Book Blogger Hop (7)

It's finally the weekend, which means time for another hop! Hosted by the lovely Crazy-For-Books.

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

This week's question comes from Crazy-For-Books:

What is the one bookish thing you would love to have, no matter what the cost?

Okay, sorry to be unoriginal here, but it would have to be a library. And not just any library... I'm talkin' Beauty and the Beast status, every-book-ever-published library. Complete with many comfy chairs, a huge fireplace, and of course BOOKS. I say this because I am constantly running out of room to store my books; my room is very small, and I've already added an extra 3 bookshelves, which I've already filled up.

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Greetings and happy Tuesday. I'm pleased to share with you today a small teaser from my new book, the first Jane Austen sequel ever created, Old Friends and New Fancies. Enjoy!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"'Oh, no, Miss Crawford, you must appear,' said Darcy. 'We are all too bad, with our jokes about her [Lady Catherine], for really she means to be very kind. But we have got into shocking ways since my wife married into the family.'

'On the contrary, I think I have educated you all admirably.'"

--pg. 32, Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G. Brinton

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (14)

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you've had a great start to your week.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we bloggers share what we have read in the past week, and what we're currently tearing through this week.

Last Week I Read:

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Currently I'm Reading:

Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G. Brinton

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

GENRE

YA Historical Fiction (321 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

An orphan, young Lady Catherine rises to become one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite maids of honor--until her romance with the dashing adventurer Sir Walter Ralegh is discovered. In a fit of jealousy, the queen banishes Cate to the fledgling colony on Roanoke Island.

Sustained by the hope that Sir Walter will soon join her, Cate learns to face the unexpected hardships and dangers of the New World. Torn by conflict and mistrust, and with their numbers dwindling, the colonists are forced to rely on Manteo, a mysterious Croatoan Indian, for their survival. Manteo, who calls Cate his Moon Maiden...

But is Manteo truly a friend, or will he betray the English to their enemies? And Sir Walter in England--has he forgotten his beloved, or will he come to claim her? As the months pass without rescue, Cate turns her gaze from the past and considers the possibility of a new love. Then one day a ship arrives--and Cate must make an agonizing choice.

MY REVIEW

Lisa Klein, in my opinion, is one of the best YA authors out there. I love her historical fiction books, because she always puts a new twist on famous events, stories, and legends. However, this book seemed to be one exception.

I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but I just couldn't. When I first picked it up, I was so excited to read it! My history-geek brain was drooling... this is one of my favorite time periods in history, and written by such a brilliant author. But this one sort of fell short.

Cate, our heroine, I could never really connect/sympathize with. She just never really fascinated me. She didn't grab my attention. Sure, she was brave and adventurous, willing to befriend the Indians, which I think is great, but she came off as rather flat to me, emotional wise.

I think the best-written character in this book was a tie between Sir Walter Ralegh/Manteo. Both had complex challenges and problems to face, but overcame them. Both showed devotion to the ones they loved. Both fought hard to keep the fledgling colony alive. I really admired these two, for all they sacrificed.

I also didn't like the way Lisa Kelin portrayed Queen Elizabeth I in this book, but I think that's just bias on my part. Court life back then was a lot more treacherous than I think we see it today. Royalty was fickle; even the ones who seemed "perfect" had their faults.

The middle-back half of the book was hard to get through. Bascially, the Indians, led by the war-hungry Wanchese, and the colonists go back and forth in what seems like an endless tug of war. It actually became quite annoying after a while. No one could decide who to trust, people kept attacking other people, opinions were divided... no one could agree on anything. I was so relieved when SPOLIER Manteo finally killed Wanchese END SPOILER. After that, the plot healed itself.

The romance between Sir Walter and Cate was hard to grasp. It was a little unrealistic when Cate was at the colony and she was longing after Sir Walter... he never told her that he loved her, ever. And yet, she was expecting him to come to her rescue. Just a bit fanciful, in my humble opinion.

I did like the ending of the book, however. SPOILER The fact that Cate ends up with Manteo instead of the perfect Mr. Ralegh was very refreshing. END SPOILER That ended the book on a good note for me.

Another plus side was the historical detail. Ms. Klein gets an A+ in that category! It is perfectly researched and really gives you a picture of how hard life was for those unfortunate colonists. And to my delight, she includes an Author's Note in the back to explain the history behind her story, which I always love and appreciate.

All in all, this book was a bit of a letdown. Not one of Lisa Klein's greatest. If you want to see Lisa Klein at her best, I strongly recommend Ophelia. Now that was a great book.

MY RATING

3.5***/*

Book Blogger Hop (6)

It's the weekend, which means time for another hop! Hosted by the lovely Crazy-For-Books.

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

This week's question comes from Becky who blogs at Becky's Barmy Book Blog:

Where is your favorite place to read? Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?

My go-to spot to read is always my room, therefore my bed. I get really OCD sometimes about distractions when I read, as I want to really experience the book and let it take me where it will. If I'm ever home alone, maybe the sofa, but it's usually my room.

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, on Her Way to Botany Bay by L.A. Meyer

GENRE

Y.A. Historical Fiction (552 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

Jacky Faber's longtime dream has come true: she is the owner of the Lorelei Lee, a large brigantine that can carry passengers across the Atlantic in legal trade. The owner of Faber Shipping Worldwide, she is newly rich from her exploits diving for Spanish gold and absolved of past sins against the Crown. Yet when she docks in London to take on her crew, she discovers that her enemies Flashby and Bliffil have spread lies about her--and she is immediately arrested and sentenced to life in the newly formed penal colony in Australia.
Adding insult to injury, the Lorelei Lee has been commandeered to carry 250 female convicts (including several of the founding mothers of Australia--and the occupants of more than one brothel) to populate New South Wales. Never one to wallow in a bad situation, Jacky rallies her convict sisters to make the best of their position. That they do, for a voyage filled with wild escapades and brushes with danger.
As the Lorelei Lee journeys to New South Wales, Jacky meets up with friends and foes from her past, is captured by the fanes female Chinese pirate Cheng Shih, reclaims her beloved Lorelei Lee--and eventually sails into Jaimy's arms. Well, maybe.

MY REVIEW

To start things off, I have to say that this is the best YA historical fiction series I have ever read. L.A. Meyer is a fantastic author, and I have a tremendous ammount of respect for him.

And by the by, if you are new to the series, please start with Book 1 (Bloody Jack)!! If you start with this book, you will be completely and utterly lost. These characters have been developing over the course of a now 8-book series.

Good ol' Jacky Faber, you have been like a best friend to me, truly. Her character is by far the best written female heroine. Sure, she's a bit rough around the edges (hey, she used to be a street urchin for crying out loud), but she truly sparkles. She has such a sense of humor, and an unquenchable thirst for danger and adventure. She is not afraid to tell it like it is, and when she wants something, she goes to get it, whatever the cost. So thank you, L.A. Meyer, for inventing the most dynamic character and sharing her story with me. I really am thankful that you did.

Speaking of characters, L.A. Meyer is the man who knows how to write them. Every single character is special in their own right, every character has some part to play in the story, and I love that. It draws me into the story all the more. And believe me, there are so many characters in this book you'll be able to sympathize with someone!

This book was so refreshing! Jacky is finally back to her old adventures. I think Mr. Meyer kind of strayed from that in books 6 & 7, and now he's back on the high road. It's a classic pirate's tale, and Jacky always finds a way to weasel herself out of danger.

Don't even get me started on the historical accuracy. It's impeccable. Mr. Meyer being a veteran of the U.S. navy helps out so much, because when it comes to sailing and the ocean, he knows what he's talking about. Especially in this installment, with the history of Austrailia and such. So much detail about history goes into each one of his books, and I truly thank him for that as well. He does his research, and it's quite obvious!

This book is jam packed with action and adventure! I could hardly put this book down; it just kept going and going! It's a true pirate's story. Jacky's journey never ends, and I think that's one of the beauties of this book. Jacky's journey will just keep going on and on forever. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but I believe it.

I would reccomend this series to anyone without a second's hesitation. It is truly the best series I've ever read (have I stressed that enough?), and this installment goes back to the pirate roots of Jacky Faber that I know and love. And, to my great excitement, there's still more books to come!

MY RATING

5*****

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (13)

Happy Monday everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that this week is going to be very busy for me, so I might be a little "dead." I apologize in advance.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we bloggers share what we have read in the past week, and what we're currently tearing through this week.

Last Week I Read:

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Currently I'm Reading:

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee by L.A. Meyer

Book Blogger Hop (5)

It's the weekend, which means time for another hop! Hosted by the lovely Crazy-For-Books.

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

This week's question comes from Christina who blogs at The Paper Back Princesses:

When you read a book that you just can't get into, do you stick it out and keep reading or move to your next title?

When I have the unfortunate chance of picking up a book that doesn't exactly go over well with me (which only happens to me every once in a blue moon, thank goodness), I always try and stick it out till the end. That is, unless I have a huge pile to get through, but I usually don't. I like to give the book a fair chance.

Teaser Tuesdays (3)

Greetings and happy Tuesday. I'm pleased to share with you today a small teaser from my new book, The Wake of the Lorelei Lee. Enjoy!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"So anyway, here I am with this fine ship all outfitted and ready to go, awaiting word from my darling Jaimy, back in London, that my name has been cleared of all charges against it and that I am back in the good graces of the King, upon which word I shall immediately set sail for Merrie Olde England and--finally!--marriage to Leutenant James Emerson Fletcher. Hooray!"

--pg. 10, The Wake of the Lorelei Lee by L.A. Meyer

Book Haul: Borders

I am happy to report the findings today of two new novels to add to my library. I can't wait to dive into these two... I bow down to both of these authors. They have been on my wishlist for so long! Here's a sneak peak...

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, on Her Way to Botany Bay by L.A. Meyer (Y.A. Historical Fiction)

Jacky Faber, rich from her exploits diving for Spanish gold, has purchased the Lorelei Lee to carry passengers across the Atlantic. Believing she has been absolved of past sins against the Crown, Jacky docks in London to take on her crew, but is instead arrested and sentenced to life in the newly formed penal colony in Australia.
To add insult to injury, the Lorelei Lee is confiscated to carry Jacky and more than 200 female convicts to populate New South Wales. Not one to give in to self pity, Jacky rallies her sisters to "better" their position--resulting in wild escapades, brushes with danger, and much hilarity. Will Jacky find herself a founding mother of New South Wales, Australia? Not if she has anything to do about it!


Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Lady Catherine is one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite court maidens—until her forbidden romance with Sir Walter Ralegh is discovered. In a bitter twist of irony, the jealous queen banishes Cate to Ralegh's colony of Roanoke, in the New World. Ralegh pledges to come for Cate, but as the months stretch out, Cate begins to doubt his promise and his love. Instead it is Manteo, a Croatoan Indian, whom the colonists—and Cate—increasingly turn to. Yet just as Cate's longings for England and Ralegh fade and she discovers a new love in Manteo, Ralegh will finally set sail for the New World.
Seamlessly weaving together fact with fiction, Lisa Klein's newest historical drama is an engrossing tale of adventure and forbidden love—kindled by one of the most famous mysteries in American history: the fate of the settlers at Roanoke, who disappeared without a trace forty years before the Pilgrims would set foot in Plymouth.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (12)

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all have a great start to your week. And more importantly happy Columbus Day!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we bloggers share what we have read in the past week, and what we're currently tearing through this week.

Last Week I Read:

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Currently I'm Reading:

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Book Blogger Hop (4)

Time for another hop! Hosted by the lovely Crazy-For-Books.

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

This week's question comes from Suko who blogs at Suko's Notebook:

What's your favorite beverage while reading or blogging, if any? Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else?

Well, considering that I am not over 21, wine is definitely out of the question. I ususally don't drink anything while I'm reading/blogging. I guess if I'm in the right mood and I want to feel super booky and romantic, I'll make myself a cup of tea and be fancy. But that's on rare occasions.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

GENRE

Classic Literature / Fiction (194 pgs.)


SYNOPSIS

Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This dandy, who remains forever unchanged—petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral—while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years, has been horrifying, enchanting, obsessing, even corrupting readers for more than a hundred years.
Taking the reader in and out of London drawing rooms, to the heights of aestheticism, and to the depths of decadence, The Picture of Dorian Gray is not only a melodrama about moral corruption. Laced with bon mots and vivid depictions of upper-class refinement, it is also a fascinating look at the milieu of Wilde’s fin-de-siècle world and a manifesto of the creed “Art for Art’s Sake.”


MY REVIEW

I have always wanted to read this book. I had heard from many others that this was a great classic fiction read, and being the classic fiction afficionado that I am, I just had to try it.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, to put it frankly, is one huge mind game. This philosophy in here will literally blow your mind. The way our main antagonist, Lord Henry Wotton thinks--how he views the world--is absolutely astounding. This heavy philosophical factor was both a good and bad thing... on one hand, it makes the reader really think, really presents them with a new perspective. But on the other hand, during some passages, I actually had to stop and comprehend what I was reading, which got a bit tedious at some points. But I really enjoyed that element of the book.

I loved Lord Henry Wotton's character. He's the kind of man who you should be best friends with, and whom you should never be enemies with. His witty quips and his philosophies about life are amazing. In some ways, by bringing out your "bad self," he makes you show your true character, your true colors. And I quite enjoyed that about him.

Poor Dorian Gray. If that's not a tortured soul, I don't know what is. He starts off a perfectly, well, perfect human being, but thanks to the corruption of Lord Henry, he becomes a dark, twisted being who drives people to suicide on more than one account and is capable of murder. His hunt for eternal perfection, eternal youth ends up killing him in the end. Such a tragic man, but such a dynamic character at the same time. He stands for so much in this story.

I loved the fact that just because this novel is set in Victorian England doesn't mean its tea parties and balls all of the time. Oscar Wilde did an outstanding job with writing the scenery in this novel. It's really reflective of Dorian Gray's character. In the beginning, when Dorian was still "pure," the sceneries are lush, romantic, typical Victorian-esque settings. But when Dorian turns darker, so does the world around him. London becomes a dark place... it becomes less of the prim and proper, and more seedy taverns and opium dens. I really admired Wilde's writing of the setting... it just brought everything together.

The ending is so epic! It couldn't have ended better in my opinion. This is one of those times where I have to say, "you just have to read it for yourself."

Overall, Dorian Gray was quite a twisted story. Don't go into reading this book thinking it's a typical classic Victorian novel... it is far from that. The dialogue is mind bending, the scenery fantastic, and the characters incredibly dynamic. If you are a classic literature lover, this is a must read! In fact, it's a must read for everyone!

MY RATING

5*****