It's Monday What Are You Reading (28)

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

Books finished:

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

13 to Life by Shannon Delany

Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer

Kiss Me Deadly ed. by Trisha Telep

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen

Books reviewed:

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Currently reading:

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

I had hoped to finish this one over the weekend but I got busy and it is slow going. I have to admit that I don't enjoy the parts set in Incarceron this time around. Keiro is not my favorite character and there is too much weirdness for me.

What I plan to read next:

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Sea by Heidi Kling

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

What does your reading week look like?

In My Mailbox (27)

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.

This week I received a couple of review books. I was happy to get the opportunity to read an ARC of Sapphique and while I don't usually like short story anthologies, I wanted to read Kiss Me Deadly because it has short stories by Maggie Stiefvater and Carrie Ryan.

From the library, I was thrilled to get The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen which I have been waiting to read for quite some time.

For review:

 

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

(Courtesy of Around the World Tours)

 

Kiss Me Deadly ed. by Trisha Telep

(Courtesy of Star Book Tours)

 

From the library:

The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

Siren by Tricia Rayburn

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin

A Matter of Character by Robin Lee Hatcher


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Book Beginnings on Friday (18)

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.

I am currently reading a book for review and a library book so I thought I'd share sentences from both.

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

 
"The alleyway was so narrow that Attia could lean against one wall and kick the other. She waited in the dimness, listening, her breath condensing on glistening bricks."
 
I really liked Incarceron and I have read mixed reviews about Sapphique but so far I am enjoying the book. The first chapter pulled me right in.
 

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

"Water calms me. It's like chocolate or hot tea or dulce de leche ice cream."

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush. Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs.

Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life. When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

I've only read a few chapters but this is proving to be a fun and cute story.

 

Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

By Morgan Matson

Publication date: May 4, 2010

Synopsis:

Amy Curry hasn't been able to drive since the death of her father three months ago so when her mom needs their car to be driven to their new home in Connecticut, she enlists the aid of Roger Sullivan, the son of a friend. Roger is supposed to be heading to Pennsylvania to spend the summer with his dad before returning to college but he has his own reasons for going on the road trip. Although Amy's mom gives them a really boring planned route that should only take them four days, Roger and Amy decide to make a detour that leads them to places like Yellowstone National Park and Graceland. Along the way Amy begins to slowly heal as she opens up about her guilt and grief.

As the book starts out Amy is going through the motions of life, isolating herself from her friends and family due to the guilt she feels over her dad's death. Details about that fateful day and the family's life before and after are slowly revealed. We see glimpses of Amy as a happy and talented teen, the good twin, and someone who was incredibly close to her dad. Now she is a broken individual and her emotions ring true. Roger is also dealing with an emotional blow of a different kind-a painful breakup. He is a really sweet guy and I loved how caring he was toward Amy.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is a story that is by turns touching, humorous, and romantic. The characters are authentic and the creative use of the travel journal, playlists, pictures, and receipts give the reader a unique reading experience that allows us to be part of the journey. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and the writing reminded me strongly of Sarah Dessen. Morgan Matson is definitely a YA author to watch. I would suggest Amy & Roger's Epic Detour to fans of Sarah Dessen and Elizabeth Scott.

Readalikes: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen,  Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler,  13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle

Waiting on Wednesday (22)

"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:

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Publication date: April 1, 2011

When Ai Ling leaves her home and family to accompany Chen Yong on his quest to find his father, haunted by the ancient evil she thought she had banished to the underworld, she must use her growing supernatural powers to save Chen Yong from the curses that follow her.

Original Silver Phoenix cover

New Silver Phoenix cover

I loved the original cover of Silver Phoenix but it is being repackaged by the publisher because stores like Borders wouldn't carry it and they are hoping to attract more readers with the new covers. Although I am not happy with the new covers I hope that more people will pick up the book and that Borders will carry both books this time. I loved Silver Phoenix so I can't wait to read the next book.You can read Cindy Pon's thoughts about the cover remake on her blog.

What are you waiting on this week?

Teaser Tuesdays (22)

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

I am sharing teasers from two very different books this week:

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

p. 87 (ARC)

"Wishing he could see that music lives. Forever. That it's stronger than death. Stronger than time. And that its strength holds you together when nothing else can."

Book description:

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

I am really enjoying this book so far. It is a very moving story and I like reading about the French Revolution. Andi is a great character and I can relate to her love of music and its importance in her life.

13 to Life by Shannon Delany

p. 14

"I took my seat and watched the other students' reactions to our arrogant new class member. The girls were all sitting-literally-at the edge of their seats, fingers white around the knuckles as they gripped their desks and made mooneyes at him. I couldn't believe how they all seemed so blatantly and suddenly obsessed with Pietr."

From the start I could tell that this would be a different kind of YA paranormal. I like how the main character, Jessie, isn't falling all over the mysterious new guy like her silly classmates. I can't wait to get back to reading it after I finish my review books.

It's Monday What Are You Reading (27)

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 had a very productive week of reading and writing reviews last week. This week I have a lot going on outside of blogging. I had planned to participate this weekend in the Read Your Own Books Readathon hosted by my blogging buddy Monica of The Bibliophilic Book Blog but I am not sure I will be able to.

Books finished:

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier

Love's First Light by Jamie Carie

Books reviewed:

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

Currently reading:

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

What I might read next:

13 to Life by Shannon Delany

The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Sea by Heidi Kling

What does your reading week look like?

In My Mailbox (26)

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.

 I was most excited to receive Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, a YA novel which deals with the French Revolution. I also received some nice YA paranormal ARCs and I got Stealing Heaven from the library. I am a big Elizabeth Scott fan but I still haven't read all of her books. This one sounds fantastic.

For review:

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
(Courtesy of Around the World Tours)

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Another Pan by Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri Vierqutz

From the library:

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

Love's First Light by Jamie Carie

The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier


What books did you receive this week?

Review: The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty

By Mercedes Lackey

Publication date: July 1, 2010

My review:

Princess Rosa is grieving the loss of her mother when her father abruptly remarries. Her new stepmother appears to be cold and aloof and she owns a mirror that can tell her who is the fairest in the land. You may think you know what happens next but in this humorous retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, nothing is as it seems, especially when The Tradition is involved.

The Sleeping Beauty is a clever and funny take on two fairy tales that traditionally feature a passive damsel in distress who needs to be rescued by a prince and awoken by his kiss. In this case however, Princess Rosa is a damsel in distress who learns self defense and becomes a very capable young woman. There is also a prince who is desperately trying to avoid all sleeping shieldmaidens like the plague, a prince who is a little too charming, vile and lazy dwarves, and a stepmother who may not be evil at all.

The characters are likeable, especially Godmother Lily and Siegfried and his bird. I also enjoyed the various fairy tales and mythological stories that are mentioned. Just as in the other titles in the Five Hundred Kingdoms series,  The Tradition is a character in its own right. It does its best to force people's lives along "traditional" paths that correspond with fairy tales. I liked the addition of Norse mythology along with the usual fairy tales. It is part of a series but the book can be read on its own with little trouble. Although One Good Knight is still my favorite book in the series, The Sleeping Beauty is a close second. Once again Mercedes Lackey has written a witty and entertaining fairy tale fantasy. 

Readalikes: A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn, Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George, Beastly by Alex Flinn, Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger

I received a digital ARC of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Education of Bet

The Education of Bet

By Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Publication date: July 12, 2010

My review:

Elizabeth Smith grows up as a ward of the wealthy Paul Gardener along with his great nephew Will. Bet and Will are like brother and sister but when he is ten he is sent away to school while she must remain at home, sewing, helping with minor chores, and reading to the elderly Mr. Gardener. Bet however would like nothing more than to receive an education herself but Will does not care for education and he is kicked out of multiple boarding schools. When he tells Bet that he wants to join the military instead, she comes up with a crazy plan that will give them both what they want: he will go off to the military and she will go to his new school, disguised as Will. With Will's help, Bet thinks she is prepared for everything but what she doesn't anticipate is the reality of life at boarding school or her own unexpected attraction to her roommate, James.

The Education of Bet features a spirited heroine, romance, and plenty of humorous moments that had me laughing out loud. I admired Bet's desire to learn and her determination to succeed. The classes were demanding, she had to put up with bullying from some of the boys, and she had to hide her true identity but she didn't give up on her dream. Then she falls in love with James and suddenly the book is more about her feelings for him rather than her education. Thankfully the book does get back on course. I enjoyed the humor and watching Bet grow as she handled the challenges that came her way. I liked how she befriended one of the victims of the bullying , how she stood up to the bullies and tried to make a change at the school. I liked the character of James and thought he made a good romantic interest. I also really liked Will even though we only read about him briefly.

The plot may be somewhat predictable but it is a very enjoyable story anyway. It reminded me a lot of the film She's The Man, which like The Education of Bet was inspired by the Shakespeare play, Twelfth Night. Each chapter of the book begins with a quote from Shakespeare and the play is also mentioned as one which Bet studies at school. I do wish the story was longer so there would be more development of the characters and the pacing would be a little more even. Overall I thought this was a fun book with a great spunky heroine.

Readalikes: Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith, Sovay by Celia Rees, Pirates! by Celia Rees, Star-Crossed by Linda Collison, Wild Orchid: A Retelling of the Ballad of Mulan by Cameron Dokey, The Agency series by Y.S. Lee

I received this book for review as part of an ARC tour from Around the World Tours.

Review: Sixteen Brides

Sixteen Brides

By Stephanie Grace Whitson

Publication date: April 1, 2010

My review:

The unscrupulous Hamilton Drake convinces sixteen widows to journey west to Nebraska and stake claims to free homesteads. What they don't know is that he is running another side scheme-promising them as potential brides to the men of the town of Cayote. When the scheme is uncovered at a travel stop, several of the women who have no desire to remarry elect to stay behind in Plum Grove, Nebraska and build a life for themselves.

While the title is Sixteen Brides, the focus of the book is on five women who are each strong in their own way. Caroline is a beautiful war widow whose family disowned her when she married a Yankee, Ruth is a single mother still mourning the death of her beloved husband, Ella struggles with feelings of inferiority after years of marriage to an unfaithful man who told her she was worthless, Sally escaped a bad abusive marriage, and Hettie is running west to escape her problems. More of the book is devoted to Caroline, Ruth, and Ella and at times Hettie and especially Sally appear to be almost secondary characters. However I did feel that I got to know all five of the main women as well as the two main male characters, Matthew and Lucas. Matthew is a widower with a young daughter and he is struggling with how to be a good father to her. He has an estranged relationship with his cousin Lucas and he feels a strong sense of guilt over the death of his wife. Lucas is a charmer who at first seems very untrustworthy but my opinion of him grew throughout the book.

Sixteen Brides features strong female characters, romance, and a positive message. I loved how resourceful and intelligent the characters were in the face of hardship and loss. The romance is sweet and nearly every main character has a love story. The faith is woven through the book but never in a preachy manner. I would suggest this to fans of Lori Copeland and Tracie Peterson.

Readalikes: A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist, The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough, No Place for a Lady by Maggie Brendan,  Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot, Cathy Marie Hake's Only in Gooding novels, Tamera Alexander, Lori Copeland

Review: Caleb + Kate

Caleb + Kate

By Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

Publication date: May 4, 2010

My review:

Kate Monrovi and Caleb Kalani are from two very different worlds. Kate is a hotel heiress and Caleb's dad is in charge of maintenance at the Monrovi Inn. Caleb grew up surfing in Hawaii but now he is living in Portland with his dad and attending school with Kate at the Gaitlin Academy. From the first time she sees him at her prom, Kate feels a strong connection with Caleb but their family's unpleasant history and their own differences could keep them apart. This modern love story is inspired by Romeo and Juliet.

Caleb + Kate is a sweet love story, told in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of Kate and Caleb. Kate may be very wealthy but she is not spoiled. When she does something wrong, she willingly takes the punishment and she cares about the welfare of others. Still, Kate has some lessons to learn about life and her friendship with Caleb helps her to grow and see things in a different way. After the death of his mom, Caleb's father and younger sister moved to Oregon but Caleb stayed behind in Hawaii with his bitter and demanding grandfather. Instead of following his grandfather's lead and hating Kate and her family, Caleb chooses to be more like his dad and he forms a reluctant friendship with Kate. Their relationship develops into love as they overcome their initial prejudices and get to know each other. They have great chemistry. I thought both characters were well drawn but that the supporting characters are not as well developed.

While it is a Christian fiction novel, the faith elements are not preachy. There is a positive message about love and forgiveness woven into the storyline. The plot revolves around a falling out between Caleb's grandfather and Kate's grandfather but it is never discussed in detail nor is there any resolution. That is the part of the novel that disappointed me. There seemed to be a buildup that led the reader to expect more of a confrontation but it never occurred. Still, I really enjoyed the romance and cared about the characters. It reminded me of a Christian version of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. I would have loved this book as a teen. Back then Christian novels for teens read like incredibly preachy after school special books. Thankfully YA Christian fiction has improved since those early years. I look forward to reading Cindy Martinusen-Coloma's other YA fiction.

Readalikes: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks, Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

It's Monday What Are You Reading (26)

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

Books finished:

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson
(a cute story I read to my two year old nephew)

Books reviewed:

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Fairest of Them All by Jan Blazanin

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Currently reading:

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Amy + Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

What I plan to read next:

Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Blood Royal by Vanora Bennett

Sea by Heidi Kling

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

What does your reading week look like?