A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones
by George R. R. Martin
A Song of Ice and Fire, book one

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.(description from Amazon.com)

An absolutely epic series opener.

I can't even really decide what to say about this book. I watched the first season of Game of Thrones on HBO and decided I had to read these books. (Not to mention I had seriously good recommendations to read these from about five really trusted friends - Geri, Jen, McKean...I'm looking at you guys, especially! :P) I'm so glad I did not just decide to watch the show. Yes, the show is awesome...seriously if you don't get HBO, when the DVDs come out, get it from the library...seriously. You will not regret it! But...the book gives you sooo much more background info.

There were a lot of political and family histories that I did not understand all the nuances of as I watched the show. Martin has so many characters and intricate plot lines going at once that you need to have the explanations that you can't get visually. Martin is a storytelling genius that manages to keep track of a million things and has built a world so EPIC that it defies all expectations. I am in total awe of his abilities as a writer and as a reader, I just want to dive right back into this fascinating world.

For a thousand and one almost unexplainable reasons, I have to give this book a GOLD STAR review. If I did double gold star reviews, this book would get one.



If you love fantasy, you MUST give this series a try.

Now, the book size can be daunting...each book has around 800 pages...but, I read this on my Nook, a few chapters at a time between other books and it was very manageable that way. I'm not sure I can read the second book that slowly, as I will probably read it before the second season of the show comes out and I'll be dying to know what happens, but I do plan to get it on my Nook because an 800 page book is SO much easier to carry around that way!! LOL.

Final thoughts - I had a dream when I was little that I would grow up to have a baby dragon that rode around on my shoulder. This was directly related to reading Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsinger, Dragonsong, and Dragondrums several times as a child. Imagine how my heart sang when I discovered a very similar scenario in this book????

Vengeance

Vengeance
by Kate Brian
Private series, book fourteen

Following the murder of her newly discovered father, Reed is reeling. Billings House has been destroyed and that seems to represent the state of her life. She chooses to use the money her father left her to rebuild Billings House, a symbol of hope and home to Reed, and hopefully the same for future generations. As construction begins, though, so do ominous accidents. Reed's life has never been simple since coming to Easton. Can Reed discover the culprit and survive long enough to see Billings return?

Though this was not my favorite book of the series, I thought that Kate Brian did a good job ending Reed's story. This poor girl has been through it all, but by the end she is surrounded by people who love her and she has a clear and bright future. The road getting there was certainly bumpy, but Reed takes charge of her own life and continues until she is certain things will finally work out smoothly.

Though an unbelievable amount of ungodly things happen to Reed, almost enough to make the whole setting of this series circumspect, it is a full-on guilty pleasure to read. What was really surprising, though, was how along the way Kate Brian managed to take readers on a real emotional journey with the main character. Reed grows tremendously from a self-conscious girl, in awe of the older, cooler Billings girls, and generally easily swayed by any hot guy that comes her way, to a girl who finally knows her own heart and can hold her own amongst the social elite. This is a girl who becomes a savvy businesswoman and the leader of an elite secret society...I mean social group. It was amazing to see where, and who she ends up being, at the end of this series.

For me, this was a bittersweet read. It was well done and time, I think, but I will also heartily miss the way that my palms would begin to sweat as soon as I knew I could get my hands on the next Private book. *sigh* The hunt must begin for another soap-opera series...any recommendations?

Blessed

Blessed
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tantalize, book three

Quincie P. Morris, teen restaurateuse and neophyte vampire, is in the fight of her life -- or undeath. Even as she adjusts to her new appetites, she must clear her best friend and true love, the hybrid werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the seductive vampire-chef who "blessed" her; and keep her dead parents’ restaurant up and running. She hires a more homespun chef and adds the preternaturally beautiful Zachary to her wait staff. But with hundreds of new vampires on the rise and Bradley off assuming the powers of Dracula Prime, Zachary soon reveals his true nature -- and a flaming sword -- and they hit the road to staunch the bloodshed before it’s too late. Even if they save the world, will there be time left to salvage Quincie’s soul? (description from Amazon.com)

I thought this was a great wrap-up to the Tantalize storyline. It brought the characters from both Tantalize and Eternal together in a very well done way. I had actually forgotten how much I enjoyed Quincie as a character. She's tough, tough enough that you almost forget how young she is...until she does something that only a teenager would do. It usually ends up working out in her favor, though!

Her relationship with Kieren, muddled by what they each are, is heartwarming. They are beyond devoted to one another. Even when Quincie is presented with a very yummy Guardian Angel, she is never tempted to stray. Speaking of Zachary...his goodness is just so believable. He's not perfect, but he's determined to do the best he can, for himself and everyone around him.

I loved how Smith combined their two destinies. It was really well done. Without getting too spoilery, all I can really say is that they both had their faiths tested and each taught each other quite a bit about life...and death. Their sacrifices were thoughtful and never over the top.

I also just want to mention that it had never occurred to me that in a world of shape-shifters that there would be such a creature as a WerePossum, but apparently there can be...and he was hilarious. Poor guy steps out of his nature to be one brave little Possum and his heroism was truly inspiring!

Full disclosure: ARC received from publisher, audio book received to review for SLJ
2011 Shifter Reading Challenge title

In My Mailbox - October 9, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

On My Nook:

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Purchased:

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
*You could not imagine how excited I was when this one finally came in the mail...my belated birthday gift!!!*

From the Library:

Working Stiff by Rachel Caine
Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way by Lisi Harrison


Enthralled ed. by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong


Won:

City of Lies by Lian Tanner
*Won from Publisher on Twitter!*

For Review:

Dreamland by Alyson Noel

Afterlife

Afterlife
by Claudia Gray
Evernight, book four

Destiny awaits Bianca and Lucas . . .

Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a wraith but also turns Lucas into a vampire—the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.

Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help . . . Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her ghostly transformation has given her.

A battle between wraiths and vampires looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They've overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life? (description from Amazon.com)

I'm so glad I finally read the conclusion to this series! It's been awhile since I read the third book and I'd forgotten how smooth I find Claudia Gray's writing style. This book drew me right in and before I knew it, I was turning the final pages. Absolutely riveting.

I really like both Bianca and Lucas. The secondary characters are well done in this series, as well, with almost every character being tested in some way to show the multifacetedness of their character. No character is entirely good...or evil. My favorite will always be Balthazar, though, so you could not imagine my sheer glee when I found out that there is at least one companion book (Balthazar, March 2012) featuring my favorite vamp as the main character!

This series is full of twists, unexpected loyalties and betrayals. Every time I think I know what is going on, Gray throws another surprise into the mix. These books will definitely keep you entertained and on your toes. I look forward to finding out what will happen...now that everything in both this life and the next, has changed!

Full disclosure: egalley received from Netgalley

The Ghoul Next Door

The Ghoul Next Door
by Lisi Harrison
Monster High, book two

Cleo was the queen bee of the RADs, the normies, and everyone in between at Merston High. But now it's "Frankie this" and "Melody that" . . . these new girls sure know how to get her lashes in a tangle. When Cleo lands a golden Teen Vogue photo op for her friends, everything seems to be back on track . . . until they bail to be in some film . . . Frankie and Melody's film! Can't a royal get some loyal?

Frankie lost her head over Brett once and vows never to do it again. Not that she has a choice: Bekka is clinging to her guy like plastic wrap. But when Brett comes up with a plan that could help the RADs live free, sparks fly, and Bekka will stop at nothing to put out the flames . . . even if it means destroying the entire monster community.

The clock is tick-tick-ticking. Melody has a serious deadline to save her boyfriend, Jackson, from being exposed by the vengeance-seeking Bekka. But Cleo is making it royally difficult for the normie while threatening her acceptance into the RADs' exclusive group . . . a group that Melody suspects she has more in common with than she ever thought. (description from Amazon.com)

Aside from being a fun foray into the world of well-known Hollywood famous monsters, Lisi Harrison has created a lighthearted series that manages to bring up tons of real-life issues without being an overwhelming social satire venue. I love the mix of fun and morality that can be found in these books.

The usual social heirarchy could be found at "Monster High" until Melody and Frankie showed up and shook it all up! Two girls who are totally different, yet want exactly the same things. Their plan to help everyone be accepted for just who they are seems to be working just fine, until Frankie literally loses her head over it! Now, the fallout is severe.

Frankie, Cleo, LaLa, Blue, and Clawdeen are all amongst the group whose parents have decreed social lockdown for their safety. They're still better off than Frankie, whose parents have stripped her down to the literal nuts and bolts...

They all have to figure out a way to save their social lives and keep their secrets! Though they long to be "out" and accepted, they also know that they have no desire to be hunted down for their differences. A clever plan here and there never hurt their chances...

With absolute parallels to real teen life, this series manages to be a tongue-in-cheek poke at society. It's fun and thought-provoking all in one. I love all the nods to old monster movies and look forward to reading book three, Where There's a Wolf, There's a way.

Winner - *signed* The Daughter of Smoke and Bone ARC!!

I am pleased to announce that the winner of the *signed* Daughter of Smoke and Bone ARC giveaway (via random drawing at random.org) is...

Samjam G!!

Samantha, check your email...and get me your mailing address so that I can get the *signed* ARC out to you ASAP! Congratulations again!

The Bones of the Holy

The Bones of the Holy
by Jennifer Allison
Gilda Joyce, book five

When Gilda Joyce's mother announces her engagement to a man from St. Augustine, Florida, Gilda is appalled. She hasn't even given him the "Joyce Family Application" yet! But as the wedding preparations get under way, Gilda realizes she has much bigger concerns. Why does her soon-to-be stepdad keep calling Mrs. Joyce by his ex-wife's name? And why is Mrs. Joyce acting like she's possessed?

With only a few short days before her mother says "I do," Gilda knows this much for sure: it's going to take every ounce of her sleuthing skill and psychic savvy to solve this one! (description from Amazon.com)

This series is the perfect antidote to too much "paranormal romance." Gilda is a smart, vivacious, and hilarious mini-detective and her adventures are just the right mix of realistic fiction and the paranormal. I love how even when Gilda is trying to deal with her ghostly encounters, it's even more important that she continues to build the real relationships in her life.

The way that she interacts with her mom and brother are so sweet and yet, true to life. She and her best friend, Wendy, also have a wonderful and thoroughly realistic relationship. I love how they stay in touch even when Wendy goes to camp or Gilda travels through letters and phone calls.

This particular entry into Gilda's adventures was full of really interesting background info. Just like after reading the last book when I wanted to immediately go to the Spy Museum in D.C., now I want to visit St. Augustine, Florida! I had no idea it was the oldest city in the US or that it had such a rich and mixed cultural history. Very intriguing.

For fun mysteries, hilarious hijinks, and a family that will make you smile, give the Gilda Joyce series a try.

Amulet:The Stonekeeper

Amulet: The Stonekeeper
by Kazu Kibuishi

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.

Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a beautifully drawn and colored adventure. I loved the style of the drawings and the rounded shapes of the characters. Miskit is so cute! The inventions, the robots, the planes, the dart gunes, etc. were all very cool.

The best part about this graphic novel, though, was the way that Emily's adventure to save her mother was really a manifestation of her confusion and grief. This blurred the emotional journey she was going through in reality with a really cool fantasy adventure. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next Amulet book.

My Life Undecided - Book Trailer and Giveaway!

I am super excited to share this trailer with you and to be able to host this giveaway. Ever since the premise of this book was released, it's been on my radar... it just sounds so CUTE!



Don't you just love the idea of seeing how it all plays out?? I can't imagine just totally handing control of my life over to anyone else! Such a cool idea for a book. :)

Anyway, as I mentioned, thanks to Zieghost Media, I am able to host a giveaway! If you would like the chance to win Jessica Brody's My Life Undecided, just comment with your name and email address by Wednesday, October 12th. I will choose a random winner on Thursday, October 13th and they will have until Sunday, October 16th to get me their mailing address (US/Canada only, sorry!) so that we can send the book out to you. GOOD LUCK!!

I Met Laini Taylor *squee!* and Have a Signed ARC of The Daughter of Smoke and Bone to Giveaway!!

I was sooooo lucky to be able to meet Laini Taylor in person at RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT. Let me just say that she is AWESOME. Laini was so personable and inspiring and creative. (She even made my YA skeptic mom ask to borrow the book later!)



Laini started out by describing how she got to this tour. Her first two books, a halted attempt at a science-fiction title, how she came to write Lips Touch: Three Times and finally came to publish The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I was stoked to find out that it is the first book in a trilogy!!

When she read from the book, you really felt as if you were there, in the story. The main character, Karou, is so fully formed that you had no question about her motives...only the intriguing and wondrous world that she lives in! You could hear the rustling of pages throughout the room even before she stopped reading, lol.

Laini was super gracious answering questions, giving great reading advice, and just being a generally hilarious and warm-hearted person. It was amazing to meet her and in a such a cozy environment! When she did the signing, it was great because only about 25 people were there, so we actually got to chat a little with Laini.



I was lucky enough to be able to ask Laini ahead of time if she would sign not only the finished copy of the book, but the two ARCs that I had as well. My friend, Jen from Yabooknerd, was in Vermont for the NELA (New England Library Association) conference, so one signed ARC is going to her, *but* I have another signed ARC to give away!



So, if you would like the chance to win a *signed ARC* of Laini Taylor's The Daughter of Smoke and Bone, leave me a comment with your name and email address before this Friday, October 7th. I'll randomly choose a winner on Saturday, October 8th. Good luck!!

In My Mailbox - October 2, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

*I didn't get to do an "In My Mailbox" last week since I went up to New Hampshire, so this is actually two weeks worth of books!*

For Review:

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury
Peaceweaver by Rebecca Barnhouse
Hades by Alexandra Adornetto


Cosmic Storm by Dom Testa
Alienation by John Lewis
There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones


The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

On My Nook:

First Frost by Jennifer Estep

From the Library:

Library Wars: Volumes 5&6
Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby


Vengeance by Kate Brian
Die for Me by Amy Plum
Dear Bully ed. by Carrie Jones


Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
New York to Dallas by J. D. Robb
The Royal Treatment by Lindsey Leavitt


Purchased:

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
*Signed by Laini Taylor at RJ Julia's for her "Smoke and Bone" tour!
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
*Signed by Scott Westerfeld - present to myself for my bday!*

Gifted:

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
*Thanks so much to Chelsea from Coffee and Cliffhangers! I won a monthly drawing on her website and got these as well as a copy of Nightshade and a copy of Revolution.

Legend

Legend
by Marie Lu

Publication date: Nov 29, 2011

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. (description from Amazon.com)

This book got a lot of buzz even before I went to BEA this year. I was stoked to pick up a copy and am so glad I finally got to fit it into my reading schedule! In the sea of dystopias that are now flooding the YA market, Legend is a very strong contender.

While I wasn't sold on the alternating viewpoint chapters at first, after about five I was hooked. Not only are both June and Day fascinating characters, but through their eyes you get to see both sides of a very distrustful and controlling government. The Republic is mostly made up of California and the western coast area of the United States. It is at war with the "Colonies," which seems to be the eastern part of the US. Those who pass the test that all ten year olds have to take, are given an education, training, and good jobs. Those that fail...while they are sent off to "work camps."

Day was one such test failure. Born to a slum, he failed his test, was experimented on, then he escapes to become a master "Robin Hood" style criminal. He scrounges and helps where he can becoming a local hero. When his path crosses with the prodigy and darling of the Republic, June, life gets a whole lot more dangerous...and interesting.

Their characters not only fascinate readers, but seem to enthrall each other. It's not one of those mushy love-at-first sight things though, but an acknowledgment of how much they challenge each other. Each discovers totally new things about themselves and their lives through their experiences with the other. I, for one, am very excited to see what happens in their future fight against the corrupt government!

Full disclosure: ARC from BEA 2011

The Iron Knight - Book Trailer

The Iron Knight
by Julie Kagawa
The Iron Fey, book four

Publication date: Oct 25, 2011

I *love* this series...

If You Like: Stolen

"If You Like…” is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love.

Okay, so I'm way behind on linking to this, BUT if you liked Lucy Christopher's Stolen, check out these other great books and movies!

If You Like: The Jenna Fox Chronicles

"If You Like…” is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love.

This week check out some great recommendations for fans of the Jenna Fox Chronicles. I love this series! Science fiction at its best. I'm hoping that Pearson continues to write science fiction in the future.

All These Things I've Done

All These Things I've Done
by Gabrielle Zevin
The Birthright series, book one

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family. (description from Amazon.com)

This book *almost* earned a gold star. I LOVED it, overall. Anya is a great character. Overwhelmed by responsibility, emotionally wrung out, and yet she plugs away, pulling through, and maneuvering her way through a dangerous world. The world! Can we talk about how believable Gabrielle Zevin has made this world? Set in 2083, this is obviously in the future, and yet other than knowing about things that have become illegal, it feels as if it could take place tomorrow. There was never a doubt in my mind that this world could become a reality.

The designation of coffee and chocolate as illegal substances has created black market trading, which in turn has created mafia-like families that deal in these substances. Anya is a Ballanchine...and the Ballanchines are Russian chocolatiers. Seeing the Ballanchine crime family's interactions with each other and the outside world was fascinating. I loved how the family was ever present in Anya's mind.

The only thing that Anya considered more in her decision making was her religion. While some could consider this book as Christian fiction (because Anya is a devout Catholic, practicing to feel closer to her deceased mother), it never feels overwhelming. Some books have a religious theme that ends up overpowering the rest of the story. Here, it is just such a strong part of Anya's character that it only adds to the amazing story.

In fact, the only thing that I thought detracted at all from the story was that Anya would occasionally address the reader. The book is framed as a recounting of her early years, written almost as a journal. The reader easily forgets this, though, as the story goes on...until Anya suddenly addresses the reader...then goes back to the story. While not a bad idea in theory, in practice, it disrupts the flow of the story and feels jarring. However, it did not bother me enough to make me love the story any less...it just meant that the book wasn't quite perfect.

I have high hopes that book two in the Birthright series will indeed earn a coveted gold star review. For now, my recommendation? Ummm...READ THIS ONE. It was great! (And if you loved Holly Black's Curseworkers books, you will LOVE this one...)

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile magazine, review copy received from Zeighost Media

Success!!

So, I haven't been blogging as much lately, and even if no one noticed but me, I wanted to explain why. You might remember (or not...who knows) that I am somewhat of an amateur writer. I have participated in NaNoWriMo and I'm in a Writers' Group (with two awesome chicas!! Becca from Alice:Journey of a Fake Writer and Jen from Yabooknerd).

Well, I decided that I have to get serious. I want to publish a book someday and that means I need to buckle down and "Get 'R Dun," as they say...but with better grammar! So, while I will absolutely not give up my reading time, because not only do I consider it important research, but it is the highlight of my day, every day...I have decided to cut back on blogging. Not just actually posting on my blog, but I have also cut back on how often I read my blog feed.

It's been tough! I think I was going through a little bit of blogger withdrawl, BUT in the time that I was using for that I wrote a killer short story! Not only did I write it, but I revised it, and...submitted it for the National Writer's Digest annual contest. *fingers crossed* Realistically, I have no intention of holding my breath anticipating a win. I'm sure a bajillion people enter every year. Having the goal and a deadline, though, really got me to pump it out and make sure all my word choices were sharp, my sentences were concise, and that the characters and plot were developed just so...

Did I mention how *HARD* it is to write a short story?! So hard, but totally worth it. I have a real finished piece that I am eminently proud of and would love to share with the world at some point. For now, I await the decisions of others...and turn back to an older project. :)

All right, off to go read!

Cover Cravings...

Perception
by Kim Harrington
A Clarity Novel

Publication date: March 1, 2012

When you can see things others can't, what happens when someone is watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only, Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared. Clare needs to see her way to the truth -- before it's much too late.

BTW - This cover matches the new paperback cover for Clarity!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - book trailer

Oh My God...aren't you just dying to read this book?? I am.
Thank goodness it's finally out and I can get our Library's copy ASAP!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
by Michelle Hodkin
Release date: Sept. 27, 2011

The Thirteenth Princess

The Thirteenth Princess
by Diane Zahler

Zita is not an ordinary servant girl—she's the thirteenth daughter of a king who wanted only sons. When she was born, Zita's father banished her to the servants' quarters to work in the kitchens, where she can only communicate with her royal sisters in secret.

Then, after Zita's twelfth birthday, the princesses all fall mysteriously ill. The only clue is their strangely worn and tattered shoes. With the help of her friends—Breckin the stable boy, Babette the witch, and Milek the soldier—Zita follows her bewitched sisters into a magical world of endless dancing and dreams. But something more sinister is afoot—and unless Zita and her friends can break the curse, the twelve princesses will surely dance to their deaths. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a really well done and interesting new rewrite of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I loved the fact that Zita was a thirteenth and utterly different princess. Her birthright added to the way that she was raised as a servant gave readers the ability to see into both worlds. So much of the story focused on Zita's life, her discovery of her birthright, and the development of her relationship with her sisters.

It was almost as if Zahler wrote a completely fresh story before she finally blended the original fairy tale into Zita's life. The magic was interesting and fun. The characters were strong, especially Zita, who was spunky, loving, and eminently loyal. I loved the relationships that she developed with her sisters, the cook, the witch, and especially Breckin.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
by Catherynne M. Valente
Illustrated by Ana Juan

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. (description from Amazon.com)

What a glorious adventure. Valente has managed to merge the feel of an old fairytale with the sarcastic realism of Lemony Snicket. September is a girl who is both immensely loving and emininetly practical. While feeling terrible about leaving her mother, she cannot pass up the adventure of a lifetime! To enter fairyland...who would say no?

While in Fairyland, September meets many interesting and unique characters. She travels to new and wondrous places. She is tasked to retreive magical objects.

While there have been many tellings of a child that enters the fairy realm, Valente makes this feel new and fresh. The characters are intriguing and unlike those I've read before. The aspects of Fairyland are amazing and unheard of in other tales. Each aspect of this story was just another layer that drew me in. One of the best things, though, was that even as I knew that September's story must end well, I appreciated some of the terrible things that she went through to come to a happy ending.

This was no Disney fairy tale.

This was real life and purely magical.

Full disclosure: Review copy received from Zieghost media and the publisher