Review: First Step 2 Forever by Justin Bieber

Billed as "100% Official," this very generously illustrated autobiography chronicles the early years and dizzying success of this teen-pop heartthrob in his own words and pictures. The staggering dimensions of his story should silence any skepticism about the worth of any autobiography of a 16-year-old#58; Since being discovered just three years ago, this small-town Ontario boy has gone platinum with his first album; drawn more than 70 million YouTube hits and four million Twitter followers; and caused crowd scenes and near riots on his World Tour. Sometimes just too cute for words.

Before you all collectively roll your eyes at further Justin Bieber exposure, read on to find out why I think this book is a worthwhile investment.

On a typical day, a conversation with my 8 year old daughter goes like this:

Daughter: "Mom, what's Justin Bieber's favourite ice cream?"

Me: "HOW WOULD I KNOW THAT??!"

My dad: "It's chocolate."

Me: How do you know that?!"

My Dad: "I saw it on TV..."

Daughter: "Yay! Same as me!"

So, as much as I would be rolling my own eyes at yet another JB product, I like that fact that I can now say: "go check the book for the answer" to my daughter (and pray that all her questions can be answered by this resource, lol.)

Aside from that, it has tons of great pictures in it AND lots to read. Unfortunately, my daughter is still at the age that she likes to read out loud. This can be a double edged sword in that she will sit down and read First Step 2 Forever for 20-30 minutes at a time (which is great!) but I have to hear it too. Gosh, the things we do for our kids....

It is not at an easy reading level for her but it pushes her skills and her interest in new words (okay, so she has learned sexy and pimp-mobile from it, but those are nothing that she hasn't since seen on public bathroom walls, but that's a story for another day...)

In the end, I think, if your child is a fan, this book is a must-have for their collection, not just to have but to further their interest in reading in a parentally devious way, also ;-)

If you are still unconvinced, here are some sample readings from the book. Enjoy:

Review: Velocity by Alan Jacobson

Hardcover, 400 pages
Published October 5th 2010 by Vanguard Press

Detective Robby Hernandez, Karen Vail’s boyfriend, has vanished into the dense air of a Napa Valley evening. There are no clues to his whereabouts, other than a blood stain and tenuous connections to a vicious serial killer operating in the wine country.

As the task force struggles with Robby’s disappearance, the killer challenges Vail by boldly leaving his high profile victims in public places. Is this offender somehow responsible for Robby’s disappearance? Evidence suggests that he is—but just when Vail and the task force begin to make progress, the FBI orders Vail to return to Quantico to handle a case of vital importance.

Back in Washington, Vail engages covert government operative Hector DeSantos to determine what happened to Robby. It’s a move that backfires when DeSantos’s confidential informants lead them into unforeseen dangers, forcing Vail to face off against powerful foes unlike any she’s ever encountered, threatening her life, her career . . . all that she holds dear.

In a frantic race against time that takes them from the monuments of Washington, D.C., to the wealthy beach enclaves of San Diego and the bright excesses of Las Vegas, shocking truths emerge—truths that will forever change Karen Vail.

Reviewing this book has me in a bit of a quandary. There was so much happening throughout that at times it felt like my head was spinning. The books starts off, apparently, exactly where the last book finished. It would have been hugely helpful to have read the other books before. The other issue it presented was a kind of unreal time frame where the previous Karen Vail books  (4 of them) all seem to have occurred during a very short period of time. It appears Vail was having a pretty crappy month or so, catching serial killers and helping to take down drug cartels all while looking for her missing boyfriend.

Then there was how the book was written. At times, it felt like an instruction manual for all manner of law enforcement. This did help in explaining terms that would be used throughout but at times felt more educational than entertaining. To put a positive spin on this aspect, it adds more credence to the story, making it more like true FBI, DEA, etc. work than the abbreviated versions we see on TV. From the extensive list of acknowledgements, it is easy to see that Alan Jacobson really does his homework.

All of that being said, the book kept my attention. The action maintained a constant pace and really made me want to continute reading. There were so many facets at play and so many characters involved that there was always something happening. I think it was a bit forced in trying to make everything connect in Vail's life...surely one woman can't be that unlucky?! With the ending, I'm not sure if this is the last we see of Karen Vail but by the conclusion I liked the characters involved, with the exception of Hector DeSantos whose 'If I told you, I'd have to kill you' routine leaned towards cheesiness. I would still be interested in reading the previous books to get a better feel for the overall picture.

If you are a fan of Criminal Minds on TV and/or Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series, (which I am, of both) then Velocity has a similar feel. Though a bit overwhelming with information at times, I did enjoy the story overall.

Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, October 2010
Hardcover, 432 pages
ISBN-10: 1416989439
ISBN-13: 9781416989431
Grades: 9 and up

Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick may have been one of my most anticipated sequels for this year. When I read Hush, Hush last year, I fell totally in love with Patch, the fallen angel, bad boy/good guy character. I devoured the book in one sitting and I just assumed with the release of Crescendo I would feel the same way.

I kinda did and I kinda didn't...how's that for sitting on the fence? I still love Patch, though I think he was in this book far less and was considerably misrepresented throughout (I kept my faith in him the whole time, despite how things were starting to look :-))

Nora, on the other hand....and here's where I need to have a serious talk with this character: Nora, didn't you think that after several times of following your instincts, only to end up in bigger trouble that maybe, just maybe, you should not listen to said instincts?... This girl needed a huge head slap, for sure!

I totally saw who the "bad guy" was early on in the story and I'm usually easily fooled when it comes to mysteries, so that part of the storyline was fairly predictable for me. What will keep my attention with this series comes in the form of some of the other characters introduced in this book and where their stories will take us in Tempest. There is still a lot to be learned about Nora and the gang, which I'm definitely looking forward to.

Crescendo is a book filled with many unanswered questions and is left with a huge cliff-hanger. It is worth the read to catch up on where the characters stand but it's basically a bridge between the first and the third book, as so many middle books seem to be.

Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Margaret K. McElderry, August 2010
Hardcover, 496 pages
ISBN-10: 1416975861
ISBN-13: 9781416975861
Grades: 9 and up

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I've had the three books that make up the Mortal Instruments series sitting on my shelf for quite some time, patiently waiting for me to pick them up and read them...did I mention that they're all signed too? After having heard so many great things about the series, it's a wonder I haven't touched them yet. But, you know the story, time gets away from you, review copies take priority, etc., etc.

Then came my opportunity to review Clockwork Angel, the first book in the Infernal Devices series,  which gave me a glimpse into this world created by Cassandra Clare. By golly, I loved it! (Yes, I just said by golly, lol)

I wasn't sure about Tessa's character right away. She seemed a bit rigid or cold. As the book progressed, all of the characters grew on me considerably. I have to agree with the general consensus that Will needs a good smack upside the head (as many literary characters do), but what the future unfurling of his story holds has got me in a tizzy...the anticipation may just about kill me!

Clare has developed this whole fantastic, dark, Victorian Era landscape, with a touch of magic that makes the reader wish they could be transported into it. She represents technology as it would have been at the time but with these creatures, these mystical beings manipulating gears and such to fit their grand designs, yet still held in check by the limitations of that particular time. I think Clare has done a wonderful job of piecing it all together. I also think this would play out very well, visually, on the big screen, especially scenes with The Dark Sisters. The Silent Brothers are fairly creepy too...

I was shocked at a few things that occurred in Clockwork Angel. Clare does not hold back in the least, pulling at the heart strings and showing no mercy where some of the more likeable characters are concerned. Want to know what I'm referring to? Read the book! I swear you won't regret it.

The unfortunate part is having to wait until September 2011 for the next book in the series, Clockwork Prince, to be released. In the mean time, I am more encouraged than ever to pull City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass off the shelf and read on about the Nephilim.

Review: I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books; 1 edition (June 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545088186
ISBN-13: 978-0545088183

Seventeen-year-old Bronwen Oliver doesn't just want a family. She has one of those, and there's nothing terribly wrong with them apart from bickering grandparents, an image-obsessed mother and a brother she describes simply as Jesus. But there's no natural sense of connection between Bronwen and her family, leaving her with the belief -- and the hope -- that she was switched at birth, that she was never supposed to be Bronwen Oliver but someone else entirely.

When she begins dating college senior Jared Sondervan, she finds herself thoroughly embraced by the loving family she has always wanted and does not hesitate to say yes when Jared proposes on her 18th birhday. Plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her junior year of college become plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her freshman year of college. And a wedding so soon isn't exactly what Bronwen wants. But Jared is. And his family is. Or so she thinks.

Before Bronwen can determine what she truly wants, she must first determine who she truly is, and the answer, she discovers, is only partially what she thought it was. She wasn't switched at birth, but she's also not Bronwen Oliver and hasn't been for a very long time.

From the start, this book had a familiar ring to it. I have felt very similar to Bronwen, with parents whose interests were so different from my own that I did not think we were actually related. I also got involved in an engagement at a young age, but this was where our similarities became divided.

Bronwen was an enjoyable charcter, for me. The sarcastic tone of the novel fit well with my own ironic sense of humour. As things begin to snowball out of control for Bronwen, though, this changed. It got a little more serious,and rightfully so. When things have been left unsaid for so long, the time for laughing and joking must eventually be put aside to deal with the more important issues in life.

This book has a bit of an older feel than the usual YA, with the characters being late to teens early twenties. There were some situations that felt wrong to me, for example Bronwen "saving it for marriage" just seems so outdated, but that's just my own personal opinion. Having a daughter myself, I will encourage this theory when the time comes (I dread the day, lol) and will gladly accept the title of "hypocrite", lol.

I did enjoy this book for the most part, it just took a bit of a down turn towards the end. It's definitely worth reading though if you've ever questioned your own identity or if you were switched at birth :-p

Review: The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Touchstone, August 2010
Hardcover, 400 pages
ISBN-10: 1439197172
ISBN-13: 9781439197172

Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin Henry VI fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.

Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York's daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret charts her own way through another loveless marriage, treacherous alliances, and secret plots. She feigns loyalty to the usurper Richard III and even carries his wife's train at her coronation.

Widowed a second time, Margaret marries the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, and her fate stands on the knife edge of his will. Gambling her life that he will support her, she then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time—all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize.

In a novel of conspiracy, passion, and coldhearted ambition, number one bestselling author Philippa Gregory has brought to life the story of a proud and determined woman who believes that she alone is destined, by her piety and lineage, to shape the course of history.

Had you asked me about The War of the Roses several months ago, I would have described a particularly funny scene from the movie with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas (you know the one...at the dinner party?). Now, after reading The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory, I see that there was in fact a different War of the Roses.

My only previous experience with Philippa Gregory was reading The Other Boleyn Girl a few years ago, so I had an idea of what to expect. What I wasn't expecting was the humour involved in The Red Queen. Ok, so maybe what I found funny wasn't meant to be but the characterization of this little 9 year old girl, Lady Margaret, thinking she is the next Joan of Arc just struck a chord with me. I could picture the self-sacrificing attitude, the super-holy beliefs of Lady Margaret vividly.

It is this, I think, that draws me most to Gregory's writing. She takes a historical figure, though one not quite as famous as say Richard III or Henry VIII, and gives them life. She makes them a three dimensional figure for us and brings their stories to the forefront instead of the back seat role they have played for centuries. Of course, not all is historically accurate but the richness of the characters make you want to research more of the "real" story (yes, I wiki'd Lady Margaret).

The relationship between Lady Margaret and Lord Stanley was the most interesting part, neither truly knowing whether to trust the other. I could have done without a particular scene involving Jasper Tudor and Lady Margaret, it didn't seem to flow with the rest of the story though it did serve to highlight Margaret's commitment to her cause.

My only regret was that I hadn't read The White Queen first; there were many references to Elizabeth Woodville that I would have understood better if I had. It definitely did not take away from the story at all and I have every intention to go back and read The White Queen...along with the rest of the books in The Tudor series! Overall, The Red Queen is another great work of historical fiction.

Review and Guest Post: I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk

ISBN: 9780007875504
ISBN10: 0007875509
On Sale: 28/09/2010
Format: Trade paperback
Pages: 336

Angela is in the city of love -- but romance is taking a nose-dive! When Angela Clark's boyfriend Alex suggests a trip to Paris at the same time as hip fashion mag Belle asks her to write a piece, she jumps at the chance. But even as she's falling for the joie de vivre of Paris, someone's conspiring to sabotage her big break. And when she spots Alex having a tete-a-tete with his ex in a local bar, Angela's dreams of Parisian passion all start crashing down around her. With London and her old life only a train journey away, Angela can't decide if should stay and face the music or run away home!

Thanks to Shannon at Harper Collins Canada, I had the pleasure of reviewing I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk.

Let me start off by admitting, it took me a little while to warm up to the main character, Angela. I thought she was just going to be a name dropping fashionista but as more of her personality was revealed she became this cute, clumsy, real woman. Angela seems to have it all: the rockstar boyfriend who wants to take her to Paris, a successful blog which leads to an opportunity with a famous fashion magazine, and a best friend with connections in the fashion world. Who wouldn't want her life? But from her arrival in Paris, things go amuck.

Using miscommunications and an evil assistant thousands of miles away, Kelk sets the stage for mayhem for poor Angela. While it seemed that some of the scenarios were only randomly placed in the book book for their comedic effect (I did wonder a few times why things had happened) everything wrapped up nicely in the end. The book was full of self-deprecating humor with a particularly British twist (Angela originally hails from London). The use of English vernacular was fun to read...using a British accent in my head while reading, of course.

If you are a fan of chick lit, this makes for an excellent addition to your reading list. Kelk also includes "Angela's Guide to Paris" at the back, if you're fortunate enough to be able to go. Along this vain, I have a virtual tour of Paris posted on The Book Lover's Inc. website here.

Annnndd, as an extra special treat, Lindsey Kelk has provided us with a top ten list! So, direct from the author, here is her list of must haves:

Top 10 items to pack when going on a romantic adventure


Surprise! Your boyfriend is taking you away on a romantic weekend away! What could possibly go wrong? Well, you’d be surprised. I once had a nightmare that Robert Pattinson whisked me away to a cabin in the woods that had no TV, no internet and I hadn’t even packed a book. He had packed a book and proceeded to read it alllllll day. We had quite the row. Haven’t been able to watch Twilight since. I’d say Remember Me but no one saw that anyway, did they?


There is a ridiculous amount of stress involved in a mini-break. If you’re a new couple (or as the world now measures time, post-Bieber), it could be the longest amount of time you’ve spent in each other’s company and therefore a real test. If you’ve been together pre-Beiber, then there’s a lot of pressure on you to Have A Good Time and Reignite The Spark. What follows is a list of things that might not occur to you right away – I’m sort of assuming you’ve got the more obvious basics covered – but should you find yourself in an awkward spot this list should sort you right out.


1. Sexy lingerie, comfy PJs, cashmere wrap
Now, this is a romantic adventure so really, if stockings and suspenders aren’t in your bag, you’re not doing your bit. I’m not saying you have to be trussed up like a turkey all weekend long though, equally important are slouchy PJs for lounging around and super soft wraps, preferably cashmere for snuggling purposes. The key here is to think sensory overload: nothing goes in your suitcase unless it makes you happy – one way or another. Please just note that holey old trackpants are not welcome.


2. Pencil and paper
This kind of trip begs for little love notes, penned to your beloved and left on their pillow just because you missed them while they were in the shower. Or you know, maybe there’s something you’ve been wanting to say or suggest, that you can’t quite say out loud… Nothing gets the pulse racing faster than a handwritten fantasy. And boys, nothing melts the ladies more easily than a little ‘I love you’ that she can keep forever. Fact.


3. Camera
Get your mind out of the gutter, surely you want to take as many arm-outstretched self-portraits as possible on your weekend away? Hopefully you’ll have lots of happy memories and a flick through the photo album on your return home should be all it takes to rekindle the romantic flame. And if it takes a little more than that, well, you’ve got the camera.


4. Walking shoes
Unless it’s a very short trip, there’s a good chance you’re going to want to leave the hotel/cabin/narrow boat (wouldn’t do it for me but you know, different strokes and all that) and there’s nothing sexy about blisters. Fluffy mules aren’t going to help you out when your new man suggests a hike through the woods to a cute country pub, now are they? Actually, I’ve yet to find a way they do help but still. You get points for trying.


5. Books & board games
I’m sure some of you will think this is ridiculous, I mean, it’s a romantic weekend away, who wants to read? But there has to be a bit of respite and personally, I think being comfortable enough to sit quietly with your lover and read a book is very sexy. Alternatively, you could indulge in a hot game of Scrabble – remember, a smart girl is a sexy girl. Unfortunately, a violently aggressive bad loser is not so I’ll pass on this one and just take a book. No Kindles or iPads allowed though, sorry. Ebooks just aren’t as seductive as printed paper.


6. iPod
Firstly, anyone who can go a whole weekend without music is inhuman and secondly, you’ve got to give your man a chance to bust out his sexytimes playlist. If it includes Do Ya Think I’m Sexy or Let’s Get It On, you might want to reconsider your life choices.


7. Chocolate & champagne
If the BF has planned this, there’s every chance he hasn’t paid attention to little things like, the need to eat. So just in case you turn up to an empty cottage kitchen and no shops for miles around, it might be a good idea to pack a couple of snacks. And if he has actually sorted these things out, no one is going to be upset that you’ve brought a box of chocolates, are they?


8. Candles
This is classic ‘mood setting’ ammunition.
Do not, I repeat, do not leave for a romantic getaway without them.
And really, can’t emphasis many times you should check that you have matches. There is nothing more annoying on earth than remembering candles and forgetting matches. Except maybe Justin Bieber.


9. Bubble bath
As far as I’m concerned, the words ‘romantic getaway’ are synonymous with the words ‘soaking tub’. There may or may not have been an incident at a hotel recently with half a bottle of Molton Brown bath soak and a bubble monster that attempted to take over all of Manhattan. This pleased me.


10.Teabags
OK, I’ll be the first to admit that there’s nothing necessarily sexy about teabags but bear with me. One of the nicest things a boy ever did for me was sneak out in the morning to buy teabags for when I woke up. So the point isn’t really ‘pack teabags’ but remember to take the little things that make you comfortable. For me, it would be teabags, eye make-up remover and my favourite sweater. These aren’t sexy items but knowing you have them will put you at ease. Of course, if his are porn, poppers and a pet tarantula, you should probably call it quits now.

The only thing missing from the list are the other two books in the series, I Heart New York and I Heart Hollywood. But I totally agree with Lindsey....chocolates and champagne? bubbles? *sigh* I very much need a mini break myself now, I think....

And, yes, I have seen Remember Me.....though it appears I may be the only other person in the world to admit to it, lol. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the post!

Review: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

ISBN: 9780061852053
ISBN10: 0061852058
Imprint: Avon
On Sale: 15/03/2010
Format: Paperback
Pages: 432
Price $10.99
Ages: 18 and Up

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

Of all the books I've read, the "historical romance" genre is usually not high on my list. There is a certain stigma attached to the idea, probably stemming from the number of times I mocked my mom for reading "mush". From this day on, I will mock no more! (Ok, I probably will a little though all in fun but I won't hesitate to delve into another ;-)

Nine Rules... has everything it needs to cook up romance: dashing men, innocent ladies (anxious to lose their innocence), conflict, heartache, and no lack of blush-worthy love scenes. It was a blast to explore Callie's list as she marked each item off.  The "Ride Astride" adventure for Callie was particularly fun to read :-o There was one scene that I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the author's explanation of the situation but I was sadly left hanging....though my own wicked imagination surely did a decent job of making up for it. There are a few activities on Callie's list that I wouldn't mind trying out myself, given the opportunity (firing a pistol, for one).

There were times when I had to laugh at the predictable cheesiness that popped up but overall I very much enjoyed this book. In fact, I devoured it! Several times I had to close the book and fan myself with it....especially as I sat at my desk, reading at work. Not the ideal place for such steamy reading. And now, like a drug-sick addict (though not quite as dire), I anxiously await the second book from Sarah MacLean due out next month, Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord.

Review: Songs for a Teenage Nomad by Kim Culbertson

Product ISBN: 9781402243011
Price: $9.99
Publication Date: September 2010
Format: Paperback

After living in twelve places in eight years, Calle Smith finds herself in Andreas Bay, California, at the start of ninth grade. Another new home, another new school...Calle knows better than to put down roots. Her song journal keeps her moving to her own soundtrack, bouncing through a world best kept at a distance.

Yet before she knows it, friends creep in-as does an unlikely boy with a secret. Calle is torn over what may be her first chance at love. With all that she's hiding and all that she wants, can she find something lasting beyond music? And will she ever discover why she and her mother have been running in the first place?

I'm a big music fan with fairly eclectic taste, so when I read about this book it seemed something I would really enjoy. I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting as far as the music references go, maybe more of the lyrics that were a part of Calle's journey being included/printed but it turned out a bit different from my expectations. It is a melancholy, bitter-sweet story of not one, but several, troubled teens. It may be overly idealistic in the sense that these kids find strength in each other, which I'm not sure would be an accurate portayal of reality but is a nice thought, if it were to happen, for real, struggling teens.

The images Culbertson invokes at times are beautiful, almost poetic: "He's wearing his grandfather's letterman jacket; the wool is old and soft. Light hangs around the edge of his profile, a force field." (page 55 of ARC) and "The empty house a silent animal curled around me..." (page 97 of ARC). I got a bit lost with some of the musical references which may have detracted from my reading. I've heard of Aimee Mann and Cowboy Junkies, among others, but was not familiar with the songs being mentioned. It took me more than half of the book to understand that the chapter titles are song titles because of those I don't know, even if the musicians named are ones I know and like. It does give me something to research now though.

Calle seems the type that is mature for her age because of her experiences yet still quite innocent, no thanks in part to the lack of communication from her mother's end. It's a tricky balance with kids of being honest with them while trying to protect them from the harsh realities out there. In this sense, Songs for a Teenage Nomad struck a very personal chord with me. I'm raising a daughter on my own and she's already full of questions; I'm dreading the teenage years. I thank Culbertson for showing this relationship with an authentic feel and with insights into both points of view.

In the end, I think this books shows us how parental issues affect our kids deeper than we sometimes realize but I walked away with a feeling of hope; that the past can be dealt with in postive ways. The biggest lesson is to actually deal with it all, not run from it. This is a truly moving story.


I got a note along with my ARC of Songs for a Teenage Nomad from Kim Culbertson giving instructions on how to keep a song journal....where certain songs remind you of times in your life. While I'm not going to share my life experiences here, I thought I would share the soundtrack of my life (to date and certainly not inclusive)
My "Life Soundtrack" includes:

Old Love - Eric Clapton
The Flame - Cheap Trick
Father and Son - Cat Stevens
Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying - Fallout Boy
Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off - Panic! At the Disco
The Weakness in Me - Joan Armatrading
Pornostartrek - Ubiquitous Synergy Seekers
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
My Favourite Mistake - Sheryl Crow
Why'd You Lie - Colin James
Rootless Tree - Damien Rice
Life for Rent - Dido
Black - Pearl Jam
Epic - Faith No More
Heaven - Live

I'd love to hear what songs bring back memories for all of you out there too. Please feel free to share with me!

Review: Death's Excellent Vacation

Hardback
235 x 159mm
352 pages
ISBN 9780441018680
03 Aug 2010
Ace trade paper
18 - AND UP

The editors of Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns deliver a new collection-including a never-before-published Sookie Stackhouse story.

New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris, Katie MacAlister, Jeaniene Frost-plus Lilith Saintcrow, Jeff Abbott, and more-send postcards from the edge of the paranormal world to fans who devoured Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns.

With an all-new Sookie Stackhouse story and twelve other original tales, editors Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner bring together a stellar collection of tour guides who offer vacations that are frightening, funny, and touching for the fanged, the furry, the demonic, and the grotesque. Learn why it really can be an endless summer-for immortals.

To date, I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with short stories. Some are good, some not so much. That theory held true for me here. I was determined that I would leave the Sookie story in this collection till the end (you know, save the best for last?). But it was the first one up, so I read it and it was alright; just alright.

Once I got to the Jeaniene Frost story though, my mind was opened further to the rest of the book. There were some stories that were witty, some sexy, and some just plain funny....I mean a vampire "pirate" being ambushed and falling for a were-wolfling? (I really liked that one.) There was also one that left me unimpressed; a thinly veiled anti-smoking story that I could see coming a mile away. Who am I kidding? There's was no "thinly veiled" about it; it seemed to be going somewhere good but just ended up predictable and preachy.

I think Death's Excellent Vacation has been a turning point for me. I am more encouraged now to read these types of collections because you can come away a fan of someone new, perhaps an author you may not have heard of before. This is true for me with Jeaniene Frost and Katie MacAlister, for sure. My wish list has just increased by several series worth (and I really couldn't afford to add to it at the moment, but such is life.)

There is some great writing within the pages of Death's Excellent Vacation...and yes, some that you might not like...but for paranormal fans, this is a great book to have for those times when you just can't fit a whole novel in.

Review: Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Punlisher: Little Brown for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover
Subformat: Young Adult
Edition: Book II in The Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy
Publish Date:8/1/2010
US/Can Price:$17.99/$21.99
ISBN:9780316034470

The ultimate battle between sisters is nearing, and its outcome could have catastrophic consequences. As sixteen year-old Lia Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy, her twin sister Alice hones the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the only thing she wants: There's also Lia's boyfriend James.

Lia and Alice always knew the Prophecy would turn those closest to them against them. But they didn't know what betrayal could lead them to do. In the end, only one sister will be left standing.

This is the second book in a series of three, the first being Prophecy of the Sisters, which published last year. Since reading it, I've been dying to get on with the series, but isn't that always the way?

I was dreading that this book would be told from Alice's side of the story, being that she is "The Guardian" in this tale, but happily it is still from Lia's point of view. While it would be interesting from Alice's POV, she is such a scary, complex character, I feel more affinity with Lia.

We pick up here not long after Prophecy ended, where Lia and Sonia have gone to England in a search for the third and fourth keys that are needed to fullfil the prophecy. The thing of it is, when there is a year between books and if you don't read the first book all over again, there are things that are forgotten. The prophecy in this seems a bit complicated at times, so I struggled with the implications of certain actions that happened. Don't get me wrong, I very much love this series still! What I'm getting at, though, is that it is definitely not a stand alone novel. (Also, the lack of remembrance may just be my personal issue :-p )

These books are classic Gothic inspired, complete with doppelgangers (the twins, Lia and Alice), that very much reflect the opposite personalities of each other, with a twist. (You have to read the books to discover the twist) For me, Guardian of the Gate was darker than the first book, which is fitting as we work towards the final battle between good and evil.

I was leery of the introduction of Dimitri in this book. I was a big fan of James in Prophecy and didn't want to like Dimitri at all, but now, like Lia, I'm completely torn! What I love about these books....or am anxious to get to in the story....is the connection with the standing stones in Avebury. I'm a sucker for this aspect of British mythology. It will be interesting to see what Michelle Zink does with all of these elements.

I must now wait patiently for book three of this trilogy, The Beast, which will publish in 2011 to see Lia's choice and how this will all play out in the end....and let me tell you, patience is not one of my strong suits! One thing I know for sure is that I will be reading the entire series all over again once it has been completed.

(Note: You may have seen this review on BookloversInc.; this is indeed my review and has been duplicated here and on the other site as I am a contributor there too...no plaigirism involved :-)

Review: Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Hardback
235 x 159mm
336 pages
ISBN 9780399251634
15 Jun 2010
Putnam Juvenile
12 - AND UP years

Still haunted by nightmares of her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father’s relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder—something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother’s plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn’t do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward.

But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn’t think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.

A compelling summer romance, Sea marks the arrival of a stunning new voice in YA.

So, initially, I really liked this book. Then as Sienna is traipsing around Indonesia, completely disregarding her father and the local customs, I was irked. This comes from that nagging little voice in my head that belongs to the mom in me. What the heck is this girl thinking, when she's been warned numerous times that to be alone with a boy, even if they are only 15 and 17, means they are "betrothed"? Ok, I've vented on this subject, on to the rest of the book.

What I really enjoyed in Sea was the eye-opening look at the conditions in this area still, years after the tsunami devastated it. I knew there was so much loss at the time of the natural disaster but the struggles still being dealt with by the people and the world-wide efforts to help were something I hadn't thought much about. Kling gives us a peek at what's happening. She truly captures the heartbreaking realities, especially with regards to the orphaned children involved.

While I wanted to wring Sienna's neck a few times, I suppose ultimately she had her heart in the right place and we can all understand the well-meaning but reckless nature of teenagers. She had her own troubles to deal with, also. Though this book is 300 plus pages, I found the short chapters and larger print made it fairly quick to read. If you like stories with a bit of meat but still that feel of first love, then you will enjoy reading Sea.

Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (June 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031612558X
ISBN-13: 978-0316125581

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits.

In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.

All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

I will admit right now that I had stopped reading for several years, while my daughter was young, and only got back into the swing of things with the Twilight series (which I devoured 3 times consecutively). I was curious with the release of Bree Tanner to see where Stephanie Meyer would take us. The "novella" format is one I was also interested in, with it being a joke in the Bridget Jones film as part of discussion with Salman Rushdie, et al. I assumed it was reserved for more proper literary works, but I went with the flow here.

Bree Tanner is a very small part of the Eclipse novel, but I remembered exactly who she was...and of course her ultimate outcome. Having said that, the title is totally fitting for her untimely demise.

Putting all of these elements together, I found that I was just starting to like Bree. If possible, her interaction with Diego was even more innocent than the entire Twilight series (which I thought would be hard to do!). But, despite this, I enjoyed reading it. Bree did not have the training needed to become a well rounded vampire like Bella Swan did, but, to me, her slow realizations of the "truth" were well portayed by Meyer. It was neat to see the character development aspect here. I would recommend this as a light read, and, of course, to any Twi-fan out there that hasn't already read it.

Review: Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale

published May 4th 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca (first published March 2nd 1987) detailsPaperback, 512 pages
isbn13: 9781402237027

Rumors of ruined maidens, coldblooded duels, swindles, and murder swirl around the impoverished 'Devil Earl.' But Faelan Savigar hides an even darker secret. Roderica Delamore longs for a normal life but fears she'll end up mad or suicidal like the forebears from whom she inherited her "gift" of sensing others thoughts and emotions. As the two find their way to each other against all odds, Roddy's growing love for Faelen may end up saving him or destroying her…

A breathtaking historical romance filled with poignancy, darkness, love, and an unexpected twist of Gaelic magic…

Earlier this year, I reviewed Laura Kinsale's Lessons in French, so I had a bit of an idea of what to expect. Or at least I thought I did. In starting Uncertain Magic, I didn't feel that same initial pull as I did with my first Kinsale experience. But Uncertain Magic is a pretty meaty read so I kept going, hoping to get more from it.

I think my issue here was the likeability of the main characters. They both came across as standoffish, which can be off-putting for the reader. Roddy and Faelan are brought together quickly, each for their own reasons, and married. I was expecting the romance, or the achieving of it to be the central part of the story and I suppose to some degree it was, just in a different way than I'd imagined. And in the end, I liked this approach. It's good when an author can mix things up a bit.

With the marriage out of the way almost immediately, I was unsure where the rest of the story would take me. Roddy's special talent and Faelan's mysterious past are repeatedly mentioned but Kinsale waits till the bitter end to reveal the truths. Reaching this point though is achieved through the background of battles between the Irish Protestants and Catholics.

Having grown up with this history (mine was from the Scottish view point, but still similar), I had some insights into how bad the blood could be between these arch-rivals. But Kinsale always manages to teach me a thing or two that I didn't know, for instance how the land of Catholic families was divided after the death of its patriarch versus Protestant land owners (I've always thought of the Irish as being more Catholic, but it seems this was not always the case.)

I grew to enjoy the characters but found the paranormal aspects of the story a bit tedious and confusing at times. Overall, a decent read, especially if you like your romance with a twist of history.

Review: White Cat by Holly Black

Margaret K. McElderry, May 2010
Hardcover, 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1416963960
ISBN-13: 9781416963967
Ages: 14 and up
Grades: 9 and up

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love -- or death -- and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

White Cat is the first book in the new series by Holly Black (click here for more info and to read an excerpt)

My first impression was: I love the name for this character "Cassel", it seemed very unusual. My second impression came from the flashbacks, going from past to present, making you feel a little disoriented as you're reading. In saying that, this method provides the background information needed to understand this alternate reality that Holly Black has created. It was a firm base for how The Workers have evolved, how the government sees them, and how the lesser elements of society work around the restrictions. This will bode well moving into the next book.

There are many mentions throughout the story about lying and how to be successful at it. Many of these lessons struck a nerve with me, having been exposed to someone in real life with this poor character attribute. But, I understood Cassel's lifestyle better as a result of my own exposure. I was also more aware that the lying is a cover for his insecurities and his lack of talent compared to the rest of his family. I felt for this boy though; his inability to trust even his own family made my empathy that much greater. He had been raised specifically to harness his inner con-man.

There were moments when I felt this story bordered on a much more mature level. There's one scene in particular that had such sexual energy about it that felt older beyond their years (they're supposed to be 14 years old at the time). It may have even leaned a little on the Dom/Sub side. I enjoyed the chemistry shared between Cassel and Lila, but just wished that they had been a little older at this point. In discussing this with Mel at He Followed Me Home, she mentioned how the criminal element may have made them grow up faster. It's a good point, so we'll go with that as the reason behind this :-)

Overall, I did really like this book and am looking forward to see where these characters go next. It's left with a bit of a cliffhanger, so I'll need to work on my patience, but I think Holly Black has a winner of a series ahead of her.

Review: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles

published June 1st 1991 by Dover Publications (first published -429BCE)
details Paperback, 54 pages
isbn 0486268772 (isbn13: 9780486268774)

Considered by many the greatest of the classic Greek tragedies, Oedipus Rex is Sophocles' finest play and a work of extraordinary power and resonance. Aristotle considered it a masterpiece of dramatic construction and refers to it frequently in the Poetics.

I'm currently doing an online course that requires a bit of reading, so I thought it might be fun to share what I've discovered while doing research into the first play I was assigned, Oedipus Rex, and offer up my personal (mostly parodied) review of this classic Greek tragedy.

Oedipus is a well known, unfortunate, figure in literature, but here are a few things that have irked me or made me go "Hmmm?" as I re-read the story:

1) Didn't Oedipus realize that the woman he married was old enough to be his mother? I know back then, the marrying age was considerably less strict than now, but still, really?! There had to have been about 12-15 years between, at a minimum.

2) More to the point, didn't Jocasta realize this about the man that she married and had 2 children with? Especially with his name meaning "swollen feet", didn't she even notice Oedipus had scars on his feet that matched what had been done to him as a baby by his father?  The medical treatments were far less sophisticated in those days, it should have been painfully obvious in sandals. Someone needed to offer these people a clue!

3) This seeming obliviousness was wisely prophetic on the part of Sophocles as from then on, it seems that many leaders of countries over the years have suffered the same affliction: not so much the swollen feet or marrying their own mothers, but the lack of grasping the more important things in life, ie. the greater good of the country.

4) Why would Oedipus gouge his own eyes out? Wouldn't it have achieved more poetic justice if he'd gone all Lorena Bobbit on himself? That seemed to be the bigger wrong-doing...as well as the part about murdering his father, I guess.

On this last point, I offer you the only complete video I could find online of this play. Please enjoy this rendition, well performed by veggies. (I have a strange craving for those yummy Greek potatoes from Mr Greek, with the tomato sauce on them...)

Review: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Hardback
235 x 159mm
320 pages
ISBN 9780441018642
04 May 2010
Ace trade paper
18 - AND UP

After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Faery War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she's angry. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he's under scrutiny by the new Vampire King because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the Shifters coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to the Shreveport pack draws her into the debate. Worst of all, though the door to Faery has been closed, there are still some Fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry...

So, I was trying to figure out ways to do this review without having spoilers, but as you can see from the publisher's synopsis above...well, the biggest one for me is already in it.

I read Dead Until Dark last year but was trying to pace my reading with my viewing of the HBO series TrueBlood (though I haven't gotten to Living Dead in Dallas yet.) There seems to be a fairly close correlation between the two yet enough differences that I, personally, wouldn't give up on either one.

My first impression of Dead in the Family was that it seemed to be a much larger book than any of the previous ones. As I started reading it, I found after about 30+ pages, a page entitled "Chapter 1", so I scratched my head, thinking "What?" and flipped back through to see if I'd missed something. Nope, didn't say "Prologue" or anything like that, it just mentioned a general date time frame. Once I caught on to this I realized it was just a bridge of sorts between the last book to this one. Sookie was needing some recovery time, but this format also served as a way for the reader who hadn't read the previous book (like myself) to catch up to speed.

What I love about this series is that there is a languid quality to Harris' writing that you feel totally invested in the Bon Temps/Louisiana laid back lifestyle. But it has such a sensual feel also, that you are completely engrossed and really don't want to put the book down, even when Sookie's performing mundane tasks.The chemistry between Sookie and Eric is fantastic (I'm totally team Eric, lol) and their moments together are definitely enough to leave a girl weak in the knees!

Harris maintains such an intricate world of vampires, weres and other "two-natured" types, including their hierarchies and politics, that I'm in awe she keeps it all straight and can clearly bring her ideas across to the reader fluidly. She also builds in other previous storylines without making them tedious in the process. I very much enjoy when she brings a figure from history as someone that's been turned (ie. "Bubba" from previous books). This time, the new name involved had me thinking..."geez, that sounds so familiar?!" As the story of this person was explained, I was impressed with how the author handled it while tossing in a little history lesson (this has always been a story that I found beautiful yet sad and ultimately tragic.)

I really can't say enough about Charlaine Harris' wonderful characters, settings, writing style, etc. They are light reads, really, but at the same time offer some depth in emotion, history, and Southern waitressing. Dead in the Family is another winning offering in the Sookie Stackhouse series and if you haven't started reading these books, summer is the perfect time to work on it. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Review: Bite Me: A Love Story by Christopher Moore

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (Mar 23 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061779725
ISBN-13: 978-0061779725

While some young lovers were born to run, Jody and Tommy were born to bite. Well, reborn, that is, now that they're vampires. Good thing theirs is an undying love since their Goth Gal Friday, Abby Normal, imprisoned them in a bronze statue in her living room.

Abby still wants to be a bloodsucking fiend, but right now she's really busy trying to break in a pair of red vinyl thigh-high Skankenstein platform boots and wrangle her manga-love monkey Foo Dog (a.k.a. Steve the bio-chem Ph.D. candidate). And then there's Chet, the shaved vampire cat (and his recently turned meowing minions) stalking the streets of San Francisco. Abby thought she and Steve could stop the ravenous pussycat, oh mais non, they need Jody and Tommy.

Chet, it seems, has a weird reaction to vampirism. He's getting bigger and smarter, and starting to think and act human. Just as Tommy, Jody, Abby, and Steve, along with the turkey-bowling Safeway crew, the Emperor of San Francisco and his trusty dogs Lazarus and Bummer, Abby's gay goth friend Jared, and Tommy's nemeses, SF's finest Cavuto and Rivera, get locked and loaded to hunt big cat, three very old vampires show up--and suddenly everyone's fair game.

This is my second foray into the weird, quirky world of Christopher Moore. And being true to my way of doing things, I have read the third book in a trilogy first, lol. Fortunately, Bite Me starts off with a complete but whacky review of the previous two books, Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story and You Suck: A Love Story. My head was beginning to spin from all the information being thrown at me, from blue hookers and vamps encased in bronze to the weird interrelationships between the characters (who loved who, etc.) But, what Chris Moore has going for him is the off the wall humour mixed in to keep it interesting; you don't care that you may have missed something along the way (mostly, for me, because I know I'll be reading those other books at some point.)

There were also so many POV's in this story, including Chet, the vampire cat. It felt chaotic at times, but the story moved along despite the frequent change in speaker. The constant was Abby aka Allison, aka Countess Abigail von Normal, Emergency Back-up Countess, etc, etc. She's a hoot, causing havoc wherever she goes and making much larger police detectives almost go running, screaming, from her. My biggest issue with Abby, though, was her continuous use of the word "'Kayso"; I found I was craving nachos and cheese while reading the story....get it? Queso = 'Kayso?...Ok, moving on, lol. What Moore does to poor (I use the term loosely) Abby, her "dark secret", is cruel but oh so funny.

 Moore's writing confirms my long-standing opinion, that the funniest of people are (almost) always the smartest. He paraphrases classic literatures beautifully (and comically), all while embodying the persona of an annoying seventeen year old girl with a smart mouth and penchant for chaos. (The other characters are pretty good too. I would be interested in seeing more of "Foo Dog") I still <3 Christopher Moore, Bite Me totally confirmed it!

Review: The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (Feb 2 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439153663
ISBN-13: 978-1439153666

When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.

Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin. (Click here to continue reading the synopsis

I've always shied away from certain topics: rape, abuse, slavery. My hesitation in reading this type of material comes from the extreme emotions that these elements bring out in me. I get very angry when people are not treated as they should be, at the cruelty of it all. The key element of The Kitchen House is slavery, so it's not normally something I would have picked up at a bookstore. Thanks to Loretta at Simon and Schuster Canada, I was able to review this book and found it gave me some additional insights as well as a unique take on the subject.

The story is told through two perspectives, the first being Lavinia, the young, white girl whose parents died on the boat going to America and who now must serve out their debt to the ship's captain. The second is Belle, the young woman working in the kitchen house on the captain's estate, who takes on the duty of caregiver to Lavinia. Belle is also the half white/half black daughter of the captain. Lavinia does most of the recounting, so we see things happening through very innocent eyes, but Belle's chapters also give us a better understanding of the truths the Lavinia is unable to fully comprehend at her young age.

I feared that the pace of this book would be slow but I didn't find that to be the case whatsoever. In fact, it really was hard to put it down. I think this comes back to my distaste for the subject and my desire for everyone to live happily ever after. The author held nothing back in this telling, from the punishments put upon the slaves to the captain's contradictions to a horrible scene with Sally, the captain's other daughter, this is a harrowing, plausible read full of emotion. It was sad, it had moments of humour, and it was full of love, regardless of the unconventionalities involved.

I'm glad I read it and would very much recommend this to lovers of historical fiction.

Review and Contest: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (July 1 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545123283
ISBN-13: 978-0545123280

Synopsis:

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past…and figuring out a way to survive in the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves…and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love-the light and the dark, the warm and the cold-in a way you will never forget.

I reviewed Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater earlier this year (click here to read my review) so I was very excited to read the next installment in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. And, fortunately, I was able to do this in advance (I feel very lucky :-)

Linger basically starts off a few months after Shiver. Sam and Grace are getting into the day to day of their lives. It seems Grace is not feeling quite right, but Sam and Grace would rather enjoy the time they have together (because it was almost lost to them) than discuss what may be happening to her.

We get to meet one of the new wolves brought in by Beck towards the end of Shiver. I have to say, I loved the dynamics of the Cole/Isabel dialogues. Linger takes a darker turn with Cole's character and I was impressed with Stiefvater's handling of his "problems". He's definitely an interesting addition to the mix and I can see what impact he could potentially have in the next book.

The story this times is told through the 4 perspectives of Isabel, Cole, Sam, and Grace, which means we get to understand more about Sam (cause through a bunch of Shiver he was a wolf) but we see less of Grace. Sam is a boy after my own heart: he works in a book store, listens to Damien Rice (among others) and quotes sad poetry, as well as writing some pretty emotional song lyrics himself.

Overall, I felt a sense of melancholy reading this story (but not in a bad way, if that's possible, lol.) Maggie Stiefvater gives us a little hope, then seems to dash it away but leaves just enough of a glimmer for the hopeless romantic (like myself) to continue to believe in never-ending love.

I absolutely devoured Linger! For me, Linger was even better than Shiver! I am very anxious now to get my hands on Forever, the final book of the trilogy, but will have to wait (im)patiently until July 2011.

And now, some good news for my followers....

I have a copy to offer up to one lucky person!

To enter, you must be a follower and fill out this form. Contest closes May 21, 2010 and the winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be picked. Good luck to all!