Kylee's 2009

I have moved

2009-09-16T12:21:00.001-04:00

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Kylee's Journal

School is starting...

2009-08-22T09:34:00.002-04:00

for my 15yo daughter late this coming week. I have been absent from my blog (and twitter, but that is a separate issue) most of her summer break.

Starting Tuesday September 1 I will resume posting on a regular basis. I owe quite a few reviews and will be working on those in the intervening 10 days. My regular posting will be taking place on my new blog. In the next 10 days I will also be working on fine tuning: Kylee's Journal

You can now find me on Twitter as: KsJournal

Reading Wrap-Up: June

2009-07-01T07:00:00.002-04:00

List of books I finished in June 2009

Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
Shimmer by Eric Barnes
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Four Wives by Wendy Walker

Review Rewind of: Jaclyn's Ghost

2009-06-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

Last month Dorlana Vann's book Jaclyn's Ghost was published, along with her book Passage to Mesentia, in paperback. To help celebrate I thought I would re-post my review of Jaclyn's Ghost which I read while I was blogging in 2008. What follows is my review and an interview with Dorlana.

Jaclyn's Ghost is a very well written love story about Jaclyn Jade and Logan Smith. At the beginning of the story Jaclyn realizes, with the help of Logan, that she is dead. More specifically, she's a ghost. Logan died in the 1920s when the site of Sunset Apartments was a hotel. Dorlana Vann lends a great twist to the question of "where do we go when we die". "Hell" is really Earth, were we repeat our past mistakes or learn from them with each subsequent life. I really liked this take on it, of course I already think that our souls live more than one life on this planet. I've given Jaclyn's Ghost 'only' 4 stars out of 5 because with the paranormal and mystery elements it's not for everyone.

"Jaclyn stared at the stranger. Nothing made sense. He wore a black jacket over a double-breasted vest and dress pants. Clearly bought off the rack, but still, it was a bit much for a burglar. She wondered why he hadn't left when he had the chance."

Dorlana Vann was kind enough to let me interview her. Here are my (probably silly) questions and her answers. Nothing was cut or edited in any way except (!) where I have things written in [ ]s. That is stuff I have added as I typed this. =)

~Kylee's Book Blog: I read in your interview on Studio 3B Author Spotlight that you get a good chunk of your writing done in the early mornings. Do you have any superstitions or rituals when you are writing? Is there anything in particular that inspires you?
Dorlana Vann: All I need is a cup of strong coffee and complete quiet. My inspirations simply come from the types of stories that I like; I enjoy adventures, fairy tales, love stories, the supernatural, suspense ancient civilizations and treasure hunts.

KBB: If you had to describe your writing to someone in only 3 words, what would they be?
DV: Quirky, Supernatural, Fun

KBB: What does your family think of your writing?
DV: They are my biggest fans and my biggest critics. I can always count on them to tell me exactly what they think – even if it isn’t pretty. They are very supportive and helpful.

KBB: What kinds of TV shows do you watch?
DV: I’m kind of a reality show junkie: American Idol, American’s Next Top Model, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and The Apprentice are my favorites. My all time favorite TV show is Angel – vampires and great dialogue, what more could you ask for? I hated to see it go.

KBB: What is the one item that you could not live without? What is your favoite junk/comfort food?
DV: At this point it would have to be my computer. I know it's the obvious anwer, but so true. And I love dark chocolate and cake... any kind of cake.

KBB: Where can my readers buy your books?
DV: http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook66597.htm?cache [to make it easier, I have linked the image of Jaclyn's Ghost, both in this review and in the Featured Selections, to this address]

KBB: What are you working on currently?
DV: I’m working on my next book, Passage to Mesentia. It is another paranormal mystery, but it is a little darker than Jaclyn’s Ghost. It will be released in ebook Jan 2009 and then will be in a 2 volume print book under Tease Publications Dark Tarot Series for the Death Card around March 2009. Here is a blurb:

After Wade and Bella find Bella’s archaeologist parents murdered, they are approached by a mysterious stranger who is searching for an amulet. He claims Bella’s parents smuggled it out of Cairo for him and convinces them to follow her parent’s clues to its whereabouts before its ancient curse is used for evil.

KBB: Any other plug you would like me to give? [I think all new writers deserve a lot of chances to advertise their groups and such]

DV: My writers group, Humble Fiction Café, has just release our first anthology, Split. You can find all the information and read one of my short stories from the book on my website – www.dorlanavann.com

Visit my blog (www.dorlana.blogspot.com ) Supernatural Fairy Tales, to read fairy tale inspired short stories, poems, and articles.

What are you paranormal and mystery fans waiting for? Click and buy!

Buy Death: Passage to Mesentia and Jaclyn's Ghost by Dorlana Vann:
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Musing Mondays {6-8-09}

2009-06-08T10:31:00.003-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading time…

Do you have a set reading time (before bed, perhaps)? Do you read more at night or during the day? Is there a day of the week, perhaps, that you set aside to catch up on reading?

I always read at least 15 minutes before bed. It helps me clear my head and 'settle'. Since my honey usually takes at least our 3yo to his parents house on Sundays I tend to get quite a bit of reading done then.

Don't forget to visit Just One More Page for more musings.

Review of: Strange Angels

2009-06-05T06:00:00.004-04:00

Author: Lili St. Crow
ISBN: 9781595142511
Pages: 304
Published by: Razorbill (May 2009)
Genre(s): Paranormal, Young Adult
Grade: C+
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 -

My first impression of Strange Angels is that it is pretty similar to (one of my favorite shows) Supernatural. In the 1st season of Supernatural we learn that the brothers were raised my their ex-Marine father because their mother was killed when the younger one was just an infant. The boys and their father have gone on to hunt and kill demons, ghosts and other "bump-in-the-night" things. In Strange Angels Dru is an only child and a girl, that was about the extent of the differences.

Over all, I enjoyed the 'meat' of Strange Angels. Given that it is paranormal YA, the plot is believable. There is a second book int the series coming in the Spring of 2010 and I will be on the look out for it; I'm willing to the series and author another shot.

My 'issues' with this book: For a book labeled YA I think there is too much swearing and drinking done. Dru is 16, disdains smoking, but thinks nothing of adding Jim Beam to her Coke? Also certain parts felt formulaic. More than once things 'unreel' before her (stairs and roads).

What follows in my 15yo old daughter's review of Strange Angels. It is all in her own words; I didn't change a thing. We decided not to put her name out here into the wilds of the internet. Since she is often hyper, some of her friends have taken to calling her Candi, so that is the name she will use on the reviews that she writes for me. =)

Strange Angels by Lili St Crow was, in my opinion, a thrilling book. It had me hooked until the very last page and left me wanting more. It had a delicate balance of high heart pounding action and a slight taste of teenage romance. The fight scenes were so elaborately described, they appealed to all of my senses. I could feel the burn of the zombie goo and smell the rotting stench of it's body. It leaves a vivid picture in my head even weeks after reading it. ~Candi

Buy Strange Angels by Lili St Crow:
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Review of: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

2009-06-03T06:00:00.008-04:00

Author: Katherine Howe
ISBN: 9781401340902
Pages: 371
Published by: Hyperion Voice (June 2009)
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009 - 2009 Pub Challenge

Please note: All quotes and page numbers come from the ARC and there fore may vary from the completed, finished version. I waited until the last minute to try to verify them with the publisher and was unable to verify them so close to the date I promised my review would be up.

Part love story, part mystery, part historical fiction... I loved (!!!) The Physick book of Deliverance Dane by new author Katherine Howe.

The Physick book of Deliverance Dane follows graduate student Connie Goodwin and her dog Arlo in the 1990's, Deliverance Dane and a few of her descendants. In the 1690's Deliverance is accused of being a witch.

While Connie is attempting to clean out her deceased grandmother's home in Marblehead Massachusetts she finds a key hidden in an old Bible belonging to the family. It isn't just a plain, old key though.

It was a key. Antique, about three inches long, with an ornate handle and hollow shaft, probably designed for a door or a substantial chest. She turned the key over in the soft light from the lamp, wondering why it had been hidden in the Bible. It seemed too bulky for a bookmark. As she warmed the small metal object in her hands, puzzling about what it could mean, she noticed the tiniest shred of paper protruding from the end of the hollow shaft.

After finding the key with the slip of paper inside (a slip of paper containing nothing except the words "Deliverance Dane") Connie begins investigating what her advisor thinks maybe the name of a person. Connie comes across not a few obstacles on her journey, including meeting Sam the architectural preservationist she can't stop thinking about. Sam becomes more help than hindrance though.

I'd like to share with you one bit from The Physick book of Deliverance Dane that really struck a chord with me:

"Yeah, but it speaks to how alienated we all are from history," Connie grumbled, blue eyes darkening. "For generations the witch trials were such an embarrassment that no one would discuss them. A proper history of them wasn't even written until the end of the nineteenth century. Now look at it -- it's a carnival."

Connie looked around at the relaxed people milling about the esplanade, gazing into the windows of costume shops and card readers. She tried to imagine other violent, oppressive periods of history that had similarly been transformed into a source of amusment and tourism but could not think of any. Did Spain have Inquisition wax museums, showing effigies of people broken on the rack?

This one is going on my "Keeper" shelf and I hope to have the money to buy the finished book once it comes out June 9th!

Buy The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe:
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Teaser Tuesdays {6-2-09}

2009-06-02T13:09:00.002-04:00

Grab your current read
Let the book fall open to a random page
Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
Please avoid SPOILERS.

This week's Teaser comes from Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey. These sentences come from page 156.

As if I hadn't reason enough to love them, they'd stood by me during my madness, tending to me with care while I ranted and raved. The things I'd said were seared into my memory.

Don't forget to visit MizB's Should Be Reading for more teasing!

Buy Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey:
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Reading Wrap-Up: May

2009-06-01T09:00:00.001-04:00

List of books that I finished in May 2009

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey
Strange Angels by Lili Crow
Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton
LOST Ate My Life by Jon "DocArzt" Lachonis and Amy "hijinx" Johnston
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey

Reaghan (my 3yo) and I didn't do a lot of reading in May. We have started Poppy's Perfect Home by we're only about 2/3 through it. She hasn't wanted anyone to read to her. She's 'reading' by herself. She takes down books that have been read to her a bunch of times and tells herself the story while flipping through the pages. (It's pretty cute to watch.)

Review of: Jasmine's Starry Night

2009-05-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

Author: Kay Woodward
ISBN: 9780723259220
Pages: 69
Published by: Warne (March 2008)
Genre(s): Children's, Chapter Book, Fiction
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Read Together 2009 - Spring Reading Thing 2009

Jasmine the Flower Fairy is in charge of a night blooming flower. She sleeps during the day and loves watching the stars at night. Since Jasmine is alone so often, she is incredibly shy.

When she meets Dandelion, he asks what her hobby is. Jasmine thinks she doesn't have one. Not being very adventurous, like some Flower Fairies, she despairs of ever finding a hobby.

When some of the baby fairies cause a ruckus, thinking the stars are trying to fall out of the sky, only Jasmine knows that they are just shooting stars, comets. Will Jasmine be able to over come her shyness long enough to let them all know?

Reaghan liked this Flower Fairy book, too. (The first one we read was Wild Cherry Makes a Wish.) There were no 'nervous' moments for Reaghan in Jasmine's Starry Night, but she did feel bad for poor Jasmine.

Our current 'read together' book is Poppy's Perfect Home which is another from this same series. Be on the look out for that review in the next few weeks.

Buy Jasmine's Starry Night by Kay Woodward:
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Review of: The Unfinished Clue

2009-05-29T11:00:00.002-04:00

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 9781402217968
Pages: 336
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark (March 2009 [first published 1937])
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Cozy
Grade: A-
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09

The Unfinished Clue is a wonderful 'English country-house' who-dun-it by Georgette Heyer (like Behold, Here's Posion). The victim in this case is General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith. The General is murdered the Monday after a, shall we say, stressful weekend "house party". There is no shortage of suspects even if you do not consider the fact that someone may have come into his study from the open French-doors.

Possible suspects include:

Captain Francis Billington-Smith, the General's nephew who is at the house party hoping to find the General in a good enough mood to pay off his most recent gambling debt
Basil Halliday, the General was obviously flirting with Basil's beautiful wife Camilla, who did nothing to discourage this attention
Stephen Guest, he has been in love with the General's wife Lady Fay Billington-Smith (from afar) for 2 years

Given the General's bullying disposition these are just 3 possible murderers on a very long list of suspects. There is an added element to The Unfinished Clue. Lady Fay's younger sister, Dinah Fawcett, is also visiting on the fateful weekend. Cool, calm Dinah is thrown a bit off center by the Inspector from Scotland Yard who is called in by the local police to help solve the murder of General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith.

At first glance, it should have been a lovely English country-house weekend party. But it's the guestlist from hell, and the host, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith, is an abusive wretch who everyone at the party Turns out to have a reason to hate. When he's found in his study, stabbed to death and clutching a torn check in his hand, the unhappy guests and estranged family find themselves under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard's cool-headed Inspector Harding.

Buy TITLE by Author:
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Review of: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

2009-05-28T11:00:00.001-04:00

Author: Lauren Lipton
ISBN: 9780446197977
Pages: 368
Published by: 5 Spot, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing (May 2009)
Genre(s): Fiction, Chick-lit
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - 2009 Pub Challenge

If not for my demanding 3yo, I could have easily finished Mating Rituals of the North American WASP in a day. Even still, I finished it in a day and a half; I stayed up late reading. =)

For me chick-lit and romance are a welcome break now and then. Mating Rituals of the North American WASP, a perfect gem of a book, is just such a book. Deep down I knew Peggy and Luke were meant to be and would end up together; man did they take their time realizing it! Luke and Peggy accidentally (and drunkenly) get married within hours of meeting in Las Vegas. This is just the beginning of their roller coaster relationship.

I hadn't heard of 5 Spot before Mating Rituals of the North American WASP, but I will definitely be on the look out for more of their titles.

Buy Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton:
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Blog Tour: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

2009-05-27T11:00:00.002-04:00

About the book: After arguing with her live-in boyfriend about his inability to commit, Peggy Adams flies to a friend's bachelorette party in Las Vegas, and wakes up next to a man she can't remember. Hung-over and miserable, she sneaks out of the sleeping man's hotel room and returns home to New York, where her boyfriend apologizes for the fight and gives her a Tiffany box containing a pre-engagement ring. Not what she expected, but close enough! The next day she receives a phone call from the Las Vegas one-night stand, Luke, claiming she's already married to him¬-and he faxes her the license for proof! Both are ready for an annulment, until Peggy arrives in quaint New Nineveh, CT, where Luke cares for his Great Aunt, and the old woman makes Peggy an offer she can't refuse.

Author Bio: Lauren Lipton is the author of two novels, It's About Your Husband (2006) and Mating Rituals of the North American WASP (2009). She is also a freelance journalist who specializes in style, business and trend stories.

She is currently fashion, beauty and lifestyle editor at ForbesWoman magazine. She has also contributed features on society and media to the New York Times Sunday Styles section. A former Wall Street Journal staff writer, she reported on copycat brides who steal their friends' wedding ideas, pajama parties for grown women, and luxury homes with his-and-hers garages.

Her work also has appeared in Conde Nast Portfolio, In Style Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Best Life, Glamour, Marie Claire, Fit Pregnancy and Working Mother, and on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. She began her career at the Los Angeles Times.

Born in Providence, R.I., Lauren grew up in the North County of San Diego and in Los Gatos, Calif., before moving to Los Angeles. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and anthropology from Occidental College and a master's degree in print journalism from the University of Southern California.

She lives with her family in New York City and in Litchfield County, Conn.

Check back here tomorrow (May 28, 2009) after 11AM eastern to see my review. To read an excerpt of Mating Rituals visit Lauren Lipton's website.

Buy Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton:
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Giveaway Winners: Testimony

2009-05-25T17:00:00.002-04:00

Random Sequence Generator

Here is your sequence:

 9  1  3 12  8 10 11  2  6  4  7  5

Timestamp: 2009-05-25 20:20:05 UTC

And the winners are:

The other 7 comments are alternates. If I do not hear back from some of the winners, or any have won copies elsewhere, I will go down the list in the order that random.org produced. The original post can be found here.

Buy Testimony by Anita Shreve:
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Review of: Behold, Here's Poison

2009-05-25T14:30:00.005-04:00

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 9781402217982
Pages: 336
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark (February 2009 [first published 1969])
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Cozy
Grade: B+
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09

I love these kinds of mysteries, English country cottage style. I even took notes this time, I jotted down bits that I thought might be important. I recorded who I thought was the guilty party; I changed my mind a few different times. I was wrong each time. It made sense in the end, but I never suspected this particular person.

Mr Matthews was not very well liked by many, repected but not liked. Practically everyone in the house had reason to want him dead. Later Mr Matthews' spinster sister, Harriette, dies as well. That really throws a wrench into the works; even for Scotland Yard!

It's no ordinary morning at the Poplars - the master is found dead in his bed and it turns out that his high blood pressure was not the cause of death. Heyer uses her attention to detail and brilliant characterizations to concoct a baffling crime for which every single member of the quarrelsome family has a motive, and none, of course, has an alibi. Heyer's sparkling dialogue is a master class in British wit, sarcasm and the intricacies of life above and below stairs.

Buy Behold, Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer:

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It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {5-19-09}

2009-05-19T08:07:00.003-04:00

I am back in the City of Elua in the country of Terre d'Ange. I'm a 17 year old young woman. This is a strange land for me, having grown up in the wilds of Alba with my mother.

Grab your current read
Let the book fall open to a random page
Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
Please avoid SPOILERS.

This week's Teaser comes from Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey (it is her 7th book set in this sort of alternate reality, but the 1st of a new trilogy). These sentences come from page 136.

The oak tree remembered centuries. It was only a blink of time ago that Prince Imriel had scrambled into it's branches, digging out a hidden gem stone.

I'm really enjoying this book so far. The main character, Moirin, is actually the great great grandniece of Prince Imriel of the previous trilogy.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's Should be Reading.

An extra note for my mom!

Buy Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey:
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Musing Mondays {5-18-09}

2009-05-18T09:12:00.003-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about early reading…

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Was it from a particular person, or person(s)? Do you remember any books that you read, or were read to you, as a young child? (question courtesy of Diane)"

I don't have any specific memories of my mom or dad reading to me when I was little (though I'm pretty sure my mom did). What I DO remember is reading Lucky Puppy. I also have a vivid memory of having one of those Read Along books of Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. I actually still have that same copy of Lucky Puppy.

Don't forget to visit Just One More Page for more!

Buy Lucky Puppy by Walt Disney Book Club:
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Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (Read Along Book)

Review of: Wild Cherry Makes a Wish

2009-05-16T09:22:00.006-04:00

Author: Pippa le Quesne
ISBN: 9780723258261
Pages: 80
Published by: Warne (October 2006)
Genre(s): Fiction, Chapter Book
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Read Together 2009 - Spring Reading Thing 2009

Wild Cherry Makes a Wish is one of several Flower Fairies Friends books. I picked up six of them when hubs and I went to an overstock book store (all books are 75% off!).

From the back: Wild Cherry is feeling very sad. She wishes that she could dance but is too shy to ask for help. Then she has a misunderstanding with Pansy, the on fairy who could teach her.

So, when Pansy is in danger and it is up to Wild Cherry to help, will she be brave enough to save her? And will her wish ever be granted?

Each book appears to have 6 chapters. Reaghan and I are on our 3rd book of the 6 that we bought and she really likes them. They each have a life lesson (I wouldn't call it a moral) that a particular fairie learns. Reaghan is only 3, so I doubt she's learning any life lesson's from the books, but I expect that over the next few years, as she learns to read on her own and rereads these book, she will learn those life lessons.

Reaghan got a little nervous when Pansy was in danger of being seen by *gasp* human children, but with some quick thinking by Wild Cherry, the children are distracted and chase some fairy dust and Cherry blossoms swirling and dancing in the opposite direction. When Pansy learns of this brave act, she asks Wild Cherry what if anything she can do to repay her. Will Wild Cherry overcome her shyness enough to tell Pansy the ONE thing that she really wants from Pansy?

Buy Wild Cherry Makes a Wish by Pippa le Quesne:
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Review of: Shanghai Girls

2009-05-13T06:00:00.005-04:00

Author: Lisa See
ISBN: 9781400067114
Pages: 315
Published by: Random House (May 26, 2009)
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009 - World Citizen Challenge - 2009 Pub Challenge

Pearl and May Chin grew up in Shanghai, China in the 1920s and '30s. When they are 21 and 19, respectively, they are 'sold' into arranged marriages with a pair of brother, to pay off their father's gambling debts. Pearl is already in love with an artist called ZG. May and Pearl are models, their faces sell everything from baby formula to tobacco. In the process of leaving China for America, after the bombing of Shanghai, many terrible tings happen to and around this pair of sisters.

I learned quite a bit reading Shanghai Girls. I'm not sure what it says about our education system that I'd never heard about Angel Island before. More tid-bits I found interesting:

In Chinese culture, white is the funeral color, the death color. (Imagine what it was like for immigrants from China that went to a hospital or to see a doctor!)
There were segments at least that were prejudiced toward the Japanese; calling them things like "monkey people" and "dwarf bandits".

I really found myself pulled in by Lisa See's words. I felt like I was right there with the sisters through their many struggles, fights, joys. I haven't read any of Lisa See's previous novels, but I am looking forward to reading more than Shanghai Girls.

From GoodReads: May and Pearl, two sisters living in Shanghai in the mid-1930s, are beautiful, sophisticated, and well-educated, but their family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Hoping to improve their social standing, May and Pearl’s parents arrange for their daughters to marry “Gold Mountain men” who have come from Los Angeles to find brides.

But when the sisters leave China and arrive at Angel’s Island (the Ellis Island of the West)—where they are detained, interrogated, and humiliated for months—they feel the harsh reality of leaving home. And when May discovers she’s pregnant the situation becomes even more desperate. The sisters make a pact that no one can ever know.

A novel about two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in America while bound to the old, Shanghai Girls is a fresh, fascinating adventure from beloved and bestselling author Lisa See.

(Full disclosure: I won this ARC of Shanghai Girls in a drawing on Random House's website. If you have any questions/concerns about how this may have affected how I feel about the book, please go here and read the last paragraph.)

Buy Shanghai Girls by Lisa See:
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It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {5-12-09}

2009-05-12T06:59:00.004-04:00

I am in far eastern Vralia, I've almost reached my current destination of the city of Miroslas. I'm hunting for Berlik, the bear-man who killed my wife.

Grab your current read
Let the book fall open to a random page
Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
Please avoid SPOILERS.

This week's Teaser comes from KUSHIEL'S JUSTICE by Jacqueline Carey. These sentences come from page 551.

I'd been two days and the better part of three nights on the road, with naught to eat but a quarter-loaf of bread. If I chanced to waiting for another, farther village and it proved to be more than a day's ride, I'd starve.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's blog Should Be Reading.

Buy Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey:
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Blog Tour: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

2009-05-09T06:00:00.004-04:00

I've only just started The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M .Mayo. As I write this (Tuesday, May 5th) I'm on page 6, but already getting swept away.

Author: C.M. Mayo

Published by: Unbridled Books (May 2009)
Pages: 448

ISBN: 978193296164

About the book: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a sweeping historical novel of Mexico during the short, tragic, at times surreal, reign of Emperor Maximilian and his court. Even as the American Civil War raged north of the border, a clique of Mexican conservative exiles and clergy convinced Louis Napoleon to invade Mexico and install the Archduke of Austria, Maximilian von Habsburg, as Emperor. A year later, the childless Maximilian took custody of the two year old, half-American, Prince Agustín de Iturbide y Green, making the toddler the Heir Presumptive. Maximilian’s reluctance to return the child to his distraught parents, even as his empire began to fall, and the Empress Carlota descended into madness, ignited an international scandal. This lush, grand read is based on the true story and illuminates both the cultural roots of Mexico and the political development of the Americas. But it is made all the more captivating by the depth of Mayo’s writing and her understanding of the pressures and influences on these all too human players. Her prose makes the reader taste the foods, smell the spices and flowers and feel the heat of Mexico. Mayo writes for the senses. And for the ages. The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a story both sweeping and intimate, of geopolitics, the glamour of royalty, and the grit of military command, of the arrogance of power, the dark labyrinths of ambition, and, above all, of a child who was not, in the end, a prince, but a little boy who belonged to his parents.

About the Author: C.M. Mayo has been living in and writing about Mexico for many years. Her books include the widely-lauded travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico, and Sky Over El Nido, which won the Flannery O’Connor Award. An avid translator of contemporary Mexican literature, Mayo is founding editor of Tameme Chapbooks ~ Cuadernos, and has also edited the anthology Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion, a portrait of Mexico in the fiction and literary prose of 24 Mexican writers. She conducted extensive original research to write this novel, her debut. Mayo divides her time between Washington D.C. and Mexico City.

To see who else is touring The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire visit Book Blogs on Ning.com. You can see the list even if you aren't a member. The author herself is touring, you can find that list on Unbridled.

Tour Stops that have already posted:
We Be Reading
caribousmom

Buy The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo:
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GIVEAWAY: Testimony

2009-05-08T06:00:00.001-04:00

Author: Anita Shreve
ISBN: 9780316067348
Pages: 352
Published by: Back Bay Books (May, 2009 this ISBN)
Genre: Fiction

About the Book: At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.

Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

This would be a great book for Book Clubs. It contains a Reading Group Guide. You can also download this guide.

About the author: Anita Shreve is the critically acclaimed author of fourteen novels, including Body Surfing, The Pilot's Wife, which was a selection of Oprah's Book Club, and The Weight of Water, which was a finalist for England's Orange Prize. She lives in Massachusetts.

Five (5) lucky blog readers will get a copy of Testimony courtesy of Valerie Russo! Just leave a comment here. If you do not have an e-mail link on your blogger profile, please leave an email address in your comment. I will close this post to comments on the morning of Friday May 22nd. I will use random.org to select the winners. Per publisher's rules this giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only. No PO Boxes.

GOOD LUCK!

Buy Testimony by Anita Shreve:
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Thursday Tea {5-7-09}

2009-05-07T09:48:00.003-04:00

Thursday Tea is hosted by Anastasia at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog. Here's how it works: Tell us what tea you are drinking (and if you like it). And then tell us what book are you reading (and if you like it). Finally, tell us if they go together.

The Tea- My tea this week is Tazo Passion. "A magical blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango & passion fruit flavors."

The Book- I'm reading Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey. It's part of a series that I started reading in 2001. I really like these trilogies.

From GoodReads: Imriel de la Courcel's blood parents are history's most reviled traitors, while his adoptive parents, Phèdre and Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions. Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in beauty, art, and desire.

After a year abroad to study at university, Imriel returns from his adventures a little older and somewhat wiser. But perhaps not wise enough. What was once a mere spark of interest between himself and his cousin Sidonie now ignites into a white-hot blaze. But from commoner to peer, the whole realm would recoil from any alliance between Sidonie, heir to the throne, and Imriel, who bears the stigma of his mother's misdeeds and betrayals. Praying that their passion will peak and fade, Imriel and Sidonie embark on an intense, secret affair.

Blessed Elua founded Terre d'Ange and bestowed one simple precept to guide his people, love as thou wilt. When duty calls, Imriel honors his role as a member of the royal family by leaving to marry a lovely, if merely sweet, Alban princess. By choosing duty over love, Imriel and Sidonie may have unwittingly trespassed against Elua's law. But when dark powers in Alba, who fear an invasion by Terre d'Ange, seek to use the lovers' passion to bind Imriel, the gods themselves take notice.

Before the end, Kushiel's justice will be felt in heaven and on earth.

Do They Go Together- I'd say they do. There are some pretty intense moments of erotica in this series of books. A lot of romance and adventure, too. I think a tea described as "magical" and that contains passion fruit flower most definitely goes with all of Jacquline Carey's Kushiel books.

Buy Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey:
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Review of: Girls in Trucks

2009-05-06T06:00:00.004-04:00

Author: Katie Crouch
ISBN: 9780316002127
Pages: 272
Published by: Back Bay Books (April 2009, paperback)
Genre(s): Fiction, ChickLit, Southern Fiction
Grade: B
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009

My First thought when I reached the end of Girls in Trucks was that it needed to be longer. Not in the way you might think. Not in the "I was so in love with the characters that I wanted it to go in forever" way. I wanted it to be longer because I didn't like way it ended. I tend to think of 'chick-lit' as all having an 'And they lived happily ever after' ending. After sitting with my thoughts for a couple of days I realized something. Books don't all have happy endings. Neither does life.

Girls in Trucks does not present us with an ending all wrapped up and decorated with a bow. But it's not a bad ending. Sarah and her man do not ride off into the sunset, but there is a happiness there. Is it a somewhat mindless, Scarlett O'Hara (I'm paraphrasing here.) "I'll think about it tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day ending? Maybe.

Girls in Trucks is in no way a bad book. I enjoyed the time I spent with Sarah, her sister Eloise and Sarah's friend Charlotte. Even if I did want to slap Sarah at times and tell her to get a clue.

Buy GIRLS IN TRUCKS by Katie Crouch:
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Review Rewind of: The Wednesday Sisters

2009-05-04T07:08:00.005-04:00

Below is my original review of The Wednesday Sisters, posted May 30, 2008.

Title: The Wednesday Sisters
Author: Meg Waite Clayton
ISBN: 978-0-345-50282-7
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Ballantine Books (division of Random House)
Price: $23.00
Release Date: June 17, 2008

Friendship, loyalty, and love lie at the heart of Meg Waite Clayton’s beautifully written, poignant, and sweeping novel of five women who, over the course of four decades, come to redefine what it means to be family.

For thirty-five years, Frankie, Linda, Kath, Brett, and Ally have met every Wednesday at the park near their homes in Palo Alto, California. Defined when they first meet by what their husbands do, the young homemakers and mothers are far removed from the Summer of Love that has enveloped most of the Bay Area in 1967. These “Wednesday Sisters” seem to have little in common: Frankie is a timid transplant from Chicago, brutally blunt Linda is a remarkable athlete, Kath is a Kentucky debutante, quiet Ally has a secret, and quirky, ultra-intelligent Brett wears little white gloves with her miniskirts. But they are bonded by a shared love of both literature–Fitzgerald, Eliot, Austen, du Maurier, Plath, and Dickens–and the Miss America Pageant, which they watch together every year.

As the years roll on and their children grow, the quintet forms a writers circle to express their hopes and dreams through poems, stories, and, eventually, books. Along the way, they experience history in the making: Vietnam, the race for the moon, and a women’s movement that challenges everything they have ever thought about themselves, while at the same time supporting one another through changes in their personal lives brought on by infidelity, longing, illness, failure, and success.

Humorous and moving, The Wednesday Sisters is a literary feast for book lovers that earns a place among those popular works that honor the joyful, mysterious, unbreakable bonds between friends.
I loved this book from the second paragraph. The book is mostly told from Frankie's point of view, but each of the other 'sisters' gets their turn. For reasons I will keep to myself for now (wouldn't want to spoil anything) I most identified with Ally. Though there was a connection with Frankie as well. I finished The Wednesday Sisters 4 days ago and those women are still with me and I think they will remain for quite awhile.

This isn't only a book about the relationships these women have with each other, but also about their relationships with BOOKS! Each of these women's favorite book has an influence on the way that they see life; the color of the glasses that color their world view.

Being that I was born in 1976, I was born after the main part of The Wednesday Sisters is finished. However, Meg Waite Clayton did a great job of giving the reader enough information to understand our culture at that time (1968 to 1974).

There are so many things that I want to say about The Wednesday Sisters, but I don't want to give away all of the best/juicy parts. This is a must read!

As you can see I really loved this books. Now, almost a year later, Frankie, Ally, Kath, Linda and Brett are still with me. I still think about them.

Now for something NEW!

Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters, is hosting a "Tea and Talk" on GoodReads tomorrow, Tuesday May 5th, to celebrate the release of The Wednesday Sisters in paperback! Come join Meg, me and 30+ others that have said "yes" to attending this virtual event.

Those of you in a book club with either mostly women or all women will want to check this book out as a possible group read. With Mother's Day just around the corner, I'd like to suggest picking up a copy of The Wednesday Sisters for your mom, sister, favorite aunt, etc.

Buy The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton:
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