10,000 n' counting

OK, small news, but I have to say it. I think its cool that YA Bookmark has had over 10,000 people come by. I want to say every one of those people have looked at it and loved it, but probably not. :) But, a girl can dream, right? Still, I think it's cool and I hope in the future YA bookmark will recieve more exposure and more people delurk(is that a word?).

So thanks to everyone who has stopped by and who read my little blog!

Fantasy Fiction for Teen Girls

Ai Ling is a little different than most girls her age. She doesn’t want to get married to a man she doesn’t love. She doesn’t want to conform to the rules of a married wife which would make her subservient to her husband. However, if she does not marry she will bring shame to her family.

She doesn’t have much time to think about her martial status because she must rescue her father. Not only that but she has to fight demons along the way and vanquish a deadly foe that could destroy the entire Kingdom of Xia. While she is trying to save her kingdom from impending doom she meets Chen Young. She feels as a connection with him, but is unsure of what to do about it.

Silver Phoenix is a nice change from your typical fantasy books. The main character is female, and she is strong. She might not always be confident in every choice she makes, but I enjoyed that flaw. Ai Ling isn’t some angry, moody girl running around with a sword out to destroy everyone in her path. She is very human with a lot of emotion.

There is a lot of action in the book too. I’ve heard it said that female authors tend to write more romance than fight sequences when they write fantasy. This is not the case with Silver Phoenix. There is a ton of action sprinkled with a little romance.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel and I think students who enjoy fantasy will like Silver Phoenix. It has action, adventure and romance. Everything is covered in this novel. I look forward to reading Ms. Pon’s future novels.

Don't forget I have an upcoming interview with Ms. Pon which I will publish this Saturday.

Sneak Peak: Cleopatra's Daughter

Bestselling novelist Michelle Moran has a new release on the horizon. The book is entitled Cleopatra's Daughter. The publication date for this novel is Sept. 15, 2009. I'm looking forward to this one. I loved her previous novels Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen. For students who enjoy historical fiction this book is not to be missed.

Summary:The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome, but only two—the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander—survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place —the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the time. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

If you wish to find out more about Michelle Moran's books please visit her website at: http://www.michellemoran.com/

Historical Fiction Friday: Anna's World

Anna had a good life before a flood destroyed her father's store. Unable to care for his daughter he sends her to a Shaker community to live until things get better. For Anna things are hard. She is not used to the strict rules of the religious community and sometimes has a hard time fitting in. But when she goes to Boston she is not ready to deal with the demands made on a young woman. Will she be able to find happiness in Boston or will she go back to the Shaker community?

This book was a fun read because it deals with such an interesting subject: The Shakers. Shakers were a very interesting religious community back in the nineteenth century. They received their name because they dance, trembled and shouted.

Anna's World is well written and the characters are interesting. I think students who enjoy historical fiction will give this one a go. Also students who are interested in the Shakers may want to read this one as well.

Movie News: My Sister's Keeper

For those of you who do not know Jodi Picoult's book My Sister's Keeper has been made into a movie. I mention this becuase my students love Jodi Picoult. The book, and movie, deals with a very sensitive issue.

The movie will be released on June 26, 2009. So you still have time to read the book before the movie comes out.

Amazon Summary:
Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect match for her cancer-ridden older sister. Since birth, the 13-year-old has donated platelets, blood, her umbilical cord, and bone marrow as part of her family's struggle to lengthen Kate's life. Anna is now being considered as a kidney donor in a last-ditch attempt to save her 16-year-old sister. As this compelling story opens, Anna has hired a lawyer to represent her in a medical emancipation suit to allow her to have control over her own body. Picoult skillfully relates the ensuing drama from the points of view of the parents; Anna; Cambell, the self-absorbed lawyer; Julia, the court-appointed guardian ad litem; and Jesse, the troubled oldest child in the family. Everyone's quandary is explicated and each of the characters is fully developed. There seems to be no easy answer, and readers are likely to be sympathetic to all sides of the case.

News!

Cindy Pon, the author of The Silver Phoenix has just completed her interview with me and I will be posting in shortly. In addition, Cindy will be giving away a little trinket to selected readers of YA Bookmark. Free stuff rocks! Information will be upcoming!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! I hope the Easter bunny has been kind to you! Enjoy your chocolate!

Sneak Peak: The Chosen One

Last week this book arrived from Amazon Vine. I have to say The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams is an amazing read. I highly recommend it and I'm not even done with it yet! This book covers a very interesting subject matter. The character, Kyra, is living among a polygamous group.

From Amazon:
Taking a story “ripped from the headlines,” Williams looks inside a polygamist cult and the dangers it poses for one girl. Kyra and her father, three mothers, and 20 siblings live in an isolated community under the thumb of a prophet, who controls every aspect of his apostles’ lives. The most shocking intrusion of all comes when the prophet decrees that Kyra is to become the wife of her 60-year-old uncle. A secret patron of a local mobile library, Kyra knows there’s a world away from the compound she might escape to, but first she pins her hopes on her father’s ability to change the prophet’s mind. Instead, her family is threatened, and the stakes for her refusal to marry are raised. The clandestine relationship Kyra is having with one of the compound’s teenage boys is a romance more convenient than convincing (everyone is carefully watched except this duo, it seems).

I will be writing a review soon. The book will come out on May 12. Keep an eye out for it!

Upcoming Review!

Suzanne Crowley has been nice enough to give me an ARC copy of her upcoming book The Stolen One. Check out the cover! It's amazing! July 6, 2009 is the publication date.

Here is a little summary about her book, taken from Ms. Crowley's website.

Kat's true identity is a secret, even from her. All she has ever known are Grace and Anna and their small village. Kat wants more - more than hours spent embroidering finery for wealthy ladies and more than Christian, the gentle young farmer courting her. But there are wolves outside, Grace warns Waiting, with their eyes glowing in the dark . . . and Grace has given Kat safety and a home when no one else would. Then a stranger appears in their cottage, bringing the mystery of Kat's birth with her. In one night, Kat's destiny finds her: She will leave. She will journey to London, and her skill with the needle will attract the notice of the magnificant Queen Elizabeth - and of the wolves of the court. She will discover what Grace would never tell her.

Everything will unravel.

You can clink on Suzanne Crowley's Website to find out more information.

Upcoming Titles for the Month of April

I thought it might be nice to give readers a heads-up on a few titles that will be available in the month of April. I think I may do this at the beginning of each month. This is by no means a complete list.

• Crows & Cards by Joseph Helgerson
• Now I know by Aidan Chambers
• Purge by Sarah Darer Littman
• My Big Nose and other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter
• Angel of Warath: The Voice of God by Bill Myers
• Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill
• Sebastian Drake: Price of the Pirates by Philip Caveney
• New York Draft Riot by Walter Dean Myers
• Ghosts of War: My Tour of Duty by Ryan Smithson
• Why I fight by J. Adams Oaks
• Wishes on the Moon by Michael O. Tunnell