Feature and Follow Friday #28

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View and Alison at Alison Can Read. It is a great way for bloggers to make new friends and find new blogs to follow.  Go to either blog, follow ALL of the instructions and then add your link to the list.  Be sure to follow the featured blogs. This week's they are Hesperia Loves Books and Novel Days. It is just that easy!


This week's question:


Have you ever looked at a books cover and thought "this is going to be horrible?" But instead, you were pleasantly surprised? Show us the cover and tell us about the book.


Hold on, I am going to go stare at my bookshelf. By which I mean I will go stare at my "Read" shelf on Goodreads. 


I found one! That was hard. I tend to be a "judge a book by its cover" kind of girl.  But, the new cover for the book The Way We Fall does not appeal to me at all (I think it is because of the yellow, I don't like yellow very much). I know there is a picture within the words, but unfortunately, the yellow is what I see, it distracts from the image of the girl on the road. 

This book was excellent. I really enjoyed it. It is the story of a teenage girl trapped on a quarantined island due to a strange virus that is killing the island's residents. This cover could have really been a turn-off for me, but I requested the book from NetGalley when it had this cover which I actually like better:

So, have you ever disliked a cover, but loved the book? Leave a link to your Feature and Follow Friday in the comment section and I will stop by and check it out.

Review: Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Title:  Cross My Heart  

Author:  Sasha Gould

Genre:  Young Adult Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Random House Children’s Books

Imprint:  Delacourt Books for Young Readers

Format:  Digital Galley via NetGalley

Release Date:  March 13, 2012

Venice 1585

When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura’s father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice’s fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segrata, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segrata seems like the answer to Laura’s prayers. After she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister’s death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segrata and the women she has come to trust. (Summary courtesy of NetGalley)

Cross My Heart is set against the backdrop of beautiful Venice, Italy. But that beauty is not always what it seems. Mystery, intrigue and even murder abound in a city with more secrets than one can imagine. Those secrets are collected by the Segrata, a group of society women that may be more powerful than the men who run their city.  Somehow, Laura della Scala has found herself entwined with these women and she is unsure if that is a good thing…or the worst mistake of her young life.

I must admit, I am a sucker for historical fiction. The beauty and pageantry of the 1500s to the 1700s fascinates me. The fact that this book is set in 1585 was an immediate draw for me. Another draw: it is set in the one country in the world I am dying to visit—Italy. So, Cross My Heart had a lot of expectations to live up to right off the bat. Luckily, it did not disappoint. It gives the reader a strong plot and great characters.  It has a good, strong plot—after spending six years in a convent, Laura is suddenly summoned home after the death of her sister. Sadly, the death of her sister is not the only difficulty Laura must overcome. Cross My Heart also has some wonderful characters, ones I came to really like and care about. Laura is a wonderful heroine, searching for who she really is and finding her way in a world that is completely foreign to her. Despite the time period the book is set in, Laura is a strong female character with a mind of her own. And my new book crush has to be Giacomo. Granted, I do tend to melt when it comes to those Italian boys (after all, I married one), but Giacomo stole my heart. He is so sweet and sensitive, I just adored him. 

Perhaps the best part of this story was the mystery of Beatrice’s death and the Segrata. I cannot really say too much about it as I could give away integral parts of the story, but suffice to say that this book will keep you guessing. I swear every time I thought I had it all figured out, I turned out to be completely wrong. And I mean completely wrong. That is part of what makes this book so good. I don’t want to read a book that I figure out early on, I want it to keep me guessing right up until the end. Cross My Heart did just that.

Finally, I absolutely loved the fact that Cross My Heart is a stand-alone book. It is not “Book 1” or “Part 1.” I actually liked that, because I am getting a little weary reading books that leave me hanging. Being able to sit down and read a book from beginning to end and not have to wait another year for any kind of resolution was wonderful! That is not to say that I wouldn’t enjoy reading more from Ms. Gould or reading more about Laura della Scala or the Segrata, I just enjoyed reading a book that had an actual end.

All in all, Cross My Heart is a great read. It is filled with mystery, intrigue and beauty. I really enjoyed it and I will be recommending it to my librarian and teacher friends, as well as my daughters.

My grade for Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould:

 

 

Teaser Tuesday (March 6)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

·         Grab your current read

·         Open to a random page

·         Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

·         BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

My teaser this week comes from Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig (this is an digital galley, so the quote is subject to change when the book comes out on March 13):


"And, well, in public school, where there were all sorts of fashion statements and disasters on a daily basis, no one had ever seemed to care what I wore. But now I could feel eyes on my nondesigner skirt as I crossed the courtyard. Eyes of the very worst kind. Girl eyes."




Please leave a link in the comment section with a link to your Tuesday Teaser and I will stop by and check it out! 

Feature and Follow Friday #27

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee’s View and Alison at Alison Can Read. It is a great way for bloggers to make new friends and find new blogs to follow. Go to either blog, follow ALL the instructions and then add your link to the list. It’s just that easy!

This week’s question:


What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?


Most of my favorite books have recently been made or are about to be made into movies, so this is a tough question. I just read a book that I really liked, Cross My Heart**, a historical fiction piece with no paranormal aspects, that would make a great movie. There is action, romance and intrigue and I really enjoy period pieces.  I think Molly Quinn would be perfect for the main character, Laura. I can't think of anyone for the main male character, so perhaps an unknown actor would be the best choice. 

This is Molly Quinn (she plays Alexis on the tv show, Castle).






What about you? Let me know what book you would like to see made into a movie by leaving a link to your Feature and Follow Friday in the comment section. I have several options for following my blog:  Twitter, Facebook, GFC, Networked Blogs and Linky Followers!  


**I will be posting a review of Cross My Heart in the next few days. It will be released on 3/13.

Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Title:  Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles Book I)  

Author:  Jessica Spotswood

Genre:  Young Adult

Publisher:  G. P. Putnam’s Sons

Format:  ARC acquired via LibraryThing

Release Date:  February 7, 2012

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

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

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other (Summary courtesy of book jacket).

Born Wicked takes the reader into 1890s New England, but it is not the New England of our past, instead it is a vastly different world, a world run by the Brotherhood—an oppressive, religious group that lords over everyone and everything.  After taking control of New England from the witches, the Brotherhood has forbidden any one to use magic and everyone is required to attend religious services twice a week. They believe women have a “higher purpose,” that is to bear children and be a comfort to their husbands, obedient to the Brotherhood, pure of heart, meek of spirit and chaste of virtue. Women are forbidden to run businesses or study at university. The only choices given to women are to marry or to join the Sisterhood, the powerless female arm of the Brotherhood.  The Cahill sisters must navigate their way through this oppressive lifestyle, motherless and constantly in fear of being discovered.  Because the Cahill sisters are witches and discovery would mean the end of everything they know and love.

I enjoyed Born Wicked.  Spotswood has managed to write an original and engaging story in a genre full of copycats and lackluster storylines. She created memorable characters and a fascinating world. She gives us just enough back story to move things forward, but leaves us wanting more. I am extremely curious to learn more about the Brotherhood, how they came to power and why.  I also want to know the history of the witches and what caused them to lose power. I am hoping many of these questions will be answered in later books. Cate, Tess and Maura, the three Cahill sisters, are very well-written, dynamic characters.  There were many characters in this book who took me by surprise, not fitting the mold I expected them to fit. After reading the book jacket, I expected Finn Belastra, the “completely unsuitable” and “forbidden romance” to be one of those bad boy, brooding young adult characters, but he wasn’t.  And I loved him for it. Spotswood throws quite a few curveballs into this story, which is why I found it original and engaging. Things are never quite what you expect. Thank you for that, Ms. Spotswood, thank you.

I recommend picking up Born Wicked, especially if you are looking for something new and different. I really enjoyed it and I will be passing it on to my daughters, I think they will like it.  I can’t wait for the second book!


My grade for Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood:

Teaser Tuesday (February 28)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

·         Grab your current read

·         Open to a random page

·         Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

·         BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

My teaser this week is from page 33 of Passion by Lauren Kate:

"The pain on his face took hold of Luce's heart and squeezed, wringing her out completely. On top of all the pain and confusion she felt, seeing his agony was worse."

Please leave a link to your Tuesday Teaser and I will stop by and check it out! Happy Tuesday everyone!

Review: Time Slice by Kerry Downing

Title:  Time Slice 

Author:  Kerry Downing

Genre:  Adult, Science Fiction

Publisher:  Camel Press

Format:  Kindle edition

Release Date:  June 10, 2011

    *book was provided by publishing company in return for an honest review and participation in a blog hop*

Newly retired workaholic Roy Washburn is not ready for a life of leisure. On a trip to the mall with his wife, he finds a small metal cylinder with odd markings. One nudge of the cylinder's triangle-shaped pointer and Roy finds himself embarking on an exciting new adventure in the Time Stream.  There he meets The Traveler, a tall, gangly being who shows Roy how to use the cylinder to visit other civilizations that co-exist on "his" Earth, each occupying a different, thin Time Slice. The Traveler solicits Roy's help in recovering an object invented by his murdered father and beyond his own reach. Roy is his last hope. At first it seems that the Traveler's wish might be easily granted. But after Roy's wife Emily becomes ill and his daughter's long-held resentments rise to the surface, he can no longer "travel" at a moment's notice. He also discovers the very real physical and mental risks involved in roaming the Time Stream. Despite the dangers, Roy is determined to help the Traveler. But he can't do it alone. Fortunately he has a loving wife and a core group of loyal friends. But first he must convince them--and his daughter--that he isn't crazy... (Summary courtesy of Amazon.com).

Time Slice is a time traveling story with an interesting twist. Our hero is not technically traveling through time, but rather slices of time that exist side-by-side. The explanation was a little bit over my head, but then again, I have never been much of a science person. I liked how Downing made his time traveling very unique and gave it an aspect of believability with the explanation. I could imagine that it might just be possible to slide from time slice to time slice, experiencing entirely new and amazing worlds. Downing’s writing really brought those different worlds to life. Not your usual sci-fi story.   

Perhaps my favorite aspect of Time Slice was not the science fiction, but rather the story of the deep love between a husband and a wife.  Roy and Emily have an intense connection, one that is a pleasure to read about. The real core of this story is the relationships between the characters:  Roy’s and Emily’s marriage, Roy’s strong circle of friends, his love for his granddaughter and his struggle to reconnect with his daughter. That is what makes this a story worth reading.

The story started to drag a bit in the middle, and there were a few times that I wondered where exactly the story was going.  I kept waiting for Roy to help The Traveler with his dilemma. I waited quite a while. Then, the ending felt a bit rushed, almost as if Downing wanted to wrap things up as quickly as possible.  The resolution to his issues with his daughter was definitely too rushed, and felt a bit false because of it. A little time spent stretching out the ending or pulling in the middle and expanding on the story at the end would have gone a long way toward making this an “A” story.

All in all, Time Slice was a pretty good book. Not a “knock-my-socks-off” kind of story, but one worth reading.  My grade for Time Slice by Kerry Downing: