much patience to begin settling into the story and become fascinated with the inside details that longtime dancer Sophie Flack is able to provide - and the work ethic and passion that demands respect and awe. Once I started to see how Hannah's life is held back by her devotion, I began to get invested in the story and really care what happened to her.

There's a maturity and realism to Bunheads that interested me - I rooted for Hannah to have more, yet also didn't want her to give up her dreams. She's worked so long and so hard at one goal, you can feel the utter heartwrenching pain of her choice.

Bunheads is a coming-of-age, turnpoint-in-life kind of story that Sophie Flack gives raw, stark depth to. At times it is painful to read, because Flack makes it easy to understand and sympathize with the life of a dancer, even though that kind of single-minded drive at such a young age may be foreign to most of us.

I was amazed at the eventual reaction Bunheads got from me. This debut novel is goosebump inspiring and empowering! Here we have a fresh, clear, bright novel that convinced me of its relevance and utter worth, slowly but surely! I hope Sophie Flack provides more reading material soon!!!

Wow! Bunheads is a powerful surprise! My bibliophile opinion? You should read this!

*I received a review copy of Bunheads from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Unleashed

2011-12-14T00:30:00.000-08:00

Unleashed is the first novel in a new YA supernatural series called Wolf Spring Chronicles, co-written by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie.

Though sixteen-year-old Katelyn McBride is devastated, she can't find the energy to fight it when her grandfather insists she move to a small town in Arkansas to live with him when Katelyn's mother dies. The mixture of the shock of being an orphan so suddenly and the guilt that lingers in her over her drugged, helpless state at the time of her mother's death (a painkiller prescribed by her gymnastics coach) has left her semi-catatonic.

She's only partially aware of the fact that moving away from California is also taking her away from her best friend, her life, and all of her big hopes and plans for a future of dance and gymnastics - something she's been training for, for years. Once the reality of it does come crashing down on her, her grief expands.

For now, though, she's stuck trying to start over in Wolf Springs. Katelyn soon finds some distraction from her mourning as the inhabitants of the town seem odd and secretive. And it doesn't take long to find out that it might not be the safest of places... a girl her age was found dead in the woods recently - apparently the deed of a wild animal.

This is a place of longtime roots, grudges, century-old families, forbidden love, and perhaps sinister intentions. Maybe even something... not entirely human.

And now Katelyn McBride is in the thick of it.

Unleashed is a very entertaining and magnetic novel - and I can tell you right now that I'm glad it's the first in a series!!!

There is certainly a sadness to Unleashed as poor Katelyn misses her Mom. I felt for her very quickly. But her new home in Arkansas with her grandpa is certainly spooky and full of unspoken mysteries and danger. We've got hot guys, creepy occurrences, and secrets galore that had me whipping through pages!

Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie have supplied a fun, blockbuster-feel book with weird, suspicious families, bizarre animal attacks, and an oddly standoffish vibe from her new friends that puts Katelyn in a lonely, relatable situation. I liked that they took the time to make me care about our main character, but never really slowed down the plot of Unleashed - it kept moving.

A horror story fusion with supernatural romance = awesome collaboration! Unleashed is the kind of story that envelopes you and whisks you away with it - pure escapism entertainment! Plus, there's a sweet family element and bits of humor that balance out the overall intensity and secretive nature of the book.

And I always appreciate sneaking in a little Shakespeare - and I don't think it's just me when I say there's a creative twist on King Lear in here... Very cool!

Unleashed is certainly suspenseful and scary - so of course how else could they finish the book but a cliffhanger?

I definitely want more. Now.

And I'm guessing most of you will want the same thing...

The Fox Inheritance

2011-12-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Fox Inheritance is a YA sci-fi novel by Mary E. Pearson.

Locke and Kara have been in a disembodied nightmare for a very long time. Their minds simply floating around, confused, frightened, and helpless in a digital world of nothingness.

What they don't know is that after they and their friend Jenna Fox were in fatal accident their minds were kept alive, even though their bodies were destroyed. But Jenna left them a long time ago - it's just been Locke and Kara.

Just Locke and Kara. For two hundred and sixty years.

Forgotten, abandoned, and tucked away in ignorance until finally being found, released, and given brand new, perfect bodies based off of old pictures and tiny pieces of DNA off their original bodies. Though Locke is a little taller, his eyes greener than he remembers, and more muscular overall - improvements?

But not only are their bodies unfamiliar and wrong, somehow... they've awakened to a world completely different from the one they left. Their families, their neighborhoods, their lives... gone. New technology astounds them, some disturbing, some amazing.

Only Locke and Kara understand what the other is going through - the remaining effects of living in limbo for centuries, the bizarreness of waking up to fabricated bodies and expected to be grateful...

Yet among it all is a profound sense of betrayal as they learn that their best friend, the third member of their trio - Jenna Fox - is alive and well... and never tried to help them.

The Fox Inheritance is a sequel to The Adoration of Jenna Fox, a book that floored me. I don't think a sequel was planned necessarily but Mary E. Pearson has now provided us with one - and... oh my. This is a stunning, extraordinarily well-written, brilliant reintroduction to the world of Jenna Fox - this time from Locke's point of view, two hundred and sixty amazing years later. Wow.

I obviously kept the synopsis a bit sparse - as always not wanting to give away much of anything. And really, if you've read The Adoration of Jenna Fox than I'm sure you're clamoring for this! If you haven't, I wouldn't say you necessarily have to read it first - but I would recommend it. They tie together in a way that is even more powerful when read as a pair.

The Fox Inheritance is a psychological thriller, heavily suspenseful, poetically penned, hypnotic, and lovely. Mary E. Pearson provides the kind of creativity, intelligence, and breathless action that crosses genre lines and YA specifications and should be read by any individual that appreciates fantastic, smart literature, in my opinion!

The heart-rending compassion of it, the astonishing character development, and the never-ending line of unexpected, terrifying twists make for a harrowing, beautiful, painful story that is touching and inspiring. The Fox Inheritance made me cry!

Mary E. Pearson gives me hope for a third installment in the acknowledgments - oh, I hope there is more to this disarming, unique story!

The Fox Inheritance is a book to remember, savor, and share!!!

The Faerie Ring

2011-12-12T00:30:00.001-08:00

The Faerie Ring is a Victorian-era YA fantasy by Kiki Hamilton.

It's December in 1871 London and sixteen-year-old Tiki is determined to make a home for herself and her makeshift family of fellow orphans. They live in a hidden shelter that gives them a roof and a door, making them better off than many other souls in the same situation. They've been forced to pick pockets to eat, but that won't pay for the scary sounding cough coming from little four-year-old Clara...

But then Tiki lands herself in a situation when she steals a beautiful, mesmerizing ring hoping it will be the end of her family's struggles and beginning of a new life for them. Instead, it sets off a series of events that position Tiki in the middle of a war between humans and Fey.

Before they died, Tiki's parents told her stories about faeries - but she never imagined they were real.

In fact, she continues to disbelieve it - but Rieker, a handsome, enigmatic, fellow thief, is the one telling her about the faeries, and insists that she give him the ring. He says that she's in danger. But that could also be his own way of collecting the reward, couldn't it? And Tiki is not giving up the reward for anything - her family depends on it.

And about that reward - it's from Queen Victoria herself. Yes, only Tiki could accidentally steal a ring stolen by royalty!

Soon, though, the evidence seems to be piling up. Tiki begins to wonder if it's true - that this ring is a symbol that binds the rulers of England and the world of Faerie to peace - a treaty that a certain factor of dark faeries want to break. Rieker tells her that now that the ring is outside the possession of the royal family, the faeries can take the ring and end the truce - and take over London.

Tiki suddenly finds herself in the middle of a war she's never cared about or known of, enlisting help from a fellow thief and maybe even a prince - pretending to be the lady she was meant to be before her parents' died, attending masked balls and the like, yet still returning to the dirty slums of her home - and the love of her little adopted family.

She never meant for this...

The Faerie Ring was awesome! When I heard the description, I thought, "Mmmm, Victorian era London and magic? Yes, please!" Because there is almost nothing I like better than mixing historical time periods with fantasy. It is just undeniably awesome. At least to me.

There is a mixture of utter fun and truly nerve-wracking suspense in The Faerie Ring. Tiki's situation and Clara's illness makes you heartsick, not to mention makes you care very quickly. Has a December/winter feel that creates a cozy, settle-in-your-chair-as-it-snows-outside read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Then we get a little bit of resistant romantic chemistry between her and the dashing Rieker, which is always a good thing when done well - and guess what? It's done well! But one of the most charming things about The Faerie Ring was Tiki's loyalty and devotion to her family of fellow orphans. I never, ever go for stealing - but Kiki Hamilton provides enough reason and understanding to lend sympathy and forgiveness to a bunch of desperate kids.

And, oooh, the faeries are creepy! I don't want to give too much away, so I'm a bit limited in how much I can say, but I truly felt the scorch of rage, the prickle of fear, and the nagging feeling of being watched and threatened. Mash all that up with Buckingham Palace, dazzling gowns, a little Cinderella situation, intrigue and spying, and a dash of adventure and you've got yourself The Faerie Ring!

I really, really want another book featuring these characters - even though the ending was so downright perfect! In my opinion, this is a perfect Christmastime read - providing an entertaining, eventful, involving read that left me happy and satisfied!

Please, Kiki? May I have some mo' please?

Fox & the Peach

2011-12-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

Fox & the Peach is a YA fantasy novel by Nick Thaler.

In 1580 feudal Japan, teenage Momo is finding herself thrust into a battle she never sought out. She was found as a wounded fox and cared for as a potential pet by a young developmentally challenged boy - but imagine the family's surprise when she soon turned into a girl!

She's a kitsune, a girl who turns into a fox. Momo loves the boy who took her in, he is her "brother". But Momo isn't completely human, and she's not completely animal. She's wilder than humans but tamer than the foxes she tries to run with while in that form - it seems like no matter what, she's alone. And her "father" is demanding that she remain human if she stays with them any longer - but how can she do that? That would be suppressing her very nature.

In the meantime, without Momo being aware of it, the warlord Oda Nobunga is rising to power and enlisting the skill and help of various mythical creatures such as tengu, kappa, and oni (a type of ninja assassin with special powers). Soon, Momo becomes a target of these efforts and suddenly is thrown into a world where she meets people with different abilities - but she seems to be in constant danger. Even those who seem to protect her don't have her best efforts at heart - so she escapes with another girl, Kei, who can turn into a cat.

But can Momo, a girl whose loneliness and naivete shine like a beacon, survive all be herself in a world she doesn't fit in? In a world where she's hunted?

Fox & the Peach starts with a disturbing, creepy introduction to Nobunga's ninja assassins. The chapter title has the word "slaughter" in it for a reason! Nick Thaler definitely set the tone for danger and deadly intent for our villains right off!

Also, when we first meet Momo he also sets a tone. This one is of sadness - she already feels like an outsider, but also is getting rejected by her adopted family because of her ability. She's a sweet girl but has a rebellious streak - she refuses to stop turning into a fox.

We're a bit thrown into the story, but Thaler does his job at making it intriguing! For me, as the novel continued I did get a little confused. Perhaps Fox & the Peach was more convoluted than necessary? I'm not sure what it was, but I could never fully and completely invest in Momo and the haberdashery of other characters we're introduced to. Yet I was aware and appreciative of how very different and unique Fox & the Peach is!

Fox & the Peach is surprisingly dark, melancholy, packed with mystery, and takes focus to enjoy at it's full capacity. The threat against our main character certainly feels dire - and deadly. So, Nick Thaler is very successful at that! Plus, Fox & the Peach is stocked with Japanese ancient culture, legends, and a manga-like vibe, which will be enjoyed by many readers.

I personally didn't feel it met my bibliophile needs, but I can't put my finger as to why. All I can think is that the mange-like vibe was so strong, that despite the danger being potent it never felt real to me. And without the story feeling real, I could never care as much I would have liked. But, like I said, I believe this is a novel that many of you will enjoy - especially those of you who are fans of that genre!!!

In fact, I'd like to read it again when I have time to do so (Ha! That's a laugh, right?), because I do believe it could benefit from a reread.

Go ahead and pick up a copy of Fox & Peach and settle in! This could be the perfect match for you!

The Shattering

2011-12-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Shattering is a YA mystery with a bit of the supernatural thrown in by Karen Healey.

Keri has spent almost all seventeen years of her life planning for every event she can imagine. Before she broke her arm when she was seven, she already knew what she should say and do if it were to happen. When that proved to be a good thing, she began to plan for everything else.

But she never thought to plan what to do if her brother committed suicide.

Shattered with grief, she is approached by a childhood friend, Janna. Janna's brother also suddenly took his life, though many years earlier. Yet instead of approaching her as an old friend that understands the pain, she drops a bombshell on Keri.

She tells Keri it was murder. Janna wants Keri to meet up with a tourist she knows named Sione, a guy about their age, who also lost a brother to suicide. She says he has some answers.

The three teens begin looking at stats and find something very disturbing. Every year there is a boy killed - every one of them is an older brother and every one of them spent New Year's Eve in their idyllic town of Summerton. But as the three grieving siblings begin to uncover startling secrets and try to find justice for their loved ones, their information casts suspicion on those close to them.

And it's about time for another victim to be picked. Can they save them? Can they save themselves?

The Shattering was one of the best mystery books I have read in a looong time!!!

Each of our three main characters has an engaging, lively, personality-filled narration that is individual to each character and instantly involves you in a plot that is quickly hypnotic and creepy. Keri is sympathetic yet funny and likable, Janna is wild and maybe a little desperate and lonely, and Sione is lacking in self-esteem.

Karen Healey throws us into The Shattering with a brisk, fast pace that, for me, is even better than Guardian of the Dead (her previous novel). It's a supernatural mystery with twists and turns like crazy, grounded, believable characters and surprising revelations around every corner! Wow!!!

If you want to be entertained, surprised and freaked out a bit - you really need to read The Shattering. I absolutely loved it from start to finish and was turning pages like an insane bibliophile! Oh wait. I am an insane bibliophile. But still, believe me, this book is excellent! It's unexpected, scary, creepy, fascinating, and utterly gripping!

I was breathless reading the last pages - nervous, excited, and overwhelmed. Shock after shock threw me, tossed me around, and finally sat me down wholly satisfied and impressed. Holy crap! Very, very smart and extremely well plotted, let me tell you!

Want a little murder mystery? Want a little more than that? How about a whole lot more than that? Read The Shattering.

*I received a review copy of The Shattering from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret+The Hugo Movie Companion

2011-12-07T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a children's novel in words and pictures by Brian Selznick.

I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't already found this gem. I'm a bit late to the party. But now the movie Hugo is coming out and my interest in the original book was renewed, so here I am!

It's 1931 in France and orphaned Hugo spends his days keeping the clocks at a Paris train station, determined to convince everybody that his Uncle is still around (he was the clock keeper) and not cause them to visit the small apartment he lives in by himself and find out her is without a guardian. He knows he'd be sent to an orphanage.

Sometimes going to an orphanage doesn't sound all that bad when Hugo struggles to find food and resorts to thievery, something he despises and knows his deceased father would have frowned upon. But going to an orphanage would wrench him from his last connection to his father - a mechanical man, an automaton that the two of them had been working on right up to the moment he died.

Hugo's whole life now seems to depend on fixing the automaton. This very secret ambition ends up interlocking with a bitter old man who runs a toy booth and an eccentric, book-loving girl. Hugo's anonymity has been endangered, but he can't change it.

The mystery of the automaton is beginning to unravel, with more secrets than he ever could have imagined. Hugo just hopes his life doesn't unravel along with it...

Wow. What an experience! The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a big, heavy novel with 284 pages of original drawings and an almost equal amount of pages of narrative. The gorgeous pencil drawings give an illusion of a black and white silent film - undeniably engrossing!

I can see why this novel won medals and praise! The actual words of The Invention of Hugo Cabret evoke a poignant, sad story brought to life as we follow a young, mourning orphaned boy in his fascinating quest to fix a mysterious automaton and delve into the secrets that Hugo hopes it holds.

The setup and layout of the book makes it feel special - which it is. The Invention of Hugo Cabret has a bit of steampunk flavor with great clockwork interest and a dash of adventure. It spurs the imagination, as well as the emotion, and sucks you in as the secrets pile up, secrets you want to explore along with Hugo.

There were quite a few "wow" moments. I was happily surprised at how considerably deep and mystery-drenched The Invention of Hugo Cabret is for both young, old, and in-between. I was utterly enchanted and held in it's unique grip.

Brian Selznick created quite an effective, breathtaking, heartfelt, amazing, and touching story!!! I look forward to his next novel (also using drawings in a narrative manner) Wonderstruck.

My one-of-a-kind experience with The Invention of Hugo Cabret also made me more intrigued by the movie version of it coming out this month, directed by Martin Scorsese. So, I also delved into The Hugo Movie Companion, which is also written by Brian Selznick.

Apparently Brian Selznick doesn't do anything halfway, because The Hugo Movie Companion is just as special and most definitely a great follow-up to the original novel. In it we get full-color photographs for the movie and detailed information and interviews with the cast and crew.

It somehow makes the book even richer as we're allowed to delve deeper into Selznick's inspirations. It really made me fascinated with automatons, which are (shockingly) real. It also allows us an interesting look into Scorsese's perspective, a man who is clearly passionate about Hugo - always a good thing for the fans of the book.

The Hugo Movie Companion has intriguing and fun insight into the makings of a movie with lots of details on props, sets, costumes, and actors. I really enjoyed reading it - and I think any fan of The Invention of Hugo Cabret would, whether they plan on watching the movie or not.

Now, I have to be honest here - as much as I adored both books, a few things in The Hugo Movie Companion stuck out to me. A few changes, if you will. As a hard-core bibliophile I have a hard time with movies cutting and changing the story as they transform it into a film. I understand some allowances have to be made for time, but some things just seems unnecessary. For one thing, I saw no mention whatsoever of Etienne, a vital if small character from The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Also, the Station Inspector is being portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen in a way that looks far more comedic than I imagined in the novel. Maybe I was wrong, but I never took the character that way in the book. I may be being picky, but those hints kind of bothered me. Not to mention that the end seems different, an end that I was incredibly touched by.

However, overall Hugo looks to be a beautiful representation of The Invention of Hugo Cabret on the big screen and I'll still probably check it out. In the meantime, both books are an excellent addition to any bibliophile's bookshelf!

A Web of Air

2011-12-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

A Web of Air is the sequel to the YA dystopia/sci-fi novel Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve.

You know the drill. If you haven't read Fever Crumb, this review will inevitably spoil some stuff from the first book. Just don't read it, if this is the case. Go read the book, then come back and check out my review on the sequel. Okay? Okay!

Now all who have yet to read Fever Crumb should avert thine eyes...

Fever Crumb has spent the last two years on a traveling barge theater, a place she only expected to be temporarily. When she joined them she was only fourteen and trying to escape a radically changing London with Ruan and Fern, the two children of the deceased, kindly Kit Solent. Now sixteen, she has come to terms with the fact that she is half Scriven, but still has no real desire to return home. She misses Dr. Crumb, but she spends her time using her engineer skills to electrify the show and dazzle audiences. She finds theater, in general, to be ridiculous but it gives her a chance to use her abilities.

When the traveling barge stops at Mayda, a small seaside city in the corner of their ruined world, she meets someone. His name is Arlo Thursday - and he's brilliant. His focus is on flight, something almost no one believes is possible. But his drive and creativity spur something in Fever. It's been so long since she's been around other scientific minds and the mere possibility of flying is an amazing one.

But it's also dangerous. The last to try it plummeted to his death. And beyond the expected danger of science lurks a more sinister threat involving flight as well...

A Web of Air is fantastic!!! I was anticipating greatness after just finishing Fever Crumb, but I was blown away by how A Web of Air manages to be even better paced than the first! Wowza!

We catch up with Fever two years later, and she's still lovable and occasionally frustrating in that nonsocial manner of hers. She's still an awesome, unique character that grows and finds a place in your heart. Traveling outside of London was interesting. It was very cool to see another part of this crumbling, futuristic world with a different culture, belief system, and dangers.

Philip Reeve so expertly introduces us to Arlo - the enigmatic, eccentric young man that becomes the sole obsession of Fever's mind. But in typical Fever fashion, it's not romance on her mind but science. Reeve keeps this all so gripping and phenomenally fast-paced, you wouldn't guess it by my not-so-impressive synopsis. The level of threat, danger, murder, and mystery is even better, scarier, and more stunning!!!

A Web of Air takes what was great about Fever Crumb and accelerates it. This is a harrowing, heart-wrenching, startling, horrifying, and brilliant look at human nature in a world that is practically starting over. It's more than entertainment, it enriches your mind with a plot that is intelligent. Any age can find excellence and creativity here.

You guessed it - I want more!!!

Fever Crumb

2011-12-05T00:30:00.000-08:00

Fever Crumb is a futuristic dystopia YA novel with dashes of old-fashioned steampunk and clockwork sci-fi by Philip Reeve.

Fever has not had an ordinary childhood. She has been raised since infancy by her adopted guardian, Dr. Crumb, a member of the Order of Engineers and sheltered in one of the last remaining relics of the Scriven era (a past tyrannical race that been cruel and mad before finally being overrun by angry Londoners). She's been surrounded by intensely rational minds that do not find anything redemptive in imagination or emotion.

This is all Fever knows, and she's just fine with that. In fact, she has garnered an extraordinary knowledge of engines and science in a time when women are not considered reasonable creatures. She's the only female exception in the Order of Engineers.

But as she has been accepted as an apprentice, Fever is now fourteen and expected to make her first foray outside her home to assist archaeologist Kit Solvent. He has made some kind of discovery, which he is keeping incredibly secret, and needs help uncovering it. It involves a mysterious, never-before-found room that belonged to Auric Godshawk, the last of the Scriven leaders - long dead and hated.

Once Fever arrives, after making her way through a paranoid and irrational London, she finds that being around this secret room is doing something to her. She is seeing things. Almost like memories. But they are not hers. She's never before left the Order of Engineers, so these images are impossible for her to remember. So, why, when she looks upon these locations, does she sometimes see a party where there is no party? Why does she feel older than she is? And why does she no longer feel safe?

After living for years with a very calm, rational mind dedicated to science and thinking - and being surrounded with the like - Fever is now for the first time... afraid.

Fever Crumb is quite something. I read it knowing I would get the chance to read the sequel, A Web of Air, right after. I wanted to start the story from the beginning, of course, which is why I got my hands on Fever Crumb. It has great reviews - and I can see why!!!

It has an intriguing start with an unfamiliar, strange future London and an obviously sweeping mythology that I was more than ready to get swept up in. We aren't told what year we're in but it's clear it is sometime in the distant future (cell phones are called the technology of the Ancients) with whispers of our own past. It caught my attention and never let go.

Fever Crumb as a story is a captivating mishmash of mystery, sci-fi, dystopia, and character development. Fever's history (as well as London's as a city) seems like a concoction of both truth and lies. And as our main character begins recalling things she shouldn't for no apparent reason and she begins getting tracked by a potential enemy, the suspense increases.

I loved Fever Crumb, the book and the character. The character is incredibly interesting - self-possessed, completely "rational", strong, and rather standoffish without really meaning to be. She is different from any other YA character I can think of. Combining that kind of iconic, likable yet odd, character with a broken, crumbling London that reeks with suspicion, danger, fear and intrigue is awesome!

Fever Crumb has stunning developments that reward a patient reader who recognizes an excellent slow-burn when they see one. There's a haunted quality that kept me hooked and desperate for the same answers as Fever. Philip Reeve has enormous creativity and imagination, not only as he creates an entirely new world but as he populates it with a mad dash of old and new technology.

And as Fever Crumb turns into a pulse-pounding survival story (no spoilers here!), it becomes more urgent, scary, gripping, and edge-of-you-seat. That's never, ever a bad thing!

It was quite good. Quite something, as I said earlier. In my opinion, Fever Crumb is definitely accessible to older readers because of its depth and maturity. Not to mention any fan of steampunk, dystopia, or sci-fi will enjoy it - period.

I look forward to following Fever further into A Web of Air!

So Silver Bright

2011-12-02T00:30:00.000-08:00

So Silver Bright is the third and final book in the YA fantasy trilogy Theatre Illuminata by Lisa Mantchev.

As a HUGE fan of both of the first novels in this trilogy, Eyes Like Stars and Perchance to Dream, I implore you not to spoil yourself by reading this review unless you've already read the previous two. These books are just too amazing to ruin. Instead, read my reviews of the first two books here and here.

Assuming the only remaining readers are fellow fans of this trilogy, without further ado...

Bertie and her theatre troupe are almost done with their quest. Or so they think. Bertie has successfully rescued Nate from the Sea Goddess and somehow they all made it out of that situation alive. She's met her father, and learned a bit more about her own powers. Only one thing remains: reunite her father the Scrimshander with her mother, Ophelia, at the Theatre Illuminata, as she promised.

Nothing is ever easy for Bertie, though. She can't find her dad, the Sea Goddess is out for a deadly revenge, and the Theatre seems to be in more danger than ever - not to mention her Mom. Among everything else, Bertie still can't choose between her love for Ariel and her love for Nate - a situation that is straining both of the long held friendships.

But she has received a summons to perform for Her Gracious Majesty, Queen of the Distant Castle - one that could result in a magical reward called a wish-come-true, if she can only please the temperamental Queen.

Yet even if she does win, which wish does she use it on?

When I bought So Silver Bright, I allowed myself a luxury I have not afforded myself often at all this year: rereading the first two books. I just love these books so much!!! I needed to reorient myself to Bertie and her troupe. I'm still floored by the whimsical, dramatic, all-together-original imagination of the novels!!! I was definitely suffering from the bibliophile syndrome when awaiting a chance to delve into this FINAL book!!!

As So Silver Bright opened in all it's romantic fantasy glory, I realized I'm as stuck between Nate and Ariel as Bertie is. I also was instantly enchanted by the magical wonder of it all, the enigmatic, incomprehensible time period, and beyond pleased to be back in the company of the mischievous, crazy, irresistible fairies!

This novel has more delicious, yet heartbreaking, tension of the romantic nature and a renewed sense of strong danger for Bertie and her friends. I was getting really nervous in some scenes!!! Oh my. It's hard to really describe how entrenched I was and how bittersweet I always felt, knowing this would be the last time I got to spend time with these extraordinary characters in a "new" capacity. But if you're a fan of the trilogy already, I'm sure you understand.

I had absolutely no idea how this unbelievably awesome, sweeping trilogy would end - but I was eating it up like a starving fairy! So Silver Bright is a nerve-wracking, exquisitely unique, painful, tear-jerking, beautiful end to a phenomenal, majestic story - truly a magnificent finale.

No matter how old you are, no matter whether you're a fan of the theatre and classic plays or not, no matter what - you really, really, really need to read So Silver Bright!!! I know that there will be some people whose personality will not agree (and of course that's just fine), but I find it hard to believe there are many people who won't be persuaded by the utter charm and fantastical loveliness this tale provides in spades.

I loved it!!!

*BIBLIOPHILE SUPPORT GROUP ALERT*
Remember, starting next week I will be posting a new review every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! Make sure to stop by every day, or get caught up when you can. Let's see if I can actually meet this goal of continuing this through the end of January, shall we? Keep in mind, I'm trying to get to all these books while also working full-time, so please bear with me, as a fellow Bibliophile Support Group member, if I end up missing a day. Don't plan to, of course! :)

Starstruck

2011-11-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

Starstruck is a YA contemporary/light fantasy novel by Cyn Balog.

Gwen Reilly has spent the last three years, since her best friend Wish left their small New Jersey island hometown, eating doughnuts. It's kind of hard not to when your Mom owns the place, you live above the doughnut shop, and you run it during the day without all that much help from your little sister. The doughnuts are just so good.

During the last three years Gwen and Wish have been emailing back and forth. In fact, the first email he sent her (when he first left and they were both thirteen) was a profession of his love and hope that she'd be his girlfriend. So, for these last three years Gwen's has been in a long distance relationship with her childhood best friend... Only problem?

Now he's coming back.

This throws Gwen into a panic since, well, she hasn't exactly told Wish that she's gained seventy pounds or become a social pariah. She likes their relationship as is - he's sweet and dorky and his lack of knowing her current situation makes their conversations the highlight of her day.

But that only ends up being half the problem. When he arrives he's not the old Wish she remembers. He's gorgeous, blond, muscled, and sought after by every girl at the high school. Waaaaayyyy out of Gwen's league. Yet, miracle of all miracles, he doesn't seem fazed by her weight gain and still seems into them being together.

Of course this doesn't calm Gwen's nerves though. All she can think is: why???

Not to mention there are some strange developments as well... Wish seems obsessed with the sun, kinda moody when it's not out in full force actually. And the potentially-recently-released-from-prison, creepy dude that's now working at the bakery is convinced he knows what's really going on.

And Gwen doesn't think any of it will end up well for her.

Alrighty - so first off, I loved that our main character Gwen is overweight. Truly overweight - not just by twenty pounds. It has a realistic element that is so rare in TV, movies, and even books. Anybody in the same boat can recognize her struggle to wear something other than Hanes "comfy" clothes, the near impossible task of finding something cute and stylish in her size, and the other issues she deals with. Cyn Balog does it all in a very non-self-pitying way, and shows us Gwen's wit and charm quickly.

But what really floored me? Only a few pages into Starstruck and I was "struck" with how absolutely flat-out HILARIOUS this book is!!! Oh, the situations our poor Gwen ends up in - oh my. You couldn't even try to make me give away the multitude of fantastic, crazy scenes that had me laughing out loud uncontrollably! Seriously, I was at work when I was reading Starstruck and I had to keep catching myself - didn't want to draw too much attention to myself with all the giggling and snorting that was escaping from me despite myself!

Plus, Cyn Balog infuses an element of mystery and oddness to Wish that lends a bit more weight and plot than just being funny. I was fully involved, right there at Gwen's awesome side, wanting to know what was up. It has a sense of fairy-tale whimsy, with a dose of honesty and (surprisingly) suspense.

If you want to be entertained, cheered up, and pulled into a fantastic, touching, genre-bending, down-to-earth yet up-in-the-clouds, relatively short story - read Starstruck. As for me, I was impressed with the level of uniqueness and utter exuberance presented in this tale.

Starstruck is a jubilant little gem that deserves to be noticed and enjoyed!

*Little note to all readers of the Bibliophile Support Group:
After this Friday's review, for the entire month of December and January I will be having five reviews a week! There are just too many books to read and too little time to talk about them! So during this holiday season, please stop by as often as you can to read new reviews every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday!!! Thanks for reading!

In the Forests of the Night

2011-11-28T00:30:00.000-08:00

In the Forests of the Night is the second book in the YA fantasy Goblin Wars trilogy by Kersten Hamilton.

I reviewed the first book in the trilogy, Tyger Tyger, last year - and nearly had an overdose of bibliophile book love! If you haven't yet read it, you really, really need to. My thoughts on Tyger Tyger can be found here. And avoid this review unless you've already read Tyger Tyger - it's just too awesome to spoil!!!

I'm warning you - my bibliophile heart will break if you don't read Tyger Tyger before reading the synopsis and review of In the Forests of the Night!

Last chance to turn away...

We rejoin Teagan, Finn, and Aiden at the exact moment we left them. Thank you, Kersten Hamilton! I'd hate to miss even a minute of this fantastic, electric story. To be honest, if you've read Tyger Tyger and loved it like I did (how could you not?), then you really don't need to know what In the Forests of the Night is about. It's just a continuation of the story we began in Tyger Tyger, and everything else is a potential spoiler.

All I'll say is: the story is obviously not over. In Tyger Tyger we met Teagan, an animal-loving, smart, mature seventeen-year-old girl with an awesome and hilarious best friend named Abby. We also met her adorable, singing-machine six-year-old brother, kind and lovable Mom and Dad, and ever irresistible Finn Mac Cumhaill.

Kersten Hamilton breathed life into these characters and made them absolutely beloved to me! The same feeling remains. She reintroduces us without a long, detailed analysis of what happened in the first book (I actually reread Tyger Tyger before In the Forests of the Night - my first reread in this insanely busy year of books - but absolutely necessary in my opinion), and throws us back into this amazing, spectacular Irish mythology come-to-life story.

The revelations near the end of Tyger Tyger still have major consequences, and though they managed to rescue Teagan's father from the Dark Man in Mag Mell (the world of goblins, nightmares, and beauty), the danger is not gone. The Dark Man wants Teagan. He wants Aiden. And Teagan is determined to keep her baby brother safe. In the meantime, she is figuring out where her relationship with Finn stands - their attraction and feelings are clear, but with what they both now know she is... well, it's troublesome.

In the Forests of the Night is exciting, funny, magnetic, romantic, and loving. This is a family of fantastic characters that I adore mixed with a genuinely creepy, suspenseful, breathtaking fantasy plot. It's frightening, gripping, fun, and full of shocks galore - wowza!

This book is accessible to way more than a YA audience. Anyone who just wants to be swept away in an intricate, phenomenal story with characters you invest in and find believable and a mythology of Irish folklore and legends come to life - In the Forests of the Night is the answer!

It's incredibly visual, powerful, and full of twists I didn't see coming! This is reading at its most entertaining, inviting, and escapist best - I LOVED IT!!!!!!

Whoa - what an exhilarating, scary, touching ride Kersten Hamilton takes the readers on! I am NEEDING the third and final book. Now, please.

As you can see, I'm still having a hard time giving away any details. Hopefully that's enough to persuade you to continue the story. My enthusiasm for Tyger Tyger and In the Forests of the Night is hard to explain, except to say that the entertainment value and writing caliber is so strong that it whisks me away and makes me forget I'm reviewing the book. These are the kind of books that keep me a bibliophile, through and through.

For me this book was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year (along with So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev, which I'll be reviewing in a few days) - and I was not even a tiny bit disappointed!

So, what are you waiting for? Go read your copy of In the Forests of the Night!!!!!

A Lasting Impression

2011-11-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

A Lasting Impression is Tamera Alexander's newest historical fiction novel.

This story begins in 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana, which is where we meet Claire Laurent. Claire is not yet twenty but already mourning her mother, whom she was close with. She's also desperately trying to match Francois-Narcisse Brissaud's style of painting - her father wants the forgery to be good enough to sell.

Claire hates it. She knows what her father insists she do is wrong - and she'd rather explore her own talents anyway. She wants to sign her own name on her own painting - to make an impression on the art world she loves with such a passion.

She wants to get out from under her father's thumb.

When tragedy hits suddenly, Claire finds herself being shipped off to Nashville, Tennessee where she is to wait for her father and his business partner Antoine DePaul, the two who actually fake the "authenticity" documents and sell her copies, to join her. To start again. To continue with their "business".

But she doesn't want to wait. She doesn't want to do this anymore.

So, she takes the first opportunity she has to get out of the lodging Mr. DePaul arranged and seeks shelter in a church - which is where she meets the handsome attorney Sutton Monroe, who kindly doesn't tell anyone she was sleeping on a pew. It's also where she hears about the job opening at Belmont Mansion for a personal liaison to the wealthy and demanding Adelicia Acklen.

Before she knows it, Claire is thrown into Nashville society - and for the first time in her life she feels free. Yet as her loyalty to Mrs. Acklen grows and her feelings for Sutton Monroe grow stronger, her secrets become harder and harder to bear...

After reading Rekindled and Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander, I'm a huge fan! I loved those two books so much that I literally didn't even care what the synopsis of A Lasting Impression was - I just knew I wanted to read it! I know all of you bibliophiles out there know exactly what I'm talking about.

And, my oh my, I was not disappointed!!!

The very first chapter immediately gives us a chance to be introduced to Claire and empathize with her - as well as be wowed at the turn of events! I was in the story's grips, right out of the gate! I'm leaving out big chunks of plot for you to experience it like I did - in the moment, in the story, like you're meant to.

A Lasting Impression is elegant, softly presented, and quietly persistent in showing us a gorgeous manor and a lovely cast of characters. Tamera Alexander excels at creating three-dimensional characters and continues to do so with every character in this novel - from Claire, to Sutton, to Mrs. Acklen, to all of the servants and secondary characters. They feel alive, like if only you could travel back to 1866 you could meet them all. They each have flaws, pain, joy and a human need for redemption and forgiveness - of both themselves and for others. Each time I read a book by Alexander I'm floored by how utterly invested I become in these people she pens, how I want to laugh when they laugh, cry when they cry - it makes for a heartrending experience, but also a joyful one! Amazing!!!

Richly detailed with period history, decor, customs, and ways of speech I felt completely transported to Belmont Mansion. So much so that I am ecstatic that there will be more novels involving Belmont Mansion - because I really want to return!!!

As I've mentioned before, there aren't too many historical fiction writers that can make the romance half of it authentic to me. Especially in inspirational fiction, where sometimes the chasteness (which I like) can become phony and almost devoid of attraction and chemistry completely. Tamera Alexander doesn't fall into that trap. Sutton Monroe is, in our modern language, hot. You feel an undeniable pull between him and Claire, an attraction that is both physical and soulful. It may be appropriate for all ages (and I think a lot of you YA fans would love this book), but it's steamy. Alexander's characters are human - they're real. They do feel attraction, hurt, love, failures, etc. That's what is so great about her novels!

I was extremely satisfied as this suspenseful, beautiful, encompassing, inspiring story came to a close, as well as ready for more from this fantastic author. And the way she subtly but powerfully shows the grace and love of God - well, lets just say I got goosebumps more than once. She's not heavy-handed in the way she portrays the Christian element of the story, but it's absolutely perfect.

If you haven't read Tamera Alexander yet, pick up A Lasting Impression to find out why you should. If you have, then what are you waiting for? :)

*I received a copy of A Lasting Impression from the Bethany House Book Reviewers program, which you can check out here. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Overbite

2011-11-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

Overbite is Meg Cabot's answer to the vampire craze, and the sequel to her adult-oriented paranormal novel Insatiable.

As always with a sequel, it's definitely a must to read Insatiable before reading the review of Overbite. You don't want to spoil yourself, do you? Go read my review of Insatiable here and then read the book! After you do that, go ahead and come back and see what I think of the second book, okay? :)

For all of you who have already read Insatiable: read on...

Meena has never had a normal life. She's always been a bit odd to people - after all, she tends to be a bearer of bad news. She can tell if you're going to die - and her conscious doesn't allow her to keep her mouth shut about it. This has always led to problems - but not as many as when she decided to fall for a vampire.

To be fair, Meena didn't know Lucien Antonescu was a vampire when she fell for him. She only knew he was an incredibly handsome, magnetic, intelligent man that made her feel special and loved... that is, until she saw him turn into a gigantic, fire-breathing dragon and found out he was not only a vampire but THE vampire: son of Dracula, prince of darkness.

Kinda put a damper on their relationship. And after all the things she saw that day, Meena has begun to work for the Palatine Guard - a super-secret vampire-hunting sect of the Vatican, using her special ability to help them all out best she can. She's moved herself, her still unemployed brother, and her dog Jack Bauer to a new apartment as well - who'd want to stay where a bunch of hungry, crazed vampires tore everything up?

But despite her new job, Meena still feels like Lucien isn't 100% evil. She'd like to believe that if he was, she never would have fallen for him in the first place. Yet Alaric Wulf, one of the premier vampire hunters and her "partner" of sorts, doesn't believe her. Nobody at the Palatine really does.

Then people from Meena's past seem to become targets for a new threat - and she finds the danger coming close to home yet again. Everything Meena's sure of is being tested, her loyalties are confused, and who has her best interest at heart appears to be a big question.

What Meena is sure of though - she really needs to start choosing better boyfriends.

By the end of Insatiable I was pretty invested in Meg Cabot's characters and was VERY happy to hear that it wouldn't be the last we saw of them. I enjoyed revisiting Meena and Alaric - and was very happy to see the two still had sparks (if perhaps still more misunderstanding and guardedness). I know there are people who want Meena with Lucien, some who want Meena alone, and then there are those (like me) who felt her chemistry with Alaric was just too perfect to ignore. You will not find spoilers here - just opinions. You'll have to read Overbite to find out what actually happens!

Overbite is a little less lighthearted than Insatiable, but just a tad. Meg Cabot always manages to throw in a bit of humor and sizzling romantic heat, no worries. From beginning to end I was really liking Overbite!

One of my small complaints from Insatiable was that Meena cried a lot. Well, she's crying again - a bite more than I personally prefer - but she's a sweetie and still a feisty heroine in her own right. And Alaric's still a hottie. To me personally, anyway. :)

The mystery at the center of Overbite (which I just don't really want to give any details about, don't want to ruin it for ya) was very interesting and almost gave a paranoia feel to the book. It always felt like there was something big going on that we couldn't grasp, but would be a danger to our beloved characters.

In every book she writes, Meg Cabot always keeps me turning pages. No exception here! She is one of the most involving, consistent authors out there - it never takes me long to finish her books, ever!

I was very, very happy and satisfied with Overbite! It's hard, sometimes, with sequels to say much without giving stuff away - so I apologize for being vague. Here's what I can tell you: there were truly surprising twists, romantic suspense, an energetic plot, and a perfect, awesome end!!!

I, personally, thought Overbite was excellent! Think there's a good likelihood you'll agree.

Ready Player One

2011-11-21T00:30:00.000-08:00

Ready Player One is a futuristic, '80s nostalgia, video game-esque novel by debut author Ernest Cline.

In 2044 things are even worse than they are now - economically and environmentally. Eighteen-year-old Wade Watts, like many others, lives in a precariously stacked mobile home with many other people - one of whom is his not-so-loving Aunt who took him in after his mother died from a drug overdose when he was young (never knew his dad). It's not very pleasant. But because of his technology smarts, he's able to fix up old laptops and devices and sell them in his free time in order to have enough to eat, despite his Aunt taking his government-issued food vouchers, which is more than others can say.

But where he spends most of his time is OASIS. It's a vast, incredibly detailed, brilliant virtual reality created by a now deceased genius: James Halliday. OASIS allows you to be whomever you want - whether that may be just a better, wealthier, more attractive version of yourself or something out of this world like a fairy, dragon hunter, or alien. Essentially it's a utopia that almost everybody escapes to and spends the majority of their life in.

And before James Halliday died he presented a whole new game: a riddle that once solved would put you on track to become the new caretaker of OASIS, as well as inherit the billions of dollars he left behind. For years, millions have tried to solve the first riddle (it's a series of puzzles, not just the one), but no one has ever gotten anywhere. Finally, people are starting to give up except the devoted few who call themselves "gunters" and a corporation called IOI that desperately wants to control OASIS.

Wade is a gunter. He has studied Halliday and everything Halliday loved since the contest became known. He shares in his love of 1980s television, movies, music, and games. And then one day... he becomes the very first person to solve the first puzzle.

The world flips out. Renewed interest and enthusiasm in the contest puts Wade's avatar at center stage - and he soon realizes that there are those who take controlling the most powerful interactive virtual game and getting their hands on all that money very seriously - and may be willing to commit murder to do it...

But Wade wants to win.

Oh my. This book is insane! There's a zest to Ernest Cline's writing that makes Ready Player One fun and crazy right off the bat. Seriously, I was in its joyous grips within three pages. That's right. Three pages.

OASIS is awesome, even if the world outside isn't. Cline is excellent at making this sprawling videogame realistic and a little disturbing, as you realize almost no one is actually living their life in the real world anymore. Ready Player One is lively and bursting with '80s references - classic iconic pieces of pop culture from John Hughes to Pac-Man to the more obscure. It has such a vibrancy and enthusiasm that it's hard to imagine anyone being immune to it!

Halliday's contest brings a hope and excitement to people - and as a plot the contest is enormously entertaining! It's like playing an expansive, amazingly awesome video game right beside Wade. Ready Player One is truly an utter blast to read - pure fun!!! Have I made that clear yet? ;)

Then once the novel takes a more suspenseful turn - what with Wade becoming in danger after powerful people make it clear they want his info - I was made even more riveted. It was still a delight to read, but had an honest-to-goodness sense of stakes - of loss and fear. But despite some of the darker moments (which gave the book more depth and character development - great!), Ready Player One always remained, for me, a positive, creative breath of fresh air.

Ready Player One is a phenomenal, adrenaline pumping, hilarious, geek-loving, sci-fi thrill ride that I absolutely loved!!!

If you're a fan of any 1980s pop culture or just video games in general - I can almost guarantee that you'll adore this novel. But even if you're not - even if you've never watched or heard anything from the period of history - I still urge you to read Ready Player One - because it is just pure awesomeness!

And I think I might have another book to put on my Best of 2011 list on December 30th. Be there on December 30th to see if it makes the list!

The Highest Frontier

2011-11-18T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Highest Frontier is a sci-fi novel by Joan Slonczewski.

Jenny, still mourning the loss of her twin brother who died in an accident, is entering her first year of college at Frontera. Frontera is the first college built in orbit, away from the environmentally wrecked Earth and the ultraphyte alien species, a still mysterious plant-like creature that has killed many with its cyanide defense system, which has invaded almost every area of the world.

She just wants to feel safe and live a semi normal life. She has interesting, if odd, professors and begins to become quite involved in her classes. But she soon realizes that though Frontera is far away from familiar problems, it also presents new ones. New dangers that may place her already fragile mind in a state of near constant nervousness... As well as place her in the midst of a political mess...

The Highest Frontier presents us with a futuristic world that is fascinating and not all that pleasant. The world seems ravaged. Political corruption and moral values are still an issue, and technology has increased to the point where hardly anyone ever does anything physically anymore - for example, people control the ball in sports with their minds, while standing on the sidelines. Slonczewski makes this future feel believable and not as strange as you'd think. This is because she still allows normal human interaction, grief, and fears to be part of her world. She keeps her story grounded. Though I appreciated this, I also felt that perhaps it was more grounded than it needed to be.

There was a lot I liked about The Highest Frontier. Jenny's character is sympathetic, and watching her fight with her "mental", a sort of therapeutical block and watch on her mind, as she tried desperately to visit her deceased brother in a virtual world of memories was quite something. And though this future world was a bit confusing, it was also thought-provoking, interesting and disturbing as it delved into genetic modifications. Almost everyone has bits of Marilyn Monroe or Paul Newman mixed in with their specifically chosen DNA, among the choice of the parents to decide if their child would be heterosexual or homosexual. Politics and religion have evolved into something familiar but altogether different. All of this is intriguing in its pure weirdness, to be sure.

However, the reason why I didn't absolutely love The Highest Frontier was that the plot didn't hold me. Like I said earlier, its almost like the novel was too grounded for me. Following a normal freshman girl to college, dealing with normal issues and normal emotions among a world that is abnormal to us could work... but I kept finding myself wishing for a slightly more thrilling plot. After the first one hundred pages of awe at Slonczewski's excellent imagination and intricate detail, I felt like the story really slowed down - and besides being occasionally effectively disturbed by the "advancements" made to technology, I wasn't all that involved or invested.

The psychological complications that the revealed dangers of Frontera presented to Jenny and the ultraphyte mystery were probably the most interesting of the multiple layers of plot. And there was a nice twist (which I kind of saw coming, but not all the way) near the end. I think a lot of people that like contemporary fiction with a crazy different, science fiction setting will absolutely love this. Clearly they already have! The reviews of The Highest Frontier have been great.

It's just that for me, personally, I didn't have enough reason to keep from skimming the last portion of the novel. The Highest Frontier is a smart, creative novel but lacks, for me anyway, entertainment value. But you know what I always say! Don't take my word for it - read it yourself!

Floors

2011-11-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

Floors is a quirky middle-grade novel by Patrick Carman.

The Whippet Hotel is the creation of Merganzer Whippet, an eccentric yet brilliant billionaire. There's no place quite like it. It sits, small and incredibly exclusive, on a huge patch of land that seems unnecessarily large, surrounded by enormous bush sculptings of ducks (a favorite of Mr. Whippet's).

Each floor (of which there are only nine) has a wacky, specific design that tends to only be occupied by fellow wealthy oddballs. But Leo Fillmore, the janitor's son, loves it. He and his dad have access to every corner of the masterpiece, and Leo helps keep the air conditioning working in the Cake Room and the ponds circulating right in the Room of Ponds and Caves. He helps walk the ducks and keep the smartest of all the ducks, Betty, happy and less likely to bite the guests.

But something hasn't been right about the Whippet Hotel for the last many weeks. Mr. Whippet is missing. He is always a very active part of his hotel, often the only one to work on specific parts of it. And now it seems to be falling apart without him. Leo and his dad have more work to do than ever, and it almost feels like someone may be causing trouble on purpose!

Then Leo finds a box addressed to him in Mr. Whippet's handwriting. It leads him to secret entrances to hidden floors, riddles and puzzles and dangerous games - all the while helping him pick up a friend or two. It appears this bizarre array of cryptic messages are all for one purpose: save the Whippet Hotel.

Leo, as always, is only too happy to help!

Floors is a zany, inventive, good-humored, and lighthearted tale of a whimsical hotel and it's nonsensical residents. The search for the mad, missing billionaire owner and the mysterious deviant purposely trying to destroy the hotel is delightful and pleasant - full to the brim with ducks, robots, and rooms designed as giant pinball machines and more! There is no lack of creativity here!!!

It's amazing how Patrick Carman can switch gears from something as dark as Thirteen Days to Midnight (which I reviewed earlier this year) to this! Floors made me almost as tickled as Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. It's stuffed with charm and nutty fun, making it an excellent, diverting family friendly read that I really enjoyed!

There's a quality of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (that is, the movie - I've never read the book - can you believe it?!) to Floors. Yet still completely original. By the end, I kinda wanted to go to the Whippet Hotel (especially the 13th floor - you have to read it to understand)!!! Happy to report that the book says it is "Book One", so there seems to be more in the works.

I found Floors to be madcap fun - and hope for much more to come!

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

2011-11-14T00:30:00.000-08:00

Daughter of Smoke & Bone is a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy by Laini Taylor.

Karou is an enigma to all who know her. Her sly smile is her only answer when questioned about where she goes for days at a time, why it seems that she lives without a guardian though only seventeen, how her hair is always a perfect shade of blue, where she got her strange tattoos...

Prague does not contain Karou. The monsters that fill her sketchbooks are real - and the only family she's ever known. And unease seems to be stronger than usual as she steps into the shop that they live in.

Before she knows it, black handprints begin appearing on the different doorways that gain access to their shop throughout the world - and unknown danger lurks. A war Karou had no knowledge of seems to threaten all she knows and loves, yet may bring to her a supernaturally good-looking, winged stranger that she feels an intense, frightening connection with. But she may lose it all, without ever knowing how she came to be part of it.

Karou has always wanted to know, but now it seems imperative: Who is she?

The synopsis is a bit vague, but primarily because I don't want to let slip any spoilers. You know how I am. ;)

What I can say is that enigmatic, mysterious Karou and her international setting is absolutely fascinating. The story is sizzling with creepiness and suspicion, yet I quickly became emotionally attached to these otherworldly creatures/monsters that are Karou's family. They appear threatening, yet not. It's confusing and bizarre and oh-so-interesting!!! I was riveted by the strangeness and exoticness of it all!

Daughter of Smoke & Bone is an original, never-before-told, epic myth. I never knew where it was going and was willing to go along for the crazy, wild ride. I joined Karou in her yearning to find her monster family, worried for them along with her, as weird as it seemed. I was curious as she was to know why she had an emptiness that felt like it was waiting to be filled by something specific that she couldn't put her finger on, as curious as she about the mystery of her origins. Laini Taylor made me very invested very quickly.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone flips you on your head and spins you around. It's an astounding plethora of beauty, betrayal, hope, and love wrapped up in an entirely new and exquisite package! I was left hanging, and oddly inspired. Whoa.

Sequel now please.

*I received a review copy of Daughter of Smoke & Bone from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

To Have and To Hold

2011-11-11T00:30:00.000-08:00

To Have and To Hold is an inspirational historical fiction novel by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller.

In late August 1886, Audrey Cunningham finds herself displaced to Bridal Veil Island, Georgia with her father. She didn't really want to move there, and considering she's quickly nearing thirty she didn't have to - but her loyalty to her father runs deep. After all, she did love their ancestral home when she was young. They only moved away for financial reasons. Now with her mother gone, Audrey's father feels his attachment to the land is more about making sure Audrey is provided for than some misplaced pride, as before.

All Audrey knows is that her father's sobriety is being strengthened by his newfound faith in God, and if living in Bridal Veil helps to keep him on the right track after years of heavy alcoholism - she's all for it. But there is competition for the property that they weren't aware of. Wealthy investors are looking to buy up the land to use it all for a luxurious resort.

Though Audrey's father refuses the offer, he does accept to use their home as a boardhouse for all the workers employed by the investors to start building on the surrounding land. One of the contractors is Marshall Graham who shares a past with Audrey's father - a past that frightens her.

Yet what she finds she should truly be afraid of is the fact that someone seems to be trying to sabotage the construction work on the island. Among the danger, Marshall begins to see his feelings for the feisty and stubborn Audrey may be growing... But can he keep her safe?

To Have and To Hold really makes Bridal Veil Island the main character. The island is written vibrantly, the setting being naturalistic and a lovely, swampy green in my mind. Unfortunately, Audrey never popped quite so much for me. Neither did Marshall.

Now, don't get me wrong - there's a lot I like about these characters and the plot. The struggle with alcohol and the bruising Audrey's trust has taken is potent and a wound that is slowly healing, but still causes misunderstandings and a tendency to jump to conclusions. This causes a good amount of drama between Audrey, her father, and Marshall. It felt realistic and undramatic, which is kind of nice.

Yet I never felt fully invested in the characters. Was I bored? No. But was I riveted? Sadly, that's a no too.

The clubhouse being constructed on the island sounded absolutely gorgeous and I couldn't help but wonder if more books taking place on Bridal Veil, with a finished clubhouse, may be planned. I could possibly be interested to continue if it were a series. Though I would like to have more period detail than To Have and To Hold has. Besides the description of the island, I could almost say I wouldn't know it was 1886 except for the mentions of the War of Northern Aggression by the cantankerous housekeeper.

When it comes to the mystery in To Have and To Hold, it was slight but interesting - what with the contruction continually being delayed, and some very dangerous and possibly purposeful tampering going on. It kind of gave the novel a lightweight Nancy Drew feel at times, which was fun - but again didn't quite reach the level of story I wanted it to get to.

To Have and To Hold was a very nice novel. It was charming and sweet with a burgeoning romance that is engaging and a love between father and daughter that was inspiring. The book didn't capture my imagination as much as it could have, and I wasn't as wrapped up in the characters as I wanted to be - but it's a pleasant novel.

But you know what? I may have had lack of connection with it, but that may not be the case for you at all. As I always say, read it for your self! This is one gal's opinion - find out your own! :)

*I received a copy of To Have and To Hold from the Bethany House Book Reviewers program, which you can check out here. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

A Heart Revealed

2011-11-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

A Heart Revealed is an inspirational historical fiction novel by Julie Lessman.

Emma Malloy has been living in Boston for ten years now, having left Ireland because of an abusive husband. Charity O'Connor (now Dennehy) helped persuade her to leave, and Emma is now fully a part of the O'Connor family - practically a surrogate sister. She loves the big family, and is happy to call them her dear friends.

It's 1931 and the depression is hitting them all hard. Emma is working long hours at Dennehy's, the store she manages. After a mishap at his last job, Sean O'Connor, one of Charity's brothers, comes to help out. She's known him for years, and their mutual respect and admiration is strong. But soon his charm turns more than brotherly... but Emma's still married. She's come to term with her situation long ago, and knows that she will never again be romantically involved with another man. But now that the spark has been ignited in her heart and body, how can she bury it once again and see Sean as only a friend?

In the meantime, Charity's own marriage is on the rocks as her husband Mitch has to work longer and longer hours at the Herald. Plus, the fact that his new supervisor is an attractive widow has Charity in a tizzy. Then there's Katie, another one of the O'Connor girls, who just married Luke. But before the honeymoon is even over, she's already hiding something from him. Does being married mean giving up personal dreams?

There are many relationships in the spotlight in A Heart Revealed. Emma is most certainly not the only character we follow. But the beginning of the novel does bring her and her abused and fearful past to the forefront. We see that's she's now free physically, but maybe not emotionally. Her external and internal scars are still there.

Oh, my goodness did I love A Heart Revealed!!! In it we have fiery, playful, lively Irish characters and an easy, teasing banter that hooked me quickly. This is a rich, stunning tapestry of multiple people, all with distinctive personalities, and an epic, multigenerational feel to top it off. The time period is vibrant and believable and among the emotional honesty there is also a fun humor to it.

I absolutely loved this novel from start to finish - I was held helpless in it's clutches. I could hardly believe how much I was invested in these characters. Before I was even halfway done, I was thinking about how much I wanted the previous books from Julie Lessman, which seem to all still focus on this large, wonderful family - A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Revealed, A Passion Denied, and A Hope Undaunted. And now that I've finished A Heart Revealed, I want those books more than ever!!! I want (and need) to fill in all of the O'Connor family stories that I've missed!!!

A Heart Revealed presents the readers with a multitude of fascinating, amazing, enjoyable characters, relationships, and stories. Julie Lessman is phenomenal at creating chemistry that boils over, passionate desires, raw emotions, and human flaws that make for one of the most realistic, beautiful, gripping Christian fiction books I've ever read!

Julie Lessman shows us painful, truly painful, pasts that don't hesitate in showing the darker times of life, the bad choices and mistakes that are of an entirely human nature and the guilt and shame that can haunt us - all the while illuminating the hope that comes from God alone, showing His grace, love, and power in an understated yet meaningful way.

I do believe that those of you bibliophiles who may not ordinarily read inspirational historical fiction might want to give this one a shot. It is sweepingly romantic and touching - and despite the fact that the Christian faith of the characters gives more depth to the Christian reader, I believe that whether or not you're a believer you'll find A Heart Revealed to be a lovely, exquisite panorama of a novel.

I know I did. And I can't wait for another installment in the series. The sooner the better!

*Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a copy of A Heart Revealed from the Baker Publishing Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Interview with Joanna Philbin!

2011-11-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

Today we have an extra special guest! Joanna Philbin, author of The Daughters series, is here to tell us about the fourth and (*sniff*) final book in the series - The Daughters Join the Party - as well as answer some other questions!

Welcome to the Bibliophile Support Group, Joanna! We're happy to have you!

So, for anybody who hasn't read the first three books in The Daughters series (read my reviews here: The Daughters, The Daughters Break the Rules, The Daughters Take the Stage) can you give everybody a general idea of what they're about?

Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson are best friends who are normal fourteen year-old girls in almost every way. Except for one: each girl has a parent who is incredibly famous. And her parent’s fame complicates her life in a big way. Lizzie’s mom is a supermodel, but Lizzie isn’t what most people would call “beautiful” – in fact, she’s what most people might call “unusual-looking.” How do you deal with having a supermodel mother when you don’t look a thing like her? Carina is the daughter of a famous business tycoon, but her dad decides to stop giving her money to teach her a lesson. Does she admit this to the world or does she keep playing the part of the Upper East Side princess? Hudson is a musical prodigy, but her mom is a mega-selling pop star, who wants Hudson to follow in her record-breaking footsteps. Can Hudson find a way to develop her talent and enter the music business without turning into her mom’s mini-Me? That gives you an idea of what each of the books are about.

You've already made me fall in love with Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson! Who is this new 'daughter' we're going to meet in The Daughters Join the Party?

Emma is a bit of a rebel. She’s not a bad kid, but causing trouble is her way of standing out in her high-achieving family. She has an older brother who gets straight A’s and is headed for Harvard. Her dad is a popular senator, her mom is a successful lawyer. Emma’s smart, too, but she doesn’t believe she is, and she’d so much rather goof off in class and make people laugh than take it seriously. When their dad announces to the family that he intends to run for President, Emma faces a dilemma: does she stay the “black sheep” of the family, or does she try to change who she is to better fit in with the image of a “perfect” family that her dad’s handlers are trying to create?

Being the daughter of Regis Philbin gives you insider knowledge and personal experience when it comes to the subject you're writing about. What's it like being the daughter of someone so universally liked and well-known?

That’s such a hard question to answer because I’ve never known anything different! My dad has been on TV since before I was born, so I’ve never known what it’s like to have a parent who’s not well-known. I still think of him as my dad, first and foremost. When we go out to dinner or walk down the street, that’s when I remember what he does for a living. So sometimes it’s a little surreal for me when he’s recognized.

With all the terrible behavior of many young celebrities, I found your books very refreshing as they show a different, more mature and positive perspective. Was this something you were striving for when writing The Daughters books?

Well, the Daughters are not actually celebrities. Their parents are. And this is what I was trying to show: how strange it is to live on the periphery of fame. And I based so much of the books on what I know of that personally, and my sister and I led lives that were much more normal than most people would think.

Of Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson (or the new daughter Emma), who do you most identify with?

That’s so hard. I think I can identify with all of the girls. So I’ll just have to say, all of them??

In that same vein, of all the swoon-worthy guys you populate your books with (and there are many - thank you for that!), which one do you have the biggest author'scrush on?

Aahh! You’re killing me here. They’re all so swoon-worthy in my opinion! But I have a special fondness for Todd. Maybe because he was my first guy character. I think I fell in love with him right alongside Lizzie as I wrote that book!

Have you noticed if there is a particular favorite 'daughter' among the majority of your fans? If so, why do you think that is?

That’s a great question! To be honest, I don’t think there is a favorite. I just ran a contest on Facebook and asked people to name their favorite Daughter. It seemed to be a tie between Lizzie and Carina, but when I get reader mail, there seem to be a lot of letters about Hudson. So I’m not sure. I’m interested to see if girls will be writing about Emma, too.

There are many funny parts in The Daughters series, but I'll admit that all of the scenes in The Daughters Break the Rules in which Carina was dealing with the ancient panda cell phone had me cracking up like no other! That was classic! Is this hilarious cell phone based off a real one or summoned up from your extraordinary imagination?

Nope, it’s real! I used to have a cell phone that had a panda crawling across the screen in slow motion. I’m not sure why any phone would have that as a selling point, but this one did. This was during a time when I was in New York after graduate school, making no money, working at a bookstore, and struggling to be a writer. I was always in these ridiculous situations, trying to keep up with my friends. But they turned out to be great material for The Daughters Break the Rules.

Very few books, in my opinion, are done justice by the film world - but let's imagine you had the dream job of casting the movie version of your books with absolutely anyone you wanted! Who would you cast as Lizzie, Carina, Hudson, and Emma? And if you have ideas for any of the other characters too, we'd love to hear them!

Believe it or not, the only person I “cast” in my head as I wrote was Carina’s dad, the Jurg. For some reason, I had Richard Gere in my head the entire time. But I didn’t cast the girls. I always love to hear who people think should play them, though!

What are some of your favorite books and authors? Who would you recommend to your fans?

I worshiped Judy Blume when I was a kid and a young teen. Her characters felt like real people, people I might actually know. Reading her books made me feel like someone understood me, and they made me want to be a writer. I also loved Madeleine L’Engle and the Wrinkle In Time trilogy, Paul Zindel, Norma Klein, Lois Lowry, Island of the Blue Dolpins by Scott O’Dell (I think I read that three times), and anything by Roald Dahl. In highschool I fell in love with F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.D. Salinger, Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, and William Styron but I also loved popular writers like Anne Rice and V.C. Andrews and books like The ThornBirds and Endless Love.

Okay, I can't avoid it any longer: Why must this be the last Daughters book??? I know that I am not alone in wanting many more books featuring these awesomegirls! As you can tell from my reviews, your books made me laugh - but theyalso inspired and touched me. Why did you decide to make this fourth book the last in the series?

It just seemed like it was time. Each of the Daughters changed and grew so much over the course of four books. And after I finished Join the Party, I realized that it was time to move on to new characters and a new setting. But this book definitely presents the possibility of another Daughters book one day down the line, so we’ll see.

Do you plan on writing more books? Can you give us any hints?

My next book is called THE RULES OF SUMMER and it’s about two seventeen year-old girls spending the summer in East Hampton and the unlikely friendship that develops between them. One girl has never had a boyfriend, the other is very confident with guys – and both have a relationship that turns their world upside-down. It will be published just in time for the summer of 2013.

Well, I have to say, it was a lot of fun to have you here, Joanna! Thank you so much for visiting the Bibliophile Support Group and answering all my questions! And thank you for writing books that make me (and so many others) happy while I read them!!!

The Faerie Locket

2011-11-07T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Faerie Locket is a middle-grade high-fantasy book, a companion novel to A Practical Guide to Faeries, written by Susan J. Morris.

It's Jade's 12th birthday but so far no one seems to be remembering. Her sister Vira isn't around to play, as she's off being important at her Ranger training, hanging out with elves all day. But Jade is determined to have fun. Vira's the one that got her obsessed with faeries, what with the abundance of stories of a faerie world in which Jade was a pixie and Vira was an elf - stories where Jade got to be the heroine sometimes.

So Jade slips off to the treehouse that is one of her favorite places and hopes to get a peek at real, live faeries. In the treehouse there is a locket! She's convinced it's a birthday present from the faeries. But when all of a sudden a pixie appears and begins to lead her on a dangerous adventure to Feywild (the faerie land), Jade doesn't realize that the pixie believes her to be Vira.

But it's too late. The locket is already around Jade's neck and cannot be removed. So she finds herself stepping into the role of prophesied savior of the summer faeries! Apparently the Ice Queen and winter faeries are slowly but surely taking over the summer faeries land - putting them all in great jeopardy. Vira was brought to help them with her known cleverness and training. But instead they got young Jade - but she isn't saying a word!

Thing is, putting on the locket also turns you into a faerie. So it's not just the entire faerie kingdom hanging on Jade's incapable fingers - it's her own survival as well!

The Faerie Locket is a fun, lighthearted, magical tale of faeries. We have a delightful, enjoyable, dangerous quest for our birthday girl whose been sadly mistaken for her older sister. There's a childish tone to the book, but it's entertaining, funny, and sweet even for older fantasy lovers. The Faerie Locket brought out something like nostalgia in me. It reminded me of how it felt playing as a little girl, without ever being boring.

Plus, it's full of imagined characters and a likable, adorable pixie friend named Pip - the only one who knows Jade's secret. The Faerie Locket may not be a book for everybody - but any of you bibliophiles who like a bit of fantasy fun, and don't mind it fluffy and young, will find a core of good-natured entertainment here.

I was rooting for Jade the whole way through to prove herself and have victory against the Ice Queen (which, yes, has some shades of a faerie version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe but manages to pull it off somewhat). I was always involved and smiled often.

And I'll frankly admit it: The Faerie Locket is a sparkly, girly, cotton-candy kind of novel. And you know what? There's nothing wrong with that! :)

*Check back here tomorrow for a special Tuesday post! Joanna Philbin, author of The Daughters series, will be stopping by the Bibliophile Support Group for an interview! Don't miss it!!!

Tomorrow Girls #4: Set Me Free

2011-11-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

Set Me Free is the fourth book in the futuristic middle-grade series Tomorrow Girls by Eva Gray.

If you don't want to be spoiled for the earlier books, I suggest you avoid this review and look into the first three books: Behind the Gates, Run for Cover, and With the Enemy.

You've been warned - synopsis starts... NOW!

Maddie is still reeling. She's only just been rescued from the clutches of the Alliance, where she was brainwashed and persuaded that she wanted to stay - until her awesome friends didn't take no for an answer. And then, well... she found out her mother is the LEADER of the Resistance! The mysterious "Hornet", those that all who fight against the Alliance follow = her Mom. Wow.

And now she has a little device thing, shaped like a honeycomb, that seems impenetrable but apparently carries super-important information for her mother. She's been tasked with getting it to her ASAP. Only problem? She has no idea where her mother is!

Not to mention the fact that Drew, Alonso, and Helen, all of whom were waiting on Maddie's rescue mission back at the old, dilapidated car wash building, have all disappeared and the building has been demolished.

So, yeah - there's a lot on their plate right now.

First they have to find Drew, Alonso, and Helen (hopefully alive), and then Maddie needs to figure out if her Mom ever left her any clues to find her.

Because the entire War may depend on it!

Set Me Free is an action-packed little book targeted at a tween audience. What's great about that is that all the girls' are portrayed as smart and capable, giving it an inspiring tone. Now, that same tone can be a bit cloying and obvious to an older read - causing it not to translate real well (like the entire series), but the very fact that it is juvenile is the point!

The repetition and cornball-esque feel Set Me Free and the entirety of the Tomorrow Girls series sometimes sends out, just doesn't quite make for entertaining reading for us older readers. And that's perfectly okay. It's probably a great book for 9 to 13 year olds!

And I do really like the overall ideas of the series and the ultimately strong patriotic tone. It's the actual execution that is rather exclusive to young readers only. Definitely a pick for younger sisters, nieces, daughters, etc. A fun, futuristic, light-dystopia novel that might help young girls get interested in sci-fi in the future!

Anna Dressed in Blood

2011-11-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

Anna Dressed in Blood is a YA paranormal ghost story by author Kendare Blake.

Cas is a teenage ghost killer. He has inherited his father's powerful athame, the knife he uses to send deadly ghosts out of this dimension, after he died. And with each kill he is training himself to hunt down the one that brought down his Dad...

His Mom is a kitchen witch, selling mystical stuff on the go, and helping to keep the two of them safe. She's along for the ride somewhat reluctantly, but she knows that just like with her husband - this is Cas's choice, and he's good at it. They move from place to place following legends and leads - and the latest brings them to a town harboring a ghost that is more dangerous than ever - Anna Dressed in Blood.

She's unlike any other ghost he's encountered before. She's fascinating, extraordinary and wears the same dress she was wearing in 1958 when she was brutally murdered. And it drips, neverendingly, with blood. Cas witnesses what she's able to do - how she kills mercilessly with rage.

No one who sees her ever lives to speak about it.

But yet... she lets Cas live.

And there begins Cas's toughest mission yet.

Anna Dressed in Blood has a fantastic, creepy, sad, yet fun opener that gives you a hint at how awesome the book is going to be. The best part? The book follows through!

Cas is an excellent protagonist - he's witty, intelligent, and savvy - fun and interesting to follow. He's like a mix of the hot guys from Supernatural and something entirely new.

Twisty, freaky, and legitimately scary - if Anna Dressed in Blood were a movie, the gore would make it R-rated. Yet Cas's sarcasm and unflappability keep it from becoming too much. The writing maintains a fun and entertaining tone, but allows a deliciously dark edge.

Anna, our title character, is a ghost unlike any other and she astounds both me AND Cas. We are presented with our hero's dilemma and mystery - all of which is very, very intriguing. There's an addictive, but intensely spooky, feel as Cas's obsession with Anna washes over to the reader. It's hard to say too much without giving anything away...

Anna Dressed in Blood is obstinately original, wonderfully bizarre, refreshing, and extremely well-done. It's deeper than you'd initially expect, but does provide you with depth and gravitas to make it even more enjoyable. The end was a little rushed for such an amazing buildup, but it was still great.

This is the kind of story that YA paranormal lovers will fall for - and adult fans as well! Everybody else? Well, you should still give it a shot because there's always a chance you'll be surprised and find that a genre that you didn't think you were a fan of convinces you otherwise!

And me? Well, I am just hoping there's going to be a sequel!!!

Cleopatra's Moon

2011-10-31T00:30:00.000-07:00

Cleopatra's Moon is a YA historical fiction by Vicky Alvear Shecter.

Cleopatra Selene is a princess. She is the only daughter of the revered, intelligent Cleopatra and the Roman General Marcus Antonius. Her people love her and her twin brother Alexandros, as well as their adorable little brother Ptolly. They are the picture of a happy, beautiful family for a people to look up to.

And Cleopatra Selene has every intention of being just as powerful and brilliant a queen as her mother.

But before that day even comes close the Roman ruler, Octavianus, sets out to destroy Cleopatra. At least that is how he is spinning it. Calling her a witch, a whore, and worse. He's determined to turn the people against her as he slowly gains approval for dismantling all that Cleopatra Selene's ever known and loved.

Events turn horrifying, and after experiencing immense loss of life Cleopatra Selene and her brothers are taken to Octavianus's palace in Rome - a place of enemies.

Yet as Cleopatra Selene grows older she has but one goal in sight: regain Egypt's rule and become a queen that would have made her mother proud.

Cleopatra's Moon stunned me. I've always been interested in Cleopatra - as many people have. But I've never heard much about her daughter, or anyone else she left behind after dying. Vicky Alvear Shecter fixes that here. Sure, this is historical fiction - so some characters only exist in our author's mind, and certain events are having to be imagined from a personal perspective we have no real knowledge of - but the basis of the story is truth, and Vicky Alvear Shecter clearly knows her facts!

Thing is though, Cleopatra's Moon is no historical text. This is not a lesson in ancient history. This is a raw, riveting, fascinating, alive telling of Cleopatra Selene and the turbulent time she grew up in. The crackling detail and the characters are riveting and three-dimensional. I was absolutely hooked from start to finish, and every painful moment in the middle.

That's another point to make on Cleopatra's Moon - it's often horrifying. Shecter doesn't shy away from the anguishing, stark representation of the bloody deaths of family members. The brutal overtaking of the kingdom is enough to make you sick to your stomach, but also sit back in awe at Shecter's undeniable skill at effecting our emotions. Because with such realism and honesty in the face of terrors, what can we do but identify with Cleopatra Selene? Especially as she is heartbreakingly young as she witnesses all of this.

Cleopatra's Moon is a disturbing, suspenseful, powerful journey. Reading it puts you right there in the midst of the unimaginable. The mourning, the brutality, the betrayal, the hurt and the fear are all both difficult to read - yet gripping.

I applaud Vicky Alvear Shecter for reminding me of what I love about well-done, respectful historical fiction! This novel is alluring, captivating, romantic, shocking and overwhelming. In the end, I had tears in my eyes! What a beautiful, wonderful book!!!

BONUS REVIEW:
I want to acknowledge that today is Halloween by mentioning another drawing book! Many of us bibliophiles have a creative streak, or know someone who does, and can find good use in do-it-yourself fun. And this one is in keeping with today's holiday. What's it called? Why, it is How to Draw Chiller Monsters, Werewolves, Vampires, and Zombies!

J. David Spurlock is the author and it features the artwork of numerous artists, as well as a foreword by Rob Zombie. This instructional book focuses on many different styles and breaks the steps down into specifics: structure, lighting, perspective, etc. They are pretty creepy, detailed illustrations done by very talented people.

So, if you are interested in nurturing your own talent and learning new tricks, pick up a copy of How to Draw Chiller Monsters, Werewolves, Vampires, and Zombies!

See you guys on Wednesday and have a Happy Halloween!!!

Across the Great Barrier

2011-10-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

Across the Great Barrier is the sequel to Patricia C. Wrede's YA prairie times fantasy Thirteenth Child.

If you haven't read Thirteenth Child yet, I'd recommend heavily that you avoid this review. Why spoil yourself? Go read Thirteenth Child, and then you can come back! :)

Otherwise, read on...

Eff is finally getting over her fear of being a thirteenth child and therefore inherently evil. She's finally beginning to accept that all that superstition is just that - and she doesn't have to hurt anybody. But that still doesn't change the fact that she doesn't like attention. Attention used to be cruel. Even though now it is full of praise and wonder after she helped to rid the lands of the mirror bugs that were killing are the crops and making it impossible to live in the settlements, she'd still rather do without it. After all, her twin brother Lan (the seventh son of a seventh son, and therefore a powerful magician) is getting a bit jealous.

But despite her desire to stay home and help her parents out while working on the simple, everyday magic that still gives her trouble - instead of going to a college to refine her potentially strong magical abilities, she's asked to travel past the Barrier Spell - something people don't do often. On the other side of the Barrier there are powerful magical beasts that they have little to no knowledge of, except for the fact that people often don't return. But they're trying to settle the area, slowly but surely, and Eff's abilities and smarts make her candidate to help out.

To make sure they all return home, Eff will have to work on controlling her magic and keeping them safe. But is that possible?

This is the wild west in an alternative universe, pretty much. Any of you who've already read Thirteenth Child (and you should be the only ones reading this!) know this. I'm still intrigued by Wrede's ability to make it seem almost normal for these people in Little House on the Prairie times to be practicing household spells and protective spells everyday like it's nothing.

Eff is a great main character that I grew to appreciate and love in Thirteenth Child. Her experiences and character development made her multilayered and extremely likable. This is a continuation of her story, but certainly not the end (it doesn't seem to be anyway)!

Now, I'm going to be honest - Across the Great Barrier did start off quite slow for me. But I knew I would need to adjust to that slow-burn tone that Thirteenth Child gave us. It's very subtle, very quiet, but interesting. An increase in the sense of danger (once she steps across the Barrier) quickens the pace, and a determination to stop and smell the flowers allows you to soak in the environment and character details that Wrede provides. She's not in a rush. And in order to enjoy Across the Great Barrier, you need to not be in a rush either.

There's an organic, naturalistic quality to the magic, as well to the entire story. Patience is required for a delicately plotted reward. Across the Great Barrier has a family drama element tied into the hardworking, polite prairie days in this magical alternative history. It's a truly fascinating story that revels in being told slowly, like honey being poured out of the bottle. It's sweet, inspiring, and lovely - but not for everybody.

Even I had a difficult time with the pacing of Across the Great Barrier - and yet the optimistic, curious tone of it still leads me to want to read more. I still want more of Eff and her continued growth. There's something so interesting and enjoyable about it - you just have to accept that it is a quiet story, and not expect it to be more. The plot twists are unique and surprising, and in the end it is worth that patience. That's how I see it. Tell me what you think!

Heartless

2011-10-26T00:30:00.000-07:00

Heartless is the first in the fantasy series Tales of Goldstone Wood written by Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

I got the chance to read the sequel of Heartless (Veiled Rose) before this, which gave me an interesting perspective. I'd recommend reading it in order - but if not, it worked this way too. It has an overlapping story that influences the other in a lovely way - either way you read it.

Princes Una of Parumvir is of age and is ready to begin being courted. Her father, the King, hasn't allowed any suitors before her eighteenth birthday - but now it's time to start welcoming them to the palace. The first one that arrives, however, is not the sort of prince she dreamed of. His name is Prince Aethelbald and he's sovereign over the strange and mysterious kingdom of Farthestshore - a place of magic and non-human citizens. But yet he has come to declare his love for Princess Una - before she's even tried to get over his ordinary looks and less than overtly charming personality.

Una finds herself much more attracted to another suitor. He's good looking and charismatic and everything she hoped for. But as she's being wooed by this more traditional suitor, Prince Aethelbald speaks to her father about danger. There is a dragon on a rush of terror, overrunning a far-off land, and Aethelbald warns that he may be on his way. He warns that Una may be in danger.

Yet the King sees no such danger, and Una is too taken with her new prince and irritated with the old to pay any attention...

Though soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir - and now it may be too late...

When writing out a summary like that, I find that Heartless sounds far more generalized than it actually is. Stengl has created an original fantasy fairy-tale for the 21st century - something weaved so well that it has an inherent magical and mystical tone.

It has an allegorical side to it, but though when I recognize it, it is amazing - I don't recognize it all that often. I'm more swept away by the story - which was genuinely surprising and intriguing with a complicated, yet delicate, plot that begins to roll out in a lovely, understated yet powerful way.

Plus, the overlap of plotting between Veiled Rose and Heartless convinces me thoroughly of Stengl's extensive intricacy of planning - I was wowed and fascinated with this detailed tale. These two novels give us two distinct tales, yet they enrich each other and provide so much unbelievable character depth and perspectives it was incredible to see.

The characters have a realism to them. At first, Una's immaturity and obsession with the more superficial love can be a little off-putting - but it's realistic and understandable. This is a story that allows her to grow and mature. The other characters are just as true-to-life with flaws and strengths - yet more proof that fantasy can be grounded in excellent, believable writing!

There is an enchanting melancholy to Heartless - a subtly and beauty to Stengl's gentle prose that can be heartwrenching and suspenseful as the danger and evil of the Dragon is exposed further. We follow this kingdom in peril and at the hands of a terrifying, inscrutable enemy - which can be as psychologically frightening as it can be physically.

A dreamy, trancelike state quickly morphs into a nightmare as Heartless takes darker turns. I was truly shocked at the twists - and delighted to be so! This is a romantic fantasy that is epic in size and scope! I am now utterly convinced that I will be scrambling for the next book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood - I'm not ready to give up learning more about these multilayered characters and the beautiful fantasy and magic their tales are told among!

*I received a copy of Heartless from the Bethany House Book Reviewers program, which you can check out here. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Tomorrow Girls #3: With the Enemy

2011-10-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

With the Enemy is the third book in the middle-grade futuristic thriller series Tomorrow Girls written by Eva Gray.

Since this is a serialized story, I'd recommend you not read this review unless you've already read the first and second book in the Tomorrow Girls series: Behind the Gates and Run for Cover.

Otherwise, read on...

Maddie has been kidnapped. Right in front of them - right at the abandoned mall they've been hiding out in. Why her? Why didn't they take all of them? Evelyn and the others are horrified, but filled with determination: they will get her back.

It hasn't been that long since Evelyn, Rosie, Louisa, and Maddie escaped from CMS, the fancy school they realized was run by the enemy in the War - the Alliance. Since then they've met up with boys from a school similar to theirs, and they've just kept running. Their goal is to get home and warn their parents.

But this group of thirteen-year-olds have quite a journey ahead of them.

And now to have lost Maddie... Evelyn doesn't know what to do. Rosie, their usual leader, is completely out of it. She's already experienced losing her sister, and now she's seen it happen again. Evelyn has never been all that great with people. Her conspiracy theories and tendency to ask billions of questions haven't made her very popular - but it's clear Rosie isn't ready to step up to the plate this time.

So Evelyn does. But the plan to get Maddie back isn't an easy one. Nor is it safe.

Of course. What is safe in this war-torn country, where long before they reach eighteen they're forced into military service - where the very schools parents send their children to be safe are secretly run by the enemy?

But, really - this is the most danger they'll be in yet. Because Evelyn's plan? Yeah, she's thinking they need to infiltrate the Alliance itself.

In the goal of saving Maddie - will they all the captured?

With the Enemy certainly takes off from quite the cliffhanger from Run for Cover and keeps up the momentum from there. It has an exciting plot as we follow in the chase to find and rescue Maddie. We are introduced to more layers of this future world, which is both more advanced in technology but also has an absolutely wretched economy and next-to-no safety. One of the new layers is the Settlement Lands - a place full of displaced citizens living in hobbled homes, full of unfriendly strangers and vicious gangs. Plus, our group of young teens also find their way to Alliance-infested buildings. Definitely danger around every turn.

As the first book in the series followed Louisa's perspective and Run for Cover was Rosie's narrative, we now get Evelyn as our protagonist. She's humorous and cute, with her awkward social skills and bravery. Kind of like a watered down Hermione Granger-like character. And in With the Enemy we get a little more romance (just like in Run for Cover, with Rosie) and crushes going on.

Thing is, Tomorrow Girls feels like an awesome series for tweens (maybe girls from 9 to 13?), but it doesn't translate all that well for an older audience. It doesn't really need to. It's purpose is to entertain younger girls, and I believe it is highly successful at that. But where some younger novels can be also extremely fun for me to read... well, that wasn't so much the case here with With the Enemy. It has an excellent cliffhanger (the series is great at that), but overall the tone and dialogue of the books is targeted solely at the tween audience - and that's just fine.

With the Enemy seems to be the penultimate book in the Tomorrow Girls series - and is a great gift for a younger sister, a daughter, a niece - take your pick! I can see this being many a young girls' favorite book! :)

A Necessary Deception

2011-10-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

A Necessary Deception is a new Regency England era historical romance by Laurie Alice Eakes.

Lydia Gale feels like a failure at everything. She always disappointed her father with her "unladylike" painting. She married Charles Gale, despite being advised against it. And she failed as a wife. Now a young widow, Lydia doesn't necessarily miss her husband - their short marriage wasn't as love-filled as she had thought it'd be - but she does feel an obligation to his memory. That's why when given the opportunity to help a French prisoner that aided her husband in the war, she takes it. She helps him obtain parole.

But then, shortly after, Lydia's told that the very man she assisted in leaving prison is a traitor to Britain and loyalist to Napoleon. Instead of focusing on her sister Cassandra's wedding arrangements and her youngest sister Honore's coming out to London Society, Lydia's Season is suddenly veiled in suspicions, blackmail, and espionage.

And when the French prisoner at the hub of the confusion enters her parlor, his good looks and kind demeanor throw her off all the more. Is he Britain's enemy or friend? Can she trust him, or those who say he is plotting against the country?

And what on earth will she do if her attraction to him grows stronger?

A Necessary Deception is set in 1812, one of my favorite time periods as I am a HUGE fan of Jane Austen. So every time I get a book set in the time period, I hope with all my heart that it will be good. Great news! A Necessary Deception is!!!

Lydia is likable, as are her sisters and family. The setting feels real and detailed in a natural way. I needed no convincing I was in Regency England. And the espionage-like spy-jinks were diverting, giving the novel a little more spice and plot.

The romance was sizzling and almost reminiscent of Jane Austen-like chemistry (I said ALMOST, it'd be hard for me to go higher than that) mixed with a truly intriguing wartime Napoleon-era plot. I was concerned that this part of the novel would come across as cheesy or just really, really inauthentic - but Laurie Alice Eakes managed to make Lydia being tangled with spies believable. It was subtle, not at all overdone. I was impressed!

I was constantly wondering who was lying, what the secrets were, and what the truth was, all the while being charmed by the organic 1812 London Season, populated by three Misses Bainbridge (Lydia, Cassandra, and Honore). The three sisters are startling independent minded, strong, and easy to root for. And when I say they were independent, I am not referring to an unrealistic level of independence in this era but more an Elizabeth Bennett or Emma Woodhouse type of individuality and intelligence.

Before I was even finished with A Necessary Deception I knew that I would want the next book in The Daughters of Bainbridge series. I was sucked in - I was feeling the crush of the ton, the scandal around the corner, the hustle and bustle of the balls - all as if I was there with Lydia. Plus, the romantic elements were scrumptious like a good cup of tea and buttered biscuit after a long day in fitting for new gowns.

With surprising twists, luxurious detail, excellent characters, and an inspirational but not heavy-handed message about forgiving yourself, A Necessary Deception is a great read for any of you bibliophiles who, like me, revel in Jane Austen and Regency-era England. Check it out!!!

*Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a copy of A Necessary Deception from the Baker Publishing . Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Blood Magic

2011-10-19T00:30:00.001-07:00

Blood Magic is a YA horror/paranormal novel by debut author Tessa Gratton.

High school Junior Silla is haunted by her parents' death. She was the first to find them. All that blood. Her brother Reese found her, blood soaking the tips of her hair. Hair she sheared off haphazardly afterwards, as all she could see was the blood.

Everybody believes that her father shot her mother and then killed himself. But it doesn't make sense. They were in love. Her dad was well-liked and stable. It couldn't be true. Silla's past life of friends and flirting is over - now she's a ghost of her former self.

But then a small, mysterious little book arrives for her. Inside are strange spells written in her father's handwriting. Every one of the spells asks for blood. Silla covets the book, reads it hungrily - desperate for answers to her parents' horrific end. She sets off to her parents' graves one night with some of the ingredients needed for one of the spells... and decides to try it. She must know her dad wasn't crazy. She has to know.

Nicholas just moved to Yaleyah, Missouri, which is where Silla lives. His grandfather, whom he hardly remembers, died and left him his house. His stepmother likes the idea of the atmosphere of the nearby cemetery and overall remoteness sparking her creative spirit and helping to pump out more best-selling novels. Nicholas couldn't care less. He really doesn't like his stepmother, and his relationship with his father is next-to-nothing.

Not too happy about being enrolled as a Senior in a brand new school, especially one far removed from his previous big city school, Nick sets off at night to explore - and his feet somehow lead him to the old, worn cemetery. Once there, he sees her. He thinks she's beautiful - but what she's doing chills him to the core.

Blood magic.

It isn't his first time seeing it, though it's been a long time. And he's hoped to never see it again...

Alrighty, I hope that synopsis intrigued you - because I didn't give too much away!

Ooooh, what a book Blood Magic is! My, oh my - this is one that stays in your head.

Right away we are introduced to two compelling characters - Silla and Nicholas - whom I instantly wanted to know better. They're alike in many ways - both mourning parents and both aware, now, of a unique sort of magic: blood magic. I had an almost instant connection to these characters. They interested me and hooked me with their individuality and strong interaction with each other. These two had no lacking of chemistry!

The worn and old cemetery is an eerie setting, but so is the very town of Yaleyah - the entire place is soaked in secrets, mysteries, and anguish. There's an edgy darkness to Blood Magic with an undercurrent of romance - and fear. And there's journal entries throughout the novel (which I refuse to give details about), that seem to inform us more of the blood magic and date back many years - it shows us horrifying aspects of the magic and it disturbed and unsettled me in a way that only a talented author can.

It seems the blood magic may be addictive, and leads to uncharacteristic, chilling acts. It's fascinating and magnetic, while being utterly original and terrifying. Then shocking twists take Blood Magic from an experimental horror story-meets-sizzling romance to creepy, scary dangerous new depths - as we realize someone may be lurking and ready to do anything to get their hands on the book in Silla's possession.

And ooooooooh, surprise surprise! I got goosebumps as revelations abounded near the end and the dark and frightening core of Blood Magic shows itself to be more powerful, and perhaps evil, than we could imagine...

Blood Magic is stunning, flabbergasting, and unexpected from beginning to end - I guessed only very few things right. This is a freaky, creepy, scary, dark, character-driven and maybe brilliant novel that I recommend heartily - though only in the daylight! I was floored - and I'm guessing you will be too. Wow.

Quick bonus: fans of Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver series will notice a fun little reference that is awesome. You'll know it when you see it.

Amen, L.A.

2011-10-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

Amen, L.A. is a YA contemporary novel by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld.

Seventeen-year-old Natalie Shelton is used to being a minister's daughter in ordinary Minnesota, but after her Mom is offered a more lucrative position at the Church of Beverly Hills they pack up and head to California.

It's a bit of a culture shock - but her sister Gemma and brother Chad are loving it. They're living in Ricardo Montalban's old mansion with a view of the ocean and finding themselves befriended by rich kids galore.

Yet Natalie finds herself also making enemies, and managing to become friends with the one girl she's told not to. But she's a good girl and she has morals. Surely the glitz, glamour, and partying of Beverly Hills won't manage to suck her in.

Right?

I found Amen, L.A. to be a refreshing change from the usual Gossip Girl type fare. Instead, we get a girl as our main character who has real morals and is struggling with the fact that she compromised one of her big ones right before leaving Minnesota (in just the first few pages of the book).

What's also nice about Nat is that the authors don't go the cliche route and make her a wide-eyed naivete but a smart, mature girl that recognizes the behavior of L.A., just doesn't want to embrace it. She has a kindness to her, as well as an occasional sarcastic streak, that makes her more willing to give second chances. And the fact that the authors make Nat a Christian is almost shocking in YA literature, sadly. But it's very, very cool to get a different perspective in what can often be a very tired and overused setting.

The narrative style of Amen, L.A. is also unique in that Nat is almost talking directly to us in first-person. I couldn't help but smile at the direct tips to the reader to watch the movie Clueless (I second that) and read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (again, I second that). Without being rude or snobbish, Amen, L.A. reveals the superficialities that sometimes come with wealth and beauty, as well as the hypocrisy that can come with being outside of it. This is a sunny, fast-paced book with a conscious and a pulse on issues.

Glittering with sunshine and incredible cars, Amen, L.A. is a mixture of fun and fallout as it follows bad decisions and new decisions - and looks like a series I'll be wanting to follow-up on!

The Measure of Katie Calloway

2011-10-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

The Measure of Katie Calloway is a Christian historical fiction novel written by Serena Miller.

Though the Civil War has ended the country, especially the South, is in turmoil economically. Katie's husband came home from the war to find his ancestral home in ruins and only his wife, her little brother, and a few livestock she kept safe waiting for him.

It wasn't long after she married him that Katie realized her mistake. Her husband is a cruel man, and it didn't take long for him to take out that cruelty on her. Continually. Violently.

Then one day Katie decides that she needs to protect herself and her little brother Ned, so they flee. They go north to woodsy Michigan, and she finds a tough job as a cook in a lumber camp. They money is good and she and Ned feel secluded and safe so far away from her husband, whom she's sure is trying to find her.

Plus, the camp owner Robert Foster is a kind man. He seems determined to make the experience of working in a freezing environment for seven months, surrounded by no one but men, as comfortable as he possibly can. Katie sees kindness in his eyes - kindness that she's unaccustomed to.

It's not long before her admiration for the man turns, slowly, into something more. But more is impossible. She's hiding too many things, too many secrets - if only the quietness of the snowy forest didn't force her to see everyday Robert's superiority to her husband... and all the things she can never have...

The Measure of Katie Calloway has lyrical, powerful, beautiful writing that brings elegant, soul-searing Katie to the forefront immediately - from the first line on. Katie and her sweet, young brother Ned's troubles are gripping, yet poetic. Because of the way Serena Miller wrote these heartbreaking characters it took me only seconds to feel fully invested - and care for them very much.

The setting and unique feel to the book, especially once we reach the North woods lumber camp, has a tone of realism and is a strong atmosphere for a strong book. I could smell the pine trees and feel the dirt under my feet - I was there with Katie. And the author had me on pins and needles, turning pages quickly, for things as small as Katie making an apple pie good enough to get her a job. It was incredible how Katie's spirit of determination and love overflowed into an absolutely lovely novel.

I was loving it quickly, as I'm sure you're seeing. You don't even have to be a fan of Christian historical fiction, in my opinion, to read The Measure of Katie Calloway. There's a fear so palpable it breaks your heart and a desperate hope for something better - it's emotional and understated. This is a character driven story that wraps you up and doesn't let you go!

And unlike other historical romances where I find a serious disconnect with the male lead - Robert swiftly made himself out to be a goodhearted and thoughtful man - and genuinely so, which is the struggle I often find in this genre. There was no such problem here! He became more and more attractive just based on his kindness, and never once came across as a wimp (again, a common issue I have with male characters in inspirational fiction).

The Measure of Katie Calloway is so soaringly touching and sincere I got chills. God's amazing grace is in the spotlight in this humble, sweepingly romantic novel. Cliche-free and stunning, Serena Miller created a story so authentic and redemptive that I came close to tears as it came to a close. A true winner.

This is one of the best historical romances I've read - definitely this year, and maybe ever. I am left with a newfound respect and awe for lumbering in 1867 and an earnest desire to read more from this breathlessly talented author!

I loved, loved, LOVED The Measure of Katie Calloway!!!

*Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a copy of The Measure of Katie Calloway from the Baker Publishing Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Flat Broke

2011-10-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

Flat Broke is the companion to the middle-grade comedic novel Liar, Liar by Gary Paulsen.

Fourteen-year-old Kevin is reformed liar. He used to lie about everything. Sure, he did it for the betterment of mankind - but things kinda got out of hand. And he got caught. Now, as a punishment for all the lying, Kevin has no allowance. No allowance equals no funds to impress Tina, his fellow eighth grader - and now object of his affection and attention. She is, after all, the World's Most Beautiful Girl. How can he possibly ask her out on a date without money?

Being a smart, innovative young man Kevin decides to get creative and take things into his own hands. He will start earning money by creating his own little company and rake in profits that will be the envy of Bill Gates himself. Can that really be so hard?

Of course - nothing Kevin does is ever as simple as he thinks. And he ends in a variety of mix-ups and errors that provide much comic relief.

In Flat Broke we are reintroduced to Kevin, whose lively, personality-filled character was a standout for me. I was very happy to know we were going to return to him, because he is absolutely hilarious! His new ambition of making money and impressing Tina is only a starting point to a whip-fast, smile-inducing, crazy fun, extremely thin novel! Plus, Gary Paulsen continues to fill out the book until bursting with bright, happy, creative secondary characters that are still somehow realistic.

I want more of Kevin and his growing pains! I loved every lighthearted, laugh-out-loud moment and look forward to witnessing more of his insane, yet kind of brilliant, schemes.

Reckless

2011-10-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

Reckless is a YA fantasy adventure by the ever-revered (for good reason) Cornelia Funke.

Jacob Reckless has been passing through a mirror portal in his father's forgotten (or, rather, ignored) study for years now. After his father disappeared and his mother became a shell of her former self, he found it. Since then, it's been hard to stay tethered to his world - instead, he's become more and more connected to the alternative option.

In fact, he's managed to make a name for himself as a treasure hunter. And always by his side is a loyal vixen named Fox, a shape-shifter. She's probably the closest thing he has to a friend - but Jacob still considers himself a loner. But he's become comfortable with the different creatures, monsters, and magic this world has to offer - even though right now they are at war with a stone people called Goyl. None of that interests him. He just seeks out his mysterious objects and fetches good prices.

But that's all about to change. Because Jacob's brother Will has finally found the portal. He's always believed in Jacob, despite the fact that Jacob had left him to deal with their mother to her dying day, despite rarely ever being around. And now Will's been infected with the curse that many men throughout this land are terrified of - the curse that turns you into the enemy, into one of the Goyl. If it completes, Jacob's gentle, earnest, faithful brother will never be the same person - and it would all because he wanted, even at their late teen age, to follow his big brother.

Jacob has never had to take care of someone else in this world. It's dangerous enough without being infected. But he's determined to save his brother from a fate that seems to have no hope. No one has ever found a cure - or dared try.

But they call him Reckless for a reason.

Followers of this blog (you know who you are, and you're awesome!) will know I've only ever read/reviewed one other Cornelia Funke book and that was Dragon Rider. I thought that was an amazing, classic-feeling fantasy directed towards kids but insanely accessible to older readers as well. So this is my first time reading a book by her that actually features older characters.

In fact, if I'm doing my math right (and there's a very good chance I'm not - English was always my subject) Jacob may very well be in his early 20s in Reckless. This would make Will in his mid to late teens. This doesn't matter in the overall view, really, as long as it's a great book (which - surprise! - it is) - but I'll admit I was interested to see how it would differ from Dragon Rider because of that difference.

Reckless starts right out of the gate! Funke immediately caught my attention with the quick introduction to this portal in Jacob's father's study - a portal taking him, and us, to a mysterious world. And before we reach 20 pages we're already faced with a dilemma when we find out Will followed him and was infected with a curse.

Books that jump into the action so quickly can go one of two ways: the writing can fail to invest us in the characters and be too focused on the plot, or the writing can easily and craftily start filling in the blanks with character development, detail, and sweeping storytelling.

I'm happy to announce that, in my opinion, Reckless most definitely is in the latter category! This novel has a relentless adventure tone, a fully imagined setting, and a tough, brooding hero. Cornelia Funke managed to write new, scary beings into this fantasy world - creatures and monsters that are legitimately creepy and fascinating to read about. And what's so interesting is that our main character, Jacob, is completely aware of most of it, even as we take it in with awe and wonder. Oh, how I love a good fantasy adventure!

Reckless is heavily populated with original characters and ideas, danger, and obstacles at every turn. This is a place of twisted fairy-tales and horrors - delightfully fun and seriously epic! There's romance, creativity, and (like I said with Dragon Rider) a classic-like thrill that abounds throughout the entire book. I can see the talent brimming here that I saw in Dragon Rider, only darker and more mature. Awesome.

The frenzied quest for a cure brings out amazing depth in Jacob, as he must face his neglect of Will. Reckless is extremely fast-paced and entertaining as the marvelous prose helps our imaginations run wild! Exciting, nerve-wracking, and breathlessly thrilling I cannot stress enough how much FUN Reckless was to read!

And our hunky, tormented, treasure hunting extraordinaire (Jacob, if you haven't been following closely) is a fantastic character to follow. He's perfect to headline a series - and there's enough open-ended mysteries and room for more plots in this tricky, magical, captivating world for hopefully many more books to come!

Admit it - you're intrigued...

*I received a review copy of Reckless from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Sweetly

2011-10-07T00:30:00.000-07:00

Sweetly is a YA modern-day retelling of Hansel and Gretel by the author Jackson Pearce.

When Gretchen and Ansel were very young, Gretchen's twin sister vanished without a trace while the three were in the woods exploring. Thing is, Gretchen remembers the witch's yellow eyes - she knows it was a witch, without a doubt, that took her sister. Ansel is less certain, and is haunted by his lack of knowledge of what happened exactly that night. Of course, no one believed Gretchen - and everyone was frustrated by the siblings' lack of help in the search.

Now that Gretchen is eighteen and Ansel is nineteen their stepmother kicks them out and the two head out to cross the country and leave the forests of the Pacific Northwest behind for the ocean of the East coast. But along the way they have car issues and end up in a tiny, sleepy town called Live Oak in South Carolina. In order to earn the money they need to get the car fixed and be on their way, Gretchen and Ansel are directed to Sophia Kelly's candy store.

Sophia herself is a graceful, beautiful, cheerful host who invites them to stay with her while they help out and earn some money. Her chocolates and candies are to die for...

As the two siblings begin to slip into a comfortable pattern with their new life, Gretchen meets good-looking but standoffish Samuel - and he isn't a fan of Sophia. He fills Gretchen in on the fact that every year at Sophia's chocolate festivals girls go missing. In fact, he is the first person Gretchen has ever met that seems to believe her when she says it was a witch that took her sister.

Sick of living in fear and being frightened by the sight of the forest, Gretchen is determined to start fighting back with the help of Samuel - but how could the sweet Sophia be involved? Who is the real monster?

She'll have to find out before she disappears like her sister...

Sweetly has a creepy beginning that gave me the impression that this book is perfect for Halloween!

There are so many awesome things about Sweetly it's hard to know where to start. How about this? I found it absolutely fascinating that Gretchen's abducted twin's name is not mentioned once for almost the entire novel, though she is talked of in the narrative extensively.

Then there's the fact that Jackson Pearce has Sweetly taking place in the modern world yet manages to keep that frightening feel of Hansel and Gretel, one of the scarier fairy-tales (in my opinion). She's created a understatedly supportive and loving relationship dynamic between Ansel and Gretchen that is interesting and likable and then she ratchets up the fear factor by setting the two in an isolated, middle-of-nowhere town that isn't all that fond of outsiders.

As this delectable story reaches shivering, scary peaks, there's something deliciously fun about the goosebump-inducing tone. Jackson Pearce has a way of making your nightmares come true. Sweetly also offers up a slow-burning romance with the enigmatic Samuel, who is hot but also has depth - excellent!

Sweetly has suspicious intentions, nail-biting suspense, a breathless, amazing end, and no lack of compassion and character development - fantastic and unique! How have I never read Jackson Pearce before this? I have no idea. But I intend to help you remedy that, bibliophile - that is if you haven't already.

All I know is I loved Sweetly and I want more from Jackson Pearce!

*I received a review copy of Sweetly from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Hello Hollywood!

2011-10-05T00:30:00.001-07:00

Hello Hollywood! is an adult contemporary romantic comedy by Janice Thompson.

Working as the only female writer on Stars Collide, one of the most popular sitcoms on television, can sometimes be pressure-ridden for Athena Pappas. She's been named head writer, but half the time she still worries about her job as the ratings start to sag a bit here and there.

Her concerns become amplified when Stephen Cosse, a hotshot Vegas comedian, is brought in to join the writer's room and give a "fresh" perspective. Athena wasn't aware that they needed it.

Stephen seems like a nice enough guy - but he has an unfair advantage when it comes to looks. He's Adonis-like. Very distracting. And Athena can't help but notice that he appreciates his Greek roots, just like her family. If her mother knew about him, she'd probably die and go to Heaven before any romance truly even blossomed.

But Athena has already had bad experiences with love. Really bad. Like leave-her-days-before-the-wedding bad. So go figure she'd find herself attracted to the very guy that may end up replacing her and force her to work full-time at her parents' sandwich stop.

It'd be so much easier if she could just write her own life...

Hello Hollywood! is the second book in a series called Backstage Pass. There's a fun, behind-the-scenes feel to Hollywood in it. Janice Thompson is a former screenwriter, so she's drawing from her own experience in giving us this setting.

Athena is a nice, slightly insecure, Greek gal doing her best as the only female screenwriter on Stars Collide. She makes for a likable main character, though she's a bit bland. I warmed up to her as it went along, her humor began to become a bit more genuine.

The new hot guy catches her eye, but also threatens her job - a bit cliche, but if a novel gives me a breezy, charming story I would forgive that. It took me maybe halfway there. Sometimes Hello Hollywood! felt perfect - for instance when Athena begins to panic about losing her job and goes through an entire night of planning what else she can do with her life - that scene was funny, yet still grounded. It made her personality more interesting. But then on a different note, the show she works on more often than not sounded very corny to me. I wish I didn't feel that way, but I did. It made it hard to believe it was doing so great, that she was so talented, etc.

But overall, Hello Hollywood! is a very enjoyable romantic comedy. I loved the Christian outlook. Their faith didn't feel overbearing, but was strong and important. The entire book was sweet and good-intentioned and I really liked the gently done female empowerment angle and focus on family.

I could have done with a bit more spice, a bit more flavor, a few more laughs, and a more dynamic plot - but Hello Hollywood! was a lightly entertaining, fast-paced novel for sure.

*Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

*I received a copy of Hello Hollywood! from the Baker Publishing Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Dark Parties

2011-10-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

Dark Parties is a suspenseful dystopia-like YA novel by debut author Sara Grant.

At sixteen years old, Neva has no choices. In Homeland, where she has lived her entire life, everyone is cut off completely from the outside word by a sphere that keeps them "safe". After all, they've been told that everything outside Homeland is a wasteland - they'd never survive out there. In order to avoid the conflicts that come from inequality, the government has strived to make everyone more equal through appearance - to the point where Neva looks very, very similar to everybody else.

She's seen more and more options taken from the table, to the point of now being assigned a job at sixteen. And as the population dwindles it seems that the government primarily wants her to get married and start a family. In fact, she's not sure they're even particular about the getting married part.

But Neva and her best friend, Sanna, have felt there's more going on. Neva has kept a secret journal notating how people go missing, never to be spoken of again. The first one she remembers is her grandmother - though her parents have never spoken of her since she disappeared. So Sanna and Neva plan a "dark party" to begin planning a rebellion. They want to start speaking out about how the government is actually scaring them, not protecting them - and how they aren't so convinced there's nothing else besides Homeland.

Yet nobody realized the unimaginable revelations they would begin to uncover... and what kind of danger it would put them in...

To be honest, I'm not sure my synopsis there does Dark Parties justice. I just didn't want to give away too much! Thing is - this is a phenomenal book! I'll just lay all my cards on the table immediately - I was floored.

I read a lot - a lot. And most of you do, too - after all this is the Bibliophile Support Group. And sometimes, because of all that reading, you start to get a familiar feeling with books - you might get better at guessing where they're going or feel that characters are kinda similar to each other.

Dark Parties is one of those books that wakes you up a bit. It put me back in that "reader mode". I almost forgot I was going to be reviewing it later - I was just purely in the narrative, wholly and completely.

I don't want you to think I haven't felt this way for a long time or anything - there have been some other utterly fantastic books I've been reading this year, truly. It's just that this was definitely one of them - and probably will be making my Best of 2011 list on New Year's Eve.

It has a stark, simple prose that presents a harrowing, bland futuristic reality where there is such a lack of individuality that it's appalling. These teens go to such lengths to feel different from one another - lengths I don't want to spoil for you - that it just grabbed my attention immediately, as it was so unique and incredibly effective.

There's a mystery, suspense, claustrophobia, fear, and fierce need for identity that drove the novel early on - and continued. Neva's determination and quiet rebellion is heroic and likable - she's a strong female character that struggles with her personal issues while refusing to give in to the dank yet dangerous Homeland.

As the book continued, it only became more shrouded in secrets and lies. And ooooh was it intriguing! Not to mention a forbidden, intense attraction that Neva develops for a guy she wants nothing to do with it, the anguish of betrayal, and the terrible loneliness of being trapped in a life you've been forced in - Dark Parties is flat-out stunning. And absolutely impossible to put down!!!

Dark Parties reminds us why the choices we make as individuals and the differences between us - appearances, points of view, personality - have far more positives than negatives. We don't want to lose that. So we understand that hunger to get it.

This book is romantic, painful, honest, scary, and engrossing. I was so into it, so involved in each horrifying twist, that there were moments near the end where I was practically forgetting to breathe. I became one with the narrative and it was all about turning pages - the clinically diagnosed bibliophile in me was fully alert.

Dark Parties has shocking revelations that will turn your stomach, character development that will break your heart one moment and make you cheer the next, and an end that gave me goosebumps and chills.

If this is only your debut Sara Grant - what can we expect from you next?!

*I received a review copy of Dark Parties from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Deeply Devoted

2011-09-30T00:30:00.000-07:00

Deeply Devoted is a historical romance novel written by Maggie Brendan, with Christian readers in mind.

It's 1887 and Catharine and her two sisters, Greta and Anna, are making a risky trip to Wyoming, leaving their home of Amsterdam, Holland behind for a fresh start. For these three lovely European ladies it's a both painful and hopeful change of pace - the memory of their recently deceased parents lingering in their hearts. They couldn't bring much with them, though Catharine made sure to keep her mother's set of Blue Willow china - even though there aren't many pieces left that are whole.

The only reason they've been able to make the trip to America is that Catharine is a mail-order bride. She's corresponded with Peter Andersen, a wheat farmer, for six months after reading his ad - and has agreed to marry him. But he doesn't know she's bringing two sisters with him. Nor does he know the anguished, and possibly shameful, past that she is hiding. If she were to tell him everything, surely he would not marry her. And if he didn't, how would she fulfill her vow to take care of her sisters?

When Peter and Catharine meet, Peter is delighted with her beauty and sweetness - though he's not too happy with the surprise add-ons. Can he support three more mouths? He'll do his best. But despite their mutual attraction - can they find a deeper connection? Can love really form when both may be keeping secrets? Maybe the only way will be by trusting in God...

I'm a huge fan of inspirational historical fiction! I always wish that Jane Austen had written more, as I love that witty, fun, insightful romance in a time period that is rich and full. I'm open to trying almost any time period - though not every book can be as awesome as Miss Austen, of course.

In Deeply Devoted we meet Catharine and her sisters right when they are about ready to step off the train in Wyoming. The town that will now be their home is quaint and small, though not so tiny as not to have a nice inn and restaurant. We immediately get placed in the midst of this whirlwind marriage. The initial meeting doesn't go off without hiccups, however, as Catharine's rather large omission of bringing her sisters' along is revealed.

There's an interesting dynamic is having the two sisters with Catharine and Peter, as that's not a common occurrence in mail-order bride stories. Not that I've read a ton of them, but it seems like a fresh little difference. Greta and Anna are definitely individual and likable, and I couldn't help but wonder if the next books in the series Deeply Devoted starts off (The Blue Willow Brides) will be centered on each of them.

I liked Deeply Devoted - but I kind of had a hot/cold relationship with it. For example, the characterizations of Peter and Catharine were a bit bland and monotone for me. They lacked a spark, both chemistry-wise between the two and personality-wise as individuals. Catharine's secret pain (which we only get hints of for a long time, until an anguished reveal) gives her a bit more depth of the two, but for a long time Peter was doing absolutely nothing for me, unfortunately.

I think what it might have been, in my opinion, was Peter's eagerness. In so many ways he just seemed like a wide-eyed little boy, instead of a hardworking man that resorted to a mail-order bride to fulfill his loneliness. I'm perfectly fine with a good guy - someone who is kind and sweet to women, but he just seemed a little... unrealistic to me. Now, you may completely disagree! He could be your absolute dream man - and you may think I'm crazy - I encourage you to read Deeply Devoted for yourself!

But before you go and think I only had negative thoughts about Deeply Devoted, stick with me here. As the novel continued, more conflict was introduced in a subtle way. Most of it was by the disruption of Peter's mother, who was none too happy to find out she had a new daughter-in-law, and Catharine's continued lie of omission. And eventually Peter became more attractive to me, funnily enough it was right around the same time Catharine started thinking the same thing. He grew on me slowly, though I would never say he's a favorite male lead of mine.

Yet there was enough gentle day-to-day interactions on the farm and slow-burn closeness developing between the two, that when things started to fall apart - I cared. In fact, the best part by far, for me, was the last quarter of the book. Both characters began to show their flaws and true selves, whether they wanted to or not, and Catharine seemed to grow more of a backbone than she'd shown up to that point. I was turning pages quite swiftly, worried about them and finally feeling more involved in the story.

I did very much enjoy Deeply Devoted, and was never once bored. It flew by, as romances are apt to do. The conclusion was touching and I would be more than willing to read the next novel in the series - it's just too bad I never felt the connection to the characters that would have made Deeply Devoted ten times better for me. Again, that's just my personal opinion - and you should read the book for yourself!!!

Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a copy of Deeply Devoted from the Baker Publishing Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Ravenwood

2011-09-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

Ravenwood is a YA fantasy adventure from author Andrew Peters.

Ark, a fourteen-year-old apprentice to his plumber father, hears something he shouldn't hear.

Something that could get him killed.

Arborium, their huge, mile-high tree of a country, is being plotted against by Maw, a country of glass and steel and technology. Maw sees Arborium as a gigantic gold mine, as wood is now a natural resource even more precious than that very substance.

And the plot is coming from the inside. From those who are supposed to be the most trusted advisors to King Quercus.

It was just a terrible time to be fixing a pipe.

Next thing you know, Ark is running for his life - and trying to figure out how he can save his tree home before Maw comes with axes and evil intent!

A fight-or-flight opener throws us right into the action of this unique tree world of Arborium and immediately has an espionage/thriller tone. Andrew Peters doesn't waste much time!

The idea of an entire country living an enormous, carved tree was fascinating to me and I looked forward to learning more about it in Ravenwood. There's an entire culture and vocabulary that Andrew Peters has invented to match up with this different way of life. It's fun and inventive.

Then we find out that ravens are as big (if not bigger!) than people! I was having a hard time figuring out how exactly this all worked, but in the end I just accepted it - because after all, it's a fantasy! And we are being presented with a fleshed-out, intriguing world!

Ravenwood is definitely a lively fantasy adventure with a plot that thickens at each turn of the page. For example, there's a mystery to Ark's birth/roots and an entire mythology/religion to Arborium that may or may not be true. Plus, there's an inspirational bent to the novel as well as we see Ark's low-level, rather unpleasant job in sewage and see how he may be destined for greater things.

It's easy to enjoy this nonstop suspense roller coaster! Ravenwood has a strong focus on friendship and family, which is brightened by the fact that the characters are excellently portrayed and joyful - they make a delightful journey all the more delightful.

As the novel continues and revelations occur, the cloak and dagger fun and magical fantasy mystery give way to a surprisingly bloody and weightier final quarter. At first I was a bit taken aback, because Ravenwood is also given to being quite silly and lighthearted - the sudden (I felt) change to a darker tone was unexpected. Some of the new twists were a bit heavy and muddy, in my opinion, but the classic hero battling evil and facing important, moralistic choices was still highly enjoyable and well-done.

In the end, Ravenwood had more grit and patriotism, with highlights on the honor of sacrifice for one's country, than I at first expected from this action adventure. Yet it strengthened its depth this way, and made it more epic. Though I may have been more taken with the fun, lighter aspects of the earlier tone - a reread may very well change that.

A good choice for any age that's a fan of this excellent genre!

Guardian of the Dead

2011-09-26T00:30:00.000-07:00

Guardian of the Dead is a YA horror/supernatural novel by Karen Healey.

Seventeen-year-old New Zealander Ellie is getting through boarding school one day at a time. Though she's never had a tough time making friends before, here she just can't seem to gel with any of the other girls. But she does have Kevin, one of the male students. And their close bond is unshakable.

But then a stunningly beautiful, mysterious, and in Ellie's opinion, creepy woman enters their life and seems unusually focused on Kevin. What's even stranger is the way Kevin acts when she's around.

Of course, maybe the way he acts around her is no more odd than how Ellie acts around Mark, a handsome, quiet guy that only goes to the school during the day. In fact, maybe she should be more worried about how after they interact in any way, Ellie feels a little fuzzy headed and when trying to remember what exactly happened in their encounter gets a terrible migraine and throws up.

Or maybe she should worry about both.

Before she knows it, Ellie finds herself thrown into a world of revenge, magic, Maori mythology come to life, and a bloody battle for immortality.

And she may have a vital role.

Guardian of the Dead was instantly alluring and interesting with strong vibes of untold stories, especially as murder rumors abound and send chills down your spine. The disturbing details of the vicious killings throughout New Zealand and startling moments with the attractive, crush-worthy, mysterious Mark gives an ominous and suspenseful tone quickly. Plus, I loved Ellie and Kevin's frienship - an awesome best friend bond that feels authentic.

The lush New Zealand setting feels perfect for a scary story, a great contrast between beauty and fear. And then we have Ellie who has a likable, self-deprecating humor and relatable personality. Following her through the fog and confusion is compelling, frightening, and intriguing. You feel like there's always something more going on in the corner of your eye, something unexpected and unsettling. Perfect for a bibliophile that likes a little horror before bedtime.

Ellie finds herself in the midst of some pretty darn spooky legends, giving a breathless tone of terror and suspense. I'll admit that I did get a bit confused by the complicated mythology, but the grounded believability of Ellie is refreshing and kept me hanging in there.

A stunner of a surprise near the end took the romance side of the story (of which there is, I was remiss not to mention it thus far) and gives it one heck of a fairy-tale twist. I was flabbergasted by the turn of events!

Though unfortunately I do still feel like I need to reread Guardian of the Dead to sort out some plot details that must have flew over my head in a more tired moment, the intricate plot was clearly well thought-out and haunting.

Creepy? Check. Eerie? Check. Requires daylight to read without jumping? Double check.

Guardian of the Dead was heartbreaking, hopeful, empowering, bittersweet, magical, and majestic in scale. Truly quite the debut and an author to watch!

*I received a review copy of Guardian of the Dead from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

Rip Tide

2011-09-23T00:30:00.000-07:00

Rip Tide is the sequel to the YA underwater thriller Dark Life, written by Kat Falls.

I recommend avoiding this review and reading Dark Life, if you haven't already. Otherwise, continue...

Fifteen-year-old Ty has lived his entire life in the ocean - a life choice made by his family to pioneer in the depths instead of make due in the fried Earth above. But this choice has led to some unintended consequences. Ty has an ability. So does his sister. And people don't like things they can't explain. Because of this, they tend to keep their talents quiet.

Yet despite the ocean being a dangerous place, Ty has never come across something as horrifying as he does one night as he's out with his friend Gemma (whom maybe he'd like to be more than friends). An entire township sunken - with people inside - apparently on purpose. Because how else would you explain it being chained to a downed airplane?

Before they know it, Ty and Gemma find themselves unraveling a mystery that has claimed the lives of hundreds - and before they even get a chance to try and solve it, two lives that are close to Ty and Gemma are endangered.

It's a race against time and muddy politics as Ty and Gemma fight against the authorities, criminals, and all the natural predators of the ocean to save the lives of not only their loved ones, but the many more in danger of falling victim to a vicious cycle that certain individuals don't want getting out...

Dark Life was an excellent undersea adventure that presented a lively, unique setting - and Rip Tide is a wonderful follow-up. I don't know if any more books are planned in the series or not, but I hope there are!

Rip Tide is a fast-paced, suspenseful, thrilling action-adventure YA novel with sensitive, introspective character development and light, yet involving, romance. The way Kat Falls deals with Gemma's fear of the water and how this effects her relationship with Ty, whose life is water, is lovely and understated. And Ty is refreshingly mature, though still realistically frustrated occasionally, and understanding in a way that just really makes you love him. These are endearing characters that have spunk and fire, providing us readers the ability to root for them as they fight against the odds.

The plot of Rip Tide is interesting, compelling, always multilayered and surprising. The political intrigue and corruption in this futuristic world governed by an unjust emergency rule that has long since overstayed its welcome but refuses to go away is fascinating. There's always more I want to know about this life, not only below the sea but also above it.

I was holding my breath through the action-packed, nail-biting conclusion and impressive villains, while other times smiling through the banter, friendships, warm family relationships, and hesitant kisses.

I was very happy with it and refuse to give away any more details, in case I accidentally give away something big! So go read Rip Tide! It should calm your book addict cravings for a good while. ;)

Veiled Rose

2011-09-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

Veiled Rose is a grown-up fairy-tale appropriate for all ages by Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

Being as this book in the second in a fairy-tale/fantasy series called Tales of Goldstone Wood, I would recommend reading the first book (Heartless) first - though I personally didn't get the opportunity to do that and still found Veiled Rose to be easily read as a stand-alone novel.

Eleven-year-old Leo doesn't want to stay indoors watching his boring cousin read research novels - he wants to go out on adventures. After all, what's the point of having a summer in the country if you don't go out in the country? And the rumors of a monster in the woods is growing more rampant - so Leo sets off to hunt the monster with a beanpole.

But he doesn't find a monster. Instead, he finds a girl named Rose Red who is entirely covered in ragged veils. Not a tiny bit of her appearance shows. She lives in the forest with no one but her beloved nanny goat and her kind father. Leo isn't a big fan of girls, but the two hit it off and begin having daily adventures - Leo practically forgets that Rose Red is shrouded in veils.

However, not everyone has forgotten about the monster in the woods - there are those who seek it. And it is not yet clear to the children what danger awaits them both as their friendship is tested.

Terror awaits...

Veiled Rose has a lovely, sweeping use of adjectives that painted a vivid and magical picture of the story in my mind. It initially sets up a fantasy quest from the prospective of the future and has a charming, instant flashback to Leo's childhood, in which we see him as a stubborn, adventurous boy not fully realizing that he is setting off a course of events that will last many, many years.

I thoroughly enjoyed the classic tone of this enchanting tale. The prose wrapped me up in the story. And Rose Red is a mysterious little figure that I was quite intrigued by and was happy to follow to her eccentric home to learn more about her. Anne Elisabeth Stengl provides the readers' with a sweet, interesting, unique, motley crew of characters!

As the story continued, some creepier bits with Rose Red and her dark, eerie dreams began to offer up more questions and mysteries - which is, of course, fun! I loved the way Stengl tells the tale in a patient, yet constantly inventive and magnetic, manner. Veiled Rose has an epic feeling to it, a larger-than-life scale with a sensitivity and genuineness to it that is refreshing and original.

Veiled Rose spans about ten years worth of time and is truly a wondrous journey of monumental proportions with subtle faith-based metaphors. Now, with some of the late plot developments I think I would still strongly suggest reading Heartless first (again, that is the first book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series) but it is still fine to read it alone. I know I'm looking forward to going back and reading Heartless very soon, though!

Yet with all this praise, I do feel like I have to say the end left me torn. I, of course, will not give away anything here - no spoilers at the Bibliophile Support Group! But, there was a certain way I was hoping for Veiled Rose to end and it did not happen. Now, is that a bad thing? No. In fact, I love that Anne Elisabeth Stengl continued to keep Veiled Rose absolutely unexpected and cliche-free. However, there was a sadness and a bittersweetness that left me feeling a bit down at the conclusion - when I was hoping to feel happier. Was this conclusion more poignant and meaningful? Perhaps. But it didn't change the fact that I had been hoping for a happier end.

Again: this is only my opinion - what may have been considered happy to me doesn't mean it would be happy for you! Read Veiled Rose for yourself and don't take this as any sort of sign of how it will end, because this is very much an individual opinion!

This is the thing - there is going to be another book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood coming out next year called Moonblood. I believe (from the excerpt) that it will continue this delicate yet strong story - so it really isn't an end at all.

I strongly, strongly recommend Veiled Rose as a brand-new, beautiful, inspirational and heartrending fantasy that gives a mature perspective. It's a wonderful story that I believe you should read as well, especially if you're a fantasy or fairy-tale lover looking for something new and different!

*I received a copy of Veiled Rose from the Bethany House Book Reviewers program, which you can check out here. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.

The Sons of Liberty #2: Death and Taxes

2011-09-19T00:30:00.000-07:00

Death and Taxes is the second book in a YA graphic novel series called The Sons of Liberty. It is written and created by Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos, with art by Steve Walker, and coloring done by Oren Kramek.

The makings of the Revolutionary War are beginning to fall into place. High taxes, tyranny, and a bunch of very unhappy Americans are starting to realize they want to be free of England's yoke. Amongst the many Philadelphia residents are Graham and Brody, escaped slaves for many years now. They've mostly kept their heads down and worked hard, avoiding getting involved in any of the debates and demonstrations.

But they don't just avoid these situations because of their previous lives as slaves, but because they have successfully hidden their powers for many years now - and they don't want to reveal them now. Yet things are getting violent on the streets, and they find they can't ignore how they can help. So, Graham and Brody don masks and use their abilities to help... though they aren't always sure what side they are helping...

This graphic novel takes a new twist on American history in the years before the Declaration of Independence.

Alrighty! I'm not someone who has read too many graphic novels. I was a big fan of Archie comics when I was younger (and probably would still be, if I was still reading them), but have only read a couple graphic novels. And those were still usually somewhat comedic or mystery oriented. This one, Death and Taxes, is kinda violent and crazed - didn't really meet my particular tastes and felt more male-oriented. I'm not saying, of course, that no girls would go for it - I'm just saying my impression was that it would appeal much more to guys.

This is just my personal opinion, but I myself was a bit bored with Death and Taxes. It seemed to lack a real plotline and patriotism. It was hard for me to tell what was going on, who was who, who I was following, and why I would care. Now, I did miss reading the first novel in The Sons of Liberty series, and that may have been a hindrance.

For me, the fact that about 99% of the people represented in the novel were presented as mad and bloodthirsty and so many of the squares feature people with maniacal expressions - well, that just wasn't so pleasant for me. It's definitely intense, and I'm sure many fans of graphic novels will love Death and Taxes! It just wasn't my "cup of tea".

But don't listen to me! If you love graphic novels, and like your reading material to have a darker twist - you should read Death and Taxes for yourself! Our reading tastes are not the same!!! And I would love to hear differing opinions!

BONUS REVIEW:

Now, I may not have been a huge fan of this particular graphic novel, but comics in general are awesome! So for all of you fans of manga or aspiring manga artists out there, I have another new release I want to quickly mention to y'all. It's called Young Artists Draw Manga and it is a step-by-step guide on how to draw your own manga!

It's written by Christopher Hart and has some excellent tips to try - and will probably keep you entertained for quite a while. There's specific help on drawing feet, hands, and different movement - for example walking, winking, etc. Definitely a fun book - and an educational one at that!

Again, if you've been wanting to learn how to draw manga, or you have some time on your hands and would like something diverting to do - pick up Young Artists Draw Manga!

Passion

2011-09-16T02:30:00.000-07:00

Passion is the third novel in the Fallen series, an ambitious YA angel saga by Lauren Kate.

Again, this review will have inevitable spoilers for Fallen and Torment - don't read it unless you've already read the previous books in the series. You've been warned, bibliophiles!!!

After the breathless events at the conclusion of Torment, Luce is in a state of desperation. It seems that the cycle of losing her life will never end - though this time she won't come back. It would truly be the end. What's the point of it all? Why is Daniel cursed? Beyond his immeasurable attractiveness, why does she love him? How does it all end?

It is with all of these questions in her mind that Luce opened up an Announcer and stepped in. She was told repeatedly how dangerous that is, how she should be trained heavily before ever attempting such a thing - but in that moment she couldn't care less. What really mattered was to learn - to learn the secrets Daniel wouldn't tell her, to connect with her past selves and the tragedy that touched all her past families, and to finally break the cycle.

All of the angels, not to mention the Outcasts, are trying to find her. Of course, none as frantically as Daniel. But going on a search through time is not easy - she could be anywhere. She's had reincarnations through thousands of years!

But what if Luce gets lost in time? Or worse - what if she changes things so dramatically that she'll have never existed in the current time - or change herself completely?

This time it may truly be the end to Daniel and Luce's star-crossed romance...

Passion sets up a plot that definitely got my attention: Luce is going to start visiting her past! Ooooh - I like it!

It was fascinating and amazing as Luce takes an agonizing trip through time. It's quite a journey - mixing historical times and puzzling mysteries, never letting us forget the terrible danger we've been warned she's in while doing this! It's one heck of a unique plot! Hats off to Lauren Kate for spinning us quite the tale.

There's a real sense of answers coming - big ones. And as the pace and revelations accelerated, we were indeed given some. Being a Christian, I'm not a huge fan of creating fiction out of angels and God - but Lauren Kate did present in such a way to make me feel that it was truly a fantasy - and I set that sentiment aside.

Passion is an exhilarating adventure with a romantic, tragic twist. It's riveting, spectacular, and singular with an originality that makes it shine. Unlike the previous two books, there is very little time spent with secondary characters like Arriane, Shelby, Miles, etc. Yet we get a ton of valuable info, and the emotional impact of getting to see, first hand along with Luce, the past lives that she experienced but does not remember.

Quite something! I will be waiting for the fourth and final book, Rapture, with bated breath - how on earth will this all end?!?

Torment

2011-09-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

Torment is the second book in the YA supernatural series Fallen, written by best-selling author Lauren Kate.

You know the drill, bibliophiles. If you haven't read Fallen yet, the first book, then reading this review is only hurting your overall experience of Fallen. Make a wise choice and avoid it, if that is the case. Otherwise, you've been warned! :)

Luce is still reeling from the revelation that Daniel and many of her other Sword & Cross classmates are actually angels. But even that is easier to get over than the fact that apparently Luce has been reincarnated over and over again since the beginning of time, doomed to fall in love with Daniel, only to die suddenly and dramatically before she ever reaches eighteen.

But this time... this time it's different. She can see the Shadows that lurk like ominous prophecies. That's never happened before. She's also never before survived finding out what Daniel is, let alone so many passionate kisses.

Yet she is still in danger. There are others who want her dead. Outcasts, blind immortals whose motives she's not entirely aware - among others. In order to protect her, to hide her, Daniel insists she go to a California school called Shoreline - without him.

Shoreline couldn't be more different from Sword & Cross - breezy, easygoing, and filled with Nephilim, children of a mixed lineage of angels and humans, all of which have abilities beyond the norm. It is here that Luce finds out what the Shadows actually are, and how she could use them to learn more about her past lives...

And this becomes vital to Luce - as she wonders if her love for Daniel is merely a tragic, destined cycle and really without reason or cause. After all, he is hiding something from her - something dangerous... and she wants to know the truth.

Okay, so anyone who read my review of Fallen on Monday knows I was impressed - Torment took me a bit longer to connect, but I eventually did. Thing is, I love Luce. In Torment she makes some dumb decisions, in my opinion, that threw me off a bit - that disappointed me, but I could kind of understand it. Also, there was a lack of that all-encompassing, engrossing mystery feeling that Fallen presented in spades - which I had to get over.

Torment's setting of sunny Shoreline is a surprising change from the dank and dark Sword & Cross - but with time and patience I began to see how the contrast was interesting and brave on Lauren Kate's behalf. It served many purposes, as well. We get to see Luce interact with more, ahem, "normal" classmates - in the sense that they were kind and supportive. And she began to learn more about the epic battle she's been thrown in.

What I especially found refreshing was how Daniel's cryptic words, secrets, and overall confusion-causing demeanor with Luce began to place little, painful cracks in their budding, intense relationship. Luce begins to question their connection and tire of her undeniable pull towards him - realizing a lack of substance and meaning. I found this both understandable and awesome - you don't get that often in YA.

Because of all the final twists in Fallen there's a nice paranoia in Torment - though not quite as palpable. And I was still missing the dark, simmering mystery and thrills of the first novel - but with patience it finally begins to seep in. There is a fight for independence and a resistance to blindly submitting to her fate that Luce brings to Torment. I really began to be convinced that Torment was going to be awesome too - and I was right! In my opinion, that is.

There was a slow-burning creativity to the plot of Torment, especially regarding the Shadows. Plus, our mythic Daniel gets a little competition when it comes to Luce's attentions. Lauren Kate continues to resist the superficial cattiness of female relationships, as well, and presents us instead with a deeper bond of friendship and mourning that is lovely.

I became increasingly intrigued as Torment began to have more and more electrifying turns and plot developments! With great, dynamic characters and a stunning, breathless, memorable end I was absolutely happy with the end result of Torment!

I think you will be too! Now on to Passion (third book)! Read my review of Friday! ;)

Fallen

2011-09-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

Fallen is a YA supernatural novel by Lauren Kate.

I want to acknowledge the fact that a lot of you may have already read this book - I know I'm late to the game. But when Passion came out in June (the third book in the Fallen series) I found myself in a position to finally read these novels. Better late than never, right?

So, what is the basic, spoiler-free synopsis of the plot?

Luce, a seventeen-year-old honor student, is haunted by what happened to the first boy she had a real, serious crush on. Not only by the events that cost him his life, but by what she saw that night - the very same dark shadows that have continued to hover in the water and elsewhere for years, to the point that she knew she had to shut up about them - or else she'd be on anti-psychotics by now. They were there that night - before the fire.

Of course, she couldn't explain that to the police. It wouldn't help her case any to appear crazy on top of already being the only suspect in a possible arson. Instead, Luce finds herself sent to Sword & Cross boarding school in Savannah, Georgia - a reform school. Definitely not a place she ever thought she'd end up.

There's no cell phones, security cameras watching their every move, long, excruciating classes with unenthusiastic teachers, and a bevy of threatening, possibly dangerous fellow students - some of which even wear shock bracelets.

But one student catches her eye almost immediately - Daniel Grigori. The superficial reason is obvious - he's flat out gorgeous with golden hair, gray eyes speckled with violet, and an admittedly nice physique. Yet that's not the only reason Luce can't keep her eyes off of him... He just seems so familiar. So much so, that Luce feels herself inexplicably drawn to him like a moth to a flame - despite his disinterest and apparent dislike of her.

Another student, green-eyed Cam, actually seems to genuinely like her and have an interest in her as she navigates the ways of such a strange, lonely school like Sword & Cross - she actually starts to make a few friends. But no matter how nice and good-looking Cam is, Luce can't stop trying to figure out what Daniel is hiding...

And that very well may be Luce's doom...

Alrighty, first off I must say how eye-catching and lovely the cover of Fallen is! And each cover after that in the Fallen series (Torment, Passion), are just as great. I don't mention covers often, because I like to focus on the contents of the book - but when one is this cool, I gotta mention it! :)

The start of Fallen was extremely interesting to me - it had a darker tone than I initially expected as Luce entered this dank, hopeless-feeling, suffocating reform school. I almost immediately liked Luce - she's down-to-earth, self-aware, damaged, and fascinating as a main character. Plus, her past makes her sympathetic but not an object of pity. She felt fresh, what with not being superhuman confident nor a blubbering mess of insecurity.

All the more reason to be affected by her first meeting with Daniel. For all of you fellow book addicts who have yet to read Fallen, I don't want to give away even the small scenes of this novel - but I will say that I felt her hurt and shock. And to have such an intense, almost obsession-like magnetism toward Daniel, a guy that seems to so obviously want nothing to do with her - the pain is palpable, as well as the confusion. Because, yet again, Luce is conscious of how unhealthy her focus on him is - and though she can't seem to disconnect herself from it, she wonders why she is so attached to him. Excellent.

Tonally, Fallen also scored high for me. It felt so different - despite maybe some comparisons to Twilight or other paranormal sagas. It is actually an entirely original story and done with a larger intent on mystery. I was very, very into it and the pages were flying. In fact, I read Fallen in two days - now considering the novel is 452 pages and I was working full-time each day, that is saying something!

At it's core, for me, Fallen is a romantic mystery thriller with a phenomenally unique setting and astonishing, deep character development. The pure, raw anguish that Lauren Kate portrayed was done so well - sometimes subtle, sometimes overt. Many shocks and risks, in my opinion, were taken in the final 100 pages that paid off enormously for me and convinced me that this is much more than a story about a hapless girl obsessed with an attractive, brooding boy.

Fallen is absorbing, hypnotic, surprising, suspenseful and eerie. I found it to be a fantastic, enveloping opening to a YA fantasy series. I am only relieved to know that Torment and Passion are on my shelves ready to be devoured just as quickly. That's one of the good things about joining a series late in the game - less waiting! :)

Texas Gothic

2011-09-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Texas Gothic is a new YA paranormal by Rosemary Clement-Moore.

The Goodnight family is made up of almost entirely of witches. Not scary, broom-wielding, wart-infested witches but positive magic, helpful spells, and the occasional psychic or two. This is Amy Goodnight's upbringing. Only she learned early on that it is not everybody elses. And in order to protect her lovable, crazy, aloof but talented family, she tries to be the "normal" one. She's worked hard to try and give herself an ordinary life.

That's part of the reason why she was so ready to join her sister Phin in helping out her Aunt Hyacinth's farm while she took her first vacation in a long time. So, she's feeding the goats and washing the dogs and enjoying the plain-old-fashioned normal of it all. Except for, of course, long deceased Uncle Burt's gentle ghost continuing to be among them at the farm, the magical protections around the house, and Phin's paranormal experiments.

But then there's a ghost. And he's not as kind and loving as old Uncle Burt. Nope. Of course not. And he's gotten past all of the Goodnight protection spells in order to be in the house with Amy and Phin - which is not good. It means it's more powerful than them all combined. It's focus? Amy.

Go figure. "Normal" just isn't in the Goodnight blood.

So, amongst trading barbs with the frustrating, argumentative, incredibly hot cowboy neighbor, dealing with suspicious residents that aren't so fond of the Goodnight's, and trying to keep Phin from exploding the house while she's testing out one of her mad-scientist ideas, Amy is now saddled with trying to figure out how to get rid of her ghost.

Yeah. "Normal" is out of the window.

So far I have thoroughly enjoyed each book I've read by Rosemary Clement-Moore, so I had high expectations going into Texas Gothic. And happily, I was immediately presented with Rosemary's trademark humor (and dog-loving), not to mention an unusual, funny situation for Amy, in which to meet her. Plus, we get startling, quick revelations about the Goodnight family's abilities and we are off to a raring start!

Texas Gothic is FULL of awesome scenes, one of my favorites being a hilarious escapade involving livestock and cherry underwear. Yeah, you don't get any more details until you read the book. Which you better! But beyond the fun stuff, we also get small, but ominous, occurrences that begin to hint at something bigger and scarier coming - a haunting perhaps?

Clement-Moore is great at creating dynamic characters and really strong, cliche-free chemistry between her love interests. She presents a very human, relatable struggle for Amy between her family loyalty and being true to herself and the desire for fitting in and being normal. As an author, she really brings it all to the table to give us yet another excellent read!

Texas Gothic is creepy and suspenseful, but most of all a fast-paced mystery with expertly crafted supernatural elements. It's sexier, deeper, ghostier Nancy Drew-like fun! It's crackling with tension - both the sexual and the paranormal - and I was glued and totally invested in both the characters and the plot!

Totally awesome, diverting, exciting, and entertaining - I can't wait for even more from Rosemary Clement-Moore!