The Magic of Ink

Friday, February 1, 2008

Royalty Rules Reviews & Kickoff!

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Seafaring Challenge Wrap-Up

Today sees the end of the Seafaring Challenge hosted by I Heart Paperbacks. I’d like to thank Christina for coming up with such an awesome idea for a challenge. It was well-planned and I had a lot of fun! This was the first challenge I ever participated in and I can’t think of a better one to have entered.

My goal was to climb to the highest “rank” of Admiral by reading four or more books. I did so by reading the following:

Voyage of Midnight, by Michelle Torrey
Peter Simple, by Frederick Marryat
All Sail Set: A Romance of the Flying Cloud, by Armstrong Sperry
The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain’s Journey, by Linda Greenlaw

(You can read other participant’s reviews at the Seafaring Tales blog.)

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Told By the Animals

There are actually a lot of books from animals’ points of view. I find the subject very interesting because first of all, I love animals, and also because stories told by other creatures can say a lot of different things than stories told by humans. We can’t really know if authors are portraying animal thoughts accurately or not, but it’s still fun to read about!

A lot of people have already heard of or read Erin Hunter’s awesome Warriors series, but I love the books so much that I had to include them! They begin with the story of Rusty, a housecat who ventures outside his fence one day and is taken into ThunderClan, one of the four cat Clans in the forest. Soon his name is changed to Firepaw and he’s a warrior apprentice. But evil cats are also among the Clans, and Firepaw must find a way to defeat them. Into the Wild begins Firepaw’s story, continuing with Fire and Ice, Forest of Secrets, Rising Storm, A Dangerous Path, and The Darkest Hour. There are also two sub-series (Warriors: The New Prophecy and Warriors: The Power of Thre e), going down the generations to include new adventures and new characters.

Another pretty well-known but wonderful series is Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky. These are not about domestic cats, however, but about almost magical owls and their kingdom, Tyto. The first books, The Capture, The Journey, The Rescue, The Siege, The Shattering, and The Burning center on Soren, a young barn owl who is shoved out of the nest by his cruel brother, Kludd, and taken away to St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls. Along with friends Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger, Soren escapes and sets off for the Great Ga’Hoole Tree, a legendary place where owls are warriors. Two books in the series, The Hatchling and The Outcast are about Soren’s nephew, Coryn, and then the series braches off into the Legends of Hoole for three books (boringest part of the series, I thought) before coming back to Coryn. The release date for the latest book, Exile, is February 1st.

The Good Dog by Avi is very enjoyable. McKinley, an obedient malamute and the top dog of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is curious when he hears that a wolf is roaming around his territory. It turns out that her name is Lupin and she’s searching for strong, brave dogs to join her pack, which is dying out. This gives McKinley a dilemma—be the good dog that he’s always been and enjoys being, or give in to “the call of the wild” and go with Lupin.

Meredith Ann Pierce’s Firebringer Trilogy has a different twist: these books are about unicorns, and also include griffins, wyverns, and pans. Beginning with Birth of the Firebringer, the protagonist is Aljan (meaning “Dark Moon), hot-headed son of the Prince of the unicorns. Jan is young and not yet a warrior, but when he begins receiving disturbing dreams that speak of a prophecy, he starts to wonder if there’s something special about him. He has to go on a grueling pilgrimage with the other unicorns to become a full warrior, so along with his friend Dagg and their mentor Tek, he goes forward to figure out his destiny. The trilogy continues with Dark Moon and The Son of Summer Stars, but I liked the first book the most.

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread, by Kate DiCamillo. Well, this book is quite silly. Mice read, rats plan, and people have ears that look like cauliflower. The story is that little Despereaux Tilling, a mouse, is outcast by his family, who live in the basement of a castle. So he goes upstairs and sees the princess, Pea who he promptly falls in love with. Then Miggery Sow comes into the scene and makes a deal with the evil rat, Roscuro, because she wants to be a beautiful princess like Pea. What did I tell you? Very silly. But I still had fun reading this book because it was something you could laugh at and read without really having to think. “Cute” is probably a good word to describe it. The movie adaptation (starring Matthew Broderick, Tracey Ullman, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Watson) is due December 19th, 2008.

Ink Mage got me to read The Grand Escape by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor when I was ten or eleven. The book is about two housecats, Marco and Polo, who are fascinated by the world they see outside the window of their house. So they plan their grand escape and are soon wandering the streets until, hungry, they stop at a restaurant’s dumpster for something to eat. There they meet Texas Jake, Carlotta, and Elvis, who are also part-time strays. The adventures continue in The Healing of Texas Jake, Carlotta’s Kittens, and Polo’s Mother.

The Silverwing Trilogy, by Kenneth Oppel, is very awesome. Shade, a young silverwing bat, is the smallest in his colony. During the winter migration to the tropics, Shade gets separated from the others and thinks he’ll die because he’s too small to make it on his own. However, he meets Marina, a brightwing bat, who decides to help him on his journey. But things don’t go as planned, and soon the two friends are fleeing for their lives as they get swept along on a daring quest full of predatory owls, rats, and evil vampire bats who are trying to take control of the bats’ world. There is also a Silverwing-based TV series, but it’s hard to find unless you want to buy it.

Exiled: Memoirs of a Camel by Kathleen Karr is certainly one-of-a-kind! The only story about a camel that I’ve ever read or heard of, this book is about Ali, who lives with his mother in Egypt in the 1800’s. Separated from his mother when he’s young, Ali is sold to the Camel Corps in the U.S. The sea crossing is treacherous and Ali has trouble with another camel who’s vying for his love interest, but soon the entire Camel Corps expedition is abandoned, and Ali has to escape to a real life in the desert-like landscape of Texas. The story ended strangely, but it was original and I felt affectionate for Ali and his friends.

M.I. McAllister’s Mistmantle Chronicles are of a different sort. The animals in her books (squirrels, otters, moles and hedgehogs) are more like humans because they cook, use weapons, and even wear clothing and spectacles! Nonetheless they’re fun books, and most animal lovers would probably enjoy them. So far there are only three volumes in the series: Urchin of the Riding Stars, Urchin and the Heartstone, and The Heir of Mistmantle. They follow the adventures of Urchin, an orphaned squirrel who fell from the sky on a night of “riding stars,” and discovers foul plots after he becomes a page in the castle.

I’d really like to read Asta Bowen’s Wolf: The Journey Home, which is about a wolf family who has to journey back to their hunting grounds after being mistakenly relocated by scientists. Unfortunately my library won’t purchase it.

Recently I read The Wild Road, by Gabriel King, and loved it. It’s hard to explain the actual plot, but it’s basically about a kitten, Tag, who has never known anything but a warm house and food out of a can. He grows bored with this life, however, and when the Majicou—a cat with magical powers—sees a “Great Cat” in him and wants him as an apprentice, Tag is a little bit excited at the prospect of an adventure. But things turn out harder than he ever imagined, and soon Tag is fighting for not only his own life, but for the life of every good animal in the world. The Golden Cat is the sequel.

Something you might not have heard of yet is Erin Hunter’s new series Seekers, which will center on bears. The first book, The Quest Begins, is being released on May 27th. I can’t wait!

Other YA “Animal Protagonist” Books:

Fire Bringer, by David Clement-Davies
Tailchaser’s Song, by Tad Williams
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The Sight
Fell, by David Clement-Davies
-
The Dark Portal
The Crystal Prison
The Final Reckoning, by Robin Jarvis

For Younger Readers:

Swordbird, by Nancy Yi Fan
A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray, by Ann M. Martin
The Wainscott Weasel, by Tor Seidler
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Varjak Paw
The Outlaw Varjak Paw, by S.F. Said
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Air Ferrets Aloft
Rescue Ferrets at Sea
Writer Ferrets: Chasing the Muse
Rancher Ferrets on the Range
The Last War: Detective Ferrets and the Case of the Golden Deed, by Richard Bach
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Catwings
Catwings Return
Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings
Jane on Her Own
Tales of the Catwings, by Ursula K. Le Guin
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I, Jack
Jack and Rebel, the Police Dog, by Patricia Finney

Sunday, January 27, 2008

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney

by Suzanne Harper

Sparrow Delaney is perfectly normal—at least on the outside. What she doesn’t want her new high school peers to know is that she lives in a house cluttered with old and bizarre objects with her large family of mediums, and that she herself, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, has been talking to ghosts since she was five. Oh yeah, and she has not one, not two, but three bossy spirit guides who are always meddling with her life.
But Sparrow is hard-pressed to keep her secrets when a new ghost shows up at school and won’t leave her alone, and her cute-but-moody partner, Jack, wants to write about Lily Dale, New York for their history project.
Soon, though, Sparrow begins to think that Jack has his own secrets he’s trying to forget by attending a new school. They might just be more alike than Sparrow first thought.

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney was a light, enjoyable read that had enough humorous observations, over-the-top characters, and depth to keep the fluff at bay.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Piratica

Being a Daring Tale of a Singular Girl’s Adventure Upon the High Seas
Presented Most Handsomely by the Notorious Tanith Lee

Sixteen-year-old Artemesia (Art) Blastside doesn’t remember any other life than the cold, confined one of the Angel’s Academy for Young Maidens. Then one day she hits her head and remembers. She remembers her mother, Piratica, the daring Pirate Queen of the Seas, weaving in and out of a fight with her silver cutlass. She remembers her mother’s crew, a medley of men, some grizzled and some barely older than herself. She remembers sailing away in the sunset, chests full of jewels and gold, and her mother’s pink version of the Jolly Roger, the “Jolly Molly,” flying high above her head as she scampered up the rigging. And so Art, not able to stand living at the horrid academy a moment longer than the six years she’s already spent there, runs away. But the truth is that Molly Faith, Piratica, Queen of the High Seas, is dead, having been blown up by one of her own cannons. When Art meets her mother’s old crew, they are working as advertising a coffee company, riding the dinky ship the Pirate Coffee. Art convinces the men to come with her to be real pirates again, and, with much grumbling, and murmurs of, “She’s not Molly,” they agree. Art, taking on her mother’s title of Piratica, captures her first ship and makes it her own, renaming it the Unwelcome Stranger and flying above it the Jolly Molly. A cruel pirate captain, Little Goldie Girl, wants a map in Art’s possession, and Art begins to think that it’s real treasure map, not a fake. So, setting out with her crew, her mother’s parrot, Plunqwette, and Muck, the Cleanest Dog in England, Art sails toward the treasure island, and whatever waits there for her.

Though the puns and sometimes ridiculous play on words quickly get old, Piratica is worth reading if you’re interested in pirates and life on the high seas. Look for both Piratica II: Return to Parrot Island and Piratica III: The Family Sea (not released in the U.S. yet).

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The Hungry Ocean

A Swordboat Captain’s Journey
by Linda Greenlaw

Linda Greenlaw did not always love the ocean, but she discovered it at age twelve and has been going back since. But she’s not going to sea for idle pleasure; at the beginning of her autobiography she is about to sail forth on for another sword-fishing trip captaining the Hannah Boden with a crew of five men. Swordboat fishing is not easy, and the captain is in charge—from making sure everything runs smoothly, to catching enough fish to make a profit, to dealing with five bored, tired, and homesick crewmembers. Ms. Greenlaw gives a full account of a swordfishing trip from start to finish, interspersed with “mug ups,” memories and musings from previous voyages.

The Hungry Ocean gave an interesting glimpse into an unusual lifestyle and the author did a good job of chronicling the every-day lives of fishermen, but that was part of the problem; there was no climax to the story. It seemed as if something would almost happen, but then didn’t. Their catch of fish was neither remarkably high nor low; the crew, while surly on occasion, didn’t do anything drastic, and there were no unusual dangers.
I plugged through this book until the end was because a friend had really enjoyed it, I wanted to give the author a chance to get her “writing legs,” and to finish four books for the Seafaring Challenge. Otherwise I would have probably given up after only a couple chapters.

The fourth—and last—book I read and reviewed for the Seafaring Challenge hosted by I Heart Paperbacks—I made it to the rank of Admiral! Read other books reviewed for the challenge at the Seafaring Tales Blog.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot

Being the Correspondence of Two Young Ladies of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals in London and the Country
by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

Kate Talgarth has gone to London for her Season, a time for young ladies to come out into society and make good impressions and possible matches, while her cousin Cecy Rushton is stuck in the country, which is quite boring indeed. The two correspond by mail, telling of their adventures and misadventures (something the clumsy Kate has frequently), which soon involve more than just the usual gossip when Kate happens into a magic trap of sorts that was set for the “Mysterious Marquis.” Very quickly Kate and Cecy realize there is much more than a bit of matchmaking going on in both Rushton and London. For instance, just whom is Mr. James Tarleton doing a very bad job of spying on, and why? And who could have placed the mysterious charm bag under Cecy’s brother’s mattress? Why are men suddenly falling at Dorothea Griscomb’s feet and then forgetting about her the next day?

Sorcery and Cecelia is a book filled with magical intrigue and mystery. The characters are well developed—each have their faults and habits—and the story being set in 1817 makes for a rather unusual but altogether very pleasing fantasy that holds echoes of Pride and Prejudice and Tamora Pierce’s novels. Read more about Cecy and Kate in The Grand Tour: Being a Revelation of Matters of High Confidentiality and Greatest Importance, Including Extracts from the Intimate Diary of a Noblewoman and the Sworn Testimony of a Lady of Quality and The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After: Being the Private Correspondence Between Two Prominent Families Regarding a Scandal Touching the Highest Levels of Government and the Security of the Realm.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Royalty Rules Reading Challenge

From February 1st – April 30th, 2008 I’ll be hosting my first reading challenge, Royalty Rules. (Yes, I know, terrible pun.)

Rules: Read two, three, or four books of whatever genre you choose (fiction or non-fiction) between the dates of February 1st and April 30th. Whether you want to read about historical kings, modern queens, or fairytale princesses, the only parameter is that the books are about a royal personage, although not necessarily as the main character. It’s perfectly all right if you want to read a book about, say, the queen’s lady-in-waiting, as long as the story incorporates the rise and/or fall of a crowned head, or a sovereign’s entire life.

Crossover with other challenges if you like.
Young adult or children’s titles are encouraged, but not required.

I went a little overboard with blog-banner making, but here they are. I hope there’s one that suits you:

(200x155)

(120x240 - For sidebars)

Participants:

1. Becky (Becky's Book Reviews)
2. Shannan
3. Lena
4. Alyssa (The Shady Glade)
5. Mandy
6. Erin
7. Enna Isilee
8. Framed
9. Bohae
10. Marcia (The Printed Page)
11. Anidori-Isilee
12. SuziQoregon
13. Kim in Ohio
14. Nicole B.
15. Orchidus
16. Tuppence
17. Jocelyn
18. Meg
19. Tasha
20. The Story Siren
21. Aella Siofra (Maelstrom Books)
22. Kim L. (Bold Blue Adventure)
23. Sara
24. Lissa
25. Harmony
26. Eunbina
27. Jenifleur
28. CoversGirl
29. Loey
30. Cassidy
31. Reader Rabbit
32. Cassie

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Birdwing

by Rafe Martin

What if happily ever after isn’t perfect for everyone?
Meet Ardwin, the son of King Lugh. He and his brothers were enchanted—changed into swans—by their evil stepmother. Through their sister’s determination they were all changed back into humans—all but the youngest, Ardwin. He alone bears the mark of his time as a swan; in place of his left arm he carries a white wing. “Prince Freak,” people call him, staring and warding off evil as he passes. Ardwin is restless, wanting to return to the flock of swans he once flew with, where he would be accepted.
While Ardwin desperately wishes to be rid of his wing, it also reminds him of the wild freedom of the swans, and even gives him the ability to speak to animals. He is torn between wanting to fit in, and wanting to be himself.
But part of him has to choose when he learns of a plot to marry him off—under the condition of replacing his wing with a prosthetic arm. Horrified at the thought, Ardwin sets off for the world with his friends, Stephen and Skye. But soon he discovers the journey must be his alone.
Ardwin’s captivating and original story is born from the Brothers Grimm tale The Six Swans, and it’s not just a fairytale retold, but a fairytale continued, and Rafe Martin pulls it off beautifully; there is nothing stale or drawn-out about this book. If you like stories of self-discovery and -acceptance, adventure, magic, and a little romance, Birdwing is for you.
I’m really not doing Martin’s novel any justice in my description, because it was simply so, SO good. Just read it and find out for yourself!

****Also posted on YA Books Central.****

Thursday, January 3, 2008

The Shamer’s Daughter

by Lene Kaaberbol

“Anyone who can meet a Shamer’s gaze openly is a very special human being and the best friend you could ever hope for...” says ten-year-old Dina’s mother, who is a Shamer; someone whose eyes reflect all that you are ashamed of. Naturally, Dina inherits this gift, and she despises it. None of the village children will play with her, and she is treated as something to be wary and afraid of. No one except her small family will look her in the eyes. When Dina’s mother is called away to the town of Dunark to help solve a tri-murder, Dina and her siblings—Davin and Melli—are left to look after one another at their home of Cherry Tree Cottage. Several days later, a stranger riding a black horse arrives at their house, looks straight into Dina’s eyes without flinching, and says that she is to come with him because they have need of her, too, in Dunark. Remembering her mother’s words, Dina figures the stranger must be a friend, and goes with him. As soon as Dina arrives in Dunark, she realizes she should not be there, but by then it’s too late. Drakan, the dark stranger, is much different than he seems, and he orders Dina to be put in the same cell as “Nicodemus the Monster,” who is the convicted murderer. But maybe Nicodemus isn’t really as evil as they say? And why could evil Drakan withstand Dina’s gaze?

A good novel with a great storyline, this is a book you should definitely read if you enjoy original fantasy. To continue the Shamer Chronicles, read The Shamer’s Signet, The Serpent Gift, and The Shamer’s War.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Ink Mage’s Booklist, 2008

For my second year of blogging, I decided to publish and update a list of the books I read in 2008. It’s more for keeping track of what I’ve read than anything else, but I thought some of you might be interested in seeing what I read and don’t review.

*Rereads in GREEN text

January:
The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio, by Lloyd Alexander
I Am Rembrandt's Daughter, by Lynn Cullen
The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain’s Journey, by Linda Greenlaw
The Red Queen’s Daughter, by Jacqueline Kolosov
City of Flowers, by Mary Hoffman (Stravaganza Series, book 3)
Such a Pretty Girl, by Laura Wiess
The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney, by Suzanne Harper
Remembering Raquel, by Vivian Vande Velde
This Vast Land: A Young Man’s Journal of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, by Stephen E. Ambrose
Gym Candy, by Carl Deuker
The Rogues, by Jane Yolen & Robert J. Harris
Mistik Lake, by Martha Brooks
Secret Sacrament, by Sherryl Jordan
Time of the Eagle, by Sherryl Jordan
Beastly, by Alex Flinn
Things Change, by Patrick Jones
Uprising, by Margaret Petterson Haddix
Little (Grrl) Lost, by Charles de Lint

February:
Almost Home, by Jessica Blank
The China Garden, by Liz Berry
Red Glass, by Laura Resau
Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo
Kydd, by Julian Stockwin
Hush: An Irish Princess’ Tale, by Donna Jo Napoli
The Nature of Jade, by Deb Caletti
Parade of Shadows, by Gloria Whelan
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, by Jessica Day George
Billie Standish Was Here, by Nancy Crocker
Raising the Griffin, by Melissa Wyatt
The Courtesan’s Daughter, by Priscilla Galloway (most of it)
Boot Camp, by Todd Strasser
The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London
Dragon Slippers, by Jessica Day George
The Noah Confessions, by Barbara Hall
Rockbuster, by Gloria Skurzynski
Kissing the Bee, by Kathe Koja
Artemis, by Julian Stockwin

March:
Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything, by E. Lockhart
Hurt Go Happy, by Ginny Rorby
Spanking Shakespeare, by Jake Wizner
Returnable Girl, by Pamela A. Lowell
Beast, by Donna Jo Napoli
Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens
The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel, by James Patterson
Summers at Castle Auburn, by Sharon Shinn
M or F? by Lisa Papademetriou & Chris Tebbetts
A Curse Dark as Gold, by Elizabeth C. Bunce
A Posse of Princesses, by Sherwood Smith
Ordinary Ghosts, by Eireann Corrigan

April:
The White Darkness, by Geraldine McCaughrean
The Game of My Life: A True Story of Struggle, Triumph, and Growing Up Autistic, by Jason "J-Mac" McElwain with Daniel Paisner
The Swan Kingdom, by Zoë Marriott
Guinevere's Gift, by Nancy NcKenzie
Repossessed, by A.M. Jenkins
Rat Life, by Tedd Arnold
The Hollow Kingdom, by Clare B. Dunkle
The Telling Pool, by David Clement-Davies
Close Kin, by Clare B. Dunkle
Cindy Ella, by Robin Palmer
In the Coils of the Snake, by Clare B. Dunkle
Carpe Diem, by Autumn Cornwall
Primavera, by Mary Jane Beaufrand
Candy, by Kevin Brooks
Nobody's Prize, by Esther Friesner
Changeling, by Delia Sherman

May:
The Swan Maiden, by Heather Tomlinson
Seaflower: A Kydd Novel, by Julian Stockwin
Newes from the Dead, by Mary Hooper
The Squad: Perfect Cover, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Song of the Sparrow, by Lisa Ann Sandell
The Boyfriend List: (15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver), by E. Lockhart
Ink Exchange, by Melissa Marr
In Mozart's Shadow: His Sister's Story, by Carolyn Meyer
Dragon Flight, by Jessica Day George
The Opposite of Invisible, by Liz Gallagher
Undercover, by Beth Kephart
The Sky Inside, by Clare B. Dunkle
The Redheaded Princess, by Ann Rinaldi
Bewitching Season, by Marissa Doyle
Dragon of the Lost Sea, by Laurence Yep
Dragon Steel, by Laurence Yep
Dragon Cauldron, by Laurence Yep
Dragon War, by Laurence Yep
Prom, by Laurie Halse Anderson

June:
The Warrior's Daughter, by Holly Bennett
In the Forests of the Night, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Peeled, by Joan Bauer
Juliet's Moon, by Ann Rinaldi
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart
The Squad: Killer Spirit, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
House of Dance, by Beth Kephart
Saving Juliet, by Suzanne Selfors
Madapple, by Christina Meldrum
Promise of the Wolves, by Dorothy Hearst
Climbing the Stairs, by Padma Venkatraman
Leftovers, by Laura Wiess
The Fire Eternal, by Chris d'Lacey
The Shape of Water, by Anne Spollen
Everlost, by Neal Shusterman
Demon in My View, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Mutiny: A Kydd Sea Adventure, by Julian Stockwin

July:
The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them, by E. Lockhart (sequel to The Boyfriend List)
Poison Study, by Maria V. Snyder
Shift, by Jennifer Bradbury
Airman, by by Eoin Colfer
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohen & David Levithan
Girlwood, by Claire Dean
Impulse, by Ellen Hopkins
Teen, Inc., by Stefen Petrucha
Gossamer, by Lois Lowry
Absolutely Normal Chaos, by Sharon Creech
Stravaganza: City of Secrets, by Mary Hoffman (Stravaganza Series, book 4)

August:
Mad Kestrel, by Misty Massey
Girl, Hero, by Carrie Jones
Out of the Wild, by Sarah Beth Durst
Magic Study, by Maria V. Snyder
I'm Exploding Now, by Sid Hite
Alfred Kropp: The Thirteenth Skull, by Rick Yancey (Alfred Kropp series, book 3)
Undone, by Brooke Taylor
My Bonny Light Horseman: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War, by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack Adventures, book 6)
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini
Sovay, by Celia Rees

September:
The Dragon Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima (the Heir Series, book 3)
Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List, by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Mr. Midshipman Easy, by Frederick Marryat
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
Princess Ben: Being a Wholly Truthful Account of Her Various Discoveries and Misadventures, Recounted to the Best of Her Recollection, in Four Parts, by Catherine Gilbert Merdock
The Privilege of the Sword, by Ellen Kushner
Into the Woods, by Lyn Gardner
How to Ditch Your Fairy, by Justine Larbalestier
Schooner Sultana: Building a Chesapeake Legacy, by Drew McMullen
Storyteller, by Edward Myers
Graceling, by Kristen Cashore
Brisinger, by Christopher Paolini

October:
Hannah Pritchard: Pirate of the Revolution, by Bonnie Pryor
Absolute Brightness, by James Lecesne
Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr
Gone, by Michael Grant
Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan
Cybele's Secret, by Juliet Marillier
Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal, by Mal Peet
Wake, by Lisa McMann
General Winston's Daughter, by Sharon Shinn
La Petite Four, by Regina Scott
Quarterdeck: A Kydd Sea Adventure, by Julian Stockwin
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
How to Be Bad, by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, & Lauren Myracle
The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson
Boy Proof, by Cecil Castellucci
Leaving Protection, by Will Hobbs
Ten Cents a Dance, by Christine Fletcher

November:
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Keeping You a Secret, by Julie Anne Peters
Aurelia, by Anne Osterlund
The Juliet Club, by Suzanne Harper
Looks, by Madeline George

Monday, December 31, 2007

Montmorency

by Eleanor Updale

If it weren’t for the special medical interest of the prison doctor the young man—number 493—lying wounded on his pallet might not survive. While recovering in prison he thinks up a master plan to become rich, and once freed he sets about making it happen. Using a name taken from a tool company, he soon becomes Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? and is off to the start of a career he could never have imagined as an imprisoned orphan.

At first the novel is mostly about Montmorency’s clever way of thieving (which I won’t spoil for you) and his daily switch between the gentleman called Montmorency and the street-smart servant Scarper, which itself is interesting. Soon, however, Montmorency’s wealth brings him into the luxuries and delights of the upper class (his first opera, for instance), and the company of other gentlemen. Upon making the acquaintance of one George Fox-Selwyn, Montmorency is offered the job of spying for the British government, which is the beginning of his profession. Throughout the series Montmorency and his friends and allies solve every type of case imaginable—from stolen scientific specimens, to murders, to a plot to exterminate Europe’s monarchs.

Although the characters are clever, silly, witty, or secretive, their emotions are sometimes quite hidden, but somehow the series can still give you the giggles or nearly have you in tears over the events that take place. And though there are a few dull bits, on the whole the series is filled with exciting adventures and the last book ends with a bang that knocks the wind out of you (unless, of course, there might eventually be a fifth novel).

Solve the cases along with Mr. Montmorency in Montmorency on the Rocks: Doctor, Aristocrat, Murderer?, Montmorency and the Assassins: Master, Criminal, Spy?, and Montmorency’s Revenge, which chronicle the rest of his mastermind plans.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Queen of Camelot

by Nancy McKenzie

Since the night the old woman spoke the prophesy at Guinevere’s birth, people have looked at her a little strangely, for it was told that she will be a great queen and that her fate will be one no one will envy. This is hard for Guinevere to believe, since she is just the daughter of a lesser king, and besides, it’s her cousin Elaine who constantly dreams over the young King Arthur, though she has never met him. But when people are beginning to look for a new wife for Arthur, an old friend of Guinevere’s recommends the fifteen-year-old princess as a bride for the King. When Arthur cannot come to escort Guinevere to Camelot himself, he sends a few of his knights to fetch her, including Lancelot, who falls almost instantly in love with the wild-haired princess, and she with him. With this new problem added to Elaine’s jealous rages, the fear she has of displeasing the King, and Merlin’s apparent disapproval of her, how will Guinevere survive her new life and be a good partner for Britain’s High King?

I really enjoyed this book a lot; it engaged me quickly and brought the famous names from the Arthurian legends to life with surprising reality. Anyone not yet ready for Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon will eagerly finish this book and will be well satisfied. Queen of Camelot was originally published as two novels, titled The Child Queen and The High Queen.

****Also posted on YA Books Central.****

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Leonardo’s Shadow

Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci’s Servant
by Christopher Grey

A boy runs from an angry crowd—through the streets, into a cathedral, up, up, up the stairs to the roof—where he falls. Not down to the cobblestones far below and death, but nearly on top of Leonardo da Vinci.
He wakes from a fever several days later in Master da Vinci’s house, and receives an offer to become the already well-known gentleman’s servant. Not really having another choice, the boy accepts and from then on is called Giacomo. His new life is good, but a little harsh; Giacomo hardly seems to do anything up to his master’s expectations. And though Giacomo spends a lot of his free time drawing with scraps of paper and longs to have lessons from his Master, Leonardo refuses for an unknown reason.
Part way through the story, Mr. da Vinci is commissioned to paint “The Last Supper” for Duke Ludovico Sforza, but for some reason will not finish what he begins. It is only Giacomo’s smart thinking that might save them from financial ruin.
To add to all that, Giacomo wishes he could remember his parents, as his memory was erased with the fever. But all the signs point to a possibility so great Giacomo can hardly dare hope it is possible. Will his dreams prove true?

The story of Leonardo’s Shadow is entertaining and well written, but there was a sort of mysterious build up with no big bang of a revelation, leaving me slightly disappointed. Still, it gives a new interest to the famous painting, and tells a tale of events that could have happened during the creation of the masterpiece. Watch a trailer for the book, and visit the official site at LeonardosShadow.com.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

All Sail Set

A Romance of the Flying Cloud
by Armstrong Sperry

Ships enchant Enoch Thacher, which makes East Boston—where ships are built, docked, and sailed from—his paradise. His friend the old captain Messina Clarke teaches him the ways of the sea and tells him yarns of when he was a young man and sailed the world. After the sudden death of his father, the fourteen-year-old must find work to support his mother, and turns to Donald McKay, a friend of his father and designer of clipper ships. Fate brings Enoch and the most famous clipper ever built, the Flying Cloud, together from the time she is just a model on McKay’s desk. The boy watches the construction of the Cloud from blueprints on up, and knows that someday he will sail aboard her. Enoch leaps at the chance when it comes, and signs aboard for the Cloud’s second voyage—on the dangerous passage around Cape Horn to California and then on to China. Can the crew—and the ship—endure and survive the hardships?
Enoch’s journey is filled with new adventures, danger, and ancient seafaring stories, all in only 171 pages, making it a nice introduction to epics of the sea for the younger readers. Overall, All Sail Set reminded me of a Misty of Chincoteague aimed at boys; for the love of a horse, for the love of a ship, and growing up along the way. But the characters were sadly flat, with only a couple sticking in the reader’s mind after the last page. The adventure-loving reader will enjoy it more than the emotional one.

The third book I’ve read and reviewed for the Seafaring Challenge hosted by I Heart Paperbacks. Only one more book to go before my goal of Admiral! Read others’ reviews at the Seafaring Tales Blog.