Audiobook Review: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Narrator: Sasha Pick
Publish date: 2013
Source: audiobooksync.com
Length: 11 hours 40 minutes
"While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival. " (Goodreads)

I need to get this out of the way right now: I did not love Code Name Verity. I don't know if I even liked it, honestly. Don't hate me, but it definitely was not the book for me that it was for so many others. Despite that, Rose Under Fire sounded really good to me. I picked it up at ALA in 2013, but when I tried to read it, I got about 100 pages in and gave up. It just wasn't working for me at all...

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when it was one of Audiobook Sync's free downloads. I gave it another shot, thinking maaaaybe the audiobook would make a difference over print and I was right! It was way better listening to than reading and completely changed the reading experience for me!

Rose Under Fire is split into a few different sections and I was a bit surprised at how much actually happens before Rose is sent to Ravensbrück, as described in the summary. I expected a bit of introduction, but there was quite a lot. Not a bad thing though! Characters do pop up from Code Name Verity since this is technically a companion book, so I would recommend reading (or at least trying to read) CNV first since obviously some things will be spoiled. 

In terms of audiobook quality, I thought this was really good. The story was really brought to life by Sasha Pick's narration in a way that did NOT happen for me with the print. She had different voices for everyone and her narration really helped with the tone when Rose was at the camp and things were not going well. There was even singing in some parts, which really lent itself to the audiobook experience, and I enjoyed hearing Rose's poetry compared to reading it.

I would definitely recommend the audiobook over print in this case and am curious to see if anyone else had a similar experience? Thoughts?

Review: The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni

Publish date: May 2013
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 329 pages
"17-year-old Verity Boone expects a warm homecoming when she returns to Catawissa, Pennsylvania, in 1867, pledged to marry a man she has never met. Instead, she finds a father she barely knows and a future husband with whom she apparently has nothing in common. One truly horrifying surprise awaits her: the graves of her mother and aunt are enclosed in iron cages outside the local cemetery. Nobody in town will explain why, but Verity hears rumors of buried treasure and witchcraft. Perhaps the cages were built to keep grave robbers out . . . or to keep the women in. Determined to understand, Verity finds herself in a life-and-death struggle with people she trusted.

Inspired by a pair of real caged graves in present-day Catawissa, this historical YA novel weaves mystery, romance, and action into a suspenseful drama with human greed and passion at its core." (Goodreads)

I first heard about The Caged Graves when I was at ALA and was immediately sucked in by the cover and title while walking around one day. It came out in May, so we got copies for our classroom libraries this fall and I can't believe I waited until now to read it! I absolutely loved it!

The Caged Graves is basically my favorite kind of historical fiction, in that the setting doesn't overwhelm the story. I love historical fiction, but find that sometimes the setting takes over, which usually means I'm not a fan of the book. Instead, the time period of just after the Civil War was a great complement to Verity's story. I loved Verity herself and all of her intelligence and curiosity. Also: she decided to come back to Catawissa to enter her marriage. I think the blurb makes it seem like the was forced into it. Nope.

I really love that there are actual caged graves in Catawissa. Author Dianne Salerni found them in an abandoned graveyard and after not being able to find out why the cages were there, decided to write a book about them. It's just the best when historical fiction makes me want to learn more about actual events, so you better believe if I ever go to PA, I will be going to see these cages!

If you are in the mood for addicting and interesting historical fiction, check out The Caged Graves! I don't think it's gotten the attention it deserves and I look forward to pushing it on people :)

Audiobook review: Once by Morris Gleitzman

Narrator: Morris Gleitzman
Publish date: 2006
Source: audiobooksync.com
Length: 3 hours 8 minutes
"Felix, a Jewish boy in Poland in 1942, is hiding from the Nazis in a Catholic orphanage. The only problem is that he doesn't know anything about the war, and thinks he's only in the orphanage while his parents travel and try to salvage their bookselling business. And when he thinks his parents are in danger, Felix sets off to warn them--straight into the heart of Nazi-occupied Poland.

To Felix, everything is a story: Why did he get a whole carrot in his soup? It must be sign that his parents are coming to get him. Why are the Nazis burning books? They must be foreign librarians sent to clean out the orphanage's outdated library. But as Felix's journey gets increasingly dangerous, he begins to see horrors that not even stories can explain.

Despite his grim surroundings, Felix never loses hope. Morris Gleitzman takes a painful subject and expertly turns it into a story filled with love, friendship, and even humor." (Goodreads)

I recently downloaded Once from audiobooksync.com because, well, it was free and I like free things, especially books. I have the physical book in my classroom library, but was never too interested in trying it out. I love short audiobooks though, so I tried out Once and actually liked it.

Once takes place during the Holocaust and is told from Felix's point of view. Felix lives at an orphanage because his parents need to travel to save their bookselling business...so he thinks. The beauty of Once, for me, was Felix's innocence throughout the whole story. He truly thought his parents were fine and had only taken him to the orphanage three years earlier because they needed to work and travel. Sad, but brutally effective.

As an audiobook, I really liked this too. Morris Gleitzman, the author, actually narrates this as well and he did a fantastic job. He did a great job conveying Felix and I thought it was pretty cool that he was able to narrate his own book. I wish more authors did!

Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Publish date: 2013
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 325 pages
""Bono met his wife in high school," Park says.
"So did Jerry Lee Lewis," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be," she says, "we’re sixteen."
"What about Romeo and Juliet?"
"Shallow, confused, then dead."
''I love you," Park says.
"Wherefore art thou," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be."

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under." (Goodreads)

So basically everyone loves this book. EVERYONE. As soon as people started declaring their love, I started feeling pressured and was worried that I wouldn't like it just because it was so well-loved by everyone in the YA blogging community. I ended up really liking it, although I know I didn't absolutely love it as much as others.

It took me a little while to get into Eleanor & Park, but by halfway through I was cruising through and could hardly put it down. The last half absolutely slayed me and I felt like I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened at the end. I felt really satisfied with the ending and don't even want a sequel! It's nice to read a stand-alone book every once in a while.

I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of the 80's setting since I am not the most up on bands from then, but it didn't necessarily distract from my enjoyment of the book. I liked the story itself and the characters and felt appropriately bad for Eleanor given her circumstances. I would definitely recommend this to romance fans and am curious about what my students will think!

Review: Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson (sequel to Hattie Big Sky)

Publish date: 2013
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 219 pages

"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. Kirby Larson once again creates a lovingly written novel about the remarkable and resilient young orphan, Hattie Inez Brooks." (Goodreads)

Hattie Ever After is the sequel to Hattie Big Sky, a 2007 Newbery Honor that I listened to last summer. I really enjoyed it, as it reminded me a lot of Laura Ingalls Wilder and I liked Hattie Ever After a lot too, despite its lack of a prairie setting (one of my all time fave settings).

Hattie Ever After picks up after Hattie has left Uncle Chester's homestead, but she is definitely the same spunky, positive girl that she was in Montana. One of my favorite things about her is that she has such a great attitude throughout the two books. I loved following her journey from Montana all the way to San Francisco. I've been to San Francisco once and it was cool to imagine how the city has changed since Hattie's time.

I think my favorite thing about this story is Kirby Larson's writing style. It fits so perfectly with both Hattie's character and the time period. The word choice, the dialect, the sentence structure: everything was just perfect for the story. It's obvious everything was well-researched and it was really interesting to read the author's note afterward to learn about Ms. Larson's journey to writing this unexpected sequel.

Hattie Big Sky and Hattie Ever After are the types of books that remind me of why I love historical fiction. Definitely read these two if you are looking for fun, well-researched, and compulsively readable historical fiction!

Review: Out of the Easy

Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publish date: February 12, 2013
Source: Borrowed
"It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.

Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny." (Goodreads)

It's no secret that I loved Ruta Sepetys's first novel, Between Shades of Gray. I was immediately excited to read Out of the Easy and the lovely Tara was kind enough to lend it to me last year. I loved it and am happy to say that Ruta Sepetys is now one of my favorite authors.

I'd never read a book in either this time period or setting before, but after Out of the Easy, I really want to. I thought it was such a great time period for historical fiction (although I love historical fiction in general) and the setting just made the story fascinating. I'm such a sucker for settings and this is definitely one of my new favorites.

This book is completely different that Between Shades of Gray, but I loved it just as much. Josie's mom was very easy to dislike, which is exactly what she was supposed to be like, and I was rooting for Josie herself the whole time. The writing style also added to my enjoyment as well: elegant, yet simple and impulsively readable. I tore through the pages of this one and was sad when it ended because I just wanted to keep reading!

I plan on purchasing a copy of this for myself and despite not really being a rereader, I know I will be devouring this and Between Shades of Gray again.

Review: Song of the Sparrow

Author: Lisa Ann Sandell
Publish date: 2007
Source: Classroom library
"The year is 490 AD. Fiery 16-year-old Elaine of Ascolat, the daughter of one of King Arthur's supporters, lives with her father on Arthur's base camp, the sole girl in a militaristic world of men. Elaine's only girl companion is the mysterious Morgan, Arthur's older sister, but Elaine cannot tell Morgan her deepest secret: She is in love with Lancelot, Arthur's second-in-command. However, when yet another girl -- the lovely Gwynivere-- joins their world, Elaine is confronted with startling emotions of jealousy and rivalry. But can her love for Lancelot survive the birth of an empire?" (Goodreads)

I'll be honest here: I had never heard of this book until I was unpacking it and putting on my bookshelves in my classroom. I looked it up on Goodreads and found that I'd actually marked another of Sandell's books for my TBR list, A Map of the Known World. Being a fan of verse novels AND historical fiction, I figured I'd give this one a try.

Basically this is a retelling of the story of Elaine, the Lady of Shalott, but told in verse. I don't really know much about the legend of King Arthur, really, other than what I've seen in a couple movies. I've been meaning to read The Mists of Avalon, but we all know how that goes, so I was pleased to grab this book from my class. It was an interesting story, especially the fact that Elaine was one of the few women living with her father, brothers, and other men at the camp.

Most of the time I liked the writing style, which was verse. It made the book seem much shorter, like Ellen Hopkins's novels, although sometimes I thought the line breaks were odd. I prefer Ellen's books with the shorter poems/stanzas. Song of the Sparrow had full chapters and some of the parts just seemed to go on and on.

I would tentatively recommend Song of the Sparrow if you like both historical fiction and verse novels. I enjoyed the opportunity to try another round at poetry and learn a bit more about the Arthurian legend.

Review: Gilt

Author: Katherine Longshore
Publish date: May 2012
Source: Library
"When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head." (Goodreads)

I remember hearing about Gilt back in May when it came out and I figured I would just find it at the library at some point...which is exactly what I did. Went in to find an audiobook and came out with two plus Gilt. Common occurrence when I go to the library. ANYWAY. I liked Gilt, even though it's not my favorite historical fiction.

One of the things I liked the most about Gilt is that it's told from a point of view that is not normally used when reading about King Henry VIII. I also really enjoyed reading the author's note at the end, in which she explained that Kitty was actually a real person, but not much is known about her, so thus...Gilt was born. The "how" of creating historical fiction is so interesting to me and it was just fun to read Gilt from Kitty's POV while still getting that inside look at court and Cat.

I enjoyed the writing style quite a bit as well. It was a bit flowery and slightly poetic, but seemed to mesh well with the subject matter and setting. Character wise, Katherine Longshore did a great job at making Cat annoying, but also in making you feel a teensy bit sorry for her toward the end of the book. Still though, it's crazy how obsessed some of those people were with royalty and THINGS.

All of that said, I didn't adore this book. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I would recommend it if you're in the mood for historical fiction or enjoy reading about Henry VIII.

Review: Anne of Green Gables

Author: L.M. Montgomery
Publish date: 1908
Source: purchased ebook
"Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over." (Goodreads)

So for whatever reason, I never read Anne of Green Gables as a kid. I loved historical fiction, especially the Little House books, but never read this series. When I saw that Elizabeth from Don't Take my Books Away was doing a read-along of the second book, Anne of Avonlea, I knew it would be the perfect motivation for me to start the series. I downloaded the whole series for my kindle and read Green Gables in a few days.

 First of all, I found Anne to be completely charming, if a little annoying, throughout the first 3/4 of the book. I kind of loved how much she talked and babbled because hello, she was eleven years old. Most girls that age are talkers, myself included. I loved how Matthew and Marilla came to love her and basically forget that they ever wanted a boy. Who wouldn't love Anne?

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about Anne of Green Gables was the friendship between Anne and Diana. Their closeness and love for each other really reminded me of my best friend and me. I think Anne and Diana is already one of my favorite friendships from literature and I am looking forward to reading more about them (hopefully).

The setting of Prince Edward Island was another aspect of the book I loved. Historical fiction is awesome in general, but the settings usually are one of my favorite parts. We all know I love anything with the word "island" in it!

So pretty much....I am sad I didn't read Anne of Green Gables as a kid, but so glad I am reading the series now! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the read-along!

Review: Secret Letters

Author: Leah Scheier
Publish date: June 2012
Source: Library
"Inquisitive and observant, Dora dreams of escaping her aristocratic country life to solve mysteries alongside Sherlock Holmes. So when she learns that the legendary detective might be her biological father, Dora jumps on the opportunity to travel to London and enlist his help in solving the mystery of her cousin’s ransomed love letters. But Dora arrives in London to devastating news: Sherlock Holmes is dead. Her dreams dashed, Dora is left to rely on her wits—and the assistance of an attractive yet enigmatic young detective—to save her cousin’s reputation and help rescue a kidnapped heiress along the way.

Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this gripping novel heralds the arrival of a fresh new voice in young adult literature." (Goodreads)

Secret Letters is a book that came to my attention a couple months ago when I read Tara's review of it. I thought it sounded pretty interesting and I love historical fiction, so when I saw it on the shelf at the library last week, I knew I had to borrow it. I ended up being pretty satisfied AND have the urge to rewatch season 1 of Sherlock!

I really love the time period in which Secret Letters is set and I thought the characters were great, although I really wish Dora could have had some interaction with Sherlock Holmes before he died (not a spoiler; it's in the blurb). It's not central to the mystery that he is alive, but still. Sherlock! My sadness pretty much went away when Peter Cartwright was introduced, though. Let's just say he's a good character and almost makes up for no Sherlock.

So great characters, good setting, entertaining mystery...what didn't I like since I am terrible and always find something? I felt like there were aspects of the plot that could have been delved into more, particularly regarding Adelaide. I am still really curious about her and feel like Leah Sheier could write a companion book about her. Hmm...

All in all, this was an entertaining read that had me flipping the pages to find out what happened. It wasn't perfect, but I'd definitely recommend it for a fun read if you are in the mood for historical fiction.

Review: Code Name Verity

Author: Elizabeth Wein
Publish date: May 2012
Source: Library
"Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?

Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page." (Goodreads)

I will start out this review by saying that I went into Code Name Verity with a completely open mind. I had heard a lot of great things about it, but because I often hype books up too much in my head, I tried to just read and enjoy Code Name Verity. That said, I read it and I feel like I'm the only person who did not love it.

First, what I liked. I loved the writing, I really did. Elizabeth Wein has a way with words and I thought the writing was just spot on. All the dialogue seemed real and I could imagine the characters in my head. Going along with that, I enjoyed that the book was mostly about female friendship. I feel like most books these days center around romance and it was great to read about friendship. Friends are awesome!

That all said, I just never really got into the book. Maybe it was the actual style in which the book was written (not the writing, but the confession type thing), but I never wanted to sit there and read and do nothing else. I'd read a chapter, find something else to do, and then not want to pick it back up. It's not that the plot wasn't interesting, it just never grabbed me. Really, though, I feel like I'm the only person who did not love this one. I almost feel bad about it, like I'm being mean by not liking it that much, but hey, we all like different books.

Even though I didn't love Code Name Verity, I think a lot of people will, so try this one out! You might love it!

Audiobook Review: Hattie Big Sky

Author: Kirby Larson; Narrator: Kirsten Potter
Publish date: 2006
Source: Library
"For years, sixteen-year-old Hattie's been shuttled between relatives. Tired of being Hattie Here-and-There, she courageously leaves Iowa to prove up on her late uncle's homestead claim near Vida, Montana. With a stubborn stick-to-itiveness, Hattie faces frost, drought and blizzards. Despite many hardships, Hattie forges ahead, sharing her adventures with her friends--especially Charlie, fighting in France--through letters and articles for her hometown paper.

Her backbreaking quest for a home is lightened by her neighbors, the Muellers. But she feels threatened by pressure to be a "Loyal" American, forbidding friendships with folks of German descent. Despite everything, Hattie's determined to stay until a tragedy causes her to discover the true meaning of home." (Goodreads)

I'd been in kind of an audiobook rut lately and was having a hard time getting halfway through any books, let alone finishing anything...that is, until Hattie Big Sky. It was a win-win for me: a great story and a good audiobook.

If you've read my blog for a while, you might know that I freakin' love Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House books. Hattie Big Sky reminded me a bit of the LIW books and is definitely a reason why I liked it so much. I really love that time period and setting of Hattie Big Sky: early 1900's and set out in the middle of nowhere. Living in a shanty and/or sod house=the best. I can't get enough historical fiction like that from the 1800's to early 1900's.

Hattie was a really great character who made me root for her the whole time. She had such a positive attitude and spirit that carried her throughout the whole book. Sometimes I had trouble believing she was only sixteen, but I suppose people back in the "old days" knew how to do more things like cooking from the very basics, farming, and other things so they could, you know, survive. Anyway, Hattie and most of the other characters were likable and fun to read/hear about.

If you're looking for solid historical fiction, check out Hattie Big Sky! 

Review: Born Wicked

Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publish date: February 2012
Source: Library
"Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other." (Goodreads)

I've wanted to read this book ever since I read the summary and saw that it was a cross of two of my favorite genres: fantasy and historical fiction. I waited and waited for the library to get it, since I am on a bit of a book buying ban and they finally did! Cue Kyle rejoicing because this book was AWESOME.

One of the things (of many) that I loved about Born Wicked was the writing style and the mood that it created. I really felt like I was transported back in time and could get lost in Cate's world. Jessica Spotswood did a great job with world building and I really enjoyed learning more about her alternate history. I also liked that there wasn't a TON of witchery in the book. I feel like there is much more witchery to come in the next book(s), which is exciting.

Annnnnd the romance. I loved it, even though there was a love triangle. Finn is my new book boyfriend/crush/whatever you want to call it. Fantastic character and I can't wait for more of him and everyone! I may or may not have reread certain passages ;)

This is definitely one of my favorite books from this year. It was exactly what I was looking for and I can't wait for the sequel! You need to read this one!

Review: A Great and Terrible Beauty

Author: Libba Bray
Publish date: 2003
Source: Library
"Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy." (Goodreads)

I've been meaning to read Libba Bray for a while now, and thought this might be a good starting point. I've always thought Beauty Queens and Going Bovine just looked kind of...odd. Should I read them? Anyway, I read A Great and Terrible Beauty and am still conflicted about my feelings.

The thing I liked the most: the setting. I wasn't crazy about the beginning in India, as it all felt rushed and confusing to me, but I loved Spence Academy and the boarding school setting. And finding out that part of the school was closed off due to a fire? Love it! Boarding schools in historical fiction are the best settings, am I right?

Setting aside, I did not like this book as much as I thought. I wasn't expecting it to take the direction it did with the fantasy elements and I also had a hard time connecting with the characters, the relationship between Gemma, Ann, Felicity, and Pippa included. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series. Thoughts?

Review: Between Shades of Gray

Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publish date: 2011
Source: Library
"Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously-and at great risk-documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart." (Goodreads)

A couple weeks ago, I was doing a rare perusal of the library shelves (instead of putting everything on hold as usual), I found Between Shades of Gray and picked it up, remembering that I had wanted to read it and historical fiction sounded good at that time. Let me just say...WOW. I loved it. A lot.

I've never read a book set in this particular time and place before and I have to say, I'm pretty ignorant about that era as well. Ruta Sepetys has COMPLETELY opened my eyes to history, which I'm sure was one of her goals. I can't imagine going through what Lina and her family did and I'm so glad that Ms. Sepetys decided to make this horrible aspect of history more widely known. My mind was blown.

I really loved the writing style here: simple, but brutally effective. Reading about things like death, starvation, and sickness were like a punch to the gut and to characters that I knew and loved? Ouch. My heart hurt. Ms. Sepetys created some wonderful characters that I was sad to say goodbye to when I finished the book.

If you are looking for wonderful historical fiction (or just a wonderful book), do yourself a favor and read Between Shades of Gray. You won't regret it.

Review: The Springsweet

Author: Saundra Mitchell
Publish date: April 17, 2012
Source: Purchased and signed at RT :)
"Heartbroken over the tragic death of her fiancé, seventeen-year-old Zora Stewart leaves Baltimore for the frontier town of West Glory, Oklahoma, to help her young widowed aunt keep her homestead going. There she discovers that she possesses the astonishing ability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a "springsweet” to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden of holding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land. Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water. Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply surviving and start living." (Goodreads)

The Springsweet is a companion novel to The Vespertine, and is told from a different character's POV than the first book. I stupidly did not realize this until AFTER I read the chapter. Everything made a lot more sense after that. (Duh, Kyle.) Anyway, I loved The Springsweet even more than The Vespertine and think everyone should read it!

Zora is the wonderful narrator of this book and I pretty much thought she was awesome. She is trying to work through some traumatic events and decides to move to Oklahoma to live with her aunt Birdie, who is only a few years older than Zora. I LOVED the setting. Maybe it's my love of the Little House books shining through, but I adore books that take place on the prairie like this. PLUS they lived in a sod house. On the Banks of Plum Creek, anyone?

The characters here were great, especially Emerson. I liked that he was so mysterious at the beginning and then his character was unraveled as the story progressed. I liked Zora as a narrator more than Amelia, who narrated The Vespertine. Since this is a companion novel, you don't HAVE to read The Vespertine first, but I would suggest it so you have more background info.

Saundra Mitchell's writing continues to be superb. She definitely has a way with words, but not in a flowery or overwrought way. The length of The Springsweet seemed perfect: concise, but satisfying. Suffice to say, I loved meeting Saundra Mitchell at RT. She was so nice and we even talked about how great libraries are :) 

Thanks, Heidi, for reviewing this series so enthusiastically and making me want to read them! I can't wait for Aetherborne!

Review: The Vespertine

Author: Saundra Mitchell
Publish date: 2011
Source: Library
"It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause."

I discovered The Vespertine after doing some research about the authors attending the RT Booklovers Convention this upcoming weekend (Are you going? Let me know!!). Saundra Mitchell will be signing, so I decided to give The Vespertine a try and ended up enjoying it for the most part. I got it from the library, but I heard the sequel, The Springsweet, will be for sale at RT, so I plan to buy that one and get it signed.

I love historical fiction novels, so I was really intrigued by the combination of that genre with paranormal. I was also a little leery, since that combo isn't too popular, but I liked what Saundra Mitchell did. I adore the old timey customs that she included, like calling cards. I remember learning about those in the Little House series and thinking they sounded pretty awesome. Apparently my love for 19th century calling cards has been rekindled.

Ms. Mitchell's writing style was certainly beautiful too, in addition to the premise of the novel. Everything flowed well, although there were a few times that the writing felt a bit gimmicky, like she was trying too hard. That didn't happen much, though, and I was mostly impressed. I was a bit confused by the switching of the time frames of the narrative, but was able to figure it out fairly quickly.

Other than a few nitpicky things about the writing itself, I enjoyed The Vespertine and look forward to hopefully buying The Springsweet and meeting Saundra Mitchell this weekend! I have a lot of unanswered questions about Amelia and am hoping they are answered in the next book!

Review: The Birth of Venus

Author: Sarah Dunant
Publish date: 2004
Source: Purchased
"Alessandra Cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern Europe to decorate the chapel walls in the family’s Florentine palazzo. A child of the Renaissance, with a precocious mind and a talent for drawing, Alessandra is intoxicated by the painter’s abilities.

But their burgeoning relationship is interrupted when Alessandra’s parents arrange her marriage to a wealthy, much older man. Meanwhile, Florence is changing, increasingly subject to the growing suppression imposed by the fundamentalist monk Savonarola, who is seizing religious and political control. Alessandra and her native city are caught between the Medici state, with its love of luxury, learning, and dazzling art, and the hellfire preaching and increasing violence of Savonarola’s reactionary followers. Played out against this turbulent backdrop, Alessandra’s married life is a misery, except for the surprising freedom it allows her to pursue her powerful attraction to the young painter and his art.

The Birth of Venus is a tour de force, the first historical novel from one of Britain’s most innovative writers of literary suspense. It brings alive the history of Florence at its most dramatic period, telling a compulsively absorbing story of love, art, religion, and power through the passionate voice of Alessandra, a heroine with the same vibrancy of spirit as her beloved city."

I wish I could remember where I got this book! I'm pretty sure it was at a library sale, but it could have been at one of the few used book stores that I peruse around town. Regardless, it was cheap and looked like an interesting historical fiction, so I picked it up. As you'll soon find out, I had mixed feelings about it.

The thing I liked most about The Birth of Venus was the setting of Florence. I love books in which the settings are like characters and this was no exception. I had never read a book set in that time period before and it was like everything I learned in my college history class come to life. Descriptions of art and architecture were fantastic.

It's hard to pinpoint specifically what I didn't like about the book, but I think it has to do with the length and how conveniently simple everything turned out to be. I think about 100 pages could have been shaved off, mostly from the lavish description of the most mundane parts of the novel. I was bored during some chapters, to be honest. Everything also seemed too easily wrapped up by the end, in terms of what happened to the characters. I suppose I was just disappointed with the actual plot.

Has anyone else read this? I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially since I feel that I just rambled on and on here.

Review: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak
Publish date: 2006
Source: Library
"It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. 

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul."

You guys...I wanted to LOVE this book. I've known about it for a while and everyone in my little world of blogging adores it and cries at it...but I didn't and I feel bad for not enjoying it that much. Allow me to explain my thoughts.

I am all for experimenting with narrative styles, but unfortunately, Zusak's fell flat for me. I liked the drawings and some of the lists, but I didn't like the writing style itself. It felt like the author was trying too hard to be literary, although I know that in Australia, where this book was published, it was originally marked as an adult novel and not YA. I get the feeling it should have been an "adult" book here too.

At 550 pages, this book also was too long (in my opinion, of course). I don't shy away from longer novels, but this just seemed way too long. Some parts dragged on and on while others seem to go by too quickly, like the more major events at the end.

Like I said, I wanted to like the book and I thought and still think the premise is fascinating. Death as the narrator? Cool, but just didn't mesh with me. I am a big fan of historical fiction, but not this one, unfortunately. Any thoughts?

Review: The Help (audio book)

Author: Kathryn Stockett
Narrators: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, and Cassandra Campbell
Publish date: 2009
Source: Library
"Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed."

I will forever bow down to this book from now on because it has completely changed my mind about audio books. I LOVE THEM NOW. I wasn't sure if I could do fiction without seeing the words, but April from Good Books & Good Wine recommended this one, so I gave it a try and I loved it! Now I can't wait to listen to more!

The best part about this audio book for me was the different narrators. It offers variety while listening, yes, but also offers such a distinct voice for each of the three narrators, Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny. After one chapter from each narrator, I was instantly hooked and associating that character to that voice. I was so used to listening to the book that I even started thinking in a southern accent (yeah, I am from Michigan and have a flat accent). Thankfully those stayed thoughts and didn't escape.

In regards to the book itself, I found it to be interesting and very readable. I kept trying to think of chores or tasks to do that didn't require concentration so I could listen to more and find out what was going to happen. All of the main characters were really likable and it was so easy to HATE some of Skeeter's "friends" like Hilly and Elizabeth. Sad to think that people were/are actually like them.

I was happy to confirm that this book was not a "white person solves racism" kind of story, but still ended on a hopeful note. It's easy to understand why The Help is so popular: it's enjoyable and covers an important part of history/life, albeit employing fairly stereotypical characters. I'm glad I finally read it and wholeheartedly recommend it as an audio book!