Historical Fiction Friday: The Plague

In the middle of the plague Nell's parents die. She's unsure what will happen to her and her brother, George. What will a couple of peasants do? Well, thankfully they don't have to think about it because Nell shares an uncanny resemblance to King Edward's daughter, Joan. So Nell is to be the princess's body double.

Things go well, until the princess dies. Nell is taken to Spain where she will marry the Prince of Castile. But Nell doesn't want to marry the prince and she, along with her brother and a soldier try to escape from Joan's(the dead princess) brother.

I wasn't as excited by this novel as I thought I would be. I thought there were far too many coincidences. The reviews on Amazon are good though. So maybe I am missing something.

Students who are looking for something different in their historical fiction may enjoy this novel.

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Turkey Day! I hope everyone has a wonderful day surrounded by friends and family. Also remember that there are no calories today. Eat up!

I want it Wednesdays

In today's spotlight is Sweep: Book of Shadows. I stumbled across this book and thought it looked interesting. There are fifteen books in the series. I guess I better start reading.

Summary: A seemingly average teenage girl named Morgan begins to experience strange powers and feelings, making her crush, Cal, a Wiccan himself, wonder if she could be a blood witch, a member of one of the Seven Great Clans.

Book Giveaway!

I am giving away a copy of Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon.

Here is a summary:
Baby, the first thing I need to know from you is do you believe I killed my father?"

So begins Upstate, a powerful story told through letters between seventeen-year-old Antonio and his sixteen-year-old girlfriend, Natasha, set in the 1990's in New York. Antonio and Natasha's world is turned upside down, and their young love is put to the test, when Antonio finds himself in jail, accused of a shocking crime. Antonio fights to stay alive on the inside, while on the outside, Natasha faces choices that will change her life. Over the course of a decade, they share a desperate correspondence. Often, they have only each other to turn to as life takes them down separate paths and leaves them wondering if they will ever find their way back together.


Contest Rules:

• This is a worldwide contest
• If you are a follower you get 5 entries
• If you are a new follower you receive 10 entries
• Contest ends Nov. 30.
• Please respond to this thread to enter

Help me get to 100 followers...please. I feel like I am the only blogger in the world with less than 100 followers.

It ain't easy being a teen

Tessa has a lot of problems. Her mother is distant and they do not have a strong relationship. She doesn't know her father because he ran out on the family when Tessa was a child. Another problem is that her mother is a hippie who won't let go of the past and drags Tessa wherever the wind takes them.

Poor Tessa is brought to a compound where her mother can get in touch with her spiritual self. Meanwhile, Tessa tries to make the best of a horrible situation. Things start to look up when she meets the older, handsome Colin. She is drawn to him and soon their relationship grows and takes Tessa down some mature roads.

Things in the compound start to get strange. Plus, Tessa decides she needs to reach out to her father by writing him letters. But will the outcome be what she wanted?

This book is for older readers because it deals with sex and drug abuse.

This is about a young woman trying to find herself during a confusing time. Any teen going through some awkward moments can relate to the main character.

Historical Fiction Friday: Mare's War

In the spotlight this Friday is Mare's War. I went to a conference and found out about this book by the presenter. I thought it sounded really cool.

Here is a summary:
15-year-old Octavia and 17-year-old Tali make the transformation from complaining, self-absorbed teens to observant, supportive family members. As the miles pass from California across the southern states, the girls become intrigued with memories of Mere's harsh childhood of domestic work and her struggle to protect herself and younger sister from their widowed mother's lecherous boyfriend. Mere's account of her war years is full of historical detail and lively personal anecdotes about the training, treatment, duties, and social life in her African-American regiment of the Women's Army Corps both on assignment in the U.S. and in the European Theater during 1944 and 1945.

I want it Wednesday

In today's spotlight is Slumgirl Dreaming: Rubina's Journey to the Stars. If anyone has seen the movie Slumdog Millionaire then they would be familiar with this little girl.

Here is a summary: Nine-year-old Rubina Ali recounts her childhood in the slums of Mumbai and her rise to stardom after being chosen to act in the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire."

Disburbing

This has to be one of the most disturbing graphic novels I have ever read.

The premise is simple. Pets are stolen from their homes and are medically altered to become killing machines. The animals are not working out and must be terminated, but they escape the lab. The government is horrified these killers are on the loose. The animals want to go home to the lives they remember, but the government wants them dead.

Besides disturbing this comic is very graphic. I was surprised by the gore factor. Although, I can forgive the blood and guts because it's not done to shock the reader. Still, this may raise some eyebrows if this comic goes into a school library.

The most touching part of the comic for me was the dog. He wanted to return home to the family that loved him. He wanted to be a good dog again. It was heart-wrenching to read.

We3 is a great comic and I strongly encourage people to read it. Due to its content this may not be a graphic novel suitable for everyone, including younger readers.

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.

Upcoming November Releases

Here is a list of upcoming November releases. Below is a short list of what is coming out.

Blessing's Beads looks interesting. I look forward to reading it.

How to ruin your boyfriend's reputation by Simone Elkeles
Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
Blessing's Beads by Debby Dahl Edwardson
Cashing In by Susan Colebank
The Pale Assasian by Patricia Elliott
Glitter by Babygirl Daniels
Oathbreaker: A Prince among Killers by S.R. Vaught & J. B. Redmond
The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger