Over the years, I have been the happy giver and the happier receiver of many books during the holiday season, but there is one that leaps to mind as a holiday book that helped change my life. It was a cookbook, of course --- though not, if you know me, the kind you’d ever think.
| | Title: Vampire Empire Book One: The Greyfriar Author: Clay & Susan Griffith Publisher: Pyr ISBN: 978-1616142476 |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once great cities were shrouded by the grey empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.
It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming.
Princess Adele is heir to the Empire of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is The Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.
The Greyfriar: Vampire Empire is the first book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, The Greyfriar brings epic political themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.
Review:
The Greyfriar is a very fun book, and once I picked it up, it was very difficult to put it back down again. With a full cast of compelling characters, there is a lot going on as the humans and the vampires battle it out for world domination. After a horrible plague of vampires sweeps over the northern regions of the world, life has become a struggle that the humans can’t afford to lose. Fleeing to the south because of the vampires’ inability to tolerate the heat, the nations of the world have fought hard to find prosperity and security from their vampire adversaries. The human nations have been rebuilt in a world very different from our own.
Princess Adele is soon to be wed to the brash Senator Clark, in a union that will bring the Empire of Equatoria and America together. With the strength of both of their armies working in unison, the nations should be able to end the vampire threat forever. Too bad the vampires aren’t so willing to allow the wedding to take place. After kidnapping Adele, the plans of human domination are threatened. As Adele struggles to survive, and Clark battles to free her, the dark plans of Cesare, a vampire prince, are put in motion. Will the vampires bring the humans to their knees?
I loved the setting, and found this alternate future Earth fascinating. And deadly. The vampires in The Greyfriar are brutal and dangerous, and they only see humans as cattle to feed their appetite for blood. Humans travel in air ships and battle their vampire enemies with blades and firearms, struggling to keep control of their hard won territories. The humans have painstakingly rebuilt their cities in the south, but the threat that the vampires will launch a campaign against them hangs constantly over their heads. In an effort to make the first strike, the two strongest nations plan to join forces.
Adele is one tough princess
Reminder: Newer agents are golden opportunities
for new writers because they're likely building their client list; however, always
make sure your work is as perfect as it can be before submitting, and only query agencies
that are a great fit for your work. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and postage.
About Stephanie: Stephanie first joined Dystel & Goderich as an intern
during her third year at New York University, and she continued interning with DGLM
through her senior year. Upon graduating from NYU with a degree in English and American
Literature, she was given the opportunity to join the team full-time and begin building
her career in publishing.
She is seeking: She is interested in all subjects,
including memoir, young adult, romance, and practical and narrative nonfiction.
How to submit: sdevita[at]dystel[dot]com."Enclose
a query letter, outline or brief synopsis of the work (with word count if possible),
and a sample chapter. Please type all of your correspondence and double space everything
other than the query. We won't open attachments if they come with a blank e-mail.
Please be sure to query only one agent at this agency. We will not review queries
sent to more than one of us. We will respond to most query letters within a 6-8 week
period. If you don't hear from us within that timeframe, feel free to resend it."
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By: Shelbie and Amanda,
on 11/30/2010
Blog:
The Mortal's Library
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Hi guys! So... we have some really cool stuff that we hopefully will do for a special end of the year event, but we need your help!
So if you could please just give us your favorite book/author(as it says below) for the following categories and then tell all your friends to come do the same it would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you very much and here are the categories that we need nominations for.
note: These books need to have been published in 2010.
1. Favorite novel of 2010.
2. Favorite debut novel of 2010 - a debut novel is when an author writes their very first book. That book would then be considered a debut novel. I.e. Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
3. Most anticipated book of 2011 - what book are you looking forward to?
4. Favorite book in a new series of 2010- meaning it was the first of a series that started this year. I.e. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
5. Favorite book in a continued series of 2010 - this is a book that came out this year but is part of a series that started last year or earlier
6. Favorite author of 2010 - your favorite author that had a book published this year.
Favorites in genres:
Favorite Science Fiction novel of 2010
Favorite Fantasy novel of 2010(this includes paranormal books)
Favorite Romance novel of 2010 (this includes paranormal romance)
Favorite Realistic Fiction novel of 2010
Favorite Young Adult novel of 2010
- I realize this is only five genres, but we mainly review yound adult fiction here, and those are the main genres we review... so they're what we want to hear from you about.
Also, a last note: You can nominate books for MULTIPLE CATEGORIES as long as they fit the category. For instance... you can have a Young Adult paranormal romance novel that you nominate for young adult, romance, fantasy, favorite book, favorite new series, favorite debut, and favorite author. That is if it fit all of those categories and if you were a really big fan of that author/book.
Again, thank you so much for your help and make sure you tell your friends!
xoxo and love always,
Shelbie and Amanda
I haven’t read any of the Perfect Chemistry books, but Chain Reaction looks HAWT. Should I give the series a try? What do you think about the series and this cover?
Synopsis:
Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn’t live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he’s never known, and just when he thinks he’s got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?
Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys.
Lands in store in May
The blurb:
At first, Mia Voss thinks it’s just bad luck when her already lousy day ends with a carjacking, but what seems like a random incident is followed by another sinister episode. A DNA expert, Mia has made it her mission to put away vicious criminals. Suddenly, she’s become the target of one. And the only way to protect the people she loves most is to deliberately destroy her reputation and risk letting a killer walk free.
Once, Mia trusted Detective Ric Santos, but that was before Ric let his turbulent past ruin his chances with Mia, the sexiest, most intriguing woman he’s ever met. But he can tell when she’s lying – and when she’s scared. The key to catching a sadistic madman lies within a long-buried cold case that has haunted Mia for years. Only she can uncover the truth, but first, Ric will have to get her to entrust him with her secrets. . .and her life.
Review:
I hadn’t read any of Laura Griffin’s books before, and I don’t think that you need to read the earlier Tracer novels to appreciate her latest novel, Unforgivable.
The lead character, Mia Voss, is smart, supremely competent as well as kind and the sort of hero that you feel you could be friends with. She reacts to the sudden attacks of violence with natural fear and anxiety, but she also channels these emotions into her work and catching the perpetrators. Her skills as a DNA expert complement the unrelenting pursuit by Detective Ric Santos. Unforgivable combines romance with a carefully crafted mystery thriller. Unforgivable will surely satisfy lovers of the thriller and mystery genre.
About the Author:
Laura Griffin started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of romantic suspense with her novels for Pocket Books. Her books have won numerous awards, including a 2010 RITA (Whisper of Warning) and a 2010 Daphne du Maurier Award (Untraceable). Her debut novel, One Last Breath, won the Booksellers Best Award for romantic suspense. Laura currently lives in Austin, where she is working on her next book in her popular Tracer series.
Bespelling Jane Austen. By Mary Balogh, Susan Krinard, Colleen Gleason, Janet Mullany. 2010. Harlequin. 377 pages.
From
Almost Persuaded by Mary Balogh:
Miss Jane Everett, middle daughter of Sir Horace Everett of Goodrich Hall in Hampshire, did not call as often as she ought at the vicarage in the village nearby. She called everywhere else--on tenants and laborers and others, on those who sick or elderly or in need of any sort. She took her duties very seriously. From
Northanger Castle by Colleen Gleason:
Miss Caroline Merrill smoothed her ruffled-hem skirt as she settled into the chair against the wall. She quickly tucked her feet under the seat to keep them from being stepped upon or tripped over, and confirmed that the heavy, bulky reticule still dangled from her wrist. One never knew when one might need one of the accoutrements from within.From
Blood and Prejudice by Susan Krinard:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that every decent straight guy who isn't dead broke, is in want of a good woman. As my dear Grandpa Bennet used to say...Bull.From
Little To Hex Her by Janet Mullany:
"She turned me into a frog." I bit back the comment that he seemed to have recovered. "I can't tell you how sorry I am, Elton. I know it's no excuse, but it is almost full moon, and Harriet tends to be..." I paused and added a description of my assistant that seemed lame as soon as it was out of my mouth. "Difficult."Bespelled By Austen is a collection of paranormal novellas "inspired by" four Jane Austen novels. Northanger Castle and Almost Persuaded are historical retellings of Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. (Names and situations have been altered.) Blood and Prejudice and Little To Hex her are modern day adaptations of Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Names have not changed though many aspects of the novel have been updated to reflect a contemporary setting. Each novella is by a different romance novelist. As you can imagine with reading any collection of novellas I have favorites and not so favorites. (My favorites may not be your favorites.)
My thoughts on "Almost Persuaded": I was not almost persuaded to believe in reincarnation. Unfortunately, that seemed to take precedence over the romantic aspects of this retelling of Persuasion. Much of the dialogue between our hero, Captain Mitford, and heroine, Jane Everett, seeming to be about past lives, soul mates, and such. You might not think it would be so intrusive to the text, but I found it to be so. When they weren't talking about the many times they got their love wrong in their past lives, they were doing things that seemed out of place with the historical time period. (Like shedding some clothes to go swimming together, and then getting intimate.) I did NOT like this one at all. Persuasion is my favorite Austen, and to see it "adapted" in this way irritated me.
My thoughts on "Northanger Castle": To be honest, I don't have many thoughts on this one. Unfortunately, I had a headache while reading this one, and I didn't feel a connection with this one. But. I think it was probably my fault. I think I would have been struggling to "enjoy" whatever I was reading at that time.
My thoughts on "Blood and Prejudice": This one was interesting. I thought I wouldn't like the modern-day adaptations. But I found both Blood and Prejudice and Little To Hex Her the best in the collection. Elizabeth, our heroine, finds out a secret about Mr. Darcy--and Mr. Wickham--they're vampires! But she's still doesn't have all her facts straight. Can Elizabeth discover the truth in time to find love for herself and her older sister, Jane? I liked this o
Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted here at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens. Join the fun and leave your Tween Tuesday link below.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Genre: Graphic Novel/Humor/Time Travel/Adventure
Release Date: 8/10/2010
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About the Book: Ook and Gluk are cavemen living in the year 500,001 B.C. in Caveland, Ohio. Caveland is being attacked by an evil coorporation from the future. The annoying Chief Goppernopper's descendant has created a time machine and J.P. Goppernopper is stealing resources from Caveland and taking them to his time in 2222 A.D. Ook and Gluk and their pet dinosaur Lily must stop their village from being kept as slaves and to do that they must learn kung fu! Lots of laughs, adventure, and of course Flip-O-Rama's will follow-will Ook and Gluk save the day?
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Any librarian who has spent time in the children's department of the library (or elementary or middle school librarian) will tell you that Captain Underpants is a constantly asked for series. And for many years librarians had no new news to tell fans who would come in every week asking when the next book by Dav Pilkey would be out. But finally this year librarians were able to do a happy dance because Dav Pilkey gave us a new book for these eager readers.
The Adventures of Ook and Gluk will please those readers who have been waiting for more humorous adventures. The premise of the book is that it's a graphic novel written by George Bear and Harold Hutchins (characters readers will remember from the Captain Underpants books). Readers won't need any prior knowledge of George and Harold as The Adventures of Ook and Gluk stands apart from the Captain Underpants books.
There's lots of humor and goofy jokes and the graphic novel format makes the book especially appealing to reluctant readers and young tweens. With lots of humor, adventure, time travel, pet dinosaurs, and even a bit of romance, there's a lot here in this short book that you can sell to readers. Readers who enjoy a good silly book will be sure to love this one.
The book is written as if two fourth grade boys wrote it, so there's lots of misspellings and at first I found that somewhat annoying. But once I got into reading it I could overlook it and enjoy the story. I love the "how to speak caveman" instructions in the back-especially the translation from "my grandmother doesn't think this book belongs in the library" into "grandma no fun." Readers will be eager for the next Ook and Gluk Adventure and this librarian is happy to have another Dav Pilkey book to add to the shelf.
Give the gift of reading to your child this holiday season! Scholastic books make the perfect stocking stuffer for any child on your list.
We have a HUGE prize pack filled with the most popular children’s books in the marketplace to offer one lucky reader! Titles include CAPTAIN SKY BLUE, IT’S CHRISTMAS DAVID, OOK and GLUK as well as TONY BALONE
Cassia is a 17-year-old girl living in a society that is based on probability. It's community members do not get a whole lot of choices in life, including the person they will marry and have a family with. Instead, they are matched with an individual from a neighboring town, based on their likes/dislikes/hobbies/etc.
At Cassia's matching ceremony, she ends of being matched with her best friend Xander, a boy she has known most of her life. It's already a rarity that she's been matched with someone in her own town, but also someone she knows and loves, and Cassia thinks she's the luckiest girl in the world. That is, until, she sees someone else's face on her match card...an accident? Or her real, true match for life?
What follows is an exciting adventure of love and what it means to give yourself to someone fully. There is definitely a feeling of romance throughout the story, but subtle romance, which was really nice for a change. I was excited to turn each page and wasn't able to put the book down until I found out what happened with Cassia, Xander, and Ky.
I am a huge fan of dystopian stories and Matched will definitely be ranking high on my favorites list of 2010...I loveed it! One of the blurbs on the front of the ARC I was sent compares the story to a blend of The Hunger Games and The Giver, definitely a good way to describe it. A nice mixture of high tension and that utopian/dysopian vibe so many of us love.
I would hand this one to teens that enjoyed either of the two above mentioned books or anything else dystopian. If they're a fan of romance or love triangles, this would also fit that bill. Definitely an exciting page-turner with a nice bit of the romantic.
MatchedAlly Condie384 pagesYoung AdultDutton-Juvenile978-0525423645November 2010Review copy provided by publisher
| | Title: Rasetsu Vol 6 Author: Chika Shiomi Publisher: Viz ISBN: 978-1421533094 |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
A Supernatural Spin-off of Yurara!
The past comes knocking when Yako runs into his old rival Mei Tendo. And the trip down memory lane doesn’t stop there–when Yako gets attacked by a horde of ancient ghosts, it seems that his old love Yurara is connected to the onslaught!
Review:
I love Chika Shiomi and I love this series. I know I say the same thing after reading each volume, but I can’t help it! The combination of romance and gothic horror is a win-win for me, and I wish there were more series like this on the market. Despite occasional issues with anatomical proportions, I even adore Chika Shiomi’s vivid, attractive illustrations.
This is a great installment in the series because we finally get a reunion story with Yako’s high school friend and rival, Mei Tendo. He runs a pastry shop now, which wins Rasetsu’s instant appreciation. It was gratifying to discover that Yurara’s guardian spirit is keeping closer tabs on Yako than originally thought, too. I hated to see this chapter come to an end.
Kuryu is downright scary in the beginning of the book, and I am starting to question who he really is. There is something not quite right with the guy, and after Rasetsu is injured, he is overcome by a darkness that should have given everyone at the agency pause. If there was one aspect of this volume that I didn’t like, it was how Rasetsu just shrugs off Kuryu’s oddness after visiting his apartment. Hello?? It didn’t seem rather odd to you?? Yeah, I think the sugar has affected her brain, making rational thought a very painful and difficult process for her.
Rasetsu is one of my favorite manga series, even with its occasional plot inconsistencies. What can I say? I am a sucker for the romance, the danger, and the pretty, pretty boys.
Grade: A-
Review copy purchased from RightStuf
by Jane
Whenever I go away and am in a place where people are relaxing
—on a beach, say, or sitting by a pool
—I always look at what they are reading. Up until now, I have been curious as to the actual books, fiction or non-fiction and then what titles within those two categories. Is it science fiction, romance, mystery? Is it history, politics, biography or memoir? I can learn something from this kind of research in terms of what people are interested in and I can then use that information in searching out projects to represent.
This past week, my husband and I went to Florida to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family and I decided to do another kind of research, although I was virtually certain as to what the result was going to be. I decided that once I got through the body scanner or the pat down in security at the airport, that I was going to walk up and down the aisle of the plane I traveled on to see how people were reading, if they were reading. And I was absolutely sure of what I would find out.
First, much to my surprise the pass through security both going and coming was relatively painless; after all of the warnings over the last week and the threatened slow down at the check points, I was not looking forward to the experience; but as luck would have it, none of what was predicted came to pass, at least as far as we were concerned.
Now, on to the actual research. I went through each of the two planes I took and even perused the waiting areas before boarding and I found that almost everyone who was reading a book was reading an actual book and not using any kind of electronic reader. On the plane going down, I saw nobody with Kindles or Nooks or any other reader, but my husband, who helped me with my research, told me he saw two. There were at least 150 people on the flight down so, two readers certainly was surprisingly few. On the flight back which held as many people, I saw one Nook and one person reading on an iPad
—everyone else who was reading a book was reading a hardcover or paperback.
I had truly expected the total opposite. With the enormous increase in the sales of e-readers, and e-books and knowing how easy it is to travel with an e-reader, it just seemed to me a no brainer that these would outnumber print editions. I couldn’t have been more mistaken and I am really surprised.
I wonder, would you have predicted as I did or not? And what, dear reader, do you think I was reading?
Originally published at Sara Zarr. You can comment here or there.
Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin, illustrated by Lisa Brown
Adele Griffin has always been one of my favorite writers. (Have you read Sons of Liberty? Amandine? No? Why not??) One thing I admire about her career is how diverse her various projects are, and this is a very cool one. This is basically a Civil War ghost story and romance, presented in a beautiful physical book with inserts and illustrations representing the family records and pictures that the narrator must use to solve the mystery of her fiance’s death. This would make a great, great gift for readers who love books as physical objects (in addition to a great story). The publisher did not skimp. Gorgeous.
Mercury by Hope Larson
This is the first of Larson’s books I’ve read, and it made me want more. An interweaving of stories from two different generations of the same family – one in present day, one in 1859 – this is a fast and good read with just a sprinkle of magical realism. (There it is again! I claim not to like it, yet it cropped up in many places in this year’s reading and I liked it, okay, I liked it a lot. I’m not even sure if what is in this book is technically MR, but anyway, who cares! It’s good.)
Happyface by Stephen Emond
I’m not sure if this is technically a graphic novel. Again, who cares. The story is presented as the journal – drawings and text – of a shy artsy boy, nicknamed Happyface. (I’m not that familiar with the Wimpy Kid books, but I think the format is probably very much like Wimpy Kid, set in high school, with a high schooler’s problems.) There’s a lot of humor in the telling of this story, but it’s also sad, and I found this narrator so real that I wound up developing very tender feelings for him very quickly. I wanted to hug him a lot.
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri & illustrated by Randy DuBurke
This one is a heartbreaker. It’s based on a true story, and really it is historical fiction told in graphic novel format. The story it’s based on is, sadly, not uncommon, and there are some epic themes to think about here. Yet Neri makes it very specific and personal. I’ve known Greg Neri for years – we were in the Class of 2k7 together – and I’ve been hearing about this book all of that time. I’m so glad it’s finally out, and so glad it’s getting the attention it deserves. (Five starred reviews, and on the best of 2010 lists from Kirkus, PW, and Booklist. Congratulations, Greg!)
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch
Graphic novel based on a web comic. Eleven-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl fights dragons! And siblings! What more needs be said? I enjoyed this a great deal.
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By: HannaO,
on 11/29/2010
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The holiday season is upon us, and that turns many minds to thoughts of spending time with loved ones. Below is an excerpt from Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter: The Georgia Years, 1924-1974 by E. Stanly Godbold, Jr. tracing the early romance of the former President and First Lady.
In the hot, dusty summer of 1945, people in Plains talked about the heat, the crops, and the war, unaware of an event on Main Street that three decades later would catapult their town onto the world stage. Jimmy Carter, the twenty-year-old eldest child of a prominent local family, was visiting his hometown before returning for his final year at the Naval Academy. As he drove down Main Street in a Ford car with a rumble seat, accompanied by his sister Ruth and her boyfriend, he glanced toward the Methodist church. There he spied a pretty young woman loitering on the steps. Petite Rosalynn Smith, with her large, warm, intelligent eyes, exuded a seductive shyness that captivated the Academy man. Graduated as valedictorian of her class at Plains High School, she had completed one year at a nearby junior college. Jimmy stopped the car, not knowing that Ruth and Rosalynn had conspired to set up the meeting. He invited Rosalynn to attend the movie at the Rylander Theater in nearby Americus that night. She accepted.
Rosalynn was seventeen and Jimmy twenty that night in 1945 when they had their first date. His white Navy uniform dazzled her, and he thought her ravishing in her blue dress that buttoned all the way down the front. Immediately after their first date, Jimmy told his mother that he had met the woman he intended to marry. Lillian disapproved. “Jimmy, she’s just a little girl! She’s Ruth’s friend,” she argued. Lillian thought that Jimmy was much more sophisticated than “naïve” Rosalynn Smith of Plains, Georgia.
Rosalynn’s father lacked the powerful personality and wealth of Earl Carter, and neither her mother nor any woman in Plains could equal Miss Lillian. Yet, connected by blood to the Wises, Murrays, Bells, and Smiths, her pedigree, ever so important in a small southern town, was superior to that of the Gordys or Carters. Because her father died when she was young and her mother remained imprisoned in shyness, Rosalynn had no influential, potent adults to push her into the world. What she had was a robust spirit, a vigorous will, an inquisitive intellect, an energetic mind, an unspoken ambition, a quiet faith, and a tough ability to succeed at whatever she undertook.
It would take Jimmy a decade of marriage to realize the complements to his lifestyle that Rosalynn brought to their union. On their first date, he saw a very pretty, smart, seductively shy girl who smiled at him. Rosalynn did not fall so quickly for him, but she later confessed that she had fallen in love with a picture of him in his uniform. She realized that the man in that uniform, who now said he loved her, had begun to see that world about which she only read and dreamed. The young lovers exchanged a flurry of letters, a correspondence that did not mention the major events of the day, but consisted of, according to Carter, “intimate love letters.”
World War II ended shortly after their courtship began. Rosalynn did not want Jimmy to go to war, but she remained reticent. He teased her about falling in love with his uniform, and he pretended to date other women. On at least one occasion, Jimmy did go out with another woman, and he suggested that Rosalynn see other men. When she reciprocated with letters about nonexistent boyfriends, he bristled, but they soon put aside their jealousies and committed to each other.
When Jimmy returned home on his Christmas leave in 1945, he and Rosalynn sang Christmas carols before open fires and attended church and parties together. Rosalynn beamed beside Jimmy in his dress blue uniform. He teased her mercilessly, a Carter family trait indicating aff
Today’s guest blogger is Susan Mallery, the bestselling author of over one hundred romances and women’s fiction novels, including her latest: THE BEST OF FRIENDS. Below, she talks about the Christmas that she always dreamed of as a child, and how --- even in the worst of times --- books can be the best of friends.
What I remember most about Christmas when I was growing up is how I wanted to be part of a really big family. I was an only child, with parents who didn't get along at the best of times. Our house --- a very middle-class ranch in the distant suburbs of Los Angeles --- was either very quiet, with no one talking, or very loud with fighting. There weren't any other children around to play with, and there was no park to escape to.
I had friends at school --- friends with brothers and sisters and complaints about never having a room to themselves, or toys that stayed pristine. But nearly three years after she first entered my life, my much-loved Barbie could have been returned to the toy store as new --- it’s difficult to mess up toys when there is only one person who plays with them. While my parents gave me games, Operation is much less fun when there is no opponent. I envied my friends with their big families, their crowded dinners and their boisterous conversations; my best friend through middle and high school was one of six, and I always thought her house was a magical place. There wasn't much money there --- no one had milk with dinner; it was too expensive. But giving up milk seemed a small price to pay for a massive tree, the homemade gifts and the laughter.
When I wasn't with my friends, I was home, reading. Because, through my wonderful books, I had more friends than I could count. As a younger child, I read the classics: I spent Christmas with Meg and Jo and Amy and Beth, and I hung out with Nancy and solved crimes. I reread A LITTLE PRINCESS so many times that I literally reduced my book to tatters. My parents gave me a second copy --- a beautifully illustrated hardcover that I still have today.
But when I was 12, I discovered a whole new world. My best friend's mother had a stash of Harlequin romances in her sewing room. These were the forbidden books --- magical stories about dark, dangerous men who lived in exciting, foreign places, and the innocent women who fell in love with them. Back then, sex occurred behind closed doors, and the only hint that anything had happened was the heroine's smile the next morning --- perfect fodder for a future romance writer.
I thought I was being so clever, sneaking out a book every time I was over and returning the one I had read five or six times already. Then, the Christmas I was 13, my friend's mother gave me a wrapped package. Inside were five Harlequin romances. Not new --- the family couldn't afford new. But these were special because they were her favorites. She never said anything, never chastised me for borrowing her bo
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By: *Andye*,
on 11/27/2010
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Reading Teen
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| Temptation Bites! |
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 416 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606840584
ISBN-13: 978-1606840580
The story
The non-stop sequel to
The Dark Divine 
delivers an even hotter romance and more thrilling action than Bree Despain's first novel.
Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure
Daniel Kalbi. She gave her soul to the wolf to save him and lost her beloved mother. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from
Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven. Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends
Talbot - a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel begins to crumble. Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace becomes prideful in her new abilities - not realizing that an old enemy has returned and deadly trap is about to be sprung. Readers, ravenous for more Grace and Daniel, will be itching to sink their teeth into
The Lost Saint
.
New Loot:
Dancing With Mr. Darcy: Stories Inspired by Jane Austen and Chawton House Library compiled by Sarah Waters.
The Boy from Ilysies by Pearl North
Prisoners in the Palace: How Victoria Became Queen With The Help of Her Maid, A Reporter, and a Scoundrel: A Novel of Intrigue and Romance by Michaela MacColl
The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud
Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst
The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers, A Novel by Margaret George
Leftover Loot:
An Expert in Murder: A New Mystery Featuring Josephine Tey by Nicola Upson
Angel With Two Faces: A Mystery Featuring Josephine Tey by Nicola Upson
A Hard Day's Write: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song by Steve Turner
Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out by Meg Cabot
Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries © Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
By: Contributing Bloguistas:,
on 11/26/2010
Blog:
La Bloga
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It was as if an expedition of black Africans had made their way up the Nile and across the Mediterranean to Italy and were trying to make enough sense of the Roman Empire of the Caesars to attempt to conquer it. – Norman Spinrad, Mexica
I think we need to make Norman Spinrad an honorary Chicano. His novel of the conquest of Mexico, Mexica, is the reason. It was published in Spanish in Mexico, where it was a bestseller. A film is in the works, in English, from El Uno productions.
Those are things that not many Chicano/Latino writers have accomplished. But, before you go online or to you're favorite bookstore to grab a copy, don't bother. This amazing novel is not available in English, or in America. Seems that Nueva York has treated Norman Spinrad like a Chicano.
He and his agent bounced the book all over Nueva York -- and couldn't sell it. Spinrad reports that most of the rejections were on on the assumption that:
. . . American readers wouldn't be interested in an historical novel about the key event in Mexican history, this in a country where there are at least 40 or 50 million Mexican-Americans fluent in English whose very culture and ethnic identity were the result.
Yet Mexica has a potential appeal far beyond the Latino Lit market. It's one of those books that has everything. Not just a bit of ethnic studies and historical curiosity, this rather straight reportage of the Conquest is more fantastic than the best science fiction and fantasy. It makes Star Wars and Lord of the Rings look mundane. There's action, adventure, horror, even romance. You want wild entertainment? Well, here it is!
By: Shelbie and Amanda,
on 11/26/2010
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The Mortal's Library
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Release Date: 8/7/2010
Publisher: Little Brown
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 288
Overall:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.
In case you hadn't noticed I was in such a romance mood this weekend. And the last read definitely didn't end the way I wanted it to, so I tried this one, which totally reminded my why I love fluffily (Yes. I made up a word. So what?) romances... they are SO adorable!
I loved Bianca's snarky, real, sometimes harsh, razor-sharp voice. There was also humor aspect that I loved, and how she isn't afriad to say, or show, how she feels. Anyone else ever wanted to throw your soda in someones face? She actually did it. The character arcs are my favorite part of this book. There's no makeover a la She's All That. No tropetastic turning point when Bianca lets down her hair and slaps on some eyeliner and voila! she's a supermodel! No, Bianca accepts herself for the way she is -- although she does grow emotionally, which makes the book's unlikely romance believable. Under Bianca's tough-talking exterior and Wesley's wisecracking manwhore ways, they both find the vulnerability in one another, and as a result, we fall for them both.
The plot was beautiful, where you could really see the two main characters shape from being characters to real live people.
By: M.J. Rose,
on 11/26/2010
Blog:
Buzz, Balls & Hype
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Let the book buying begin!!! For one month Authorbuzz buys almost a half billion impressions at top blogs reaching over 10 million people all about giving books as gifts.
This year we have 32 participating books and I'll be posting them all - one a day here too.
Some secrets are life-altering... Others are life-ending. Ethan Wate and Lena Duchannes' mesmerizing romance continues in theanticipated sequel to theNew York Timesbestselling Beautiful Creatures.
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By: gaby317,
on 11/24/2010
Blog:
Starting Fresh
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Désirée: The Bestselling Story of Napoleon's First Love
by Annemarie Selinko
The blurb:
To be young, in France, and in love: fourteen-year-old Desiree can't believe her good fortune. Her fiance, the dashing and ambitious Napoleon Bonaparte, is poised for battlefield success, and no longer, will she be just a French merchant's daughter. She could not have known the twisting path her role in history would take, nearly breaking her vibrant heart but sweeping her into a life rich in passion and desire.
A love story, but so much more, Desiree explores the landscape of a young heart torn in two, giving readers a compelling true story of an ordinary girl whose unlikely brush with history leads to a throne no one would have expected.
An epic bestseller that has earned both critical acclaim and mass adoration, Desiree is at once a novel of the rise and fall of empires, the blush and fade of love, and the heart and soul of a woman.
Review:
I expected Desiree to be another wonderful escape into historical fiction with a complicated plot, historical characters, much romance and drama and found it to be even better than I'd expected. Selinko does introduce Desiree to Bethoven, the leaders of the French Revolution, the Jacobines, Robispeare, Talleyrand. Desiree approaches them as ordinary people, regular citizens, albeit more powerful than most. Reading Desiree's impressions of them, we see these characters from the point of view of an ordinary woman, one who isn't interested in power but is painfully aware of what effects that powerful people have on the lives of everyone around them.
The relationship between Desiree and Napoleon is based on far more than their early romance. Through Napoleon's special relationship with Desiree, we imagine how he might have been with a loyal friend that knew him when he had no money, few contacts, but great confidence and ambition. In the early years, Desiree and her prosperous middleclass family helped the Bonapartes. When Desiree's sister Julie married Napoleon's brother, her dowry and their business provided the Bonapartes with resources that helped Bonaparte rise in politics and the army. I particularly enjoyed the way that Selinko captured the unique and powerful lin
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Darn! This is hard!
Well I can already tell I'm not going to be able to guess this. :( But if for nothing else, it's great to find these websites. I didn't know Elizabeth Joy Arnold had a blog, for example! Now I'll just spend the day visiting and reading blog posts just for the fun of it.
Agh this is driving me crazy, I definitely have it but I don't want to claim the prize because I'm not really a romance reader and I want to enter another day!
Californication
Wild Oats by Pamela Morsi?
Wild Oats by Pamela Morsi
Is it Cupid???
Ahh! I just knew I'd be the first to get this and two others beat me to it. My guess was Wild Oats by Pamela Morsi. That was a tough one! This is fun!
Cupid by Rob Thomas
Wow! That was fast. We have a winner! Congrats to Emily. Yes, the answer was Wild Oats by Pamela Morsi. We'll officially announce your win on tomorrow's blog. in the meantime though, to claim your prize, please email [email protected] with your mailing information so we can get your books out.
Curious. have any of you read the book?
--jhf
I knew I should've gotten up earlier. I knew the answer last night... a few of your hint givers gave their clues early. If you want the contest to last longer, you might need to coordinate the hint times with the question.
Oh well, I'm not so much a romance guy anyway. I'm waiting for the mystery books.
No, haven't read it. Just found the clues and worked some magic with google :)