tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12440705011468636692024-03-19T05:51:49.039-05:00t and a bookTegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-14489430199224682002015-07-01T09:51:00.001-05:002015-07-01T09:51:44.257-05:00Fresh StartHi everyone!<br />
<br />
Here is my most recent update. These past 5 months have a been a little crazy. I've been in and out of the hospital and taking classes and starting a second job.<br />
<br />
I have also decided to start posting these reviews, and other YA related activities, at my new blog <a href="http://www.therowdylibrarian.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Rowdy Librarian</a>.<br />
<br />
I will still post the links on here for you guys coming up, to help with the transition.<br />
<br />
I will still be posting at <a href="http://www.thefoundingfields.com/" target="_blank">The Founding Fields</a> as Lady Salvatore. I will also be recording reviews for a fellow reviewer's podcast! So keep an eye, or ear, out for those!<br />
<br />
Thank you for being loyal readers and for joining me on this new venture!<br />
<br />
TeganTegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-23010579854688029412015-02-17T13:20:00.001-06:002015-02-17T13:20:18.963-06:00The Young Elites (The Young Elites #1) by Marie Lu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Title:</b></u> The Young Elites</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Marie Lu</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> High Fantasy</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Hot water with a plain teabag that didn't sit in it for very long.</div>
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<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 1 out of 5 stars.</div>
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"<span id="freeText6695628243761318768">I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.<br /><br /><i><strong>Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever.</strong>
A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the
infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left
with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes
went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once
was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination,
ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their
fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more
than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts,
and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called
the Young Elites.<br /><br /><strong>Teren Santoro works for the king.</strong>
As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young
Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the
Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may
possess the darkest secret of all. <br /><br /><strong>Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society.</strong>
This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the
Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover
someone with powers like they’ve never seen. <br /><br />Adelina wants to
believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the
lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a
very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all
certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A
vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to
cross her.</i><br /><br />It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt." (from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821111-the-young-elites?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads.com)</a></span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768"> </span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768">This book is a joke. A big joke. But not a funny one. One of those unfortunate ones that physically hurt you when someone tells it. One that you never want to hear again and will run from if it shows up. Yes, this was that bad. I couldn't even finish it. What was bad about it, you might ask. EVERYTHING. <b>ALL OF IT</b>.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768"> </span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768">Adelina was boring. She was a piece of cardboard. Yes, it's terrible what her dad was doing to her. But all she did was feel sorry for herself. And then when she accidentally kills someone all she does is go on and on and on about how horrible she is. And she has the weirdest flashbacks. I just...everything in here is accidental and she just gripes about her life. She makes mopey Katniss in <i>Mockingjay</i> look like a ray of sunshine. I don't know. She was boring and not even remotely badass like the description says. They say it's like a high fantasy X-Men. If this was an X-Men movie, I'd be pissed.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768"> </span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768">Her "love interest" is bizarre. He's a jerk and not interesting at all. He's just an excuse to have a romantic storyline in this book. And that storyline can't even save it. Her sister was a spoiled brat and...can you tell that every character sucked?</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768"> </span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768">And what kind of place is she living in? I've had authors reimagine our world and make it their own, prime example being Jacqueline Carey in her <i>Kushiel's Universe</i> series. You know what country it would be if it was in our world, but she makes it entirely her own and you're sucked into this amazing land. But in this book she basically takes Renaissance Italy and renames stuff. It was awful. This was NOT high fantasy. This was a train wreck.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6695628243761318768"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="freeText6695628243761318768">I've heard good things about her <i>Legend</i> series and I will give that one a chance. But never again for this one. </span>
</div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-59303994029146409422015-02-17T12:22:00.001-06:002015-02-17T12:22:35.239-06:00Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392408196l/19367070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392408196l/19367070.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<i><u><b>Title:</b></u> Illusions of Fate</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Kiersten White</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
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<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Historical Fantasy</div>
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<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Golden Mojito, sort of good, but sort of lackluster.</div>
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<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 3 out of 5 stars.</div>
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<i>"<span id="freeText6036304908963544874"><strong>Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.</strong></span></i></div>
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<i><span id="freeText6036304908963544874"><strong> </strong></span></i></div>
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<i><span id="freeText6036304908963544874">Jessamin has been an
outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary
country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous,
enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s
nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money,
status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets
that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless
Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.<br /><br />Kiersten
White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling
Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world
teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm,
and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel
perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba
Bray." </span></i><span id="freeText6036304908963544874">(from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19367070-illusions-of-fate?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads.com</a>)</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874">This was my first Kiersten White novel, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the description intrigued me. The description is a liar.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="freeText6036304908963544874">First off the only thing Downton Abbey (which I LOVE) related is the fact that this girl works at a hotel. For like 2 seconds. Then suddenly she is lavishly taken care of by some random stranger. Yeahh...that doesn't happen to Daisy or Anna or any of them in Downton. Cassandra Clare could've been a warning sign, as I wasn't the biggest fan of <i>City of Bones</i>. Another thing that sucked me in is I loved <i>The Madman's Daughter</i> and I love, love, LOVE Libba Bray. The <i>Gemma Doyle</i> trilogy is one of my favorites! This was NOTHING like those books. A pale imitation maybe, but not much more than that.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874">The world confused me a bit. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be like an alternate version of our world and where she lived was maybe supposed to be London and the island she is from is supposed to be...somewhere? It is kind of vague and you get lots of description of how crappy it was for her at home, but not much more.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="freeText6036304908963544874">This fell into every trope a YA book can fall into. Insta-love, love triangle, "my boyfriend is actually an asshole", poor-little-girl-gets-turned-into-a-"princess". Just everything you could think of. The only thing that I really enjoyed was the magical aspect. There was some actual thought put into that and is honestly what saved this book from getting a worse rating. My favorite was the book that could turn into a bird...or is it a bird that can turn into a book...? Either way, that was awesome. That bird saved Jessamin more times than not. She'd be dead without that bird.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874">And the ending. Oh the ending. When I was reading and saw I only had a small portion left, but nothing was resolved yet, I was worried. I didn't want to read a whole second book as this one was giving me a hard time. But I wasn't worried for the reason I should've been. This was the most hastily, sloppily tied up ending. It was a rush and a mess. It was like she just realized she needed to end the book. It did nothing for me. I was really let down.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874">I will try giving another one of her books a chance because they intrigue me, but this one just had too much going on and nothing really developed. It's like everything kind of started to develop, but then tapered off.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874"><br /></span></div>
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<span id="freeText6036304908963544874">This one is up to you, but don't go in judging it from its description, you won't get that.</span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-6885502548270429352015-02-17T11:29:00.000-06:002015-02-17T11:29:05.280-06:00MARY: The Summoning (Bloody Mary #1) by Hillary Monahan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Title:</b></u> MARY: The Summoning</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Hillary Monahan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Horror</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Haute Chocolate, something you think you know, but full of surprises.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 4 out of 5 stars.</div>
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</div>
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<i>"<span id="freeText18446556538892755666">There is a right way and a wrong way to summon her. <br /><br />Jess
had done the research. Success requires precision: a dark room, a
mirror, a candle, salt, and four teenage girls. Each of them--Jess,
Shauna, Kitty, and Anna--must link hands, follow the rules . . . and
never let go. <br /><br />A thrilling fear spins around the room the first
time Jess calls her name: "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. BLOODY MARY." A
ripple of terror follows when a shadowy silhouette emerges through the
fog, a specter trapped behind the mirror. <br /><br />Once is not enough,
though--at least not for Jess. Mary is called again. And again. But when
their summoning circle is broken, Bloody Mary slips through the glass
with a taste for revenge on her lips. As the girls struggle to escape
Mary's wrath, loyalties are questioned, friendships are torn apart, and
lives are forever altered.<br /><br />A haunting trail of clues leads Shauna
on a desperate search to uncover the legacy of Mary Worth. What she
finds will change everything, but will it be enough to stop Mary--and
Jess--before it's too late?" </span></i><span id="freeText18446556538892755666">(from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17661402-mary" target="_blank">Goodreads.com</a>)</span></div>
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<span id="freeText18446556538892755666"><br /></span></div>
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<span id="freeText18446556538892755666"><i>MARY: The Summoning</i> is the first in a series entitled <i>Bloody Mary</i>. I was really excited when I saw this. I haven't read a good YA horror story since I picked up Katie Alender's<i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/51154-bad-girls-don-t-die" target="_blank">Bad Girls Don't Die</a></i> trilogy. Those books scared me, and I was not disappointed with this one!</span></div>
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<span id="freeText18446556538892755666">The story of Bloody Mary always freaked me out anyway. I was never one of those girls that went to the bathroom and tried saying her name three times, just not worth it! So I live vicariously through books when it comes to horror, especially the stories that really freak me out. This book had such an interesting take on the story. You got Mary's back story in journal entries scattered throughout the novel, I was so excited each time I came across one, I just had to know what happened to her!</span></div>
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<span id="freeText18446556538892755666">Mary's manifestation was also really interesting. Clues were given based on her appearance as to how she died, which was a lot of fun while reading the journal entries. She was also REALLY scary. She didn't just show up in mirrors, she was in ALL REFLECTIVE SURFACES. WHAT?! Like...no. I kept thinking how if she latched onto me, I'd be in so much trouble. There are reflective surfaces EVERYWHERE and I don't think I could handle that.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="freeText18446556538892755666">I also really liked the characters and the one's surprise connection to Mary. I think it was an accurate portrayal of friendship and loyalty in a messed up situation. The ending was also very surprising and had me itching for the second book once I was done! Unfortunately that will not be released until (hopefully) the fall of this year.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText18446556538892755666"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="freeText18446556538892755666">Definitely check this book out, but you may to want to cover your mirror.</span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-79334488529887114432015-02-17T10:37:00.000-06:002015-02-17T10:37:13.562-06:00The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395612906l/18635016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395612906l/18635016.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Title:</b></u> The One</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Kiera Cass</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b></b></u> <u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Dystopian/Romance</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Silver Yin Zen Pearls, a step up from other similar teas, top of the line (plus silver cover!)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 5 out of 5 stars.</div>
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<i>"<span id="freeText5723868247711043682">The time has come for one winner to be crowned.<br /><br />When
she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she
would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's
heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats
outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how
much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future
she wants." </span></i><span id="freeText5723868247711043682">(from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18635016-the-one?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads.com</a>)</span></div>
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<span id="freeText5723868247711043682"><br /></span></div>
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<span id="freeText5723868247711043682">This book is the third in Kiera Cass's <i>The Selection</i> series. If you haven't read the first two, be forewarned, here be spoilers for those. This book is SO much better than the first two. I, obviously, really enjoyed the first two or I wouldn't have kept reading the series. But this one blew them out of the water. The first two were a lot of set up and a lot of America going back and forth between Maxon (<i>swoon</i>) and Aspen (<i>yuck!</i>). This book brings us to the end of the Selection, and it's time for Maxon to choose a bride. If you think it's going to be easy and simple and you know what's going to happen, you're wrong.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText5723868247711043682">There are so many twists and turns in this book! There are familiar faces finally brought back that really surprised me! This book made my heart hurt at some point and I'm not ashamed to say that I cried. Aspen somehow makes me sort of okay with him, but I still am in a rage over that whole situation. He's the jerk, but makes America feel like it's all her fault...Okay...I digress.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText5723868247711043682">I went through a whole range of emotions reading this book: happy, sad, angry, nervous; you name it, I felt it. I read this in a day. When I finished it was really glad because I enjoyed it, but really sad since I thought it was over. Turns out it's not! There's going to be a 4th book called <i>The Heir</i>, but don't read the synopsis yet unless you want the ending of this one ruined.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText5723868247711043682">If you enjoyed the first two, read this one, it is above and beyond those! And if you still haven't read the series, pick them up!</span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-3987344476243023602014-11-16T16:33:00.002-06:002014-11-16T16:33:55.695-06:00Sunday Funday List: Funniest Buffy the Vampire Slayer EpisodesHi everyone! I know I've been slacking on my lists, I'm sorry! This week I'm changing it up a bit, since I do do more than read! <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> is probably one of my favorite TV shows, if not THE favorite. I didn't feel well last night and the first thing that popped into my head to watch was funny <i>Buffy</i> episodes. Below are my favorite, funny, episodes. I have other favorites, but they definitely aren't funny, haha. All synopses courtesy of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDb</a><i>.</i><br />
<br />
Here they are by season:<br />
<br />
<b>Season 1:</b><br />
<br />
While there are funny moments, I don't think I would specify any of the first season episodes as strictly funny.<br />
<br />
<b>Season 2:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Episode 6: <u>Halloween</u></i>: "On Halloween, Buffy and her friends patronize an unusual costume shop
where customers turn into whatever costume they are wearing." <i></i><br />
<i> </i><br />
What happens to them is a scary thought, but the episode cracks me up. Seeing these characters we know so well as someone very not like them is great fun. Also, when Willow scares Giles by walking through the wall is priceless.<i></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Episode 16: <u>Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered</u></i>: "As Valentine's Day approaches, Xander tries to improve his love life
through witchcraft and finds himself with too much of a good thing."<br />
<br />
This episode kills me. Poor Xander gets his heart ripped out on Valentine's Day, so of course in typical Xander fashion, he casts a poorly thought out spell. Drusilla is my particular favorite in her affections for Xander. And the Buffy-rat is also highly entertaining.<br />
<br />
<b>Season 3:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Episode 5: <u>Homecoming</u></i>: "As Buffy and Cordelia vie for Homecoming Queen, a group of killers gathers to participate in SlayerFest '98."<br />
<br />
Buffy and Cordelia's rivalry is the best part of this episode. And it makes the latter part of the episode even more entertaining. The highlights would be Faith ruining Scott's homecoming date, Cordelia trying to kill a vampire with a spatula, and her speech at the end in the library. Just a fun episode all around.<br />
<br />
<i>Episode 6: <u>Band Candy</u></i>: "Adults throughout Sunnydale behave like immature teenagers after they eat cursed candy"<br />
<br />
Only two words needed: Principal Snyder. Seeing him revert to teenage form is hilarious.<br />
<br />
<i>Episode</i> <i>16: <u>Dopplegangland</u></i>: "While casting a magic spell, Anya and Willow accidentally summon Willow's evil double from an alternate universe"<br />
<br />
We met Willow's vampire doppleganger in a previous episode, but in this one we really get to know her. Watching the two of them interact is a lot of fun. And how vampire Willow handles Percy is fantastic.<br />
<br />
<b>Season 4:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Episode 5: <u>Beer Bad</u></i>: "Xander finds employment as a bartender at a pub where some of Buffy's friends turn into terrifying Cro-Magnon creatures."<br />
<br />
The funniest part of this episode is when Buffy turns into a cave woman. She talks to the little people in the TV, falls off of her chair, and is just very un-Slayer-like. I can't stop laughing the whole time I watch it.<br />
<br />
<i>Episode 9: <u>Something Blue</u></i>: "One of Willow's spells causes her statements to become reality, with consequences both entertaining and life-threatening."<br />
<br />
This episode is proof that words are stronger than we think they are. All of Willow's words come to life with some really funny consequences. One particular highlight being Spike and Buffy getting engaged.<br />
<br />
<b>Season 5:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Episode 1: <u>Buffy vs. Dracula</u></i>: "Buffy finds herself pitted against the legendary Prince of Darkness, Count Dracula."<br />
<br />
The best part of this episode is Dracula turning Xander into his minion. And Xander's reactions to being said minion. As well as his "distractions" from anything related to Dracula. Just watch it.<br />
<br />
<i>Episode 11: <u>Triangle</u></i>: "While Giles is in England meeting with the Watcher Council, a bickering
Anya and Willow mind the magic store and inadvertently conjure up a
fearsome troll."<br />
<br />
Anya and Willow's feud creates some pretty entertaining moments in this episode. I also really like seeing more about Anya's background, including the fact that she wasn't always scared of bunnies.<br />
<br />
<b>Season 6:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Episode 5: <u>Life Serial</u></i>: "<b> </b>The Geek Trio begin their plans by testing Buffy's abilities and subsequently ruining her attempts at employment."<br />
<br />
If I had to pick the funniest episode of the series, this would be it. I LOVE this episode. The Troika (Jonathan, Warren, and Andrew) try to find ways to ruin Buffy's life without her noticing. Poor Buffy is trying to get back on track and trying various ways, but keeps being thwarted. My favorite scene would be Buffy's monologue at the end where she calls Spike a neutered vampire that cheats at kitten poker. Or the whole scene in the Magic Box.<br />
<br />
<i>Episode 14: <u>Older and Far Away</u></i>: "After Dawn talks to a guidance counselor about her feeling lonely, she
accidentally puts a spell on Buffy and her friends, trapping them inside
the Summer's house with a sword-wielding demon."<br />
<br />
While this may not be the funniest of funny episodes, it has its moments. There are some one liners and scenes in here that do not deserve to be missed.<br />
<br />
<b>Season 7:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Episode 6: <u>Him</u></i>: "Dawn's simple crush on Sunnydale High's star quarterback RJ starts to
become obsessive, leading Buffy to investigate the boy herself. When
Buffy, along with all the other women who see RJ, also fall in love with
him, Spike and Xander must team up to discover the source of this
attraction. But first they have to keep the women from doing anything
crazy in their competition for RJ's affection."<br />
<br />
This episode is priceless. This is another love spell gone wrong a la Xander in season 2. But this time we see the effects from the women's point of view. Favorite scene has to be when Spike and Buffy are attacking each other outside of Principal Wood's office, which he can't hear due to classical music.<br />
<br />
<i>Episode 16: <u>Storyteller</u></i>: "Andrew creates a documentary called "Buffy, Slayer of the Vampyres", a
record of the current situation in Sunnydale to show to future
generations. He manages to capture many important moments, and to annoy
almost everyone in the house. But Buffy needs to tear him away from his
filmmaking because the Seal of Danzalthar is active and Andrew may hold
the key to closing it before it destroys the town."<br />
<br />
Andrew is hilarious. He was always my favorite of the Troika and this whole episode is perfect. His humor makes this episode. His storytelling is great. I love getting a look inside his mind.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Well there's my list! Anything you guys would change? </b> Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-66132003831909580342014-11-03T16:02:00.001-06:002014-11-03T16:03:31.897-06:00Tarnish by Katherine Longshore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><u><b>Title:</b></u></i> <i>Tarnish</i></div>
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<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Katherine Longshore</div>
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<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
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<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Historical</div>
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<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Raspberry Black Tea, can be subtle, but also full of zest.</div>
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<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 5 out of 5 stars.</div>
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<i>"<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718">Anne
Boleyn is the odd girl out. Newly arrived to the court of King Henry
VIII, everything about her seems wrong, from her clothes to her manners
to her witty but sharp tongue. So when the dashing poet Thomas Wyatt
offers to coach her on how to shine at court—and to convince the whole
court they’re lovers—she accepts. Before long, Anne’s popularity has
soared, and even the charismatic and irresistible king takes notice.
More than popularity, Anne wants a voice—but she also wants love. What
began as a game becomes high stakes as Anne finds herself forced to make
an impossible choice between her heart’s desire and the chance to make
history."</span></i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718"> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101031-tarnish" target="_blank">(Goodreads.com</a></span><i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718">)</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718">Tarnish</span></i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718"> is the third book I read by Katherine Longshore. It is a companion novel to her two others, <i>Brazen </i>and <i>Gilt</i>. This novel is predominantly about Anne Boleyn, though she does play a role in all three books. There have been tons of books written about Anne Boleyn. "Not another one!" you say. But this is not your typical Anne book. In <i>Tarnish</i>, Katherine Longshore gives you a look into Anne's history and what her daily life is like living at the castle as a ladies maid to the queen. Also what it is like to live in her sister Mary's shadow, who also happens to be Henry VIII's mistress.</span></div>
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718">I really enjoyed this portrayal of Anne. Katherine Longshore doesn't show her as a power hungry, man-stealing girl. She's your typical teenager that just wants to fall in love, preferably with the right man. Unfortunately her goals start to shift when other people try to meddle with her love life, among them her father and the poet Thomas Wyatt.</span></div>
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718">All I can say is I'm so glad I didn't have to deal with the drama of living in court. We think school is bad? That's cake compared to what these people dealt with on a regular basis. Anne's tribulations echo a lot of what teenagers go through in school: do I listen to what everyone else says? Do I follow my own dreams? How doe these rumors even start? And what <i>do</i> I do if that older guy that I think is cute starts giving me attention? </span></div>
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText16816285369301469718">I liked seeing Anne in a different light that she is often written. Katherine Longshore does a fantastic job of getting insider her head and giving the reader lots of information while still telling a compelling tale. If you are interested in Anne's beginnings, I would suggest this book. It can give you a taste and you can decide if you want to learn more about this doomed queen, who really was just a girl like everyone else.</span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-49532903957364741752014-11-03T15:50:00.000-06:002014-11-03T16:03:02.986-06:00Brazen by Katherine Longshore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381743231l/18668016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381743231l/18668016.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<i><u><b>Title:</b></u></i> <i>Brazen</i></div>
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<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Katherine Longshore</div>
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<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
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<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Historical</div>
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<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Silver Needle, maybe not as popular as or well known, but equally as good.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 5 out of 5 stars.</div>
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<i>"</i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"><i>Mary
Howard has always lived in the shadow of her powerful family. But when
she’s married off to Henry Fitzroy, King Henry VIII’s illegitimate son,
she rockets into the Tudor court’s inner circle. Mary and “Fitz” join a
tight clique of rebels who test the boundaries of court’s strict rules
with their games, dares, and flirtations. The more Mary gets to know
Fitz, the harder she falls for him, but is forbidden from seeing him
alone. The rules of court were made to be pushed…but pushing them too
far means certain death. Is true love worth dying for?"</i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18668016-brazen?from_search=true" target="_blank">(Goodreads.com)</a></span><br />
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"><i>Brazen</i> is my second novel my Katherine Longshore and it does not disappoint! It is about the lesser known Mary Howard, betrothed to Henry FitzRoy, son of Henry VIII. I did not know much about Mary Howard before this novel, but it made me want to research her!</span><br />
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527">Katherine Longshore's novels, which historical and informative, also read like popular fiction. One of the best ways to describe it would be a cross between <i>Gossip Girl</i> and Philippa Gregory's Tudors series. The story line is intriguing and makes the 500 pages fly by. I liked Katherine Longshore's portrayal of Mary. She gave her a voice and brought life to a very interesting part of that time period. Mary was one of the only women that sought to have her own life, her own place to live, not surviving off a man. She's an inspiring woman that more people should know about.</span><br />
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527">Katherine Longshore admits that she takes liberties with Mary and Fitz's relationship, but in this context, that is totally fine. Also, there isn't any written information saying that she is wrong about their relationship either. This book actually made me cry, which I was not expecting. Mary is a likable main character and you want to see her succeed. I enjoyed this novel more than the first one I read by her, <i>Gilt</i>, for that very reason. The one of the main characters in that one, Catherine Howard (yes, they're related), was not a nice girl. </span><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"></span><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"> I couldn't feel any sympathy for her and just kinda wanted to get it over with. I did enjoy the historical information though, and the other main character, Kitty, was someone I wanted to know more about.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"></span><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"></span><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"> </span></div>
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"></span><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527"></span><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527">If you like the Tudors, or don't know much about them and want to, check this out! It keeps your attention and teaches you about the characters and time period without sounding like a book report.</span></div>
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527">Katherine Longshore's novels don't have to be read in any specific order (they are companion novels), but if you want to read them in order of when each queen was in power start with <i>Tarnish </i>(I'll be reviewing that as well), then <i>Brazen</i>, and then <i>Gilt</i>.</span><br />
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText8394607512481022527">Can't wait to see what, or rather who, she writes about next! </span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-73245324375605193202014-11-03T15:11:00.000-06:002014-11-03T16:03:26.610-06:00The Wild Queen: Days and Nights of Mary Queen of Scots (Young Royals #7) by Carolyn Meyer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344675055l/6431797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344675055l/6431797.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<i><u><b>Title:</b></u> The Wild Queen: The Days and Nights of Mary Queen of Scots</i></div>
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<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Carolyn Meyer</div>
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<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
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<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Historical</div>
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<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Lapsang Souchong, fiery and wild, definitely not prim and proper, but intriguing.</div>
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<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 5 out 5 stars.</div>
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<i>"</i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText1284304888335847503"><i>Mary
Stuart was just five years old when she was sent to France to be raised
alongside her future husband. But when the frail young king dies,
eighteen-year-old Mary is stripped of her title as Queen of France and
set adrift in the harsh world, alone. Determined to reign over what is
rightfully hers, Mary returns to Scotland. Hoping that a husband will
help her secure the coveted English throne, she marries again, but the
love and security she longs for elude her. Instead, the fiery young
queen finds herself embroiled in a murder scandal that could cost her
the crown. And her attempts to bargain with her formidable 'sister
queen', Elizabeth I of England, could cost her her very life."</i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6431797-the-wild-queen?ac=1" target="_blank">(Goodreads.com)</a></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText1284304888335847503">Mary Queen of Scots has quickly become one of my favorite queens. She is written about more than I imagined and it intrigues me to see the different takes authors have on her life. Carolyn Meyer does a great job of telling the story of Mary Queen of Scots in a way that will keep younger readers interested while still teaching them something.</span><br />
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText1284304888335847503">Mary's life was quite difficult and she experienced more hardships than most people will face in a lifetime. Carolyn Meyer does a great job of showing Mary's feelings and strength throughout the novel. Her descriptions and knowledge of the settings are fantastic as well. Having read a lot about Marie Antoinette (another favorite queen of mine) I know the French court fairly well, but did not know much about Scotland and it's royalty. They are definitely two very different animals. Carolyn does a great job of navigating two very different worlds without confusing the reader.</span><br />
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText1284304888335847503">I think the most difficult part of this book for me, and really any book dealing with royalty, is when Mary was a child. A lot of what she said sounded far too grown up. Yes, I understand she's a Queen at six days old, but that doesn't mean she doesn't talk like a small child. I find this in a lot of historical fiction. I'm guessing this is done so the reader gets used to the character's voice, also an adult is writing it and the character, for a larger part of the story, will be an adult.</span><br />
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<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText1284304888335847503">If you've always wondered about Mary, but don't want to read a giant tome, I would suggest this one. While it is fiction, you get a lot of background on her and can give you an idea of what you'll get more of in other books (be it fiction or non-fiction). I think Mary is a queen that deserves to be known and remembered. I hope you'll feel the same.</span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-77462490758028464012014-10-10T17:35:00.002-05:002014-10-10T17:35:39.893-05:00UpdateHello everyone!<br />
<br />
Sorry I've been lagging behind, this fall has been a busy one!<br />
<br />
I just posted a review for <i>Conversion</i> by Katherine Howe and I have reviews for about six more YA novels in their way! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled!<br />
<br />
I will also be starting my usual Sunday Funday Lists and Humpday Spotlight Novels again! Be ready for those!<br />
<br />
I have also started posting at The Founding Fields under the name Lady Salvatore. I have two reviews up there, please check them out:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thefoundingfields.com/2014/10/the-magicians-land-the-magicians-3-by-lev-grossman-book-review-lady-salvatore/" target="_blank"><i>The Magician's Land</i> by Lev Grossman</a><br />
<em>"Lady Salvatore got one of her greatest wishes:<br />
an advanced copy of </em>The Magician’s Land<em>,<br />
the final book in a trilogy by Lev Grossman.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em><strong>“Lev Grossman ties up his spellbinding </strong></em><strong>The Magicians</strong><em><strong> trilogy in a manner worthy of the highest praise!” –</strong></em><strong> Lady Salvatore, The Founding Fields</strong>"<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thefoundingfields.com/2014/09/abroad-by-katie-crouch-book-review-lady-salvatore/" target="_blank"><i>Abroad</i> by Katie Crouch</a><br />
"<em>Lady Salvatore reads and reviews<br />
her first novel for TFF! Check out her<br />
debut review of Abroad by Katie Crouch.</em><br />
<br />
<strong><em>“Katie Crouch gives readers an intriguing mystery in</em> Abroad. <em>I couldn’t put it down!”</em>- Lady Salvatore, The Founding Fields</strong>"<br />
<br />
Hope you all have been doing well and looking forward to sharing all the new and exciting posts with you! Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-50492727525807794262014-10-10T17:18:00.000-05:002014-10-10T17:18:02.581-05:00Conversion by Katherine Longshore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><u><b>Title:</b></u> Conversion</i></div>
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<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Katherine Howe</div>
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<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Dual Past Present/Thriller<br />
<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Lady Earl Grey, something that you've had before, but different and exciting it it's own way<br />
<u><i><b>Rating:</b></i><b></b></u> 5 out of 5.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Conversion</i> by Katherine Howe is just as great as I expected it to be. I first discovered Katherine Howe when I was at Barnes & Noble in 2009 and saw <i>The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane</i> on their Barnes & Noble Recommends table. I picked it up and instantly fell in love. When she published her next novel, <i>The House of Velvet and Glass</i>, I couldn't wait to pick it up. Then I saw <i>Conversion</i> and knew I had to have it. Katherine is an amazing storyteller and I can't wait to continue reading what she puts out.</div>
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<i>Conversion</i> is marketed as a YA novel, but reads more like an adult fiction novel. It is well written and is not like your stereotypical YA novel on the shelf today. The story mainly takes place in Massachusetts at a private girls' school where students are mysteriously falling ill. This combined with flashbacks to Salem during the witch trials make for an intriguing premise and mystery that you can't get enough of.</div>
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The main character was relatable and not annoying (thank goodness). The romance side of the novel doesn't take over the plot and it is not a case of insta-love (more thank goodness). Katherine Howe really covers all the bases as to what is expected in a novel. I love YA, don't get me wrong, but if more were written as well as this one was, I wouldn't complain! </div>
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I liked that in the flashbacks in this book it was told from the girls' point of view, where in <i>The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane</i> it was told from the accused women's point of view. You don't need to read one to read the other, but having read <i>The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane</i> first I caught some references that she makes to the characters from those novels. That's a fun treat for any reader. I really enjoyed the twist at the end and it had me thinking for quite some time after it.</div>
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If you're looking for a great dual past present novel, with a little intrigue I'd highly recommend this. And definitely check out Katherine Howe's other novels as well! </div>
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Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-84742061077861850472014-09-16T10:53:00.000-05:002014-09-16T10:55:05.760-05:00Book Blog Tour: The Black Cane (Dowager Diaries #1) by Eileen Harris<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b><u><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Philosopher","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About the Author:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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From living off the grid in the Arizona desert, Eileen has moved to the woods
of upstate New York. She has authored a standalone adventure novel called
Desert Shadow. She is also the author of Alicia Trent Series. The Black Cane :
Dowager Diaries Book 1 is her latest release.</span><span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
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<span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif";">The
decision to help one small boy turns eight elderly women's lives upside-down.
Danger becomes a way of life. If the women are going to save the boy and stay
alive, they are going to have to use skills that have been dormant way too
long. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: #d99594; font-family: "Philosopher","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themetint: 153;">Book Links: </span></u></b></div>
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<span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif";">Goodreads
: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22825881-the-black-cane</span></div>
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<span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif";">Amazon :</span>
<span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif";">http://www.amazon.com/Black-Cane-Dowager-Diaries-Book-ebook/dp/B00JGHCRTU/</span></div>
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<span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif";">Wings e
Press : http://www.wingsepress.com/Bookstore/The%20Black%20Cane.htm</span></div>
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<span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif";">"</span><b><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview1048347738">I was really excited to
read The Black Cane when I received the email about doing the book blog
tour. The premise was unique and sounded like it could be the start of a
great new series! The lives of eight elderly women change drastically
one day when they decide to save a young boy, Marc. Once they do this
their path is altered and nothing is the same.<br /><br />I really enjoyed
the mystery and adventure in this novel; it isn’t something you would
expect when you read a synopsis about eight older women that play bridge
regularly. It is great to see them actively take these adventures and
tasks on, showing you you’re never too old to go on an adventure. The
author has given a great introduction to this world and I can see her
doing some exciting new things with it as the series continues!"</span></span></b><span style="color: #44187f; font-family: "Philosopher","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-24016350488119314512014-09-03T14:41:00.003-05:002014-09-03T14:41:41.312-05:00Hump Day Spotlight Novel: The Constant Princess (The Tudor Court #1) by Philippa Gregory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16181.The_Constant_Princess?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Constant Princess</a></i> (The Tudor Court #1) by Philippa Gregory</div>
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"<span id="freeText10129498696353640949">'I am Catalina,
Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has
ever known...and I will be Queen of England.'<br /><br /><i>Thus, bestselling
author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable
heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was
pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has
forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married
to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their
arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless
English court and her ambitious parents -- the crusading King and Queen
of Spain -- have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is
Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most
audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of
power in England.<br /><br />Set in the rich beauty of Moorish Spain and the
glamour of the Tudor court, The Constant Princess presents a woman
whose constancy helps her endure betrayal, poverty, and despair, until
the inevitable moment when she steps into the role she has prepared for
all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English
army in their greatest victory against Scotland."</i></span></div>
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<span id="freeText10129498696353640949"><i> </i></span></div>
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<span id="freeText10129498696353640949">For some reason Fall and Winter are my favorite times to read historical fiction. So in honor of it being September I thought I'd make this week's Hump Day Spotlight Novel the first in the "Queen of Historical Fiction's" The Tudor Court series. Although this novel wasn't published first, chronologically it is the first novel, followed by the ever popular, <i>The Other Boleyn Girl</i>. If you haven't read these and enjoy history, or are looking to get into historical fiction, check these out!<i> </i></span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-33768279078536811102014-09-03T14:30:00.000-05:002014-09-03T14:30:11.636-05:00Sunday Funday List: Top 10 Novels that Have Stuck with MeHey everyone! Sorry this one is a little late, quite a busy Labor Day weekend! But this weekend my list was practically handed to me by Tana. Thanks Tana!! I was asked by her to make a list of the top 10 books that have stuck with me. So here they are below, in no particular order:<br />
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1. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/45175-harry-potter" target="_blank">The <i>Harry Potter</i> Series</a> by J.K. Rowling<br />
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<i>Harry Potter</i> is and forever will be my favorite series. I catch references to it in everyday life and it has affected me as a reader, as well as a person. I grew up with these characters and learned a lot from them. Their stories are ones that I never get tired of and I miss when I'm not reading them. Every September first I'm sad I'm not on the train to Hogwarts. But I can always go back by picking up one of these books. Thank you so much J.K. Rowling for creating a series that has touched so many peoples' lives.<br />
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2. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29044.The_Secret_History?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Secret History</a></i> by Donna Tartt<br />
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I'd heard of <i>The Secret History</i>, but what got me to read it was reading a quote on the back of another book (<i>The Raising</i> by Laura Kasischke, I recommend it) saying that it was reminiscent of <i>The Secret History</i>. Once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. I'm a huge fan of a mystery, especially a dark, twisted one. This is especially good for those in college, or that have been to college, as it plays a lot off of what occurs on a college campus. Definitely pick this one up.<br />
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3. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18081146-mind-of-winter?from_search=true" target="_blank">Mind of Winter</a></i> by Laura Kasischke<br />
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Speaking of Laura Kasischke, this novel has not left me alone. I just recently read it, but it's still the only thing I can think about! This thriller is on another level. Once you finish it you see all the signs of what's going on, but while you're reading it you just want to know WTF is going on. Keep an eye out for my review which I will be posting soon on <a href="http://www.thefoundingfields.com/" target="_blank">The Founding Fields.</a><br />
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4. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/120274.The_Lake_of_Dead_Languages?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Lake of Dead Languages</a></i> by Carol Goodman<br />
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This is not the first Carol Goodman book I read, but so far has probably been my favorite. I stayed up all night tearing through it, and once I went to sleep, wasn't able to. I kept thinking about the story, and was a little uncertain of what lurked in the shadows across the room. All of her novels are fantastic and I highly recommend all of them, but definitely start with <i>The Lake of Dead Languages</i>, you won't be sorry.<br />
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5. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3682.A_Great_and_Terrible_Beauty?from_search=true" target="_blank">A Great and Terrible Beauty</a></i> (Gemma Doyle Trilogy #1) by Libba Bray<br />
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<br />This is one of my favorite YA series. It's set in Victorian England at a private school where some pretty strange things happen. The world building in this is so unique and Libba Bray's description makes you feel like you're there the whole time. I really enjoyed the characters and the story, and have read this a million times. It's always on my list for recommendations.<br />
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6. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624.Lord_of_the_Flies?from_search=true" target="_blank">Lord of the Flies</a></i> by William Golding<br />
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This book is in almost in a dystopian vein, which would make it appealing to many kids reading today. The idea of a group of kids being stranded on an island and slowly devolving and losing their minds is terrifying. This book has stuck with me, imagining what would I do if I was in a situation like this? If you like <i>Lost</i>, this is a darker, scary story of what would happen (which if you like <i>Lost</i>, is hard to imagine!), but all involving young, teenage boys. Good luck! Also, it'll help you win at trivia games, thanks Piggy!<br />
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7. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58345.The_Awakening?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Awakening</a></i> by Kate Chopin<br />
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This was a required reading the summer before senior year AP English and I loved it! It's under 200 pages, but Kate Chopin fits so much in there you feel like you've read over 500 pages and run a marathon. <i>The Awakening</i> is a glimpse into life in French Creole Louisiana and what it was like to be a woman there at the end of the nineteenth century. Having been written in 1899 the themes in this novel were definitely a little more "risque" than what the public expected, but it is definitely important for people to read, women and men. I also suggest reading the short story <i>The Yellow Wallpaper</i> by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Comparing the way these authors write about womens' lives in this period gives you a lot of insight.<br />
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8. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18007535-the-winter-people?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Winter People</a></i> by Jennifer McMahon<br />
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I thought the first novel I read by Jennifer McMahon, <i>Don't Breathe a Word</i>, scared me. Oh no. That was nothing compared to <i>The Winter People</i>. Holy. Crap. Yikes. I'm still afraid of my closet some nights, and I read this months ago. This atmospheric novel will suck you in and keep you there until you think you're done, but then you suddenly find yourself in the woods and hear something scurry by. ::shudders:: Such a good book. Please read it, and check out my review <a href="http://tandabook.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-winter-people-by-jennifer-mcmahon.html" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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9. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30331.In_the_Forests_of_the_Night?from_search=true" target="_blank">In the Forests of the Night</a></i> (Den of Shadows #1) by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes<br />
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One of the best vampire series, period. These are REAL vampires. No sappy love triangles. No one trying to be something they're not. These are scary, dark creatures. And the series is amazing, especially for the age of the author when this was written! When asked for a vampire YA series, this is always the first that pops into my head. She also has a great shapeshifter series!<br />
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10. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6101718-the-magicians?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Magicians</a></i> (The Magicians #1) by Lev Grossman<br />
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I love this fantasy series. It is definitely a growing up story, but also a great fantasy world that I would love to live in. Magic here is difficult and you have to work for it, it's science and math and depends on the weather. Lev Grossman's writing is amazing and you instantly fall in love with the characters, Brakebills and Fillory. If you're looking for a good fantasy/sci-fi series, check this one out!! <br /><br />
<span id="goog_1595790602"></span>Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-87368540683861307252014-08-27T22:30:00.001-05:002014-08-27T22:30:25.805-05:00Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><u><b>Title:</b></u> Six Months Later</i></div>
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<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Natalie D. Richards</div>
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<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult</div>
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<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Psychological Thriller</div>
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<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Lemon Herbal tea, read and you'll see why</div>
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<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 3.5 out of 5 stars</div>
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<i>"<strong>She has everything she's ever wanted. But not her memory...</strong></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText8552647702197261003"><br />When
Chloe fell asleep in study hall, it was the middle of May. When she
wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can't remember the last six
months of her life. <br /><br />Before, she'd been a mediocre student. Now,
she's on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League
schools. Before, she never had a chance with super jock Blake. Now he's
her boyfriend. Before, she and Maggie were inseparable. Now her best
friend won't speak to her.<br /><br /><strong>What happened to her? Remembering the truth could be more dangerous than she knows..." </strong></span></i><span id="freeText8552647702197261003"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17343998-six-months-later" target="_blank">(Goodreads - Six Months Later)</a></span><i><span id="freeText8552647702197261003"><strong></strong></span></i><br />
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<span id="freeText8552647702197261003">I kept hearing so many rave reviews about <i>Six Months Later</i> and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. When it finally came in at the library I was super excited. I started this coming off of an awesome adult psychological thriller, so I was definitely in the mindset for another one. While this one was good, it didn't quite live up to the hype, in my opinion.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText8552647702197261003">The beginning intrigued me right away, girl wakes up and doesn't remember six months of her life. What is going on? Why is she friends with these new people? How is she dating the hottest guy in school? So many questions that are begging to be answered. As the story goes on Natalie D. Richards has you quickly turning the pages trying to figure out what's going on, but soon a pattern emerges.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText8552647702197261003">This pattern consists of: Chloe figuring something out, but quickly being convinced she's wrong by someone else. This girl does not stick by her convictions. I get that she doesn't remember anything, but that should instinctively make you trust your gut even more. It also consists of her and Adam constantly in a yo-yo of "I like you, but I can't". I swear the same scene happens 5 times between the two of them, even in the same location.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText8552647702197261003">I also think that the answers that we are given don't quite pack the punch you expect after all the build up. The book I read before this one is still running through my head and I'm trying to wrap my mind around it, while I finished this one this afternoon and I haven't really thought about it too much.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText8552647702197261003">It is a good novel, not bad by any means. The writing keeps your attention and the mystery has you going until the end. Sadly I didn't get quite what I expected. But if you're new to thrillers, this may be a good place to start.</span>Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-89513668225405386332014-08-27T22:12:00.003-05:002014-08-27T22:12:24.080-05:00Hump Day Spotlight: Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth NixHappy Wednesday everyone! Hope everyone's week has been going well so far. This week's Spotlight novel is actually a trilogy. The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix consists of three novels: <i>Sabriel</i>, <i>Lirael</i> and <i>Abhorsen</i>. It's one of my absolute favorite series and he's finally writing a fourth book call <i>Clariel</i>! It's due out in October, so hopefully this gives you all time to read the first three in preparation! If you're looking for a great Sci-Fi/Fantasy, here it is!<br />
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<i>"Sent to a boarding
school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little
experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to
stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her
father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the
Old Kingdom to find him. She soon finds companions in Mogget, a cat
whose aloof manner barely conceals its malevolent spirit, and
Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in
body but still trapped by painful memories. As the three travel deep
into the Old Kingdom, threats mount on all sides. And every step brings
them closer to a battle that will pit them against the true forces of
life and death—and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own destiny.</i><i><span id="freeText9358725857890943496"><br />With
Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen trilogy, Garth Nix
exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes
readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn't
always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether."</span></i><span id="freeText9358725857890943496"> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/518848.Sabriel?from_search=true" target="_blank">(Goodreads - Sabriel)</a></span><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText15702713707293378746"><strong>WHO IS LIRAEL?</strong><br /><br />Lirael
has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Now, two years past
the time when she should have received the Sight that is the Clayr’s
birthright, she feels alone, abandoned, unsure of who she is.
Nevertheless, the fate of the Old Kingdom lies in her hands. With only
her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, Lirael must undertake a
desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil.<br /><br />In
this sequel to SABRIEL, winner of the Aurealis Award for Excellence in
Australian Science Fiction, Garth Nix weaves a spellbinding tale of
discovery, destiny, and danger." </span></i><span id="freeText15702713707293378746"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47645.Lirael" target="_blank">(Goodreads - Lirael)</a></span><i><span id="freeText15702713707293378746"><br /></span></i><span id="freeText9358725857890943496"><br /></span>
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<i>"<span id="freeText1758612136661588655">The Ninth was strong and
fought with might, But lone Orannis was put out of the light, Broken in
two and buried under hill, Forever to lie there, wishing us ill. So
says the song. But Orannis, the Destroyer, is no longer buried under
hill. It has been freed from its subterranean prison and now seeks to
escape the silver hemispheres, the final barrier to the unleashing of
its terrible powers.<br /><br />Only Lirael, newly come into her inheritance
as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, has any chance of stopping the Destroyer.
She and her companions -- Sam, the Disreputable Dog, and Mogget -- have
to take that chance. For the Destroyer is the enemy of all Life, and it
must be stopped, though Lirael does not know how.<br /><br />To make matters
worse, Sam's best friend, Nick, is helping the Destroyer, as are the
necromancer Hedge and the Greater Dead Chlorr, and there has been no
word from the Abhorsen Sabriel or King Touchstone.<br /><br />Everything
depends upon Lirael. A heavy, perhaps even impossible burden for a young
woman who just days ago was merely a Second Assistant Librarian. With
only a vision from the Clayr to guide her, and the rather mixed help of
her companions, Lirael must search in both Life and Death for some means
to defeat the Destroyer.<br /><br />Before it is too late. . . ." </span></i><span id="freeText1758612136661588655"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/334643.Abhorsen?from_search=true" target="_blank">(Goodreads - Abhorsen)</a></span><i><span id="freeText1758612136661588655"><br /></span></i>Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-466394230187462582014-08-24T19:04:00.000-05:002014-08-24T19:09:48.292-05:00Sunday Funday List: Top 10 Biographies to ReadHappy Sunday everyone!! It's been a busy one, including dumping a bucket of ice water on my head for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. So while I'm drying off I'm going to curl up with a good book, including one off of this week's list! This week's Sunday Funday List is the Top 10 Biographies to Read. I haven't done a non-fiction list and I think this would be a great way to start. On this list are biographies I want to read and ones that are highly rated/reviewed/recommended. Also big shout out and thank you to Tamra for helping me to come up with this list! In no particular order, here they are! (All synopses from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>)<br />
<br />
1. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93509.Marie_Antoinette?from_search=true" target="_blank">Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen of France</a></i> by Evelyne Lever<br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText14407265765469083158">In MARIE ANTOINETTE,
Evelyn Lever draws on a variety of resources, including diaries,
letters, and firsthand accounts, to write this sumptuous, addictive
delight. From family life in Vienna to the choke of the guillotine, this
gripping work combines a fast-paced historical narrative with all the
elements of scandalous fiction: Marie's wedding at Versailles to Louis
XVI, the French court, boredom, hypocrisy, loneliness, allies, enemies,
scandal, intrigue, sex, peasant riots, the fall of the Bastille, mob
rule in Paris, imprisonment, and, finally, execution.<br /><br />From
primary source documents Lever fashions an insightful glimpse into the
French court at Versailles. The characters of court are expertly drawn.
There is the dashing Axel Fersen, Marie's great love; Maria Theresa, the
scheming mother trying to place her daughter on the Hapsburg throne;
the legendary Madame du Barry, lover to Louis XV; and, of course, Marie
herself. <br /><br />Luxuriously evocative of the Versailles court,
historically sharp and witty, and detailing the compelling story of
Marie Antoinette's life, Evelyn Lever's biography entrances readers."</span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText14407265765469083158"> </span><span id="freeText14407265765469083158"> </span></i><br />
I chose this novel as Marie Antoinette is my favorite Queen. I love reading anything fiction and non-fiction about her. For those of you who don't know much about Marie Antoinette, this looks like it would be a great place to start!<br />
<br />
2. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/356069.J_Edgar_Hoover?from_search=true" target="_blank">J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets</a></i> by Curt Gentry<br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText15720034294332853391">Shocking, grim,
frightening, Curt Gentry s masterful portrait of America s top policeman
is a unique political biography. From more than 300 interviews and over
100,000 pages of previously classified documents, Gentry reveals
exactly how a paranoid director created the fraudulent myth of an
invincible, incorruptible FBI. For almost fifty years, Hoover held
virtually unchecked public power, manipulating every president from
Franklin D. Roosevelt to Richard Nixon. He kept extensive blackmail
files and used illegal wiretaps and hidden microphones to destroy anyone
who opposed him. The book reveals how Hoover helped create McCarthyism,
blackmailed the Kennedy brothers, and influenced the Supreme Court; how
he retarded the civil rights movement and forged connections with
mobsters; and what part he played in the investigations of President
John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. A New York Times bestseller. 'This massive new study promises to be the most extensive and
controversial yet. . . . A chilling look at the darker side of American
politics,' Library Journal."</span></i><br />
<br />
Tamra suggested this one and it looks very interesting! I don't know a whole lot about J. Edgar Hoover and I think this biography would be a great way to learn more about him!<br />
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3. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10884.Einstein?from_search=true" target="_blank">Einstein: His Life and Universe</a></i> by Walter Isaacson<br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText636335162502906721">How did his mind work?
What made him a genius? Isaacson's biography shows how his
scientific imagination sprang from the rebellious nature of his
personality. His fascinating story is a testament to the connection
between creativity and freedom.<br /><br />Based on newly released personal
letters of Einstein, this book explores how an imaginative, impertinent
patent clerk; a struggling father in a difficult marriage who
couldn't get a teaching job or a doctorate; became
the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos, the locksmith of the
mysteries of the atom, and the universe. His success came from
questioning conventional wisdom and marveling at mysteries that struck
others as mundane. This led him to embrace a morality and politics based
on respect for free minds, free spirits, and free individuals.<br /><br />These
traits are just as vital for this new century of globalization, in
which our success will depend on our creativity, as they were for the
beginning of the last century, when Einstein helped usher in the modern
age."</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText636335162502906721">Having learned a lot about him in my seminar on cosmologies class and written a 20 page paper on him I still don't feel I can begin to scratch the surface. Walter Isaacson is known as one of THE biography writers and I can't wait to read what he's written about one of the greatest minds of our time.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText636335162502906721">4. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538641-killing-kennedy?from_search=true" target="_blank">Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot</a> </i>by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard</span><i><span id="freeText636335162502906721"></span></i><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText16921898006794944671">More than a million readers have thrilled to Bill O'Reilly's <i>Killing Lincoln</i>,
the page-turning work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination
that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of <i>The O'Reilly Factor </i>recounts
in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how
a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved
president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the
Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.<br /><br />In January 1961,
as the Cold War escalates, John F. Kennedy struggles to contain the
growth of Communism while he learns the hardships, solitude, and
temptations of what it means to be president of the United States. Along
the way he acquires a number of formidable enemies, among them Soviet
leader Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and Alan Dulles,
director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In addition, powerful
elements of organized crime have begun to talk about targeting the
president and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy.<br /><br />In
the midst of a 1963 campaign trip to Texas, Kennedy is gunned down by an
erratic young drifter named Lee Harvey Oswald. The former Marine Corps
sharpshooter escapes the scene, only to be caught and shot dead while in
police custody.<br /><br />The events leading up to the most notorious crime of the twentieth century are almost as shocking as the assassination itself. <i>Killing Kennedy</i>
chronicles both the heroism and deceit of Camelot, bringing history to
life in ways that will profoundly move the reader. This may well be the
most talked about book of the year."</span></i><i><span id="freeText636335162502906721"></span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText636335162502906721"><br /></span></i>
<span id="freeText636335162502906721">Though this isn't about JKF's whole life, I'm very interested to read it. I've heard nothing but good things about this book (and Bill O'Reilly's other books), so this along with other JFK bios are on my list!</span><br />
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<span id="freeText636335162502906721">5. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10104.The_Six_Wives_of_Henry_VIII?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Six Wives of Henry VIII</a> </i>by Alison Weir</span><br />
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<i><span id="freeText636335162502906721">"</span><span id="freeText17552898250065516839">The tempestuous,
bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one
of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to
six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant
scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs,
account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life.
Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of
principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for
vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne
of Cleves, a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the
court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard, an
empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr, a warm-blooded bluestocking who
survived King Henry to marry a fourth time."</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">I'm a huge Tudor fan and have been especially interested in them after going to London, where I bought this book. I'm a fan of Alison Weir's fiction and know I'll love her non-fiction as well.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">6.<i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6314763-orange-is-the-new-black?from_search=true" target="_blank">Orange is the New Black</a></i></span><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><i> </i>by Piper Kerman</span><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText13997514043008040454">With a career, a
boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the
reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years
before. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and sentenced to
fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in
Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate
#11187–424—one of the millions of people who disappear “down the rabbit
hole” of the American penal system. From her first strip search to her
final release, Kerman learns to navigate this strange world with its
strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary rules. She meets women
from all walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of
generosity, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance.
Heartbreaking, hilarious, and at times enraging, Kerman’s story offers a
rare look into the lives of women in prison—why it is we lock so many
away and what happens to them when they’re there."</span></i><i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"> </span><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"></span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span></i>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">I have to watch the show, since I've been told to a million times, so I figured I should also read the book! Thank you Tamra for showing me that a book even exists! If you like the show and you're not a reader, this might be a good way to start!</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">7. </span><i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6672559-the-mystery-of-lewis-carroll?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Mystery of Lewis Carroll: Discovering the Whimsical, Thoughtful, and Sometimes Lonely Man Who Created </a></span></i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6672559-the-mystery-of-lewis-carroll?from_search=true" target="_blank">Alice in Wonderland</a></span><i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"> </span></i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839">by Jenny Woolf</span><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText16097130676367314497">Lewis Carroll was
brilliant, secretive and self contradictory. He reveled in double
meanings and puzzles, in his fiction and his life. Jenny Woolf’s <i>The Mystery of Lewis Carroll </i>shines a new light on the creator of <i>Alice In Wonderland </i>and
brings to life this fascinating, but sometimes exasperating human being
whom some have tried to hide. Using rarely-seen and recently discovered
sources, such as Carroll’s accounts ledger and unpublished
correspondence with the “real” Alice’s family, Woolf sets Lewis Carroll
firmly in the context of the English Victorian age and answers many
intriguing questions about the man who wrote the Alice books, such as:<br /><br />• Was it Alice or her older sister that caused him to break with the Liddell family?<br /><br />• How true is the gossip about pedophilia and certain adult women that followed him?<br /><br />• How true is the “romantic secret” which many think ruined Carroll’s personal life?<br /><br />• Who caused Carroll major financial trouble and why did Carroll successfully conceal that person’s identity and actions?<br /><br />Woolf
answers these and other questions to bring readers yet another look at
one of the most elusive English writers the world has known."</span></i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"></span><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">I love <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> and I read a novel about Lewis Carroll and the girl that inspired Alice entitled <i>Alice I Have Been</i> by Melanie Benjamin that I really enjoyed. Once I saw this biography I knew I had to read it. Authors have so many interesting back stories that inspire their works and I can't wait to read more about Lewis Carroll's.</span><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">8. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11084145-steve-jobs?from_search=true" target="_blank">Steve Jobs</a> </i>by Walter Isaacson</span><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText9363539269088443858">From best-selling author Walter Isaacson comes the landmark biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.<br /><br />In
Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, Isaacson provides an extraordinary
account of Jobs' professional and personal life. Drawn from three years
of exclusive and unprecedented interviews Isaacson has conducted with
Jobs as well as extensive interviews with Jobs' family members and key
colleagues from Apple and its competitors, Steve Jobs: The Exclusive
Biography is the definitive portrait of the greatest innovator of his
generation."</span></i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"></span><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">Being a Mac and Apple girl (other than my Samsung Galaxy S5, sorry not sorry) I'm intrigued by the innovator behind the trademark apple with the bite out of it. Again Walter Isaacson writes about a powerhouse in another applauded biographical novel.</span><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">9. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6625991-coco-chanel?from_search=true" target="_blank">Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life</a></i> by Justine Picardie</span><br />
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<i>"Sleek. Chic. Notoriously guarded. Welcome to the secret world of Gabrielle Chanel.</i><br />
<i><br /><span id="freeText14858931300612713611">The story of Chanel begins with an abandoned child, as lost
as a girl in a dark fairy tale. Unveiling remarkable new details about
Gabrielle Chanel's early years in a convent orphanage, and her flight
into unconventional adulthood, Justine Picardie explores what lies
beneath the glossy surface of a mythic fashion icon.<br /><br />Throwing new
light on her passionate and turbulent relationships, this beautifully
constructed portrait gives a fresh and penetrating look at how Coco
Chanel made herself into her own most powerful creation. An
authoritative account, based on personal observations and interviews
with Chanel's last surviving friends, employees, and relatives, it also
unravels her coded language and symbols, and traces the influence of her
formative years on her legendary style.<br /><br />Feared and revered by
the rest of the fashion industry, Coco Chanel died in 1971 at the age of
eighty-seven. But her legacy lives on. Justine Picardie brings
Gabrielle Chanel out of hiding and uncovers the consequences of what
Chanel covered up, unpicking the seams between truth and myth in a story
that reveals the true heart of fashion."</span></i><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">I don't know much about Coco Chanel, but see references to her on a daily basis and I think it would be interesting how she turned into the legacy that she is. Tamra found this novel and the synopsis hooked me! Can't wait to read it!</span><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">10. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6282683-the-lady-in-the-tower?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn</a></i> by Alison Weir</span><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText14166584877822162974">The imprisonment and
execution of Queen Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, in May 1536
was unprecedented in English history. It was sensational in its day, and
has exerted endless fascination over the minds of historians,
novelists, dramatists, poets, artists and film-makers ever since.<br /><br />Anne
was imprisoned in the Tower of London on 2 May 1536, and tried and
found guilty of high treason on 15 May. Her supposed crimes included
adultery with five men, one her own brother, and plotting the King's
death.<br /><br />Mystery surrounds the circumstances leading up to her
arrest. Was it Henry VIII who, estranged from Anne, instructed Master
Secretary Thomas Cromwell to fabricate evidence to get rid of her so
that he could marry Jane Seymour? Or did Cromwell, for reasons of his
own, construct a case against Anne and her faction, and then present
compelling evidence before the King? Or was Anne, in fact, guilty as
charged?<br /><br />Never before has there been a book devoted entirely to
Anne Boleyn's fall. Alison Weir has reassessed the evidence, demolished
many romantic myths and popular misconceptions, and rewritten the story
of Anne's fall, creating a richly researched and impressively detailed
portrait of the dramatic last days of one of the most influential and
important figures in English history."</span></i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"></span><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">Anne Boleyn is another one of my favorite Queen's. I'm intrigued by her story and her portrayal in modern culture. Thanks to Tamra for showing me this one as well. Looks like Alison Weir has done it again!</span><br />
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<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">Bonus!: <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10097.Queen_of_Scots?from_search=true" target="_blank">Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart</a></i> by John Guy</span><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText17667937947403131157">The eminent British
historian John Guy has unearthed a wealth of evidence that upends the
popular notion of Mary Queen of Scots as a femme fatale and establishes
her as the intellectual and political equal of Elizabeth I.<br /> Guy
draws on sources as varied as the secret communiqués of English spies
and Mary’s own letters (many hitherto unstudied) to depict her world and
her actions with stunning immediacy. Here is a myth-shattering
reappraisal of her multifaceted character and prodigious political
skill. Guy dispels the persistent popular image of Mary as a romantic
leading lady, achieving her ends through feminine wiles, driven by love
to murder, undone by passion and poor judgment. Through his pioneering
research, we come to see her as an emotionally intricate woman and an
adroit diplomat, maneuvering ingeniously among a dizzying array of
powerful factions — the French, the English, duplicitous Scottish
nobles, and religious zealots — who sought to control or dethrone her.
Guy’s investigation of Mary’s storied downfall throws sharp new light on
questions that have baffled historians for centuries, and offers
convincing new evidence that she was framed for the murder for which she
was beheaded.<br /> Queen of Scots, the first full-scale biography of
Mary in more than thirty years, offers a singularly novel, nuanced, and
dramatic portrait of one of history’s greatest women."</span></i><span id="freeText17552898250065516839"></span><br />
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">Mary Stuart is quickly becoming my second favorite Queen behind Marie Antoinette. I've seen a lot of her in modern pop culture, but haven't read much about her historically. Can't wait to check this one out!</span><br />
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<span id="freeText17552898250065516839">Any of these historical figures someone you'd want to read about? Anyone you'd add to the list?</span>Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-85090117164513671112014-08-21T18:02:00.002-05:002014-08-21T18:05:46.001-05:00Mortal Danger (The Immortal Game #1) by Ann Aguirre<br />
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<i><u><b>Title:</b></u></i> <i>Mortal Danger</i><br />
<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Ann Aguirre<br />
<u><b><i>Type:</i> </b></u>Young Adult<br />
<u><b><i>Genre</i></b></u><i>: </i>Fantasy<br />
<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Lipton Raspberry, tries to be different but just ends up the same as some other bland stuff (sorry Lipton)<br />
<i><u><b>Rating: </b></u></i>2 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<br />
Yeahhh, no.<br />
<br />
So this is my first book by Ann Aguirre and I was excited as I've heard nothing but rave reviews about her other novels. Boy am I sorry that this was my first one. The premise sounds really intriguing: girl on the brink of killing herself due to bullying makes a deal with a demon to get revenge. Sounds very Faustian and interesting. But that is NOT what you get. I had three main problems with this novel: Insta-Love, No Revenge and Weird Random Supernatural Crap.<br />
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<b>Insta-Love: </b>As has been said in reviews before this one, Kian (our main hottie) can give Edward Cullen a run for his creeper money. He knows EVERYTHING about Edie (our main character), even stuff from fourth grade. How on earth would he know all this? Especially since he didn't get to be what he is until much later in his life. And Edie instantly has the hots for him, even while she's practically dangling off of a bridge. So long story short: Edie gets three wishes to make her life better, she then has to do three things for this weirdo company Kian works for (more on that later). So BAM! She's beautiful, which is when Kian decides to say he likes her, even though he "did before". Riiight. Anyway, their relationship is weird and very not normal. It is the YA insta-love curse. You even find out he let her get hurt when he could've stopped it and may be responsible for the death of another girl. But y'know, that's cool, he's gorgeous. Blech.<br />
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<b>No Revenge:</b> Ugh. That was WHY I wanted to read this book. I love a good payback. The Teflon Crew (the popular kids) tortured Edie throughout school. And supposedly something they did so horrid that it sent her over the deep end. As much as I'd like to know what that was, I can't push myself through the rest of the crap to get there. So all of a sudden Edie is beautiful, and not just on the outside. She magically has a whole change of personality and is brave, flirty and gets everything she wants. Nay good reader, nay, that does not happen. So when she finally decides to "infiltrate" the Teflon Crew, she winds up befriending them?! Uh, no. Also her "revenge" is spreading silly gossip and calling a girl out on her eating disorder. This is not Emily Thorne ladies and gentleman, this is a girl turning into the people she hates, but then being a hypocrite and saying how horrible THEY are.<br />
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<b>Weird Random Supernatural Crap:</b> So Kian works for this company, that at first reminded me of Wolfram & Hart from Angel, so I was like "Yeah! Sweet!" But then you find out there's another company and they're fighting over Edie cos she's so super special. Seriously? Really? This is a tale as old as Twilight: plain, overlooked girl; finds a hottie; finds out is super special; everyone loves her. No. Then there's all kinds of other supernatural stuff thrown in there that just doesn't make sense. It's just in there to be there.<br />
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There's also a lot of cliches, like "You can't be smart if you're pretty" and crap like that. She tries to make the main character say that's not right, but Edie in fact does act like all of that is true. I just couldn't get past all of that. I get what the author was trying to do, bullying isn't okay, you should never make someone feel like that. But the execution was poor. It goes from being a story about a girl becoming strong and fighting for herself to some weird mystical factions that think she's so special.<br />
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Just didn't do it for me.Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-90101098872712362342014-08-19T12:01:00.001-05:002014-08-20T12:15:45.408-05:00Hump Day Spotlight Novel: The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"<span id="freeText6285941318080969046">From the bestselling author of <em>The Double Bind</em>, <em>Skeletons at the Feast</em>, and <em>Secrets of Eden</em>, comes a riveting and dramatic ghost story.<br /><br />In
a dusty corner of a basement in a rambling Victorian house in northern
New Hampshire, a door has long been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long
carriage bolts.<br /> <br />The home's new owners are Chip and
Emily Linton and their twin ten-year-old daughters. Together they hope
to rebuild their lives there after Chip, an airline pilot, has to ditch
his 70-seat regional jet in Lake Champlain after double engine failure.
Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, however, most of the passengers aboard
Flight 1611 die on impact or drown. The body count? Thirty-nine – a
coincidence not lost on Chip when he discovers the number of bolts in
that basement door. Meanwhile, Emily finds herself wondering about the
women in this sparsely populated White Mountain village –
self-proclaimed herbalists – and their interest in her fifth-grade
daughters. Are the women mad? Or is it her husband, in the wake of the
tragedy, whose grip on sanity has become desperately tenuous? <br /><br />The
result is a poignant and powerful ghost story with all the hallmarks
readers have come to expect from bestselling novelist Chris Bohjalian: a
palpable sense of place, an unerring sense of the demons that drive us,
and characters we care about deeply. <br /><br />The difference this time? Some of those characters are dead." </span></i><span id="freeText6285941318080969046"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10209997-the-night-strangers?from_search=true" target="_blank">(</a></span><span id="freeText6285941318080969046"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10209997-the-night-strangers?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads)</a></span><i><span id="freeText6285941318080969046"><br /></span></i><br />
I chose <i>The Night Strangers</i> by Chris Bohjalian for this week's Hump Day Spotlight Novel because he has recently released his newest novel, <i>Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands</i>, and it is definitely getting all kinds of attention. I have yet to read that one, but I know his books are great and would recommend him to anyone. <br />
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This was my first Chris Bohjalian novel and I really enjoyed it. I've been told it's different than his other novels, so if you're a reader of his it may be different than what you've come to expect, but it's worth it. It was vaguely reminiscent, to me at least, of <i>Rosemary's Baby</i> by Ira Levin. This book is so much more than a ghost story. But you still might to sleep with the lights on.Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-25295131277433984022014-08-19T11:39:00.001-05:002014-08-19T11:39:16.754-05:00The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><u><b> Title:</b></u></i> <i>The Vanishing Season</i></div>
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<i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Jodi Lynn Anderson</div>
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<i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i> Young Adult/New Adult</div>
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<i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Gothic/Magical Realism</div>
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<i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Silver Needle, seemingly simple, but much more elegant and rich than expected.</div>
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<i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 4 out of 5 stars.</div>
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<i>"</i><span id="freeText1318915510754895520"><i>Girls started vanishing
in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror.
Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very
dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger
swell.<br /><br />The residents know me as the noises in the house at night,
the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the
glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this
house, this street, this town.<br /><br />I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.<br /><br />All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig.I am looking for the things that are buried.<br /><br />From
bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson comes a friendship story bound in
snow and starlight, a haunting mystery of love, betrayal, redemption,
and the moments that we leave behind."</i> (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18634726-the-vanishing-season" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>)</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1318915510754895520">First off let me say that this is not your typical ghost story, if you're looking for that, you won't find it here. I expected to be scared and not be able to sleep, I wasn't. Though I was haunted by this book for quite awhile after reading it. It's very elegant in its simplicity and so much happens, though you don't realize it while you're reading it. For a book where very little "happens" it really makes you think and deserves the praise that it has received. This isn't a book for everyone, it makes you think and it's not as lighthearted as it may seem. It is a book about people and relationships and growing up.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1318915510754895520">Maggie moves to Door County, WI from Chicago to an old house that has been in the family for years. There's something else in the house too, in the basement, but it's not scary. It's lost and confused. Maggie meets her neighbors, Pauline and Liam, a very strange couple and the adventure begins there for the three of them.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1318915510754895520">The missing girls are tied into the novel, but not as big of a part as I expected. I understand why it's in there, it shows the fear that the town faces and why people feel the way they do and act the way they do. Everything in this book, though it may not make sense at the time, ties together.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1318915510754895520">Jodi Lynn Anderson's description is perfect. You feel as if you're in the snowy woods with Maggie while she hikes around looking for birds. You feel her discomfort in the basement of the house. You feel her anguish and excitement as her life changes.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1318915510754895520">The end was truly heartbreaking. It made me very sad. I was shocked as well. I did not expect what happened. This is a book that is hard to explain without giving anything away, but I recommend it.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1318915510754895520">If you're looking for a fairly quick, yet deep and meaningful read, I suggest this one. It's not your stereotypical YA novel, I would also call it New Adult, as the characters are older and starting to learn what it's like to be an adult.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1318915510754895520">If you choose to read this, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.</span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-85049157306940748432014-08-18T15:46:00.000-05:002014-08-18T15:46:04.671-05:00The Selection (The Selection #1) & The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="goog_2143027830"></span><span id="goog_2143027831"></span><i>"</i><span id="freeText16847067810352676188"><i>For thirty-five girls,
the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the
life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of
glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete
for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.<br /><br />But for America Singer,
being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret
love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a
fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that
is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.<br /><br />Then America
meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans
she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed
of may not compare to a future she never imagined." </i>(<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>)</span><br />
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<i>"<span id="freeText3529109506841047575">The Selection began with thirty-five girls.<br />Now
with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win
Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still
struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who
could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?<br /><br />America
is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what
they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away." </span></i><span id="freeText3529109506841047575">(<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>)</span><br />
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575"><br /><i><u><b>*This is a review for both </b></u></i><u><b>The Selection <i>and </i>The Elite<i>*</i></b></u></span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575"><u><b><i>Author:</i></b></u><i> </i>Kiera Cass</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575"><u><b><i>Type:</i></b></u> Young Adult</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575"><i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Dystopian</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575"><i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Early Grey, something you've had before, but has an air of sophistication</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575"><i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 4 out of 5 stars.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575"> This series starts off with <i>The Selection</i>, which is an Abraham Lincoln Award nominee, which is voted upon by students. The premise intrigued me, and it can be best described as a hybrid of <i>The Hunger Games</i> and <i>The Bachelor</i>. It may not seem like a fight for their life to many, but to America Singer, the Selection is the only way to save her family.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575">This is another dystopian series, but it is definitely different than many that are seen on the shelves today. We see what the United States, and the world itself, has turned into in "our future". There is a class system in place and each class has a specific duty to perform. By entering the Selection, and possibly marrying the prince of Illea, America can secure her and her family's future.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575">This novel is more than girls prancing around in dresses and trying to get a guy's attention. Kiera Cass writes about the rebellion against the crown from two factions, the North and the South. You learn of their differences and what they want from the capital of their country. You also see how the characters deal with it and how it is something the girls need to take into account if they want to be the princess, and one day the queen. In <i>The Elite</i> you get some more insight into the two different factions, but you don't get all your answers right away, leaving you clamoring for <i>The One</i> (which I still am, as I'm a little ways down the hold list!).</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575">The only thing I dislike about this novel is the love triangle. I understand why it's in there, since it would be too easy for America to simply love Prince Maxon right away. But the other point of the triangle, Aspen, is a horrid character. He's terrible to America, but when they try to reconcile, he makes her feel like she's been the one in the wrong, and she totally goes along with it. She's constantly apologizing and he's just like "Yeah, it's cool" like he didn't do anything. Every time I see his name on a page, I groan. I can't wait to see if he's gone, I sure hope so! Also, his hair being described as "stringy" did absolutely nothing to lend him an appearance of beauty.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575">I'm definitely intrigued by these and I am looking forward to reading <i>The One</i> and seeing how Kiera Cass ties up this tale. She also has two short stories entitled <i>The Prince</i> and <i>The Guard</i>, which I am looking forward to reading.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText3529109506841047575">If you're looking for a different, but more lighthearted dystopian, check these out!</span></div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-46897838921778540812014-08-18T15:11:00.000-05:002014-08-18T15:11:21.816-05:00September Girls by Bennett Madison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"</i><span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><i>When Sam's dad whisks
him and his brother off to a remote beach town for the summer, he's all
for it-- at first. Sam soon realizes, though, that this place is
anything but ordinary. Time seems to slow down around here, and
everywhere he looks, there are beautiful blond girls. Girls who seem
inexplicably drawn to him. <br /><br />Then Sam meets DeeDee, one of the
Girls, and she's different from the others. Just as he starts to fall
for her, she pulls away, leaving him more confused than ever. He knows
that if he's going to get her back, he'll have to uncover the secret of
this beach and the girls who live here."</i> (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>)</span><br />
<span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><i><u><b>Title: </b></u>September Girls</i></span><br />
<span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><i><u><b>Author:</b></u></i> Bennett Madison</span><br />
<span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><i><u><b>Type:</b></u></i>Young Adult</span><br />
<span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><i><u><b>Genre:</b></u></i> Magical Realism</span><br />
<span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><i><u><b>Tea:</b></u></i> Sleepytime Tea, whimsical, a little ethereal, feels like a dream.</span><br />
<span id="freeText16725435423543711709"><i><u><b>Rating:</b></u></i> 3.5 out of 5 stars.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText16725435423543711709">I was very excited when I found <i>September Girls</i> by Bennett Madison. I am a huge magical realism fan and was particularly intrigued by his use of mermaids in this manner. It also takes place, predominantly, in North Carolina, and I am a huge fan of the Carolinas, so this intrigued me even more. Perfect beach read (though I didn't get to it while on the beach, sadly).</span><br />
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<span id="freeText16725435423543711709">At the beginning of the novel we meet Sam, your typical high school guy, with your not so typical family. His mom up and left them to live on a commune, his dad is freaking out and randomly uprooting him and his college age brother for a vacation at a beach he went to when he was younger.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText16725435423543711709">While I enjoyed the premise of this book and trying to figure out the mystery of the beach and the Girls at the beach, it moved a little too slowly for me. I felt there was a lot of unnecessary description of things. Maybe it was to get a better feel for Sam and his brother, but I didn't quite see how that connected with the story overall. The saving grace was the magical realism element.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText16725435423543711709">I liked the story of the Girls and I liked the background clues you got about them between chapters. I understand how this is a book about growing up. And how you can't just expect to find something, it comes to you when you least expect it and when you're not actively looking.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText16725435423543711709">So not a bad book, but not the page turner I was expecting either.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText16725435423543711709">But if you are looking for a mermaid tale with some magical realism thrown in, I highly recommend <i>Monstrous Beauty</i> by Elizabeth Fama.</span>Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-63332388352190639922014-08-17T23:46:00.002-05:002014-08-18T00:02:37.018-05:00Sunday Funday List: Top 10 Historical Fiction NovelsHey everyone! It's Sunday again. This week's Sunday Funday List is the Top 10 Historical Fiction Novels! Whether it's realistic fiction, fantasy or mystery, it might make its way onto this list. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and can't get enough of it. In no particular order, here are some of my favorites (all synopses from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>):<br>
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1. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6218281-the-sweetness-at-the-bottom-of-the-pie" target="_blank">The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie </a></i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6218281-the-sweetness-at-the-bottom-of-the-pie" target="_blank">(Flavia de Luce #1)</a> by Alan Bradley<br>
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"<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">It is the summer of
1950–and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an
aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of
inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage
stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a
man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying
breath.<br><br>For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life
begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. 'I wish I could say I
was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most
interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.'"</span><br>
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<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">Flavia de Luce is one of my all time favorite characters. She's the coolest eleven-year-old you'll ever meet. Her mysteries are intriguing and she's incredibly smart. You get a great sense of 1950's England from her stories. Alan Bradley's description really brings this world to life. The following novels in the series continue this fantastic story of this amazing young girl.</span><br>
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<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">2. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1306948.The_Tea_Rose" target="_blank"><i>The Tea Rose</i> (The Tea Rose #1)</a> by Jennifer Donnelly </span><br>
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"<span id="freeText7206601073615531513">East London, 1888 - a
city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores, and
dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a
killer stalks at night, where bright hopes meet the darkest truths.
Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, Fiona Finnegan, a worker
in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her
lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their
faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save, and
sacrifice to achieve their dreams.<br><br>But Fiona's life is shattered
when the actions of a dark and brutal man take from her nearly
everything-and everyone-she holds dear. Fearing her own death, she is
forced to flee London for New York. There, her indomitable spirit
propels her rise from a modest West Side shop-front to the top of
Manhattan's tea trade. But Fiona's old ghosts do not rest quietly, and
to silence them, she must venture back to the London of her childhood,
where a deadly confrontation with her past becomes the key to her
future."</span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeText7206601073615531513">This story really took me by surprise! The premise intrigued me, but it was really so much more than I expected. It spans continents and years and lifetimes. It gives you a glimpse into life in London while Jack the Ripper prowled the streets. It lets you experience moving to America and trying to create a life for yourself. Such a great novel, and the second two, <i>The Winter Rose</i> and <i>The Wild Rose</i>, don't disappoint. </span><br>
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<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">3. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1278752.The_House_at_Riverton" target="_blank">The House at Riverton</a></i> by Kate Morton</span><br>
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"<span id="freeText5348007681482229212">Grace Bradley went to
work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the
First World War. For years her life was inextricably tied up with the
Hartford family, most particularly the two daughters, Hannah and
Emmeline.<br><br>In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party
held at the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were
Hannah and Emmeline and only they -- and Grace -- know the truth.<br><br>In
1999, when Grace is ninety-eight years old and living out her last days
in a nursing home, she is visited by a young director who is making a
film about the events of that summer. She takes Grace back to Riverton
House and reawakens her memories. Told in flashback, this is the story
of Grace's youth during the last days of Edwardian aristocratic
privilege shattered by war, of the vibrant twenties and the changes she
witnessed as an entire way of life vanished forever."</span><div><span id="freeText7488677394385814955"><br></span>
<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">All of Kate Morton's novels are fantastic, I had a hard time picking just one to put on this list. I had to though, otherwise four spots would be filled. Any fans of <i>Downton Abbey</i> will devour <i>The House at Riverton</i>. Kate Morton's descriptions are vivid and you feel as if you're there with the characters. The mystery is also very intriguing and just when you think you have it figured out, she throws you a curve ball. If you haven't read her, I highly recommend it. And read all of them!</span><br>
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<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">4. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9792287-the-rose-garden?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Rose Garden</a></i> by Susanna Kearsley</span><br>
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"<span id="freeText15208873379770417052">'Whatever time we have,' he said, 'it will be time enough.'<br><br>Eva
Ward returns to the only place she truly belongs, the old house on the
Cornish coast, seeking happiness in memories of childhood summers. There
she finds mysterious voices and hidden pathways that sweep her not only
into the past, but also into the arms of a man who is not of her time.<br><br>But
Eva must confront her own ghosts, as well as those of long ago. As she
begins to question her place in the present, she comes to realize that
she too must decide where she really belongs."</span></div><div><span id="freeText7488677394385814955"><br></span>
<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">If you're looking for historical fiction, with some time travel, a little romance, some pirates and mystery thrown in, then look no further! This was my first Susanna Kearsley novel and it did not disappoint! Her melding of the two time periods is seamless and her description is beautiful. Can't wait to read more of her novels!</span><br>
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<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">5. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6381205-soulless?from_search=true" target="_blank"><i>Soulless</i> (The Parasol Protectorate #1)</a> by Gail Carriger</span><br>
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"<span id="freeText3981994718187977610">Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. <br><br>First,
she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian
and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all
standards of social etiquette.<br><br>Where to go from there? From bad
to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire--and then
the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent
by Queen Victoria to investigate.<br><br>With unexpected vampires
appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe
Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to
London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural
powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real
enemy, and do they have treacle tart?"</span></div><div><span id="freeText7488677394385814955"><br></span>
<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">If you enjoy steampunk, or are going "WTF is steampunk?", then this is the book for you! It's great for fans and a great introduction to those who don't know what steampunk is. It's also a fun paranormal story. Alexia is not your average heroine. Gail Carriger writes with wit and creativity that are hard to find in other series. I highly recommend this series, as well as her YA Finishing School series, which is a prequel of sorts to these novels. She also has a series coming out in 2015 (YAY!) that takes place after this one. Read them, just do it.</span><br>
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<span id="freeText7488677394385814955">6. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16188.Wideacre?from_search=true" target="_blank"><i>Wideacre</i> (Wideacre #1)</a> by Philippa Gregory</span><br>
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<br><span id="freeText11213550191459381929">"Beatrice Lacey, as
strong-minded as she is beautiful, refuses to conform to the social
customs of her time. Destined to lose her family name and beloved
Wideacre estate once she is wed, Beatrice will use any means necessary
to protect her ancestral heritage. Seduction, betrayal, even murder --
Beatrice's passion is without apology or conscience. "She is a Lacey of
Wideacre," her father warns, "and whatever she does, however she
behaves, will always be fitting." Yet even as Beatrice's scheming seems
about to yield her dream, she is haunted by the one living person who
knows the extent of her plans...and her capacity for evil. <br><br>
Sumptuously set in Georgian England, Wideacre is intensely gripping,
rich in texture, and full of color and authenticity. It is a saga as
irresistible in its singular magic as its heroine."</span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeText11213550191459381929">From the queen of historical fiction, Philippa Gregory, best known for her Tudors series (i.e. <i>The Other Boleyn Girl</i>), comes an intriguing and captivating trilogy. This was my first novel by her and I instantly fell in love with it. It's more than just a favorite historical fiction novel, it's one of my favorites period. Her description and attention to detail are unparalleled. And her storytelling is fantastic. Not necessarily for the faint of heart as it is a rather twisted tale, but one that you can't stop thinking about once it's done! I HAD to start the second one as soon as I finished.</span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeText11213550191459381929">7. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/289681.Lily_s_Crossing" target="_blank">Lily's Crossing</a> by Patricia Reilly Giff</span><br>
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"<span id="freeTextContainer10001483870933813452">When Lily meets Albert,
a refugee from Hungary, during the summer of 1944, they begin a special
friendship. However, Lily and Albert have both told lies, and Lily has
told a lie that may cost Albert his life."</span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeTextContainer10001483870933813452">I love this book. I read it obsessively when I was younger and still think about it all the time. It's one of my favorite books ever. It's a great story and a very touching one. It's also a good way to introduce younger readers to that time and what it was like for kids during WWII.</span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeTextContainer10001483870933813452">8. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/803120.Witch_Child" target="_blank"><i>Witch Child</i> (Witch Child #1)</a> by Celia Rees</span><br>
<br>
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"<span id="freeText13405492965424960828">Enter the world of
young Mary Newbury, a world where simply being different can cost a
person her life. Hidden until now in the pages of her diary, Mary's
startling story begins in 1659, the year her beloved grandmother is
hanged in the public square as a witch. Mary narrowly escapes a similar
fate, only to face intolerance and new danger among the Puritans in the
New World. How long can she hide her true identity? Will she ever find a
place where her healing powers will not be feared?"</span><br>
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<span id="freeText11213550191459381929">Another book I obsessively read. My copy is very well loved. Such an intriguing story and another great way to introduce younger readers to a time period. Celia Rees gives enough description to allow the reader to feel like they are there, but not to bore or overwhelm someone that isn't a big reader or isn't ready for that level yet. What a great story. Sadly the sequel, <i>Sorceress</i>, didn't quite hit the mark, at least for me.</span><br>
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<span id="freeText11213550191459381929">9. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77203.The_Kite_Runner" target="_blank">Kite Runner</a></i> by Khaled Hosseini</span><br>
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"<span id="freeText14847954079601493630">Amir is the son of a
wealthy Kabul merchant, a member of the ruling caste of Pashums. Hassan,
his servant and constant companion, is a Hazara, a despised and
impoverished caste. Their uncommon bond is torn by Amir's choice to
abandon his friend amidst the increasing ethnic, religious, and
political tensions of the dying years of the Afghan monarchy, wrenching
them far apart. But so strong is the bond between the two boys that Amir
journeys back to a distant world, to try to right past wrongs against
the only true friend he ever had.<br><br>The unforgettable,
heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and
the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully
crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being
destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and
the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of
fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies."</span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeText14847954079601493630">Oh man, what a book. I cried, oh did I cry. This story is beautiful and heart-wrenching. Khaled Hosseini writes in a way that you feel you're watching everything unfold over the main character's shoulder. You can't help but get wrapped up on this novel. I was reading it on the train and found myself yelling at it out loud, much to the confusion of several passengers. This is definitely a book to read.</span><br>
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<span id="freeText14847954079601493630">10. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9951003-becoming-marie-antoinette?from_search=true" target="_blank"><i>Becoming Marie Antoinette</i> (Marie Antoinette #1)</a> by Juliet Grey</span><br>
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"<span id="freeText18101491980934836321">This enthralling
confection of a novel, the first in a new trilogy, follows the
transformation of a coddled Austrian archduchess into the reckless,
powerful, beautiful queen Marie Antoinette. </span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeText18101491980934836321">'Why must it be me?' I wondered. 'When I am so clearly inadequate to my destiny?'</span><br>
<span id="freeText18101491980934836321"><br>Raised
alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress
of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence
would one day be sacrificed to her mother's political ambitions. What
she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon. </span><br>
<span id="freeText18101491980934836321"><br>Before
she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the
glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change
"everything" about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France
and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI.
Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take
to become queen. </span><br>
<span id="freeText18101491980934836321"><br>Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries,
lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, <i>Becoming Marie Antoinette </i>will
utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike."</span><br>
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<span id="freeText11213550191459381929">Marie Antoinette is my favorite Queen and I will read anything about her that I can get my hands on, fiction or non-fiction, anything. I was so excited when I found this series and Juliet Grey does a wonderful job! You learn so much while reading this novel, but you're so engrossed in the story it just flies by. Like the description said, great for non-fiction and fiction lovers. Her description of Versailles makes you want to hop on a plane and go visit. If you like Marie Antoinette, or want to learn more about her, check this series (2. <i>Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow</i>; 3. <i>Confessions of Marie Antoinette</i>) out!!</span><br>
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<span id="freeText11213550191459381929">So there's this week's list! Anything you would put on your list that you didn't see here? See anything that piqued your interest?</span></div>Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-78782832948629718972014-08-09T12:10:00.001-05:002014-08-10T10:50:33.900-05:00Sunday Funday List: Top 10 Worst Book to Movie/TV Show Adaptations<p dir="ltr">Sunday we meet again!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Hi everyone. This week's Sunday Funday List is the Top 10 Worst Book to Movie/TV Show Adaptations. We all know how we feel when we see one of our favorite books being turned into a blockbuster. First we're excited "Yay! It's coming to life!" Then we worry "What if they screw it up?" Then we're angry "How dare they?! They left everything out!" Below I have compiled some of (but not all, as that list would be a million years long) the worst adaptations, at least in my opinion. In no particular order, here they are:</p>
<p dir="ltr">1. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41865.Twilight?from_search=true"><i>Twilight</i></a> by Stephenie Meyer<br>
First, yes I know these books weren't the best books, but listen. I enjoyed them for what they were, and honestly I think the hype and the horrible movies ruined them even more. Yes, in the book Bella is obsessive and whiny, but at least she emotes! Sorry KStew, but you're a brick wall. Her "happy", "sad", "scared", etc. all looked the exact same. How am I supposed to know if she's scared or happy that Edward is creeping on her while she's sleeping? (For the record, she was happy, not that you can tell). But it wasn't only her, everyone was horrid. It was so cheesy. These actors are in other movies and they're great, but this just was sad. The special effects leave a lot to be desired as well. If you've seen the movies and feel the same way, or haven't seen the movies but don't want to actually watch, or just need a good laugh, go watch this: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gugBiEkLwU">Honest Trailer:</a><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gugBiEkLwU"> Twilight</a></i>.There is so much more I could say about this, but I'd be here forever. And all the other films are pretty bad too. <i>Eclipse</i> and <i>Breaking Dawn Pt. 1</i> made some headway, just a little, but it all went back downhill in <i>Breaking Dawn Pt. 2</i>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">2. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10917.My_Sister_s_Keeper?from_search=true"><i>My Sister's Keeper</i></a> by Jodi Picoult<br>
They changed the ending. THEY CHANGED THE ENDING! Jodi Picoult, how could you let them do this?! That ending is the WHOLE POINT of the book. Like...just...ugh. Even the movies made for Lifetime based off of your novels are better than this! Sure, the ending of the movie was sad, but not what was written in the book. The movie didn't even come close to the emotional punch and complexity of the novel. I was working at Six Flags at the time I was reading it and had it with me at the food stand I worked. It was August so a lot of kids were going back to school, so I had ample time to read. When I got to the end I was crying like a baby, much to the concern of the customers. And Cameron Diaz did not fit the mom character, no offense, but she is not at all what I pictured. I was quite disappointed by the movie. I recommend reading the book, don't bother with the film.</p>
<p dir="ltr">3. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24337.Ella_Enchanted?from_search=true"><i>Ella Enchanted</i></a> by Gail Carson Levine<br>
To any girl, especially girls around my age, this book was the s*hit. We discussed it like we were in book club and had a test on it at school. My copy is so worn due to obsessive re-readings. Everyone wanted a Prince Char to come rescue them from some weird curse, heck, we wanted a weird curse! Ella's adventure is so cool. She meets giants and fairies and a talking book. I want to go re-read this right now. But the movie? Oh the movie, it hurt. They turned it into a comedy. Yes the book had funny moments, but it was serious too. And the cheese factor in the movie was horrible. The step-sisters were practically comic book characters and VERY unrealistic. And the random break out into song and dance scene? That was just so Anne Hathaway could show off. This is one of those movies that when you're sick at home and nothing else is on TV you leave it on since it won't make you think (I did that). If you haven't read the book, do it, this movie will do nothing for you.</p>
<p dir="ltr">4.<i> </i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10589.Bag_of_Bones?from_search=true"><i>Bag of Bones</i></a> by Stephen King<br>
This novel terrified me. I couldn't sleep after I read it. I had to wait until I had company staying the night in order to finish it. And it was so good! The characters, the plot, the ending, everything. But the TV miniseries on A&E? Horrid. They tried to keep to the main plot, but then changed one of the most important parts of the big twist/ending. You had a perfectly good story, why keep some of it and then completely change the rest? And no offense to Pierce Brosnan and Annabeth Gish, but they did not fit the main characters, at least to me. They felt (again, apologies) too old for the characters described in the book. And here it goes again, they had the bad guys almost comically cheesy. I had a hard time taking them seriously. In the novel they're scary and you wouldn't want to run into them anywhere, but in the miniseries  I just shrugged when they showed up. Also their portrayal of the haunted house left something to be desired. There was so much potential for a great movie/tv show/miniseries in this novel, but unfortunately they floundered it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">5. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6320534-under-the-dome?from_search=true"><i>Under the Dome</i></a> by Stephen King<br>
Again, another Stephen King. What's going on dude? Keep Hollywood in line. This novel was great. Even though it's 1,074 pages long I tore through it in just a few days. This novel has such an interesting dilemma and makes you think about what you would do if you were in that situation. It's scary! There is, again, so much you can do with this novel. So CBS turned this into a TV show. I watched the first, two, maybe three episodes. Awful, just awful. I think you either need to stick to the story or TOTALLY make it your own. This show is somewhere in the middle, and it's not pretty. For anyone that read the novel you'll be sorely disappointed if you watch this. The characters are different, but they still try to throw the same storyline in there. It's just not going to work. They also made it so people in the dome can't talk through the dome with those outside of it, which is a big point in the book. And again, there's a big cheese factor. For me the final straw was watching a cow get sliced in half when the dome came down. The way they changed the characters, there's no way that they could possibly stick with the story line, unless it's incredibly convoluted. And even if I hadn't read the novel, I don't think I would want to watch it, it bored me. *sigh*</p>
<p dir="ltr">6. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/968.The_Da_Vinci_Code?from_search=true"><i>The DaVinci Code</i></a> by Dan Brown<br>
I really liked this novel, like the rest of the general populace. It was intriguing and the mystery kept my attention. There were great twists and turns and made for great story telling. Fitting all of that into a movie is difficult. It almost felt as if everything fell into the characters' laps the whole time. It all seemed too easy, which is you read the novel, you know it's not. They do way too much to fit into a 2 hour movie. Also I did not see Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. I love Tom Hanks, he's a great actor, but he did not fit this part. That ruined part of it for me. And, little peeve since it plays a fairly big part in the ending, Sophie didn't have red hair. When it's a big plot point in a book, don't change it. Ian McKellan was fantastic though, he may be the saving grace of this film. He makes, at least his parts, worth watching.</p>
<p dir="ltr">7. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/960.Angels_Demons"><i>Angels & Demons</i></a> by Dan Brown<br>
This is hands down my favorite book by Dan Brown. And again, Hollywood screwed it up. You can't fit everything that happens into the timeline of a movie. Which I get, I know they can't do that, but when it comes to these books, you NEED everything. Without everything the story doesn't make sense. It's not like they were trivial little scenes that had nothing to do with the plot. Everything had to do with the plot. And I still can't take Tom Hanks as Robert. It just doesn't work, even in this second film (even though this book was first). I've only seen this once, as I was so disappointed, so I can't say too much about the little details, but this is not what I was expecting. I think most other fans agree, as they haven't made <i>The Lost Symbol</i> into a movie yet (which is good, 'cos I really liked that one too).</p>
<p dir="ltr">8. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game?from_search=true"><i>Ender's Game</i></a> by Orson Scott Card<br>
I read this book in 8th grade and fell in love with it. I couldn't put it down. So when I heard they were going to make a movie about it I was excited, but nervous since there was a lot they could screw up. I checked it out from the library and unfortunately, they did. The visuals are stunning. And I really enjoyed how they did the training scenes, it looked like I envisioned it. But I was just bored. It couldn't keep my attention. I found myself going on my phone, reading articles, picking up books. I had to constantly rewind. After what I thought was maybe an hour and a half, I was only half an hour or so in, so I gave up. It did not catch my attention at all like the book did. Maybe if I could just look at the pretty visual sequences, I'd be fine.</p>
<p dir="ltr">9. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/119322.The_Golden_Compass?from_search=true"><i>The Golden Compass</i></a><i> </i>by Philip Pullman<br>
What a great book. What a great series. I couldn't wait to see the movie. The actors were great for the parts, the visuals were beautiful, the effects were good. But the storytelling. Oh the storytelling. It starts out okay, but starts to disintegrate as it goes, especially the ending. They change it, a lot. It defeats the whole purpose of the ending in the book. Why movies do this I'll never understand. Why stay true to a book, at least mostly, throughout and then change the ending? Especially when the ending is integral to the book and the rest of the series. This film isn't the worst adaptation from a book, but the ending is what put it on this list. I may just stop the movie before I get there next time and pretend it didn't happen.</p>
<p dir="ltr">10. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8428069-the-lying-game?from_search=true"><i>The Lying Game</i></a> by Sara Shepard<br>
I was excited to see ABC Family adapting Sara Shepard's other series since I enjoy <i>Pretty Little Liars</i> (go ahead, judge me). I was really enjoying it at first, but then it started to drag. The same things kept happening and nothing was really moving forward. The books haven't been as big as <i>PLL</i>, but they're quite popular and very well rated. The story line moves forward quickly and keeps you intrigued. The show started lacking that quality. The reason I kept watching was that Charisma Carpenter joined the cast and I have to watch anything that <i>Buffy</i> alum are in, plus she's a great actress. The show managed to get a second season, but unfortunately kept going downhill. If you're interested in this, I recommend just reading the books.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Honorable Mention:<br>
<i>City of Bones</i> by Cassandra Clare - The movie just didn't cut it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So there's my list for this week. Do you agree with these? Is there something you thought you'd see on there that you didn't? How do you feel about all these books being turned into movies and TV shows?</p>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244070501146863669.post-87381656416282047892014-08-09T09:37:00.001-05:002014-08-09T09:37:42.289-05:00August's Book Recipe: Hummingbird PancakesHi everyone! Here is the first edition of my recipes related to books post.<br />
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This week my choice is Hummingbird Pancakes. Hummingbird Cake (which these pancakes are a variation on) is similar to carrot cake, but uses banana and pineapple. To me Hummingbird Cake screams summer. It is also an important cake in one of my favorite books, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5126859-the-girl-who-chased-the-moon?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Girl Who Chased the Moon</a></i> by Sarah Addison Allen.<br />
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Food plays an important role in her novels, and you can often find recipes at the end. If you haven't read any of her books, I highly suggest them.<br />
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I got my Hummingbird Pancake recipe from <i><a href="http://www.southernliving.com/" target="_blank">Southern Living</a></i>. It turns out that when their original Hummingbird Cake recipe was printed in 1978 it wound up being the most requested recipe in their history! That's some pretty good cake.<br />
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<a href="http://img4-2.myrecipes.timeinc.net/i/recipes/sl/12/12/hummingbird-pancakes-sl-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img4-2.myrecipes.timeinc.net/i/recipes/sl/12/12/hummingbird-pancakes-sl-l.jpg" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li class="hasDeal cboxElement" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1 1/2 cups</span>
<span itemprop="name"> all-purpose flour</span> <span itemprop="preparation"></span><span class="dollar"></span></li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">2 teaspoons</span>
<span itemprop="name"> baking powder</span>
<span itemprop="preparation"> </span>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">3/4 teaspoon</span>
<span itemprop="name"> salt</span>
<span itemprop="preparation"> </span>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1/2 teaspoon</span>
<span itemprop="name"> ground cinnamon</span>
<span itemprop="preparation"> </span>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1 1/2 cups</span>
<span itemprop="name"> buttermilk</span>
<span itemprop="preparation"> </span>
</li>
<li class="hasDeal cboxElement" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1 cup</span>
<span itemprop="name"> mashed very ripe bananas</span> <span itemprop="preparation"></span><span class="dollar"></span></li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1/2 cup</span>
<span itemprop="name"> drained, canned crushed pineapple in juice</span>
<span itemprop="preparation"> </span>
</li>
<li class="hasDeal cboxElement" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1/3 cup</span>
<span itemprop="name"> sugar</span> <span itemprop="preparation"></span><span class="dollar"></span></li>
<li class="hasDeal cboxElement" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1 </span>
<span itemprop="name"> large egg, lightly beaten</span> <span itemprop="preparation"></span><span class="dollar"></span></li>
<li class="hasDeal cboxElement" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">3 tablespoons</span>
<span itemprop="name"> canola oil</span> <span itemprop="preparation"></span><span class="dollar"></span></li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount">1/2 cup</span>
<span itemprop="name"> chopped toasted pecans</span>
<span itemprop="preparation"> </span>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span style="color: black;">Cream Cheese Anglaise</span></span>
<span itemprop="preparation"> </span>
</li>
<li class="hasDeal cboxElement" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> Garnishes: sliced bananas, chopped fresh pineapple</span> <span itemprop="preparation"></span><span class="dollar"></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>
Preparation</h3>
<ol itemprop="instructions">
<li>Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk
together buttermilk and next 5 ingredients in another bowl. Gradually
stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients
are moistened. Fold in toasted pecans. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for
each pancake onto a hot buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet. Cook
3 to 4 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look
dry and cooked. Turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until done. Place in a
single layer on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30
minutes. Serve with Cream Cheese Anglaise.</li>
<li>Note: When using a griddle, heat it to 350°.</li>
<li>Tip: For tender pancakes, don't overmix the batter; it should be lumpy.</li>
</ol>
<div class="byline">
<div class="author">
<a href="http://www.southernliving.com/"><i><b><span itemprop="author">Southern Living</span></b></i></a>
<br clear="none" />
<span itemprop="published">DECEMBER 2012</span>
</div>
</div>
Tegan Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06428610823267470691noreply@blogger.com0