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.*

On Fire, Burning At These Mysteries

 

Published:  September 17th, 2013

The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy # 1)

By: Sherry Thomas

Balzer + Bray

ISBN-13:  9780062207296

 

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

 

Review

 

     Iolanthe Seabourne has grown up with only a guardian for love and support, but he has become increasingly addicted to a substance that makes him paranoid and semi-violent.  As an elemental mage she agrees to create the light elixir for a wedding in her village,  but her guardian ruins the elixir when she refuses to bow out.  So she decides to fix it - by calling down lightning into the cauldron!  All Hell breaks loose after she does, forcing Iolanthe to go on the run with the unfamiliar and mysterious Prince Titus of Elborne.  He is also only sixteen and yet their fates are inextricably linked according to his Mother's journal of the psychic visions she had before she died.  Iolanthe is destined to confront the Bane, a magical tyrant, and defeat him with the help of Titus.  First they must outwit all the people hunting them and they start by disguising Iolanthe as a boy and attending boarding school in another dimension, non-magical England, together.  Can Iolanthe really make a difference in the face of evil and most important of all, can she find the courage to even try?

     I really enjoyed this book!  I have a natural aversion to fantasy that is set half in our world and half in another.  When I read it, I enjoy it but convincing me to put my eyes to the page in the first place can be a bit of challenge.  Sherry Thomas generally writes adult romances, so I was kind of surprised to see her cross into the YA side of things - especially YA high fantasy (I shouldn't be though, after Sophie Jordan did the same a few years ago with Firelight).  Her main characters Iolanthe and Titus are both rather mysterious, in that because the book was told in third person we didn't get to know either one of them very deeply.  There was some character development, in that Iolanthe especially learned to accept herself and her abilities, plus the responsibilities inherent with them.  I really appreciated the spotlight on the gradual change between Iolanthe from strangers to reluctant (and somewhat resentful) partners, to friends, to something more.  Characters are something that can make or break a book for me and I think that Sherry Thomas created some pretty great ones.  That said there was a bit of a disconnect on my part for whatever reason, so I still can't claim this as a favorite book.

     The plot was interesting and complex in the world-building aspects, but it was kind of predictable.  I really liked the magically interactive scenes with the Crucible (inter-generational book from Titus' family).  The fairy tales and stories that tested both kids in the book were very well-detailed and realistically creepy.  All the events and life happenings at Eton in London also were very captivating, with the reader holding their breath each time someone almost catches on to fellow boy student Fairfax actually being Iolanthe in disguise!  Probably the biggest plot problem that I had as a reader was the ease with which Sherry dispensed with The Inquisitor, the main evil antagonist of the two teenagers, just as she was about to discover something detrimental about Iolanthe and Titus.  The politics and poisonous environment of Titus' one-day kingdom was interesting, but somewhat unclear in terms of laying out its rules and regulations for me as a reader.  The book moves slowly at first, with bursts of action but once it really picks up the pace it doesn't slow down again until the end.  My favorite part was when Iolanthe was transformed into a canary to attend an event with Titus.  Overall, a very intriguing first foray into the YA world on the part of Sherry Thomas.  I can almost compare my fascination with this book, as flawed as it may be, with my love for Girl of Fire and Thorns.  While it's not quite there in terms of polish, the easy humor and fun mythology of this first book make me excited for the next installment.  Honestly it's worth reading if you're into high fantasy, want something new and can get past the sometimes choppy, jumbled feel of the third person narrative.

 

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 was published September 17th, 2013.*

Top Ten Tuesday #9

     Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, which allows bloggers to share lists of some of our favorite (and not-so favorite) things.  This week we’ll be highlighting the top ten books that we'd like to read this fall, or that are on our TBR lists.  I don't know about you, but Goodreads has only enabled my habit of coveting any book that sounds the least bit interesting!  I am a book whore and I freely admit it.  So here is my TBR List VERY narrowed down (also simplified, but each image is linked to its Goodreads page)! :)

Top Ten Books On My TBR List

    

 

  

 

Review of "Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer" and GIVEAWAY!!! :)

Expected Publication:  September 29th, 2013

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

By: Katie Alender

Scholastic Press

ISBN-13:  9780545468091

Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen.

Review

     Colette Iselin is determined to make it on her class trip to Paris.  She'll do anything to retain her popularity and image, even in the face of an ugly divorce between her parents, with reduced financial circumstances to top it off.  Finally having become friends with the too most rich and popular girls in school, Colette is determined to hold her social standing - hiding the reality of her lack of money and her new scholarship student status.  Once in France, Colette finds herself torn between being true to who she really is and what makes her happy & pleasing the mean girl who is her "best friend."  Also, high profile families once belonging to a secret society in service to Marie Antoinette are being killed in particularly gruesome ways - losing their heads just like the long-dead royal.  It's up to Colette to find a way to stop the killer or she might be next, because it turns out that Colette's family might have committed the worst betrayal of them all.  Can she save herself and her friends, learning in the meantime what's important in life?

     I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to think of this book, as I had seen some pretty negative reviews for it beforehand.  But once I got started I really enjoyed my time spent reading this one!  Colette goes through some serious character growth in this book, starting as a less vocally mean version of Gretchen from Mean Girls, and becoming her own person who makes friends based on who they are - instead of their popularity or bank accounts.  She is rude to her Mom and brother in the beginning, treating them like they are beneath her and all she wants is to stay with her Dad in New York so she'll have money again.  After everything she goes through in France and witnessing the easy and downright happy relationship her tour guide/love interest Jules shares with his family, Colette's attitude adjusts more favorably.  The dynamic between Colette and her mean girl friends Pilar & ringleader Hannah, versus the dynamic between her and tour guide Jules & laid-back, semi-outcast Audrey.  The relationships between all he girls are definitely true to real life high school girls and the mean girl traps they can fall into regarding each other.  But never are any of the girls portrayed as evil, only unthinkingly cruel and snobbish at the very worst.  

     I agree with other reviewers that this book is more of a teen drama/coming of age story, in the guise of a gory thriller/murder mystery.  It was a pretty well-conceived mystery though, with the murders not following any obvious pattern until Colette begins uncovering the connection between the victims.  The mysterious key/necklace she finds in her Grandmother's belongings at home before coming to France also make up part of the puzzle for Colette.  The only part that really rang falsely for me were the confrontations between the murderous ghost of Marie Antoinette and Colette.  I just never felt like the threat was real or I should take it all that seriously.  Overall, the writing  and plot in this book were pretty solid, but the character development in Colette and the descriptions of France itself were what made the book for me.  The secret society aspect definitely didn't hurt things either!  I would recommend it for a fun, somewhat light (if still thought-inducing) read.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  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's expected publication is September 29th, 2013.*

***Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below, to win some awesome Marie Antoinette themed prizes, including a copy of this book! :)  Good Luck and the rules are on the 'Copter.  May the best (wo)man win! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go Home Book, You're Drunk!

 

Expected Publication:  October 15th, 2013

Naked Sushi

By: Jina Bacarr

Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin

ISBN-13:  9781459254817

 

From Jina Bacarr comes a sexy and provocative new release from Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Harlequin.

One day I'm getting canned from my job as a computer programmer for having wild copy-room sex with a guy I thought was the new game designer. The next, I'm crashing my ex-boss's business lunch in a creative attempt to get my job back and men are eating sushi off my naked body!
That's when I realize:

a) My ex-boss is a hiding corporate secrets

b) Hot copy-room guy is an undercover FBI agent

c) I would make a kick-ass spy!

Then Special Agent Hottie brings out his cuffs, and things get really interesting…

 

Review

 

     Pepper is a very geeky girl, working in a job that can bore her to tears on some days.  So when she comes across the hot guy in the copy room, late at night, making copies of her boss' classified documents she can't help herself.  They get caught having sex in the copy room and Pepper loses her job.  Determined to get it back, she goes undercover as a naked sushi model for her boss' business meeting.  And the hot guy from the copy room just happens to be one of the guys at the meeting!  Turns out he's an FBI agent undercover, who is trying to expose her now ex-boss for less than savory business practices.  She decides to help him, in the hopes of resuscitating her failed ambitions to work for a government agency that she thought were long since dead.  Can they keep their hands off each other long enough to catch the crook?  Will they find something more than just hot sex in the person they least expected to connect with?

     This is going to be a short review because I have very clear and concise opinions on this book.  I kind of think it was pretty horrible.  I like it when a book knows what it is and where it's going.  This one tried a little too hard, never deciding between erotica or a plot.  It tried to have both, but couldn't really manage it all that well.  Pepper starts out kind of likeable.  That goes out the window immediately after she and the random guy have sex.  She gets fired and really thinks she can get her job back and seems almost surprised she lost it in the first place.  Okay, whatever.  She also goes from freaky-smart, super geeky girl to giggly, sex-obsessed and empty-headed fluff ball.  And we're supposed to believe that she has a shot at being employed by the FBI.  Also, FBI-guy is a serious douchebag about his encounter with Pepper.  He has to be the least stealthy, least covert undercover FBI agent ever. 

     The whole Naked Sushi thing barely takes up any of the plot at all and really is just a minor event.  The sex was boring and almost straight-up, porn type sex with nothing that interesting or great about it.  Overall, this was a (thankfully) short, time-wasting read.  But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone and I definitely won't be reading it again.  A true disappointment.  It only gets as much credit in the ratings as it does, because I was able to finish it and it didn't drag unnecessarily.  It needs to go home, sober up and get some more depth to its characters.  Then we'll go on another date!

 



VERDICT:  1.5/5  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's expected publication is October 15th, 2013.*

Counting The Ways To Where You Are

Published:  September 3rd, 2013

The 100 (The Hundred #1)

By: Kass Morgan

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13:  9780316234474

In the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth's toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland... before it's too late.

Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they've only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they're haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust - and even love - again.

Review

     Clarke, Wells, Glass and Bellamy all have something in common.  Soon they'll be sent to Earth to live, as an experiment to see whether or not it's truly habitable for people once again.  Two of them are going voluntarily, following the people they love.  One of them is going along with it to avoid certain death and the last is going to find a way to stay behind at any cost.  Bellamy's main concern is his sister Octavia, Clarke and Wells have a complicated love/hate relationship to work out, and Glass is in love with Luke who seems to have given up on them.  The air is breathable on Earth, but there are plenty of dangers to keep the teens on their toes.  And with the government keeping secrets up on the ship, Glass may be running out of time to save herself and Luke.  Will all of the teens be able to survive in the cutthroat worlds they're part of and the web of lies they've been dropped into?  What if Earth isn't quite as abandoned as they always thought?

     This is definitely perfect material for a CW television show.  I will say that can be both a good and bad thing, when talking about a book.  It has plenty of detailed descriptions, I could really picture the ship they were on and the wild, regressed back to primitive Earth they get sent to.  The characters all have interesting backstories and their relationships with each other are honest and full of a stark combination of pain, love and that strange self-centeredness that comes with being a teenager in any society.  I definitely believed in the reality of the characters.  It was the rest of it that could use some more work.

     The plot has major potential, but I shared the feelings of a lot of other readers that not much really happened when it comes down to the deconstruction of what I just read.  I liked the idea that the ships were running out of resources and were using the delinquents to test out the viability of moving back on to Earth.  It's a very interesting premise.  But the plot is mostly consisted of flashbacks and long conversations/angsty moments between the main characters.  The Lord of the Flies dynamic once they got to Earth wasn't explored as much as I would have liked.  I think Clarke forgave Wells for his stupidity a little too easily.  Octavia was a little to mysterious for me to draw a strong sibling connection between her and Bellamy.  She really uses him pretty badly in the present time the book's set in.  I did like the mystery concerning whether or not there were people still inhabiting Earth.  Overall it was an interesting science fiction read (if a little light on the true sci-fi elements).  In practice it reads a little too much like a TV show to make a phenomenal book though.  If you want your book to be something above and beyond, it needs to stand out.  It was a good setup and I hope the rest of the series has more meat and depth to it.  Otherwise the promise will be unfulfilled.

 

VERDICT:   3.5/5  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 was published September 3rd, 2013.*

Top Ten Tuesday #8

 

     Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, which allows bloggers to share lists of some of our favorite (and not-so favorite) things.  This week we’ll be highlighting the top ten books that we'd like to see made into movies!   I'm a little late getting to the meme this week (for me it's more like Top Ten Wednesday!!!) but I can honestly say that it's because all of the sudden I got sick Tuesday - with it slowly getting worse as the day went on.   I still don't feel so great, but I love this question and have to answer it!  So here goes, we'll try to get ten books that I'd like to see as movies.  Then I'll be crashing for the night.  Happy late Tuesday everyone and I look forward to seeing your lists! :)

 

 

Top Ten Books That Should Be M0vies (In No Certain Order)

 

1.  Being Henry David by Cal Armistead:  Probably not the first book to cross the mind of any of the other TTT posters this week.  There is just a very translatable quality to this book though.  For much of it the main character has amnesia and doesn't even know who he is.  It would make a really great coming of age story AND mystery.  It would have to be cast just right to work out though.

 

2.  The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong:  If movie people could actually learn from the stupid effing mistakes they've made lately, like completely butchering the Beautiful Creatures series' chance at becoming a film franchise, I might trust them with these books.  They have kick-ass non-stop action, supernatural elements, family drama and major romantic tension.  Perfect for a film series! :)

 

3.  The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder:  I did enjoy The Fault In Our Stars the first time I read it.  But on repeat the teens were a little too precocious to be realistic to me.  I got annoyed with them.  This book however, only improves on repeat readings.  The town of miracles (literally named Promise), the struggle with cancer, the family reactions, the letting go and the romance were all perfectly carried out.  The main character Cam is kind of a disaster and not very approachable.  But her list of things to do before she dies is what she wants to complete.  It might sound like a teen version of The Bucket List - don't insult it like that.  This book would make a really sad, but phenomenal movie.  And it would give Hollywood an opportunity not to whitewash - Cam is half Samoan, her sister is half Norse, their Mom has Italian heritage and the Mom's boyfriend is Japanese.

 

4.  Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst:  This could be the teen movie of the next generation -especially since it kind of makes fun of the beyond tired obsession with vampires.  This book is beyond hilarious and if the director and screenwriter kept to the original novel for the story, I'm sure people would love it! :)

 

5.  Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury:  Set during a time when Jane Austen is still Anonymous and ladies are expected to be prim and proper, our heroine Agnes is going on adventures, studying Egyptian hieroglyphics and trying to solve a mystery regarding Napoleon's spies/tactics.  And it does all this while managing to stay truly amusing.  The romance is also very sweet, if a bit volatile.  The perfect historical romp, that would maybe interest more in historical fiction.  Plus, the Austen fans would be a built in audience.

 

6.  Stolen by Lucy Christopher:  This is the kind of movie that would win Academy Awards - or at least be nominated for them.  Everyone wonders what it would be like to be kidnapped - Gemma finds out in a terrifying moment at the airport with her parents.  But while she's with the kidnapper, Gemma's feelings definitely start to get blurred between hate, understanding and dependence.  A truly fascinating look at the development of Stockholm Syndrome.

 

7.  The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik:  There are so many modernized versions of Pride and Prejudice - not that it's without reason.  But I think there might be a little more appreciation for her other novels if they were reworked modern on the movie screen as well.  As a retelling of Mansfield Park (which seems to be one of Austen's least favored books), this is a good way to bridge to gap between today's kids and the original book.  Very well written and with a surprise twist at the end, this could definitely be part of the new wave of well-made teen movies.

 

8.  The Face On The Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney:  Ideally the entire series would be made, but with 5 books (and not being dystopian or fantasy) it's highly unlikely.  First published in 1990, it's the story of a girl who sees her own face on her milk carton at school one day - and realizes that she is someone else's kidnapped child.  She has to decide whether or not to tell anyone, or stay quiet with the family she loves.  It was made into a TV movie in the late 90s with Kellie Martin.  Update it a little bit for the times and it would be a hit.  The story is the universal what-if.  We all wonder about being someone else, but what if you actually were?

 

9.  Sorcery and Cecilia: Or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer:  This book is told almost entirely in correspondence between the two main characters Cecilia and Kate (who are cousins), plus all their friends and family.  The setting is a bit of an alternate history, where magic exists in Regency England.  Investigating strange goings on and possibly even foiling a plot to harm the Queen, both girls have an eventful and interesting summer.  This would make a phenomenal miniseries if produced by the BBC.  It would be very entertaining.

 

10.  Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph by R.L. LaFevers:  With the overwhelming popularity of the Game of Thrones, Tudors, White Queen, and The Borgias television series, this series would make a great addition to the crowd.  They'd be okay as movies (most likely subpar because of the sheer amount going on in them though).  But they would shine as a TV series, full of court intrigue, romance, magic, spies, Death (as in actually the god/patron saint of Death), and historical context.  I'm sure they would be immensely popular if done true to the books and well produced/casted/acted/scripted.  This is one that could go very wrong otherwise.