Review: Changeless

Changeless

By Gail Carriger

Publication date: March 30, 2010

My review:

In this sequel to Soulless, a strange phenomenon is causing supernatural beings to revert to their natural state. Vampires are losing their fangs, werewolves cannot transform, and ghosts simply cease to exist. Alexia Tarabotti is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. At the same time she is beset by personal problems and attempts on her life as she follows Lord Maccon to Scotland where the phenomenon seems to be heading.

Gail Carriger once again fuses adventure, romance, steampunk elements, and the paranormal to tell a thoroughly entertaining tale. This time around we are introduced to some new characters including Madame Lefoux, a woman inventor with unusual tastes, and a large pack of Scottish werewolves. Alexia is the same plucky parasol wielding heroine and she is adapting well to her new role as an advisor to Queen Victoria. In Soulless the focus was more on the vampires and this time around it is definitely the werewolves that take center stage. Lord Conall Maccon is just as handsome and irritating as ever. Details about his history are revealed and Alexia finds out more about her preternatural father as well.

While I suspected the identity of the villain before the end of the book I was still surprised by the villain's methods and motivation. The romance element is still a strong part of the story although Alexia and Conall's relationship definitely has its ups and downs. I am eager to read the next book, Blameless, when it is published this fall. If you like strong female characters, witty dialogue, and paranormal romance, you might enjoy the Parasol Protectorate series.

Readalikes: Insatiable by Meg Cabot, the Sookie Stackhouse series, Truly, Madly by Heather Webber, Jane Slayre by Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning-Erwin, the Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig

Review: Princess of Glass

Princess of Glass

By Jessica Day George

Publication date: May 25, 2010

My review:

In this retelling of Cinderella, Princess Poppy of Westfalin is sent to Breton as part of an exchange program for young royals to foster better relationships with neighboring kingdoms. Prince Christian of Danelaw is also visiting Breton and trouble ensues when a creature called the Corley decides to meddle with his life by making him fall in love with Ellen, a servant. Now it is up to Poppy to break the enchantment and defeat the Corley.

Princess of Glass turns the story of Cinderella on its head. Instead of a benevolent fairy godmother, there is the Corley, a wicked crone with magical powers and a gift for glass blowing. Cinderella in this version is Eleanora, the orphaned daughter of a nobleman, now working as a servant known by the name of Ellen. She is incredibly inept and she is very haughty despite her reduced circumstances. I did not like her for most of the book. Princess Poppy is the main character and she is level headed and spunky. I don't really remember her from Princess of the Midnight Ball since she was one of twelve sisters but here she really stands out. I loved that Poppy is the one who gets to do the rescuing.

I definitely prefer this book to Princess of the Midnight Ball. Although Princess of Glass is a sequel it can also be read as a standalone novel. Jessica Day George has a talent for creative fairy tale retellings and this is her best effort yet. Poppy is a strong character and in a story that traditionally features a passive female heroine, it wa fantastic to see her save the day. I was a little dissatisfied with the romance. I felt that it was not as well developed as the relationship between Rose and Galen in Princess of the Midnight Ball. This could be due to the Corley's enchantment however and I liked how things were handled in the end. I was also disappointed with the explanation for the Corley's plans. For all the trouble she went to, her goal just didn't make sense. I still thought this was an enjoyable fairy tale retelling and the strong female protagonist made it a worthwhile read.

Readalikes: Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George, Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier, The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry, The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott, Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

Taking a little vacation

This Wednesday I will be leaving for my annual trip to Canada where my mom's side of the family lives. I am looking forward to spending time with my relatives and going to Niagara Falls again.

I won't have regular access to the Internet at my aunt and uncle's home (they have dial up) but I have some posts scheduled for while I am gone.

Scheduled posts:

June 30: Review of Changeless by Gail Carriger

July 1: Review of Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles (for BISP month)

July 2: Review of She Walks In Beauty by Siri Mitchell

July 3: Review of For Keeps by Natasha Friend

July 5: Review of Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

July 6: Review of Insatiable by Meg Cabot

I hope you will stop by and check out these reviews!

It's Monday What Are You Reading (22)

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books.

I didn't spend as much time reading last week because I was trying to catch up on writing reviews. I will be going on vacation this week so hopefully I will have more time to read. I am not sure what books I want to take with me yet. There is one book that I am hoping will arrive on interlibrary loan before I go on vacation (Sea by Heidi Kling) and I am really really tempted to buy Only The Good Spy Young when it hits the shelves on  Tuesday.

Books I finished last week:

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Books reviewed:

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

Currently reading:

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

What I might read next:

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

The Necromancer by Michael Scott

Romancing Miss Bronte by Juliet Gael

What does your reading week look like?

Review: Toads and Diamonds

Toads and Diamonds

By Heather Tomlinson

Publication date: March 30, 2010

My review:

When Diribani goes to the well to draw water, she helps a poor old woman not realizing that this woman is in fact the goddess Naghali. As a reward, she is given an unusual gift: when she speaks, flowers and jewels drop from her lips. This gift could save her family as they have been struggling since the death of Diribani's father. After hearing about this miracle, Diribani's stepmother sends her daughter Tana to the well also, hoping that she too would be blessed similarly. Instead, Tana is given another kind of gift: when she speaks, toads and snakes drop from her lips. While Diribani's gift is seen as a blessing which leads her to the court of a prince, Tana's gift is seen as a curse and she is driven out of her village. The goddess has given the girls these gifts for a purpose and now it is up to them to figure it out and save their people.

Toads and Diamonds is based on the French fairy tale, The Fairies by Charles Perrault. In this version, both girls are kind and the setting is a fictional historic India during the Mughal period. Diribani is beautiful and it is very apparent that both girls were treated equally by their family, Tana feels inferior to her stepsister. Yet it is Tana who has been providing for them since her stepfather died. I really liked her character and the strength she exhibits through all the trials she faces. Diribani on the other hand seems to have a charmed life in comparison. She is sent to live in the household of a prince and all her needs are taken care of. Although Diribani wasn't spoiled, I didn't like her as much as Tana. She did have problems of her own to deal with but she just seemed like a boring character compared to Tana. I also found her to be a little too naive at times. One thing I did like about her character is that she wanted to use her gift to help others.

Both girls have love interests which added a touch of romance to the story but it wasn't the main focus. Instead, the book focused on finding your purpose, social injustice, prejudice, and helping others. I usually enjoy fairy tale retellings and although I wasn't familiar with The Fairies, I did enjoy reading Toads and Diamonds. I like how different this story is from the original. In The Fairies, the girl who spoke frogs and snakes was bad and she was cast out of her home to die in the forest. Here, her gift has a purpose and not everyone viewed the snakes and toads as evil. If you like fairy tales retold and reading stories set in other cultures, you might enjoy Toads and Diamonds. Heather Tomlinson has written two prior YA novels, The Swan Maiden and Aurelie: A Fairy Tale and I definitely plan to read them.

Readalikes: Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis, The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry, Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to share what books you received for review, purchased, or checked out from the library during the past week.

Last weekend I kept losing my Internet access and I didn't get to do an IMM post so this week will include two weeks worth of books.

For review:

Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

The Wide Awake Princess by E.D. Baker

Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder

My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours by Kristina Springer

One Season of Sunshine by Julia London

Won from Jennifer at Crazy For Books:

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

From the library:

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

The Necromancer by Michael Scott

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Book Beginnings on Friday (15)

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you'd like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

“Any minute now,” Rachel said, “something terrible is going to happen to us.” The area around Burnt House Lane was deserted at this time of night. The cracks in the pavement that Mae hardly noticed by day had turned into shadowy scars along the cement, tracing jagged paths that led into the dark of yet another dead-end alley.

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

This is the sequel to The Demon's Lexicon. The other book was full of surprising plot twists so I am expecting more of the same from The Demon's Covenant.

Mae Crawford’s always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she’s even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse… Jamie hasn’t told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to steal Nick's powers. Will Mae be able to find a way to save everyone she cares about from the power-hungry magician's carefully laid trap?

Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

By Stephenie Meyer

Publication date: June 5, 2010

My review:

Bree Tanner, a newborn vampire briefly mentioned in Eclipse, takes center stage in this novella. Those who have read Eclipse know Bree's eventual fate. Told over just a few days, we learn what life was like for Bree under the thumb of Riley and Victoria. We are treated to a different view of Bree and we are also given a different perspective of the final battle in Eclipse.

Bree is different from most of the other newborn vampires created by Victoria. She is not motivated solely by her thirst for blood and she isn't that violent. She loves to read and she does her best not to draw attention to herself, usually hiding behind Fred, a vampire with an interesting special talent. Bree forms an unlikely friendship with Diego, an intelligent vampire who is a little older than the other newborn vampires. The story revolves around this new relationship and their efforts to figure out the truth. Unfortunately in this format we only get to know the characters a very little bit. Even though we don't get to see much character development for Bree and Diego in the brief span of the novella, their story is still kind of entertaining to read about.

I had very low expectations for this book but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I kind of liked it. While it seemed at first that this was a dumb idea-to tell the story of a minor character whose fate is known-it works because Stephenie Meyer makes the reader care about Bree and wish things could be different for her. Those who are not fans of Meyer's writing will probably not enjoy this as there won't be enough action or romance to keep readers from noticing the flaws. If you are sitting on the fence about the book, I recommend reading it for free online like I did. It is available at the Bree Tanner website until July 5, 2010.

Readalikes: Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

Waiting on Wednesday (19)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I am waiting on:

Blameless by Gail Carriger

Publication date: September 1, 2010

I love the Parasol Protectorate series and since Changeless ended on a cliffhanger of sorts I can't wait to read Blameless. I would caution you not to read the book description of Blameless until you've read Changeless because it includes major spoilers. Alexia Tarabotti is one of my favorite characters. She is intelligent, brave, and she has a great wit. If you are unfamiliar with this series, check out my review of Soulless.

What are you waiting on this week?

Teaser Tuesdays (19)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teasers this week:

"The words caught in my throat, the words I knew my aunt wanted me to speak. That the only way he could make things right was to move on, set his soul to rest. But the thought of losing him again, this time forever, smothered all the words. I started to cry."

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

p. 125

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last. Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone. Well, sort of. Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost. It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit. As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

I just finished this book this morning and I thought it was pretty good.

What is your teaser this week?

Review: Shadow Hills

Shadow Hills

By Anastasia Hopcus

Publication date: July 13, 2010

Synopsis:

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry. Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, weird "townies"—and somehow she’s connected to it all. But the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might be a deadly mistake.

My review:

Shadow Hills combines a great suspense plot with paranormal romance to produce a real page turner. I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery behind the strange visions Phe was having. Phe is a strong, gutsy heroine and I admired her determination. Her chemistry with Zach really sizzled. I enjoyed the romance but what I really loved about the book is the paranormal element with the visions, the supernatural abilities of the characters, and the history of the town. It reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of the PBS series Secrets of the Dead. Phe’s visions were truly creepy and the identity of the killer was unexpected.

I think Anastasia Hopcus did a fantastic job in creating the back story for the unusual residents of Shadow Hills. I still had some questions at the end but hopefully those will be answered in the second book as I believe this will be a series. Shadow Hills is a fantastic paranormal suspense novel and I look forward to great things from Anastasia Hopcus.

Readalikes: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, Deception by Lee Nichols, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

I borrowed an ARC of this book to read as part of an ARC tour. Thanks to Jami at YA Addict for hosting the ARC tour and giving me the opportunity to read Shadow Hills!

Huge TBR Readathon Wrap Up

I really enjoyed participating in this readathon and hope it will be an annual event. I liked the less frenetic pace of having a whole week to read rather than reading for 24 or 48 hours straight. In all, I read 11 books but I didn't keep track of how many hours I spent reading. I didn't get the chance to read at all on Sunday but I did finish writing a couple of reviews and I started some others.

Books completed:

Not Quite Paradise by Adele Barker (I was already reading this so I just finished it)

Fairest of Them All by Jan Blazanin

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs

White Cat by Holly Black

Thanks to Kristen at Bookworming in the 21st Century for hosting the readathon!

It's Monday What Are You Reading (21)

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books.

This week I participated in the Huge TBR Readathon held by Bookworming in the 21st Century which is why I read so many books this week. Anyone know of a reviewathon? I need to participate in one to get caught up on all these reviews!

Books I finished last week:

Not Quite Paradise by Adele Barker

Fairest of Them All by Jan Blazanin

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs

White Cat by Holly Black

Books reviewed:

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

Not Quite Paradise by Adele Barker

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Currently reading:

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

What I plan to read next:

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

What does your reading week look like?

Body Image and Self Perception Month

Body Image and Self Perception Month (BISP) is an event hosted by Jo at Once Upon a Bookcase during the month of July. The focus is on the portrayal of issues like eating disorders, obesity/being overweight, disability, disfigurement, and low self-esteem in YA fiction. Participating bloggers will be reading and reviewing books, interviewing authors, or writing special posts on the topic.

I am participating in BISP Month by posting reviews and hopefully an interview with Jan Blazanin, the author of Fairest Of Them All. I will also be talking about the body image issues I struggled with as a teen and what I am currently struggling with as an adult.

I will be reviewing the following books:

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Fairest Of Them All by Jan Blazanin

If I can, I also plan to read and review these books:

Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter

Other bloggers participating in BISP month:

Sasha at The Sweet Bonjour

Chloe of The Book Bug

Luisa of Chicklish

Vanessa of Today's Adventure

Rebecca of Everything to do With Books

Authors participating in BISP month:

Jan Blazanin

Sydney Salter

Simmone Howell

Sarah Darer Littman

Allen Zadoff

Deborah Lytton

Liz Rettig

Mary Hogan

Simone Elkeles

Laurie Halse Anderson

A. M. Vrettos

Suzanne Supplee

K. L. Going

If you would like to participate in BISP month, visit Once Upon a Bookcase for more details.

Review: Dead in the Family

Dead in the Family

By Charlaine Harris

Publication date: May 4, 2010

My review:

In the tenth volume of the Southern Vampire Mystery Series, Sookie Stackhouse is grieving the loss of people she cares about and slowly recovering from the traumatic events in Dead and Gone. She does have some things to be happy about: her friend Tara is going to have a baby and her brother Jason seems to be doing much better. Things are also going well in her relationship with Eric although he is really busy dealing with vampire politics. Then his creepy maker Appius Livius Ocella arrives with Eric’s “brother”, the very unstable young Alexei Romanov. There are also mysterious killings going around, troubles among the Shreveport weres, and it appears that dangerous faeries have been hanging around Sookie’s property.

After reading several negative or lukewarm reviews, I wasn’t sure that I would like Dead in the Family. Once I started reading however I was delighted to be back in Sookie’s world. Family is definitely the theme of this book. Sookie spends a little time with Hunter, her young cousin who can hear people’s thoughts and Claude comes to stay as well. Bill has some family time himself and Jason figures prominently throughout the book. Eric’s family causes all kinds of mayhem for Sookie too. Thankfully only a few new characters are introduced in the book but I did feel that Bill was not around very much. Sam also isn’t a main player. Fans of Alcide will be happy to see him back in a big way.

Dead in the Family may not be as good as Dead and Gone or earlier novels in the series but it is still an enjoyable book. I liked how Jason matured after the events of the last book. Sookie may not be quite herself after everything that happened but she is a strong character and by the end of the book she has recovered somewhat. I think this was a calmer book compared to Dead and Gone but that was needed in a way. I have a feeling that the next book will be more action packed. Hopefully we won’t have to wait long to find out!

Readalikes: Insatiable by Meg Cabot, the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger, Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

Review: Not Quite Paradise

Not Quite Paradise

By Adele Harper

Publication date: January 1, 2010

My review:

Adele Barker and her teenage son Noah spent a year in Sri Lanka where Adele taught literature at the University of Peradeniya in Kandy. In Not Quite Paradise, Adele discusses everything from the food and customs to the people she meets, and the civil war. After the tsunami, Adele returns once again to Sri Lanka and describes the horrible devastation. She also travels north to war-torn Jaffna where she experiences the danger first hand. Not Quite Paradise combines interesting details about daily life, historical fact, and current events in a country ravaged by war for over twenty years.

Sri Lanka is a tiny island nation populated by two distinct ethnic groups: the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority. It was once a colony of Britain but after the British pulled out, tensions escalated culminating in the civil war between the LTTE, a faction of Tamil terrorists, and the Sinhalese government that began in 1983. Adele makes the country’s history come alive and she talks about the conflict from an unbiased point of view. Her own personal experiences as an American adjusting to life in Sri Lanka add touches of humor to the narrative.

Not Quite Paradise was an intensely personal reading experience for me. My parents are originally from Sri Lanka. They immigrated in the mid 70s before I was born. If not for that choice, my sister and I would have grown up there in the middle of the war. The descriptions of war violence were very hard to read about. Although the war ended last year it will take a long time to rebuild and heal. People in Sri Lanka have suffered a lot but even among the sorrow they have hope. There is a lot of beauty and rich culture on the island. Adele is particularly interested in elephants and local birds and I enjoyed reading about the animals that she saw. She also met and made a lot of new friends both Sinhalese and Tamil and she shares their stories with us. I admired Adele’s bravery in coming to a country so different to her and I like how open she was to new cultures and ways of belief. Her conversational writing style is mostly accessible and flows well. If you enjoy reading narrative nonfiction and learning about other cultures, you might enjoy Not Quite Paradise.

Review: The Cinderella Society

The Cinderella Society

By Kay Cassidy

Publication date: April 13, 2010

My review:

At her new school, Jess Parker has been bullied by popular Lexy Steele ever since she beat Lexy for a spot on the cheerleading squad. Lexy is out to make Jess's life miserable but to make things worse she is also the sister of Ryan Steele, the guy Jess has a crush on. When Jess receives a mysterious invitation she is sure it is part of an elaborate scheme to humiliate her but she goes anyway. What she finds is The Cinderella Society, a secret society of young women who are trying to stop the Wickeds, an organization of mean girls like Lexy. The Cinderella Society helps young women with leadership potential by giving them confidence (as well as makeovers). With her new look and a more positive attitude can Jess snag Ryan and bring Lexy down?

On the surface The Cinderella Society might sound like a fluff novel but it actually deals with deeper issues. Jess does receive an outward makeover as a new Cindy but she also gets great advice about an internal makeover. The Cindys teach their members to be more self confident and ignore negative thoughts. For Jess, this is a big obstacle because she has been the target of Lexy's snide comments and bullying for so long. Unfortunately Jess is sidetracked by the outward makeover and the attention she gets from Ryan due to her new look. At times I thought the book was bogged down by the makeover and popularity aspect. Thankfully Jess is equally committed to stopping Lexy and others of her kind. I really liked how Jess looked out for Heather, another one of Lexy's targets. Jess isn't perfect but she grows throughout the book and she had some very admirable qualities. I really liked some of the supporting characters like Sarah Jane, Jess's Cindy mentor. I also liked the importance of mentoring and serving the community. The concept behind the Society is fantastic. While the romance plays a part in the novel I really loved the positive female empowering message and the focus on sisterhood.

The Cinderella Society was an enjoyable book with a great message. I wish such an organization existed in real life because it would help so many young women deal with bullying and low self esteem.

Readalikes: The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg, the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter

Huge TBR Readathon Update (2)

As of this afternoon (I finished three books today) I have read:

Not Quite Paradise by Adele Barker

Fairest Of Them All by Jan Blazanin

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

My favorite book that I've read so far is The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. It is ironic that a book with such a funny title nearly reduced me to tears several times. I can see why it was a Printz Honor Book. It was just so moving (it did have some great humorous moments too!). Look for my reviews of this book and Crazy Beautiful in July as part of BISP (Body Image and Self Perception in YA Literature) Month. I also enjoyed Dead in the Family much more than I thought I would but Shadow Hills was definitely more suspenseful.

I am enjoying the Huge TBR Readathon but I feel dismay when I look at how behind I am in writing my reviews! I have at least fifteen that I need to write. I guess I know what I will be doing next week.

What's coming up next:

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

White Cat by Holly Black

Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs

I do need to read White Cat and Goddess Boot Camp next but I just got Insatiable by Meg Cabot and I am tempted to read that instead even though the other library books are due first. I started reading the first few chapters of Insatiable and it is really interesting so far.

Book Beginnings on Friday (14)

Book Beginnings on Friday is a new meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you'd like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

I am currently alternating between two books so I thought I'd share sentences from both.

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

My arm rises toward my face and the pincer touch of cold steel rubs against my jaw. I chose hooks because they were cheaper. I chose hooks because I wouldn't outgrow them so quickly. I chose hooks so that everyone would know I was different, so I would scare even myself.

I love the way this book starts out. Crazy Beautiful is a modern adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. It is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of the main characters, Lucius Wolfe and Aurora Belle. Lucius has hooks for hands after losing them in an explosion when he blew up his parents' home. So far it is really really good.

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

Diribani ran toward the stepwell. Squinting against the glare, she splashed through the road's deep ruts, pink skirts slapping her calves, her long black braid thumping her shoulders.

Toads and Diamonds is also a fairy tale retelling that is set in an alternate historic India. Two stepsisters, Diribani and Tana are both blessed by the goddess Naghali with unusual gifts. Whenever beautiful Diribani speaks, flowers and precious gems drop from her lips but when Tana speaks, frogs and snakes appear. Diribani's gift may seem to be more useful as it can help her family financially (and she gains the attention of a handsome prince) but there are those who would wish her harm. Meanwhile Tana's gift frightens people but it could end up saving them. I am not familiar with the original fairy tale but so far this is an enjoyable book. Plus I love the cover!

Guest Post at the Serpentine Library

Please take a look at my guest post on today's Book Talk feature at The Serpentine Library where I discuss strong female characters in YA fiction. The Serpentine Library is an awesome YA fiction blog written by a librarian. You should definitely check it out!

Waiting on Wednesday (18)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I am waiting on:

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Publication date: August 24, 2010

When Julie Jacobs leaves for Italy per the instructions of her late aunt's will, she never imagines that she'll be thrust into a centuries-old feud, not to mention one of the most legendary romances of all time. However, as she uncovers the story of her ancestor, Giulietta, whose love for a man named Romeo proved ill-fated, Julie finds herself increasingly under threat, and can't help but feel that the past and present are very much connected. Juliet is a gripping historical novel of great passion and scope from a remarkable debut author.

This sounds like such an amazing book. One librarian who read the ARC told me that it was fantastic. I really enjoyed O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell and this looks like it will be even better. I can't wait to read it!

Huge TBR Readathon Update

So far I have finished the following books:

Not Quite Paradise by Adele Barker

Fairest Of Them All by Jan Blazanin

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Changeless by Gail Carriger

My favorite book so far is Changeless. I was expecting it to be Shadow Hills which I thoroughly enjoyed but it is hard to beat Gail Carriger for sheer entertainment and witty writing. My next book to tackle is Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris and then I intend to take a break from the paranormal to read The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. What a fantastic title!

Amazing Mockingjay Giveaway Winners!

The four winners of my Amazing Mockingjay Giveaway were selected by Random.org.

Celi.a at The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia won a pre-ordered copy of Mockingjay
Cynthia at A Blog About Nothing won a pre-ordered copy of Mockingjay
Melissa at One Librarian's Book Reviews won an ARC of Jekel Loves Hyde
Adriana at Loves to Read won an ARC of Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!

A New Sevenwaters Book!!!

For those of you who are diehard Juliet Marillier fans, check out the next book in the Sevenwaters Series!

Seer of Sevenwaters

Publication date: December 7, 2010

The young seer Sibeal is visiting an island of elite warriors, prior to making her final pledge as a druid. It's there she finds Felix, a survivor of a Viking shipwreck, who's lost his memory. The scholarly Felix and Sibeal form a natural bond. He could even be her soul mate, but Sibeal's vocation is her true calling, and her heart must answer. As Felix fully regains his memory, Sibeal has a runic divination showing her that Felix must go on a perilous mission-and that she will join him. The rough waters and the sea creatures they will face are no match for Sibeal's own inner turmoil. She must choose between the two things that tug at her soul-her spirituality and a chance at love...

I love the Sevenwaters series. This is definitely going on my Christmas list!

Teaser Tuesdays (18)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week:

"My breath caught in my throat, and my vision swam. This place wasn't like the graveyard in my dream: it was the graveyard in my dream."

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

p. 16

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry. After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.  But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

I am really enjoying this book so far. What is your book teaser this week?

Bloggiesta Wrap Up

I had a lot of fun during my first ever Bloggiesta and I learned a lot. I didn't accomplish as much as I wanted to and I think that before the next one I will have a clearer set of goals in mind. One thing that derailed my efforts was a thunderstorm on Saturday evening that knocked out the Internet connection. I still was able to meet some of my goals and I plan to keep working at my list.

Total hours spent working on my blog: 24

Goals completed:

Book review of Deception by Lee Nichols
Book review of My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day
Book review of Gateway by Sharon Shinn
Book review of Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern
Book Beginnings on Friday post
Waiting on Wednesday post for next week
Participated in the Backing Up Your Blog Mini Challenge
Update my sidebar (contests, challenges)
Set up some pages for my blog (challenges, awards)

I also added reviews to Goodreads and Shelfari, contacted an author with questions for an interview, and made a list of the blog tours I am participating in.

Thanks to Maw Books for hosting Bloggiesta!