Book Review: Cinders and Saphires by Leila Rasheed

Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication date: January 2013
Pages:400
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: At Somerton

Summary from goodreads:

Rose Cliffe has never met a young lady like her new mistress. Clever, rich, and beautiful, Ada Averley treats Rose as an equal. And Rose could use a friend. Especially now that she, at barely sixteen, has risen to the position of ladies’ maid. Rose knows she should be grateful to have a place at a house like Somerton. Still, she can’t help but wonder what her life might have been had she been born a lady, like Ada.

For the first time in a decade, the Averleys have returned to Somerton, their majestic ancestral estate. But terrible scandal has followed Ada’s beloved father all the way from India. Now Ada finds herself torn between her own happiness and her family’s honor. Only she has the power to restore the Averley name—but it would mean giving up her one true love . . . someone she could never persuade her father to accept.

Sumptuous and enticing, the first novel in the At Somerton series introduces two worlds, utterly different yet entangled, where ruthless ambition, forbidden attraction, and unspoken dreams are hidden behind dutiful smiles and glittering jewels. All those secrets are waiting . . . at Somerton.

Things I Liked:
I liked the Downton Abbey feel of the story.  It was very much the same kind of story, same kind of time period, and same kind of characters.  I thought Ada was interesting and I liked how she didn't want to sacrifice either her family or her dreams, which made for a tricky balance.  I enjoyed seeing the drama playing out with the household staff as well as the nobility.  It's definitely a book for those wanting more Downton.

Things I Didn't Like:
Most of the problem I had was that it was a little too much like Downton.  It felt like Rasheed took all the main points from the series and put them in the book with a few minor twists.  I was really disappointed in the insta-love that Ada and Raji experience.  Really?  They meet once, kiss, and suddenly they are in love?  I just never bought into that storyline.  Also, it didn't have much in the way of subtelty, but it was still entertaining.  I'm kind of ambivilent about any sequels.

Read-alikes:
Kind of reminded me of Eva Ibbotson's books I've read, like A Countess Below Stairs and The Star of Kazan
Also a bit like The Luxe Series by Anna Godberson

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few

mrg-factor: X
mostly kissing and some implied scandal

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson

Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson
Publisher: Listening Library
Publication date: February 2013
Length: 5 hrs 49 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: YA Audiobook Challenge
Series: Sequel to Hattie Big Sky

Summary from goodreads:

"After leaving Uncle Chester's homestead claim, orphan Hattie Brooks throws a lasso around a new dream, even bigger than the Montana sky. She wants to be a reporter, knowing full well that a few pieces published in the Arlington News will not suffice. Real reporters must go to Grand Places, and do Grand Things, like Hattie's hero Nellie Bly. Another girl might be stymied by this, but Hattie has faced down a hungry wolf and stood up to a mob of angry men. Nothing can squash her desire to write for a big city newspaper. A letter and love token from Uncle Chester's old flame in San Francisco fuels that desire and Hattie jumps at the opportunity to get there by working as a seamstress for a traveling acting troupe. This could be her chance to solve the mystery of her "scoundrel" uncle and, in the process, help her learn more about herself. But Hattie must first tell Charlie that she will not join him in Seattle. Even though her heart approves of Charlie's plan for their marriage, her mind fears that saying yes to him would be saying no to herself. Hattie holds her own in the big city, literally pitching her way to a byline, and a career that could be even bigger than Nellie Bly's. But can making headlines compensate for the pain of betrayal and lost love? Hattie must dig deep to find her own true place in the world."

Things I Liked:
I am so glad she decided to write more about Hattie.  I adored Hattie Big Sky and I wondered where Hattie would go from there.  Her story here is interesting and I loved how she was both so trusting and also so unwilling to give up on her dreams.  She's such a fun character and though I didn't love this story as much as I loved the first one, it was still intriguing.  The time period and her journalist aspirations that were so ahead of the times just made for one great story.

Things I Didn't Like:
As I mentioned, I didn't like it quite as much as the first, but I found that I still fell in love with Hattie and I also really liked her man, who wanted to give her everything she wanted, but also wouldn't take the back and forth from her.  It's an interesting story, but not the big prairie story from the first book, obviously. 

Read-alikes:
Start with Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: **** 

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: February 2012
Pages: 368
Source: Library
For: Fun

Summary from goodreads:

"Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be."

Things I Liked:
I can completely see why this had a huge number of awards at the children's book awards.  It is wonderfully written, in spare prose, but with so much emotion and reality.  I really cared about Ari and Dante.  I wanted to help them face their challenges, put an arm around them, be friends with them.  I really liked how supportive and involved their parents were in their lives.  That's how my parents were and I hate absent parents in literature, even if they happen in real life a lot.  The story was dynamic and interesting and I was figuring things out right along with them.  Really, more of what I'd call an important story.

Things I Didn't Like:
The thing I struggled with, is that I just thought it was ok.  It wasn't the most amazing thing I'd read, which is kind of what I expected with all that hype.  I can understand why people think its important, what with the discovering oneself and accepting yourself.  But, I was not blown away.  Also, it kind of made me want a story about two guys who are just friends.  Not that this should have been that story, since it was exactly what it was meant to be, but I just found myself wanting to read about a strong male friendship, sans romance.  Are there books many books like that?  Raven Boys comes to mind, but has so many other complicated things going on, it's not the main point.  Anyway, good book, important message, not so much for me.  I can see how it will help some struggling gay teens, though.

Read-alikes:
I can't think of any...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
quite a few, with casual f-bombs here and there

mrg-factor: X
nothing actually happens, but teenage boys will talk

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

1, 2, 3...and I'm Back (Maybe?)

Hello blogging world!  If anyone is still out there reading this, kudos to you for sticking with this empty blog.  I think I may be heading back to blogging, though.  Slowly and probably with boring stuff like reviews only (I'm only around 40 books behind...), but still!  I've survived the first three months of baby's life and I think I may be emerging from the dark sleep-deprived cave into the light :)

One month!

Two months! (I think she looks like a queen ruling over her lowly subjects :)

Three months!

Proof that I am alive (or that I was when the photo was taken...)

Some days we just gotta cry :)

Anyway, I've got some reviews written and ready to publish.  I have become a bit lazier, so the summaries are taken from goodreads and the read-alikes are kind of sparse.  Also, they might be a bit boring.  Thanks for sticking with me!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

 

Surprise!

I've been a bit absent from blogging for a little while and here's why:

 

Baby librarian, born on Tuesday and weighing in at a hefty 4 lbs 15 oz; she was about 3 weeks early and apparently anxious to make her debut!  We are smitten with our miracle baby!  Hopefully I'll be back in the swing of things in a month or two, but no promises :)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer AND Little Red Riding Hood

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: February 2013
Pages: 464
Source: Purchased
For: Classic Double Challenge
Series: Lunar Chronicles, Book 2

Summary for Scarlet:
*Spoilers are inevitable for Cinder*
Scarlet's grandmother has been missing for weeks and the police aren't helping much. Scarlet decides she's better off searching by herself and sets off, in the uneasy company of Wolf, a street fighter with more than a few secrets. Cinder is breaking her way out of prison and hopes to escape the wrath of the lunar queen. With the help of the quirky Captain Thorne, she goes in search of someone who might know more about herself than she does. When Cinder's and Scarlet's paths cross, they will discover a lot more secrets than either one knew before.

Things I Liked (about both):
I am not sure I can pinpoint one specific thing about this book and series that makes me love it so much.  Maybe it is the fantastic way the original fairy tales are incorporated into the story.  I read a few versions of Little Red Riding Hood (or Little Red Cap) and I just loved seeing how Meyer took such a short, sometimes annoyingly simplistic story and made it into something fabulous.  I kind of hate the original tale, because Red Riding Hood seems to just be so stupid and the moralizing is pretty annoying.  Perrault's version didn't have the mother telling Red Riding Hood to be careful and not stray from the path, but it also did not end with her being freed from the wolf.  She dies at the end.  In the belly of the wolf.  And then Perrault discusses the moral for young ladies to avoid wolves, even the ones that don't appear to be wolves.  The Grimm version does have the moralizing mother and Red Riding Hood is saved from the wolf by a woodcutter.  Either way, not one of my favorites.

I love how the details of the original fairy tale, the significant ones that everyone recognizes, make their way into the story.  We have the girl with her ubiquitous red hood(ie) and a journey to grandmother, the wolf (who may or may not be a bad guy), and even the fantastically iconic "what big teeth you have" scene.  It's absolutely perfect.  Not only does Meyer have these elements incorporated into her story, but the world she built is fascinating and deep and completely stands on its own.  Our favorite characters from the last book come back for more and I loved seeing both old and new interact.  I can't wait to see what happens to Cinder and Scarlet and all their friends next.

Things I Didn't Like (about both):
As I mentioned, Little Red Riding Hood is NOT a favorite fairy tale for me.  The moralizing, the stupidity of the main character, even the obnoxious fact that she has to be saved by some random woodcutter, just make me not like it.  Although, I did hear there are a few versions where she actually gets wise to the wolf and avoids death on her own smarts.  Still, I think the most familiar version of the story is the one where she's eaten and then hacked out of the belly of the wolf.  Bravo to Ms. Meyer for making a version of this story that not only I can stomach (and I LOVE Scarlet) but that I loved every minute of!  I really can't think of anything I didn't like about her book.  :)

Read-alikes:
Start with Cinder by Marissa Meyer
There are loads of other fairy tale retellings, though none quite like this series!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS (for Scarlet):
s-factor: !
maybe one or two

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
there are a few brutal scenes near the end

Overall rating: *****

If anyone is looking for a nice pair for the Classic Double Challenge, these two stories went down real easy (at least the original fairy tale is short :)! (Also, check out my guest post from Marissa about writing fairy tale retellings!)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: June

Another month has flown by! Hopefully your enthusiasm for the Classic Double Challenge hasn't :) June is the month of the baby (I hope). My progress on the challenge, however, is once again pretty slow.  I did manage to finish Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, but I haven't read any Little Red Riding Hood stories yet.  I really ought to do that right away, as they are all pretty short and easy.  I also read one very short version of Bluebeard that skimmed over the horror of the story.  I'm thinking I'll try another version of that soon too.  I'm also still slogging through The Turn of the Screw, which is much less accessible than the retelling, but far more nuanced and better written.  I think I'll finish it before the baby comes (fingers crossed). 

I've no idea what kind of reading progress I'll be making once baby librarian arrives, but I'm hoping a few months will see me back in the groove and reading like crazy (when I possibly can).  Until then, I will continue to devour as much as possible and I'll hopefully get to read about your classic double readings!

Any Classic Double suggested readings that are perfect for summer?  I might need to try a beach read or something light soon.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 5, Fresh and Young

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

 It's day 5 of Armchair BEA and I'm back for more!  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site.  

Today's topics are Keeping it Real, Fresh, and Fun, as well as children's books.  Since I've struggled with fresh content for a long time, I haven't got much to say.  The best thing I ever did (though I haven't persisted well) is to create original features.  The two I do occasionally are Listless Monday and Name That Book.  It is fun to have something that just you do (well, plenty of others do similar Listless Mondays) and that can help you avoid the meme or same old review rut.  Mind you, I haven't been doing those two things for a few months straight now.  So, in theory these are some good ideas :)

And since I adore and read almost exclusively in children's lit, I have no trouble thinking of favorites.  The trouble is limiting the number.  Also, because there are so many fabulous blogs out there that do YA lit so well, I thought I'd list some of my favorite reads for a slightly younger crowd: the MG/tween group.  There is a lot of fantastic stuff being published for kids and here are just a few of my faves:

For laughs:

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson 

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck 

For reals:

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

For sheer faves:

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

Savvy by Ingrid Law

For fabulous fantasy:

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge

Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull

What are your faves or tips for keeping content fresh?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 4, Ethics & Nonfiction

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

It's day 4 of Armchair BEA and I'm back for more!  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site. 

I've not been one of the unfortunate ones to run into plagiarism of my blog.  This isn't to say it doesn't happen, but I'm not actively looking for it, nor do I suppose any of my readers either.  I have watched from the sidelines of many plagiarism issues blew up in the blogosphere.  I have never really wanted to add my two cents to the fray. 

I work with college students and I know very intimately the importance of citing your sources, giving credit, and the consequences in the real world of plagiarism.  I've given many a lecture on how to cite your sources and when you should, though often when I graded papers later, I wondered if they had even heard me.

 This is not just a blogging problem, it is much broader than that.  What I think is more insidious about it here online is that it is very easy to get away with.  There is no one to "grade the paper" or "check your work."  Many do not make that connection between what you read somewhere else and what you write on your blog.  And it can be hard!  What happens if you read something and it aligns with what you've been thinking.  Does blogging about the same thing make you a plagiarist?  Very likely, no.  But, it never hurts to link back to that other person, if only to say, "My thoughts are similar to this person's."  I've tried to do this when I read a review that says what I wanted to say, only better.

I guess my only advice is to be aware of what you read and what you blog.  Remember to link to those people who may inspire or get your thoughts flowing.  It's better to share the love than end up on the brunt end of a plagiarism "scandal."

I was going to talk about my nonfiction reading, but it is so slim these days it's not really worth mentioning.  I just wish I read more!  I'm totally open for some suggestions of highly readable non-fiction.  Here are a few titles I've enjoyed over the years:

Bomb by Steve Sheinkin
Miles to Go for Freedom by Linda Barnett Osborne
The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin
Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone
Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
Longitude by Dava Sobel
Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas

What do you recommend?  And how do you deal with plagiarism?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Download Audiobooks for Free @ SYNC!

We interrupt this regularly scheduled Armchair BEA week of posts for me to remind you of the awesome that is SYNC.  (Plus, I'm terribly bad at reading literary fiction lately.  Seriously, I need to go look at everyone else's posts and figure out what I'm missing out on.)

But on the plus side, you can now download the first two free books of the summer starting today!  The books this week are Of Poseidon by Anna Banks and The Tempest by William Shakespeare.  And there will be two new books next week and the week after that and...you get the point.  So, get you some free audiobooks today.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 2, Genre Fiction

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

It's day 2 of Armchair BEA and I'm back for more!  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site.  Since the two topics available today are blogger development or genre fiction, and I'm feeling particularly underdeveloped, I am going with genre fiction.

What draws me to a specific genre?  Well, there are some plots, some premises that just seem to scream my name from the back covers.  I've always been a huge fan of fantasy.  There is nothing like the mention of magic, dragons, elves, or fictional worlds to get my reading drool flowing.  Classics like Lord of the Rings or newer goodies like The Seven Realms series are just my cup of cocoa.  I like to have my mind taken away from the dreary of this world (even if it is into the dreary of another).  High fantasy is especially delightful.  I think magical worlds existing right there in our own are fun and I can devour a historical fantasy as fast as the next goblin.  But there is something so perfectly enticing about books that take place elsewhere.  I believe fantasy will always be my first love.

But not my only love, of course.  The huge boom in dystopian fiction has really fascinated me as well.  I love speculative fiction and science fiction (or are they synonymous, I'm not really clear on this), though I've not read many of the classics in those genres.  Stories that take place in space or that have a large chunk of space-related stuff tossed in are a big weakness for me.  Having spent four years of my life studying physics and astronomy, that is only natural. 

But there is also something so delightfully terrifying about taking a look at our possible horrible future.  I remember being super enthralled by Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 in high school.  What if that was our future?  With the huge surge (thanks to The Hunger Games), I've been quite satiated with the many great futuristic offerings.  And I'll be the first to admit I'm terrible at delineating what is dystopian, what's simply futuristic, what's apocalyptic, etc.  It's simply convenient for me to toss them all under that umbrella, though obviously many of them are not dystopian in nature. 

I guess I'm not much for making sure my books all fit neatly into one little box, though I tend to label things that way for convenience.  I like those books that can cross genres or take a little bit of something from multiple genres.  I also like my labels.  So, I try to lump everything together under one broad label and then hope that I can make lists to help make better connections between books.  It's flawed, but it works for me.

Some lists:
Fairy tales
Fairy stories
Medical Dystopian
Not Your Average Magical Creatures
Out of This World (space books)
Steampunk and Historical Fantasy

I'd love to hear your genre-love and any recommendations for my obvious genre appetite.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 1, Introduction

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

It's the start of Armchair BEA and I'm happy to be able to join in for at least some of the days.  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site.  Today is introduction (and classic book discussion, though I'll probably not get around to that) day!  Here are my answers to five burning questions you have about me (haha).

Where in the world are you blogging from? 
I'm blogging from the hot, hot Arizona desert.  It's been reaching into the upper nineties (and a few days of 100+ already), but lest you think this means no rain ever and nothing grows, I'll give you a few photos I've taken since we moved here:

 This was a lovely rain storm complete with flooding.  Monsoon season!

Next up we have some of the gorgeous flowering bushes strong enough to survive the heat.

We also have some pretty amazing sunsets down here. And we're always thankful when the sun finally sets :)

Plus, we have one of these. You know, the Grand Canyon. Just sayin'.

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?
A few favorites this year include The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (review coming soon)

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
I just realized this is the same non-book-related thing I shared last year, but I'm hoping you'll all have forgotten.  I LOVE to go camping and hiking.  With views like this, who can blame me?

Name your favorite blog(s) and explain why they are your favorite(s).
I have a number of regulars that I read, though I don't always comment as much as I should. 
Suey at It's All About Books is a favorite, because her posts and reviews are always like chatting with a good friend.
Angie at Angieville is fantastic at making you NEED to pick up books.  She's very persuasive :)
Susan at Bloggin' 'bout Books has an eclectic array of reviews and never beats around the bush about how she felt about a book.
Charlotte of Charlotte's Library feeds my need to know about MG sci-fi and fantasy books that are fabulous.


What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?
This was actually the hardest question for me to answer.  But, I think I'd like to cheat and say England to visit some of the many, many literary locations in literature that I love.  Especially any Austen-related places. It's just a rich source for wonderful literary places.

Thanks for stopping by to learn more about me and be sure to let me know if you've done an intro for Armchair BEA so I can stop by and learn more about you!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Retro Friday Review: A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson

Retro Friday is a meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson
Publisher: Recorded Books
Publication date: 1985 (HC), 2008 (audio)
Length: 10 hrs, 16 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Driving sanity (YA Audiobook Challenge)

Harriet has been oppressed by her father and her aunt for years, her only joy coming from her ballet classes. But when even this is threatened, Harriet decides to take a chance and run away to South America with a ballet company. There she meets the mysterious and rich Rom Verney and gains experiences she never expected to have in her lifetime.

Things I Liked:
This was a pretty interesting story, especially for anyone who loves ballet (I don't particularly).  I liked Harriet for the most part, but I especially liked watching her come out of her shell and recognize her worth over the course of the book.  The historical setting and also the South American setting kind of gelled together to make a sweet little story.  I listened to this one on audio, and that probably wasn't the best format for it, as the writing tends to be a bit flowery and loquacious at times, which is sometimes hard to follow.  The narrator, Patricia Conolly, did a pretty good job with it, though it was dull at times.  I was entertained, though I think I would have liked it more at a different stage in my life.  The love story would have been awesome to me a few years ago, but not so much anymore (and I have no idea why that is).

Things I Didn't Like:
I have to admit, it got a bit boring.  We listened to this one on a long drive and it just kind of made my eyes glaze over.  While I thought the story was interesting, it was very much predictable.  In fact, a few times I turned to my husband and said, this is what's going to happen.  And then it did.  He wondered how I knew, but it just seemed so obvious.  Also, I was a bit annoyed by Harriet's decision to become a "fallen" woman at the end.  I found it a bit too much change too quickly.  And it seemed a bit over the top in the treatment she received from the hands of her family, though I suppose it wasn't entirely unrealistic for the time.  I rolled my eyes a few times, but managed to enjoy it in places as well.  

Read-alikes: 
A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson
And a multitude of other Ibbotson titles, probably

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe a few

mrg-factor: X
nothing described on page, but she does become fallen :)

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

I've not been really impressed with Ibbotson's books thus far.  Is there one I really need to try before I give up?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication date: July 2012
Pages: 512
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Seraphina, Book 1

Humans and dragons still don't trust one another, despite the centuries of peace that have existed between them. And then it seems that whoever is behind a mysterious murder and conspiracy plot is determined to break that tenuous peace. Seraphina, caught between both worlds, finds herself caught up in this plot and wondering just how she can bring back the peace.

Things I Liked:
This was a fantastic and beautifully written fantasy!  I loved Seraphina (the character) and how complicated and tough and never-give-up she was about her difficult life.  I was swept up in the world and the details - the garden of grotesques was particularly awesome.  The dragons were interesting and unique and a fresh look at an age-old fantasy character.  I was particularly pleased that Princess Glisselda didn't turn out to be a typical princess - bratty, rude, etc, though she was obviously privileged.  I don't know that I can put my finger on what exactly I loved the most, though I was quite pleased with the ending too.  Just a wonderful fantasy for folks looking for something to whet their appetite for the fantastic. 

Things I Didn't Like:
This is entirely the fault of my personal reading circumstances, but I had to rush through parts of it and I think that left me feeling like I wasn't quite sure of what was happening at times.  Also, while I loved the mystery of it and was surprised by several things, I did see much of what Seraphina learned coming.  Still, it did not detract from my enjoyment much.

Read-alikes:
The Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini
Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: X
maybe some implied

v-factor: ->
a bit of fighting, nothing gory

Overall rating: ****

What did you think of this Morris award winner?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Beautiful Days by Anna Godberson

Beautiful Days by Anna Godberson
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication date: September 2011
Length: 8 hrs 58 min
Source: Audiobook from library
For: YA Audiobook Challenge
Series: Bright Young Things, Book 2

Cordelia, Letty, and Astrid seem to have everything they wanted - plenty of money and nothing to do but play. Except Letty is more determined than ever to become a Broadway star, Cordelia is trying to find her place in the family company after her father's death, and Astrid is discovering that not everything is perfect when you're engaged to a gangster. Will the three of them find what they are looking for? And at what cost?

Things I Liked:
The narrator, Caitlin Davies, did a really great job.  I thought each of the three main ladies voices were distinct enough I could almost always tell who was talking without any kind of intro.  She also had the write inflections and tone for what I imagined for that time and place.  The story itself is fascinating, as are all of Godberson's gossipy stories.  You can't seem to look away from what appears to be the slow train wreck of their lives.  The period details seem pitch perfect (though, let's be honest, I probably wouldn't notice if something was out of place).  An interesting and exciting story from the 1920s, a time period that continues to fascinate me (and apparently everyone else, what with the Great Gatsby movie just out).

Things I Didn't Like:
I got a little tired of the characters and story after a while.  I wondered a number of times if people really would react (or overreact) the way they did.  Each of the three leading ladies would think the world came to an end every time something didn't go perfectly their way.  It got a bit tiresome.  Also, I started to think the plot a bit predictable, but not in the sense that I knew what exactly was going to happen next, just that you have to have this thing happen, so these people will argue and these people will break up and she won't get what she wants after all, etc, etc.  

Read-alikes:
Start with the first book, Bright Young Things by Anna Godberson
The Flappers series by Jillian Larkin
Check out my Listless Monday list of 1920s reads for more

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some, but not too many

mrg-factor: X
mostly it's implied

v-factor: ->
a little bit, but nothing described or gory

Overall rating: ***

What 1920s reads are you raving about?

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More New and Upcoming Retellings

So, I've been sitting on this post for a while now, but I've been keeping my eyes out for news about upcoming and new retellings.  My last list of New and Upcoming Retellings was long and many of them are still not out yet, so check that one for lots of other retellings I've been dying for.  There is a bit of overlap here (and in my latest I Actually NEED It post), but you'll forgive me for that, right?  Otherwise, these are some new ones I've come across since then.  I'm very excited about these books!  Hopefully this will get your juices flowing to find something to read for the Classic Double Challenge too.  Here's a smattering of what I found:


Thorn Abbey by Nancy Ohlin
A retelling of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.  One of my favorite books of all time and I haven't had luck with a retelling yet.  But this one came out just this month, so I'll have to give it a try!


Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey
Based on Edgar Allan Poe's creepy poem, "Annabel Lee," this promises to be a strange and twisted tale.  Plus, it has other Poe references thrown in for good measure.  Coming in June.


Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay
I'm sure you can guess what this is a retelling of.  What sounds intriguing is the possible sci-fi, maybe futuristic feel of the setting.  I'm intrigued!  This one comes out in July.


The Fairest of Them All: A Novel by Carolyn Turgeon
A mash up of Rapunzel and Snow White?  I'll take it.  It sounds like there will be plenty of twists to this retelling.  Coming this August.


Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales edited by Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt
This sounds like the perfect collection of short stories!  With a group of fabulous authors including Holly Black, Neil Gaiman, Garth Nix, and more retelling a slew of different stories, including fairy tales and classics, it's like a recipe for my love.  If only October would come sooner!


Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
I know I've mentioned this a few times, but I am seriously in need of reading it.  I adored For Darkness Shows the Stars and I adore The Scarlet Pimpernel and thus, my adoration is already established for this book.  Now I just need to find patience to wait until October...


Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce
I'm not caught up with all of Pearce's retellings yet, but I'm really excited to hear about yet another fairy tale retelling, this one of the less-well-known Snow Queen.  These seem to be all the rage, but I'm eager to give them all a try!  Coming in November.

The next few are ones that I've seen announced but not much info is available on them yet (being published next year and beyond):

Into the Dark by Bree Despain
This one appears to be a retelling of the Persephone myth, which has seen some kind of huge resurgence in popularity!  Either way, I'll give this retelling (series) a try. Coming spring 2014.


The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson
I'm super excited about this, as it's a MG novel and there don't seem to be nearly as many MG retellings.  Also, the description that it is "part origin story, part retelling of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer from Becky's point of view" makes me want to drool upon it NOW.  It doesn't come out until summer 2014, unfortunately.

Of Monsters and Madness by Jessica Verday
This one sounds intriguing, as it is described as "a series of romantic YA Gothic thrillers inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, and the works of Edgar Allan Poe, as told by Annabel Lee, a young girl who moves to Philadelphia in 1826 to live with her father and discovers that he may be implicated in a series of murders across the city, and only she can prove his innocence and protect him from the true evil he has created in his basement lab."  I mean, really!  What's not to love in that? Coming in fall of 2014.

After by Rhiannon Thomas
This one is retelling of Sleeping Beauty and I'm eager to see where it goes.  "One hundred years after falling asleep, Sleeping Beauty wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return, but as her wedding day draws near, Aurora must uncover what has happened while she slept, and must decide whether to marry the prince or run."  Sounds like it will have some fun twists!  Coming winter 2015.  

What new or upcoming retellings are you excited about?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage