Jazz Is All That's Between Your Ears

Published:  October 22nd, 2014

Jazz Baby

By: Tea Cooper

Escape Publishing

ISBN-13: 9780857991928

Sydney is no place for the fainthearted -- five shillings for a twist of snow, a woman for not much more, and a bullet if you look sideways at the wrong person.

Dolly Bowman is ready and willing to take on the brash, bustling city has to offer.  After all it is the 1920s, a time for a girl to become a woman and fulfil her dreams.  Turning her back on her childhood, she takes up a position working as a housemaid while she searches for her future.

World War I flying ace Jack Dalton knows he's luckier than most.  He's survived the war with barely a scratch, a couple of astute business decisions have paid off, and he's set for the high life.

But a glimpse of a girl that he had forgotten, from a place he's trying to escape suddenly set all his plans awry.  Try as he might he can't shake the past, and money isn't enough to pay the debts he's incurred.

Review

       I do not normally branch out past the USA for my contemporary authors (classics are a different story), but occasionally I'll find myself testing out an Australian, Canadian or British author because the book synopsis appeals to me too much to ignore.  This was one such case.  I know next to nothing about Australia in the 1920s Jazz Era, but I've loved learning about America during that time.  This book promises a strong, independent heroine and a somewhat emotionally scarred hero with a past romantic connection (at least it alludes to it in the blurb I read).  How can you loose with a brash, ex-WWI pilot and a gutsy jazz singer falling in love?  Well, apparently it's a possible outcome as I found out from this particular read.

       Dolly IS NOT who the blurb makes her out to be.  She only left home so she wouldn't have to get married, as that's all that was left for her at home after her father died and her brother never came home from the War.  She is timid, lets people talk to her like she's a doormat and is extremely naive about the real world.  Upon getting a job at a "boardinghouse" it takes her almost two days to realize that it's really a high-class brothel!!!  She spends a lot of time fighting the fact that the Madam of the house wants her to sing for entertainment and at first has almost crippling stage fright.  Jack Dalton is the boy next door, who served in the Air Corps with her brother, Ted, who was killed in action.  He sees Dolly at the brothel in Sydney and immediately tries to control her life on behalf of her dead brother.  He tells himself it's out of guilt, because he was unable to save Ted.  But he spends an awful lot of time staring at Dolly, basically drooling over her, for that to be true.

       There are a lot of plot "twists" in this short romance, each of them more eye-rollingly predictable than the last one.  Who the owner of the "boardinghouse" actually is, the identity of the mysterious boxer that Jack runs into, whether or not Cynthia (Jack's prostitute friend and occasional bed-mate from what I understood) could manage to keep Jack and Dolly apart.  It ended the way I thought it would and fact of how short it is and just how much is supposed to have happened in only a couple of days, is another thing that makes me unable to suspend my disbelief.  Plus, there is a whole thing at the end with another madam and some drug runners that is caused by Dolly's absolute inability to think that was ridiculous.

VERDICT:  1/5 Stars (Only because I finished it and it was pretty readable)

*I  received this book from Escape Publishing, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  The expected publication date is October 22nd, 2014.*

Frankly My Dear, I DON'T Give a Damn!

Published:  August 26th, 2008

Rhett Butler's People

By: Donald McCaig

St. Martin's Paperbacks

ISBN-13: 9780312945787

Rhett Butler's People fulfills the dreams of those whose imaginations have been indelibly marked by America's greatest novel, Gone With the Wind.  Here you'll meet Rhett as a boy, a free spirit who loved the marshes and tidewaters of the Low Country, and learn of the ruthlessness of Rhett's father, whose desire for control resulted in the unspeakable.

Through Rhett's eyes, you'll encounter those who shaped him in other ways: the Overseer's daughter, Belle Watling; Rosemary, Rhett's brave and determined sister; Tunis Bonneau, the son of freed slaves who understood the young Rhett like no one else; and Jack Ravanel, whose name became inextricably linked to heartbreak.  And then there's Katie Scarlett O'Hara herself -- the headstrong, passionate woman whose life is inextricably entwined with Rhett's; more like him than she cares to admit; more in love with him than either of them will ever know.....

Review  (BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!!)

       I mostly enjoyed this book, and thought it gave a fairly good representation of Rhett's history.  Even the first bit of it after Rhett left Scarlett felt realistic to me (I liked him raising hell with Tazewell Watling and Scarlett returning to Tara - they both rang true for me).  I didn't even mind Rosemary's relationship with Ashley Wilkes deepening past mere friendship, especially after her earlier correspondence with Melly (I loved the depth that McCaig gave Miss Melly in particular).  Where things started to devolve for me personally, was the minute Rhett sent Scarlett the Christmas present and she sent him the telegram.  It felt forced, like a way to somehow bring them back together before the book was over.  And that whole scene at the livestock auction, with Isaiah and his two goons, where Ashley and Will bust in to "handle it" and Will gets SHOT AND KILLED!!!  It was completely unnecessary!  And AS IF Suellen would just leave Tara with her kids and give it to Scarlett!!!  That whole thing made me scoff in disbelief.  Then Rhett just comes home, for seemingly NO. REASON. OTHER. THAN. THAT. GODDAMNED. TELEGRAM! (i.e. nonsensical plot device).  When he gets there, they're just together again.  Zero explanation and Rhett's money apparently saves the day, with them deciding to throw a barbecue "like the old days."  Then McCaig has the novel end with Isaiah Watling BURNING DOWN TARA!!!  Even Sherman didn't burn that freaking house, but THIS happens to IT?

       The ending just put the final nail in the coffin.  I could ignore the cheesy parallels between little Meg Haynes (Rosemary's daughter) and her cousin Bonnie Blue, and the whole thing where Rosemary ended up marrying that scoundrel Andrew Ravanel -- even when she seemed to have grown beyond such an idiotic choice.  But that ending...I don't think I can forgive that.  Unless you think you can get past my qualms, don't even bother reading it.  I actually think I preferred Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley.  I know, right?  That's not the best sequel ever either, so that ought to tell you something about this one!

VERDICT:  2/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Hold My Hand

Expected Publication:  July 1st, 2014

Copper Magic

By: Julia Mary Gibson

Starscape/Tor

ISBN-13:  9780765332110

Can an unearthed talisman found on the shores of Lake Michigan save 12-year-old Violet's fractured family?  Exploring themes of Native American culture, ecology, and conservation, this historical fiction novel comes brilliantly to life.

The year is 1906, and twelve-year-old Violet Blake unearths an ancient talisman --a copper hand-- beside the stream where her mother used to harvest medicine.  Violet's touch warms the copper hand and it begins to reveal glimpses of another time.  Violet is certain that the copper hand is magic -- and if anyone is in need of its powers, it's Violet.  Her mother and adored baby brother are gone, perhaps never to return.  Her heartbroken father can't seem to sustain the failing farm on the outskirts of Pigeon Harbor, on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Surely the magic of the copper hand can make things right for Violet and restore her fractured family.  Violet makes a wish.  But her ignorant carelessness unleashes formiddable powers -- and her attempts to control them jeopardizes not only herself, but the entire town of Pigeon Harbor.

In Copper Magic, land and waters are alive with memories, intentions, and impulses.  Magic alters Violet and brings her gifts -- but not always the kind she thinks she needs.  First-time author Julia May Gibson brings Violet and her community to life in this impressive and assured debut.

Review

     Violet Blake has been living with just her father on their farm for months now, ever since her mother took her baby brother Francis (aka Fry) and left.  Violet doesn't know why she left, when she's coming back and is actually starting to believe that both her Mom and her brother are actually dead.  Twelve year old Violet is stuck between a child and a teenager, outgrowing her shabby clothes and trying to stay a kid, but being forced into responsibility be her meddling Aunt.  The property down by the lake has been "bought" by church people, who are setting up camp for the summer.  Violet makes friends with a preacher's kid and one day by the lake she finds a copper hand, that she thinks is magical.  Maybe the hand can bring back her family and put her life back to normal.  But when the copper hand unleashes powers that Violet can't control and that could cause a lot of harm, and it is taken away by priveleged people who don't understand it, it's up to Violet to save the hand and return it to where it belongs before it's too late.

     The main draw for me was the fact that this book is set in Michigan, near Lake Michigan.  It also didn't hurt that this was a historical fiction book set in my home state.  I love me some decent historical fiction.  The tone was very reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, but without the stately wisdom that seems to assert itself in that novel (even with the main characters being children).  Violet Blake is our protagonist in this one, and while I get that kids were a hell of a lot more innocent/naieve/less jaded in the early 1900s for the most part, I just did NOT feel like I was reading something from the point of view of a twelve year old.  I honestly couldn't think of Violet as any older than nine or so years old.  Especially since most of this book centers around her unwavering belief in the magical powers of a hand made out of copper!

      Probably my favorite thing in this book as I was reading, ended up being the usage of Native American mysticism and culture to bring home the power of belief to make things change.  Also, I really loved the way Gibson portrayed the Native American people in this novel (Violet is actually the product of a half N.A. mother and a white father).  She doesn't ignore the racism and demeaning cultural attitudes of the time period, but still manages to make the characters rich and very developed.  They are never just convenient stereotypes.  There is also some beautiful imagery to do with the beaches, the Hotel that draws in the tourists every summer and the general natural beauties of Michigan.  The biggest complaint on my part would probably be the lack of personal change of Violet's part.  She spends the whole summer apprenticed to a famous lady photographer, trying to make wishes on a magical artifact and trying to retrieve the hand once it's been stolen.  Not to mention her issues with her father and her Aunt, who wants to make Violet into something she's not (and doesn't want to be) - a proper young lady.  Yet for all the heartache and trouble that the hand and her naievte bring into her life, Violet never seems to change all that much during the ensuing drama and tragedy.  Even the aftermath doesn't seem to affect her all that much.  I did appreciate the unresolved nature of the situation with Violet's Mom.  I liked that things were nowhere near as simple as she had made them, and that Violet and her Dad went in search of her Mom, instead of just taking the easy out, and having her return.  Overall, it's a very well written, historical fiction novel worth reading if you like a good mystical mystery.  I just feel like it belongs more in the middle grade catergorization than in the YA pool of novels.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is July 1st, 2014.*

A Tale of Ladies and Kitchen Maids

Expected Publication:  January 28th, 2014

Manor of Secrets

By: Katherine Longshore

Point

ISBN-13:  9780545567589

The year is 1911.  And at The Manor, nothing is as it seems...

Lady Charlotte Edmonds: Beautiful, wealthy, and sheltered, Charlotte feels suffocated by the strictures of upper-crust society.  She longs to see the world beyond The Manor, to seek out high adventure.  And most of all, romance.

Janie Seward: Fiery, hardworking, and clever, Janie knows she can be more than just a kitchen maid.  But she isn't sure she possesses the courage -- or the means -- to break free and follow her passions.

Both Charlotte and Janie are ready for a change.  As their paths overlap in the gilded hallways and dark corridors of The Manor, rules are broken and secrets are revealed.  Secrets that will alter the course of their lives...forever.

Review

     Lady Charlotte Edmonds is still very young and full of dreams, even if she does know pretty much exactly how her life will turn out.  She will be married, take her place in society and slowly become nothing in the eyes of the world, except for an addition to her husband (who she probably won't choose or love of her own accord either).  Charlotte wants nothing more than to break free, see the world and fall in love with someone of her decision.  Janie Seward is a kitchen maid at the Manor and has known hunger, tragedy and injustice.  But she has a fiery spirit and something very important: freedom from societal expectations.  All Janie wants though is to have a stable place at The Manor, and somewhere to belong.  She's too afraid to even dare to dream of going beyond her current station in life.  When Charlotte and Janie collide into each others' daily lives, it's all they can do to hang on for dear life.  Secrets long since buried come to light and the girls find out they have more than they ever thought possible in common.  Can they help one another rise above the mistakes of the past and into a brave new future together, that they can be excited for?

      This book was basically like Downton Abbey for a younger audience, with less emotional and character depths.  In Charlotte and Janie we have two of the normal stereotypes of the time period (early 1900s): the privileged lady and the kitchen maid.  That said, I did appreciate Charlotte's desperate want for something more and freedom to make her own choices.  She was realistically drawn in the sense that Charlotte has no real concept of the way the world works.  When she toys with the idea of an affair with a young servant named Laurence, Charlotte doesn't realize that it could end in ruination for her or at the least dismissal for him.  And his dismissal (along with the reasons for it) would lead to never being hired in another grand house.  Thus, a career and established life have been destroyed by fleeting fancy.  Also, the idea that Charlotte was at first appalled by the idea of Lord Andrew Broadhurst, because he was the one who her Mother wanted her to marry, and later actually liked him once she got to know him was wonderful.  He wasn't a disposable, one-dimensional boring moron (or evil jerk) like a lot of historical fiction love interests turn out to be.  Instead Laurence was a womanizing jerk!  It would have been so easy to go in the other direction for the sake of romanticizing and I applaud Longshore for not doing it.

     Janie on the other hand, was just as realistic in different ways.  She had such an uncertain childhood, that all she wants is to belong at the Manor and have nothing change ever again.  The interpolitics and hierarchy of the household servants, upstairs and downstairs, was well played.  I especially liked the fact that even with her Mom as the head cook, Janie was still treated as something of an outsider by the other servants, except her best friend Harry, the hall-boy.  Janie is up to taking small risks and dares that don't cause any real upheaval in her life, but she doesn't want adventure like Charlotte.  She just wants stability, even though she dreams of running her own kitchen.  When Charlotte's long-lost Aunt Beatrice comes to The Manor and brings an astounding secret with her, Charlotte will do anything to uncover it.  So enlisting the help of Jenny, and causing more trouble than either of them imagined (upstairs and downstairs), the girls set out to find the truth.  In the process they become pretty good friends and learn that the grass isn't always greener.  I have to say though, the secret of Beatrice's was extremely predictable and I feel only younger readers might be fooled into any modicum of surprise.  I have to say that I was expecting the secret to encompass Janie as well (which it did), just not in quite the way it did.  With no obvious plans for this to be a series, I am also disappointed in the very open ending.  We are left with next to no resolution for Janie or Charlotte.  That said, while I overall enjoyed the book, I wouldn't be continuing in the even of another anyhow.  I recommend this if you're in need of a early 1900s class study fix, or some lite Downton Abbey to tide you over.  Maybe a good intro to fluffy historical fiction for younger teens as well.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie & also from Scholastic on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is January 28th, 2014.*

Strangers Searching In the Night

Published:  July 30th, 2013

The Boy on the Bridge

By: Natalie Standiford

Scholastic Press

ISBN-13:  9780545334815

Laura Reid goes to Leningrad for a semester abroad as Cold War paranoia is peaking in 1982.  She meets a young Russian artists named Alexei and soon, with Alexei as her guide, Laura immerses herself in the real Russia -- a crazy world of wild parties, black-market books and music, and smuggled letters to dissidents.  She must keep the relationship secret; associating with Americans is dangerous for Alexei, and if caught, Laura could be sent home and Alexei be put under surveillance or worse.  At the same time, she's been warned that Soviets often latch onto Americans in hopes of marrying them and thus escaping to the United States.  But she knows Alexei loves her.  Right?

As June approaches -- when Laura must return to the United States -- Alexei asks Laura to marry him.  She's only nineteen and doesn't think she's ready to settle down.  But what if Alexei is the love of her life?  If she has a chance to change his life, to rescue him from misery, shouldn't she take it?

Review

     Probably the biggest pitfalls of this book were its short length - a mere 256 pages - and it's very underdeveloped characters (which it probably owes in huge part to the short length of time to tell the story).  Laura Reid is just an average college student, except for the fact that she is a major in Russian studies in a time when relations between the U.S. and Russia are very tense.  Laura is not really wanting to do anything other than maybe make a couple of new friends, learn to speak Russian better and go home with a little more culture.  What she gets instead is rescued by a poor, young Russian artists named Alyosha.  She is immediately drawn to him and pretty soon they're falling in love.  Against the advice of her fellow students, and her own better judgement Laura plans to marry Alyosha and move him to America when she goes home.  But is he really in love with Laura, or is she just Alyosha's ticket to a new life in America?

     The main character in this novel with the most development isn't Laura or Alyosha - it's communist Russia.  We get an insider's look into what it really meant to be in Russia as an American student in the early 1980s.  Us readers are treated to the stark class differences, the government's encroachment into personal privacy (i.e. their constant spying on their citizens), grocery stores with nothing in stock to feed the people, and an intense desire for any hint of the "rich" American culture/consumerism.  We also get some of Russia's actual history, with Standiford managing to give us all this and not have it become an obnoxiously boring textbook.  This is basically my favorite aspect of this book.

     My least favorite aspect was the "romance" between Alyosha and Laura.  They start out with what seems like an intense connection to each other.  But after Laura's conversations with her fellow students and advisors about Russians marrying U.S. citizens for a ticket to America, Alyosha's actions started to read a little differently to me.  Was he actually proposing to her because he loved Laura?  Was he just slightly too pushy with their romance and it's desired outcome?  The answer is both yes and no.  Laura spends the majority of the book sinking deeper into obsession/love with Alyosha and even going as far as to practically flunk the program she's in and start to plan a secret wedding.  Her head seemed like it was stuck in the freaking sand.  She never even considered the possibility that Alyosha was using her.  They barely know each other, yet she's ready to marry him and take him home as a college sophmore (freshman? can't recall), with no means of support.  He can barely speak the language.  Laura has the reasoning of a nine year old: it'll work out because she says it will and they want it too.  Okay, sure; cause that's totally how real life works!       The ending is pretty ambiguous and it leaves the reader to make up their own mind about Alyosha's true intentions.  Well written and it made me truly uncomfortable, but the characters felt so flat I just can't give it any more stars than 3 (just not enough meat to it for my satisfaction).    An interesting snapshot of communist Russia (verging on it's change of goverment) from an American perspective.  But not a good romance by any means at all.

VERDICT:  3/5 Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, Scholastic Press, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published July 30th, 2013.*

Killing Me Softly

Published:  May 7th, 2013

Chantress (Chantress Trilogy #1)

By: Amy Butler Greenfield

Margaret K. McElderry

ISBN-13:  9781442457034

Lucy, shipwrecked on an island at 8, is forbidden to sing by guardian Norrie. On All Hallows Eve 1667, at 15, she sings, and is swept into darkness. She wakes to hear powerful men hunt Chantresses who sing magic into the world. At the Invisible College she finds sanctuary, plots to overthrow the evil Lord Protector, and distrustful scientist-apprentice Nat. Only a Chantress can overcome the Protector, and Lucy is the last in England.

Review

     When Lucy was a small child, she and her Mother went on the run from people hunting their kind.  Lucy was sent to a secluded island, with only her nanny Norrie for company, to protect her.  Now that she is fifteen years old Lucy longs to see other places and meet new people.  Also, she'd like to know what became of her Mother, who she hasn't seen in seven years.  Lucy has been told one thing above all else in her time on the island - not to sing ever, no matter what happens.  The temptation proves too much and after singing on All Hallow's Eve, she finds herself back in England in the middle of a hostile environment.  It turns out that Lucy is the last of the Chantresses and it prophesied to save England from Lord Scargrave and his awful monsters called Shadowgrims.  With the help of a group of intellectuals who have dubbed themselves the Invisible College, and a mysterious, magic-hating apprentice named Nat, Lucy might be able to fulfill her destiny.  But can she stay alive long enough to infiltrate and conquer the evil threatening them all?

     I liked this book a lot.  That is the thing I need to tell all of you first, before I start pointing out the things that bothered me.  It's one of the better historical fiction books that I've read in quite awhile and I really enjoyed how well researched it was.  I may just be a complete nerd, but the historical notes on what was real and what wasn't totally enhanced my reading experience.  I like knowing the origins of things!  That said, let's get down to the nitty gritty of the book itself.  Some series books have the extraordinary power to make you forget they aren't standalone, and build their own complex story just in one part of the series - this isn't one of those books.  The whole thing is pretty mush setup for the rest of the series.  We are introduced to Lucy, Nat, Lord Scargrave, Pennybrygge (the scientist Nat is apprenticed to), Norrie and Lucy's mysterious Godmother.  There is a lot of character development, but Nat's past is pretty shrouded in mystery still.  Throughout the book, Lucy and Nat built a friendship out of initial dislike and distrust (her of his motives, him of her magic) and the tenative beginnings of romance were visible at the end.  Praise be to Ms. Greenfield for staying FAR away from the insta-love trope!  What a relief to not have that be a factor.

     Whereas a lot of the reviews that I've read about this book seem to complain about the lack of action, I feel like the world-building and character strength made up for it in spades.  I don't mind being without consistent periods of action in a book, but the plot needs to make me think a little harder and the good versus evil dynamic has to be awesome.  I felt like with the difference between Wild and Proven Magics, the Shadowgrims existence ( the supernatural elements in general), etc. that it should have been slightly more pulse pounding of a final confrontation.  The 'defeat' of Lord Scargrave was too easy and the whole thing felt really anticlimactic.  Overall, there was a lot to love about this book and I will definitely be reading the next one to get answers to the questions I still have from this one.  But beware, if slow paced novels that are chock full to the brim with detailed world-building and little action aren't your thing, you might want to avoid this one.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Patty Goes to College and All Hell Breaks Loose

Published:  1903

When Patty Went to College (Patty #1)

By: Jean Webster

Grosset and Dunlap

ISBN-13:  9781402162893

When Patty Went To College is Jean Webster's first novel, published in 1903.  It is a humourous look at life in an all girls college at the turn of the twentieth century.  Patty Wyatt, the protagonist of this story is a bright, fun loving, imperturbable girl who does not like to conform.  The book describes her many escapades on campus during her senior year at college.  Patty enjoys life on campus and uses her energies in playing pranks and for the entertainment of herself and her friends.  An intelligent girl, she uses creative methods to study only as much as she feels necessary.  Patty is, however, a believer in causes and a champion of the weak.  She goes out of her way to help a homesick freshman Olivia Copeland who believes she will be sent home when she fails four subjects in the examination.

The end of the book sees Patty reflecting on what her life after college might be like.  She plays hooky from chapel and meets a bishop.  In a chat with the Bishop, Patty realizes that being irresponsible and evasive at a young age could adversely affect her character as an adult and decides to try to be a more responsible person.

My Thoughts

     Patty Wyatt is still the same mischievous, somewhat lazy, inherently good girl and truly loyal friend in college as she was in her days at St. Ursula's boarding school.  This book was actually written before Just Patty and was Webster's first novel.  It is made up of a series of vignettes just as the other Patty book happens to be, chronicling a year in the life of Patty and her friends - with stories of all the mischief they get up to.  There are some particularly amusing stories in this one, such as the time Patty tries to put on tea for the other girls and botches the whole thing, trying to get everyone else to do everything for her clandestinely.  Or the one where Patty hosts an older English gentleman, Mr. Toddhunter, and goes out of her way to mess with his mind by acting very young for her age.  Possibly my favorite is when the head of the college receives a telegram for Patty that "Robert" is dead, thinking he's a brother or a lover possibly.  In reality, he's Patty's brother Thomas' dog whom everyone hates, as he was the terror of the family!  

     Some of the more serious stories include Patty trying to help a foreign scholarship student from Italy who's homesick, failing her classes and dreadfully lonely.  Olivia also happens to be extremely brilliant and it's up to Patty to set things right before Olivia is kicked out of school.  If only Patty can get the lonely, stern Miss Prescott to let her retake the Geometry examinations.  I guess the story at the end of the book with Patty playing hooky from church and being lectured by a Bishop that she happens upon can also be considered as serious.  To be honest though, it's the most jagged of the puzzle pieces that make up the stories in this book, as a whole.  It's too moralizing and preachy to really fit in with the others and it kind of feels like it was slapped in at the last minute to add some sort of lesson to the book and Patty's 'bad' behavior.  That said, it's like the Widow adopting Huck Finn and putting him in a suit.  There are good intentions behind it, but you can't put a wild thing in a box and expect it to stay there of it's own accord.  Overall, I did enjoy reading more about Patty and Priscilla (who ended up going to college with her friend), but it wasn't quite as good as Just Patty.  A great first novel just the same though, better than many I've read before.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available mostly  in used bookstores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

We Think Patty Means Well...

Published:  February 27th, 2009 (First Published in 1911)

Just Patty (Patty #2)

By: Jean Webster

Project Gutenberg

ASIN:  B001U3ZCSG

Patty and her two roommates from last year are back in school. And they're upset School administration is trying to break up their dream team

"It's a shame " says Priscilla.

"It's an outrage " says Conny.

"It's an insult " says Patty.

"To separate us now after we've been together three years --"

"And it isn't as though we were "awfully" bad last year. Lots of girls had more demerits."

"Only our badness was sort of conspicuous," Patty admitted.

"But we were "very" good the last three weeks," reminded Conny.

Don't worry, they'll work around it. And raise more heck this year than ever before. . .

Review

     Patty and her two best friends Conny and Priscilla are appalled when they find out they've been separated as roommates for their senior year at Saint Ursula's boarding school.  Patty will not let it stand and the girls come up with schemes to go back to rooming with one another.  The book follows Conny, Priscilla, Patty and their schoolmates (but mostly Patty) through their senior year.  It's a series of vignettes about friendship, mischief and growing up in the early 1900s.

     When I downloaded this for my Kindle (it's free on Amazon as part of Project Gutenberg), I had already read  Daddy Long-Legs and Dear Enemy.  Jean Webster has a pretty sharp sense of humor and writes wonderfully relatable heroines, that put me in mind of L.M. Montgomery (only with some extra snarkiness, versus dreaminess) and her Anne series.  I thought about reading When Patty Goes to College first since it was written before this one, but decided to go in chronological order by the actual setting of the book.  I normally am not a huge fan of books told in short story/vignette form, but this one really was a pretty good book when it comes down to it.

     Patty is an absolute lightning rod for mischief and makes it a habit to deliberately misinterpret things that people say to her or instruct her to do - with mostly hilarious results.  The other two girls are in the mischief with her, but Patty is most definitely the ringleader!  There were some that were almost entirely humorous, like the incident where Patty and the girls strike for better/more equal treatment in Latin class, and the incident with one of the girls having a fake beau (boyfriend) to hurt another girl's feelings (Patty takes care of that one with some pretty funny antics).  But there were also stories like the one where Patty is stuck at school for Christmas and decides to help a lonely and out of place student who feels abandoned have a meaningful holiday.  Also, the incident with the prank where Patty accidentally encounters a real burglar and finds him a job when she goes trespassing on a grumpy, reclusive millionaire's property.  Patty always means well, even when she's trying to get around doing things that she should (like studying to make up an exam that she misses).

     Overall I was impressed with this book and felt like the overall tone to it avoided the malicious spirit that books centered around pranks and boarding schools tend to have on occasion (whether by accident or design, things do move in that direction quite often).  I am only sorry that Jean Webster died at such a young age, with so much potential to be a classic children's writer in the collective consciousness instead of nearly forgotten, as I feel she is in our present day.  Also interesting to note is that Jean Webster was Mark Twain's grandniece.  Who knows maybe his famous snark is some of the reason she manages mischief so admirably in her own novels!  I highly recommend this one, especially for fans of classic books along the lines of Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, or the Betsy-Tacy series.  My only real complaint is that I wish there were more to this book.  It felt far too short, especially with the story Webster chose to end on.

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available mostly  in used bookstores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Undercover Girl

 

Expected Publication:  November 5th, 2013

Palace of Spies (Palace of Spies #1)

By: Sarah Zettel

HMH Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13:  9780544074118

 

A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don't.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she's impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . . History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.

 

Review

 

      Peggy Fitzroy (nod to the royal bastard of the Tudor era here, maybe?) is an orphan living on the charity of her stern and dour Uncle.  But when he arranges for her to marry a notorious rake against her wishes, Peggy decides to meet up with a mysterious man, Mr. Tinderflint, who claimed to have known her Mother and take him up on a job offer.  It turns out he and a group of others have a scheme to get Peggy into the court of King George as a spy - by impersonating Lady Francesca who's a recently deceased, orphaned noblewoman who is a lady in waiting to the Princess Catherine.  Peggy decides to participate in the charade, but finds herself in over her head when confronted by a secret lover of Fran's, drawings depicting court happenings that could get her tried for treason and the very real possibility that Fran herself might have been murdered for her own not quite so Crown-loyal activities.  Can Peggy pull off becoming Fran without raising suspicions and being exposed?  And will she manage to outwit whoever murdered the real Fran, who may not have really been as innocent as she made herself seem to everyone around her?  While trying to deal with a mystery Peggy might just also find herself in love, which presents all sorts of problems all its own.....

     I really enjoyed this novel and Peggy was definitely an interesting character.  I did get the feeling like a lot of other readers, that things in regards to the language and narration were a little too modern to be a truly good historical fiction novel.  Peggy, as a girl with nothing, has nothing to lose in deciding to impersonate Lady Francesca in King George's court.  I did like the banter between her and her cousin in the beginning pages of the novel and the reintroduction of her cousin into her new, crazily mixed-up life later on in the narrative.  It was a fairly enjoyable, funny play at a historical spy novel.  The romantic aspect between Peggy and the artist's apprentice Matthew Reade, plus her confused feelings for Fran's secret love, a footman in the palace were very well-drawn.  At times the love triangle got slightly angsty, but I always kind of knew who Peggy was going to end up with even at the beginning - which was perfectly okay with me as someone not fond of love triangles being drawn out. 

     As someone who doesn't really know a lot about that period of time in the history of the English crown/royal genealogy, I didn't find myself picking at things the author might have changed.  I might have even learned something.  I found it interesting that there was a rebellion between George, who wasn't the closest descendant by blood to the throne but was King, and James who WAS closest to the throne but was exiled and called "The Pretender."  The spy plot in this book is all about proper claim to the throne, and possible plots to overthrow current rule by King George.  As much as I liked the rompy, slow-building action of the court intrigue in this book I did find myself a little disappointed in it's predictability.  The evil fellow lady-in-waiting Sophy Howe, and her true intentions, the realities of Francesca and her real parentage/status/personality and actions, & the dual resolution/open ended spying plot.  Overall, this book was really a fun read and it gave me a reprieve from all the heavy books I've read lately.  I enjoyed the humor of it and the enthusiasm of the main character and the author.  I'll definitely be reading the next one, even if it just turns out to be a fun and fluffy series instead of anything truly long-lasting in my reading life.  I'd recommend it to fans of lighter historical fare, who aren't nitpickers.

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is November 5th, 2013.*

Speak Nothing But The Truth

 

Expected Publication: September 26th, 2013

All The Truth That's In Me

By: Julie Berry

Viking Juvenile

9780670786152

 

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

 

Review

 

     Judith is as outcast in Roswell Station, with most of its inhabitants thinking she's dumb and covered by sin due to tragic events from two years ago.  She can speak, learn and feel just as she did before - the only difference now is that the boy she loves is ignoring her and she is missing half of her tongue, which her captor cut out of her mouth.  No one calls her by name anymore and her brother only addresses her as 'Worm.'  But when the town comes under attack, Judith must make a decision that will change things forever: retrieve her captor (who everyone in town believes to be dead) and possibly save everyone, or stay silent and watch everyone she cares about die.  But the fallout of playing the hero may be greater than Judith ever could have imagined.  With both good and bad consequences rearing their heads, she may be forced to finally tell the truth of what happened in the two years she was gone.  Can Judith speak out against  Lottie's murderer and clear her own name of evil?  Or will Judith be convicted of things she's innocent of?  Also, can she ever have another chance with Lucas, the boy she still loves with all her heart?

     From the cover and synopsis, I expected this book to be a contemporary fiction book along the lines of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  What I got instead was a historical fiction novel, set in the heart of America during the time of the Puritans and their unyielding beliefs/morals.  Judith is a sixteen year old girls who was kidnapped and sent back with half of her tongue cut out.  Unable to tell everyone what happened (and not eagerly willing to either, for reasons that become evident when the truth finally comes out at the end), they all assume that her virtue is gone and shun her, much like Old Order Amish used to shun their people who broke the rules and refused repentance.  Judith is denied even her basic humanity and the book is told in her letters to Lucas, the boy she has loved since childhood who no longer notices her.  This book was heart-wrenching, told with such emotion and hesitance on Judith's part.  Yet there was a deeper observation gained from the loss of her speech that lent something truly unique to the narration. 

     The journey of Judith from the start of this book to the finish is of a girl who has lost her very identity, struggling to regain some sense of self and independence along with it.  I loved the connection that grew between Judith and her brother, Darrell, was so wonderful in its reality.  They don't all of the sudden love and respect each other.  He still calls her names and they still fight.  But when Darrell gets wounded in the battle things slowly begin to change.  I especially love when Judith starts going to school with Darrell (even if she does have to deal with the creepy schoolmaster making advances on her cause he thinks she can't tell anyone).  Her friendship with Maria and their speech therapy were well done, helping Judith to understand that it wasn't wrong or evil for her to speak up for herself again.  Maria helps her realize her own strength.  The relationship with Lucas seemed really one-sided a lot of the time, probably mostly as an after-effect of the style of the narrative.  We see, hear, feel and overall experience things as Judith does.  We don't really get any outside points of view or experience perspectives in this one.  Judith's revelations at the end of the novel regarding her virtue and the identity of Lottie's killer weren't necessarily truly shocking to me as a reader, but her decision to tell the whole truth struck me as really brave, especially when they all want to punish her for crimes they're unsure of and for just being too different.  The transformation of Judith through the novel is something to behold and even with pacing that is awkward sometimes, this book is one of the best that I've read this year.  It will destroy you in ways that only a truly good book can.  I highly recommend this to readers who like historical fiction and aren't averse to intense subject matter.  Not for the faint of heart! :)

 

VERDICT:  4.75/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is September 26th, 2013.*

No Chains To Oppress Me

Published:  May 14th, 2013

The Caged Graves

By: Dianne K. Salerni

Clarion Books

ISBN-13:  9780547868530

17-year-old Verity Boone expects a warm homecoming when she returns to Catawissa, Pennsylvania, in 1867, pledged to marry a man she has never met. Instead, she finds a father she barely knows and a future husband with whom she apparently has nothing in common. One truly horrifying surprise awaits her: the graves of her mother and aunt are enclosed in iron cages outside the local cemetery. Nobody in town will explain why, but Verity hears rumors of buried treasure and witchcraft. Perhaps the cages were built to keep grave robbers out . . . or to keep the women in. Determined to understand, Verity finds  herself in a life-and-death struggle with people she trusted.

Inspired by a pair of real caged graves in present-day Catawissa, this historical YA novel weaves mystery, romance, and action into a suspenseful drama with human greed and passion at its core.

Review

     Verity Boone has spent the majority of her life living with her Aunt, Uncle and cousins and now that she is 17 years old her Father finally wants to bring her home.  After corresponding with Nathaniel, a young man she has never met but who her Father approves of, Verity becomes engaged and travels back to Catawissa, Pennsylvania, the place where she was born.  Her Father is always out in the fields and she never sees him.  Plus Nate, her fiance, seems like a completely different person than the man she got to know through his letters.  Feeling alone and unwanted, Verity latches onto a mystery surrounding her Mother and Aunt - and why their graves are caged in and outside of the cemetery's consecrated ground.  Discovering her Mother's diaries only gives Verity more questions, even when it looks like no one is going to answer her.  With whispers of witchcraft and legends of buried treasure, things quickly escalate into a deadly situation in which Verity may not make it out alive.  Can she solve the mystery, get her Mother and Aunt moved into the cemetery where they belong and figure out where her heart truly lies before it's too late?

     I was expecting some tame historical fiction novel, with an easily solved mystery thrown in.  What I got instead was a truly suspenseful tale of Revolutionary War treasure, murder and intrigue in a small town in Pennsylvania.  I liked Verity a decent amount and thought she was definitely a catalyst for interesting events.  But I got annoyed with her indecision in regards to Nate, who she literally drops everything for at the beginning of the novel and decides to marry sight-unseen.  She chooses to make some snap judgments about his real personality and starts flirting with the Doctor's apprentice Hadley (because he pays her more attention).  I liked Nate and thought that she was way too harsh on him for not being her exact ideal.  Their romance when she starts to realize how wrong she's been though is super cute.  I loved the mystery aspect of this novel.  It's centered around Verity's love for her Mother, and her inability to let the past go - but in a good way.  She's questioning things that everyone else has just accepted, all to honor her Mother's legacy.  The revelation of what really happened was believable, heartbreaking and freaked me out, all at once!  I won't say anymore cause I don't want to ruin the progression of the mystery as it unfolds, but it won't be at all what you're expecting.  

     The sideline story with the 'lost' treasure fit into the plot nicely and gave more action to the story that wouldn't have been there otherwise.   My favorite relationships in this book though weren't the romantic ones.  I loved the interactions between Beulah (the housekeeper) and Verity, they were so entertaining as they battled for kitchen control!  I also liked how easily and happily she interacted with Nate's older sisters, who welcomed her with open arms.  But the sweetest relationship for me was the awkward, but loving one between Verity and her Father, who has no idea how to really connect with his almost grown daughter.  Their connection and it's gentle awkwardness was sweet and convincing.  I liked that Salerni didn't make them get along and be super close automatically.  It's a very true-to-life relationship, which I appreciate as a reader.  I did like the fact that the author got the idea for the caged graves from real life, it made the mystery that much more interesting and her attention to historical detail and accuracy made me super happy.  Overall this was different from any book that I've read recently, especially my other historical fiction reads.  I truly enjoyed it, the book was well written and engaging with only some minor flaws that barely proved a distraction.  I'd highly recommend it.

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published on May 14th, 2013.*

The Birds Aren't Really There...Are They?

Published:  April 2nd, 2013

In The Shadow of Blackbirds

By: Cat Winters

Amulet Books

ISBN-13:  9781419705304

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?

Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

Review

     The year is 1918 and the entire world seems to have gone mad.  Between the chaos and utter destruction of World War I (The Great War) and a deadly outbreak of Spanish Influenza that is killing millions of people, everyone is desperate to believe in something more.   Mary Shelley Black is just like everyone else, feeling the hardships of life to their fullest extent, with her Dad being sent to jail and having to move in with her Aunt in another state.  Her only consolation is the letters she receives from her first love, Stephen, who is away at war.  But when she's at his family's photography studio and his ghost shows up beside her in a 'spirit' picture, Mary Shelley is devastated.  When things begin to not add up in regards to his death and the events before it, and Stephen himself begins haunting her, Mary will stop at nothing to find out the truth behind what happened to the boy she loved.  Even if it means being thrown into a deadly situation, where she may not walk out alive...

     So, I went into this expecting a straight-up paranormal romance book, at least from the synopsis.  What I got instead was historical fiction, with a major suspense plot and a tragic romance.  Mary Shelley Black is a stubborn, witty, intelligent teenager who doesn't believe in spirits really - until she experiences one at a seance she goes to with her Aunt Eva, after being struck by lightning!  And then when Stephen shows up in her picture she's devastated.  It definitely wasn't hard to sympathize with her, especially since she refuses to play the victim and does everything in her power to solve the mystery of his death.  The shining thing in this novel though, were all the historical details.  The photographs definitely added something to the story, but the author's rich descriptive language made it so that I could picture everything in my mind.  This could be kind of unnerving, what with the streets full of dead influenza victims and a horrific war going on.  Also, I felt like I was really walking the city streets with Mary when she finally gets out.  

     My favorite scene was the heartbreaking one at the hospital for wounded soldiers.  It broke my heart in half, but was entirely realistic in a way I didn't think possible.  The relationship of Mary with her Aunt Eva is antagonistic, tentative and truly volatile because of their warring personalities - that said, they are unfailingly loyal to each other.  When her Eva sees that the opium addicted guy she kind  is crushing on harassing Mary (bordering on hurting her), she boots his ass to the curb! :)  When Mary is struck by the lightning, the scene where she is outside of her body was so creepy it gave me the shivers.  The way it changes her and forces her to think unscientifically definitely provided for some interesting character development.  The rambling from Stephen about the 'bird' attacking him had me convinced this was going to transform into a paranormal romance at any second.  So when it was revealed what was really going on, it surprised me for sure (but in the best way).  Probably the most disturbing character in this book was Stephen's spirit photographer brother, Julius.  He's so focused on making money off the pain of others, plus his interactions with Stephen (beating him up, destroying his photographs) should make you hate him as a reader who gets to see the badness in him.  But he has a charm that kind of ensnares the reader alongside Aunt Eva, until he begins to go off the rails.  

     My only complaint would be the slow pace for the first half of the book.  And also, didn't they ever eat anything other than onions?  Yeah, they thought they'd drive off the flu.  But seriously, I got almost as much description of onions as anything else!  Enough to drive me kind of bonkers anyways.  The twists and turns of this book, along with the wonderfully drawn characters and the descriptive prose combined to make it one of the best books I've read so far this year.  I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction, romance, and suspense who want something fresh and set in an era often ignored in favor of others (i.e. Civil War, WWII, etc.).  

VERDICT:  5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

I Spy With My Little Eye

 



Published:  February 5th, 2013
Etiquette and Espionage (Finishing School # 1)
By: Gail Carriger
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:  9780316190084

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners—and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage—in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, this YA series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail Carriger's legions of fans have come to adore.

Review

 

     The last thing Sophronia wants is to become a proper, Victorian lady like her Mother and older sisters.  But she may not have a choice, after one too many tomboyish escapades send her Mother over the edge, and land her in finishing school.  On the journey to school Sophronia learns that things aren't always what they appear, after her carriage is attacked and she is forced to save the day.  Once at the school (which just happens to float and constantly be on the move!) she and her friends uncover a plot by evildoers to steal a mysterious prototype.  When it seems like none of the teachers will believe anything they say, it is up to Sophronia and her friends to outwit mean-girl Monique and pull of the mission of a lifetime, using all of the unusual talents they possess.  But can they obtain the prototype before the villains do?  And will Sophronia learn how to act civilized before her sister's coming-out ball?  Only time will tell...

     So, I have never read the author's adult series The Parasol Protectorate.  I seem to be one of the few who read this book that can claim such a thing!  That said, I'm kind of glad that I went into it with fresh eyes.  Sophronia was a funny, if somewhat stereotypical heroine going against the grain of average society.  There was a lot of talk about her not conforming, but I think a lot of it had to do with her wanting to do the opposite of her sisters and Mother - which is a normal teenage attitude.  The inclusion of steampunk into the Victorian world isn't anything new, but I liked that it existed as a sort of secret society, in conjunction with the history that we are already familiar with.  The school and it's use of robotic servants, crazy architecture and wonderful engine room was a great place for a story to be set.  All the same, the continuous girl-drama did get annoying to me after awhile.  I mean, I definitely expected this to be more of an adventure book than a Victorian Mean Girls send off.  The beginning and end were all constant action and fast paced fun, while the middle sort of stagnated with the obvious world building and character placements/minor character developments.  Overall it was a fun romp and I'm interested to see where the series goes.  I'd recommend it to fans of paranormal, YA adventure if they don't mind zero romantic presence and lite steampunk.

 

 VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**