YA Bookmark: Novels for Young Adults

Divination: The comic

2011-12-29T20:25:00.005-05:00

I wanted to post a quick note and tell everyone that Divination has gone live at MTV Geek! You can read the comic I am co writing for free in increments of four pages per week. Or you can also buy issue 1 for $1.99 at Comixology

Summary:
Anastasia Kempka's teenage life is thrown into chaos after she discovers an eerie connection to the afterlife. What she first thinks is her imagination gone wild quickly turns into a shocking reality filled with spirits, demons and angels that ultimately alters her entire existence. Weary of who is friend or foe in this supernatural nightmare, Ana soon finds herself on a path towards an uncertain destiny that will have drastic consequences for both her and the entire world.

We have a Facebook page as well. Check us out at:

Divination's Facebook Page

Enjoy! :)
I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!

The End

2011-08-18T17:55:00.003-04:00

After much reflection I have decided to end my blog.

When I started YA Bookmark two years ago I thought it would be a place for lively discussions among readers, however I have found that not to be true. I have seen other blogs with more "followers" and more interaction.

It isn't all bad. YA Bookmark has given me the opportunity to speak with many authors and read their books. It's given me a glimpse into the publishing world, a world I want to enter. The memories were great, but posting seems like a burden. It isn't fun anymore.

Instead, I will be working on my comic for MTV Geek entitled Divination. I will still review books because I love it so much. I'll be reviewing for Amazon Vine and also for the Historical Novel Society(focus on YA books, of course). I also plan on focusing on my own novel. Who knows, maybe I'll be doing blog tours one day.

Ciao for now!

Historical Fiction Civil War Style

2011-08-14T20:40:00.004-04:00

Lizzie is fourteen years old in 1863. The battle between the states is raging on and her home of Vicksburg is under siege. In order to protect themselves from cannons Lizzie's family takes refuge inside caves.

Living inside a cave with creepy crawly bugs and snakes and other creatures doesn't sit well with Lizzie. In fact she wants to run away and fight for the South. Later Lizzie finds out that war isn't what she thought it would be and she is faced with some harsh realities.

I enjoyed this book. At first I thought the story was going to go down the same predictable road that many YA HF novels go, but Ms. McClure threw a curve ball in there which I really liked.

I think students who like historical fiction will enjoy this novel.

I want it Wednesday

2011-08-03T14:23:00.003-04:00

I had no idea there was a sequel to Push by Sapphire. I loved that book, it was amazing and this one is the story of Precious' child.

It hasn't gotten very good reviews on Amazon. I think it has a 2 star review rating; but I thought it might be worth mentioning. Lets face it books that have received glowing reviews I have disliked. So you be the judge!

Summary:

In The Kid bestselling author Sapphire tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Push's unforgettable heroine, Precious.

A story of body and spirit, rooted in the hungers of flesh and of the soul, The Kid brings us deep into the interior life of Abdul Jones. We meet him at age nine, on the day of his mother's funeral. Left alone to navigate a world in which love and hate sometimes hideously masquerade, forced to confront unspeakable violence, his history, and the dark corners of his own heart, Abdul claws his way toward adulthood and toward an identity he can stand behind.

In a generational story that moves with the speed of thought from a Mississippi dirt farm to Harlem in its heyday; from a troubled Catholic orphanage to downtown artist's lofts, The Kid tells of a twenty- first-century young man's fight to find a way toward the future. A testament to the ferocity of the human spirit and the deep nourishing power of love and of art, The Kid chronicles a young man about to take flight. In the intimate, terrifying, and deeply alive story of Abdul's journey, we are witness to an artist's birth by fire.

MTV Geek welcomes a...librarian?

2011-07-23T21:13:00.007-04:00

After months of sitting on this little piece of news I can finally share it.

Val Staples and I will be co writing Divination. It is a comic that will be on MTV Geek. Julia Laud is illustrating the book. It was announced today at San Diego Comic Con. I'm excited and a little nervous.

The comic is written for teens, my favorite audience.

Divination blurb, Stan Lee and much more!

MTV Geek!

Historical Fiction Friday: Review

2011-07-22T19:57:00.003-04:00

This one was a very emotional read for me. It is set right before World War II and took me back to a time when my grandmother was young and faced the same problems as Ruby.

Ruby's father died and her mother isn't able to work anymore at the meat packing plant because her fingers are so gnarled with arthritis. Ruby's sister is to young to work so its up to Ruby to drop out of school(something she doesn't want to do, but must) and goes to the same place her mother worked.

The meat packing plant isn't glamorous and it doesn't pay well either. Ruby's family has a lot of debt and she wants to help them. Her need for quick cash lands her in a dance all where she can make money dancing the night away with men she doesn't know.

The money is quick, but the men are quicker, and Ruby finds herself in a lot of trouble. She tries to make the right choices, but things don't always work out. To add to her problems, Ruby is falling in love with an unsavory young man named Paulie. He's an up and coming gangster and has his own set or problems. Ruby's mother is beyond mad, but she doesn't understand that her daughter is in love.

Will Ruby be able to do the right thing, or will the gangster life that was so prevalent in 1940s Chicago claim another victim?

As I said earlier this story drew me in. I could hear my grandmother's stories through Ruby. Just like Ruby my grandmother had to drop out of school because her father died. My grandmother had to earn money to keep her family in a crappy apartment with little heat and little food. The same was for Ruby. This was a very emotional read for me because it connected me with my grandmother a person I miss dearly.

Thanks to Beverly Stowe McClure

2011-07-21T13:18:00.003-04:00

A shout out(long over due) goes to Ms. McClure for giving me a copy of her new book, Caves, Cannons and Crinolines. Expect a review soon!

Summary:
In May of 1863, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth (Lizzie) Stamford decides to enlist in the Confederate Army. Two incidents trigger her decision. First, for months General Ulysses S. Grant and his Federal troops have been shelling Vicksburg, Mississippi. To control Vicksburg is to control the Mississippi River. Now, Vicksburg is under siege, cut off from the rest of the world.

I want it Wednesday

2011-07-20T16:58:00.002-04:00

For this Wednesday I found an interesting book that sounds like an intense adventure. Check it out!

Summary:
Aba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Amazing art, but lacks substance

2011-07-18T12:02:00.003-04:00

This graphic novel is based on a classic Chinese play. Lady Pian Pian is a beautiful young woman staying with her overbearing mother as guests at a monk's temple. A young gentleman who wanders the countryside sees her and falls in love with at once. He wants to marry her, and she also falls in love with him. However, the young lady's mother does not like this young man. She has made a better match for her daughter. So its up to him to prove his love. But can he do it in time?

The story was Okay. It wasn't fast paced, it wasn't exciting, it at times felt dull and very ordinary. I also felt the story was a bit rushed. The art however is amazing, and its great eye candy. But candy alone isn't a meal and I'm afraid this graphic novel falls shot.

I want it Wednesday

2011-07-13T23:07:00.003-04:00

This one sounds disturbing and interesting at the same time. when I found it I thought I had to have it. I love dystopia books.

Summary:
When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

I want it Wednesday

2011-07-06T11:40:00.003-04:00

From the authors of 13 Reasons why(a huge hit with my students) and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things comes a new book co authored by both.

Summary: It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM. Josh is her best friend.

They power up and log on and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

This one hits the shelves on November 21, 2011.

Summer Vacation BRB

2011-07-01T18:14:00.001-04:00

I'm enjoying my first week of freedom. I'll get back to work starting on Tuesday. I'm being lazy.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-06-25T12:44:00.003-04:00

I'm a day late, but in my defense I was very excited about summer vacation, which started for me at 9 Am yesterday. So, I forgot to post. My bad. Sorry! :-)

This Friday I am spotlighting a book by Janet Fox. I meet her at the Historical Fiction Conference and she had her own YA panel which was very informative. I thought it was great. Here is her latest book, Forgiven.

Summary:

Kula Baker never expected to find herself on the streets of San Francisco, alone but for a letter of introduction. Though she has come to the city to save her father from a cruel fate, Kula soon finds herself swept up in a world of art and elegance - a world she hardly dared dream of back in Montana, where she was no more than the daughter of an outlaw. And then there is the handsome David Wong, whose smiling eyes and soft-spoken manner have an uncanny way of breaking through Kula's carefully crafted reserve. Yet when disaster strikes and the wreckage threatens all she holds dear, Kula realizes that only by unlocking her heart can she begin to carve a new future for herself.

I want it Wednesday

2011-06-22T18:38:00.003-04:00

This one doesnt hit the shelves until September 27, 2011, but I thought it sounded cool. Plus the cover is an eye catcher!

Summary:

Mara Dyer doesn't believe life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong.

A special thank you

2011-06-21T16:18:00.002-04:00

I wanted to do a shout out to Amber Kizer who was kind enough to send along her new novel Seven kinds of ordinary catastrophes. I love free stuff! Who doesn't?

Check it out.

Summary: Brainy and brassy Gert Garibaldi, high school sophomore, is still navigating the ups and downs of life in this sequel to One Butt Cheek at a Time (Delacorte, 2007). Punctuated with frank rants (some more crass than others), the narrative proves her to be a witty, intelligent, and insecure teen trying to figure out who she is (while getting it all on paper). Along the way she feels the pressure of SATs and SEX, though she's more ready for one than the other. Dumped by a boyfriend whose (lack of) kissing skills leaves Gert questioning her sexuality, she supports her closest friends, Clarice and Maggie, and, of course, the sometimes-neglectful-but-still-best-friend Adam, whose romance with Tim struggles under the weight of unsupportive parents and homophobic classmates. Gert gets hired (peddling doughnuts sounded easy) and tired (running around for the new soccer team, attempting to catch crush Lucas's eye). In the midst of a family crisis, she rises to the occasion, demonstrating growth and a responsible side. With her snarkiness and verve (but with more depth and less nonsense), Gert will appeal to older fans of Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicholson (HarperCollins). Sexual situations, creative swearing, and underage drinking are included. Reading the earlier title isn't necessary but new readers might be compelled to do so.

Historical Fiction Conference

2011-06-20T11:40:00.006-04:00

It's been a busy weekend for me. I flew out on Friday and after a long, very long, flight made it to San Diego for the Historical Fiction Conference. There was a strong YA presence there! I was on a panel with some great authors talking about Adult Vs. Young Adult books and what the difference is. I also meet some great YA authors which includes ( Susanne Dunlap, Susan Coventry, C.C. Humphreys, Pamela Bauer Mueller, Dori Jones Yang, Irene Latham, Janet Fox and Jame Richards).

They were enthusiastic and you could tell they loved their readers. If you haven't checked out one of their books I strongly suggest you do. It was obvious from my conversations with them that they love teens and love their audience.

With summer approaching I hope that I will be able to get back into the grove of things.

Historical Fiction Friday: Review.

2011-06-10T20:53:00.002-04:00

Iris is a young girl living during the 1920s. Her mother died when she was young and her father raised her on his own. She loves her father, though he isn't the easiest man to get along with.

Her father decides to send her off for the summer and become a domestic servant while he tries to set up his new shoe shop. She works for Dr. Nesbitt and his elderly mother (who isn't helpless and doesn't need a companion.)

There are some twists and turns, and while a decent book I found it to be really slooowwwwwwwww. I was waiting for something big to happen, and when something finally happened I sighed and read on. It was a struggle to get through this book because the pacing wasn't what I hoped.

On Amazon this book has four and five star reviews. Maybe it's just me. Either way another historical fiction book crossed off the list for the challenge.

I want it Wednesday

2011-06-08T20:37:00.002-04:00

I'm a huge Louisa May Alcott fan, so when I came across this book I stopped and paused. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm kinda on the fence. I have a feeling I know how it's going to end.

Summary:
Emily is sick and tired of being a middle sister. So when she gets an assignment to describe what she'd change about a classic novel, Emily pounces on Little Women. After all, if she can't change things in her own family, maybe she can bring a little justice to the March sisters. (Kill off Beth? Have cute Laurie wind up with Amy instead of Jo? What was Louisa May Alcott thinking?!) But when Emily gets mysteriously transported into the 1860s world of the book, she discovers that righting fictional wrongs won't be easy. And after being immersed in a time and place so different from her own, it may be Emily-not the four March sisters-who undergoes the most surprising change of all. Lauren Baratz-Logsted's winning confection will appeal to fans of Little Women as well as anyone who enjoys a modern twist on an old favorite.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-06-03T20:21:00.002-04:00

Lily of the Nile is about Selene, the daughter of the infamous Cleopatra.

When her mother dies, Selene is taken to Rome along with her brothers. She doesn't want to leave her homeland, and she is upset her mother killed herself, but she doesn't have a choice. Once in Rome she finds life difficult to adjust to, but not as difficult as her stubborn twin brother. Despite everything that takes place, Selene is faithful to her faith as she tries to carve out a life for herself in a strange land.

I don't know much about Egyptian history, but I love reading these books. I found this one interesting, the characters well written and I enjoyed the little bit of magic that was thrown into the story. Selene is a young girl, teenager through the entire book. There is a sequel in the works, and I am looking forward to that.

Teens who are more advance will enjoy this historical fiction novel. It is marketed for adults, but I think teens who regularly read adult books, and want to get away from the endless fluff of teen historical fiction novels will enjoy this one.

I want it Wednesday

2011-06-01T19:27:00.003-04:00

I saw this in a bookstore. Its just to weird to ignore. It's about a young American girl who decides to go overseas and be part of a harem. It's based on a true story.

Summary:
At the age of 19, Lauren was trying to get a fledgling acting career off the ground while working as a stripper and call girl. When the opportunity arises for several girls to travel to the island of Borneo to be a part of the harem of the Sultan of Brunei’s youngest brother, Prince Jefri, for a few weeks, Lauren jumps at the opportunity. Telling her family she’s headed overseas for an acting job, she travels to Brunei for what she thinks will be a diverting and exciting two weeks. Once she arrives at the expansive estate, Lauren finds her only duty is to attend lavish parties each night and hope that she will be the one chosen to steal away from the party with the prince. Two weeks turns into a year, and Lauren finds herself increasingly involved in the vicious competition for the prince’s attention. While the surprising and exotic subject matter is sure to pique interest, Lauren’s graceful, introspective prose lifts her unusual memoir far above the level of mere titillation.

I want it Wednesday

2011-05-25T17:40:00.004-04:00

Wildcat Fireflies is the sequel to Ms. Kizer's first book Meridian. This one won't be out till the summer though. It is going to hit the bookstores July 12, 2011.

Summary:
Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti, a dark band of forces who disrupt the balance of good and evil in the world and cause chaos.
Having recently lost her beloved Auntie—the woman who showed her what it meant to be a Fenestra—Meridian has hit the road with Tens, her love and sworn protector, in hopes of finding another Fenestra. Their search leads them to Indiana, where Juliet, a responsible and loving teenager, works tirelessly in the nursing home where she and several other foster kids are housed. Surrounded by death, Juliet struggles to make a loving home for the younger kids, and to protect them from the violent whims of their foster mother. But she is struggling against forces she can't understand . . . and even as she feels a pull toward the dying, their sickness seems to infect her, weighing her down. . . .

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-05-20T16:06:00.003-04:00

First I would like to say sorry for my absence. I was ill and then there was a death in the family. So my mind has been on other things. But I'm back at it again.

Cora Cash is one of the richest women in America. Mrs. Cash is known for throwing grand parties and being very extravagant with her wealth. However, there is a slight problem. They come from new money and aren't accepted in some circles.

Mrs. Cash wants nothing more than to buy her daughter a title from Europe. It's all the rage, everyone who is anyone is doing it. There are handbooks on who is an earl or duke and who needs money etc. etc. However, Cora doesn't want to marry just anyone, she loves the penniless(though he comes from an old family) and artistic Teddy. However, the relationship can go nowhere because Mrs. Cash brings her daughter to England.

The story was good until Cora makes it to England where one has to suspend logic and just go with the story. Cora is ridding and of course she falls and hurts herself and of course a duke finds her unconscious. The next thing I know there is a marriage proposal from they very duke who found her unconscious. Cora who used to love Teddy with all her heart easily forgets about him and quickly agrees to marry Ivo, even though she doesn't know him for that long. Love is dumb and stupid I guess.

They marry and Cora loves her man! But Ivo of course is distant. He seems to be hiding something, but Cora doesn't know what. After she allows an artist to paint her in an immodest way Ivo becomes enraged and decides to leave Cora for India. So, Cora is left with her to deal with her mother in law and the birth of their child in a drafty estate with no real friends save her servant Bertha, if one can call a servant a friend.

I thought the story was, for the most part, predictable. The characters were kinda flat and not at all as exciting as I expected. I never warmed up to Ivo, and didn't miss him when he left for India. The mother in law was your typical stereotype duchess mother in law, kinda holier than thou, look at me I'm a double duchess type of woman. No American can be good enough for her son, but she does love Cora's money. Bertha was interesting because she was a black servant and dedicated to her mistress. Bertha's side story did add a bit of spice to the novel.

Originally, when I found this book I thought it sounded like Consuelo Vanderbilt's story. The author says she used Consuelo as an inspiration for the book. It is very loosely based off her life, which I think disappointed me a little. I wished the author would have taken more of Consuelo's life and weaved it into the story. Overall, the story was average. Nothing out of the ordinary here. I was expecting something a little more interesting but what I got was average characters, a predictable plot and and average writing.

Free Comic Book Day!

2011-05-07T00:18:00.003-04:00

What? Free? Yep, you read correctly that magical word free.

The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day. Click on the link before to find a store in your area that is participating. As a librarian, a reader of comics, and yes one who is currently working on her own, I think its a great idea to branch out and read something a little different. Ever tried a comic? Think there is nothing for you? Don't be so quick to judge. Not every book out there deals with superheros in tights.

Check out Free Comic Book Day!

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-05-06T18:16:00.004-04:00

How about a little steampunk? The title of this book is neat.

Summary:
In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

I want it Wednesday

2011-05-05T11:56:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the delay. I've been down and out with bronchitis or something like it.

This ghastly tale caught my eye and I thought I'd share it with everyone. However, this book doesn't come out until August 30, 2011.

Summary:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

May Releases

2011-05-01T12:03:00.003-04:00

Here are a few titles that are being released this month. Enjoy.

I'm not her by Janet Gurtler
Shine by Luren Myracle
Girl wonder by Alexa Martin
Sixteenth summer by Michelle Dalton
Die for me by Amy Plum
Mercy by Rebbecca Lim
The girl in the iron corset by Kady Cross
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
You don't know about me by Brian Meehl
Pretend you love me by Julie Anne Peters
Kiss of death by Lauren Henderson

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-04-29T23:09:00.005-04:00

For this Friday I found this witchy book. It was just released April 19th.

Summary:

It’s Spring again in the village of Montacute, and people want nothing more than to celebrate the season with maypole dances, festivals, and visits from the nobility. The festivities are dampened, though, when a young boy turns up dead outside the village. Then they learn that three other boys have also disappeared lately. To the parson, this tragedy is a perfect excuse to kick off the only thing guaranteed to get his spring-giddy parishioners back to church – a witch hunt.

Cecily may have occasional visions, but that doesnt' make her a witch! Fatherless and without friends, Cess knows she’s lucky to be employed by a grand estate like Montacute House, even if it is as a poultry girl.

On her thirteenth birthday, Cess finds a precious locket in one of her chicken coops, a strange discovery that’s quickly overshadowed by her best friend John’s disappearance two days later. The parson has already started planting rumors that the missing boys were bewitched, and the villagers think Cecily may be the culprit.

The only way Cess can prove her innocence is by finding John, but she’s soon embroiled in a plot that threatens her world and forces her to draw upon powers she never knew she possessed

I want it Wednesday

2011-04-20T21:00:00.003-04:00

This book sounds interesting and so I thought I'd spotlight it for this week. It comes out April 19th.

Summary:
It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

I developed a case of ADHD

2011-04-19T18:39:00.003-04:00

I don't have ADHD, but reading this book made me think I did.

First, the summary: It's 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is shipped off to Maryland so she can find herself a good match. After all, in the Victorian Era the only aim and end to a woman's life was marriage. So, Amelia needs to find a good husband. Nathaniel Witherspoon isn't a good match, being an artist, but he's dark and mysterious and Amiela likes that. She starts to have visions, and things happen, but I dunno what because I couldn't finish the novel.

My problem with this book is that while it started out good. Amelia did something very bad because she was now "ruined." I thought oh, how naughty and wanted to read more. Then I continued to read and developed a horrible case of ADHD.

The author likes to create choppy chapters which had me jumping from one scene to the next. I don't mind this, but I don't think the author used it to its full potential. Instead I felt cheated by the writing style. An example of this is when the girls go out dress shopping and Amelia is told to strip down to her corset. She is horrified but Zora(the cousin I think) tells her not to worry because maybe the seamstress has a ready made piece that can be bought at a cheaper price. OK, and then....we go to another scene. I'm like, hello, are we buying this dress or not? And furthermore what is the point of even putting this little scene into the book? Did the author need to fill some pages and decided to throw it in there? I hate that. The scene didn't further the story in anyway and left me wondering why she was standing practically naked in a dress shop freezing to death.

I'm also not a big fan of Ms. Mitchell's writing style. I tripped over the first sentence because it sounded awkward and strange. I knew it was going to be a long, painful read if the story continued in that manner, and it did. I'm unsure if she was trying to be Victorian in her writing style, but I think it failed. The characters were also very wooden and the way they spoke did not appeal to me.

It wasn't all bad, the author does a great job of capturing historical details. I think she did a good job of injecting the Victorian Era into the book.

On Amazon you can see this book is dearly loved, which makes me nervous when I post my review. I know I'm going to get dinged because I wasn't a fan, but such is the way of life.

I'll be honest and say I'm not sure who this book will appeal to.

Something different

2011-04-17T12:17:00.004-04:00

CrossingLines is a little different than the usual Paul Volponi book. Normally, we read about the inner city and how life is hard and unforgiving. This time we head to the suburbs in his latest novel.

Adonis is a football player. He's a jock. He's a great athlete and he has am image to uphold with his his guy friends. Adonis is dating a girl(whose name I forgot and the book is at work!) who is also involved in the fashion club. That's fine, until she starts supporting the new kid Alan who is a gender bending teen.

The football team hates Alan, and Adnois is caught in the middle of their little war. Does he go along with his team to hurt Alan and also destroy his relationship with his girlfriend, or does he do the right thing?

I enjoyed the book, but I'm unsure how many of my male readers are going to pick it up. They love Mr. Volponi's fast paced novels like Black and White or Hurricane Song. I like the message, and think this is an important novel to read.

I want it Wednesday

2011-04-13T16:31:00.003-04:00

One of my students came up to me today and asked if Mr. Myers had any new books. I did a serach and came across this novel. It comes out June 14, 2011.

Summary: Dru and Gina are young, in love, and can’t wait to get out of Marshall, Nebraska, a town where bloodline means everything and whoever has the money makes the rules. But all their dreams are shattered when Gina has a monstrous run-in with the son of the richest man in Marshall—an incident that leaves her broken, battered, and violated.

Driven by rage, Dru and Gina take matters into their own hands, and quickly find themselves in over their heads. Without any other options, Dru and Gina are on the run. But there’s more chasing them than they think, and love might not be enough to save them.

The future doesn't look so great.

2011-04-10T20:35:00.005-04:00

Wither is the first in the Chemical Garden Trilogy and I have to say the ending of the book makes you want more.

When I heard about this book I really wanted it and I was lucky enough to snag a copy from Amazon's Vine program. This book reminds me of The Handmaid's Tale by Margret Atwood.

In the not so distant future women die at age 20 and men die at 25. Men need wives and girls as young as 13 are kidnapped and married off to rich men for breeding purposes. Rhine is one of the teenagers who are stolen and sold to a rich husband. She is brought to a mansion against her will so she can become a wife to Linden. Rhine has two other sister wives. They are Cecily(age 13) and Jenna.

Housemaster Vaughn desperately searches for a cure that is destroying mankind. He is secretive, he is kinda creepy and he reminds me of Joseph Mengele. When you die, your body becomes his property. Also, when a character is near death he gives them all sorts of strange brews to prolong their life.

Linden, the husband, longs for his sweetheart Rose who dies early in the story. He wants all his wives to love him, and while he does some gross things, the author doesn't make him out to be a bad man. He is a victim of his circumstances.

Rhine wants to escape and find her twin brother in NYC. She has no idea what has happened to him, but she longs to see him again. If she can't find him then she wants to be free.

With the help of a servant, Gabriel, the two create a plan to escape. But can they find their freedom? Or will they die trying?

This book is disturbing and makes the reader think. I enjoyed it, but I have to confess that it was slow in a few places. The idea that we could all die at 20, when our lives are just beginning, is a scary thought. Equally scary is the fact that young girls are kidnapped and sold into marriage.

Teens who are looking for a nice, or disturbing, dystopian story will enjoy this one.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-04-08T21:29:00.003-04:00

I'm a Victorian purist, when it comes to my historical fiction, but I'm starting to get more interested in the concept of Steampunk. I stumbled across The Iron Thorn when I was trying to find some non fiction books on the Victorian Era. This is the first in a trilogy.

Summary:
Steampunk fans will delight in this first title in the sure-to-be-popular Iron Codex series, featuring an alternate, Victorian-flavored America tightly controlled by Proctors and driven by the Engine, an underground power source. The only girl at the prestigious School of Engines of Lovecraft Academy, Aoife Grayson is terrified that she will follow her mother and brother into the hereditary madness that strikes on the sixteenth birthday, now just a few weeks away. Determined to escape that fate, she sets off to her never-met father’s estate, with her friend Cal and a cocksure but very appealing hired guide. Here, she tumbles into a magical world she recognizes from her father’s journals and her mother’s mad ravings. Kittredge’s richly descriptive narrative captures all the details of clockwork, inventive machinery, foggy mists, ghastly ghouls, and creative landscapes. There’s plenty of tame but satisfying romance, too, and plot twists galore. Aoife is a caustic-tongued, feisty, and independent young woman, with plenty of nerve and courage.

I want it Wednesday

2011-03-30T16:20:00.002-04:00

This is an older book that came out in 2009, but I thought it sounded interesting and wanted to pass it along to my readers. Summary: 15-year-old Kayla is daydreaming through consensual but emotionless sex with a forgettable guy. When she returns home to find her alcoholic mother, Marilyn, packing for yet another out-of-state move, though, Kayla is angry to be uprooted once again, and she's even sorry to say goodbye to her latest guy. Settling in a rundown trailer in New Mexico, Kayla finally begins to develop real friendships through her dog-training business, while Marilyn makes New Agey sober choices. Remy, a 24-year-old musician and owner of one of Kayla's dog charges, pursues Kalya passionately but stops short of a sexual relationship. Then Remy moves to Denver for his band, and Marilyn slides into an alcoholic stupor, leaving Kayla desperate for stability and comfort. She steals money from friends and runs to Remy in Denver, but finds that reality is a harsh pill to swallow.

Life ain't easy

2011-03-29T16:16:00.005-04:00

Shivana is 15, living on Chicago’s South Side, has no father, and has no ambition in life. She has a job as a babysitter, which gives her a little money. It also ends up getting her pregnant because she is having an affair with the children’s father. Shivana can’t tell her mother what has happened. Her mother would be upset. Shivana must keep her secret. And she does, for a while. Soon things hit the fan and everyone knows what she has been up to. Added into the mix is a neighbor boy. Shivana wants nothing to do with him at first, but then she starts to like him.

Weaved into the story is Shivana’s unborn child who has a narrative of its own. The fetus talks about its previous lives with other mothers. It’s a unique concept that I haven’t seen, but at times it can be long winded, and I wanted to get back to Shivana’s story. I enjoyed this novel, but if you are looking for a feel good ending, then keep browsing because this book isn’t for you.

However, I think the author does a wonderful job of keeping the novel realistic. While not every teen can relate to all aspects Shivana's life I believe the character's voice draws the reader in. We feel her helplessness and we also want to shout at the book and tell her that she’s making bad choices.

Teens who are looking for something realistic with an urban feel will enjoy this book.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-03-25T22:28:00.003-04:00

This one has been out for awhile, but I haven't talked about it. But, I thought I'd share it with you guys.

Summary:
Orphaned at four, Bet and Will have been brought up by Will's great-uncle. They were raised together, but not equally, since Bet's mother was a maid who worked for Will's parents. Still, the young people have come to think of each other as siblings. Now that they are 16, Bet wants to attend school and Will seeks to join the army. But in 19th-century England, this is not going to be easy. Will is an underage gentleman–he is expected to go to preparatory school. And as a young woman of no means, she cannot attend a school. But clever Bet hatches a plan so that they can both get their desires–they will swap places. Will joins the army and Bet cuts her hair, binds her breasts, and enrolls in his school–as Will. Baratz-Logsted's writing has broad characterizations; a cheerful, modern tone without overt anachronisms; obvious plot points; a quick pace; and a tidy ending.

I want it Wednesday

2011-03-23T20:27:00.003-04:00

I've been slacking. Sorry. Its been a very busy two weeks.

I came across this book and I thought it sounded cool. Plus the cover is neat. Here's hoping the book has some substance to it and its not one of those books were the covers are great and the inside is not so great.

Summary:
Lenzi hears voices. She also sees visions--gravestones, floods, a gorgeous guy with steel gray eyes. She knows she must be going crazy, just like her dad did. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't do anything to help, and the voices just keep getting louder, the visions more intense. But when Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, everything makes sense.

Sort of.

He tells Lenzi that she's a reincarnated Speaker--someone who can talk to lost souls and help them move on--and that he has been her Protector for centuries. But instead of embracing her abilities, Lenzi struggles between her life as the girlfriend of a sexy musician and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. Yet time is running out; a malevolent spirit has been trying to destroy Lenzi for ages, and he will surely kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Her choices are clear: Destiny or normalcy. Alden or Zak. Life or death.

This book comes out December 8, 2011.

Historical Fiction Friday: A Review

2011-03-11T22:04:00.004-05:00

This was in the spotlight a few weeks ago. I finally was able to read the book The Raven's Bride.

While the book is an "adult" novel the main character is very young. A good chunk of the book takes place in her early and late teens and into early adult hood(twenties) so this could appeal to teens.

Virginia lives in a poor family and she is first cousins with Edgar Allen Poe. She finds him worldly and handsome and has a crush on Mr. Poe. However, Edgar is much older that his fair cousin who hasn't reached her teens yet.

Poverty comes and stays within the family. Deaths happens as well. Virginia starts to grow up and she realizes her love for Edgar is becoming stronger. To her amazement he asks her to be his wife, and she gladly accepts. Married life isn't filled with happiness though and Virginia struggles with her husband and her failing health.

Overall, I liked this book but it wasn't one that is going to linger with the readers after you close it. I had issues with how the author tried to make seem Poe less perverted. For instance, she writes that Virginia's mother refuses to allow Poe and his new bride to have sexual relations until she is 16. I believe he is in his 20s or maybe 30ish. Many people maybe disturbed by the idea that cousins married, but this was a fairly common practice in the Victorian Era. After all, they didn't understand about genetics.

This novel is about a young nineteenth century woman who lived her life in the domestic sphere. Therefore her life may not be exciting to teens who are looking for a little more excitement. I enjoyed Virginia's story, but I can see how teens may not enjoy it as much.

As a side note, Poe isn't in the novel a lot. This has been brought up in other reviews. However, the book isn't about Poe, its about his young bride. So, I didn't expect him to be on every page stealing the spotlight.

I want it Wednesday

2011-03-09T18:21:00.003-05:00

I'll confess. It was the cover that grabbed my attention on this book. I know that pretty covers tend not to have good books inside(well that's my experience). But this summary sounded interesting and I bought a copy for the library.

Summary:
et in the fictional Indian land of Hundred Kingdom, Tomlinson’s memorable novel employs magic realism to explore a universal truth: an individual’s gifts and talents are not always as they might seem. Stepsisters Diribani and Tana are blessed by the goddess Naghali-ji in very different ways. When Diribani speaks, flowers and gemstones fall from her mouth. Tana’s talent seems to be more of a curse: she produces frogs and snakes when she talks. While Diribani is held at the opulent court of the Believers, where her every jewel is collected and tallied for the kingdom’s profit, Tana is chased from her village by its snake-fearing residents. Taking on the disguise of a mute stable hand, she returns, and with her unusual abilities, she saves the land. Tomlinson is a master craftsman, and as in her highly regarded The Swan Maiden (2007), she creates a vivid setting. Lavish details starkly contrast the two girls’ lives and personalities while emphasizing their strength, purpose, and enduring love for each other, despite their predicaments. The complexities of the cultural backstory pose a challenge to readers, but this beautifully embroidered adventure is well worth the effort.

Upcoming releases for March

2011-03-06T17:58:00.003-05:00

Here are some upcoming titles for the month of March. It's a busy month. I'm looking forward to a number of these books. Enjoy!

Benched by Cristy Watson
Clarity by Kim Harrington
Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Playing hurt by Holly Schindler
Skank by Teresa McWhirter
Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Bloodline rising by Katy Moran
Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon
Wake unto me by Lisa Cach

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-03-04T22:33:00.006-05:00

When I stumbled across American Heiress I thought it sounded similar to the true story of Consuelo Vanderbilt. When I went on the author's website I saw that the Ms. Vanderbilt was the inspiration for the book.

Summary:
Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts’, suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

Witty, moving, and brilliantly entertaining, Cora’s story marks the debut of a glorious storyteller who brings a fresh new spirit to the world of Edith Wharton and Henry James.

This book will be released on June 21, 2011

For those who are interested in the real Consuelo Vanderbilt, check out the biography by Amanda Stuart entitled Consuela and Alva Vanderbilt: The story of a daughter and a mother in the Gilded Age. This one is on my shelf.

I want it Wednesday

2011-03-02T19:50:00.004-05:00

The disturbing nature of this book will appeal to teens. It also caught my attention. Check it out.

Summary:
Set in the future, the second civil war is fought over abortion. To end the war, a compromise is reached that ends the practice of abortion but creates an alternative called "unwinding." Between the ages of 13 and 17, parents or guardians can choose to have their children unwound, which involves having every part of their bodies harvested to be "donated" to another person so, technically, they don't really die. The complex and compelling plot follows three teens whose stories intertwine when they escape while on their way to the harvest camps.

Fifteen-year-old Connor's parents can no longer control him. Lev, a tithe, was raised by religious parents for the sole purpose of being unwound. Risa, a ward of the state, is a victim of shrinking budgets since she is not a talented enough musician to be kept alive.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-02-26T10:36:00.002-05:00

I would like to give a special thanks to Ms. Dray for giving me a copy of Lily of the Nile. I am looking forward to this book. Check out the summary.

Summary:
In the aftermath of Alexandria's tragic fall, Princess Selene is taken from Egypt, the only home she's ever known. Along with her two surviving brothers, she's put on display as a war trophy in Rome. Selene's captors mock her royalty and drag her through the streets in chains, but on the brink of death, the children are spared as a favor to the emperor's sister, who takes them to live as hostages in the so-called lamentable embassy of royal orphans...

Trapped in a Roman court of intrigue that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her flesh. Nor can she stop the emperor from using her for his own political ends. Faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to honor her mother's lost legacy. The magic of Egypt and Isis remain within her. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win or die?

I want it Wednesday

2011-02-23T11:12:00.003-05:00

I saw this book in B&N and it caught my attention then I read some of the reviews on Amazon(don't do that cause I think some give away a few spoilers). Anyway, the book sounds cool.

Summary:
Fast-forward a generation. New Orleans, now called New 2, has been decimated by natural disaster. Nine prominent families have banded together to buy the city from the federal government; all that used to be New Orleans is now considered "beyond the rim," an area rumored to be riddled with supernatural beings and happenings. Enter Ari. Inexplicably abandoned by her mother soon after the city's fall, she is now a hardened 17-year-old living in Memphis. When she visits a sanitorium near the border where her mother spent her last days, her discoveries lead her deep into New 2. In search of information to help solve the puzzle of her origins, she soon realizes how intricately intertwined her fate is with that of the city and that it will be up to her to lift the curse that has plagued the women in her family for centuries. Darkness Becomes Her is part "Lightning Thief," part "Twilight," and part "Maximum Ride." Unfortunately, Keaton reveals the specifics of Ari's mother's delusion at the book's start, something if left uncovered until later would have packed a much greater punch. Yet, to write this title off as a predictable "been there, done that" experience doesn't do it justice either

Historical Fiction Challenge 1 down 9 to go!

2011-02-21T11:46:00.002-05:00

Vixen tries to capture the excitement and the seediness of the 1920s. I think it successes in transporting the reader to a different era. The author uses slang from the time, which is a nice touch. However, something about the novel left me empty. I wanted more.

We have three young ladies in Vixen. Gloria is the super rich, very beautiful young woman who longs to become a flapper. She is engaged to a man she doesn't like and wants to experience the new social life of a flapper. Then we have Clara who is a woman with a past. She was a naughty girl and did some unspeakable things(for the 1920s), but she can't let anyone know what happened. Clara is determined to make a new life for herself. When she is shipped off to visit her cousin Clara she sees an opportunity to better her lot in life. Perhaps in a stuffy world filled with parties, stunning clothes and gossip Clara can finally change her life. The final friend is Lorraine. She isn't as pretty as her friend Gloria(who gets everything) and is often portrayed as the needy girl. In fact, Lorraine's mission in life is to become more like Gloria and she will do that no matter what. She would betray her best friend.

I'll be honest and say the only girl I was interested in was Clara. Her life seemed more interesting than Gloria(the poor little rich girl) or Lorraine(the needy girl). I would have been happy to read a book that focused only on Clara. The chapters alternate between the girls. The book is in third person narrative.

The Flappers series(first novel Vixen) reminds me of the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, but without all the twists and turns and backstabbing. It lacked the dramatic flair that the Luxe series had, and maybe that is why I felt there was a void. I wanted more theatrics. I enjoyed Bright Young things, by Anna Godbersen a lot more than Vixen. Oddly enough Ms. Godbersen toned down the cattiness and produced a good novel about the 1920s. With Vixen I was expecting Ms. Larkin to go all out with the cattiness. I wanted the wow factor or the "oh my god" factor but that never really came. So to me it seemed like a mild mannered back stabbing story.

That's not to say the novel isn't good. I just thought the author could have hyped it up more. In fact, I did enjoy the novel for what it was. I think the author did an incredible job of capturing the time period. She did her research and it shows.

I think students who enjoyed The Luxe series may give this one a go, but just remember it is milder than Ms. Godbersen's series. For those who are looking for an enjoyable read about the 1920s then I think teens will like this book. The details are great.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-02-18T19:50:00.002-05:00

For this Friday I found Belle's Song. At first I thought it was a beauty and the beast type of story, but it is not. Check out the summary.

Summary:
When Belle meets Luke, son of an alchemist and Scribe to the famous poet Chaucer, she is determined to travel with him to Canterbury on a pilgrimage. She hopes for a miracle: that her father will walk again. She also hopes to atone for her own part in his accident. It is a time of unrest across the country and the young King Richard II is just hanging on to his throne. A malign character on the pilgrimage suspects Chaucer of treason and slowly winds Belle into a political intrigue. At the same time, the impulsive Belle is drawn towards both Luke and to Walter, the wealthy son of a Knight. But Walter himself is in love with Luke...As the uprising against the King starts to draw pace and the web of intrigue around Belle and Chaucer tightens, Belle and her friends must risk everything to save their country and themselves...

I want it Wednesday

2011-02-16T19:47:00.004-05:00

Once again a cover had caught my attention. I though the cover to this comic was beautiful and I'm dying to get my hands on a copy.

Summary:
Lavishly illustrated in full color and based on the classic Chinese play Xixiang Ji by Wang Shifu, The History of the West Wing tells of the illicit romance between the daughter of a Chinese government official and the roaming scholar who seeks to win her hand. But before he can turn his attentions to his ladylove, the young man must win the heart of her mother! When it seems even heroic deeds in the face of murderous bandits will not please the strict matriarch, the young man goes off to become a civil servant. Will he return in time to marry his true love?

Off with their heads!

2011-02-14T20:29:00.004-05:00

When I learned Michelle Moran was writing about the French Revolution I couldn't believe it. Ms. Moran loves the ancient world. I love her writing about the ancient world. Why would she leave something she's so good at to write about a different time period and country? I thought I was mistaken, but I learned my fears were true. The mistress of the ancient world was leaving Egypt behind and moving to France.

I loved Ms. Moran's writing, but would I enjoy a novel that took place in the turbulent world of the French Revolution?

This novel takes place before the French Revolution but the reader realizes very quickly that there is unrest in the country. People are angry. The country is poor. There is an unpopular foreign queen who wears lavish clothes and is isolated and out of touch with her subjects. Unrest is afoot and something has to give.

Madame Tussaud, or Marie, is a young woman who has a talent for sculpting wax figures. Along with her uncle she makes interesting exhibits that captures the public's attention. During an age when the masses were uneducated Marie was able to provide people with the latest information on political figures and she did it with a keen eye to detail.

The king and queen come to an exhibit and are impressed with her work. The king's sister, Princesse Élisabeth invites Marie to come to the palace to teach her how to sculpt. Marie is reluctant to leave her work, but she does. In doing so she learns a great deal about the monarchy. Perhaps she even grows a little sympathetic to their plight?

Tempers are boiling and soon chaos erupts in the form of the French Revolution. Ms. Moran does an excellent job of portraying the lawlessness and often times helplessness of the people during the revolution, and also the Reign of Terror.

Marie's world is constantly in a state of motion. We see those around her being killed senselessly. The world she has known is being turned upside down. Marie is given some grim tasks, yet through it all she remains strong. She is a fighter.

The details Ms. Moran is known for shine through in this novel just like her previous works. The reader is immersed in the time period without being overwhelmed by wordy passages found in many historical fiction novels.

There are a lot of characters in this novel, and there is a list of them in the front of the book along with a time line, historical notes and also a glossary for those who are unfamiliar with French(which is good because I failed it twice in high school).

So back to my original question: ...but would I enjoy a novel that took place in the turbulent world of the French Revolution? I would say the answer to that question is YES! I enjoyed Madame Tussaud and Ms. Moran's storytelling doesn't disappoint. It's time to put my faith in a very talented author and follow her on whatever journey she takes me.

I want it Wednesday

2011-02-02T20:24:00.004-05:00

I really enjoyed Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon and was excited to learn she was writing another fantasy novel. Well, the cover is out and it will be released in March 29, 2011. Those who enjoy fantasy novels with a little ethnic flavor will enjoy both novels by Ms. Pon.

Summary:

The Gods have abandoned Ai Ling.

Her mysterious power haunts her day and night, and she leaves home—with just the moon as her guide—overwhelmed by her memories and visions and an unbearable sense of dread. For Ai Ling knows that Chen Yong is vulnerable to corrupt enchantments from the under-world. How can she do nothing when she has the skill and power to fight at his side? A dream has told her where he is, the name of the ship he is traveling on, his destination. So she steals off and stows away on board.

The ocean voyage brings with it brutal danger, haunting revelations, and new friendships, but also the premonition of a very real and terrifying threat. Zhong Ye—the powerful sorcerer whom Ai Ling believed she had vanquished in the Palace of Fragrant Dreams—is trapped in Hell, neither alive nor dead. Can he reach from beyond the grave to reunite with Silver Phoenix and destroy Chen Yong? And destroy whatever chance Ai Ling has at happiness, at love?

In this sequel to the acclaimed novel Silver Phoenix, four lives are woven together and four destinies become one, now and forever.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-01-28T17:50:00.003-05:00

Last summer Michelle Moran's book Cleopatra's Daughter came out, and now we have another book about Selene. Ancient history is interesting to me, so I am looking forward to reading this one and comparing Moran's book to Shecter.

Summary:
Selene has grown up in a palace on the Nile with her parents, Cleopatra & Mark Antony--the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But the jealous Roman Emperor Octavianus wants Egypt for himself, & when war finally comes, Selene faces the loss of all she's ever loved. Forced to build a new life in Octavianus's household in Rome, she finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies--until she reaches out to claim her own.

This stunning novel brings to life the personalities & passions of one of the greatest dramas in history, & offers a wonderful new heroine in Selene.

This book hits the stores on August 1, 2011

New Tred. It's all about those Fairy Tales

2011-01-22T22:13:00.008-05:00

As most of you probably know Red Ridding Hood is coming out in March 2011 by the same director who did Twilight. The trailer(below) has that Twilight feel(or so I think). Well, it seems that Fairy Tales are hot! hot! Hot! and Red Ridding Hood isn't the only one that will be on the big screen in the future. Check out my link below to read more.

For me, I'm not sure sure how I feel about this. I guess it would depend on how the movie looks, but I cant' see myself racing to the movies to watch one of them. What about you? Do any of the upcoming movies grab your interest?

Fairy Tales are Hot. Hot. HOT!

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-01-21T16:37:00.003-05:00

It's the Victorian Era baby! Check out the summary for Fallen Grace. It hits stores on February 11, 2010.

Summary:
In Victorian London, impoverished fifteen-year-old orphan Grace takes care of her older sister Lilly, who suffers from a mental illness, but after enduring many harsh and painful experiences, the two become the victims of a fraud that is perpetrated by the wealthy owners of several funeral businesses.

I want it Wednesday

2011-01-19T23:02:00.002-05:00

This is an older book, but I just found it today. It sounds interesting and I always like to throw some nonfiction onto the blog so check this one out.

Summary:
Chosen by Glamour magazine as a Woman of the Year in 2008, Nujood of Yemen has become an international hero for her astonishingly brave resistance to child marriage. Sold off by her impoverished family at the age of 10, continually raped by her husband before she even reached puberty, Nujood found the courage to run away, and with the help of an activist lawyer, sympathetic judges, and the international press, she divorced her husband and returned home. Her clear, first-person narrative, translated from the French and written with Minoui, is spellbinding: the horror of her parents’ betrayal and her mother-in-law’s connivance, the “grown-ups” who send the child from classroom and toys to nightmare abuse. She never denies the poverty that drives her parents and oppresses her brothers, even as she reveals their cruelty. Unlike her passive mother, she is an activist, thrilled to return to school, determined to save others, including her little sister. True to the child’s viewpoint, the “grown-up” cruelty is devastating. Readers will find it incredible that such unbelievable abuse and such courageous resistance are happening now.

The big bad wolf is coming for you....

2011-01-17T21:27:00.002-05:00

Sister Red is an interesting concept, a retelling of Little Red Ridding Hood. And a lot of people(according to Amazon) loved it, but I don't know if it was because I was sick, distracted by events in my life or what, but I could not get sucked into this novel.

Scarlett and Rosie March have had a horrible childhood. Their grandmother was brutally killed before their eyes. Adding to their troubles, their mother decided to abandon them. Scarlett fights off the wolf that attacks her family but it leaves her horribly scared. That doesn't stop her from hunting down the horrible creatures who caused her pain.

Rosie is Rosie and she has a romantic interest in Silas, who is an ax man. He was also Scarlett's wolf hunting partner.

As I stated previously the story didn't pull me in, but I don't know if that's because so much was going on or if it was just a bad story. One thing I wish the author had done was have the story take place in the Victorian era or earlier. The story was set in modern time which seemed awkward at times.

However, most of the reviews on Amazon are glowing, so you be the judge.

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-01-14T21:25:00.001-05:00

Once again my favorite time period is in the spotlight this Friday. This book looks interesting, but it doesn't hit shelves until April 12, 2011.

Summary:

It's 1854 and sixteen-year-old Molly would give anything to change her circumstances as a lowly servant in a posh London house. So when she hears of an opportunity to join the nurses who will be traveling with Florence Nightingale to the Crimea, she jumps at the chance. The work is grueling, the hospital conditions deplorable, and Miss Nightingale a demanding teacher. Before long, the plight of British soldiers becomes more than just a mission of mercy as Molly finds that she's falling in love with both a dashing young doctor and a soldier who has joined the army to be near her. But with the battle raging ever nearer, can Molly keep the two men she cares for from harm? A love story to savor, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes imagining of the woman who became known as "the lady with the lamp."

And the winner is.........

2011-01-12T20:30:00.003-05:00

The ALA (American Library Association) announced its book winners for this year. Paul Volponi's book Rikers High was on the list of Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

Congratulations to Mr. Volponi! Well done!

Historical Fiction Friday

2011-01-07T19:32:00.003-05:00

For this Friday we have The Lost Crown which is about the Romanov daughters. The thing that interests me about this book is it appears that everyone will be given the spotlight, not just Anastasia, which is usually the case.

This book comes out June 14, 2011. I can't wait.

Summary:
Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Like the fingers on a hand--first headstrong Olga; then Tatiana, the tallest; Maria the most hopeful for a ring; and Anastasia, the smallest. These are the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, grand duchesses living a life steeped in tradition and privilege. They are each on the brink of starting their own lives, at the mercy of royal matchmakers. The summer of 1914 is that precious last wink of time when they can still be sisters together--sisters that link arms and laugh, sisters that share their dreams and worries, and flirt with the officers of their imperial yacht.

But in a gunshot the future changes — for these sisters and for Russia.

As World War I ignites across Europe, political unrest sweeps Russia. First dissent, then disorder, mutiny — and revolution. For Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the end of their girlhood together is colliding with the end of more than they ever imagined.

At the same time hopeful and hopeless, naÏve and wise, the voices of these sisters become a chorus singing the final song of Imperial Russia. Impeccably researched and utterly fascinating, this novel by acclaimed author Sarah Miller recounts the final days of Imperial Russia with lyricism, criticism and true compassion.

I want it Wednesday

2011-01-05T21:43:00.003-05:00

I've spotlighted too many girl books lately, so I decided to throw in a "guy book;" ya know, no girly themes, a male MC etc. etc.

Summary: As Seattle sixteen-year-old Jonathan helps a dying man come to terms with a tragic event he experienced during World War II, Jonathan begins facing his own demons, especially the death of his twin brother, helped by an assortment of friends, old and new.

YA Historical Fiction Challenge

2011-01-02T21:47:00.005-05:00

YABliss is having a challenge that I couldn't turn down. This history nerd is giving it a go and is challenging herself to reading 10 YA historical Fiction novels in 2011. I should be able to do it.

You can check it out at: http://www.yabliss.com/2010/11/ya-historical-fiction-challenge.html

New Releases for January 2011

2011-01-01T12:01:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope it is a prosperous and healthy one for all my readers! Here are some new titles that are hitting the stores in January. Happy reading!

Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow
The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
Choker by Elizabeth Woods
The Eagle by Rosemary Sutcliff
Shadowspells by Jenna Black
Slice of cherry by Dia Reeves
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Entangled by Cat Clarke
XVI by Julia Karr
Badd by Tim Tharp
Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang
Timeless by Alexandra Monir
Warped by Maurissa Guibord
Here lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Famous by Todd Strasser
Drought by Pam Bachorz

A sneak peak at Paul Volponi's new book!

2010-12-28T22:04:00.004-05:00

I am a HUGE Paul Volponi fan. His books capture's male readers and holds their interest. That is not an easy task. So whenever he has a book coming out I get excited. Mr. Volponi's latest book is called Crossing Lines and is a bit of a departure from his previous novels.

Summary:
What do you do when bullying goes too far?
Adonis is a jock. He’s on the football team and he’s
dating one of the prettiest girls in school. Alan is
the new kid. He wears lipstick and joins the Fashion
Club. Soon enough the football team is out to get
him. Adonis is glad to go along with his teammates
. . . until they come up with a dangerous plan to
humiliate Alan. Now Adonis must decide whether
he wants to be a guy who follows the herd or a man
who does what’s right.

Expect a review coming soon. This book is released in June 9, 2011.

I would like to thank Mr. Volponi for giving me an ARC.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T16:23:00.003-05:00

I'm going to be very politically incorrect and say Merry Christmas to all my readers! I hope the holiday is a great one and may you get many new blessings in the new year!

I think I can. I think I can....

2010-12-20T19:58:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to read Sister's Red by Jackson Pearce but I can't get into it. Has anyone else read it? What are your thoughts? On Amazon there are 59 reviews and they all seem to be glowing. But this book just isn't clicking with me. I am almost to page 70. I guess I should plow through a few more chapters.

Flappers n' Mobsters!

2010-12-19T10:28:00.003-05:00

I wasn't a big fan of the Luxe Series. In fact, I wanted to beat my head against a wall and throw the books into the trash. They were not historically accurate. The girls in the previous series were too busy bed hopping in my opinion. However, when I learned Ms. Godbersen was writing about the 1920s I had to buy the book. I had high hopes, but I wasn't sure if this book would live up to them.

It did. The issues I had with the previous series aren't in this new novel. The author gets it right. One of the characters engages in sex but she pays the price for it. Yes! Thank you! Finally! After all, this is historical fiction and not 2010. Morals and attitudes are different.

Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur are best friends in their small Ohio town. They have known each other for their entire lives. But both dream of something more. They decide to run away to New York City without telling their families.

Once in NYC their lives take very different turns. Cordelia and Letty have a fight which severs their friendship and both girls go their separate ways. Cordelia finds herself young, beautiful and rich. She is in the presence of bootleggers(prohibition is going on) and gangsters. Letty isn't as lucky with her fortune and becomes a cigarette girl selling trinkets in a speakeasy. But Letty dreams of becoming a singer, and one day she'll make it, if she can overcome her shyness.

The story alternates between the friends, although I would have to say the story focuses more on Cordelia. While the Luxe series was filled with backstabbing and gossiping there isn't much of that in this novel. It's a good story about young girls trying to find out who they are during 1929. Along the way they encounter death, love, hard times and new friends.

Teens who enjoyed the Luxe series should enjoy this novel as well. I'm interested to see where the author takes the characters. This is 1929...so does this mean we will see the Great Depression in future books? I hope so, but I'll have to wait and see.

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-12-17T19:17:00.003-05:00

The Raven's Bride is an interesting adult novel that I think some teens will enjoy. It's about Edger Allen Poe and his 13 year old wife. Yeah, I said that right, thirteen.

Summary:

When eight-year-old Virginia "Sissy" Clemm meets her handsome cousin, Edgar Allan Poe, he seems the very image of the make-believe husband she conjures up in childhood games. He’s thirteen years her elder, but kind, soft-spoken, brooding, and handsome. Eddy floats in and out of her life as he fails his way through West Point and then the army. Each time he returns to Baltimore, their odd friendship grows, and her understanding of the moody, troubled writer deepens. As Sissy prepares for a career on the musical stage, her childhood crush turns to love. When she is 13, Eddy proposes marriage, swearing to care for her forever. Yet even child brides eventually grow up, and it's really Eddy who needs caring for, who leans on her. She gains his complete devotion, true -- yet also must endure his abrupt disappearances, strange moods, and the aftermath of alcoholic binges. Then, when she falls ill, Poe’s greatest fear – that he’ll once again lose a woman he loves – drives him both to near-madness, and to his greatest literary achievement.

This provocative novel explores the mysterious and confounding relationship between Poe and Sissy Clemm, his great love and constant companion. Lenore Hart, author of Becky, explores love, loss, the afterlife, and American literature's most haunted and demonized literary figure, by imagining the real, beating heart of the woman who loved and inspired him – and whose absence ultimately destroyed him.

I want it Wednesday

2010-12-16T20:27:00.003-05:00

Wither is the first in the The Chemical Garden Trilogy and it sounds very interesting. It doesn't come out until March 22, 2011, but I thought I would share it with my readers.

Summary:
What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

Creepy

2010-12-13T20:45:00.003-05:00

The cover of this book creeps me out and that's what I think will grab reader's attention. This book is historical fiction, which is a hard sell in my library. However the cover and creepy descriptions may win students over.

Tabby is brought to a mansion to be a maid to a young boy(moody temperamental young boy). The place doesn't feel right. There is no church, no one cares for her young charge and soon Tabby sees dead people. There are ghosts everywhere and it turns out these ghosts are previous maids. Being a maid herself, Tabby isn't thrilled with the idea of joining the dead. So it is up to her to protect Himself(what the boy is called) and herself.

The story is well written with good details, but the story isn't wordy. It is a gothic tale, but that shouldn't turn off younger readers. The creepy atmosphere that Ms. Dunkle is able to create will suck readers in. This is a perfect story for Halloween.

I haven't read books written by the Bronte's and I enjoyed this novel. This is a stand alone book. The author does tie in Tabby with the Bronte sisters at the end, which might peak some interest in a few readers. However, this book is for younger readers around middle school age.

At the beginning of each chapter there is a creepy drawing which adds to the overall gothic feel of the book.

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-12-11T23:45:00.004-05:00

Eh, OK. I was a day early on I want it Wednesday and now I'm a day late for Historical Fiction Friday. Figures? Right.

I learned that Michelle Moran's novel Madame Tussaud is coming out earlier than anticipated, which suits me just fine. I'm a huge Ms. Moran fan so I'm looking forward to this book. I'll miss her tales of Egypt, but I love her writing style so I'll snag this one.

This one hits the stores in February 15, 2011.

I want it Wednesday

2010-12-07T20:24:00.002-05:00

I'm not a huge music girl, but I know some of my patrons are. There doesn't seem to be a lot of YA novels that have music in them. I'm not sure why. Anyway, I came across this one.

Summary:
Allie, a sixteen-year-old who is obsessed with LPs, works at the used record store on Telegraph Ave. and deals with crushes--her own and her mother's--her increasingly popular blog and zine, and generally grows up over the course of one summer in her hometown of Berkeley, California.

Upcoming December Releases

2010-12-05T11:40:00.002-05:00

Tis the season to ask Santa for some cool gifts. Check out some of the new titles that are arriving in stores just in time for Christmas.

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
Anna and the French kiss by Stephaine Perkin
You against me by Jenny Downham
Edges by Lena Roy
The lying game by Sarah Shepard
Rosebush by Michele Jaffe
Tutored by Alison Whittenberg
Vixen by Jillian Larkin
All you get is me by Yvonne Prinz
Fall for anything by Courtney Summers
Loser Queen by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Silver frost by Kailin Gow
Falling in love with English boys by Melissa Jansen
Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell
Once in a full moon by Ellen Schreiber
Tennie by Christopher Grant

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-12-03T17:01:00.004-05:00

For this Friday I came across something that I am dying to get my hands. on. When I was a kid I remember watching a movie about the Triangle Factory Fire on TV. I was memorized. So, any books I can find on it will be snatched up.

Here is a summary:
It's 1910, and thirteen-year-old Raisa has just traveled alone from a small Polish shtetl all the way to New York City. It's overwhelming, awe-inspiring, and even dangerous, especially when she discovers that her sister has disappeared and she must now fend for herself. She finds work in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sewing bodices on the popular shirtwaists. Raisa makes friends and even--dare she admit it?--falls in love. But then 1911 dawns, and one March day a spark ignites in the factory. One of the city's most harrowing tragedies unfolds, and Raisa's life is forever changed. . . .

One hundred years after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, this moving young adult novel gives life to the tragedy and hope of this transformative event in American history.

Yay me!

2010-12-02T16:03:00.002-05:00

Score! I have been asked to moderate a panel at the Historical Novel Society's Conference in San Diego this June. I'm stoked, but nervous too. The panel will be about Adult Vs Young Adult fiction. Looking forward to this unique opportunity.

I want it Wednesday

2010-12-01T18:34:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a good turkey day.

For this Wednesday I have an interesting book. Check out the summary:

If someone hurts your sister and you’re any kind of man, you seek revenge, right?

If your brother’s accused of a terrible crime but says he didn’t do it, you defend him, don’t you?

When Mikey’s sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart.

When Ellie’s brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel.

When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.

Happy Turkey Day & a winner.

2010-11-25T12:21:00.002-05:00

First I want to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you enjoy your day with family and friends.

Also, I have a winner: Inspired Kathy has one the book contest. Please email me your address and I'll send the book out.

I'm off the rest of the week. Enjoy everyone. And be safe on Black Friday. No stampedes this year, please.

I want it Wednesday

2010-11-17T22:04:00.003-05:00

My female readers will be all over this one. They have been looking for angsty books and I think this one fills their needs. This one says it is "book 1" so I assume there will be others in the series. But I am not sure how many.

Summary:
With the rent overdue and her bipolar mother missing, seventeen-year-old Adele is forced out of her home and although she tries to maintain the pretense of normality, things rapidly fall apart.

ZZZzzzzzzz! Holy Wordy Batman!

2010-11-15T18:18:00.002-05:00

I have never read anything by this author before. I knew she had a trilogy but I didn't want to read it. However, this new trilogy was set during the Victorian Era. I couldn't wait to read it.

The book is as heavy as a doorstop. It comes it at a large 496 pages. Yikes! I hate long books, but it was the summer so I decided to dive into it. Well, I finally finished it. Yes, that's right, finally finished it. I started in August. It is now November.

Tessa is a young American who is kidnapped by two women and forced to use her powers(which she didn't know she had) to take over people's bodies. Her powers will be used for evil, but thankfully she is saved by a group of Shadowhunters and whisked away to a secret undisclosed location. There she meets a merry band of Shadowhunters thus exposing her to their quirky personalities. Tessa, now that she is free, wants to find her brother and she realizes that he has been kidnapped by an evil vampire. They need to get him back.

I would have liked the novel if it hadn't been so wordy. I think this novel could have gone through a good edit. There was a lot of information that didn't need to be in the book. On Amazon some reviewers have said the characters are like those in her previous books. I can't comment on that, but I'm throwing it out there for my readers.

I think I would have enjoyed a smaller book. But plowing through almost 500 pages left me numb.

Students who are fans of Ms. Clare may want to give this one a go. However, I'm not sure who else would enjoy it.

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-11-12T22:11:00.003-05:00

A little bit of mystery is in this novel. Ms. Hearn has written six other novels. I really want to read this one.

Summary:
Every family has its secrets. . . .

Hazel Louise Mull-Dare has a good life, if a bit dull. Her adoring father grants her every wish, she attends a prestigious school for the Daughters of Gentlemen, and she receives no pressure to excel in anything whatsoever. But on the day of the Epsom Derby—June 4th, 1913—everything changes. A woman in a dark coat fatally steps in front of the king's horse, protesting the injustice of denying women the vote. Hazel is transfixed. And when her bold American friend, Gloria, convinces her to stage her own protest, Hazel gets a taste of rebellion. But her stunt leads to greater trouble than she could have ever imagined—Hazel is banished from London to her family’s sugar plantation in the Caribbean. There she is forced to confront the dark secrets of her family—secrets that have festered—and a shame that lingers on.

I want it Wednesday

2010-11-11T19:30:00.002-05:00

A day late, but here it is. I want it Wednesday.

Summary:
Karl Shoemaker, starting his senior year in Lightsburg, Ohio, in 1973, vows to break out of the therapy group he has been forced to attend during school hours and become "normal."

Book Giveaway ! Gemini Night

2010-11-09T19:16:00.003-05:00

I have a book giveaway. I would like to thank the publisher for giving me a copy to pass on to one of my lucky readers.

Here are the rules:

Contest is open to America and Canada participants only. Sorry.
New followers will receive 5 entries.
Everyone else will receive 2 entries.
Please post a reply to this message to enter the contest.
Contest ends Nov. 16, 2010.

Summary: Starting her junior year, Logan McRae is excited about her internship at CRUSH magazine. But she is not so excited about her new boyfriend Jeremy’s travel abroad in Ireland. Logan’s in over her head trying to balance school, love, and friends, while trying to solve an astrological mystery—the fate of a Gemini is star-crossed.

Will Logan find out who is in danger before the CRUSH Halloween costume party? Can she prove to the publisher she deserves her own astrology column? And will her relationship with Jeremy survive the distance? Only time will tell as Logan continues to reach for the stars!

Upcoming Releases for November

2010-11-07T19:03:00.003-05:00

Prime Evil by Chris Lynch
The daughters break the rules by Joanna Phibin
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
The other side of dark by Sarah Smith
Virals by Kathy Reichs
The Devil's Sword by Douglas Richards
Teenage wasteland by Lynn Biederman
Five flavors of dumb by Anthony John
Blank Confessions by Pete Hautman
Threads and flames by Esther Friesner
Matched by Ally Condie

I want it Wednesday

2010-11-03T19:40:00.002-04:00

Ick. I've been a huge slacker. I dunno what my problem is. I'm gonna have to get on the ball.

For this Wednesday I decided to do a guy book.

Summary:
Although they have never gotten along well, seventeen-year-old Levi follows his older brother Boaz, an ex-Marine, on a walking trip from Boston to Washington, D.C. in hopes of learning why Boaz is completely withdrawn.

I want it Wednesday

2010-10-27T20:51:00.004-04:00

For this Wednesday I found something that seemed interesting.

Summary:
When Alex, a junior at an elite preparatory school, realizes that she may have been the victim of date rape, she confides in her roommates and sister who convince her to seek help from a secret society, the Mockingbirds.

My mom's crazy

2010-10-23T22:20:00.004-04:00

Meredith has a lot of problems and they are pretty big. The first one on her list is that her father is a child abuser. Her second problem is he abused her. The third problem is he is coming home to live with Meredith. And the fourth one is her mother is fine with the idea of having him come back into the house. In fact, she's really excited about it. Oh, and her parents want to have another baby.

Meredith's life is messed up and along for the journey she has her wheel chair bound friend, Andy. She likes Andy, but does she really love him? Being with him are her only moments of sanity and sanctuary as she escapes her volatile household.

The reader watches in horror as Meredith's life slowly unravels. How can her life be so horrible? Thankfully she has some adults to back her up, even a no nonsense cop who wants her scumbag father gone.

I loved this book and I think other students will too. It boggles the mind to think that a mother would bring an abuser back into the household, but we all know it happens. Meredith's plight is described very well. You can feel her helplessness sometimes, and I think that makes for a great book.

The ending took me by surprise. I'm not sure if I liked it or not. But I won't give that away.

Students looking for a book about teen issues and abuse I think will enjoy this one.

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-10-22T16:54:00.004-04:00

Everyone knows the tale of Dracula and Vlad the Impaler. But what some people may not know is that in the 1600s there was Countess Erzsébet Báthory...otherwise known as the Blood Countess.

Countess Bathory had a fixation on youth. She wanted to stay young. So she killed some of her servants and bathed in their blood. Well, that's one of the stories.

This is an adult novel, but I think teens will find it interesting. I have an ARC and I'll be writing a review soon.

here is a summary:
Johns's creepily enticing second novel (after Icebergs) travels to 1611 Hungary as Countess Erzsébet Báthory--aka the Blood Countess--is being walled into a castle tower as punishment for the murder of dozens of women and girls. She begins writing her life story as an exposé of the many betrayals that have brought about this--as she sees it--outrageous and unjust imprisonment. The steady, calm tone of Erzsébet's narration lulls the reader along so that the first hints of madness in her girlhood engender doubt and discomfort rather than horror, and as her lack of remorse and grandiose sense of entitlement are unveiled, a matter-of-fact self-portrait of a murderer emerges. This is a carefully researched story, gothic in tone and grimly atmospheric, with subtly handled psychology and an initially unassuming tone.

I want it Wednesday

2010-10-20T22:30:00.002-04:00

I'm trying to find more books with teen issues. I though this one sounded interesting.,

Summary:

In fifteen-year-old Alyssa Bondar's Russian-Jewish culture, having a few drinks is as traditional asblinchiki and piroshki. So when her mom's midday cocktails turn into an all-day happy hour, it seems like Alyssa's the only one who notices—or cares. Her dad is steeped in the nightly news—and denial—and her best friend Lana is too busy trashing their shared Russian heritage so she can be popular.

Alyssa would rather focus on cross-country meets and her first kiss with her running partner, Keith, but someone has to clean up her mom's mess. But who will be there to catch Alyssa when her mom's next fall off the wagon threatens to drag her down, too?

This book comes out November 8, 2010.

I love Marilyn Monroe. But it's not $30.00 worth of love

2010-10-19T19:14:00.004-04:00

I must have been living in a vacuum because I didn't hear about this little gem. Fragments is Marilyn...yes that Marilyn's notes, thoughts and poems. I loved the book she "wrote" entitled My Story. I reviewed it for this blog. So when I found out about this one I ran to the bookstore.

The price is high, $30.00. I'll confess I'm not sure if its worth that much. I haven't read it yet. I have a copy on hold at the library. Amazon.com has a huge discount (who doesnt love Amazon?) and the book is $16.00.

Marilyn Monroe is an icon. Everyone thought she was a ditsy blond she was a smart person. I'm looking forward to getting this book.

Here is a summary:
Marilyn Monroe’s image is so universal that we can’t help but believe that we know all there is to know of her. Every word and gesture made headlines and garnered controversy. Her serious gifts as an actor were sometimes eclipsed by her notoriety—and the way the camera fell helplessly in love with her.

But what of the other Marilyn? Beyond the headlines—and the too-familiar stories of heartbreak and desolation—was a woman far more curious, searching, and hopeful than the one the world got to know. Even as Hollywood studios tried to mold and suppress her, Marilyn never lost her insight, her passion, and her humor. To confront the mounting difficulties of her life, she wrote.

Now, for the first time, we can meet this private Marilyn and get to know her in a way we never have before. Fragments is an unprecedented collection of written artifacts—notes to herself, letters, even poems—in Marilyn’s own handwriting, never before published, along with rarely seen intimate photos.

These bits of text—jotted in notebooks, typed on paper, or written on hotel letterhead—reveal a woman who loved deeply and strove to perfect her craft. They show a Marilyn Monroe unsparing in her analysis of her own life, but also playful, funny, and impossibly charming. The easy grace and deceptive lightness that made her performances so memorable emerge on the page, as does the simmering tragedy that made her last appearances so heartbreaking.

I want it Wednesday

2010-10-13T18:57:00.004-04:00

Steampunk is a genre that has caught my attention. However, there seem to be so few novels. Or, rather, I have a hard time finding them. Anyway, I came across this one in a local book store. If you have any title suggestions on YA Steampunk please send them my way.

Summary:
In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.

The sequel to this novel is Behemoth. It is currently out in stores.

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-10-09T11:01:00.008-04:00

In today's spotlight is Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson. This is the sequel to Chains. Ms. Anderson is a local girl( Mexico NY). I've only read one book by her, Wintergirls, which I thought an interesting read but not riveting. Still, my patrons love her stuff so I thought I would bring attention to this novel.

Summary:
Anderson follows her searing, multi-award-winning novel Chains (2008) with this well-researched sequel, also set during the Revolutionary War and narrated by a young African American. This time, though, her central character is male, and the heartbreaking drama shifts from Chains’ domestic town houses to graphically described bloody battlefields. After a narrowly successful escape from Manhattan, former slaves Isabel and Curzon separate, and Curzon is once again on the run. He finds necessary food and shelter as a private with the Continental army, and through Curzon’s eyes, Anderson re-creates pivotal historical scenes, including the desperate conditions at Valley Forge.

Publication Date is October 19, 2010

I want it Wednesday

2010-10-06T21:20:00.002-04:00

For this Wednesday I stumbled across a book that I think sounds interesting.

Here is a summary:

When an impulsive carjacking turns into a kidnapping, Griffin, a high school dropout, finds himself more in sympathy with his wealthy, blind victim, sixteen-year-old Cheyenne, than with his greedy father.

Upcoming releases for October

2010-10-03T10:40:00.004-04:00

I thought there would be more ghostly good books for this month. However, it seems there are a lot more historical fiction novels(not that I'm complaining). Anyway, there are some good novels in this bunch.

Trash by Andy Mulligan
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
Three Quarters Dead by Richard Peck
Daughter of Winter by Pat Lowery Collins
Jane by April Lindner
Her and me and you by Lauren Strasnick
Contagion by Joanne Dahme
Empty by Suzanne Weyn
The Blending Time by Michael Kinch
The last good place of Lily Odilon by Sara Beitia
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Crossing Over by Anna Kendall
Bright young things by Anna Godbersen

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-10-01T21:41:00.003-04:00

The cover for this book reminds me of Halloween. In fact it kinda creeps me out. So I decided to showcase it today since it is the first of October.

Summary:
Young Tabby Aykroyd has been brought to the dusty mansion of Seldom House to be nursemaid to a foundling boy. He is a savage little creature, but the Yorkshire moors harbor far worse, as Tabby soon discovers. Why do scores of dead maids and masters haunt Seldom House with a jealous devotion that extends beyond the grave?

As Tabby struggles to escape the evil forces rising out of the land, she watches her young charge choose a different path. Long before he reaches the old farmhouse of Wuthering Heights, the boy who will become Heathcliff has doomed himself and any who try to befriend him.

I want it Wednesday

2010-09-29T22:18:00.004-04:00

Leftovers gets the spotlight this Wednesday. It's by the same author who wrote Such a pretty girl, which I am enjoying.

Here is a summary:
A devastating novel of desperation and revenge from one of today's most compelling new voices in fiction. In this follow-up to her heartbreaking debut, Such a Pretty Girl, Laura Wiess once again spins a shattering tale of the tragedies that befall young women who are considered society's Leftovers.

Blair and Ardith are best friends who have committed an unforgivable act in the name of love and justice. But in order to understand what could drive two young women to such extreme measures, first you'll have to understand why. You'll have to listen as they describe parents who are alternately absent and smothering, classmates who mock and shun anyone different, and young men who are allowed to hurt and dominate without consequence. You will have to learn what it's like to be a teenage girl who locks her bedroom door at night, who has been written off by the adults around her as damaged goods. A girl who has no one to trust except the one person she's forbidden to see. You'll have to understand what it's really like to be forgotten and abandoned in America today

I cut because....

2010-09-27T16:52:00.004-04:00

Kendra is being stalked, but she doesn't know by who. The person who is stalking her constantly reminds Kendra not to talk about her abuse. But she couldn't talk if she wanted to. Kendra has faded memories of being sexually abused. Her mother isn't much help. In order to deal with her confusing, dark world she cuts herself to feel better. She loves the feel, the release and can't stop herself from cutting.

While Kendra's life seems to be nothing but pain she finds herself falling in love with a classmate. She also uses her art to help heal the pain.

This book was decent. I thought it was going to be better than it was. Kendra is a good character, but there is too much stuff going on in this book. First, she has a stalker. Kendra was sexually abused. Kendra cuts herself. Kendra is gay. Kendra uses art to cope. Kendra has a monkey. Well, she doesn't have a monkey, but it feels like everything was piled into this book. To top it off the shocking ending wasn't shocking at all and I saw it coming a mile away.

Students looking for books like Cut will enjoy Scars. For me there was too much going on, but maybe this book will help students who are dealing with a lot of different issues.

I want it Wednesday

2010-09-22T20:59:00.005-04:00

It's time to hand over the spotlight to the gentlemen. This book is for them. It is, after all, football season.

Summary: Overweight, somewhat timid Mitch reluctantly agrees to be the sports reporter for the Lincoln High newspaper because he is determined to be a writer, but he senses a real story in Angel, a talented football player who refuses to stand out on the field--or to discuss his past.

Historical Fiction Friday

2010-09-17T17:34:00.003-04:00

Every once in a while I post an adult book. I know some of my teens like to branch out and try something else. I don't post many, but I had to post this one.

Ms. Elliot was kind enough to give me a copy of Dark Moon of Avalon and I can't wait to read it. I read the first novel and loved it. Check out the summary.

Summary: The second installment of Elliot's Twilight of Avalon trilogy returns to the tale of former Queen Isolde and her devoted champion, Trystan. Now that Britain is in danger of falling to treacherous Lord Marche and his ruthless Saxon allies, Isolde knows that her only chance to save the kingdom is a desperate alliance with Saxon king Cerdic, whose willingness is uncertain. Trystan escorts Isolde on her quest to find Cerdic and, in the process, she learns more than she'd like about their time apart, during which he endured everything from slavery to torture; their greatest challenge, however, will be to trust their love. Elliot brings the Arthurian world to rich life, creating a Britain both familiar and distinctly alien to fans of medieval romances. Though Tristan and Isolde's romantic hedging, an obvious play to prolong the sexual tension, can frustrate, fans of the first book should be satisfied with this intermediary episode.

I want it Wednesday

2010-09-15T19:33:00.002-04:00

The cover and the summary of this book caught my attention quickly. I think it would be a hit with my students. I look forward to reading it.

Summary:
Ames is not the person she was a few months ago. Her father lost his job, and her family is falling apart. All she has is Marc, who loves her more than anything. But Marc also owns a gun collection. And he'll stop at nothing --- even using his guns --- to get what he wants. Ames feels her parents have betrayed her with their lies and self-absorption, but is she prepared to make the ultimate betrayal against them?

Non Fiction: Eye opening a must read for teen girls

2010-09-12T22:12:00.004-04:00

Marvelyn isn't the perfect teen, and she confesses to that. Sometimes she was a bit wild, there were times when school didn't take center stage and she had no direction in life. College wasn't always on the radar, but she was a good athlete.

The story opens with Marvelyn in the hospital. She is sick and no one knows why. Soon she discovers that she has HIV. The person that gave it to her is a person she never imagined. The one person she loved. Her Prince Charming.

The book deals with a lot of misconceptions people have about HIV/AIDS; and Marvelyn's new life as she tries to deal with her new status. She also talks about the suicide of her friend and how that impacted everyone. She writes about her relationship with her mother and how she started to become a national spokesperson for HIV/AIDS.

The book is good, and I strongly encourage teen girls to read it. However, sometimes one has to question Ms. Brown's actions. I suppose we all make mistakes. Yet she knows the mistakes she is making and still goes through with them. For instance, she and another HIV/AIDS spokesperson engage in sex without protection. Apparently, when two HIV positive people engage in sex it could be dangerous(I did not know this). She knows its wrong, confesses that it is wrong, yet continues to do it. I wonder...why? Does that make her a hypocrite?

Despite the flaws(or maybe they enhance the book), I found this an excellent read.

The Winner is!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-11T18:37:00.002-04:00

The winner of the book giveaway is Mezzowriter!

Congratulations. Please send your address to yabookmarks@gmail.com

I want it Wednesday

2010-09-08T21:01:00.003-04:00

For this week's I want it Wednesday I stumbled across Timeless. It's not out yet, in fact it comes out January 11, 2011. Check out the summary.

Summary:
When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-03T22:44:00.002-04:00

Enjoy the long weekend. School starts up for me next week so I'll be on a normal schedule again. Stay safe!