Historical Fiction Friday

Historical Fiction author Robin Maxwell contacted me about her upcoming book O, Juliet. While it's not a YA book the characters (Romeo and Juliet) are teenagers. Plus, every teen I know has to read William Shakespeare's famous play Romeo and Juliet. And this is the ultimate love story, which I think will appeal to female readers.

I received a copy of this book and am looking forward to reviewing it in the future.

Check out Robin Maxwell's website .

Here is a summary:
Before Juliet Capelletti lie two futures: a traditionally loveless marriage to her father's business partner, or the fulfillment of her poetic dreams, inpired by the great Dante. Unlike her beloved friend Lucrezia, who looks forward to her arranged marriage into the Medici dynasty, Juliet has a wild, romantic imagination that takes flight in the privacy of her bedchamber and on her garden balcony.

Her life and destiny are forever changed when Juliet meets Romeo Monticecco, a soulful young man seeking peace between their warring families. A dreamer himself, Romeo is unstoppable, once he determines to capture the heart of the remarkable woman foretold in his stars.

Thank You!

A special thank you goes out to our Veterans. I appreciate the sacrifices you have made for our country.

I Want it Wednesday

Today the spotlight is on RX by Tracy Lynn. This is a book that has been out for a while, and a book that I haven't read yet but would love to.

Here is a summary: High school honors student Thyme Gilcrest uses her intelligence, popularity, and activities to hide the fact that she is also a drug dealer, supplying friends with illegally obtained prescription medications.

Things that go bump in the night

Rebecca's father is going to China on business and instead of leaving his daughter in New York City by herself he ships her down to her aunt's house in New Orleans. The idea of staying with her crazy hippy/gypsy aunt and cousin(who goes to a private school) isn't her idea of fun. But she doesn't have a choice.

Life in New Orleans is strange and hard to adjust to at first. Everyone seems obsessed with social class and family history. Rebecca isn't having fun until she follows the popular kids into the cemetery. Her world changes when she meets Lisette, a ghost who died from unnatural causes in 1850.

After Rebecca becomes friends with Lisette(a ghost) she is thrust into a world of curses, prejudice, murder, and scheming. Adding to her problems is Anton Grey, one of the popular boys. She is attracted to him, but he isn't a man she should love or a person she can trust.

I enjoyed this book a lot, but it had so many different elements that I love. First I have always been fascinated by New Orleans and its unique history. The author did a wonderful job of portraying the city. I like to explore different cemeteries(a cemetery was one of the settings in the book). Ghosts stories are fun(for me) and I though the author handled Lisette very well.

While I enjoyed the novel it did have a few flaws. I thought it started out a little slow. Rebecca wasn't a strong character. She seemed like a passenger along for the ride. She never figured anything out and had to be told everything.

Still, despite the flaws(which were minor in my opinion) I liked this book a lot. It was something different and unusual, something I haven't come across in quite sometime. I look forward to future novels by Ms. Morris.

Historical Fiction Friday

Some of you maybe saying...but it isn't Friday. And others maybe saying it isn't the fourth Friday of the month. Well, both would be correct. I worked at my second job last night and didn't get home until 11PM. I was way too tired to post anything. Also, I since I love Historical Fiction so much I thought I would dedicate each Friday to the genre.

The book I am spotlighting today is Josephine by Beverly Jerkins.

Here is a summary from Amazon:
Josephine Best has it all figured out. Just seventeen, she's been to college, she has her own hairdressing shop and she refuses to be distracted from her goals. At least until handsome George Brooks begins to pursue her. Jojo isn't looking for romance, but she permits George to call on her.

Adam Morgan has always been a Casanova, and no girl is immune to his charm. But when he comes home wounded from the War Between the States, it's a girl he used to call "Pest" who's turning his head. All grown up, Jojo is being courted by another soldier, and Adam knows it would be foolish to play with her heart. Even so, he just can't get the headstrong lady off his mind.

For her part, Jojo can't deny her growing feelings for Adam. But he's always been such a flirt—he can't possibly be serious about her. Besides, she has George falling all over himself to please her. As the war rages on, Adam's feelings for Jojo grow stronger, but Jojo's determination to resist him does, too. One thing is clear, though: Jojo is a girl who always gets what she wants, sometimes in spite of herself.

While I haven't read the novel, it sounds interesting. There are so few black characters in YA fiction. The Civil War is also a time period I have studied extensively. One reviewer said it was historically accurate. I'd love to find out if that's true.

I want it Wednesdays!

Some of the bloggers I follow showcase books that they are interested in. I thought I would do the same. So, every Wednesday I will have I want it Wednesday. Not all the books featured will be new titles. Some of the books maybe oldies but goodies that people have forgotten about.

For my first I want it Wednesday I thought I would shine the spotlight on Evil? by Timothy Carter. One of my students raved about this book. He couldn't stop talking about it, so of course I want it now.

Here is a summary: Stuart Bradley, a homosexual teenager living in a conservative Christian town in Ontario, Canada, dabbles in several forbidden activities, and when word gets out, he and some other teens face grave danger from the fallen angels that are inciting hatred and extremism in the community.