GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
Review by Emily of ...
whimsy...
The difficult thing about reviewing is finding a balance between telling about a story and not giving anything crucial away. I am finding this balance particularly difficult with
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow.
If I knew everyone would be intrigued enough to read it with a recommendation that simply said, "I love this book. If you enjoy YA fantasy, such as books by Shannon Hale, Robin McKinley, Patricia Wrede, C.S. Lewis, etc. don't pass this one by"...that is all I would write. I enjoyed the journey through this book, not having any clue about the story ahead of time. I have seen reviews since I read Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow that gave away crucial elements of the story that I am glad I didn't know.
Having said all that, here is my review. I know. Finally.
The girl, aka the pika, lives in a place that is always winter. Her family is poor. The girl, though a teenager, remains nameless. Her mother was so upset at having another worthless girl, that she refuses to name her.
Legend has it, that nameless girls are often stolen by trolls...but it isn't a troll that takes the pika away from her safe home and beloved brother. It is an isbjorn, or ice bear. The great white bear takes the girl to live in an ice castle for a year, promising that her family will be wealthy.
Many girls have been taken by isbjorns in the past, but the girl has a special quality that distinguishes her from the others.
She can talk to animals, which certainly helps when you have been taken captive by a bear.
Jessica Day George loved this Norwegian fairy tale and decided to flesh it out into a full length novel. At the BYU conference, she said she chose the story because it had everything...adventure, trolls, castles, mystery, romance.
I also enjoyed the details she added to the tale...like how the ice castle smells of rotten meat. Ewww. So gross. Great description though.
Recommended readers: lovers of YA fantasy/fairy tales.
SPITFIRE by Kate Messner
Review by Emily of Whimsy Books and Whimsy Daisy
Spitfire has great voice, two great voices actually.
Abigail, who is nearly 13, disguises herself as a boy to fight against the British in 1776. She never was a very good girl, so she set out to see if she would make a better boy. Abigail joined the battle at Lake Champlain in an attempt to find her uncle, her only remaining relative.
During her adventures, she finds friendship in Pascal.
We follow these two young fighters through their battles on the ship, the Spitfire.
The book is well-written and the characters are enjoyable. Spitfire, the name of the book, is also a fitting description for the characters who fight for their country and to prove themselves in a tough world.
Spitfire is a quick, easy read. Excellent for young people learning about history. The way the story is told, it is easy for the reader to put themselves into the battle scenes and imagine life as a young soldier on the Spitfire.
Review by Emily of ...
Whimsy...
Dragon Slippers by
Jessica Day George is absolutely delightful.
The story begins with this great opening: “It was my aunt who decided to give me to the dragon. Not that she was evil, or didn’t care for me. It’s just that we were very poor, and she was, as we said in those parts, dumber than two turnips in a rain barrel.”
Creel’s aunt hopes Creel will come away from the dragon with a rich husband. Creel hopes to come away with gold from the dragon’s hoard. What she actually comes away with is something nobody expected…a pair of enchanted slippers.
When she escapes from the dragon’s lair, she can’t return home, so she makes the long journey to the King’s Seat in search of a job as a dressmaker. Of course, things don’t often turn out the way we expect. Many obstacles arise, but in the midst of her struggles, she finds love, courage, friendship, and the strength to pursue her dreams.
As you can probably tell, I highly recommend this novel. It is an original fairy tale full of dragons, princes, adventures, and laughs. Nothing pleases me more than a good fairy tale.
A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith
Review by Emily
from Whimsy Books and Whimsy Daisy
A Walk with Jane Austen is a quiet ride through Jane Austen’s world. This book is not what I expected it to be. It is less about Jane Austen and more about author Lori Smith. It is a soft memoir. Smith’s talented writing weaves countless connections between the life of Jane Austen and her own.
Lori Smith finds herself growing older and unmarried, a position she never expected to find herself in. She tours England to visit the remaining sites of Austen’s world. During this trip, Smith discovers who she is, why we face challenges, and how faith can get us through.
From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. In this engaging, deeply personal and well-researched travelogue, Smith (a PW contributor) journeys to England to soak in the places of Jane Austen's life and writings. The book is sure to ride the wave of Austen-philia that has recently swept through Hollywood and a new generation of Americans, but this is an unusual look at Jane Austen. Readers will learn plenty of biographical details-about Austen's small and intimate circle of family and friends, her candid letters to her sister, her possible loves and losses, her never-married status, her religious feelings, and her untimely death at the age of 41. But it is the author's passionate connection to Jane-the affinity she feels and her imaginings of Austen's inner life-that bring Austen to life in ways no conventional biographer could. Smith's voice swings authentically between the raw, aching vulnerability of a single Christian woman battling a debilitating and mysterious chronic illness and the surges of faith she finds in the grace of a loving God. And yes, she even meets a potential Darcy at the start of her journey. This deliciously uncertain romantic tension holds the book together as Smith weaves her own thoughts, historical research, and fitting references to Austen's novels into a satisfying whole.
The Hiding Place, written by Corrie ten Boom, is a true story about the author's experiences during the holocaust. Corrie ten Boom was a leader in the Underground. With the help of her family, she kept many Jews safe from the Nazis. However, she was eventually caught, and along with her family, thrown into prison and a concentration camp.
This inspirational story is about how Corrie found faith and held onto it for dear life. She witnessed many miracles, but the greatest miracle to me, is that Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were able to maintain such a positive outlook because of their unwavering faith in God. I mean, Betsie prays IN GRATITUDE for the fleas in the bunker, which do, amazingly enough, turn out to have a good purpose.
Here is a brief excerpt:
"Corrie Ten Boom stood naked with her older sister Betsie, watching a concentration camp matron beating a prisoner. "Oh, the poor woman," Corrie cried. "Yes. May God forgive her," Betsie replied. And, once again, Corrie realized that it was for the souls of the brutal Nazi guards that her sister prayed."
The Hiding Place is a life-changing classic. It is a quick read. Although it is about the holocaust, it is not deeply depressing but enlightening and uplifting. I hope you enjoy it! It is one of the best books I have ever read.
Review by Emily, Head Mama of DCR
There's a good chance you read the title of this book and had similar thoughts to mine...sounds like cheesy chick lit. Well, maybe it kind of is, but it is written well, and I found it thoroughly enjoyable. In fact, I read it in about a day.
I strongly recommend
IT'S A MALL WORLD AFTER ALL if you like clean teen romances. Similar movie flicks would include A Cinderella Story, High School Musical...you know, the fun, innocent high-schoolish romances.
Charlotte, a tall-and-pretty klutz, works at the mall as a perfume spritzer for Bloomingdale's. From the entry of Bloomingdale's, she watches life at the mall, often spying on classmates. However, sometimes spying can get you into trouble. A funny series of events unfolds. I honestly laughed out loud, which I rarely do, while reading.
Besides being an active member of NHS (the National Honor Society), Charlotte loves to head up service projects, but being a klutz, something always goes wrong. During the course of the story, she finds a way to help disadvantaged kids for a Christmas project.
It is pretty obvious who Charlotte likes and how the story will end, but does that matter? Most chick flicks are predictable. That certainly doesn't stop me from loving them. If you don't like predictability,
IT'S A MALL WORLD AFTER ALL may not be for you. However, if you love a quick-n-funny chick flick now and then, like I obviously do, read this one.
Thanks for that review! Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow sounds really good. I'll be sure to put it on hold at my local library.
Thank you for the review! I am so excited to read this book now! It's got everything I love in a book all wrapped up in one!
That sounds like a really neat book. I've read some Norwegian fairy tales, I think, but I'm not familiar with this one.
Sounds super - I'd love to be included!!
Is this the same myth that East by Edith Pattou is based on? I really enjoyed East, and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow sounds great. I will definately have to check this one out!
KT, I haven't read East but I believe they are based on the same fairy tale.
I want to read it. I just read East though, so I think I will take some time so that I can read this book without comparing it too much.
I like the interview - she sounds like a hoot. If she's that entertaining in real life, I'm sure the book is great!
East o' the Sun, West O' the Moon is my favorite fairy tale, so I have to read this! It looks magical.
It sounds like an amazing read :)
I've only read Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George, sadly :-(
And I totally agree with you on the reviewing-with-balance-in-mind thing ;)
I would love to enter to win this book. Thank you!
Thanks for the review. It sounds like a fun read.
Wow! I'm so excited to read the book now. I hadn't been able to find any reviews of it yet, but this is incredible.
I started reading this book yesterday and I totally love it!
I'm anxiously awaiting this - I love fairy tale retellings. Shannon Hale (also a Utah author) has excellent fairy tale novels such as The Goose Girl or Book of a Thousand Days.
Hi Everyone!
I'm anxious to read East now, too. I'll add that to my ever-growing to-read list.
Anna, Welcome. If you stick around, you'll find that I am a big fan of Shannon Hale. I spent a whole week spotlighting her here, actually. You can find an interview here: http://cleanreads.blogspot.com/2007/11/interview-with-shannon-hale.html
Okay, sign me up again -- I'd love, LOVE to get this book!
I loved meeting Jessica as well, wish I knew you were there. I haven't read EAST either but I've heard it's fantastic.
Thanks for the great review. I appreciate the way you concealed details.
I really wanted to read this book and now, I only want to read it more. It sounds great!
I am really excited now that I know that it's based on the same fairy tale as East. That just confirmed it will go in my every growing must read pile. Yay!
Do you know of any other books that are based on Norwiegan folktales? I would love to hear about them.
I have yet to read "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow," but it sounds like it would be an excellent addition to our library. I was a bit cautious and did not want to buy it straight off without knowing more about it. Bad, bad experience with other authors. Methinks I can safely go seek out "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow."
Thanks for the review, especially for not giving critical information away!
Caesia J.
I'm sorry I missed out on the contest. Sounds like a very good read. I added it to my wishlist.