As an author and zoologist, Jess Keating has tickled a shark, lost a staring contest against an octopus, and been a victim to the dreaded paper cut. She lives in Ontario, Canada, where she spends most of her time writing books for adventurous and funny kids.
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By: Jennie,
on 12/15/2014
Blog: Biblio File (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: YA, graphic novels, Buffy, Adult, historical fiction, romance, Joss Whedon, reading roundup, Robin LaFevers, Sarah MacLean, His Fair Assassins, Lyla Payne, Add a tag
By: bookkm,
on 2/5/2013
Blog: Books 'n' stories (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, Robin LaFevers, Middle Ages, Grave Mercy, Brittany, Add a tag
The books I read on the cruise:
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. Great news! The sequel to this book, due out in April, has been announced, Dark Triumph.
This series revolves around a convent dedicated to the god - or saint - Mourtain, Death! As Brittany struggles to maintain independence against onslaughts from France, the nuns and novices of this abbey learn arts of subterfuge and murder. Our heroine, Ismae, is Death's daughter. This may be a metaphor for the circumstances of her birth, or it may be truth. She is trained to be an assassin and her specialty is poisons. Poisons have no affect on her.
At the age of 17, Ismae is sent to the Duchess' court to kill the man Duval, supposedly a traitor to the Duchess. Oh, if only Duval was not so honorable, so righteous, so immune to her charms and so awesomely handsome!
The themes of women as objects, pawns in political negotiations, and victims of physical and sexual abuse underline the strategy and subterfuge of this novel. LaFevers' writing moves the reader right into the plot. There is plenty of treachery, here, plenty of doubt, plenty of action, and enough romance to quicken the pulse from time to time.
It looks like Dark Triumph will follow the adventures of another novice, the dark unpredictable Sybella. Good. She has an important role in Grave Mercy. I hope her story ends well.
Check out LaFevers website to find out just how much of this novel is set in history and how much is fiction. Fascinating!
I also read;
Return to the Willows by Jacqueline Kelly
In Search of Goliathus Hercules by Jennifer Angus
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
And a get-healthy book and some magazines and ...that's about it.
Tomorrow, I will review Goliathus Hercules.
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By: Caroline Starr Rose,
on 5/7/2012
Blog: Caroline by line (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writer, YA, the writing life, authors, historical fiction, Robin LaFevers, second chances, Grave Mercy, mid-list, Add a tag
By: Amanda,
on 4/24/2012
Blog: A Patchwork of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: young adult books, young adult fiction, Houghton Mifflin, Robin LaFevers, Add a tag
After her father arranges a marriage to a horrible man, 17-year-old Ismae escapes and is taken in by a convent, where the sisters serve St. Mortain. They train women to be assassins for the God of Death. Do I have you yet? Keep reading.
Grave Mercy
Robin LaFevers
528 pages
Young Adult
Houghton Mifflin
9780547628349
April 2012
Review copy
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By: Sherrie Petersen,
on 12/14/2009
Blog: Write About Now (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Robin LaFevers, prize drawing, 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway, Add a tag
By: Kirsty,
on 8/2/2007
Blog: OUPblog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: History, UK, Current Events, A-Featured, Leisure, camp, movement, scouts, scouting, centenary, celebrating, baden powell, Add a tag
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By: Ruth McNally Barshaw,
on 6/8/2007
Blog: Ellie McDoodle (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: sketches, sketchbook, camp, Add a tag
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By: Guest Posts,
on 1/17/2015
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Ages 9-12, Science, Humor, Chapter Books, Beatrix Potter, Zoo, Author Interviews, Barbara Reid, Summer reading, Robin LaFevers, Books for Girls, Lauren Castillo, Middle Grade Books, Melissa Sweet, Animal Books, Sharks, Molly Idle, Cory Putman Oakes, My Writing and Reading Life, My Life is a Zoo Series, Renée Kurilla, Add a tag
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Ages 9-12, Science, Humor, Chapter Books, Beatrix Potter, Zoo, Author Interviews, Barbara Reid, Summer reading, Robin LaFevers, Books for Girls, Lauren Castillo, Middle Grade Books, Melissa Sweet, Animal Books, Sharks, Molly Idle, Cory Putman Oakes, My Writing and Reading Life, My Life is a Zoo Series, Renée Kurilla, Add a tag
By: Jennie,
on 12/15/2014
Blog: Biblio File (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: YA, graphic novels, Buffy, Adult, historical fiction, romance, Joss Whedon, reading roundup, Robin LaFevers, Sarah MacLean, His Fair Assassins, Lyla Payne, Add a tag
So I took a bit of a break from Cybils reading this week* because OMG GUESS WHAT WORDS OF LOVE SENT ME?
Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean. And oh, it is just as delicious as I hoped. It's probably my favorite of her Rules of Scoundrels series. I love love love love that Chase was Georgiana from Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord. I'm also very excited about the glimpse we got of MacLean's new heroine for her new series (the first will release sometimes in 2015)
Some other non-Cybils things I've read this month?
Buffy: Season Ten Volume 1 : New Rules Woo-Hoo! Season 10 has started. Once again, consequences and repercussions are big themes. At the end someone shows up that proves I really should have been reading the Faith and Angel spin-off, because woah, what was that?! BUT! Dracula's around and the Dracula Xander bro-mance is in full swing, which is always fun and awesome. Now, I just need to wait for-EVER for the next one.
My hold on Mortal Heart finally came in, and, oh, another most wonderful end to a favorite series. Ever since I finished it, I've been trying to figure out which one is my favorite in this trilogy, and I just can't decide. They are all so great--there's no weak link or one particular standout, just straight-up excellence across the board. I was reading this one at a training and the person (NOT a librarian) across asked what it was and as soon as I described it as "historical fiction about assassin nuns in 15th century Brittany" she was on her library's website to see if they owned it. Because, I mean, of course she was! It's HISTORICAL FICTION ABOUT ASSASSIN NUNS. Although now I really want to read more about historical Brittany. Why isn't there an awesome YA nonfiction about the the 15th century Brittany? Someone should get on that for me.
I also read Mistletoe and Mr. Right: A Christmas Romance which I reviewed over here. If you don't feel like clicking over, I liked it.
In non-book reading, did you all see Kelly's poignant and powerful post about fatness in YA? Definitely click over to that one.
*Ok, I don't actually have any Cybils reading until January 1st, because I'm a second round judge. BUT, I'm reading my way through the long list anyway, partly for fun, partly for armchair quarterbacking, and partly so that when I do look at the short list, I'm that much more familiar with the titles and can then do deeper rereading instead of reading for the first time.
Book Provided by... my wallet, my local library, my local library, and RT Book Reviews (for review)
Links to Amazon are an affiliate link. You can help support Biblio File by purchasing any item (not just the one linked to!) through these links. Read my full disclosure statement.
0 Comments on Sarah MacLean, Buffy, Assassin Nuns, and more as of 12/15/2014 10:06:00 AM
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By: bookkm,
on 2/5/2013
Blog: Books 'n' stories (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, Robin LaFevers, Middle Ages, Grave Mercy, Brittany, Add a tag
The books I read on the cruise:
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. Great news! The sequel to this book, due out in April, has been announced, Dark Triumph.
This series revolves around a convent dedicated to the god - or saint - Mourtain, Death! As Brittany struggles to maintain independence against onslaughts from France, the nuns and novices of this abbey learn arts of subterfuge and murder. Our heroine, Ismae, is Death's daughter. This may be a metaphor for the circumstances of her birth, or it may be truth. She is trained to be an assassin and her specialty is poisons. Poisons have no affect on her.
At the age of 17, Ismae is sent to the Duchess' court to kill the man Duval, supposedly a traitor to the Duchess. Oh, if only Duval was not so honorable, so righteous, so immune to her charms and so awesomely handsome!
The themes of women as objects, pawns in political negotiations, and victims of physical and sexual abuse underline the strategy and subterfuge of this novel. LaFevers' writing moves the reader right into the plot. There is plenty of treachery, here, plenty of doubt, plenty of action, and enough romance to quicken the pulse from time to time.
It looks like Dark Triumph will follow the adventures of another novice, the dark unpredictable Sybella. Good. She has an important role in Grave Mercy. I hope her story ends well.
Check out LaFevers website to find out just how much of this novel is set in history and how much is fiction. Fascinating!
I also read;
Return to the Willows by Jacqueline Kelly
In Search of Goliathus Hercules by Jennifer Angus
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
And a get-healthy book and some magazines and ...that's about it.
Tomorrow, I will review Goliathus Hercules.
0 Comments on Books at Sea as of 2/5/2013 11:58:00 AM
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By: Caroline Starr Rose,
on 5/7/2012
Blog: Caroline by line (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writer, YA, the writing life, authors, historical fiction, Robin LaFevers, second chances, Grave Mercy, mid-list, Add a tag
Robin LaFevers wrote an amazing post at Writer Unboxed last month. It's the story of her years as a mid-list author and, with the release of her most recent book, GRAVE MERCY, marks the transformation of her writing career. Read what she has to say about writing below, and then head over to read the full post here.
The thing is, once we have reached a certain mastery of craft, craft is no longer the issue. In order to take our writing to the next level we must embrace our strange, unique, and often embarrassing selves and write about the things that really matter to us. We need to be willing to peel our own layers back until we reach that tender, raw, voiceless place—the place where our crunchiest stories come from. We need to get some skin in the game. It should cost us something emotionally to tell our stories. But many of us who come to writing do so because they were voiceless at some point in their lives, so doing that can be the most terrifying risk of all.
4 Comments on For All Who Languish, last added: 5/9/2012
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By: Amanda,
on 4/24/2012
Blog: A Patchwork of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: young adult books, young adult fiction, Houghton Mifflin, Robin LaFevers, Add a tag
After her father arranges a marriage to a horrible man, 17-year-old Ismae escapes and is taken in by a convent, where the sisters serve St. Mortain. They train women to be assassins for the God of Death. Do I have you yet? Keep reading.Over the years, Ismae is trained to kill those that St. Mortain decides are no longer worthy of life and she's proud of her job and the life she leads. She's strong in both physicality and her beliefs. When given an assignment inside the court of Brittany, Ismae doesn't trust anyone, including Duval, a man she was taught to despise. As the book progresses we watch the characters each learn more about themselves and each, leading to trust and deeper bonds. We experience, as they do.
There's violence in this historical fantasy, but it's done in such a beautiful way. You feel Ismae's emotions as she's forced to kill and can almost see the fights happening while you're reading about them. The details are almost as important as the characters, planting the reader smack dab in this time period, and the ability of the author to make you believe in what Ismae is experiencing is top notch.
I loved the dabbling of truth to the story...real characters, real issues back hundreds of years ago, mixed with the belief in a God of death, the convent, some magical elements etc. It made the fiction seem as real as it could possibly get and allowed the visualization of the setting and time period to be
Both Duval and Ismae were perfectly done characters in terms of leaving me caring about both of them, even when I had no idea who was good and who was bad. I love that! I love to keep guessing during a story, never knowing where it will go.
This was the book to kick me out of a reading slump. I read it slowly, savoring the setting, details, and fabulous characters. I highly recommend it in all of it's 520+ pages and can't wait until the next one comes out. Easily would recommend to adults, as well. Well done, Robin LaFevers!
Grave Mercy
Robin LaFevers
528 pages
Young Adult
Houghton Mifflin
9780547628349
April 2012
Review copy
4 Comments on Grave Mercy review, last added: 4/25/2012
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By: Bianca Schulze,
on 4/2/2012
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Robin LaFevers, Rick Riordan, Markus Zusak, Suzanne Collins, Trenton Lee Stewart, Patricia Polacco, Tom Lichtenheld, Michael Morpurgo, Suzanne Williams, Ransom Riggs, Lincoln Peirce, Sherri Duskey Rinker, Add a tag
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Robin LaFevers, Rick Riordan, Markus Zusak, Suzanne Collins, Trenton Lee Stewart, Patricia Polacco, Tom Lichtenheld, Michael Morpurgo, Suzanne Williams, Ransom Riggs, Lincoln Peirce, Sherri Duskey Rinker, Add a tag
By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: April 2, 2012
Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.
THE HOT SPOTS: THE TRENDS
Award-Winning Illustrator Marla Frazee & the Best Interview Ever
Author Interview: Gary Paulsen
How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development
Where to Find Free eBooks for Children Online
THE NEW RELEASES
The most coveted books that release this month:
by Patricia Polacco
(Ages 5-8)
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict
by Trenton Lee Stewart
(Ages 10-13)
Goddess Girls #8: Medusa the Mean
by Joan Holub and Suzanne Willams
(Ages 8-12)
Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin (His Fair Assassin Trilogy #1)
by Robin LaFevers
(Ages 14-17)
The False Prince (Ascendance Trilogy)
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
(Ages 10-14)
THE BEST SELLERS
T
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By: Sherrie Petersen,
on 12/14/2009
Blog: Write About Now (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Robin LaFevers, prize drawing, 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway, Add a tag
I'll be the first to admit it: put me anywhere near a well-known author and it's pretty much a sure bet that I'm going to go fan girl. Actors? Not interested. Rockers? Too self-absorbed. But authors? Yeah. I completely lose it.
So when I found out I won a Shrinking Violets contest and would be spending the evening with Mary Hershey and Robin LaFevers, I was over the moon. Literally. They were my date for the Blue Moon Ball at SCBWI-LA.
And what a date it was! Can you imagine spending the evening with these two, asking them questions? Basking in the glow that surrounds them? Fabulous doesn't begin to cover it!
Robin has been busy visiting schools in Texas, writing and editing Nathanial Fludd books and Theodosia books, and dispensing advice at her blog, but she took some time out to answer some questions for me about herself and her writing.
After the Washington Post article that rankled so many SCBWI members, I’d like to point out that you got your big break at an SCBWI-LA conference, right? Could you briefly tell the story?
I was “discovered” at an SCBWI National Conference. It was, needless to say, my best conference ever. I’d submitted a manuscript for the conference’s manuscript critique service, and by the luck of the draw I got Erin Murphy as my critiquer. She was a new agent at the time and liked my manuscript so much that she not only nominated it for the Sue Alexander Award, but offered me representation as well. I cannot even describe that dizzy, heady feeling of having someone else believe in your work enough that they agree to attach their career to yours. Swoon-worthy.
Interestingly enough, I’d had the same manuscript at a publisher for about two years. I’d check in with them every three months or so and they’d assure me they were still interested in it. However, within six weeks after signing with an agent, we’d sumbitted a revised manuscript and had a firm offer in hand. Agents really do speed the process up!
I've heard writers go back and forth about whether it's better to query agents or query publishers. Had you queried other agents before Erin signed you on or were you just going directly to publishers?
I had queried other agents, but not with the book that Erin actually signed. One of the reasons was because I thought I had had a serious expression of interest from the publisher, but it never quite materialized. At that point, I decided to give up on kids books for a while and try my hand at something else. I settled on women’s fiction. So I studied that extensively for a couple of years, went to even more conferences and workshops and learned tons. I then decided to apply everything I’d learned to my children’s manuscript and try submitting one last time before moving on. That’s when the luck of the draw at SCBWI’s mss critique paired me with Erin.
Having said that, I had queried publishers dire
24 Comments on Author Spotlight on: R. L. LaFevers, last added: 12/17/2009
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By: Stacy Dillon,
on 2/16/2008
Blog: Welcome to my Tweendom (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: arc 6/08, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, camp, Tween, Friendship, graphic novel, summer, camp, Tween, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, arc 6/08, Add a tag
Blog: Welcome to my Tweendom (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: arc 6/08, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, camp, Tween, Friendship, graphic novel, summer, camp, Tween, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, arc 6/08, Add a tag
I love the camp story almost as much as the boarding school story, so imagine my delight when this gem of a graphic novel showed up at work.
Abby is the first girl to show up at camp. She cannot wait to see her friend Rose, who is a cabin assistant this year. Their age difference has never been an issue before, but now, things seem different. Add on the fact that Deni, the girl who claimed the bunk below Abby, does nothing but talk and complain all the time. After listening to Deni all day, Abby is worried that she will never get any sleep. But Deni doesn't talk all night ... she scratches! What is going on?
Before long, Deni goes home and Abby has a new bunk mate named Shasta. Shasta is cool and pretty and she actually likes all of the things that Abby does. The thing is, that none of Abby's other friends like Shasta. Abby is wondering...do they like her? Afterall, she and Shasta are kind of similar.
Hope Larson has penned a graphic novel that rings so true on themes of frienship, identity, first crushes, summertime freedom and the idea of loyalty. The black and white artwork perfectly compliments the story, and readers will be falling in love with Abby before they know it! Chiggers should be in the luggage of every girl heading off for camp this July!
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By: Kirsty,
on 8/2/2007
Blog: OUPblog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: History, UK, Current Events, A-Featured, Leisure, camp, movement, scouts, scouting, centenary, celebrating, baden powell, Add a tag
By Kirsty OUP-UK
The Scouting movement is celebrating its centenary this year. This week there are over 300 Scouts from 160 countries renewing their promises at a huge camp in Brownsea Island, Dorset, where Robert Baden-Powell held the first camp for boys in 1907. We at OUP are proud to publish the original 1908 edition of Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys, the original blueprint for the movement. To celebrate the Scouting Centernary, I’ve chosen an excerpt from the text that supplies useful suggestions for games to be played “in the club or in camp”. Our American friends may especially enjoy Baden-Powell’s description of “Basket Ball”!
0 Comments on Scouting for Boys: An Excerpt as of 1/1/1990
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By: Ruth McNally Barshaw,
on 6/8/2007
Blog: Ellie McDoodle (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: sketches, sketchbook, camp, Add a tag
I went camping with the fourth graders (are you smarter than a fifth grader? I'd like to believe I am!) and kept a sketchbook of it all.
Came home and slept. And slept. And slept...
I'll put the sketches on my website so you can see how it all went.
And I'll post some of the extra-good ones here.
Came home and slept. And slept. And slept...
I'll put the sketches on my website so you can see how it all went.
And I'll post some of the extra-good ones here.
2 Comments on Camping with the Fourth Graders, last added: 6/14/2007
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"It should cost us something emotionally to tell our stories. But many of us who come to writing do so because they were voiceless at some point in their lives, so doing that can be the most terrifying risk of all."
I read the post too, Caroline. And I really loved this part. :)
Wonderful post, Caroline. Thanks for leading us to it!
So glad it spoke to the two of you.
wow!