June 2009 - Posts
Rumors
A Luxe Novel
By: Anna Godbersen
Rumors is the sequel to The Luxe and still tells the story through Diana, Elizabeth and Penelope. A character from The Luxe, Lina, also makes more of an appearance in this book. And, of course, adds to the drama!
The love knot continues in a most extraordinary way, and you'll wonder for quite a chunk of the book if Henry will end up with the ‘right' woman. You'll also learn more about Elizabeth and her life with Will, and how Diana is coping with having to take on society's expected role for her that Elizabeth had played so well in the past.
An interesting new character shows up in this book, a Snowden Cairns, who was an old business associate the Holland girls' father. He seems a little too sickly nice to me, and I wonder where that is going to lead in the next book in the series. I think he's out for something, but what it is I have yet to decide!
This book will not disappoint fans of the first one. The pace and narrative structure keep you so interested in the doings of this particular set of New York society that you'll have a hard time putting it down (well, I do, anyways!).
Notes on the Cover:
This time we have Penelope with one of her gorgeous red dresses. It's just as stunning as the cover of the first book, and maybe even a little more so due to the color of the dress. Or maybe that's just me, but I like red a whole lot more than I like pink!
Recommended To:
- Fans of the first book
- Girls who love their gossip
- Adult women - if you haven't picked up the first one yet, why haven't you?
On our shelves!
The Luxe
By: Anna Godbersen
I have to admit, I judge books by their covers. There. I've admitted it, now you can all shame me. A cover tells the reader things they may or may not expect from the text of the book, it may even say something about the book that's not in the description or jacket copy. On the other hand, sometimes there are covers that are so completely wrong that you wonder what the editors and designers were thinking when they picked it out. Granted, part of this has to do with taste, (and let me just say I am utterly tired of headless bodies on the covers of books) but I expect a cover to tell me something about the book. The Luxe doesn't disappoint on this level: the pretty blonde (Elizabeth) with the gorgeous pink dress (and I detest pink) on the cover grabs your attention instantly. The fact that the dress is more the focus than the girl I find intriguing, but I still like it. Now to another shameful confession: I really thought this book was going to be a piece of trite fluff that would not be interesting in the least bit. Sometimes I like being proven that I'm wrong!
Now that I've gone the opposite route that I usually take by discussing the cover first, let's get on with it! Picture it: Manhattan, 1899, high society and a love knot that is beyond complicated (I can't even call it a triangle as there are so many people involved! At least 6, some whom love the same person, some who detest each other, and some who will stop at nothing to get what they want!)
Elizabeth is the main character of this particular story. The omniscient narrator really lets you into the heads of Elizabeth, her sister Diana and her (Elizabeth's) friend Penelope and allows you to see little details about each of the girls that her acquaintances miss. Misunderstandings abound in this high and mighty proper society!
We begin the story with a death, and then go back in time to see how it all came about. I have to say, I saw the ending of this story coming, but I constantly kept wondering if I was right or if it would turn out differently. Let me go on the record as saying I'm satisfied with it! The storyline is gripping and keeps you enthralled with these society girls and the males they're interested in. Yes, there is female cattiness in the story, but I found it to be of a very believable nature. Girls can be nasty to each other, even supposed ‘friends' and this story will not disappoint you there!
The writing is crisp and clean and keeps you turning the pages. I especially enjoyed the little excerpts that were at the beginning of each chapter. These were in the form of notes from character to character, society gossip column excerpts, invitations, and advice from ladies books of the time (which seem to be made up as I looked up a few of the ‘book' titles and couldn't find them - I'm assuming she made them up, but also based them on research).
Let me just go on record as saying I am completely stoked that I can immediately pick up books 2 (Rumors) and 3 (Envy) immediately!
Notes on the Cover:
See the first paragraph!
Recommended To:
- Girls who love to play dress-up, or those who wonder what life would have been like back in the day when having to wear a dress that requires help to get in and out of!
- Adult females - Yes, I realize this is a young adult book, but for the love of pete don't let that stop you! After you pick up the first one you're going to swoon and beg for more!
- Everyone!
On our shelves!
http://www.harperteen-theluxe.com/luxe.html
The Moonstone
By: Wilkie Collins
While on a military campaign, two young men take decidedly different turns in their lives when one makes a decision that the other just can not accept. Cut to years later, when a precious stone is left to a relative. Complicated relationships and chaos abound in this mystery by Collins.
Franklin Blake has been entrusted with delivering the stone to its heir. His decision as to whether or not even give it to the girl is complicated by its history. He does giver Rachel the stone, and from the evening of her birthday until over a year later their lives are both turned upside down with the disappearance of the moonstone.
The fun part of this book is trying to figure out who stole the moonstone. Collins will lead you in one direction while subtly pointing you in another. Pretty soon you're going to suspect so many people you'll wonder if it will ever be figured out. Well, I had a couple of choice suspects, but I couldn't figure out if they really were the culprits, and if they were, just how in the heck did they get away with it? Needless to say, I was justified in my suspicions, yet still surprised as to how Collins describes the way the mystery was solved. Franklin Blake very much reminds me of another Collins character, a Walter Hartwright from The Woman in White. (I highly recommend that one!)
Recommended To:
- Those who are fans of Arthur Conan Doyle, or Charles Dickens
- Mystery fanatics
- Even those who like their romance!
Available on Netlibrary!
Chalice
By: Robin McKinley
I am a big fan of McKinley's. I have thoroughly enjoyed quite a few of her books and I was quite excited when I heard she would have a new one out. Her latest title, Chalice, is the story of Mirasol, a woods and beekeeper, who finds herself overwhelmed with honey and mead when the Master and Chalice die. She fears losing her home when the Grand Seneschal shows up to tell her that she is the new Chalice (hence the overflow of honey and mead). She is a unique Chalice in that she was never apprenticed so she has to learn on her own and as she goes, and also in that her vessel is honey and not water, wine or even milk.
Besides her own learning curve, Mirasol needs to support the new Master, the younger brother of the old Master who had been sent to become a Priest of Fire. This provides many challenges for the young and untrained leaders of the demesne. He has to be careful to not burn everything he touches, and walking itself is exhausting for him.
Overcoming the obstacles in their paths is no easy feat, especially when you throw in an Overlord who seems to have his own personal agenda for this little community.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book and found the whole world that McKinley created fascinating, but it was a bit slow at the beginning. Once I hit the half-way point things started to pick up and I started to really get an idea as to what Mirasol's world is like. By then, you'll have a hard time putting this one down! You'll be anxious to see if the demesne survives or if Mirasol's fears come true.
Notes on the Cover:
I love the picture of Mirasol outside of her little cottage. It's just like I pictured it. I also love the circular frame around that with the bee designs on it. The bees are a major part of this story and definitely deserve to be shown. On that note, they are also separators for the separate parts of the story.
Recommended To:
- Fantasy Readers
- Fans of McKinley's
- Those who love their books with loads of delicious language
On our shelves!
Living Dead Girl
By: Elizabeth Scott
Oh me oh my. This one has a subject matter that will be uncomfortable for practically everyone: an abducted child who has changed her name to Alice because that is what her abductor calls her. She also does whatever he wants so that he will not harm the people that live at 623 Daisy Lane.
Literally, this is heartbreak in book form. I don’t even know what else to say about it, other than the fact that is a powerful, moving story of a young girl, her abductor, and how she feels throughout her entire ordeal. For people who read The Lovely Bones and survived, this is a book for you. It’s not a subject matter I regularly read about, but I found it to haunt me and make me think about people in a much different light.
Notes on the Cover:
Beautiful and creepy, all at the same time. It won’t appear to be creepy until after you read the book (at least it didn’t for me, but then I missed out on one of the details on the cover until just now).
Recommended To:
¨ Anyone who may wonder what happens to a child’s psych after being abducted (you will wish you didn’t wonder how they identified with their captors after reading this book)
¨ Those with a strong constitution – you’ll need it
On our shelves
Something Rotten: A Horatio Wilkes Mystery
By: Alan Gratz
I've been looking forward to reading this one for quite a while now. The whole premise intrigued me: young Horatio needs to figure out if his friend Hamilton's dad was murdered or if he really did die from cancer. If he was murdered, he needs to find out who, and pronto, before Hamilton drinks himself into an early grave. Sound at all familiar? It should, it's based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, set in the present with an ecologically unsound paper plant as the castle.
There are no ghosts in this version, and the idea of the story is great, but it just fell a little flat for me. The writing just didn't flow well for me, like the author was trying too hard. Also, the fact that Horatio is a teenager and prefers root beer over alcohol is fine. What's a little strange for me is how much Hamilton drinks, especially for being a teenager, and the fact that his mother doesn't seem to control it. I get that we need a reason for Hamilton to act all crazy, but this seemed a little preachy-ish to me.
All in all? It was okay. I think that the boys might get a kick out of it, and girls will love Olivia, a female with attitude and the determination to get the Elsinore Paper Plant to clean up the pollution its been causing.
Notes on the Cover:
I love the black and white silhouettes of Hamilton and Olivia on the cover, love the red line. Love it in general!
Recommended To:
- Boys
- Shakespeare fans (yes, you'll see the ending coming, but that's not the point now, is it?
- Girls who like a spunky female character
On our shelves!
The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline: An Enola Holmes Mystery
By: Nancy Springer
If you've been following this blog, then you know that I am a huge fan of Enola Holmes. HUGE! In the latest installment of her adventures, her landlady receives a strange note asking for the message from the bird. Mrs. Tupper is a dear woman who is hard of hearing and is at quite a loss as to understand what the message is asking her for. Enola comes home the next day to find her home in shambles and Mrs. Tupper gone!
It's up to Enola to figure out who the bird is, what the message could have been, and rescue Mrs. Tupper before it's too late! Oh, and then there's that whole pesky hiding from her brothers part. Who knows, maybe even the great Sherlock Holmes will learn something new in this installment!
Notes on the Cover:
Again, I totally love it!
Recommended To:
- Mystery fans
- Sherlock Holmes fans
- Anyone who likes their heroine with smarts, spunk and heart
On our shelves!
The Hound of the Baskervilles
By: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Retold By: Martin Powell
Powell has taken Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles and condensed it into a graphic novel format. This is a new trend I've noticed with some publishers. Besides this being a great story, it also makes a potentially daunting text a lot more accessible to readers. I think that this type of work could easily influence readers into picking up the actual book at some future time.
Let me be frank here. I love everything I've read by Doyle. I love Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. I love graphic novels (I think they're a fantastic cross-over genre - what I mean by that is: kids just growing out of picture books that still want pictures in their books: check. Do you know someone who will only read comic books? Give them a graphic novel! Check! Not to mention the (*cough*) adults who still like pictures with their books!) Now that my gushing has been taken care of, on to the story!
Many people are familiar with who Sherlock Holmes is. Heck, some people even think he was a real person! Let me be clear on this: Sherlock Holmes is a figment of the imagination of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Now that I have potentially broken some hearts, I am deeply sorry, but you really need to know the truth! However, that does not lessen the appeal he has on people!
Okay, really, I'm getting there! Basically the premise is that the Baskerville family is haunted by this glowing-eyed hound that kills people. Sir Charles Baskerville has just been viciously murdered by said hound, and Sherlock and Dr. Watson are in to solve the case before it kills the new owner of Baskerville Hall. One of the things that I love about Sherlock is that he is presented with some really strange situations, yet he tends to be able to see through the fog and get to the heart of the matter. Once you hear (read) what Sherlock has to say you almost want to pull a Homer Simpson and slap your forehead while yelling D'oh!
I really love the illustrations in this book. They're appropriately dark and dreary and perfect!
If you're familiar with this particular story, you may be disappointed that quite a bit is left out, but that really isn't going to detract the target audience of this book. Despite the shortness, it really covers the basic principles of the story.
Notes on the Cover:
Vicious Hound? Check. Sherlock and Dr. Watson? Check! Two thumbs up!
Recommended To:
- Boys! Show this to them! Menacing threat? Mystery? Double check!
- Struggling readers - they may not want to admit it and that's fine. Give them something like this and they'll eat it up!
- Doyle fans!
- Everyone!
On our shelves!
Suite Scarlett
By: Maureen Johnson
Scarlett Martin lives what some might call a charmed life: she lives in the Hopewell Hotel, which her parents own and run. On the morning of her fifteenth birthday Scarlett (finally) receives her very own cell phone and a suite to take care of (each child receives a particular room to care for on their fifteenth birthday). She also gets a rather nasty surprise in the form of the traditional waffle breakfast that just doesn't smell right. Come to find out, her parents had to let their cook go, and now all of the Martins will be working a little harder.
And then, a guest comes. She's no ordinary guest, and she takes full advantage of using Scarlett to help her. At first, Mrs. Amberson is nice enough (with some rather expensive tastes) but then, she steps in and helps out Scarlett's brother Spencer's play and chaos ensues. Her well-meaning meddling could mean the end for Spencer's acting career, Scarlett's hope of ever leaving the hotel again, losing her potential love interest, and the very survival of the hotel. In the end, all four Martin children will have to come together to do something their parents would never approve of...or would they?
The Martin children have their ‘favorite' sibling like in many families, but there are some added twists: what happened to Marlene when she was younger that affected the entire family, Lola's boyfriend plays a part in the sibling rivalry, and the pair-ups between the siblings. I love the banter between Scarlett and her brother Spencer, and Lola has an obviously special relationship with Marlene. To me, this makes the family seem a lot more real - the dynamics are moving around and changing and make it so believable absorbing. Once you get to know Mrs. Amberson and her involvement in what may be less-than-nice activities will keep you on the edge of your seat to see if it will all come out right in the end, or if Scarlett will really lose it if things blow up in their faces.
I have to say, this was a rip-roaring read. I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm quite excited for the sequel!
Notes on the Cover:
Scarlett with those darn curls, the bright red lipstick and the black dress sitting at the front desk. Oh how I love it!
Recommended To:
- Give this book to all teenage girls, pronto!
- Need a summer beach read? Pick it up!
- Everyone!
On our shelves!
Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice
By: Wilkie Collins
I came to hear of Wilkie Collins when doing some research on Charles Dickens. The two were friends and I had heard good things about Collins, so I decided to read one. I read, The Woman in White, which I really liked (but didn't get around to reviewing). Collins is purported to be the first to write English detective novels (and I feel lazy, so I won't be looking this up, so you are on your own for that!) and I have to say, I'm a big fan. Huge!
In this particular mystery, Agnes is betrothed to Lord Montbarry, but he ends up jilting her for the Countess Narona. Agnes is the picture of a good soul. Instead of being a shrieking, insane jilted woman, she has taken the high road and forgiven both for their transgressions against her. Lucky for us, her nurse hasn't, which does provide some comic relief for the reader.
Now, the Lord and his new Lady are going on their honeymoon, and her brother will be meeting up with them in Italy. All is well, except for the little fact that the Countess doesn't necessarily have the best reputation and the Lord's family utterly detests her. The Lord falls ill while in Venice, and the courier whom Agnes has recommended has suddenly disappeared, leaving his wife quite distraught. The mystery thickens as whisperings abound, and suddenly the Lord is dead. The Countess is to come into quite a sum of money to support her brother (and honestly, no wonder people talked about the two of them pretending to be brother and sister, Collins has the Countess maintain until the end that they are, but there is still sufficient doubt, in my mind at least.)
Needless to say, the family of the Late Lord Montbarry is distraught, but an upcoming wedding and the opening of a sibling's hotel provides a reason to go to Italy and meet up with the happy couple a month into their honeymoon. And here is where the plot thickens: the family members of the late Lord Montbarry have strange reactions to a room in the hotel, and then, the discovery!
Now, of course I can't really tell you much more, except to say that I am really loving Collins' books. I think I will be going on a Collins bender over the summer, but we'll see, as I have quite the stack of books to get through before the Fall!
Note to Bethany: You can read this particular Collins book (and many more!) on Netlibrary. You can either click on Netlibrary on the library's webpage, or you can search for it through the catalog. If you have any questions on this, let me know!
Also, I'd recommend you set up an account and save it to your favorites. That way you can make notes about where you leave off.