Fire

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.

Natalie's Good Fortune

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.

TLC Blog Tour: Starfinder

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.

Two Girls of Gettysburg

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!)

The Dust of 100 Dogs

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

A New (To Me) Movie Series

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!

Flora's Dare

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.

Promise of the Wolves

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.

Guinevere’s Gift

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.

Bloody Jack Adventures

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)

The Declaration

by Gemma Malley

The year is 2140, and the general population has decided that they want to live forever. The drug Longevity allows them to do just that. But since no one dies, there isn’t enough room or resources for any new babies to be born. Therefore, the Declaration is written and signed, outlawing the very existence of all children. Illegally born people (called “Surpluses”) are quickly taken away to live in institutions that train them for a life of manual work—they repay the sin of having been born with near slave labor. Surplus Anna has lived almost her entire life within the cold walls of Grange Hall; Surpluses aren’t allowed to go Outside, and why should she want to anyway? She doesn’t deserve to exist. Anna has only one goal, one point, and that is to be the most useful and obedient Surplus she can. But when Peter comes to stay at Grange Hall, everything is different. He tells Anna that he knows her parents, that they still love her and are longing for her to come home. At first Anna is skeptical and resentful, but still the news makes her curious. Through Peter, Anna finds her own rebellious spark and realizes that she has to run from Grange Hall. But can she and Peter escape the twisted headmistress, Mrs. Pincent? And if so, what will await Anna in the Outside?

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, but by no means was it shallow. If you like The Giver or Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Shadow Children series, you’ll like The Declaration. I’m greatly looking forward to the sequel, The Resistance, which will be available in September.

Voyage of Midnight

Being the true story of my, Phillip Arthur Higgins’, misfortunate childhood, and of my subsequent voyage from Africa with a cargo of slaves, of the frightful sufferings endured during that middle passage, and of what happened afterward
As told by Michelle Torrey

In 1818, 12-year-old orphan Phillip Higgins boards the ship Hope and sets off for his new life with his uncle in America. Only, his uncle isn’t there. Phillip is taken in by the kindly Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher, who treat him like the son they never had. For two years Phillip stays there, until one day, while walking along the wharf, Phillip sees his uncle, now captain of the Formidable. Using his knowledge of medicines gathered from working in the Gallagher’s apothecary shop, he signs on with his uncle as surgeon’s mate. Phillip is delighted to be reunited with his only living relation, but once aboard things begin to look a bit strange. It is not until they are well underway that the true nature of their voyage is revealed; the ship is headed for Africa, where “black gold” can be found. Convinced that they are doing the Africans a kindness by bringing them to God and civilization, Phillip goes along with his uncle’s moneymaking plans. He even receives his own personal slave, Pea Soup, from a rich slave trader. Soon though, the horrors of the slave trade come out, and Phillip must decide whose side he is on.
I expected Voyage of Midnight to be an easy-to-read classic-style adventure story, and that’s pretty much what I got. It’s a good introduction to the internal good versus bad battle, mixed with adventure which younger readers would probably enjoy more than I did. Phillip Higgins’ story is based on a true one, but it is not told in a particularly memorable way for elder readers.

My first book read and reviewed for the Seafaring Challenge (hosted by I Heart Paperbacks), making me a Midshipman. Read others’ reviews at the Seafaring Tales Blog.

Flora Segunda

Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog
by Ysabeau S. Wilce

Flora Nemain Fyrdraaca ov Fyrdraaca lives in a rundown house with eleven thousand rooms (but only one working toilet), her mad father, five gazehounds, and no Butler. He was banished, you see, by Flora’s authoritative mother, Commanding General of the Warlord’s army. One day, in a hurry, Flora decides to take Crackpot Hall’s temperamental Elevator to the second floor instead of the very long staircase, but it doesn’t let her off at the expected destination. Instead it takes her to the Bibliotheca Mayor, where Flora finds a faded boy who turns out to be Valefor, the magickal banished Butler himself. He only needs a bit of Flora’s Anima, her magical essence, to become well—and then he could return to his Butler duties and Flora would never again have to do chores. But the sly Butler isn’t telling her everything, and Flora is getting herself into more than she knows. Soon she must go on a long journey...or lose her life.
The beginning may be a little hard for you to get into, but persevere; once Flora discovers Valefor things start to pick up, and Flora Segunda becomes a unique and fast-paced story. It’s a terrific mix of fantasy and adventure, and by the middle I was flying through it and by the end I was wishing that the next book in the series was out NOW.
Visit the author or grab a copy of the Califa Police Gazette to find out more about the forthcoming Flora’s Dare: 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).

Horatio Hornblower: The Duel

1998
Director: Andrew Grieve
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Dorian Healy, Robert Lindsay

Seventeen-year-old Horatio Hornblower (Gruffudd) is just beginning his service with the British navy as a midshipman aboard the Justinian. Although at first he is terrified of heights and unused to the rocking of the ship, young Horatio is brilliant at calculating, navigation, and mathematics. But jealousy and hatred arises. Jack Simpson (Healy) is senior midshipman, and with his power over the other midshipmen, he “teaches them their places” by eating their food, beating them when he wishes to, and generally making their lives miserable. So when Horatio is being “snotty” and questions the rules made by Jack Simpson, he becomes the victim of Simpson’s wrath. Struggling to adjust to his new life, attend his duties, and stay out of Simpson’s way, Horatio has a seemingly doomed beginning to his naval career. Transferred to the Indefatigable, Horatio believes for a while that he is safe. But Jack Simpson is never far away, and when he goes a step too far, Horatio decides the abuse can go on no longer, and he challenges the senior midshipman to a duel with pistols. Watch this wonderful movie to find out what happens! The Duel is a great film that will quickly sweep you up in its amazing reenactments of battles at sea, duels, and one young man’s intelligence and determination. If you enjoy this movie, be sure to continue watching the series with The Fireship, The Duchess and the Devil, The Wrong War, The Mutiny, Retribution, Loyalty, and Duty.

Bridge to Terabithia

Director: Gabor Csupo
Genre: Adventure/drama/family/fantasy
Rated PG for thematic elements including bullying, some peril and mild language
Starring Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb

When I first saw the trailer for this movie I was shocked; What had they done to such a great story?! It didn’t look anything like the touching tale of friendship the novel tells. But, after reading positive reviews from others who had also enjoyed the book, I decided to go see for myself—and was pleasantly surprised.

Jesse Oliver Aarons, Jr. has been training all summer to be the fastest kid in the fifth grade, but that dream is crushed when the new girl, Leslie Burke, beats all the boys on the first day of school. At first Jess is against Leslie, both for beating him and for being weird, but then he figures, “Why shouldn’t I talk to her?” and a strong friendship develops. The two create Terabithia, a secret magical kingdom in the woods where they are free from bullies and worries, and where their imagination is boundless. Leslie finally has a friend, and Jess learns how to daydream. But a sudden catastrophe shatters Terabithia, and Jess wonders if it can ever be rebuilt again.
The movie adaptation sticks close to the main plot of the book, with only a few minutes of CGI—which is to show you what the characters see—and AnnaSophia Robb is the perfect Leslie, with her friendly smile and large sparkling eyes. Although I thought the animation took away from the quiet power that is captured in the novel, Bridge to Terabithia was a good movie and very worth watching for all ages.