Fantasy Friday - Stolen Songbird

Stolen Songbird

By: Danielle L. Jensen

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5 stars 

Summary:

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

My Thoughts

I needed a full 24 hours after reading this book before I could pick up another one. I needed a cathartic relief because I was enthralled by Trollus and wanted to be there. I wanted to live in this world, I wanted this to happen to me. And when I think about it all I want to do is to read it all over again. It is a mix between two of my favorite fantasy novels Crown Duel and The Hollow Kingdom (review to come shortly) and I loved every moment of it. I can say that it is perhaps the best modern fantasy that I have yet read. Jensen's world building was wonderfully done and she did it all without getting bogged down into the details as she introduced us into this new world. I could gush for a really long time...

I love Cecile. She is smart, strong and a wonderful heroine. She can be funny, and while thrown into a world roiling with dangerous politics she can hold her own. And Tristan...I love him. I just want them to communicate more. But, well communication is everyone's problem and it furthered the plot well. I loved the other Troll characters - the twins Vincent and Victoria and Merc, the first troll you meat. I love their distinct and fully formed personalities. I love the politics and the secrets and the schemings. 

Even the villains are well thought out nd developed so that they have decent motivations and we as the readers can know them. One thing that I wish I could have seen more of was (Spoiler highlight to see) the use of the bonding magic. In the world when two trolls are bonded they can feel what the other is feeling, and so Cecile and Tristan can feel each others emotions - including things like pain and hunger - I just wish that she had used more of this wonderfully amazing idea. (Spoiler done)

The biggest drawback is that the next one doesn't come out until June 2nd...I will be counting the days.

Historical Tuesday - The Brickmaker's Bride

The Brickmaker's Bride

By: Judith Miller

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary:

Yearning for a fresh start, Ewan McKay travels with his aunt and uncle from northern Scotland to West Virginia, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial assistance from his uncle Hugh. Hugh purchases a brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, but it's Ewan who gets the business up and running again. Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man--a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Besides, Ewan has resolved he'll focus on making the brickmaking operation enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business
and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Scotland.

But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work may come to naught. As his plans begin to crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. She and her mother may have a way to save the brickworks, and in turn Ewan may have another shot at winning Laura's heart.

My thoughts:

This was a fun little read. When you want good clean romance this is a great book for that. I loved Laura and her mother and their interactions. It was a great mother daughter relationship to read. It was also nice to have a new time period and problem faced. Ewan was a great leading man and I found myself rooting for them.

The only reason I kept it from 4 stars was that the villains seemed far too one dimensional for my liking and  it at points I was just wondering why anyone still talked to them. 

It was a sweet christian romance and if that is what you are wanting to read this is a good pick for you.

Misc. Monday - I'll Be Seeing You

I'll Be Seeing You 

By: Suzanne Hayes & Loretta Nyhan

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
It's January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a sensible professor's wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. Glory comes from New England society; Rita lives in Iowa, trying to make ends meet. They have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home. 

Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence. The friendship forged by their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front, and gives them the courage to face the battles raging in their very own backyards. Connected across the country by the lifeline of the written word, each woman finds her life profoundly altered by the other’s unwavering support.

My Thoughts:
I am going to buy this one rather than just settle on  it being from the library because I love the language that these women use. It had the wonderful charm of  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society but here on American soil. 

I loved watching how the women came to know each other and the power which letters have in helping friendships grow. It actually made me really sad to be living in a time where letters are obsolete - and when it comes to communicating with friends e-mail seems to be as well. 

The beautiful advice which was passed between women, and the strength which the pulled from each other as each of them had their lives changed by the ravages of war made me get out my highlighters and mark the whole thing up (Don't worry my librarian friends it is still in perfect condition.) One of my favorite lines though was:

“Did you ever catch a glimpse of what you could be, if you really tried at life?”

Maybe because I am young and at a place where I don't know what the future holds but this line really rang through me. Almost all the prose is like that. Wonderful, deep but not trying to be. It is simply two WWII wives passing along recipes and advice for how to survive the war - and all of the problems that just generally happen in life.  

Book clubs will love it - READ IT!

YA Wednesday - Waistcoats and Weaponry

Waistcoats & Weaponry

by: Gail Carriger

Genre: Steampunk

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Summary: 

Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.  

My thoughts: This is a wonderful coming of age work of Steampunk. I absolutely have fallen in love with these characters. During a time when I really have no business to be doing free reading I have devoted several evenings just to see what was going to happen next. And now I am quite distraught that I have to wait for the next one to come out. 

This isn't your typical girl coming of age novel with a love triangle and you will they, won't they - though the elements are all there, so don't go in thinking that this one is romance free. But they are set against a backdrop of this young girl - being trained in the art of spying and death - and how she feels about all this. Can she stomach killing people? Where on earth do her loyalties lie? Which group truly has the best interests and the balance of the nation at heart. That is her main struggle and it all comes to a head in this book. 

I love Carriger and her voice as an author, and as soon as life settles down (as if that ever is going to happen so lets just say in December) I am going to be finding her other books and reading to my hearts content. 

Just for Fun - Corsets and Conspiracies

Curtsies & Conspiracies

By: Gail Carriger
Genre: Steampunk
Rating: 4.5 stars

Summary:
Sophronia, second year at Miss Geraldine's Finishing Academy, and it appears that this one won't be any easier than the last. After receiving incredible marks at her exams, Sophronia finds herself excluded and having to figure out the world on her own. While in such straits, she manages to save Dimity from kidnappers, discover a suspicious plot and let us not forget that now the Lord Fe!!lix Mercy is about. This year will prove to be one vital to her training, and to her friendships - which is stronger your ties to your work? or to the ones you love?

My Thoughts:
Ok, well I started with the 2nd book...I really wish I hadn't because this is an amazing book and I want to know how on earth the world was created. I love this version of London, Mechanicals everywhere, Vampires and Warewolves in parliament and general fun on all sides.
This series reminded me of my long lost love of steampunk, and especially why I love books set with a British tone. The wit, the class and the constant need for tea really make me fall in love with the genre. And the world which Carriger built left me wishing to grab my mechanical puppy, catch the next dirigible and make my way to London as quickly as I could.

It was well written, witty and left me giggling the whole entire time. It's one of the few books that I passed onto a housemate saying - hey you should read this! And that's how I feel about it in general. Hey you people who like steampunk, boarding schools or espionage...READ IT! and be happy!

OH my wow...

This is a really long 24 hours and I am fading fast. But here is the last survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? 22
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?Well I only really was able to read 4 but I loved Secret of Pembrooke Park
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Nah, I loved it
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I loved how even though I was a late comer I still had some cheerleaders and was able to fully participate
5. How many books did you read? 4
6. What were the names of the books you read?  Return of the King, War and Peace, The Secret of Penbrooke Farm, Prince Caspian
7. Which book did you enjoy most? That is hard because they were all different but I did love finally finishing War and Peace
8. Which did you enjoy least? Probably Prince Caspian Because it was in the last hours
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I most definitely will and  I would love to maybe host a mini-challenge 

It is Finished!

I have made it to hour 20! and what is more....

I READ ALL OF WAR AND PEACE!!! THAT HUGE BOOK THAT NO ONE HAS EVER READ? YEAH I READ THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah I feel accomplished...

Why do I read?

So the question has been posed as to Why do I read?

To be honest I haven't seriously thought about it too hard. It is just a key and core part of who I am. I am a reader and it makes me happy and it is something that I just need.

I also think that it is something that is just a genetic part of my makeup. I was talking with my wonderful Grandmother one time and she seemed to be the only one who understood that it really was hard to walk away from a book to do dishes, talk to people, sleep or eat. It just wasn't something that she could easily do. After hearing that I remember thinking "Finally!!! Someone who understands" She told me how her mother didn't really get it and how it seems to be something that skips generations. It made so much sense, and it made me so happy to know that there were other people who understood how important a fictional world could be.

It is a place where I can learn, where I can reach the heights and depths of humanity without having to tread there myself. Like what I found in the wonderful story Between Shades of Grey (Not to be confused with the horrible thing with a similar title) It helps me to grow and expand as a person. It opens up new ways of thought and introduces me to culture and language that isn't my own.  Like in The Stolen Girl. It to me seems to be a duty to read, to come to know the world around you and to try and understand how other people think.

It is also how I can escape from the world that surrounds me. Whether it's due to stress, to anxiety to just wanting to travel, I have a bunch of little black marks on a paper that can take me to any place, any time and can even help me to enter any mind. Who wouldn't want this kind of super power. I can stop being a stressed out college senior for a second and can travel into a wonderful romantic post WWII England with Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or I can go to Russia and try to make sense of a madman and the internal struggles that many will face with Crime and Punishment.

So I just want to tell everyone to:
                                

Hour 16 and Finally!!!

I FINALLY FINISHED A BOOK!!!

Goodness that took longer than expected....But what with the fact that I picked a nearly 500 pager to start out with, had to work, talk to people and took a couple of naps what is to be expected...



I love Julie Klassen novels, and was really sad that I missed 2 when I was gone on my mission to Argentina, but! I am so glad that I got the chance to read the advanced readers copy. I will leave my full review up a little closer to when it gets published...BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL!

So glad that I got to read it and so glad that I chose this to be my first true readathon book!

Just keep reading, just keep reading, just keep reading, reading, reading...What do we do? We read, read, read!


So happy, and now...on to homework. War and Peace is calling...at least 100 pages of it...But it is a phenomenal book and so maybe I will just finish it off. I only have 300 pages left after all.

See you in a little bit!

HALF WAY THROUGH!!!

So we have hit the halfway mark. Hour 12...where on earth does the time fly? I have to admit that I was a little dozy for a while there but now I am up and ready to go...I just hope that it can last, I really don't feel as young as I once was :P

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
Secret of Pembrooke Parke
2. How many books have you read so far?
Just 1 - Finished up Return of the King Work and volunteering have really gotten in the way this time around
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?Mere Christianity It is one that I have been wanting to read for ages!
4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Oh so many....I just let them slide, depending on who they are from. There aren't that many people here now that understand that when I am reading...you don't talk to me. But it is all good, can't get too mad at your friends right :)
5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
How tired I have been. I have been an absolute sleepy-head. Hopefully when I get home, get some caffeine in me and get in the groove I can make it the whole night. 

Hour 9

Ok, I am ensconced in the Main Hall of my school (an old hotel from the 1800s) no one knows where I am and the cell phone is turned off. There is nothing to get in between me and my books. Though while working it was great to get the chance to listen to Return of the King and finish the novel that way. Goodness I love that book.

So, for the count:
Books Read: Return of the King...

Goodness:

Hour 5 already???

So as we are moving right along I find myself in a rather lame position because I have had to work, clean my church building (it's gotta be looking good for Sundays you know) and now finally I have a chance to sit and read...oh wait...I have to work for the next 4 hours....Oh well, I have been listening to Return of the Kingn the next...10 minutes...

This really is the story of my life right now...oh well..

READ-A-THON

Whoo-hoo!! So that time of year has come around again and it is the 24 hour readathon!!! I am so happy that this year I can participate seeing as the last couple circumstances haven't let me. But wonderful! Today I will be trying to read my little heart out because I have a lot of catching up to do.

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Buena Vista, Virginia
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
The Secret of Pembrooke Park3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
Muddie Buddies!!! and Pomegranate seeds...they are my favorites and have been hard to find for the past year and a half as I have been in Argentina.4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I am just about ready to graduate from college and also love to knit and have a giant collection of Christmas sweaters. Also my friends say that if I was a disney character I would be Vanellope from Wreck It Ralph5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
Well it isn't my first but it has been a while. One thing that will be a little harder is figuring out a place to read, there are lots of loud people in my house who are wanting to get my attention...so probably going to head over to a neighboring college whose library never closes.

So my reading goals:
The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen
Catching up in War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Little Pink House by Jeff Benedict
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
(The Purple ones are for school
 And If I make it through those then we will keep going on my kindle reads because I have a lot that need to be read!

I hope I can get a lot done today, it is a bit of a problem that I am working again and have a lot of other obligations, but well I have some books on tape on my phone and so that should help me through right!

Well love you all and hope that you have a wonderful day and readathon!

Misc Monday - Driftwood Tides

Driftwood Tides

By: Gina Holmes

Genre: Christian

Rating 3.5 stars

Summary:He made himself an island until something unexpected washed ashore.When Holton lost his wife, Adele, in a freak accident, he shut himself off from the world, living a life of seclusion, making driftwood sculptures and drowning his pain in gin. Until twenty-three-year-old Libby knocks on his door, asking for a job and claiming to be a friend of his late wife. When he discovers Libby is actually his late wife's illegitimate daughter, given up for adoption without his knowledge, his life is turned upside down as he struggles to accept that the wife he'd given saint status to was not the woman he thought he knew.Together Holton and Libby form an unlikely bond as the two struggle to learn the identity of Libby's father and the truth about Adele, themselves, and each other.

My Thoughts:

"And wasn't that what humanity was really? Nothing by weeds in God's garden, waiting for the day they would be changed into flowers."

This is one of my favorite quotes from the book, and one which I believe wonderfully describes the content. It is a book of people growing and overcoming the natural flaws which they have. All of the characters are flawed (some far more than others) but it was nice to get to know them, see them in their flaws and like them anyway. It was a good Christian novel in the fact that it wasn't preachy, it was just normal religious people letting their belief in God show. I like those far more than some of the others I have read.

A lot of elements come together to make this a sweet read - the stormy relationship between Libby and her mother, along with the confusion of two worlds colliding and the toll which it takes on Libby's relationships.

It was a sweet read, one that left me feeling happy and content with how everything turned out. It was relaxing and enjoyable and good if you have some time and just want a feel-good, warm fuzzy novel.

Historical Thursday: The Legend of Sheba

The Legend of Sheba: Rise of a Queen

By: Tosca Lee

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Summary:

 In the tenth century BC, the new Queen of Sheba has inherited her father’s throne and all its riches at great personal cost. Her realm stretches west across the Red Sea into land wealthy in gold, frankincense, and spices. But now new alliances to the North threaten the trade routes that are the lifeblood of her nation. Solomon, the brash new king of Israel famous for his wealth and wisdom, will not be denied the tribute of the world—or of Sheba’s queen. With tensions ready to erupt within her own borders and the future of her nation at stake, the one woman who can match wits with Solomon undertakes the journey of a lifetime in a daring bid to test and win the king. But neither ruler has anticipated the clash of agendas, gods, and passion that threatens to ignite—and ruin—them both. An explosive retelling of the legendary king and queen and the nations that shaped history.

My thoughts:

This was really well done. Thoughtfully researched and crafted. There was much description and help to make the world come alive. Technically speaking I loved it. It was an enjoyable read.

She was so fun to get to know - witty, powerful and easy to empathize with - I loved her. And her relationship that developed with Solomon rich deep and complex. This goes far beyond what the Bible ever gave us. I loved being transported to Saba and to Jerusalem. 

It would have got 5 stars had there not be as much sexual content (no worries nothing explicit, but still it's there) and coming from a purely Christian background and not knowing that there were in fact, other accounts of the Queen of Sheba, it was a little hard to swallow her relationship with Solomon. But as I read the historical background at the end of the book everything tied together and it was good. I just wish I had read that part first so that I could have enjoyed the whole thing.

All in all I would say it was good, and if you like historical fiction, it is a great read!

I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Just for Fun Friday - The System

The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football

By: Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian
Genre: Non-fiction, Sports
Rating: 4 stars

Summary:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL has never been more popular—or more chaotic. Millions fill 100,000-seat stadiums every Saturday; tens of millions more watch on television every weekend. The 2013 Discover BCS National Championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama had a viewership of 26.4 million people, second only to the Super Bowl. Billions of dollars from television deals now flow into the game; the average budget for a top-ten team is $80 million; top coaches make more than $3 million a year; the highest paid, more than $5 million.
     Celebrated investigative journalists Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian were granted unprecedented access during the 2012 season to programs at the highest levels across the country at a time of convulsive change in college football. Through dogged reporting, they explored every nook and cranny of this high-powered machine, and reveal how it operates from the inside out. The result: the system through the eyes of athletic directors and coaches, high-flying boosters and high-profile TV stars, five-star recruits and tireless NCAA investigators and the kids on whom the whole vast enterprise depends.
My Thoughts:
First off -- warning, this book uses the language of the locker room - meaning not for all ages and it has some graphic scenes.
Ok that is out of the way. I really wasn't sure how I would like this book when I was given it to read - I mean it is about football. You see the books I read...is football a part of that? Not at all. However, I loved it. I attend a little school, football is here but it is NOTHING like what goes on in the real NCAA football.
This book captured all of the different aspects, ones that are completely forgotten yet still hold crucial parts. The tutors, athletic directors and even the hostesses and janitors. It was amazing to get a closer look at what is going on in the college football scene. I loved it and was really excited to do this homework assignment.
Now would especially be a good time - with all of the NFL drama that is playing out off the field it would be good to take a good look at the program which develops them into who they are. I would most definitely recommend this for those who are wanting to understand more about the biggest and most notable part of our college culture. 

Misc. Monday - The Stolen Girl

The Stolen Girl

By: Renita D'Silva

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating 4.5

Summary:

‘Your mother has been arrested. She stole you.’

For as long as thirteen-year-old Diya can remember, it’s always been just her and her mum, Vani. Despite never staying in one place long enough to call it home, with her mother by her side, Diya has never needed anything else. 

Then, in an instant, Diya’s fragile world is shattered. Her mother is arrested, accused of abducting Diya when she was a baby…

Vani has spent a lifetime looking over her shoulder, determined to make the best possible life for her daughter. Now she must fight for her child, re-opening the door to her childhood in India and the woman who was once as close to her as a sister.

Aarti had everything she could possibly want and lost it in the blink of an eye. She has spent these last 13 years hunting for the daughter she refused was lost.

My Thoughts:

Well after having been out of the book reading world for so long I was so glad that this was my first read. I loved it. It kind of took over my Saturday, work? homework? grad school prep...who cares! I need to figure out what on earth is going to happen here.

Right off the bat I had fallen in love with Diya for her down to earth personality and Vani for the immense love which she wasn't afraid to show her daughter. 

The story really reminded me of the work of Kate Morton. If you haven't read any of her works yet I would highly recommend The Distant Hours. Both authors have a way to make the world come alive and add a true texture not only to the characters, but I have never wanted to eat Indian food as much as I did while I was reading The Stolen Girl.

I love how the story of the past and present are woven together to help shed light on the truth. D'Silva manages to develop this empathy not only for the heroines of the novel, but also includes for the 'villain.' I was worried how she would wrap everything up - I had fallen in love with two of these women and wanted the 3rd to come out all right yet I couldn't figure out how she was going to do it. But do it D'Silva did and it was wonderfully done.

Overall I am so glad that I have found this new author, I will be running to check out her others books The Forgotten Dauther and Monsoon Memories...After I catch up on everything that was put on hold this weekend.

**I received this book in exchange for an honest review. 

So....I am back

Hey there everyone...I am betting that anyone who ever read this ever have already moved on with their lives wondering what on earth had happened to the book addict, or perhaps not. Either way, I have been in Argentina for a year and a half and not really able to read nearly as much as I liked or really use the internet. But I am now back! Happy day!

So I have been gone for a while. What are the great books that have come out this last year and a half. Let me know. And I would love to hear what books I need to put on my READ NOW! list.

Have an adventure for me, be that in this world or a fictional one!

Short-Straw Bride

by: Karen Whitemeyer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating 3.5 stars

Summary:

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both.

My thoughts:

I love Witemeyer. She manages to get enough of the romance in that it is the perfect book for when you are having a blah day that you just want to perk up. Now do I wish that there was some more communication between everyone? Yes, naturally. But then we wouldn't have much of a story now would we?

Travis and Meredith might have started off with marriage but it is fun to read about how their friendship grows throughout the novel. Something I especially liked was how Travis learned the necessary lesson of how no man is an island and it's necessary to draw on others for help when you need to.

I have read the rest of Witemeyer's work (see Head in the Clouds and To Win her Heart) and while this one wasn't my favorite it really was up to par with her previous work. I can't wait to see what else she comes up with.

This book was given to my by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Cutting out early

There is no way for me to healthily stick with this so I will cut out 2 hours early.

It has been quite fun and I shall prepare better for future Readathons.