Fangirl

Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan... But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind? (Description from Goodreads.com) 

As a fangirl, myself...though I don't write fanfiction...I really loved and connected to Cath.  Not only did I love her geeking out and feeling compelled to be an active part of the fandom, but I also really connected to her as I remembered what it was like to start college.  Thank goodness I met my friends, now my best friends, in the dorms in the first few months, and just like Raegan pulled Cath out of her room and made her interact, my friends encouraged me to do the same.  Without them, my college experience could have been totally different. Quiet, full of nothing but homework, boring... 

This is actually the first Rainbow Rowell book that I've read and I really enjoyed it.  It was sweet and well done in its own right and then had all these nods to fandoms that added an extra layer of fun.  My only complaints were that A - We don't actually get to read "Carry On, Simon" now and B - That even though the fictitious author makes a slight nod to Cath's fanfiction in basically refuting it, there wasn't a more direct sort of acknowledgment of all her hard work.  I know it's not realistic, but honestly I would have loved if Gemma had actually acknowledged Cath in some fashion... 

Now, I REALLY need to read Eleanor and Park, which I've heard is EVEN better! 

Full disclosure: Audio Book borrowed from my Library, eBook purchased for my Nook

Sever

Sever 
by Lauren DeStefano
The Chemical Garden Trilogy, book three

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain. (description from Amazon.com)

Okay, it's going to be a little tough to review this book without spoilers since it is the final book in the trilogy (check out my reviews for book one, Wither, and book two, Fever).

This whole series has left me somewhat of an emotional wreck. DeStefano's books are INTENSE.  The way that book two left off gave me shivers and I knew as soon as we got Sever into work I HAD to finish the series, reading responsibilities be damned! I even ended up cheating a little bit by flipping to the last page (WHICH I NEVER DO!) to verify that Rhine doesn't end up dying. I just couldn't take the emotional uncertainty anymore...I had to know that she made it! 

I don't want to give anything else away, but I will say there were huge highs and lows in this book and that overall this has been one of the few dystopian series lately that I have gotten heavily emotionally invested in. The whole premise felt really realistically possible and I think that I will remember these books for a long time. 

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my Library

Hidden

Hidden

by Sophie Jordan

Firelight, book three

 

A dangerous journey.
Shattered bonds.
Undying passion.

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted her fate long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.

The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning. . . . (description from Amazon.com)


Though I realistically knew the way that the author would end this book and I enjoyed the action and the introduction of some new dragons, I was still horribly disappointed with how the romance worked out.  It's so hard when you latch on to a character and desperately want the main character to end up with them and yet, you know that they won't...

Aside from my heartbreak, this was a very good ending to the series.  I still love how Jordan can make these books steamy and adventurous without getting too graphic! The draki are still amazingly cool and I loved how Jacinda and her sister both really figured out exactly where they needed to be in the end.

But...I'm still Team Cassian... and my heart just broke for him.

Full disclosure: Borrowed through interlibrary loan

Island of Silence

Island of Silence

by Lisa McMann

The Unwanteds, book two



Following the life-altering events at the conclusion of The Unwanteds, the stark world of Quill and the magical haven of Artimé are now home to whoever wants to live there, whether they are Wanteds, Unwanteds, or Necessaries.

In Artimé, Alex Stowe and his friends continue to hone their artistic magical spells while welcoming newcomers, wondering how long this peace between Quill and Artimé will last. Alex is stunned when Mr. Today comes to him with a very special request—one Alex questions his readiness for, until circumstances offer a dramatic answer.

And back in Quill, Aaron Stowe, Alex’s twin, faces a very different path. Devastated by his loss of status after Justine’s defeat and seething with rage toward Alex, Aaron is stealthily planning his revenge and return to power. (Description from Amazon.com)

 

This is a series that I will tell you I unabashedly enjoy. It has a very similar feel to Harry Potter, but takes a very unique spin on the arts. I envy Lisa McMann's imagination when I read about the artistically inspired spells the kids use in Artime.

As in Harry Potter, this second book has taken the series to a slightly darker place. While Artime is still a thriving, beautiful, and creative place, the political repurcussions of opening Artime to everyone are felt throughout the land. While the Artimeans are busy battling the Quillians, they also discover that something sinister may be occuring outside of their land, as well. In fact, even as Alex is trying to wrap his brain around being groomed to lead Artime one day and also deal with his evil twin's sinister plotting (which gave me shivers, btw...kid's got real power issues!), several of Alex's friends go missing and Alex finds himself in charge much earlier than expected.

The only fault I found with this book was that it left off with huge plot cliffhangers!! While a few questions were answered, many more were raised, and I'm going to have a hard time waiting for book three to find out what's really going on at the Island of Silence!!

 

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ

This Dark Endeavor

This Dark Endeavor
by Kenneth Oppel
The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, book one

Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein. They are nearly inseparable. Growing up, their lives are filled with imaginary adventures...until the day their adventures turn all too real.

They stumble upon the Dark Library and discover secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies. Father forbids them from ever entering the room again, but when Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is drawn back to the Dark Library where he uncovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life. Victor, along with his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and friend Henry, immediately set out to find a man who was once known for his alchemical works to help them create the formula.

Determined to save Konrad, the three friends scale the highest trees in Strumwald, dive into the deepest lakes, and even make an unthinkable sacrifice in their quest for the elixir’s ingredients. And as if their task was not complicated enough, a new realm of danger—that of illicit love—threatens to end the ordeal in tragedy. (description from Amazon.com)

I enjoyed this book. I've been wanting to read something by Kenneth Oppel for awhile and I'd heard great things about this book. The concept of Dr. Frankenstein before he becomes infamous, his journey to becoming "The Dr. Frankenstein"... genius.  This was fast paced and intriguing and I'm very much looking forward to book two. 

Alchemy, romance, dark secrets, and death.  This book has it all.  Oppel has a great, accessible writing style, too. You almost forget that you are reading historical fiction. There is no issue with archaic words or a feeling of things being "too foreign" for our culture.  I will definitely be trying some of his other books soon, too!

Full disclosure: Purchased book for my Nook

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

The Wishing Spell

by Chris Colfer

The Land of Stories, book one

Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.

The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.

But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought. (description from Amazon.com)

 

I really enjoyed this tween-aged fairy tale adventure.  Though the twins started out feeling a little bit like stereotypes (the super smart girl and the troublemaker boy) they swiftly grew to have deeper personalities and they played really well off of one another.

 

I really enjoyed how Colfer delved into the afters of each fairy tale's "Happily Ever After." It was great to see a Goldilocks who was wanted across the kingdoms for theft, a Cinderella who was expecting her first child, and a Sleeping Beauty who wouldn't sleep until her kingdom recovered from her hundred years' repose. 

 

For a wild and whimsical adventure through all your favorite classic tales, try this one out!

 

Full disclosure: ARC received at BEA 2012



Mini Reviews - The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

The Warlock
by Michael Scott
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, book five

In the fifth installment of this bestselling series, the twins of prophesy have been divided, and the end is finally beginning.

With Scatty, Joan of Arc, Saint Germain, Palamedes, and Shakespeare all in Danu Talis, Sophie is on her own with the ever-weakening Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. She must depend on Niten to help her find an immortal to teach her Earth Magic. The surprise is that she will find her teacher in the most ordinary of places. (description from Amazon.com)

Full disclosure: Signed copy received at BEA 2011

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Enchantress
by Michael Scott
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, book six
 
The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it.


San Francisco:
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have one day left to live, and one job left to do. They must defend San Francisco. The monsters gathered on Alcatraz Island have been released and are heading toward the city. If they are not stopped, they will destroy everyone and everything in their path.

But even with the help of two of the greatest warriors from history and myth, will the Sorceress and the legendary Alchemyst be able to defend the city? Or is it the beginning of the end of the human race?

Danu Talis:
Sophie and Josh Newman traveled ten thousand years into the past to Danu Talis when they followed Dr. John Dee and Virginia Dare. And it’s on this legendary island that the battle for the world begins and ends.

Scathach, Prometheus, Palamedes, Shakespeare, Saint-Germain, and Joan of Arc are also on the island. And no one is sure what—or who—the twins will be fighting for.  Today the battle for Danu Talis will be won or lost.  But will the twins of legend stand together?

Or will they stand apart—one to save the world and one to destroy it? (description from Amazon.com)

Full disclosure: Finished copy received to review for VOYA

Okay, I read these back to back, so I'm going to review them together...and it's going to be somewhat short and vague because I don't want to spoil the end of the series for anyone.

So, here's the short and sweet version :
This series covers a LOT of action during a short period of time. There are a lot of characters to keep track of...finally in these two books, we get more character development. Especially in Josh and Sophie.  You really begin to feel for the characters and hope they will find their true place in the world. 

Want a book that will surprise you? There are a ton of twists and surprising developments in the final installment of the series. Scott wraps things up in a really fascinating and intricate way.

Fans of the series will be clamboring to finish this series and I don't think that anyone will be disappointed...

Anxiously Awaiting...Sever by Lauren DeStefano



Sever

by Lauren DeStefano

The Chemical Garden Trilogy, book three

Publication date: Feb. 12, 2013

What if you knew exactly when you would die? In the not-too-distant future, genetic engineering has turned every newborn into a ticking time bomb — males only live to age 25 and females only live to age 20.

In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When 16-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by “the Gatherers” to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Rhine has only one purpose after she has been married to her new husband, Linden: to escape and find her twin brother.

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 to whom she is dangerously attracted, Rhine is desperate to learn the truth and protect those closest to her. But, as her sister wife Cecily keeps insisting, her role may be much bigger than that.

In the first two books of the Chemical Garden trilogy, Wither and Fever, Rhine struggles to escape the mansion and then to navigate the brutal world outside. Now in Sever, the third and final book, Rhine uncovers some shattering truths about the past that her parents never had the chance to tell her and the alarming implications regarding her own genes. She may be the one who can save the human race. (from USA today books)

Not only do I *need* to know how this trilogy will finally end, but they came up with another gorgeous "broken doll" cover, though here Rhine looks significantly less "broken." Symbolism anyone?  Kudos on the cover designs! 

Edenbrooke Blog Tour - Review and Giveaway!!

This morning, I am super excited to be presenting to you one of the loveliest, sweetest, "breath of fresh air" books I have read in quite a while. Some of you may know that when I was in college, the only type of book I really read outside of my classwork was romance.  *gasp!!* I know, I know! People are always amazed.  There is just something so wonderful about a lovely story with characters that you know are destined to find one another in the end.

I hadn't realized until I picked up Edenbrooke just how much I had missed that. Don't get me wrong I love all the books I've been reading, but, well this book just brought back that happy feeling that I only get when I finish the best romances. So, on to the book!!!

Edenbrooke

by Julianne Donaldson

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will Marianne be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke. (book blurb)

I LOVED this book!

It was sweet. It was lovely. The setting was fabulous.  Edenbrooke sounds amazing.  Marianne is fiesty, true to herself, and true to her beliefs.  Our hero - oh, our hero... he is... he is just *sigh*.  Absolutely swoon-worthy.  Oh, and there is a love letter scene in this book, that made me blush!!

One of the best things about this book was that the author is supremely talented enough to convey all the best parts of burgeoning romance - the flirtation, the passionate glances, the unavoidable heated feelings - *without* the dirty bits.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'll read the dirty bits, but it's amazing to be able to convey all the same urgency and depth of feeling without the dirty bits! I didn't miss them at all. 

This book is the first in a new type of romance.  The Proper Romance. A Proper Romance is Shadow Mountain Publishing's brand of clean, smart, engaging, romantic stories that will never embarass the reader. Now, as I just got done saying, I'm not one to get embarassed by the dirty bits...but I am certainly not going to pass up the chance to read another Proper Romance if it's as good as this one!

Every time I was forced to put this book down, you know to...I don't know, go to work or SLEEP, lol...I found myself smiling and just itching to get my hands back on it! SOooo good.

This, I believe is the first romance book to earn a gold star on my blog!

Now, for the best part.  I loved this book so much, I can't wait to share it!  How would you like the chance to win an ARC of Edenbrooke??  If you want to enter, please just leave me a comment with your name, email address (so I can contact you if you win!), and the title of the best romance you read recently before Tues, April 10th.  On Wed. April 11th, I'll randomly draw one winner and then they will have until Sat. April 14th to get me their address info.  Good Luck!!

Vanish

Vanish
by Sophie Jordan
Firelight, book two

An Impossible Romance.
Bitter Rivalries.
Deadly Choices.

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love? (description from Amazon.com)

Again, I commend Sophie Jordan on being able to write one steamy, non-graphic romance! These scenes make me have to stop and check that the pages are not singed beneath my fingers. Perhaps it's the fact that Jacinda has a little fire burning within her, but every time she starts to feel the heat with a guy, flames seem to literally lick off of the pages. *wipes forehead*
So good!

I loved that this book took place within the Draki Pride. We got to see so much more of how their day to day lives worked...their secrets...their rituals. There was more description of the different types of Draki and we got to see them in action. <3

My heart broke for several of the characters. There's a lot of unrequited love (/stalker-esque obsession/passion) going on in this book. Without giving spoilers, I can really only say that I am SUPER intrigued to see how the group that leaves the Pride at the end is going to interact later as they all have some very convoluted feelings...

I cannot wait for the next Draki adventure!! TEAM DRAKI all the way :)

Full disclosure: ARC received from NetGalley

Anxiously Awaiting...

Bumped
by Megan McCafferty
Publication date: April 26, 2011

“When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until 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 religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her 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.”

Head's Up - Sweet Valley Confidential

Here's a look at the cover of the new, "Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years later!" This comes out in 2011.

Firelight

Firelight
by Sophie Jordan

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
(description taken from Amazon.com)

OMG! This book is SMOKIN' hot! I want book two...NOW!

Whew. I love Sophie Jordan's steamy adult romances, too. It's funny...when I first got this book, I was stoked. The cover is GORGEOUS. The main character is a red-head...and descended from dragons. Awesome, right? Then, I saw that this was Sophie Jordan's YA debut and I was absolutely blown away with excitement!

GO TEAM DRAKI.

Well. Actually reading it...finally...totally lived up to the hype, I am very pleased to say! These draki are really cool characters. Not quite human, not quite dragon, but all around bad-ass. Jacinda is no exception. I love that not only is she the first fire-breather in hundreds of years, but she is also a faster flyer than any other Draki in her pride. Love, love, love a girl who can outdo the boys!

Ahhh...the pride. My only complaint about this book...and it's not so much a complaint as a need to read more...IMMEDIATELY... :) ...is that you don't get to see too much about the actual pride's homeland in this book. I am stoked to read book two and hopefully get to see a lot more of Draki in their actual habitats.

Meanwhile, as Jacinda is thrown to the wolves, oh wait, in this case, humans...she meets Will.
*POTENTIAL SPOILERS* A reluctant hunter, Will is drawn to Jacinda, just as she cannot seem to stay away from him. He brings out the Draki in her. Without Will, her Draki may just die...killing the part of her that feels most alive.

Whew. Talk about sizzling romance in YA? This book is it. Every scene where these two are just kissing...and I mean, just kissing...practically scorches the pages. Fantastically hot romance. *le sigh. This is how to do tortured, Romeo and Juliet-esque love.

Want a book to heat up your fall as the temperature drops? Pick this one up!

Full disclosure: ARC received at BEA 2010

Zan-Gah: a Prehistoric Adventure

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure
by Allan Richard Shickman

Zan, about to become a man, petitions his tribe to be able to participate in a massive hunt. A lion has been picking off the weak from all the local tribes, so all the men, regardless of tribe, will come together to hunt and Zan wants to use this opportunity to show his strength and bravery. He does so in spades. Zan faces down an angry lioness alone and earns the name Zan-Gah, Zan of the Rock.

Once proven a man, Zan undertakes a second mission. His twin brother, Dael, disappeared and Zan-Gah was determined to find him and bring him home. His lone quest takes him to new lands, encounters with new, strange tribes, captivity, starvation, and some startling discoveries.

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure is a book with an exciting premise. Zan-Gah faces down a lion alone. His bravery sets him up to become a leader to his people. He invents the slingshot. He gleans secrets from other tribes that will ensure the survival of his tribe for many more generations.

This book is fairly short and is written in short, easy to read sentences. Reluctant readers should find the subject matter compelling and will be hard pressed to put this book down. Shickman even sneaks in some interesting background information without detracting from the plot. I am curious to see what happens in the sequel Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country.

Full disclosure: Received from publisher for review

The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid
by Rick Riordan
The Kane Chronicles, book 1

Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them -- Set -- has his sights set on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe -- a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharoahs.

I really enjoyed delving into the Egyptian mythology that has fascinated me since I was a kid with Carter and Sadie! Riordan again manages to incorporate so much about the gods into the storyline without taking away from the action. It's such a seamless process.

I love the new main characters and Bast, the cat goddess, is now one of my favorite woman's power characters ever! I will say, though, that there were times that I felt like Sadie's and Carter's sibling roles would reverse for me. I would catch myself thinking that Sadie was at least fourteen and the older twin. (especially when she was eyeballing the hot, young-ish god...)

That was also an issue for me when the narration would switch from one twin to the other. Since I didn't always get a clear picture of each twin's voice I would have to keep an eye on the twin label at the top of the page to know whose first person narration I had dropped into.

Once I get past that, though, I really did enjoy the storyline and am anxious to read book 2! Can't wait to see what the godlings get up to next!

*It was brought to my attention today that I accidentally referred to Sadie and Carter several times as twins in my review...when I checked I realized it was totally true! Whoops. This just reinforces for me the fact that I could not keep straight in my head what ages Carter and Sadie were supposed to be...they sounded the same age so often that I must have gotten that stuck in the back of my mind. I apologize. For the record - Carter is fourteen, Sadie is twelve.

Prophecy of the Sisters

Prophecy of the Sisters
by Michelle Zink

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters - one good...one evil...who will prevail?


Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.

They just know they can't trust each other.
(Description taken from Amazon.com)

I actually listened to this book on CD after reading Greenbeanteenqueen's review. I had heard a lot about this book, but knowing it was "gothic" had temporarily put me off. It's really funny, I tend to love gothic books once I get past the first few chapters; I just never seem to want to pick them up in the first place.

Let me tell you, with this one, I am SO glad I finally read it. Partially it was listening to Eliza Dushku (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bring it On, Dollhouse) read the book in her very even-toned, no nonsense way that helped to really carry across Lia's voice, but it was also just the perfection in the vocabulary and tone of the book.

Zink does a fabulous job utilising beautiful vocabulary that, yes I know but never remember to use!, to bring us mentally back to a time when society behaved altogether differently and a girl's life should not be devoted to trying to fulfill a prophecy without ending the world!

The mystery and otherworldly-ness of this book is utterly compelling. I found Lia to be a wonderful main character, and I loved to hate, and sometimes feel sorry for, her sister Alice, right alongside her as the plot developed.

I cannot wait to read Guardian of the Gate to see what else is revealed before the final showdown in book three!! I really hope, too, that they get Eliza Dushku to narrate the next book...I couldn't stop driving around!

Marissa Doyle at CLA

I just had to share how excited I was to attend a program called, "Austen Revisited: Bringing Historical Fiction to Life," at the Connecticut Library Association Annual Conference yesterday!

Self-professed history geek and young adult author, Marissa Doyle, will discuss her stealth mission to introduce readers to the joys of history through fiction as well as blogging.

Marissa Doyle was great. I love her books, Bewitching Season and Betraying Season. What I liked best about her books was the combination of historical fiction, the really interesting details of the Victorian period, and fantasy. There is just enough magic for me to be completely enthralled, but without overtaking the feeling that you have traveled back in time...for real!

Hearing Marissa speak about her work really added another dimension to my interest in her books. I want to go back and reread them now, knowing that she refers to herself as a "history guerilla," intent on passive-aggressively interesting teens in history by sneaking little tidbits of historical fact into her stories.

I love that term..."history guerilla!"

It was a really great talk. The best part...as Marissa had laryingtis, she cut her talk a little short, BUT I look over while I'm waiting for my valeted car, and who is standing next to me? Marissa Doyle! (insert quickly surpressed fangirl squeal here!) I actually got to say a few personal words to her as we were standing outside the casino. Sigh...good day.

Thursday Tween Talk - Jan. 7, 2010

As I stated in my last Thursday Tween Talk post, our Library is not doing any Tween Time programs in January because the program attendance dropped so significantly last year (probably due to the weather!). So, instead I decided to do a Tween book review.



Sharp Shot
Rich and Jade series: Book 3
by Jack Higgins

Rich and Jade Chance are once again on the run— but this time, trouble finds them while their father is away on his own mission. After a breathless chase through an amusement park, Jade is taken hostage by a man from Chance’s past who is plotting a dastardly political coup in the Middle East with nuclear weapons as a threat. Worse still, the President of the United States is on his way to the region for a summit meeting. It will take all of the Chance family’s wits and skills to find the bomb and defuse the threat—and time is running out.

I thought this was an excellent choice for tween boys, reluctant readers, and girls who like the "Gallagher Girls" series. The chapters are short, it is action packed right from the first page, and though it involves some geography and politics, it is all written in an extremely easy to understand language. In fact, this book almost read like you were watching it happen on a movie screen. Definitely recommended for those sometimes hard to please tween readers.