It's PRISONERS IN THE PALACE week on the blog! (Giveaway)

It is my pleasure to have a week of Prisoners in the Palace on the blog. I really enjoyed Michaela's story of Liza, a maid to Princess Victoria in London, 1838 especially since I have recently been sucked into the world of historical fiction. Each day this week we will have something devoted to the book: character interviews, an author interview and more!

About the book:

London, 1836. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery and treason above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?

Meticulously based on new interpretations of history, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

Interested in reading the first chapter? That's easy, click here!

About the author:

Michaela attended Vassar College and Yale University. She earned degrees in multi-disciplinary history. Unfortunately, it took her 20 years before she realized she was learning how to write historical fiction. Her favorite stories are the ones she finds about the childhood experiences of famous people. What happened that helped them to be great? Michaela has two daughters so she's hoping to identify those moments firsthand. She and her family live in Connecticut, but she will travel at the drop of hat to do local research. So far her travels have taken her to London and Florence and Amherst, Massachussetts. A trip to Shanghai, China is in the works. Prisoners in the Palace (Chronicle, October 2010) is her first book.

You can find out more about Michaela on her: website, blog, Facebook, Twitter

...and thanks to Michaela & her publisher, Chronicle, you have a chance to win a copy of Prisoners in the Palace or one of 5 bookmarks:) Please leave a comment and fill out the form below!

Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hardcover, 427 pages

Released: October 19th 2010

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away, and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch, or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

My Thoughts:

Crescendo was my top "must read, can't wait for book of 2010" so you may want to take my review with a grain of salt...I had super high expectations, last year I fell in love with Hush, Hush (click for review).

In Crescendo, Nora and Patch are together, and her crazy side-kick Vee is dating...Patch's best bud Rixon. Sounds great right? Wrong. This book is filled with new characters & many twists and turns as Nora comes closer to understanding who she is and what happened the night her dad was murdered.

Nora's character is much stronger in this book, she is not as dependant on Vee to do everything for her. Vee, whose fun/silly/crazy antics in Hush, Hush had me wishing I had a friend like that, just came off as annoying and way too anti-Patch in Crescendo. Add to this, the connection between Patch & Nora being strained for most of the book. I must say I really missed the Patch I loved in Hush, Hush!

Crescendo gives us insight into Nora's background, why her dad was murdered and we are told of a trouble that is brewing. Besides the introduction to a secret society, it was really only the last 50 or so pages that finally sucked me in. I'm not sure of the correct way to put this, but it seems to suffer the Curse of the Trilogy...I would suggest reading this book knowing you will get some answers, be left with more questions (a cliff hanger ending, of course!) & consider it a bridge book to get us to the guts of the story in the next book.

Review: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Hardcover, 528 pages

Publisher: Atheneum

Published: August 31st 2010

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts:

Who would have thought weaving Poe into a story about a goth and a cheerleader would work & not be cheesy! I came into reading this book with high expectations; ratings have been great & reviews keep calling this a favorite read. I, however, didn't read the reviews & had no idea what I was getting myself into - other than thinking this was going to rock! I would suggest that you read some Poe prior to jumping into the book (The Raven and The Masque of the Red Death) so that you can see just how brilliant Kelly is at executing a story that parallels Poe's dark, twisted & eerie style.

This is not paranormal fluff! It is dark & gloomy paranormal, I may even go as far to say it verges on a fantasy read as world's collide, the lines between reality & dream blur, even Shadows and Noc's attack! Although to me the pace was slow, the originality won me over big time. Isobel is a great lead character, a cheerleader but not snobby & not one to follow the crowd. Varen (sexy name and... Raven word play!), there is so much to learn about him, you really can't help but feel for this guy. I must add another great feature is that the main characters were not stereotypical (her overbearing ex, the football player was a tad bit). The secondary characters were a nice addition. I can't wait to learn more about her quirky locker buddy and new found friend, Gwen, and Nikky, well I hope to see a change in her & see more support for Isobel.

A fascinating debut by Kelly that really raises the bar on YA fiction. Loved this for it's originality and can't wait for more in the trilogy.

It's Monday! What are you reading? October 4, 2010

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week. Feel free to join in this weekly event if you'd like as well as use the picture above. Thanks Sheila for hosting!

Last week:
I finished & reviewed Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare and Zombies vs. Unicorns. I also reviewed The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
which still puts a smile on face just thinking about it :)

I started Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (click for the goodreads link)

This week:
Finish up Nevermore & write a few reviews of books that are way overdue!

What are you reading?

Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Ook & Gluk giveaway!

*drum roll please* the winner is.....

Heather

I've emailed you, please reply in the next 48 hrs.

Happy Monday everyone :)