The Magic of Ink

The Blog is Dead

2010-06-20T09:29:00.002-04:00

Well, almost or this post wouldn't be here. I just can't keep up with The Magic of Ink anymore, or even the Facebook page updates. Skimming others' blogs--with a few rare comments--is about all I have time or energy for these days.

I do still read, and if you would still like to follow my readings, you may do so on my Goodreads account, which WILL be updated (as long as I continue reading, so essentially for the rest of my life). If you're just curious about what I'm reading, please follow my reviews without actually friending me. I have quite a few Goodreads friends to keep up with as it is. If we have a lot of books in common, please do friend me! Or feel free to PM me and ask for certain recommendations and the like; I'd be happy to help.

Happy reading!

-Ink Mage

Facebook Updates

2009-12-01T14:59:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed that this blog has fallen way behind in reviews/updates/announcements of any kind. Why? Other things are taking over my life. Sitting down to think out and then write about what I liked/disliked about the last book I read takes too long, so it's gone by the wayside.

I was thinking, shorter updates would probably work a lot better for me. So I started a Facebook page. Ninety-nine point nine percent of the population or so uses Facebook, right? And I uh, ahem, definitely waste enough time on mine. Now if you become a fan of The Magic of Ink on Facebook, I will more frequently update you on what I've been liking and not liking so much.

Happy reading and happy holidays! Here's to lots of books for holiday presents. :-)

Fire

2009-10-09T16:21:00.008-04:00

by Kristin Cashore

I just finished Fire, the prequel-ish companion to Graceling. Although a little slow and, I thought, slightly confusing at the start, Fire will not disappoint readers of Graceling. The plot is driving and exciting, and thoroughly unpredictable. Like Katsa, Fire is a complex character who, during the course of the novel, learns about herself and others' perceptions of her in an interesting way.
Cashore's writing style has developed beautifully--not that it was bad before, but it has definitely matured.

I really, really liked Fire, and it kept me reading even after sitting there for several hours. Yet on my Goodreads account (friend me if you want), I only rated it 4 of 5 stars. Why? I think because Graceling resonated with me much more deeply than Fire did. Even Katsa's romance was a lot more to my taste than Fire's.

Fire comes with my high recommendations.

Ballad

2009-09-25T09:50:00.006-04:00

Okay, I'm trying something new. Very short summary or possibly just a trailer (if there's one I like) for books and then a review that's too the point. Writing my own summaries is time consuming and somewhat boring, and I always feel cheap stealing the official blurb. So on to the first review...

Ballad
by the amazingly talented Maggie Stiefvater

(I had this beautiful music--which Maggie wrote herself--playing in my head throughout reading the novel because it fits so well)

Ballad brings James from Lament into the spotlight with Dee as a much smaller, almost background character and a new homicidal faerie who is fascinated with humans. And it was amazing!

Maggie Stiefvater's writing walks the line between beautiful and suddenly humorous. If you liked James before, you will absolutely love his narration and his egotistical thoughts and quick comebacks that have you laughing even in intense scenes. And believe me, there are plenty of intense scenes.

I loved Nuala as a character and though at first I wanted to smack her and get her away (*glowers darkly in Nuala's direction*) from James, she became incredibly easy to feel sympathy for. I wish Paul had been given a slightly more important role, but I'm thinking he--and Sullivan, too--will play a bigger part in the next sequel (...there will be one, right?).

On the whole, a thrilling novel that will keep you up into the late hours of the night!

Ballad will be available at indie and chain bookstores near you on October 1st.

Waiting on Wednesday: A Troubled Peace

2009-08-26T10:28:00.007-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

A Troubled Peace
by L.M. Elliott
Sequel to Under a War-Torn Sky
Released September 1st, 2009

March 1945

World War II may be ending, but for nineteen-year-old pilot Henry Forester the conflict still rages. Shot down behind enemy lines in France, Henry endured a dangerous trek to freedom, relying on the heroism of civilians and Resistance fighters to stay alive. But back home in Virginia, Henry is still reliving air battles with Hitler's Luftwaffe and his torture by the Gestapo. Mostly, Henry can't stop worrying about the safety of those who helped him escape—especially one French boy, Pierre, who, because of Henry, may have lost everything. When Henry returns to France to find Pierre, he is stunned by the brutal after-math of combat: starvation, cities shattered by Allied bombing, and the shocking return of concentration camp survivors. Amid the rubble of war, Henry must begin a daring search for a lost boy—plus a fight to regain his own internal peace and the trust of the girl he loves. L. M. Elliott's sequel to Under a War-Torn Sky is an astonishing account of surviving the fallout from war.

Why I'm waiting:
Because all of the other books I've read by L.M. Elliott have been amazing, and I would love to find out the rest of Henry's story after the end of Under a War-Torn Sky. I'd known a sequel was in the works for a long time, but only just found out that it was finished when it appeared in my library's on-order books update. Can't wait!

"Ballad" Trailer

2009-08-18T10:57:00.002-04:00

Check out this awesome trailer for Maggie Stiefvater's forthcoming Ballad, the companion/sequel to Lament.

Visit Maggie's blog to find out how to enter to win an ARC of Ballad!

Create Your Debut YA Cover

2009-07-29T09:42:00.004-04:00

I wanted to fade the top edge of the black bar at the bottom of mine, but forgot until after I'd saved it as one image and since I didn't save a project version, I am NOT making it all over again! So this is how it is.

What will yours look like?

CREATE YOUR DEBUT YA COVER

1 – Go to "Fake Name Generator" or click http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

The name that appears is your author name.

2 – Go to "Random Word Generator" or click http://www.websitestyle.com/parser/randomword.shtml

The word listed under "Random Verb" is your title.

3 – Go to "FlickrCC" or click http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/index.php

Type your title into the search box. The first photo that contains a person is your cover.

4 – Use Photoshop, Picnik, or similar to put it all together. Be sure to crop and/or zoom in.

5 – Post it to your site along with this text.

Let 100 Scope Notes know that you made one by commenting here, and it'll be added to the gallery!

Waiting on Wednesday: Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

2009-07-22T18:02:00.005-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Voices of Dragons
by Carrie Vaughn
Released March 1st, 2010

On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity’s deepest fears: dragons.

Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she’s breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she’d rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, a secret friendship grows between them—even though the fragile truce that has maintained peace between their two species is unraveling around them. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

In her young adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a modern tale of myths and machines and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.

Why I'm waiting:
I love dragons, and this looks like it will be a well-done modern-day book on them.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dragonfly by Julia Golding

2009-07-15T08:41:00.005-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. I missed it last week because I'm running out of especially exciting books to post about. :-( This week I'm waiting on...

Dragonfly
by Julia Golding
Released October 20th, 2009 (previously released in the UK)

Princess Taoshira of the Blue Crescent Islands is appalled when she is ordered to marry Prince Ramil of Gerfal in order to unite their lands. And he's not too pleased, either. They hate each other on sight. So, when Tashi and Ramil are kidnapped, they fear there's no escape - from their kidnappers or from each other. Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive ambush, unarmed combat, brainwashing, and imprisonment? And will the people they meet on their adventure help them or betray them to the enemy?

Why I'm waiting:
I'm currently in the middle of Julia Golding's Cat Royal Adventures (as many as have been published in the US, anyway) and find them very entertaining. While I'm thinking this will be rather different from Cat's, I'm hoping it will still be good. It sounds rather fairytale-like.

I LOVE My Library!

2009-07-15T08:20:00.005-04:00

Because the library system orders so many books! Thanks to Wowbrary, a program that alerts you to your library's newest acquisitions, just this morning I placed a hold on:

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Fire by Kristin Cashore

and

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Natalie's Good Fortune

2009-07-10T09:22:00.005-04:00

A Tale of Piracy and Adventure
by Anthony R. Fanning

At sixteen, Natalie Scatterfield is the soft daughter of a wealthy man, destined to be married off for her father's gain.
However, off the coast of the Caribbean islands in 1722, her destiny is changed forever when the ship she's aboard is attacked by pirates.
Natalie summons her courage and escapes, only to find herself alone on an island and more in need of strength and backbone than ever before if she's going to survive.
But Natalie has fiery Irish blood in her veins and she might find she has a temper and stubborn desire to persevere to match!

Natalie's Good Fortune is a darn good classic adventure story with nothing dull about it. Although unlike them in plot and characters, fans of Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirates!, Bloody Jack Adventures, or Stevenson's Treasure Island will thoroughly enjoy Natalie's Good Fortune. The characters are easy to see in your mind's eye and the scenes and sequences that unfold keep your eyes wide with excitement.
Mr. Fanning's debut novel is utterly readable and highly entertaining--and you won't want to miss the sequel, Isle of Lost Souls. Also look for the upcoming third volume of Natalie's adventures in The Devil's Footprint (tentative title).

Note:
This is definitely recommended for ages 14+ due to suggestive content (pirates being lewd and teenaged boys being their usual selves). Nothing explicit, but there is quite a bit--enough that it makes the Bloody Jack Adventures look clean. It didn't bother me, but I like to let people know.

Waiting on Wednesday: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2009-07-01T06:58:00.006-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Shiver
by Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human...until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Why I'm waiting:
This won't be just another werewolf book.

What We've Been Watching

2009-06-27T13:31:00.007-04:00

Having recently signed up for Netflix, my sister and I have been watching a lot of movies. What have you enjoyed recently? What did you think of something I list here? (Please, no major spoilers in the comments!) For some reason I have a harder time reviewing movies than books, so here are a few mini-reviews:

BBC's North and South
2004
(IMDb)
Starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe
Based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell

I was unfamiliar with this lovely and moving story--set in England during the industrial revolution--before watching this adaptation, but it won me over quickly. Very powerful acting and lots of attention to detail in the production. North and South might just be a new favorite of mine.

Fan-made trailer:

Lost in Austen
2008
Starring Jemima Rooper and Elliot Cowan
(IMDb)

This was quite original in that the plot isn't based on Pride and Prejudice, but around modern-day Amanda Price appearing in Elizabeth Bennett's world. Where not everyone is as Austen wrote them, and Amanda's popping into their lives doesn't help anything. Soon everybody's falling for the "wrong" character--including Amanda herself.

ShakespeaRe-Told: Much Ado About Nothing
2005
Starring Sarah Parish and Damian Lewis
Based on Shakespeare's play
(IMDb)

Delightful retelling of the classic Much Ado About Nothing story, set in modern times. Although little bits of the original language appear, the dialogue is completely modernized--but still quite clever. I loved noticing references to the original work and also being able to enjoy how the scenes were modernized. Damian Lewis was a completely believable Benedick, and he and Sarah Parish played off of each other very well.
Highly recommended, though their version of A Midsummer Night's Dream is not. (The plot was hardly retold at all and the way the scenes were shot and setting were both very odd. It's presumably the 21st century and yet "Theseus" doesn't believe he's going insane when the king of the fairies comes out to talk to him? Come on.)
We have yet to watch The Taming of the Shrew, and decided to wait on watching Macbeth until we were more familiar with the original story in order to enjoy it better.

And we're currently in the middle of watching BBC's
Robin Hood
TV series
2006-
Starring Jonas Armstrong as Robin Hood, Keith Allen as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Lucy Griffiths as Marian, and Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne
(IMDb)

This version of the legend includes "modern elements," but is still set in medieval times. A lot of the classic scenes usually depicted in the legends--like Robin's meeting with Little John--are done differently, which is actually quite refreshing. Of course the Sheriff is evil and Guy is his minion and Robin is good and Marian is his lady love, but so many stories can be made out of that setup. The series squeezes in more characterization into the roles and completely different plots, but expect the usual corny implausible escapes--but you have to forgive it; he is Robin Hood, after all. The first season was really good, and excepting the first couple episodes *shudders*, the second one has been, too (although I've heard season 3--not yet out on DVD--goes downhill).

Waiting on Wednesday: Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

2009-06-24T07:42:00.013-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Ice
by Sarah Beth Durst
Published October 6th, 2009

When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairytale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth to become a prisoner of the trolls. Now that Cassie is older, she knows that this was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, she is determined to become a scientist, and she has no time for make believe.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face to face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned in the troll castle. And that he can bring her back--if Cassie will agree to be his bride.

That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairytale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knew will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her--until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.

Why I'm waiting:
Sarah Beth Durst's previous novels, Into the Wild and Out of the Wild, were great fun and very imaginative. The cover and summary of Ice makes it look like it will be an equally as well written book, but aimed at an older audience. And while I've already read two retellings of East of the Sun, West of the Moon (Edith Pattou's East and Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow), I think Ice will still be original--for one thing it's set in modern times, while the other two were not.

TLC Blog Tour: Starfinder

2009-06-22T00:59:00.046-04:00

by John Marco

A new fantasy series from the author of The Sword of Angels.
Steam trains and electricity are rapidly changing the world. Moth of Calio is obsessed with the airships developed by his friend Fiona’s grandfather Rendor, and dreams of taking to the air one day like his heroes, the Skyknights. But not everyone is happy to see humans reach the skies. For thousands of years, the mysterious and powerful race known as the Skylords have jealously guarded their heavenly domain. But Moth and Fiona are about to breach the magical boundary between the world of humans and the world of the Skylords.

My thoughts: (which may be added to later)
Although it wasn't really meant for my age range, and it isn't usually the type of book I like especially, Starfinder was cute and original enough to stay interesting. Certain characters and ideas were particularly intriguing and unique (such as Alis and the rest of the Redeemers).
I think it would be most enjoyed by 9-12 year-old boys who are ready for a full-fledged chapter book, but not some of the more mature elements that often appear in high fantasy.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott

2009-06-17T08:22:00.010-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

The Pale Assassin (Pimpernelles, Book 1)
by Patricia Elliott
Released November 15th, 2009 (US), July 2nd, 2009 (UK)

Eugenie de Boncoeur is growing up in Paris, unaware that her guardian has contracted her to marry the sinister spymaster known as 'le Fantome' when she turns sixteen. She finds herself falling for the handsome lawyer, Guy Deschamps, but there is little time for romance; France is descending into chaos as the Revolution takes hold. Soon Eugenie is fleeing for her life. Her brother Armand has become involved in a plot to save the King from the guillotine, the mob is searching for aristocrats, and le Fantome, the pale assassin, is on their trail - desperate for revenge.

Why I'm waiting:
While this sounds like quite a different genre, I have previously really liked Patricia Elliott's other books and hope this one will be fun and amusing if nothing else. Besides, the time of the French Revolution is a period I find quite intriguing.

Nothing but Ghosts

2009-06-11T10:44:00.001-04:00

by Beth Kephart

It came on a gray December Wednesday afternoon, the postal carrier’s loud knock startling me out of my seat. Opening the door I found a package, flipped it over, read the return address. “It’s my book!” I practically shrieked, so loud I’m sure my sister heard me upstairs. My first ARC copy! Signed! By an awesome author who writes beautiful books! Ms. Kephart had graciously offered me a copy after I posted Nothing but Ghosts as one of my "Waiting on" Wednesday books in November.
I tore open the envelope immediately, I could hardly wait to crack it open! But at the time I was currently in the middle of Gary D. Schmidt ’s Trouble and felt it was an inopportune place to stop reading. Soon though, my eagerness to read Ms. Kephart’s newest work won and I sat down and read the entire novel in almost one sitting. (Unfortunately I’m still rather busy and must again use the publisher’s summary instead of my own if I ever want to review this.)

Ever since her mother passed away, Katie’s been alone in her too-big house with her genius dad who restores old paintings for a living. Katie takes a summer job at a garden estate, where, with the help of two brothers and a glamorous librarian, she soon becomes embroiled in decoding a mystery. There are secrets and shadows at the heart of Nothing But Ghosts, symbols hidden in a time-darkened painting, and surprises behind a locked bedroom door. But most of all, this is a love story—the story of a girl who learns about love while also learning to live with her own ghosts.

I don’t feel like I can do justice to this lovely novel because it was so beautiful. I guess I’ll go for short but heartfelt and say: Nothing but Ghosts includes a little mystery, a little romance, a touch of sadness, and many images of hope and summer. And, as always with Ms. Kephart’s books, beautiful writing that makes me want to linger in the novel as long as possible. Nothing but Ghosts is perfect for a lazy summer day, the plot unhurried but wonderful and the images as crisp as a glass of ice-cold lemonade.

Nothing but Ghosts will be available June 23rd, 2009.
Read the story of the cover at Reading Keeps You Sane’s “On the Outside” feature, and check out Beth’s own trailer:

Waiting on Wednesday: Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein

2009-06-10T07:23:00.003-04:00

And you thought I'd died, right?! Nope. I've just been extremely lazy about reviewing or posting anything recently, even though I have two lovely books sitting at home that I've read but haven't written thoughts about yet and I feel terrible! One of them is as part of John Marco's TLC Book Tours for his new MG book, Starfinder, so look for my review of that on June 23rd.
Anyway, on to what I'm waiting on!

Lady Macbeth's Daughter
by Lisa Klein
Released October 13th, 2009

Albia has grown up with no knowledge of her father, the powerful thane Macbeth, and her mother, the grief-wracked Grelach. Instead she knows the dark lure of the Wychelm Wood and the moors, where she’s been raised by three strange sisters. The ambitious Macbeth seeks to know his fate,and Albia’s life becomes tangled with that of the man who leaves in his wake nothing but bloodshed. When Albia learns that she has the second sight, she must decide whether to ignore the terrible future she foresees—or to change it.

With only the shepherd Colum to aid her, Albia sets out on a journey fraught with peril. Will she be able to save the man she loves from her murderous father? Can she forgive her parents their wrongs, or must she destroy them?

Why I'm waiting:
Lisa Klein's Ophelia--a retelling of Hamlet--was amazing and gorgeous and I loved it! Her Civil War novel, Two Girls of Gettysburg was also very good, only not as original. Lady Macbeth's Daughter has GOT to be original since I don't think most people even knew that Lady Macbeth says, "I have given suck, and know how tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me," muchless imagines her having a child. So I'm thinking it looks very exciting!

Win One of My Favorite Books!

2009-04-24T09:10:00.012-04:00

Head over to Today's Adventure, where you can enter to win a copy of Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer! This is the beginning of one of my favorite series ever (as you've probably seen) and I highly recommend both the series and Today's Adventure!

Waiting on Wednesday: Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George

2009-04-08T07:01:00.001-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Dragon Spear
by Jessica Day George
Released May 12th, 2009
Sequel to: Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight

As far as Creel is concerned, all is finally right with the world. The dragon king, Shardas, and his queen, Velika, have made a home for themselves on the Far Islands, and for the first time in centuries it seems dragons and humans might be able to live together in peace. So what better time for Creel and Luka to plan their wedding. But then Velika gets kidnapped by a band of rogue dragons in need of their own queen. And Creel and Luka leap to aid Shardas and rescue her—only to discover that Luka’s father has set his sights on taking back the Far Islands from the dragons. Torn between her love for Prince Luka and her friendship with Shardas and Velika, Creel must make the most difficult decision of her life if she stands any chance of getting to the church on time.

Why I'm waiting:
I have really enjoyed the previous two books about Creel and Luka, and am very much looking forward to hearing the end of their tale. Jessica Day George's books somehow manage to be simple and complex and light and deep all at the same time.

Your Blog is Fabulous Award

2009-04-07T13:39:00.021-04:00

I was very excited this morning to see that Em nominated me for the Your Blog is Fabulous Award! Right back at you, Em! The rules say that, "Nominated blogs must list 5 things that they are addicted to and then nominate 5 other blogs." Sooo...here are my five:

1. Maelstrom
For Aella and Medeia and their fun reviews, with a very unique rating system.

2. NineteenTeen
For the multitude of fascinating posts on teenaged life during the nineteenth century.

3. Bookwork Chrysalis
For the in-depth reviews of interesting fantasy books.

4. Look Books
Although it's been a little abandoned recently, I always look forward to reading Felicity's updates on what she's learned about the Adams family and other cool things. It's cool to see such passion for something in someone just around my age.

5. Meandering Along
For her long posts about everything, whether it's something she loves or a rant about Orlando Bloom's--in the role of Legolas--eyebrows. Even when our opinions differ (like thoughts on the Inheritance Cycle or Josh Groban), her very well-formed likes and dislikes are always interesting, and when I agree with them they make me laugh because she's so descriptive. (When I don't agree, that's fine, too.) I think she and my friend Chelsea would get along well--IF they happen to agree on most things, that is. ;-)

Waiting on Wednesday: Fire by Kristin Cashore

2009-04-01T07:41:00.002-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Fire
by Kristin Cashore
Released October 6th, 2009

Fire, Graceling's "prequel-ish companion book," takes place across the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms, in a rocky, war-torn land called the Dells.

Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored--fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green--and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Wondering what makes it a companion book/prequel? Fire takes place 30-some years before Graceling and has one cross-over character with Graceling, a small boy with strange two-colored eyes who comes from no-one-knows-where, and who has a peculiar ability that Graceling readers will find familiar and disturbing...

Why I'm waiting:
Let's see...Graceling was amazing, and the lucky people who've read this already are all saying Fire is even better! (Which is hard for me to imagine, but if it really is then yay!) Plus the cover is beautiful, and the story sounds really unique, interesting, and exciting.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

2009-03-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

by Carrie Ryan

I’m pressed for time with getting ready to go up to New Jersey this weekend, but I wanted to post this review, so I’m going to do something I never do except for Waiting on Wednesdays, and that is use the official summary instead of writing my own. (I’m also using the UK cover because it's so much more intriguing and awesome.) So here it is with my review below:

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth drew me in right from the start with its immediate jump into Mary’s life—and also possibly in part because it began with a desire to see the ocean (always a good thing). The characters were introduced quickly but not so fast that they were hard to tell apart, and Mary’s emotions were easy to identify with. The plot moved right along; in a couple parts my palms were sweating and I could hardly read fast enough to see what came next.
But towards the end it fell apart for me—maybe because I read so fast I couldn’t process the story, I don’t know. It seemed to me that there were a lot of plot threads introduced that weren’t taken anywhere, and questions that I wanted answers to but never got. Perhaps the sequel, The Dead-Tossed Waves, will offer explanations.
Aside from that, it was a *very* good debut novel; I think Carrie Ryan has a lot of promise and I will definitely want to read anything she publishes in the future!

Waiting on Wednesday: Rapture of the Deep by L.A. Meyer

2009-03-25T07:27:00.002-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Rapture of the Deep: Being the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy
by L.A. Meyer
Released September 28th, 2009
Sequel to: Bloody Jack, Curse of the Blue Tattoo, Under the Jolly Roger, In the Belly of the Bloodhound, Mississippi Jack, and My Bonny Light Horseman

On the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission—this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned. Jacky has survived battles on the high seas, the stifling propriety of a Boston finishing school, and even confinement in a dank French prison. But no adventure has quite matched her opportunistic street-urchin desires—until now.

Why I'm waiting:
As I have said before, Jacky and her adventures are some of the best in YA and make me go squee. Enough said.

Waiting on Wednesday: A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

2009-03-18T07:25:00.003-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

A Kiss in Time
by Alex Flinn
Released May 1st, 2009

Talia fell under a spell.... Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic....

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels.... The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

Why I'm waiting:
Alex Flinn's books have been amazing so far! I can't wait to read her second venture into a new genre.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T08:57:00.014-04:00

or as my pen pal taught me to say it,

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!

It's pronounced something like: ban-awk-tee na fail-a por-ick (with a very harsh "awk," almost like you're coughing).

Also, happy birthday to me! Being born today (and having a Gaelic first name) is really my only claim to being Celtic, but take what you can get, right?

Celebrations all around with Scythian's "dueling siblings" act, in which they choose a "random" person to play fiddle:

And with ETH's omigosh-awesome Lancaster Gate:

Waiting on Wednesday: The Walls Have Eyes by Clare Dunkle

2009-03-11T07:29:00.012-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

The Walls Have Eyes
by Clare B. Dunkle
Sequel to: The Sky Inside
Released August 25th, 2009

Martin Glass may have seen his baby sister Cassie to safety at the end of The Sky Inside, but his problems are far from over. There’s a totalitarian regime in place, murderous game shows on the air, and a host of government agents on Martin’s tail. And Martin and his Alldog, Chip, get more than they bargained for when they go back to Martin’s old suburb and have to rescue Martin’s parents. But spending time in the wilderness with Mom and Dad isn’t the worst of it. Because Martin learns that Cassie is still in danger—and to keep her and the other Wonder Babies safe, he’s going to have to risk the thing he loves most. Clare Dunkle brings her signature sense of pacing an adventure to a new story of Martin, Chip, and the rest of her varied cast in a story that widens and deepens the fascinating and multifaceted world she presented in The Sky Inside.

Why I'm waiting:
All of Ms. Dunkle's previous books have been fabulous, from her Hollow Kingdom Trilogy to this book's prequel, The Sky Inside.

Lament

2009-03-06T14:56:00.002-05:00

The Faerie Queen’s Deception
by Maggie Stiefvater

Deidre is used to puking; she does so before every public performance on her harp. But with the appearance of a mysterious man from her dreams, she finds herself calm, and able to add the most breathtaking variations to the melodies as she plays.
When she begins to find four-leafed clovers everywhere, and Luke Dillon and his friends appear at the strangest times, Dee knows something strange is going on. Presently she will discover that she is a Cloverhand; she has an energy that attracts the fey, whether she wants their company or not.

Lament is the first modern-era dark faerie novel I’ve read (and there have been several; Tithe, Ironside, Valiant, Wondrous Strange, Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange) in which I felt connected with the characters and believed the romances. The story, too, drew me in like none of the others, and for once I was completely sure I understood the plot fully—not that it was overly explained or too simple, only that it was explained well.

Look for the sequel, coming October 1st, 2009: Ballad: The Gathering of Faerie.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dragon's Heart by Jane Yolen

2009-03-04T07:41:00.001-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Dragon's Heart
The Pit Dragon Chronicles, Book 4
by Jane Yolen
Sequel to: Dragon's Blood, Heart's Blood, and A Sending of Dragons
Released May 4th 2009

Austar IV isn't the planet it once was, and when Jakkin and Akki finally return to the dragon nursery, their homecoming arouses mixed emotions. Together they've survived the insurmountable, and now they can weather the brutal conditions of Dark After and communicate with the dragons they love. But with this knowledge comes responsibility. What they've learned about survival could transform the planet--or, if entrusted to the wrong hands, bring about its destruction. Akki's insistence that she return to the Rokk to finish her training and begin new experiments drives a chasm between her and Jakkin. Suddenly she finds herself in the midst of a political battle that could claim her life. Only Jakkin can save her. If only he could reach her....

Why I'm waiting:
Because the first three books were very unusual and original and I want the ability to FINALLY read the rest of Jakkin and Akki's story! This book has been a looooong time in coming, and I'm very excited to see it being published for real instead of just rumored.

Recent Libray Loot

2009-03-02T11:11:00.021-05:00

I haven't kept up with my Library Loot posts recently--mostly because I've only been getting one book at a time. At one time I had the maximum of 13 holds on my list, but none of them were coming in because all of them are yet to be released! So here is what I have checked out of the library recently, not just for this week:

As always, from left to right:
The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
This book got a lot of hype, but my library wasn't ordering it. So I used my Borders employee benefit of checking out books and got a chance to read it. Too bad it didn't live up to my hopes.

Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
I love the author's Ophelia, so I was excited to read and review her new book.

Fade by Lisa McMann
Because the idea is so original and I wanted to read this, the sequel to Wake.

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
The cover looked interesting.

A Stranger to Command by Sherwood Smith
I thought it would be cool to learn the back story of Vidanric (of Crown Duel), but it wasn't terribly exciting.

Daughter of the Flames by Zoë Marriott
If you saw my Waiting on Wednesday for this one, you'll understand.

Terrier by Tamora Pierce (reread)
It seemed like a good idea to have the plot and characters of Terrier fresh in my mind for the release of Bloodhound in April.

Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel
The first two books, Airborn and Skybreaker were very enjoyable.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
I'm finally going to see what all the Mortal Instruments hype is about.

Tenacious by Julian Stockwin (Kydd, book 6)
Working my way through the Kydd series, albeit slowly.

And the winner is...

2009-03-01T08:25:00.008-05:00

Chelsea De Torres

Congratulations! I will email you so you know what to do to receive your prizes.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley

2009-02-25T06:37:00.013-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

The Stolen One
by Suzanne Crowley
Released July 6th, 2009

When her adoptive mother dies, Katherine Bab takes the chance she has been waiting for her whole life: she moves from her country village to London, to uncover the secret of who she really is. Before long, Kat has become a favorite of Queen Elizabeth herself, and rumors are swirling - could fiery-haired Kat be the secret daughter of the Virgin Queen? Kat's got plenty of other things to figure out, as well . . . such as how to choose between her childhood love and two handsome men at court vying for her affection. This smart, sensual novel drips with intrigue, period detail, and drama and will resonate with anyone who has ever longed to find his or her place in the world.

Why I'm waiting:
The time of the Tudors is one of my favorite time periods (after the English Regency), and this is one of those books that I know I will think is wonderful (the last time that happened was with Graceling, and look how that turned out). Isn't the cover nice? I wonder what the pear signifies/references. Can't wait to see!

Books I'd Recommend to Anyone

2009-02-20T08:01:00.024-05:00

A friend asked me to create a list of my favorite books in different genres so that she wouldn't have to wade through the 100+ posts on this blog. I thought the rest of you might enjoy seeing as well, so here they are:

Historical

Bloody Jack Adventures (series)
by L.A. Meyer

Suspenseful, funny, amazing series with a main character who simply can't keep herself out of scrapes if her life depends on it (which it often does). Read my full review/plot outline/gush.

The Forestwife
Child of the May
(and if you can get it) Path of the She Wolf
by Theresa Tomlinson

Robin Hood retellings focusing on the females of Sherwood, and with a different look on Marian's character. Really good! I've never been able to read the third book in the trilogy because the publisher finds it too "adult" for the US and I don't want to pay to have it shipped from the UK.

Ophelia
by Lisa Klein

Hamlet--from Ophelia's point of view! Although it was the same storyline, it wasn't predictable, and I love seeing Ophelia as an interesting and smart character rather than a somewhat pathetic one (why does she have to drown herself over a man?). Full summary and review here.

Annie, Between the States
by L.M. Elliot

Torn loyalties and danger that will make even a non-history lover happy. This book made the Civil War really come alive for me; the characters and the descriptions are great--and I've been to so many of the places mentioned! Full summary and review here.

Pirates!
by Celia Rees

Dashing pirates, adventure, romance...
Not everyone I've recommended this to has loved it, but I do. I'm not sure why; maybe because I somehow identify with the main character a lot.

Dystopian

The Giver
Gathering Blue
Messenger
by Lois Lowry
It's a Utopian world that practices "sameness," a way of life invented for minimal pain and suffering, and everyone equal. Or are they? If you haven't read these yet, you should. NOW. Very thought-provoking and in a way, beautiful.

The House of the Scorpion
by Nancy Farmer

Opium, a strip of land between Mexico and the United States, is a dark and frightening world run by rich drug lords...and powered by human clones.
Different than The Giver trilogy, but somehow scarier. I guess the world painted seems more likely to happen. The prologue is very weird when you first read it, but don't give up. If you can't get into the prologue, skip to the first chapter and come back later.

Fantasy

Nightpool
The Ivory Lyre
The Dragonbards
by Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Okay, I read these a LONG time ago and it's been a while, but I thought they were amazing when I originally read them. They're pretty unique, especially in the dragon-fantasy genre.
(Couldn't find a good cover for this one.)

The Hollow Kingdom
Close Kin
In the Coils of the Snake
by Clare B. Dunkle

Really amazing goblin and elf stories, anyone? Sisters Kate and Emily are sent to live with their relations, far out in the country. One night when walking home in the dark, the girls come across a band of what they think are gypsies.

The Naming
The Riddle
The Crow
The Singing
by Alison Croggon

If you like epics (Lord of the Rings, the Inheritance Cycle, etc.), you should love this. It's the story of Maarad, a girl who is the Chosen One.

Sorcery and Cecelia
by Caroline Stevermer & Patricia C. Wrede

If you like magic and High Society, this book (and its two sequels) is for you! Cousins Cecy and Kate are about to have their debut Season, but there's magic afoot, and it's not always working for them. Full summary and review here.

Flora Segunda
by Ysabeau S. Wilce
I would recommend this book to everyone, but I don't think it's for everyone. Personally I found it hilarious, despite its being slightly bizarre. I guess you'll have to see for yourself. Full summary and review here.

Guilty Pleasures

The Seer and the Sword
by Victoria Hanley

This book definitely isn't total fluff, but it's enough of a romance that I feel sort of sappy when I read it. But it makes me happy, which is good. So there.

Crown Duel
by Sherwood Smith

In my category, this is about as much of a romance as I can stand. It's not corny, and the court intrigue is delicious. If you like it, check out its prequel, A Stranger to Command (which I found quite a bit drier).

The Raging Quiet
by Sherryl Jordan

More of a historical witch-burning-sign-language story with a love story on the side than a true romance.

Fairytale Retellings

East
by Eddith Pattou

A retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, an old Norwegian folktale. I think I loved it partly because it is a more unusual tale to retell, and partly because of the wonderful way it was told.

Birdwing
by Rafe Martin

What happened to the youngest brother in The Six Swans when his one arm remained a wing? Read his story. Full summary and review here.

Waiting on Wednesday: Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

2009-02-18T06:23:00.010-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Eyes Like Stars (The Théâtre Illuminata: Act 1)
by Lisa Mantchev
Released July 7th, 2009

Enter Stage Right

All her world's a stage.
Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She is not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but has no lines of her own.
Until now.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the characters of every place ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.

Open Curtain

Why I'm waiting:
Doesn't it sound cool?! Who isn't excited? Theatre, Shakespeare, faeries...
Are you excited, too? Check out the scavenger hunt that will make you eligible to win an ARC of Eyes Like Stars!

Two Girls of Gettysburg

2009-02-13T07:26:00.000-05:00

by Lisa Klein

June 1861

Although they are best friends, cousins Lizzie and Rosanne could not be more different; Lizzie is thin and plain and her family sides with the Union, while the beautiful Rosanne’s sympathies lie with those of her native Richmond, Virginia. But surely this “gentlemen’s dispute” will be over in a few months and the tension between the north and south will blow away with the wind and the two cousins can live together in Gettysburg as friends.

However, Rosanne’s love of a Confederate soldier and Lizzie’s commitment to the family’s struggling business tear the girls apart. Even if they survive the war, can their differences ever be reconciled?

Two Girls of Gettysburg did not as completely amaze me as did the author’s debut novel, Ophelia, nor did it draw me into the story the same way as did Annie, Between the States, but it was a very worthwhile and interesting read. Although both of the girls do a lot of growing up (that is quite believable), Rosanne’s half of the story almost had the feeling of a Dear America Diary, trying to cram historical facts and battlefield descriptions into a plot. Lizzie’s story held a lot more character development, and while the romance was predictable—in the fact that it would happen and who it would be with, now when and how like sometimes—it was still nice to read. (Besides, I think I have some kind of superpower to detect main characters’ romantic interests—it’s almost never a surprise for me!)

Enter to Win a SIGNED Copy of Daughter of the Flames!

2009-02-11T07:37:00.002-05:00

Last week my Waiting on Wednesday book was Zoë Marriott's Daughter of the Flames. Here's the official summary:

What if your deadliest enemy were the only one who could save you?

Inside an ancient temple in the mountains, fifteen-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior priestess who can defend the faith of the Ruan people. Bearing a scar on her face from the fire that killed her parents, the orphaned Zira is taught to distrust the occupying Sedornes. Terror strikes when the forces of the tyrannical Sedorne king destroy the only home she knows. To survive, Zira must unravel the secrets of her identity, decide her people’s fate — and accept her growing feelings for a man who should be her enemy.

Sounds super amazing, doesn't it?

Well, a few days ago I got a lovely note from the author herself, asking if I would like to run a drawing that would end in a randomly secleted winner receiving a signed copy of the newly released Daughter of the Flames!

Would you like to win...

1. a signed copy of Daughter of the Flames
2. a selection of other favorite books from Zoë's personal library that have inspired her to write
3. a copy of the Daughter of the Flames CD, which is the playlist Zoë listened to while writing the book

Here's how to enter:
Leave a comment on this post between now and February 28th listing three things that inspire YOU!

Make sure to include a working email address (or a Blogger profile with a link to one) and/or a name other than "anonymous" so that I can announce the winner.
One winner will be drawn from a hat and announced March 1st.

Good luck!

Waiting on Wednesday: Soldier's Secret by Sheila Solomon Klass

2009-02-11T07:24:00.006-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Soldier's Secret: The Story of Deborah Sampson
by Sheila Solomon Klass
Released March 31st, 2009

In the 1700s, women’s responsibilities were primarily child rearing and household duties. But Deborah Sampson wanted more from life. She wanted to read, to travel—and to fight for her country’s independence. When the colonies went to war with the British in 1775, Deborah was intent on being part of the action. Seeing no other option, she disguised herself in a man’s uniform and served in the Continental army for more than a year, her identity hidden from her fellow soldiers. Accomplished writer Sheila Solomon Klass creates a gripping first person account of an extraordinary woman who lived a life full of danger, adventure, and intrigue.

Why I'm waiting:
I've always liked stories of women who disguise themselves to fight as men, and this one sounds especially exciting, for some reason!

The Dust of 100 Dogs

2009-02-09T10:59:00.003-05:00

by A.S. King

Saffron Adams appears to be a normal child in a normal family in Hollow Ford, Pennsylvania. What no one knows is that she was actually born 300 years ago in Ireland as Emer Morrisey. Since her death has spent 100 different lifetimes as dogs—with her memory intact.
Now known as a child genius for her extensive historical knowledge, Saffron has to convince her hopeful parents that she doesn’t want to go to college; first she needs to go dig up the treasure she buried in the Caribbean, the treasure no one else in the world knows about. Or do they?

As much as I hate to be one of the few people who isn’t gushing about The Dust of 100 Dogs, I really can’t. It was a very interesting idea, but not (in my opinion) AMAZING like a lot of reviews found it to be. I thought the characters were pretty flat, and felt very removed from them. Emer/Saffron kept talking about how she wanted to rip out people’s eyes, but I really didn’t see any reason for her to be anything more than annoyed with them. I saw Saffron doing and feeling things, but I didn’t see the reasons why. The author was telling us that Saffron was a ruthless pirate, instead of actually making her into one.
It was the same with Fred Livingstone and Junior; both were almost frightening in the way that they reacted so bizarrely to things for seemingly no reason. I’m not even sure what the point of Junior being in the story was, as he (and Sam, too) didn’t add anything to the plot.
I did really like the originality of the idea, but the execution of it just didn’t live up to my hopes.

To read opinions of those who feel opposite to myself, see:

Valentina's Room: The Dust of 100 Dogs
Carrie's YA Bookshelf: The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King--Believe the Hype!!
Liv's Book Reviews: Dust of 100 Dogs...Get Excited
The Story Siren: The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
Presenting Lenore: Book Review and Author/Character Interview: The Dust of 100 Dogs by AS King

Waiting on Wednesday: Daughter of the Flames by Zoë Marriott

2009-02-04T06:54:00.006-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Daughter of the Flames
by Zoë Marriott
Released February 19th, 2009

What if your deadliest enemy were the only one who could save you?

Inside an ancient temple in the mountains, fifteen-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior priestess who can defend the faith of the Ruan people. Bearing a scar on her face from the fire that killed her parents, the orphaned Zira is taught to distrust the occupying Sedornes. Terror strikes when the forces of the tyrannical Sedorne king destroy the only home she knows. To survive, Zira must unravel the secrets of her identity, decide her people’s fate — and accept her growing feelings for a man who should be her enemy.

Why I'm waiting:
I really, really liked the author's debut novel, The Swan Kingdom, a retelling of The Six Swans. Daughter of the Flames will be an original storyline, and with Ms. Marriott's lovely writing style I'm hoping it will be fabulous!

The Fetch

2009-01-30T17:57:00.002-05:00

by Laura Whitcomb

When souls make the decision to leave this Earth, they need a guide to the above. That’s where Calder comes in; he’s a Fetch, a being similar to the Grim Reaper or an angel. His job is to answer the souls’ questions, guide them through the Aisle of Unearthing, and then take them to his Captain. He is never to upset the earthbound, nor interfere with the duties of another Fetch, but as usual with “nevers,” that is exactly what Calder does.
Falling in love with a woman he calls Glory, Calder breaks many of the Vows of the Fetch by jumping into the dying body of Grigori Rasputin to be near the woman whom be believes to be the nursemaid of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich.
With Calder’s selfish act, the whole spirit world is thrown into chaos, and Calder, who is trapped in the earthly turmoil of the Russian Revolution, must fix it.

Okay, my thoughts on this. I have a lot of mixed feelings about it, that’s for sure, and I don’t think The Fetch is for everyone. The start of this book was odd, I will admit. All the concepts were so foreign that I felt like I had to stop and dissect every one in order to understand what was going on. I felt like I was watching the whole story through a pane of old glass, with foggy patches and bubbles. Even once the story smoothed out into having one main plot, it took me some time to put everything together in my mind, such as the fact that Calder was using Rasputin’s body and so was seen as him, except for by Ana and Alexis, who saw him as he was when he died at nineteen.
All that said, I did like Ms. Whitcomb’s descriptions, and over all I think the book was a worthwhile and interesting read, it’s just that it took quite a lot of thought. I believe it might be one of those books that is a lot easier to understand the second time around, but on the other hand it might lose its magic.

Recommended for ages sixteen and up not for content, but for enjoyment. I doubt younger readers would have the patience to understand and like this book.

Waiting on Wednesday: Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

2009-01-28T06:53:00.005-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Bloodhound
by Tamora Pierce
Released April 28th, 2009
Sequel to: Terrier

Beka Cooper is finally a Dog—a full-fledged member of the Provost's Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus's streets. But there's unrest in Tortall's capital. Counterfeit coins are turning up in shops all over the city, and merchants are raising prices to cover their losses. The Dogs discover that gamblers are bringing the counterfeit money from Port Caynn. In Port Caynn, Beka delves deep into the gambling world, where she meets a charming banking clerk named Dale Rowan. Beka thinks she may be falling for Rowan, but she won't let anything—or anyone—jeopardize her mission. As she heads north to an abandoned silver mine, it won't be enough for Beka be her usual "terrier" self. She'll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals—to be a Bloodhound....

Why I'm waiting:
Because it's been too bloody long since the release of the first one and I want to read it, by gosh! And this had better be the actual release date, Random House! I think I will have to re-read Terrier before this one, though, so I have some clue what's going on because it's been SO LONG! Whoa, a lotta exclamation points there. Too bad the new cover looks so weird, eh? I liked the old one so much better.

Princess of the Midnight Ball

2009-01-24T08:43:00.001-05:00

by Jessica Day George

What?! Can it be? I think it is! A review! I'm quite amazed that I actually managed to write something, although it was quite easy because my thoughts on this are well defined already. So, without further ado...

Galen is an ordinary soldier returning from the war with no claims of fame or heroism. But when he meets an old woman by the side of the road and she gives him a marvelous cloak of invisibility, his fortunes are about to change. Although he is only an under-gardener in the royal gardens, Galen befriends Rose, the eldest of the twelve princesses.
It’s not long before the princesses are suffering from an illness that confines them to their beds—and yet the girls are still exhausted each morning, their dancing slippers worn to shreds. Galen knows that he must save his lovely friend and her sisters—though numerous princes have tried and failed (and then died through questionable circumstances)—and he thinks the invisibility cloak will be just the thing to solve the mystery.
But it’s not that easy—Galen soon learns that there are darker forces at work than spoiled princesses sneaking out to dance for a lark, and he must use his wits.... Or watch the entire kingdom crumble.

Jessica Day George’s books are always really good; they’re happy without being corny; the plots are just right, being neither too complicated or understand nor too simple; they’re mature enough for anyone to read, but yet are entirely clean, and they’re just delightfully fun every time. Princess of the Midnight Ball does not disappoint in any regard, and though it is a retelling of a common fairytale (The Twelve Dancing Princesses, in case you hadn’t figured it out), it still managed to be suspenseful enough that I read it in one day. If you enjoy this book, check out the author’s other books: Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow (a retelling of the Norwegian fairytale East of the Sun, West of the Moon) and Dragon Slippers, Dragon Flight, and the forthcoming Dragon Spear.

Library Loot: January 14-21

2009-01-22T08:38:00.001-05:00

A little late here, but here's myfor the week of January 14th - 21st. I have sporadic library habits! I went on the 8th, and got...

The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb
Because I loved the author's first novel, A Certain Slant of Light.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Jessica Day George's books always have just the right amount of everything.

Sharpe's Enemy (DVD, Sharpe Series #4)
The same reason as I got the last one, although they are getting better and better with each movie. Most of the characters are solidly there, and Sharpe is growing more likable.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

2009-01-21T06:36:00.004-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

The Amaranth Enchantment
by Julie Berry
Released March 3rd, 2009

A delightful fairytale by a lyrical new voice.
When Lucinda Chapdelaine was a small child, her parents left for the royal ball and never returned. Ever since, Lucinda has been stuck in perpetual servitude at her evil aunt’s jewelry store. Then, on the very same day, a mysterious visitor and an even more bizarre piece of jewelry both enter the shop, setting in motion a string of twists and turns that will forever alter Lucinda’s path. In this magical story filled with delightful surprises, Lucinda will dance at the royal ball, fall under the Amaranth Witch’s spell, avenge her parents’ death, and maybe—just maybe—capture the heart of a prince.

Why I'm waiting:
The storyline looks interesting, although somewhat cliché, and I rather like the cover. But for some reason I'm expecting this to be a lot like the Study series--maybe in part because of the dark-haired young woman with an exotic flower--which isn't a bad thing if it's as good as Poison Study.

Why I Haven't Been Posting

2009-01-20T08:16:00.013-05:00

...or at least, why I haven't been posting anything besides Waiting on Wednesdays and Library Loot.

It's because I'm working again--at Borders! Well, it's not as a bookseller, but as a barista in the Seattle's Best Coffee café. It's only part-time, but it cuts into my reading quite a bit with working and then when I get home sometimes I just feel like doing nothing, not even reading.

Everyone says working retail sucks, but so far (only a week, though) it hasn't been too bad. Yesterday I got my first snarky customer, but also my first share of tips from the tip jar ($2.09 or something like that--and most of it in change, oooh!). Even though I work with SBC, I still get an employee discount and the option to "check out" up to two hardcover books at a time as long as I return them in very good condition.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know why I've been a little bit absent and that I still love all of my readers. Expect more reviews in the future, just not quite so many sometimes.

Happy inaugeration day!
-Ink

Waiting on Wednesday: The Singing by Alison Croggon

2009-01-14T07:15:00.005-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

The Singing: The Fourth Book of Pellinor
by Alison Croggon
Released March 10th, 2009
Sequel to: The Naming, The Riddle, and The Crow

The climactic volume of the epic quartet follows the Bards of Edil-Amarandh on a vital quest to merge their powers against a nameless evil.

In an increasingly battle-ravaged land, Maerad, Cadvan, and Hem desperately search for one another as they make their separate journeys. The Black Army is advancing north, and even as Maerad faces a mighty confrontation with the Landrost to save Innail, all of the Seven Kingdoms are threatened with bitter and devastating defeat. Yet in Maerad and Hem lives the secret to the mysterious Singing, and legend holds that if they release the music of Elidhu together, they have the power to defeat the Nameless One. Can brother and sister find each other in time to fight this all-powerful enemy, and are they strong enough—even reunited—to defeat him before all is lost?

Why I'm waiting:
I've loved the Pellinor series since I first read them. The idea is original, and the writing is very well done. The second and third books were, in my opinion, even better than the first, and I can't wait to see how it all ends.
Also, this isn't the new cover, I just couldn't find a picture of it anywhere. But the new cover is the same, only the background has randomly been changed to an orange-ish color instead.

Library Loot: January 7-13

2009-01-09T10:51:00.003-05:00

Eva over at A Striped Armchair and Sarah from Behold, the thing that reads came up with this great idea: posting what you got at the library each week. I might not go every single week--and I might sometimes go twice!--but I'll definitely be participating. See the first Library Loot post to join in!

I happened to go to the library yesterday and picked up these books (and a movie):

Always going left to right, top row:
All We Know of Heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Because I thought it looked interesting

Identical by Ellen Hopkins
I've really liked some, not all, of the author's other books

Kingston by Starlight by Christopher John Farley
Back to that nautical/piratical stuff again, big surprise!

Sharpe's Company (DVD, Sharpe series #3)
Because I loveeee Regency-era stories and while Sharpe's character--and sort of the movie series in general--has yet to compare with that of Mr. Hornblower, they are good enough to continue watching

The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli
I felt like reading this one. I've really liked some of Ms. Napoli's works, and others I haven't, so I'm not sure what to expect

You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn
This has been receiving rave reviews, so I finally got my hands on a copy

Waiting on Wednesday: The Season by Sarah MacLean

2009-01-07T05:02:00.004-05:00

OK, I (Tyto Alba) am jumping in to take my turn. "Waiting on" for this week...

The Season
by Sarah MacLean
Released March 1st, 2009

Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins...

Why I'm waiting:
Even though this sounds like it might be kind of predictable and/or cheap-romance-novel-ish, I'm so in love with the Georgian/Regency eras that I simply can't resist! Hopefully Alex, Ella, and Vivi will kick some butt along with possibly "having their hearts stolen."

Waiting on Wednesday: Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel

2008-12-31T09:12:00.003-05:00

This week's "Waiting on" is...

Starclimber
by Kenneth Oppel
Released February 24th, 2009
Sequel to: Airborn and Skybreaker

Summary from book jacket:

At long last Matt Cruise is at the helm...

Though it's only a summer job piloting a humble aerocrane, he's thrilled to be small part of something big. With every load, he's helping to build the Celestial Tower, Paris's extraordinary gateway to outer space. But Matt's idyllic summer is short-lived. He narrowly survives a deadly attack by the fanatical Babelites, who are opposed to humans reaching the heavens. Worse still, his nights spent stargazing with Kate de Vries must end when she's summoned back to Lion's Gate City by her parents. It's time she began to think of getting married. But then a chance of a lifetime boosts Matt's hopes of being airborne once more. Canada wants to reach space first, and Canadian Minister of Air has asked Kate to join the first expedition as an expert on aerial zoology. There's a place for Matt, too--if he can pass the grueling tests to become one of the world's first astralnauts on board the incredible ship Starclimber.

Why I'm waiting:
This is one of the few series my sister and I both read (we try not to do that often so that we're not completely "the same") because it's good. Not the height of great literature, but Kate is a strong and sassy female heroine, and while Matt is a little too good to be realistic, the series is original and entertaining and easy enough to read that our father also read the first two books and enjoyed them.

Ink Mage's Top 2008 Books

2008-12-28T22:04:00.005-05:00

Having read somewhere above (probably well above) 200 books since January, it was a tough choice to come up with my favorite books read (and published) in 2008. The idea was inspired--alright, sort of stolen--from The Story Siren's Top Picks in 2008 list...

Contemporary:

At first the cover really annoyed me and I was against it. Then I decided I'd just try it, and I ended up loving it!

Anything by E. Lockhart is good, and I loved watching each girl grow in her own way.

Retold Fairytales:

Very original fairytale retelling! (Full review)

Beautifully written and unique! (Full review)

Sequels:

It's Flora, what can I say?! Fun and completely uniquely original. (Full review)

The third Book of Pellinor. Darker than the previous two novels, but really good as always!

Exciting New Worlds:

Amazing. Enough said.

(I'm running out of ways to say a book was "awesome.") I really like dragons, and this was a pretty original work set in fantasy world a lot like China. I wish the cover was better, though.

Gorgeously Written:

Beth Kephart rocks.

Short and sweet with amazing characterizations.

Books I Wasn't Sure How to Categorize:

I liked how the author went into detail about the wolves' lives, although the plot was sort of cliché. I hope the sequel is more original. (Full review)

Received this as a gift for the holidays because I liked it so much! Loved Katsa's character growth. (Full review)

Great adventure story. (I think I liked it better than Wildwood Dancing but I can't remember.) The romance was a little too predictable, though.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart

2008-12-24T05:09:00.010-05:00

This week's "waiting on" is the third in a series of four, the Ruby Oliver books by E. Lockhart:

The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch--and me, Ruby Oliver
by E. Lockhart
Released July 28th, 2009
Sequel to: The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book

Ruby is back at Tate Prep, and it’s her thirty-seventh week in the state of Noboyfriend. Her panic attacks are bad, her love life is even worse, and what’s more: Noel is writing her notes, Jackson is giving her frogs, Gideon is helping her cook, and Finn is making her brownies. Rumors are flying, and Ruby’s already-sucky reputation is heading downhill. Not only that, she’s also: running a bake sale, learning the secrets of heavymetal therapy, encountering some seriously smelly feet, defending the rights of pygmy goats, and bodyguarding Noel from unwanted advances. In this companion novel to The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, Ruby struggles to secure some sort of mental health, to understand what constitutes a real friendship, and to find true love—if such a thing exists.

Why I'm waiting:
The first two books in the series (The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, to be read in that order) were great, of course! Ruby's voice is funny and original and the plots are interesting. I can't wait to read this one--and the next and last in the series, tentatively titled Real Live Boyfriends.

Random Music Gush

2008-12-19T21:05:00.020-05:00

The Magic of Ink does not normally have anything to do with music, but a lot of things I love have been posted here, so I am going to write about music I love. More specifically, a band that I love:

Enter The Haggis

What is it? Four Canadians and a native Scotsman who write, sing, and play the most amazing Celtic rock fusion ever. Seriously. Their instruments include keyboard, fiddle, bagpipes, acoustic and electric guitars, saxophone, tin whistles, drums, and harmonica and their music ranges from electrified traditional ballads...

Lanigan's Ball

and dance tunes...

Fiddle Set/Tune

to original instrumentals...

Congress

and vocals...

One Last Drink [ignore the complete randomness of the "music video." I wouldn't use it except it has the best sound]

with progressive lyrics...

Marti's Last Stand

which include many different music styles (jazz, Caribbean, Celtic, anything else you can think of) combined. Band member Trevor Lewington describes it better in the Enter The Haggis: Kicks in a Kilt interview.

There is only one person I know of who was introduced to ETH and didn't like them (I still haven't forgiven him!), saying that their songs all sounded "the same." But everyone else has become die-hard Haggis Heads, myself included after I attended one of their concerts in June... and then another concert right after Thanksgiving when they were touring in the area with some of their new music... and now I'm anxiously awaiting their new album, Gutter Anthems, which will be released on March 24th. Yay!

Go listen to the entirety of the group's three most recent albums (Casualties of Retail, Soapbox Heroes, and Northampton—a live recording and my favorite so far because they are so awesome live, and I think it has the best selection of songs) for FREE on their site—and listen to them LOUD. It's the best thing after a live performance. But really, if ETH is touring in your area and you even like their music a little bit, go and see them live.

Become a fan of them on the ETH Facebook page!

Waiting on Wednesday: Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle

2008-12-17T05:25:00.004-05:00

This week's "Waiting on"...

Betraying Season
by Marissa Doyle
Released May 26th, 2009
Sequel to: Bewitching Season

Penelope Leland has come to Ireland to study magic and prove to herself that she is as good a witch as her twin sister Persy. But when Niall Keating begins to pay her court, she can’t help being distracted from her studies. Especially when she learns that the handsome young nobleman is reputedly an illegitimate cousin of the new young Queen Victoria, her friend and idol, whom her sister saved from an ambitious wizard’s control spell the year before. Niall Keating has strict orders from his sorceress mother Lady Keating: to make young Miss Leland fall in love with him so that she can be convinced to use her magical powers to help reconcile him to his true father, the Duke of Cumberland, Queen Victoria’s uncle. Niall is delighted to comply until he discovers his mother’s true aim: to assassinate Queen Victoria by magic and put Niall’s father on the throne of England. Penelope is thrilled when Lady Keating reveals her powers and offers to tutor her in magic. But Niall has fallen deeply in love with the lovely young woman. Even if he halts his mother’s evil plans, will Penelope be able to forgive him for trying to seduce her into a plot against her beloved queen?

Why I'm waiting:
Betraying Season is the sequel to Marissa Doyle's debut novel, Bewitching Season (which you should probably read first). While the first of the "Leland Sisters" books wasn't one of my absolute new favorites, it was rather entertaining and amusing and I really enjoyed it. It made me think of Sorcery and Cecelia or: The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, and I have a feeling Betraying Season will have an entirely original plot of its own.

A New (To Me) Movie Series

2008-12-15T09:34:00.007-05:00

While browsing the January selection for Risky Regencies' Jane Austen Movie Club I saw—listed along with the first Hornblower episode (squee! Watch that series. NOW)—Sharpe's Rifles. And it sounds quite interesting.
How could it not be? I mean, it's nineteenth century England (during the Peninsular War, which I don't know anything about, but oh well) and I'm sure there will be heroics and romance and friendship and, to quote Lydia Bennett, "a whole camp full of soldiers!"
Sharpe's Rifles is the first of sixteen movies (so far), and my sister and I shall begin watching them shortly unless they turn out to be utterly horrid.
Just thought some of you might be interested!

Waiting on Wednesday: The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby

2008-12-10T06:16:00.003-05:00

Whoops, I missed last week's "waiting on," but I'll try to stay on schedule from now on. So for this week...

The King's Rose
by Alisa M. Libby
Released March 19th, 2009

Life in the court of King Henry VIII is a complex game. When fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard catches the king’s eye, she quickly transforms from pawn to queen. But even luxury beyond imagination loses its luster as young Catherine finds her life—and her heart—threatened by the needs of an aging king and a family hungry for power. Will their agendas deliver Catherine to the same fate as her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn—sacrificed at the altar of family ambition?

Engaging historical fiction with a throbbing YA heartbeat, this thrilling novel will draw readers into the intrigues and dangers of the Tudor court.

Why I'm waiting:
The time of the Tudors has always interested me, and I like that this book focuses on one of the lesser-known of Henry's wives. A lot of books are about Anne Boleyn or Catherine of Aragon, but almost none about the tragic short life of Catherine Howard. This is Ms. Libby's second book, and I've never read her first, but I hope to find a new favorite!

Rowan of the Wood

2008-12-04T05:05:00.000-05:00

by Christine and Ethan Rose

This book begins in Caledonia in 592 A.D., where a priest and priestess are preparing to marry. For many long years they have waited, remaining chaste until they come fully into their powers. Just as the ceremony is completed, raiders appear, pillaging and killing, and the newly weds are separated while fleeing to safety. Fiana is trapped in the Otherworld, while her beloved Rowan, having used all his power to defeat the invaders, is caught in his wand, helpless.
Years later, in the modern world, Cullen Knight runs away from his unhappy foster home and finds, buried deep in the redwood forest, a knotty piece of wood. Being an expert in fantasy, Cullen knows immediately that it’s a magic wand. But he does not know how drastically it will change his life.
Rowan—captured the same as he was on his wedding day—is still in the wand, and now he shares Cullen’s mind and is completely confused about the modern world. Meanwhile Fiana is on her way to California, but the years of suffering without her true love have been harder for her than they have been for Rowan, and she might not be what Cullen or Rowan is expecting once they find her.

The prologue and first chapter drew me in right away, despite my reservations based on the cover (which I think doesn’t fit with the feel of the novel at all). I really liked the magical plot; it was original and unpredictable, and appropriate for younger readers but deep enough to also capture the minds of adults. I can see how the very basic plot of Rowan of the Wood could be compared to Harry Potter, and a couple of the characters resemble each other slightly, but the magic and characters seem a whole lot more real even this early in the series. I thought that Fiana’s personality was the most developed and interesting, seeing her change from hopeful to hopeless, then to cruel and power-hungry for the love of her lost husband.
I’m looking forward to reading Cullen’s next adventures!

Email Address

2008-12-02T10:20:00.005-05:00

The Magic of Ink got an email address! Now if you have questions you can write to us at:

I will probably answer more often, but if you would specifically like to write one of us, just use our blog names in the greeting (e.g. "Hi, Tyto Alba") or subject line, and said reviewer will answer.

Looking forward to hearing from you!
Ink Mage and Tyto Alba

Waiting on Wednesday: Nothing but Ghosts by Beth Kephart

2008-11-26T08:13:00.007-05:00

My "Waiting on" Wednesday this week is Nothing but Ghosts, by the amazing Beth Kephart. If you haven't read any of her novels (so far two, Undercover and House of Dance), you really should. And whether you read her books or not, you must visit her blog, on which she publishes thoughtful, beautiful observations on life, family, photography, dance, the kindness of people, and anything else imaginable.

Nothing but Ghosts
by Beth Kephart
Released July 1st, 2009

Ever since her mother passed away, Katie’s been alone in her too-big house with her genius dad who restores old paintings for a living. Katie takes a summer job at a garden estate, where, with the help of two brothers and a glamorous librarian, she soon becomes embroiled in decoding a mystery. There are secrets and shadows at the heart of Nothing but Ghosts, symbols hidden in a time-darkened painting, and surprises behind a locked bedroom door. But most of all, this is a love story—the story of a girl who learns about love while also learning to live with her own ghosts.

This is a heart-felt, lyrical tale from the National Book Award nominated author of Undercover and House of Dance.

Why I'm waiting:
Ms. Kephart's first two novels were so beautiful they made me wish time would slow down so that I could lose myself in the writing and I am eagerly anticipating this one. Plus the awesome cover makes me want to find out the secrets within.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb

2008-11-19T15:29:00.010-05:00

I've seen a couple other bloggers take part in "Waiting on" Wednesday, which is the invention of Jill from Breaking the Spine. I wanted to try it out, so my first one is...

The Fetch
by Laura Whitcomb
Released February 2nd, 2009

Description from Amazon:
Calder is a Fetch, a death escort, the first of his kind to step from Heaven back to Earth. The first to fall in love with a mortal girl. But when he climbs backwards out of that Death Scene, into the chaos of the Russian Revolution, he tears a wound in the ghost realm, where the spirits begin a revolution of their own.

Why I'm waiting:
Laura Whitcomb's debut novel, A Certain Slant of Light, really enchanted me--at least the first time I read it; the second time it wasn't as good, but I think that's because I knew what the outcome would be. The Fetch sounds very original and Ms. Whitcomb's writing has had a chance to mature. I have high hopes for this one!

Anything you're looking forward to?

The Big One Zero Zero

2008-11-17T09:35:00.000-05:00

One year and 11 months after beginning blogging, The Magic of Ink has reached 100 posts. It seems like it's taken a long time, especially when I compare this blog with others who reached the 100-post milestone when they were six months old.

Well, we made it here anyway, thanks to all our wonderful readers! Your comments and continued visits let us know you're reading and we love your opinions.

Looking forward to bringing you more reviews,
Ink Mage

Pipe Major William Wilson

2008-11-11T13:56:00.002-05:00

I wasn't tagged by anyone, but most people (like Liv, Taren, Harmony, and Chelsea, to name a few) have said anyone reading their completed meme is tagged. I've been tagged many times, so here's mine. Warning: Besides the rules, what you are about to read will make little or no sense. I have too many classical pieces and too much Celtic music with random names in my playlist for that. The rules:

1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put the artist after a dash following the song name.
5. Put any comments in brackets.
6. Tag some lucky people to spread the disease.

How would you describe yourself?
The Celts - Enya
[I wish! Unfortunately I only have a little Scottish blood in me, and no Irish or Welsh that I know of.]

How do you feel today?
Overture to Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

What is your life’s purpose?
The Girl That Broke My Heart/Cooley's Reel - Florie Brown
[Does that make any sense?]

What is your motto?
'Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen' ("Hell's vengeance boils in my heart"), also known as "the Queen of the Night Aria" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
[Um, no. Definitely not. Although that is an awesome piece of music.]

What do you think about very often?
Piano Concerto No. 21: Andante - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

What is your life story?
Carmen Suite: Les Toréadors: Allegro giocoso - Georges Bizet
[Toréador means "bullfighter." I'm just glad I didn't get this song for the next question!]

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Come Away with Me - Norah Jones

What will you dance to at your wedding?
Für Elise - Ludwig van Beethoven
[That would be...interesting.]

What will they play at your funeral?
Requiem: Lacrimosa - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
[I swear I didn't try to do that.]

What is your hobby/interest?
In the Morning - Norah Jones

If you could do anything right now, what would it be?
The Duchess and the Devil opening music - John Keane
[From the Horatio Hornblower movies.]

What do you want most of all?
A Little Night Music - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

What is your greatest fear?
Sunrise - Norah Jones
[This would be cool if I wanted to be a vampire or something.]

What is your darkest secret?
Anywhere Is - Enya

What is your favorite thing in the world?
Pirates of the Carribean arranged for symphonic orchestra by Klaus Baldet - Hans Zimmer
[And in this case played by an orchestra that my friend's in!]

If you could have one wish, what would you wish for?
Taylor Bar, 4am/Ceol Na Mara - Lúnasa

What is your theme song?
Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson

The next time you hear this song (aside from now, that is), you must dance:
Symphony No. 8: II Adagio - Antonín Dvořák
[Hahahahaha, is all I have to say. Anyone familiar with the piece would agree. "How the heck would you dance to that?" I rhetorically asked no one in particular. "I don't know, but I'm going to make you!" my sister replied.]

What will you post this as?
Pipe Major William Wilson - Bonnie Rideout and Eric Rigler

Like everyone else is doing, you're tagged if you're interested!

The Juliet Club

2008-11-07T07:33:00.002-05:00

by Suzanne Harper

Quiet, plain Kate Sanderson thinks she knows everything there is to know about love and Shakespeare. Until her boyfriend dumps her and her essay on Romeo and Juliet wins her a trip to Venice to take part in a series of Shakespeare Seminars. Professoressa Marchese has a very different view of Shakespeare than Mr. Sanderson, but Kate finds it over the top. And she doesn’t get how answering letters to “Juliet” will help her and the other students understand the play. Despite her friend Annie’s prediction and despite the handsome but irksome Giacomo, Kate refuses to be transformed by her summer in Italy. But her transformation might not be something she has control over....

Like The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney, The Juliet Club surprised me. In the beginning the characters acted tiresomely like high school freshmen rather than juniors as they were supposed to be, but fortunately once Kate arrives in Italy she acts a bit more mature. While the characters stay rather flat throughout the whole novel, they do grow in some ways and that kept them interesting enough.
Unfortunately, sometimes it was very hard to keep track of which character was which, especially when several were introduced at once. Ms. Harper has a way of skipping from one “narrative” (although its in third person) to another with little or no warning, making it very confusing at times.
The plot is probably the best part about the book, because although some parts were predictable, there were clever references to Shakespeare’s plays woven into the plots. I could see some elements of Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing (very obviously), and others. The way the Bard’s characters still pertain to people today came up in the Juliet Club’s discussions, and the subtle plot bits that were similar seemed to strengthen that point.
The Juliet Club is a fun, slightly shallow read that, even though I don’t usually go for those types of books, kept me giggling and anticipating what would happen next.

Jocelyn of Teen Book Review has a thoughtful and well-written (as always) review of The Juliet Club here.

General Winston’s Daughter

2008-10-23T07:34:00.001-04:00

by Sharon Shinn

Lady Averie tries very hard to be a perfect lady, but she never quite manages. She’s always too impulsive and curious, and it drives her chaperone, Lady Selkirk, nearly mad.
On the journey to join her fiancé—Colonel Stode—in distant Charrin, Averie is bored to tears with life aboard a ship, until she meets Lieutenant Ket Du’Kai. The handsome young lieutenant entertains her and expands her world by explaining the reasons that her native Aebria overtook and colonized Chiarrin.
Although it is said to be a rough place not fit for a lady, Averie instantly falls in love with the bright colors and delightful festivals of Chiarrin. Her feelings regarding Chiarrin and her beloved Colonel Stode begin to change.

I have truly enjoyed Sharon Shinn’s previous books, despite their being somewhat predictable and you can always tell that they’ll end happily. But this one was a huge disappointment.
Averie acted more like a spoiled 12-year-old than her supposed age of eighteen, and didn’t have much depth after being curious and demanding. None of the other characters were developed beyond having some extremely basic personality trait, either.
Another issue I had was the romance. For one thing, it was predictable; I could tell that Averie would fall for Lieutenant Du’Kai literally from page one. For another, I haven’t the faintest idea what Ket Du’Kai sees in Averie. Lastly, aside from their few “meaningful” conversations, their relationship was almost completely built on flirting on both their parts and feeling protective on his.
And the plot...was boring and slightly predictable. Averie “grew” from very spoiled to not so spoiled while in Chiarrin, a time that seems to drag on and on for the reader. When the climax finally comes it seems tacked on, as if Ms. Shinn changed her mind about the conclusion at the last minute, or had a limited amount of pages with which to finish the story.
I’m sorry to say that General Winston’s Daughter was definitely not my favorite of Sharon Shinn’s books.

Palace of Mirrors

2008-10-12T15:04:00.005-04:00

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Although Cecilia Aurora Serindia Marie has grown up in a rustic little village far from the glamorous capital of Cortona, she’s always known that one day she will go there, to the famous Palace of Mirrors, and claim her rightful title. Why? Because Cecilia—also known as Eels or Eelsy—is the true princess, heir to the throne of Suala. After her parents were murdered when she was a baby, Cecilia was taken away and hidden; and to protect her from her enemies, a “fake” princess (a commoner named Desmia) was put in her place. But when Cecilia is fourteen, it looks like her enemies have found her. One night they attack, unsuccessfully trying to kill her, and Cecilia knows that this means her life in the peaceful village is over: despite the possible dangers, she must go to Cortona and take up her position as princess of Suala. So with her faithful friend Harper, his harp (yes, the name is quite literal), and a bag of food, she sets off to meet her fate—or is it really her fate after all?

Palace of Mirrors was a nice, easy, good read that I finished in a few hours and enjoyed. It isn’t based off a fairytale like Just Ella (although it’s set in the same world; Suala is at war with Ella’s country and Ella is in Suala as part of a peace delegation), but it has a fairytale-ish charm to it and things work out happily in the end, of course—even if not entirely as expected. Fans of Just Ella, Margaret Peterson Haddix, or fairytale stories in general will love this.

Graceling

2008-10-05T07:55:00.003-04:00

by Kristin Cashore

Katsa killed her cousin at the age of eight...with her bare hands, and without any training in fighting. Her Grace is killing, and her uncle, King Randa, decides to have her trained by the best warriors and use her for his own purposes. Now ten years later, known as the Lady Killer, and kept in the palace as her uncle’s secret weapon, Katsa has no friends aside from her cousin Raffin. The rest of the court finds her Grace-marked eyes (one blue and one green) disconcerting, and fear for their lives if they angered her. One night, on a mission of her own, Katsa meets another Graced fighter, a Lienid who, strangely, trusts her. Wary, Katsa can’t believe she’ll have anything to do with him other than go back on her stupid choice to let him live.

I really, really loved the first half of this book. Katsa’s character is so well developed—her reactions to new things like trust and finding that she’s not as heartless as everyone lead her to believe are so realistic. And her friendship with Po (whose name unfortunately reminds me of the littlest Teletubby) is completely believable and very sweet.
However, the second half became a lot more generic and didn’t capture my interest as much. Perhaps it was because I was distracted from the book at an inopportune time—right before Katsa and Po’s relationship became romantic—and it made it seem like the two halves didn’t quite fit together. (That was a very slight spoiler because despite the description of Katsa and Po being “insurmountably incompatible,” you can tell right away that they’re not going to be.)
The plot was fast-paced and the characters’ missions changed throughout the course of the story, giving it a good range of situations and keeping it interesting, but at times I wanted to scream at the characters. They could be so dumb! It took them forever to realize things sometimes, while I’d been suspicious about it for the last fifty pages. Graceling is a stunning debut novel, and a pretty darn good novel at all. I highly recommend it, especially for fans of Tamora Pierce. Also, The Hunger Games (which I have yet to read because too many people have it ahead of me at the library) is said to be on some levels similar, so if you’ve already read Graceling, check that out, too.

And because there's a book trailer for it that I actually like (except for Po! He's supposed to be blond!), I'll provide that, too:

The Devouring

2008-09-23T11:13:00.011-04:00

by Simon Holt

“They lurk in the cold and dark. Hungry and wicked, they wait for their one chance to devour the weak on Sorry Night. Then the Vours feast on a banquet of fear. Your fear. They steal your soul but your body remains. No one knows the difference.”

Regina Halloway has been an obsessor of horror movies and gruesome comics since she was a little girl. She’s not afraid of any of them -- rather, they give her a delightful chill and help to keep her thoughts away from her mother, who abandoned their family a year ago. Now Reggie has to be one to take care of her eight-year-old brother, Henry, and she finds it an exhausting burden. So when Reggie finds an old journal called The Devouring at the bookshop where she works, it seems like the perfect thing to immerse herself in. But when Reggie reads part of the book to Henry as a bedtime story, she couldn’t imagine the disaster that would follow. “Vours,” dark things that invade your body and devour your soul, are especially active on the Winter Solstice -- and guess on what night Reggie reads the story aloud? Reggie doesn’t know what to do or who to trust, but she does know one thing: she has to defeat the Vour that takes over her little brother…while at the same time keeping herself from being consumed by her own fear.

This was, essentially, a horror novel. I wasn’t expecting that (I think I’d read the summary a while ago and forgotten what exactly it was about), and while it wouldn’t usually be my kind of book, I enjoyed it a lot. The Devouring was a pretty creepy story (if you have a fear of freakish demonic clowns, beware!) with good characters and enough emotional fear to make it seem realistic; it wasn’t all just undead people and stuff like that. I appreciated that Reggie’s best friend Aaron was a boy who, while he could have been gay, it never said either way, and he didn’t secretly like her, either. It was refreshing. The only thing I found strange was that Reggie was the protagonist, but then there would be some random bits (not even whole chapters, usually) where it seemed almost from Aaron’s or Henry’s points of view. Otherwise, nicely done.

I was very glad to find that this is the first in a series -- so far no title or release date for a book #2, but I’ll definitely keep an eye on Simon Holt and hope that he writes fast. Visit www.thedevouring.com for more info.

Flora's Dare

2008-09-15T17:49:00.011-04:00

How a Girl of Spirit Gambles All to Expand Her Vocabulary, Confront a Bouncing Boy Terror, and Try to Save Califa from a Shaky Doom (Despite Being Confined to Her Room)
by Ysabeau S. Wilce

While it is possible for it to be read as a stand-alone, Flora’s Dare is the smashingly good sequel to Flora Segunda (my review), so go read that first, as it is also an imaginative work of Extreme Originality. I shall try to refrain from spoilers for those who have yet to read the first.

Flora Segunda’s latest adventures begin with an essay on what she learned last term, made up of the most unusual lessons that also serve as a cleverly un-boring reminder to readers of what transpired in the last volume. This time around, Flora has to deal with a now-sober father who tries to keep Crackpot Hall in military order, from Flora’s lessons to what time she goes to bed. But Flora is desperate to learn the magickal language of Gramatica, an essential for becoming a ranger like her role model, the legendary Nini Mo. When the chance to see disguised magician Firemonkey play in the band he uses as a cover, she leaps at it.
During the concert, a large tentacle suddenly grabs Flora, who believes she has discovered the cause of the mysterious earthquakes that recently began shaking Califa. She has to stop it before the entire city collapses on itself, but how will it ever be possible the only people she can turn to for help is one of her mother’s enemies (and a dashing one at that), Crackpot Hall’s whiny, dissipating Butler, her overly fashion-conscious best friend Udo (who is also obnoxiously obsessed with the supercool, sophisticated Zu-Zu), and a plushy pig? Oh, and she’s confined to her room until her mother (Commanding General of the Warlord’s Army) returns from Fort Jones, and who knows when that will be?

After the highly exciting, extremely original and, quite frankly, bizarre first novel in the series, Flora’s Dare does not disappoint. The characters develop nicely (although some things Udo does don’t seem to fit him at all), the action and adventure move along at breakneck speed, and it never, ever lacks in inventiveness in any way. The only thing left to say is, Ms. Wilce, when shall the sequel be released?
There are a few more mature themes in Flora’s Dare than there were in Flora Segunda.

Fun at Borders

2008-09-06T08:47:00.005-04:00

Who but true book addicts are able to spend a solid two hours at a bookstore for something fun to do? Apparently Tyto Alba (my sister), myself, and our friend Gem really love reading because that's how we spent Thursday evening. (I think the employees actually thought we might be shoplifting or something, because we got some strange looks after an hour or so.)

I always bring paper and a pen so I can write down titles of books that look interesting, of which there were a lot before I started blogging and reading blogs. But last night...I found only seven books that I want to read, a few of which I was already aware. Blogging is so awesome because now I hear about so many more books than I used to.
For example, my friend picked up Evernight and asked, "Is this a vampire book?"
"Yep," I answered after a very quick glance at the cover. I haven't even read it.
Later on, "Is this book good?"
Me: "It's supposed to be."
Gem: "You know everything! How do you know everything?!"

It was quite entertaining.

After finally exhausting the YA section, Gem skimmed the manga, my sister and I drooled over the "British TV" DVD section, we all laughed over the stupid romance novels, and then ate chocolate in the café area.

Gem needed a new book now and bought Hilary Frank's I Can't Tell You. I want to read it, too, but I'm getting it from the library. I have a $25 gift certificate and might have bought something, too, but always have trouble deciding what to buy.

Friendship, books, and chocolate, what else can you want?

Update. Changes?

2008-09-03T19:52:00.006-04:00

This hasn't been the most active blog recently. The truth is I've become a bit too used to Goodreads, where I can just toss out some random thoughts and not have to write a real review.

I just went through our really long blogroll and edited out the links that are broken or blogs that haven't been updated in many months. If you read this blog and don't see your name on the list, sorry! Leave a comment and I'll add your blog link ASAP.

And I was wondering...what do you, faithful reader, want to see different on this blog? Could you please answer the poll on the sidebar? And a comment if you have any suggestions to make it more exciting. I've gotten a bit lax about posting, so I think I need something new to add to my recommendations and get me more excited again. :-)

Thanks,
Ink Mage

Sovay

2008-08-31T04:54:00.001-04:00

by Celia Rees

In the year 1794 rich and beautiful Sovay has no real concerns until her betrothed betrays her with a chambermaid. Taking the matter into her own hands, she dresses in men’s clothes, stops James’ coach, and orders him to “Stand and deliver!” Enjoying the excitement, Sovay continues her daring robberies—not for the money, but the power over men. Taking a step too far, Sovay robs Sir Royston, one of England’s most influential men. Before she knows it she is thrown into tangled plots that involve both England and France, her family and her enemies, the weak and the powerful.

Having loved Pirates!, devoured Witch Child, and liked Sorceress, I expected to really enjoy Sovay, but regrettably it did not live up to my hopes.
First of all, I’m not sure why Ms. Rees based the story or character off the Sovay in the folksong, as with the exception of the very start, Sovay’s story had nothing to do with daring hold-ups and escapes as the summary and first chapters seemed to promise.
Along with the disjointed plot segments, the character development was not at all realistic; Sovay jumped suddenly from innocent girl into the role of legendary highwayman, then back to a lady, then to determined young woman. It was as if the author couldn’t decide to write a romanticized story of a highwayman’s life, or a gritty and realistic description of la Terreur.
The last quarter or so of the novel, after it had smoothed out to the terrors of the Revolution, was my favorite, but it didn’t quite make up for the rest of the book.

Memed!

2008-08-12T07:43:00.006-04:00

Kayla tagged me with this meme. I have no idea if Tyto Alba will do it or not....

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Being a weird little kid.

What are five things on my to-do list today?
1. Get up at 5:30 a.m. to go to work.
2. Go to work.
3. Finish Alfred Kropp: The Thirteenth Skull (which I am not that thrilled to be reading) so that I can read my more exciting new books I just got at the library last night. (I could put the same thing as Kayla's was for #4 here, but I don't know if it would be for the same reason/s. Mine is boredom.)
4. Eat something at least a little more healthy than last night's dinner (which was French toast because I haven't been shopping and we did actually have all the ingredients for it).
5. Listen to good music at some point in the day.

Snacks I enjoy:
I don't eat them that often, but I like wheat crackers, fruit, and Triscuits.

Places I've lived:
Three different houses on the East Coast of the US, and none of them exciting.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Pay other people to fix this house up really nice, buy BOOKS, an iPod, and music. Donate money to my Sea Scout Ship (instead of troops the units are called "ships") and charities.

Queen’s Own Fool

2008-08-01T09:46:00.000-04:00

A Novel of Mary Queen of Scots
by Jane Yolen & Robert J. Harris

One wet day Nicola Ambruzzi is performing in the streets with Troupe Brufort in Rheims, France, when a royal gentleman stops and asks them to come and put on their show for the kind and queen at the palace. Her oily Uncle Armand can hardly believe his luck and tells Nicola to “keep her tongue to herself,” though it is her sharp tongue that rewards him in the end. The court has seen most of the tricks the troupe performs and is not impressed. When Nicola makes a mistake and turns what could have been a disaster into an entertaining sideshow the court applauds and admires her quick wit. Queen Mary is offers to buy Nicola’s freedom and take her into her service. So, Nicola becomes the queen’s own fool, is given new clothes and has plentiful food to eat. Though not everyone is her friend, she has the ear of a queen, who could ask for more? Then plots for power and the throne increase and Nicola is caught in the middle of the court games of who will rule and who will die.

Yolen and Harris’ richly detailed writing sweeps readers into the characters’ lives, the plots of the court, and medieval life from the very beginning. The seamless blend of believable characters and their emotions with a very close telling of the story of the “queen without a country” makes this an unforgettable book. I have read this novel several times, and it still keeps its magic for me. Read the companion novels—also about troubled historic Scotland—Girl in a Cage, Prince Across the Water, and The Rogues.

Bleak House

2008-07-14T11:55:00.007-04:00

2005
Starring: Anna Maxwell Martin, Denis Lawson, Gillian Anderson, Carey Mulligan and Patrick Kennedy
Directed by: Justin Chadwick & Susanna White
Fourteen 30-minute episodes

It’s hard to write a summary of this movie because it’s about many things. But it centers (for the most part) on Esther Summerson, who is has recently been taken into the care of Mr. John Jarndyce, to be a companion to his ward, Ada Clare. Mr. Jarndyce’s family is at the bottom of the Jarndyce and Jarndyce law suit, which has been unresolved for years and years and has driven several people mad. Also in the movie there is the beautiful and mysterious Lady Dedlock, who has something to do with Esther’s unknown past – and who lives in fear that her magnanimous secret will be sniffed out by Mr. Tulkinghorn, a somewhat predatory lawyer. Throughout the movie, Esther remains calm and kind, even when she catches a terrible illness and is near death. But problems arise of many different kinds: Richard, Mr. Jarndyce’s other ward, is interested in the Jarndyce suit and becomes more and more obsessed with “putting his shoulder to the wheel” and getting it settled. And Ada, who is an innocent and sweet girl, blindly puts her faith in the man she loves. As for Esther’s own happiness, there are things she has no control over tugging at her fate – but she also has to decide for herself.

I was very impressed by this adaptation of Dickens’s novel. The random crashing sound effects at the start of some scenes was a little odd – sort of like they were trying to make it too dark – but after a few episodes I got used to it and barely noticed anymore. The cast was incredible, especially Burn Gorman as Guppy (there could be no one else so perfect in the role) and Denis Lawson as Mr. Jarndyce. My main disappointments were Mr. Smallweed and Mr. Vholes; neither of them were much like in the book. But a lot of the lines I recognized as being straight from Bleak House, which was a definite point in Andrew Davies’s favor. All in all, I found this to be a delightful movie which didn’t exactly follow the book but was a darn good adaptation. Those who haven’t read it would probably like the film just as much as those who have.

My first review (but not my first book) for Becky’s Charles Dickens Mini-Challenge 08.

Flickr Photo Meme

2008-06-27T15:32:00.002-04:00

I saw this meme several places, but I didn't decide to do it until Felicity from Look Books did it. It was fun and different than most of the other memes going around recently. I just wish I could have had my original choices for numbers 1 and 6 (the people who owned those two chose not to allow them to be used that way).

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into flickr search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name? (As "Ink")

2. What is your favorite food?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush/hero?

6. Favorite drink?

7. Dream vacation?

8. Favorite dessert?

9. What you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. One word to describe you.

12. Your flickr name. (I just used "Ink Mage" since I don't have a Flickr account)

1. Ink in Water Details, 2. CHICKEN TANDOORI, 3. I’m not truant – I’m Homeschooled, 4. Color me lonely...color me blue, 5. Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (Raoul Walsh, 1951), 6. Egg nog, 7. topsail schooner pride of baltimore ll sailing near diamond head hawaii by bill mcallen © all rights reserved, 8. Peppermint ice cream with chocolate sauce., 9. Unsure Undecided Vague, 10. I'm not just a music freak. I can read too!, 11. 51*366/Each One Unique..., 12. AFTER bluedragon02

Fewer Posts...Maybe

2008-06-26T07:30:00.005-04:00

I wanted to let all of you know that there might be a bit fewer posts to this blog in the future (unless of course I can get Tyto Alba to take up some of the slack). Right about...now my first day of work is beginning. Hooray. I hope I like it at least a little more then I think I will.
Usually writing reviews doesn't take me that long, but the problem will be that I won't have as much time for reading. And if any of you happened to have looked at my reading list for the year, you'll know I only recommend a small percentage of what I read.
But perhaps it will make me become more selective in my reading, so I put down the books I don't enjoy so much, who knows. Major life changes scare me. :-)
Hopefully with the new scheduled posts feature, I'll be able to post something at least every once in a while.

Everlost

2008-06-25T14:47:00.001-04:00

by Neal Shusterman

A crash, flight through a dark tunnel, landing, sleep.
Nick and Allie are each in one of the cars involved in a head-on collision, and when they wake they’ve been forgotten in the nearby woods, but they’re still alive. Or are they?
When they meet a boy with no name, they are told that they have entered the world of Everlost and become Afterlights. Would you believe that if someone told you? Neither do Allie and Nick...until no one seems to see them and a bus passes right through Allie.
The two decide to make their ways towards home, to see whether their family members survived. Attacked by a gang of bullies along the way, the companions find refuge in the Everlost versions of the Twin Towers, a dead-spot that has become an Afterlight haven.
But soon Allie notices the pleasant way of life is strangely repetitive, and she knows she must find out why. Throw in a underhanded age-old six-year-old called the Haunter, who can actually lift and move living objects, and a legendary Everlost monster called the McGill (who reminded me of Disney’s Davy Jones), and you’ve got one adventurous and original book.

Everlost played almost like a movie in my head, and there is, in fact, a movie scheduled for adaptation with a 2009 release. The author created a very unique afterlife, the plot is well paced—with some unexpected twists—and the characters change believably throughout the story. However there were several unexplained questions that came up that I wish had been answered, like why don’t many animals cross into Everlost? And why do things such as Everlost balls sink into the ground of the living, while the boats of Everlost don’t sink through living water?
Overall, Everlost was really good and I’d recommend it to anyone. I wouldn’t say it was amazing, but then again I’m very selective about books.

Promise of the Wolves

2008-06-19T21:02:00.000-04:00

by Dorothy Hearst

Once, long ago, a youngwolf kept company with a human child, and brought war and destruction to the land. Now there is a law against association with humans, as well as one to kill all pups with Outsider blood.
The wolflets of Neesa are such pups, and they must be killed. But Kaala fights back when the pack leader, Ruuqo, is about to end her life. And amazingly, the Greatwolves (the wolf-lords of the valley) want her to live; perhaps she is the one the Ancients have chosen to restore the Balance. Or perhaps not.
Although Kaala is officially part of the pack, that doesn’t make Ruuqo or his pups accept her any better. Kaala is determined not to become the curl-tail of the pack, which is especially hard when she is the outcast. And when she comes in contact with a human girl, she is strangely and powerfully drawn to the hairless animals she was taught to fear. It will take all the help and advice her friends Tlittoo, the raven trickster, and Ázzuen can give to keep her from doing something too stupid.
But what if “stupid” can save the lives of every human and wolf in the valley?

Dorothy Hearst’s debut novel is very unique and well researched. Each animal has a voice that humans can relate to, and yet one that is distinctly untamed and suited for the animal’s characteristics. Promise of the Wolves creates a great premise for the rest of the trilogy, and I hope to read the second book of The Wolf Chronicles very soon.

Saving Juliet

2008-06-10T10:21:00.001-04:00

by Suzanne Selfors

Starring as Juliet opposite the handsome Troy Summer, everyone’s attention on her, wearing dresses fit for a princess, should be Mimi’s dream, right? Unfortunately for Mimi Wallingford (a name often followed by “great-granddaughter of Adelaide Wallingford,” founder of the family theatre), Troy is an arrogant dolt who can’t act his way out of a paper bag, she dreams of a medical career, and now she’s getting major stage fright.
About to snap in two with the pressure, Mimi takes Troy’s suggestion and goes to Verona, but not intentionally and not in the modern day world. Fleeing her over-controlling mother just before a performance, Mimi rushes out the backstage door and into...a sixteenth century Verona populated by Montagues and Capulets. This just might be worse than performing in front of a large audience—especially when one is dressed in the Capulet colors and yet is falling for the dashing Benvolio Montague, Troy’s total opposite.
But soon Mimi is on running for her life for trying to save the real Juliet from marrying the horrible Paris Calchetto IV, and she does not know how to get back to Manhattan.

From the cover I didn’t expect much, but Saving Juliet really surprised me. It had romance, depth, an original storyline and characters, and several pretty hilarious bits. The plot had a few interesting twists, and those with any Shakespearian knowledge will enjoy seeing their favorite quotes as chapter titles. I very much look forward to future books by Suzanne Selfors.

Author Meme

2008-06-07T12:02:00.002-04:00

I have been tagged with another meme! And by three people (Dominique, Jordyn, and Nicole B.), too. I must be getting more popular or something. Tyto Alba was also tagged (by Nicole and Jordyn), but declined filling in the meme. For which I'm kind of glad, because while our tastes are similar, they wouldn't be so alike that common favorite authors would be easy to figure out like Nicole challenged us to. Anyway...

Rules: Link to the person that tagged you, post the rules somewhere in your meme, answer the questions, tag six people in your post, let the tagees know they’ve been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog, let the tagger know your entry is posted.

Who’s you all-time favorite author and why?
That's a really hard question; I read so many different genres and have so many different favorites in all of them that I doubt I could ever choose. So I'll just name some: Alex Flinn , Tamora Pierce, L.M. Elliot, Laurence Yep, Celia Rees.

Who was your first favorite author and why? Do you still consider him/her among your favorites?
I honestly do not remember. I'm not sure exactly when I began reading, but somewhere around the age of 4 comes to mind. So maybe it was Arnold Lobel (Frog and Toad series) or Helen Oxenbury (Tom and Pippo books). And no, neither of them are still included in my favorites. I can safely say I completely outgrew them, although if I have children in the future I will definitely introduce them.

Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?
It just might be Beth Kephart. I very recently read her books Undercover and House of Dance and enjoyed them both so much. I love how she pauses, adds just another word or two, describes something ordinary so well that you can picture it perfectly in your mind.

If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth? Are there any you’d add on a moment of further reflection?
Well I've already named some that would definitely "pop out," but a couple others come to mind now. Clare B. Dunkle, Lois Lowry, and Monica Furlong.

My memes never seem to be very exciting. :-(
I'll tag...gosh, it has to be six people?! *Tries to come up with people who haven't already been tagged.*
1. Chloe
2. Aella Siofra
3. Kayla
4. Stephanie
5. The Compulsive Reader
6. Maribeth Kayla

Phew, I did it. I think. Some of you have probably been tagged already.

The Sky Inside

2008-05-28T10:10:00.001-04:00

by Clare B. Dunkle

Martin’s birthday arrives along with signs of spring in the neighborhood; the speakers produce pleasant music that some of the older neighbors call “birdsong.” At thirteen, Martin feels he is too mature for the childish present his parents give him, an Alldog. Large or small, sleek or fuzzy—all the dogs you ever wanted rolled into one! Little does Martin know that his dog—christened “Chip”—will help him discover the mysteries that suddenly pop up. A strange packet is arriving at his father’s job, and Martin’s little sister, a Wonder Baby, is being sent off to a special school that Martin doesn’t get a good sense about.
But what can a young boy and his toy dog and do against the powerful adults and their highly sophisticated bots? But with Martin’s stubbornness and a dog that is a lot more than a toy, it might be a lot more than you think.

Somehow I was not at all apprehensive when I learned that Ms. Dunkle’s newest book would be sci-fi. I knew she could do it, and do it very well, and she did. Just as with her previous novels, The Sky Inside easily transports readers to another world, this is one that is both alien and familiar. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the Hollow Kingdom Trilogy or By These Ten Bones, I think just because this one was not quite as original a setting. With less romance and a bit more action than the author’s other books, The Sky Inside is appropriate and suited for younger children, but is very satisfying for older readers as well.

Look for the sequel coming in 2009, titled The Walls Have Eyes.

A Meme for Two

2008-05-23T07:50:00.003-04:00

Jordyn and Aella tagged both of us with a meme, and Book Brat tagged just Ink Mage. The rules for this one are:

Pick up the nearest book.
Open to page 123.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the next three sentences.
Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you’ve posted your three sentences.

The closest book to Ink Mage is Mary Hooper’s Newes from the Dead:

“Everyone in the room looked keenly at Dr. Petty’s face, watching for any shade of change upon it. He repeated the question once more, before shaking his head and concluding quietly, ‘She does not respond.’ Robert felt his heart fall.”

The closest book to Tyto Alba is Pirate Wars, by Kai Meyer:

“The ray bore him past a balustrade, barely a stone’s throw from the two mysterious figures. Griffin felt a prickling on his skin, a tickling and scratching, as there sometimes was over the deck of a ship when a mighty stroke of lightning came too close. Like an invisible explosion, the certainty flared in him that there were things happening on this balcony that would decide the fate of Aelenium, perhaps of the entire world.”

We’re so late in doing this, is there anyone left untagged?

Undercover

2008-05-21T22:52:00.001-04:00

by Beth Kephart

Elisa Cantor sees the world very differently from other people, while the world sees her as a nobody. She is below her classmates’ radar, undercover. Only boys slide up and speak to her in low voices, asking her for a love poem they can give to their current romantic interest. The simple, undercover things most people don’t notice, like a leaf leaving a tree, the river, and the red coat of a fox against the snow inspire Elisa’s poems.
One boy for whom she has written poems for catches Elisa’s interest; Theo agrees that she’s one-of-a-kind, but he still seems to want to be friends with her. But with his jealous and mean-spirited girlfriend around, they can only meet at the frozen pond at night and skate.

Cyrano de Bergerac, ice-skating, friendship, and writing. Elisa’s story doesn’t focus on any one thing besides Elisa and her exploration of the world and who she is, and her growing confidence. The emotions, the scenery, and the characters are so beautifully described with Beth Kephart’s poetic writing that you just have to love it. From the summary, I did not think I would enjoy Ms. Kephart’s newest book, House of Dance, but now I am very much looking forward to reading it and will definitely check it out.

Remembering Raquel

2008-05-13T15:19:00.001-04:00

by Vivian Vande Velde

“It’s amazing how much dying can do for a girl’s popularity,” observes Vanessa Weiss, a classmate of the fifteen-year-old and recently deceased Raquel Falcone. Vanessa is one the many people whose distinct thoughts on death we hear. Other classmates, teachers, relatives, friends, witnesses to her death, an EMT, and a potential date also share the emotions they struggle with. Some feel guilt, others sorrow, most are shocked and confused and want to do something, but they don’t know what. Everyone wishes they had been nicer to her. One woman gives them a way to “commemorate and memorialize Raquel’s life.”

I read Remembering Raquel in about two sittings (it could have been one, but I was interrupted) and thought it is probably the deepest of Vivian Vande Velde’s work yet. Even if this short book, she managed to give an unusual look at the impact death—especially an unexpected one—can have on our lives.

Brontë & Dickens Challenge

2008-05-05T21:03:00.011-04:00

I’ve officially entered my first challenge(s). Yay! Recently I’ve been into reading historic novels—mainly Jane Austen, but I want to expand my list of old books. So I’m joining Becky’s Brontë Sisters and Charles Dickens Mini-Challenges. The goal is to read and/or watch two books or movies by Dickens, and two by a Brontë. I plan on reading:

Jane Eyre
Villette
Bleak House

And since I’m fond of watching the movie adaptations either before or after reading the book (for comparison), I’m going to watch the 1985 miniseries of Bleak House. Of course, I might decide to read/watch MORE Dickens and Brontë, but for now I won’t bite off more than I can chew. ;-) Wish me luck!

Twisted Fairy Tale Challenge Complete

2008-05-05T08:26:00.003-04:00

I’ve completed Enna Isilee’s Twisted Fairy Tale Challenge by reading:

Beast, by Donna Jo Napoli
A Curse Dark as Gold, by Elizabeth C. Bunce
The Swan Kingdom, by Zoë Marriott
The Swan Maiden, by Heather Tomlinson

I did read Cindy Ella, too, but couldn’t come up with enough to say about it to review it.

Thanks to Enna Isilee for hosting this challenge! I had a lot of fun with it.

The Swan Maiden

2008-05-04T08:17:00.003-04:00

by Heather Tomlinson

Doucette is the youngest, overshadowed by her two beautiful sorceress sisters, who have the one thing Doucette has always longed for: a swan skin. She was born without one, her parents tell her, and will never have the chance to transform herself and soar through the sky with the wings of a swan. But then one day, while cleaning the house like a good chatelaine, she finds something with soft white feathers, edged in gray; Her swan skin. Betrayed by her parents and giddy with her new power, what effects will Doucette’s roiling emotions have on those closest to her, including herself?

The Swan Maiden, inspired by French fairytales, tells a simple, sweet, and lovely story. It only took me one day to read, and kept me entertained, although not on the edge of my seat with excitement. My only real complaint with this book was that the romance—especially at first—was very rushed and undeveloped. We see Doucette and Jaume together only three times before “he’s so kind” and “I’ve always admired you” turns into “let’s get married”! Fortunately the fairytale feel of the novel keeps it from seeming completely ridiculous.

Look for the author’s Aurelie: A Faerie Tale, coming September 2008.

Fourth book read for Enna-Isilee’s Twisted Fairy Tale Challenge.

Primavera

2008-05-01T22:00:00.003-04:00

by Mary Jane Beaufrand

The youngest of the Pazzi children, and a girl without beauty, Flora is the forgotten one in the family. But she gardens and helps her Nonna in the kitchen and doesn’t mind. Too much. Being out of the way of politics, it’s not until the Pazzi fortune starts to dwindle that Flora begins to open her eyes to the issues around her, such as the Medici, an extremely ambitious rival family. Flora’s passage from innocent girl to indomitable young woman may be filled with danger, mystery, and murder, but small, insignificant people sometimes turn out to be the strongest and make the biggest difference. Flora—with the help of her friend Emilio—is determined to survive no matter what it takes.

I don’t feel like I can give a very accurate report because I think I would have enjoyed Primavera a lot more if I’d been in a different mood or state of mind when I began reading. It was good and entertaining, but I didn’t especially love it, and I’d definitely like to read more by Mary Jane Beaufrand, but I really don’t know what else to say; Nothing made it stand out in my mind, possibly because it had similarities to Daughter of Venice and The Falconer’s Knot and so wasn’t a hugely original setting in my mind.
Although a lot of places are rating this book for ages 9-12, I definitely would not suggest it to any nine-year-olds; there are several horrifying and bloody scenes that Flora witnesses.
For an interesting contrast, read Carolyn Meyer’s Duchessina.

Read and for my Royalty Rules Reading Challenge.

Royalty Rules Wrap-Up

2008-04-30T08:36:00.002-04:00

Today is the last day of the Royalty Rules Reading Challenge. Thanks to all who participated! It was my first challenge to host, and you all made it awesome because of your reviews.

If you want to finish up a book or review at the last minute, go ahead. I’ll leave the Mr. Linky up for a couple more days. It’s not like I even have all my reviews finished!

For this challenge I read Hush: An Irish Princess’ Tale, by Donna Jo Naploli, Guinevere’s Gift, by Nancy McKenzie, and Primavera, by Mary Jane Beaufrand.

View a list of all reviews here.

The Pack

2008-04-28T10:23:00.004-04:00

by Elisa Carbone

“When Akhil Vyas showed up at school in early October, I thought he was, without a doubt, the weirdest person on earth.” These are the words of Becky Tuttle, one of the most unpopular girls in the entire school. And Akhil is weird, with his scarred body and his strange refusals to sit in a chair. Becky, knowing Akhil will be the new target for criticism and bullying, decides to stay as far away from him as possible. But when Becky’s only friend, Omar, begins to talk to Akhil and eat lunch with him, Becky is at first resentful, but then thinks maybe Akhil’s not so bad after all. Though Becky, Akhil, and Omar all quickly become friends, Becky still wonders about Akhil’s secrets, and why the National Institute of Health is studying him. But soon after Akhil reveals his amazing secret, there are more urgent things to worry about—such as what Kyle Metzger, the racist school bully, is planning. With a little illegal action and a lot of guts, Becky, Akhil, and Omar (the “Three Misfit Musketeers”) stumble across a horrible plan, which they just might be able to stop before it’s too late.

Although this book was relatively short, it had a really great story, interesting characters, and a good moral. The Pack will have you eagerly reading until the very end (at which you’ll probably start sobbing). I’d definitely recommend it.

The Swan Kingdom

2008-04-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

by Zoë Marriott

The wise women who practice the Old Ways have always looked after the Kingdom, keeping it fruitful, green, and peaceful. Just after her fifteenth birthday, Lady Alexandra must take the place of her recently deceased mother as protector of the land. But the Dark is creeping in, flashes of rot and greed are appearing. Alexandra’s own father is quickly besotted with—and betrothed to—Zella, a beautiful young woman who instantly charms everyone except Alexandra and her three brothers.
The night before their father is forever bound to Zella, the children decide they must take action, but they do not know the power of an angry witch. Hugh, David, and Robin flee the palace in the form of swans. It is up to Alexandra alone to unravel the spell that took her brothers from her, and then restore them to their true forms.

I really loved this book. Not so much for the storyline—which although good was not an amazingly unique retelling—but for Zoë Marriott’s wonderful writing style, which put me in mind of Monica Furlong’s Doran Trilogy (Juniper, Wise Child, and Colman). I could usually foresee slightly ahead of what would happen, but it still kept me reading because I wanted to see if my theory proved true. If you enjoy The Swan Kingdom, Ms. Marriott’s second book, titled Daughter of the Flames, will be released in the U.S. some time next year.

Third book read for Enna-Isilee’s Twisted Fairy Tale Challenge.

Guinevere’s Gift

2008-04-19T09:27:00.005-04:00

by Nancy McKenzie

Many years before she even glimpsed Arthur, Guinevere was an orphan living with her aunt, uncle, and cousin Elaine. Even now jealous of her beautiful elder sister, Guinevere’s aunt Alyse keeps Gwen on a tight rein while giving her own daughter her way. And although she’s a year younger than her cousin, Elaine is determined to find a suitor and get married. Then Sir Darric comes to visit, and seems to bring other troubles with him, like Elaine’s infatuation with him, and the disappearance of King Leodegrance’s livestock. Guinevere seems to be the only person who notices these things—but will she be able to save her cousin’s life and protect an ancient people?

This is the type of story I would have loved when I was several years younger, with a headstrong heroine who saves the day! Now it is still enjoyable, and I look forward to reading the next books in the Chrysalis Queen Quartet, but the writing was just a bit juvenile for my tastes. Perhaps because I had previously read Queen of Camelot and was expecting something a bit more like that. Still, Guinevere’s Gift is a nice introduction to Arthurian novels for younger readers, and a great tale for girls who like adventure.

Read and reviewed for my Royalty Rules Reading Challenge.

Indie Girl

2008-04-16T20:17:00.006-04:00

by Kavita Daswani

When she was eleven years old, Indira “Indie” Konkipuddi decided that she wanted to be a fashion reporter. At fifteen, she thinks the beginning of her dream is coming true when she sees the ad for a summer internship with Celebrity Style—one of the hottest fashion magazines in the country—and when the publisher, Aaralyn Taylor, visits her school on a career day. But the only thing Indie is offered is to babysit for Aaralyn’s two-year-old son. Indie takes the job, hoping that even though this isn’t what she’d hoped for, she can still get closer to Aaralyn and show off her vast knowledge about fashion. But soon Indie finds out that Celebrity Style is not doing as well as she thought, and also that Trixie Van Alden, one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, is having her wedding dress made in India. With this huge information, Indie thinks that maybe now she’ll have a chance to prove herself....

This book was somewhat predictable (as I expected it to be), but Indie is a pretty levelheaded character, and I was pleased that not everything worked out perfectly in the end. Indie Girl is definitely a good book that I didn’t have to think about much but still enjoyed reading.

Fly on the Wall

2008-04-07T17:52:00.001-04:00

How One Girl Saw Everything
by E. Lockhart

Sixteen-year-old Gretchen Yee wishes she had superhero powers so she could talk to the boy she likes, wishes she could keep her parents from separating, and to—be a fly on the wall in the boys’ locker room?! Of course, she doesn’t actually think it will happen when she wishes it aloud, but the next day she wakes up with six legs and the ability to see 180 degrees around her. She is also on a tile wall somewhere inside the Manhattan High School for the Arts.
When first grasping the fact that her impulsive wish came true Gretchen is not too happy, but then she begins to see the advantages; this is her chance to see how boys are when they’re not showing off in front of their girlfriends...and well, watching them change for gym isn’t bad, either.
But she doesn’t want to be trapped in the form of a vermin for life.
Fly on the Wall is a short and definitely unique novel, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny (even a couple days after I read it I was giggling). And although it was mostly humorous, it also contained some of Gretchen’s startling realizations that were actually pretty deep. Though I have never read any of the author’s other books because they don’t look my style, I’ll definitely check out a couple others after reading this one.

Ages sixteen and up for language and because Gretchen really does see (and describe—sometimes in a bit too much detail), ahem, everything there is to see in the boys’ locker room. Depending on the maturity of the reader, you could probably go younger. I just don’t want anyone to be unnecessarily offended.

A Curse Dark as Gold

2008-04-03T07:56:00.003-04:00

by Elizabeth C. Bunce

I’d been hearing a lot about this book—both positive and negative—that was making me want to read it a lot. It took me a while (had to request that my library buy a copy and then wait for it to be processed) but I was finally able to read it, and I’m so glad I got to.

The book opens with a funeral; Charlotte Miller and her sister Rosie are morning their father under a dark sky, which Charlotte believes signifies the beginning of the end—of life as she knows and it and of Stirwaters mill. But she is determined to stick it out as long as she can, despite her controlling uncle and the belief that a female can’t manage a factory...and the streak of bad luck the mill has undergone recently. Superstitious workers say it’s the Stirwaters Curse, but that’s just foolishness in Charlotte’s mind. How much will have to be taken from her before she accepts that there is something very strange afoot?

A Curse Dark as Gold was really good; I loved how it was so much of a retelling and—past the basic storyline of spun gold and the spinner’s discovered name—wasn’t at all predictable. With a first novel this good, I can’t wait to see what other golden stories Ms. Bunce will spin.

Once you’ve read the book, don’t miss Miss Erin’s excellent interview with the author.

Second book read for Enna Isilee’s Twisted Fairy Tale Challenge.

The Mutating Meme

2008-04-01T07:25:00.004-04:00

Both Liv and Medeia Senka tagged me with this meme, which is kind of hard to answer since I was tagged by two--one mutated, one not. So I combined both their questions plus will add one of my own:

-Copy and paste the questions, then fill in your answers. Post this on your blog, livejournal, etc. There’s a catch, though. You have to change/add a question from the meme you were tagged with.
- Post the rules.
-Link to the person who tagged you.
-Tag 3 people by commenting on their blog.
-Link back to the original to see how much it has mutated.

1.) If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I kind of already did that (when I was six), although it was just altering the pronunciation from the Americanized one to the original from its place of origin. So I'm happy with my name.

2.) If you were writing a book, what would your lead character's name be?
If I were ever going to finish the book I started, the main character's name would be Vanessa. If I ever write anything else that might eventually be a novel, I'd have to think about it; I like for there to be hidden meanings in the names I give characters.

3.) What is your least favorite food?
Venison burgers, probably. Last time I was in the same house while they were being cooked I had to hide in my room to keep from gagging. I can't imagine eating one.

4.) Are there any songs that get stuck in your head really easily? How do you get them out?
Yes, there are! Usually ones that suck like most Christmas carols and a lot of oldies. Sometimes annoying classical pieces. I get them out by humming either a song I like (Breakaway, This One's for the Girls, Le nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia overtures, Dvořák's 8th or 9th symphonies), hopefully another one that will get stuck in my head. Or I just turn on the radio.

5.) If you could be (or are) a mythical creature, what would it be (or what are you)?
I would be a dragon! Flying and being able to breathe fire on people would be fun.

6.) What do colors taste like?
Crayons.

7.) Which Disney princess is your favorite?
Eew, Disney's animation?! None of them, thank you. They're all helpless little perfect-looking sticks.

8.) Name three (or more if you like) fawesome words.
Indefatigable, grackle, zephyr.

9.) What kind of toothpaste do you use?
Thom's of Maine, sometimes other brands if I'm going somewhere and only want a small tube.

10.) If you could chose one superpower, what would it be?
Mind reading, although it might be kind of scary sometimes.

11.) What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Cold cereal, but only if we have real milk. A lot of times the only options are soy, rice, or almond milk. I only like certain brands of those--the kinds that don't taste like a bean, old dish water, or like someone took water they'd soaked a Popsicle stick with no Popsicle on it in and gave it to me to drink.

I tag Gem, Felicity, and Enna Isilee.

Project 17

2008-03-30T10:35:00.004-04:00

by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Derik LaPointe wants to be a movie producer—not the owner of the family diner like his parents expect him to be. So when he hears about the internship/movie contest on Reality TV Network, he knows he has to take his chance and try to win the thing. But where to shoot the movie? What would be dramatic, interesting, attention-catching? How about Danvers State Hospital, the abandoned mental institution? Derik decides that this is the perfect setting, and since it’s about to be bulldozed next week, he needs to move fast. The cast is a hodgepodge of students: Liza, who does it for her college application; Tony and Greta, who do it for their acting careers; Chet, who does it for fun; and Mimi, who does it because she needs to find out something. The six teens couldn’t be more different from each other, but nothing about their everyday social circles matter once they’re inside Danvers State. The place is forlorn and rotting—an eerie memorial of all the terrible things that once went on inside it. Derik is determined to get his movie filmed and then quickly get out of there, but things don’t turn out that easy. It seems almost like there’s someone or something in the building with them, but that could just be their jumpy nerves. As the companions progress through the building and things become more and more bizarre, they subtly become closer and more trusting of each other. But will this be enough? Does the ghostly voice Mimi hears mean them harm? And what will they do if it does?

Yes, this book is a supernatural thriller, and yes, the very idea of exploring an old mental institution is oddly disturbing. But Ms. Stolarz kept the story haunting and interesting, not full of gore or distasteful things like that. The characters had a lot of personality and you actually cared about them—plus it was interesting to see how each one of them changed, since the chapters alternated between their different points of view. There was a lot of unnecessary cursing, but other than that I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story with some spine-tingles included.

Ophelia

2008-03-27T08:09:00.004-04:00

by Lisa M. Klein

Ophelia has admired Prince Hamlet since the days when she and her brother Laertes played in the streets of their village. Because she is not a nobleman’s daughter, Ophelia has little hope of speaking with the dashing prince, until her father’s greedy ambitions bring their family to the palace. Noticed by the queen, Ophelia is asked to become a lady-in-waiting. Though she is the lady with the lowest social standing, her quick wit and charm soon make Ophelia a favorite of Queen Gertrude...as well as Prince Hamlet. The lovers begin secret trysts in the village, dressing as peasants and calling each other “Jack” and “Jill,” whose simple lives they sometimes wish they could live. Even with their love a secret from most, Hamlet and Ophelia are happy enough—until King Hamlet’s ghost is sighted. As the Prince begins to go wild with the grief of his father’s death, Ophelia realizes that she must free herself from Hamlet before it’s too late.

Beautifully written, Ophelia begins long before, leaves off far past the end, and delves much deeper into the entire story of Hamlet, creating an Ophelia who is not just Hamlet’s mad-with-grief lover, but a smart, headstrong young woman who comes into her own despite the challenges placed before her.

Six (Not So) Random Things

2008-03-19T08:49:00.003-04:00

Em tagged me with this meme:

1. I'm horrible at coming up with anything random. At all. It takes me about 10 minutes for some reason. That's why I enjoy being around random people so much, and why my answers for this meme probably won't be very exciting.

2. I have never read an anime but I have a deep dislike for them and never plan on reading one.

3. I'm only up to three things and am already nearing the end of my randomness.

4. I was in a "car accident" when I was four; There wasn't enough space inside the Little Tykes car for three little kids, so I rode on the roof. And since I "had a tickle" I had to let go to scratch it and fell head-first onto my friends' concrete patio. I have a flat spot on my forehead to this day (fortunately it can only be seen in certain lights), and it probably also permanently killed off some important brain cells.

5. I love bare feet, and if I can't have them, I like flip flops. Shoes are a last resort for when it's raining (I don't want to slip), freezing/snowing, or I'm going hiking or whatever.

6. I have never been in an airplane or outside of my own little time zone, but I want to go to England some day (and see everything in London and then go to Portsmouth and see the H.M.S. Victory), and also Ireland because I have a pen pal there, I would love to go to a real Céilidh, and just because.

So here are the rules for this meme in case you want to play:
1. You link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.

I'll tag Tasha, Katie, Felicity, Pilar Mutya, The Compulsive Reader, and Tyto Alba (I don't care if we have two of these things on the same blog).

Beast

2008-03-18T14:30:00.001-04:00

by Donna Jo Napoli

Persian Prince Orasmyn—with a soft spot for roses and no desire to go on hunts—is a good Muslim boy, but when a sacrificial camel is found to be imperfect right before the Feast of Sacrifices, Orasmyn covers it up. For his careless decision, a pari—or fairy—curses him as a Beast, tells him that no woman will ever love him, and announces that the Prince’s own father will kill him tomorrow.
To survive, Orasmyn must leave the palace, but to survive outside of the kingdom’s walls means he must give in to his feline instincts. If he can find a woman who loves him as Beast, Orasmyn might be able to break his curse, but he must search far and wide. What will his wanderings teach him?

Beast was a lot more about the lives of lions than I imagined it would be, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn’t what I was expecting in a lot of ways. For a large part of the novel the prince tries to live as a lion without becoming entirely Beast, and it took quite a while to get into the parts that are actually in the fairytale, making it almost a Beauty and the Beast prequel. The ending seemed very sudden to me, and there was no indication of how Orasmyn knew he had to find his Belle to be changed back into a human.

This is the first book I’ve read for Enna Isilee’s Twisted Fairy Tale Challenge.

Bloody Jack Adventures

2008-03-15T21:14:00.011-04:00

Being Full Accounts of the Life of the Notorious Jacky Faber, Midshipman, Fine Lady, Pirate, Keelboat Captain, Lily of the West, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy, and Queen of the Ocean Sea
by L.A. Meyer

This series centers on spunky Mary Faber, who gets into—and out of—every kind of scrape imaginable. In the first book she starts out as a London street orphan who signs aboard the H.M.S. Dolphin to make an honorable living. Disguised as a boy and newly christened “Jacky,” she hopes to voyage to far lands and see the Bombay Rat and the Cathay Cat. But it’s not that easy: life on a royal warship during the Napoleonic Wars is harsh in many ways, including cruel officers and bloody battles with pirates.
In a strange turn of events, Jacky is discovered as a girl by the Dolphin’s crew, separated from her true love, Mr. James “Jaimy” Emerson Fletcher, and sent to the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls to be gentrified.
But learning to be a lady by all odds won’t keep Jacky Faber inside making samplers or away from her beau. No way, she roves the world from the streets of London to a gaol in Boston, the hills of Ireland to the mud of the Mississippi, the swells of the Caribbean Sea to the guillotine in France, and everywhere in between.

Along the way Jacky makes friends in high places and in low (very memorable and almost over the top, but never annoyingly so characters), and the acquaintances of many handsome young men....

There is something for everyone in these novels: adventure, romance, humor, sentiment, drama, even a little action. They are filled with lots of fun little references to legends, characters from classic novels, historical figures, and—most particularly—songs from the period. Like most series, Jacky’s adventures have high and low points, but over all are simply amazing and can be described in one word: WOW. The series is definitely one of my favorites, and has its own small fan club on the Bloody Jack Boards (which I don’t recommend visiting until you’ve read the series because of spoilers).
Fans of Celia Rees’ Pirates! and the Piratica Trilogy by Tanith Lee will love Jacky Faber!

Note: These are definitely at least age 12-and-up books due to mature content matter (some violence and sexual references).

Check out this awesome fan-made trailer!

Read every one of Jacky’s exciting adventures in:

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship’s Boy
Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady
Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber
In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber
Mississippi Jack: Being an Account of the Further Waterborne Adventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman, Fine Lady, and the Lily of the West
My Bonny Light Horseman: Being the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War
Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy
Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber, on her Way to Botany Bay
The Mark of the Golden Dragon (working title)