This Miss Loves to Read

My Guest Review: Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

2011-11-15T08:47:00.002Z

I read and reviewed Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs. You may read the review at Becky's blog The Bookette right HERE.

SUMMARY: Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Guys and Molls: Speaking in the Slang of the 1930s (Goodies Included)

2011-11-13T17:46:00.010Z

Guys and Molls
Event production by
Random Magic Tour
Sasha Soren (Random Magic)

SPEAKING IN THE SLANG OF THE 1930s

Can you imagine a gangster and a lady meeting in a bar during the 1930s? I sure can. But their intriguing meeting would have been recorded with different words than we use today every day and here's a challenge for you, guys and molls. I invite you to read the text this moll wrote for you in the slang of the 1930s and do tell how much you understood and learned anew.

I invite into the world of speakeasies and jazz. Enjoy.

*****

The moment he stepped into the speakeasy, his eyes were all for the pretty canary on the stage, her form togged to the bricks. She was a sweet patootie and she blew his wig alright. A few greaseballs were trying to get her attention, but he knew her type. She was too good to be anything but a moll. He sure wouldn't mind a honey cooler from her lips. He might just ask her to sing at his big jolly up next week. She looked determined, a hard-boiled muffin, and he bet she sure wouldn't mind performing in a cave full of grifters. He didn't exactly have a tin ear, but he could listen to her all day, even if the songs were off the cob.

Her blinkers fluttered as the tune ended and she looked straight at him when he inhaled the bitter sweet smoke from his snipe. She walked off the stage and intended to go past him, but he stopped her, gently wrapping his fingers around her arm.

"That was wobby, doll."

"Kippy," she replied as if automatically. She seemed to be joed from up close. "You can take a powder now. Not interested."

"Not even in a kippy sum of suds? You'd be a perfect addition to the hop at my cave next week."

She smiled. "Keen. I'll think about it."

He returned the smile. "Abbyssinia then, kitten."

She gave him a wink before returning to the stage. A dame's peepers never lied and he knew what he'd seen in hers. Oh, it was definitely a date.

*****

To crack the slang code, refer to this website, lovelies. Did you enjoy the story?

*****

Guys and Molls - Goodies

WIN this hilarious deck of flashcards, and you'll have fun learning how to sling some lingo.

About: Get a line on this racket: flashcards feature famous one-liners and slang from 1930s gangster classics. Dish out some gangster speak and your pals and enemies will think you were made for the silver screen. 30 movie flashcards, boxed.

Preview: Check out the deck

AND

WIN this great multi-title DVD, which includes four of the best gangster movies that were ever made. Host your own 1930s mobster movie marathon!

About: There are four vintage films included on this DVD.

CLIP FROM THE PUBLIC ENEMY

The Public Enemy (1931) - A taut, realistic time capsule of the
Prohibition Era, showcasing James Cagney's powerhouse breakthrough as
a streetwise tough guy who rises high in the bootleg racket.

HOW TO PLAY: There are four steps, but they're all fun and easy to do.

1. Leave a comment on this post, giving your take on this question: In the 1930s, would you have been hanging out with flappers, cops or bootleggers? Which group do you find most intriguing and why? Feel free to sign it with your own mobster nickname or syndicate, or
Twitter name.

2. Comment on ANY other second Guys and Molls post. (Browse event schedule)

3. Comment on ANY other third Guys and Molls post.

4. Share a link to ANY Guys and Molls post on Twitter.

Note: Please remember to include email address in entry form so you can be contacted if you win.

Additional info: International. DVD is region 1/NTSC but should play on multi-region player. Winner will be selected at random using random.org.
Ends December 15, 2011, midnight, EST.

Coming Soon! Guys and Molls (November 10 - 17)

2011-11-08T16:38:00.002Z

Guys and Molls
Event production by Random Magic Tour
Sasha Soren (Random Magic)
Schedule of events

November 10 – 17, 2011

November 10
vvb32reads (@vvb32reads)
Lit noir – Fictional henchmen

November 11
This Miss Loves to Read (@MissIrenne)
Concrete shoes and tommy guns – How to talk like a gangster

November 12
Double feature
vvb32reads (@vvb32reads)
Secret doors and liquid fire – Speakeasies
and
Theater of the air – Radio show: Angels with Dirty Faces

November 13
Beyond Strange New Words (@StrangeNewWords)
Sing, you sinners! – Vintage mobster music

November 14
I Love Books (vlog) (@Booklover_622)
The Book Addict (blog) (@Christina_622)
Mob rules – A mafia code of honor
and
Splash of our Worlds (@SplashOOWorlds)
Rogue's gallery – Top 15 vintage mob flicks

November 15
The True Book Addict (@truebookaddict)
Kings of the boardwalk empire – Atlantic City's real-life wise guys
and
Reviews from my First Reads Shelf (Twitter N/A)
Jimmy Blue Eyes and the Wizard of Odds – Mobster nicknames

November 16
Story Wings (@StoryWings)
The bitter end – Assassinated gangsters
and
Inky Pages - Coffee and a Good Book (vlog) (@inkypages)
Inky Pages (blog)
From ink to screen – Mob movies based on books, short stories or plays

November 17
Spellbound by Books (@Meeka_21)
Pinstripes and fedoras – Gangster fashion

And event goodies! Details available on event posts.

*****COMING SOON*****
November 10 – 17, 2011

Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time

2011-10-11T11:05:00.003+01:00

This great feature is hosted every Tuesday at The Broke and the Bookish.

I came up with five books.

Here is my list in no particular order, with explanations as to why I wish I could read some already read books for the first time:

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
Jane Eyre is one of my favourite novels of all time. I read it for the first time when I was sixteen and I have re-read it a few times since, but that first impression I got of the book cannot be repeated. I loved how surprised I was to learn the truth behind all the mystery and how thrilling that was. Now I know what to expect, so there are no surprises anymore. In my opinion, Jane Eyre contains one of the best plot twists ever written.

2. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.
This is my favourite novel and I think it'd be thrilling to be able to discover its beauties for the first time. The best experience I had when reading this novel for the first time was that I gradually learned to love and sympathise with the main character - the Phantom. As I re-read it now, I delve into the world already knowing his history and loving it, so I'm biased. That first journey of discoveries was quite magical.

3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
This is a little known fact, but the first time I read this famous novel, I didn't think much of it at all. I enjoyed it, but I quickly forgot it. I only began to appreciate its value when the BBC series began to air. Then I returned it, more mature and better versed in literature, and saw it in a different light. I wish I could read it for the first time now because my reading tastes have changed dramatically since I was fifteen.

4. Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz.
This has been one of the best and most spiritual reads I have ever experienced. I would like to experience this type of reading again, with this amazing book.

5. The Wyndspelle trilogy by Aola Vandergriff.
For me, these books provided me with such thrill! I have re-read the trilogy, but it's just not the same. I'd love to experience that thrill again.

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

2011-10-10T11:53:00.002+01:00

GENRE: contemporary fiction/family drama

SUMMARY:
Delia Hopkins has led a charmed life. Raised in rural New Hampshire by her widowed father, Andrew, she now has a young daughter, a handsome fiance, and her own search-and-rescue bloodhound, which she uses to find missing persons. But as Delia plans her wedding, she is plagued by flashbacks of a life she can't recall. And then a policeman knocks on her door, revealing a secret that changes the world as she knows it. In shock and confusion, Delia must sift through the truth - even when it jeopardizes her life and the lives of those she loves. What happens when you learn you are not who you thought you were? When the people you've loved and trusted suddenly change before your eyes? When getting your deepest wish means giving up what you've always taken for granted? Vanishing Acts explores how life - as we know it - might not turn out the way we imagined; how doing the right thing could mean doing the wrong thing; how the memory we thought had vanished could return as a threat.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Vanishing Acts is a touching, gripping and thought-provoking novel about family and betrayal.

Delia Hopkins is a happy woman. She is engaged to a man she has known almost all her life, has a daughter with him, a supportive best friend, a job that pleases her and a father she can always turn to. Things were not always easy for Delia, but in general, she has led a good life. The only thing that mars her happiness are the memories of things she doesn’t remember experiencing herself and that fills her with much confusion. Then, one day, the police come to arrest her father for kidnapping a child more than twenty years ago and Delia learns the shocking truth: the child her father kidnapped was her and she used to be called Bethany Matthews.

Delia embarks on a difficult and heart-breaking journey of self-discovery, trying to determined if her life has been a lie and if she can still love her father after his great act of betrayal, or learn to love the woman who says is her mother.

Picoult focuses on very serious and important topics in this novel. In the foreground is the question of whether something that is labeled a crime is a really a crime when done for honourable reasons, and the reader is provoked into answering the question with a startling answer. The author also discusses alcoholism, child abuse, how far one would go to survive, as well as Indian spiritualism and its effects on someone who has been yearning for answers all their life. There is certainly no lack of themes in the book and they are all difficult issues with no easy answers. Picoult explores all sides of one issue, leaving space for several different interpretations. Life is not only black and white, and the author definitely attests to this truth.

The problem I had with this novel was, in fact, that there are perhaps too many story lines. While I must compliment the author for truly focusing on every character and on every circumstance that they come upon with skill and thoroughness, I must confess that I did not always see the point in all of them. I know the author tried to cover all possible aspects of this shocking tale, to truly make the reader see and feel sympathy for different people, but some scenes were redundant and did not really serve a purpose. As much as I am interested in Native American culture, for example, it seems that almost everything connected to the Indian character in the novel, and to this culture, was just the author’s way of expressing her vast knowledge on the topic that she has used in another novel. I appreciate the effort, but sometimes it distracted me from the actual problem.

Delia also makes drastic changes in her love life. I understood why she would feel that was necessary, but it still seemed a bit fast for my taste, if not slightly forced. She seemed to happy about it, which means something, but I can’t help but feel that her heart was not really in it.

Still, the novel was a highly enjoyable read and it was ever so thought provoking. I agreed with certain things I might have otherwise condemned, and vice versa. The novel focuses on all those gray areas in life, when something that’s wrong is actually right, and something that feels right is really terribly wrong.

In my opinion, the novel has a satisfactory conclusion which proves that justice is still appreciated in this world, that child protection is encouraged and desired, and that love can overrun all obstacles. Some may not agree with me, as it’s easy to accept the things that happen in the novel, but reality is not always easy, anyway.

This novel can be enjoyed by anyone who likes a good family drama and who is not afraid to be faced with difficult answers and situations. The novel will leave you emotionally raw, but it is a rewarding read. I am fast becoming a fan of Jodi Picoult.

THIS MISS RATES:

Bookie Brunch: Favourite Classic Novels + Chance to Win a Prize

2011-10-03T09:01:00.007+01:00

Welcome to Bookie Brunch
Come join the discussion!
Founder: Sasha Soren (Random Magic)
* Every Sunday*

Today's host: This Miss Loves to Read
Next week’s host (October 9): Amanda-Lee at StoryWings
This week’s discussion open through: October 5

Your host this week:
Irena at This Miss Loves to Read

Her guests this week:
Yiota at Splash of Our Worlds
Pepca at Beyond Strange New Words
Jazmin at Books!!!

Welcome to the Bookie Brunch! Created by the wonderful Sasha Soren, the Bookie Brunch is a traveling event where bookish people get together to discuss bookish things. Every Sunday, readers will share their opinions on a particular topic, and you are welcome to join us!

Please join me in welcoming Yiota, Pepca and Jazmin to This Miss Loves to Read!

ON THE MENU:
Which is your favourite classic novel, and why?

LET US BEGIN!

Yiota says:
Hmmm...I will go with Hobbit, even though I'm not sure it counts. I've seen it in classic novels lists. Anyway, I love epic fantasy. It's my favorite genre.
Hobbit is not only the first epic fantasy book I got, but also probably the most magnificent and perfectly created world out there. I might find the details tiresome at some point but I love the scenery, the ideas, the elves' language, the story! It's funny and easy to read it. Also has a dragon and Gandalf in, so 'nuff said.
If Hobbit doesn't count as classic I'm going with Emma by Jane Austen. I have read almost all of her books but Emma is my fav. It's more light and funny and I was giggling all the time with the main character.

Pepca says:
My favourite classic novel is In Desert and Wilderness by Henryk Sienkiewicz. It is considered to be a children's/young adult novel, but I think it can also be viewed as a classic because it deals with universal themes which are still reflected in the present. It can certainly be enjoyed at every age, because of its dynamic story of adventure and exploration of new cultures, through which the main protagonists learn about the world and themselves as grow-up a little. This well-written story takes the reader to unknown places and it broadens one's horizons.

Jazmin says:
My favorite classic novel is The Odyssey because of its vivid imagery and engrossing (even if people find it boring), and I just love a good tale with the Greek gods.

Irena (the host) says:
There are quite a few wonderful classic novels to be considered for this question, but I am alternating between two: my favourite novel, which is The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I suppose you could say I am a great fan of Gothic literature. I love the passion this genre creates, the suspense, the mysterious and darkly beautiful scenery it brings to life, and the way it honestly, although dramatacally paints human nature in its extremes. In both the novels I chose, all of it is very evident in the stories. I especially love how the characters evolve, grow, excell and change. I love the message that redemption is possible for everyone, and that love itself is a redeeming factor. The romantic in me can't resist such a thing.

*****

What are YOUR thoughts on the matter?

*****

Brunch Goodies

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From Fragrantica: Intense, merry and unforgettable; so opulent and
floral that it seems like its composition includes every beautiful
flower that exists in the world. (MORE)

WATCH COMMERICAL

Shown above: Here's a brief video review of Amarige, by actor and beauty products broadcaster Petra Bryant.

Details: To win this lovely brunch gift, please leave email info and
thoughtful or interesting comment below. A winner will be picked at
random. If host and guests agree that a specific visitor comment is
substantial, outstanding, or in some other way has particular merit,
they can override random.org pick at their discretion. Eau de
toilette, miniature, 4mL (0.13 oz.). International. Through November
1, 2011, 12 midnight EDT.

Brought by: Sasha Soren

International Giveaway: Love at Absolute Zero by Christopher Meeks

2011-09-29T09:49:00.003+01:00

Hello, everyone!

I'm very happy to be able to host A GIVEAWAY for Chistoper Meeks' wonderful novel Love at Absolute Zero.

Love at Absolute Zero is about Gunnar Gunderson, a 32-year-old star physicist at the University of Wisconsin. The moment he’s given tenure at the university, he can think of only one thing: finding a wife. His research falters into what happens to matter near absolute zero (−459.67 °F), but he has an instant new plan. To meet his soul mate within three days—that’s what he wants and the time he can carve out—he will use the Scientific Method. Can Gunnar survive his quest?

You can read my review HERE.

THE RULES OF THE GIVEAWAY AND HOW TO ENTER IT:
- the giveaway is international,
- there will be two winners; the winner from the USA/Canada will be able to choose between a physical copy of the book and an e-book, the international winner will receive an e-book,
- the giveaway ends October 6, the winners will be announced October 7,
- to enter the giveaway, simply leave your e-mail address in the response box below,
- you do not have to be a follower of This Miss Loves to Read to participate.

GOOD LUCK!

This Miss Answers 25 Bookish Questions

2011-09-27T13:50:00.007+01:00

There's one thing you should know about me - I love quizzes related to literature and books, and when I saw a new one at Pepca's blog Beyond Strange New Words, I immediately knew I was going to try it out myself.

In this post, I answer 25 bookish questions.

Here we go:

1. What percent of books do you get from the library and what percent do you get elsewhere?

I used to mostly borrow books from the library, so I would read around 90% of library books, and the rest of the books were mine. Now, it's the other way around. I borrow books from the library for my family, but I mostly read books I either bought, borrowed from a friend or received for review. Which means that now, I only read about 10-20% of library books. I suppose blogging changed my relationship with the library.

2. What character would you want to be and why?

This is an incredibly difficult question. I love many characters, even some of those that are just inherently bad at heart. But I think I'd most likely be Jane Eyre because I can most easily relate to her. She's learned, and both reasonable and passionate. She's a well-balanced woman.

3. What is your favourite book from your childhood?

Hans Christian Andersen's collection of fairy-tales. We have a book at home that contains thirty of his fairy-tales and I used to read that book all the time.

4. What is your favourite book?

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

5. Which book series do you have the most books of?  

Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels. I own the first seven books of the series.

6. Do you buy used books or use swap.com?

No to both. If I buy a book, I do so because I really want to own it and I prefer my books to be brand new. I think I'd use swap if it actually shipped books to my country.
 
7. Who is your favourite/hottest guy or girl?

Currently, that would be Loki from the movie Thor, to be completely honest. Before watching the movie, I knew about Loki from the Edda poems and from the Marvel comics, and in the movie he really shines. As a character, he is currently my hottest guy, and yes, he is also very handsome. I adore characters that are complex and multi-layered. As Loki appears in literature - as I said, in the Edda poems (Norse poetry) and Marvel comic books - he counts for this questionnaire.

8. What is your favourite book cover?

I only have to choose one? I don't really have my very favourite book cover, but I have to say that I'm still quite impressed by the cover for The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart by Matthias Malzieu.

9. What is your favourite type of book cover?

I like a vintage look, scenery, with something symbolic added to the image - something that's related to the book. I don't likw covers that have too much going on in them or that are pink.

10. What was the first book you read?

I'm not 100% certain about this, but my earliest memory of my trying to read a book by myself and succeeding points to "Cinderella" by the Grimm brothers. Not a book, but still, it's a story.

11. What is your favourite book to movie adaption? 

Definitely BBC's adaptation of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, starring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens. It's not a movie, but a mini-series in four parts. I also adore the movie adaptations for The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

12. When did you start making videos on YouTube?

Originally, this was a questionnaire made by a vlogger. I don't have a vlog, but I have a blog and I started blogging in May 2010.

13. Where is the best place to read?
 
My own bed. The bathroom, too. :)

14. Have you written your own fan fiction for a book?

Several, actually. For me, fanfiction is a very fun way of releasing my creative energy, as well as great practice for a writer in making because you have readers who give you (almost) immediate feedback, pointing out your strengths and weaknesses. I recommend fanfiction.net. If a fanfic is well written, it's really intriguing to see your beloved characters in different situations.

15. If you could only read 3 books for the rest of your life what would they be? 

This question is nearly impossible to answer, but from the top of my head, I'd say:
1. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux,
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte,
3. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

16. What is the longest book you have read?

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. The version I read had a bit over 1000 pages. Impressive.

17. If you were to write a book, what would the title be and why?
 
Oh, my. It's hard to say. I'm working on a story, for fun. I guess the working title is Gemini. Why this title? Because it involves twins, and I like the sound of Latin for a book title. There you go.

18. How many books did you read last month?

I read seven books in August.

19. What is the last book you read?

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors.

20. Do you imagine about yourself in the books you like?

Yes, sometimes. I'm sure every reader has done that.

21. What is your favourite bookstore?

I love two bookstores and both are in the city centre, practically staring at each other. They're not internationally known, so their names are probably irrevelant.

22. Hardback or paperback?

When I buy books, always paperbacks. I just prefer paperbacks to hardbacks because I can carry them around in my bag, and honestly, they're cheaper. In the library, there are usually only hardbacks, so I don't really have a choice there.

23. Do you have more than one copy of the same book?

Actually, yes. I have Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte in English and in Slovene, and we have three Bibles. I guess that counts.

24. Would you rather read about vampires or werewolves? 

Vampires.

25. Do you own more than 150 books? If not, would you?

I do. I didn't buy them all, just... a lot of them.

Bartered Bride by Anne Avery

2011-09-26T11:26:00.002+01:00

GENRE: historical romance

SUMMARY:
Lady Alyce Fitzmartin is forced to marry the arrogant Robert Wardell, the answer to her father's debts, and a man Alyce is certain she will never love. Yet an even more grave situation lies in wait. For Robert may not survive the impending overthrow of the King, unless he uses his new wife as a pawn. But one glance into each other's eyes sparks an unexpected yearning. And while England burns with the fire of revolt, Robert and Alyce discover a passion for which both must gamble their lives.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Bartered Bride is a historical romance that sets itself apart from most works of this genre, primarily because it does not only focus on the romance and the passion that this genre requires, but also on the historical, political and social aspects of its setting.

Lady Alyce Fitzmartin is the daughter of a baron who can trace his lineage back to the Conqueror. He is, therefore, old nobility, proud of his position, and he is fittingly arrogant and boorish. Alyce is a gentle, yet determined lady who had to learn to take care of the manor and its lands at a very young age, with whatever means she could find, for although she is of noble blood, her family is in desperate need of funds. For this reason, the baron arranges Alyce’s marriage to a wealthy London merchant, Robert Wardell, who is not a nobleman and Alyce feels betrayed because she is marrying below her status and for the sake of money. She feels even more betrayed when she learns that her ever pragmatic husband, who is a stranger to any kind of romance, married her for political reasons only. Under such circumstances, the newlywed couple struggles with coping with their blooming feelings for each other, hindered by pride, old wounds and politics. Eventually, the situation in England puts them into jeopardy and if they don’t tread carefully, there might be serious consequences for them both.

The story takes place in 13th-century England during the reign of Henry III and the second uprising of the barons led by Simon de Montfort in 1263-4. Avery describes the civil conflict in a clear and simple way, incorporating it into the story naturally. The historical aspects are covered well, as are the manners of that time. The setting is authentic and makes the story much richer, as the focus is not only on the developing romance between Robert and Alyce, but also on the background of the time in which these two characters live. Robert’s motives are realistically explained, as is the fact that because of their very different origins, Robert and Alyce stand on opposite sites, which threatens their love greatly. Through Robert, the rising class of merchants is presented, which, for a history enthusiast like myself, was a very welcome touch.

The romance is not neglected; it is still the most significant part of the novel and it develops gradually. Robert and Alyce are allowed to evolve over the course of the novel, and the romance evolves together with them. There is no instant attraction, so they way they tentatively discovered each either was quite delightful to observe. Robert is a proud merchant, an intelligent and brave man who makes money with his diligence. Alyce is his worthy mate, spirited, clever and willing to learn.

All in all, Bartered Bride is a delightful historical romance that should please any fan of the genre.

THIS MISS RATES:

Love at Absolute Zero by Christopher Meeks

2011-09-23T18:27:00.003+01:00

GENRE: contemporary fiction/romance

SUMMARY:
Love at Absolute Zero is about Gunnar Gunderson, a 32-year-old star physicist at the University of Wisconsin. The moment he’s given tenure at the university, he can think of only one thing: finding a wife. His research falters into what happens to matter near absolute zero (−459.67 °F), but he has an instant new plan. To meet his soul mate within three days—that’s what he wants and the time he can carve out—he will use the Scientific Method. Can Gunnar survive his quest?

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Love at Absolute Zero is a gem of a book, and as I rarely begin a review with such a direct declaration, you can be sure that I truly enjoyed reading this story, from the first to the last chapter.

The novel tells the story of Gunnar Gunderson, a 32-year-old brilliant physicist with a tenure at the University of Wisconsin, a passion for his research project and now, a new-found desire to find himself a wife. It seems that a wife will complete the picture. Gunnar, however, is – despite being a very intelligent and talented physicist – a man who relies on science completely. He relies on science so much that he goes about finding his one true love with a scientific approach. But even though he has a perfect plan and knows all the right scientific methods to use in order to find his soul mate in only three days, it immediately begins to show that Gunnar is, in fact, very naïve and inexperienced when it comes to love, and so his great romantic adventure begins.

Gunnar is a great hero who is very smart, intelligent and of a clearly scientific mind, but who is a bit emotionally challenged when it comes to love. He seems that every problem can be approached by way of employing scientific methods, but he has to learn that there is no such thing as an equation for love. He knows the ways of romancing, but he never truly experienced anything with his heart, which leaves him vulnerable and naïve. His quest for love is a wonderful journey spiced up with passion and humour, and it is easy to sympathise with Gunnar, sometimes even relate to him. After all, are we not, on occasion, all fools when it comes to love? Gunnar is, therefore, although a geek (a great, sweet geek!) who could step right into a scene of The Big Bang Theory, an ordinary guy who happens to be a bit unique. In short, he is very human and real, and the sort of character one remembers.

The novel approaches a very interesting subject – love from a scientific point of view; and this brings me to the science used in the novel. This book has an amazing trait – it balances science and romance with a natural ease, focusing on both subjects equally, realistically and in a quite believable way. The author clearly did a lot of research related to quantum physics and presented it well in the novel. The physics in the story really are physics and the science is completely real. The reader does not need to feel challenged by the fact that quantum physics is discussed and explained in the story; every part related to science is written in a way that can be understood by anyone, while maintaining the sense of reality, by which I mean that the author doesn’t downplay physics. Meeks makes you want to learn physics and be able to chat about it with Gunnar. Another thing I’d like to point out is that every chapter is preceded by a quote belonging to a famous scientist, be it Einstein, Bohr or Huxley. It’s a very nice touch.

Then, there is the romance, which is equally important and described in the novel in equal measure. In my experience, one of two subjects in a novel usually stands out, but Meeks balances the science and the romance with ease, making both subjects very interesting and simple to follow. The two subjects form an intriguing combination that works just perfectly.

Gunnar’s story is fun, funny and wonderful, and it shows a rational view on love, but also that, ultimately, love can get anyone, even the most rational ones. The premise is definitely original and the story well delivered. This is a book that I can easily recommend to anyone, regardless of the gender.

I received a copy of the novel for review as part of the blog tour organised by Teddy at Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.

THIS MISS RATES:

A Walk in the Meadows at Rosings Park by Mary Lydon Simonsen

2011-08-06T12:39:00.004+01:00

GENRE: novella/Jane Austen re-imagining

SUMMARY:
The day after the assembly at Meryton, Fitzwilliam Darcy departs Hertfordshire believing that he leaves little of interest behind him. But when Elizabeth Bennet comes to Kent, Darcy has an opportunity for a second look at the dark-haired beauty and is instantly smitten. Unfortunately for Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth has a long memory, and the gentleman from Derbyshire will have to earn her love. His efforts begin with a walk in the meadows at Rosings Park.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
This lovely novella puts Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy in a new position. Elizabeth's sister Jane is engaged to Mr Bingley, Darcy's close friend; Charlotte Lucas is married to Mr Collins and Elizabeth is visiting with the couple. It seems there are no obstacles for Lizzie and Darcy, but such is definitely not the case. Elizabeth still remembers how Mr Darcy slighted everyone, including her, at the Meryton Assembly and although they like each other, there is also the question of rank that Lizzie cannot seem to overlook.

I truly enjoyed this new spin on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice because it puts Darcy and Lizzie into an entirely emotional – and therefore more intimate – predicament. The character of Elizabeth Bennet is delightfully and accurately outlined. Her wit and humour, as well as seriousness and independence of thought, are well observed. While Darcy is just slightly too relaxed in public situations and acts mostly on impulse, his character is essentially still the Darcy we all know from the original. He shows that, when surrounded by friends and family, he is a kind and amiable gentleman and not the arrogant grouch he was at the Meryton Assembly. The whole situation is well written and offers great and witty dialogue that truly delighted me.

This is a novella that reads smoothly and fast, and it should delight any Austen fan. You will finish the last page with a smile. It is a story that combines romance and witty humour very deftly, while staying true to the characters and the original plot.

Any fan of Jane Austen should read it.

My thanks go to the author for sending me a copy of her novella for review!

THIS MISS RATES: / (4.5 stars)

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

2011-08-05T09:52:00.003+01:00

GENRE: war fiction/women's fiction/drama

SUMMARY:
It is 1940, and bombs fall nightly on London. In the thick of the chaos is young American radio reporter Frankie Bard. She huddles close to terrified strangers in underground shelters, and later broadcasts stories about survivors in rubble-strewn streets. But for her listeners, the war is far from home. Listening to Frankie are Iris James, a Cape Cod postmistress, and Emma Fitch, a doctor's wife. Iris hears the winds stirring and knows that soon the letters she delivers will bear messages of hope or tragedy. Emma is desperate for news of London, where her husband is working - she counts the days until his return. But one night in London the fates of all three women entwine when Frankie finds a letter - a letter she vows to deliver . . .

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
The Postmistress is a novel about ordinary people trying to cope with the tragedies of war. At the centre of the story are three women: Frankie Bard, a young American radio reporter in the Blitz in London, speaking to her listeners about every-day drama that she encounters in a war-plagued London; Iris James, a proud-to-be postmistress of Cape Cod, Massachussets, miles away from the war, yet close to it through the letters that contain it in words; and Emma Fitch, the young wife of a doctor, hurting because her husband is in the middle of danger in London, yearning to have him back home.

The novel does not focus on the WW2 in general, but on the personal drama of ordinary people suffering through it. This is a character-driven story, showing that tragedies did not happen only on the battlefields, but also in comfortable homes of women awaiting the return of their husbands, or the dreaded news that war has hit America, too. The story is slow-paced, and as such it allows the reader to savour the drama, the hurt, the expectations, the hope, the yearning. The plot begins to thicken when fate begins to draw the three women – Frankie, Iris and Emma – together and when two of the women decide to take matters into their own hands: Iris intends to keep a letter a secret to spare a friend the pain of loss, and Frankie intends quite the oppposite.

The characters are very well developed. They are rounded and appear very real, as if you could meet them on the street. They made me feel and hope for them. Especially the character of Emma Fitch is very sympathetic and, in my opinion, drives the story forward. In this respect, I think the problem of this novel is its title. It does not fit the whole frame of the story and is therefore quite inappropriate. I confess, I cannot think of a better title, but if I were to title this novel, The Postmistress would definitely not be my choice, as it is a very deceiving title, almost fooling the reader about the directions this story takes. The way the story evolved came as a surprise to me, as I had been expecting something entirely different. Fortunately, my disappointment died out soon and was replaced by satisfaction – the novel really is well written.

The sense of time and place is very vivid and clearly outlined. The reader can easily imagine London in the time of the second great war, or the peaceful Cape Cod on the other side of the Atlantic. It is also easy to picture the characters and their activities: the precise way in which Iris sorts the letters that must be deliever to their destinations; the despair that accompanies Frankie on her journey through Europe, as she witnesses death, injustice and an end to what she saw as hope; Emma's lost and worried face as she enters Cape Cod's post office every day, waiting for news of her husband.

There is nothing epic about this story, no great adventures or anything of the sort. It is all very emotional and psychological, and I personally love stories that focus on these things. The ending fits. I was only confused by Frankie's motives and decisions. I have my own theories, but I am not entirely sure. Still, the story as a whole is wonderful and ends in a suitable way. Perhaps Iris's life is hit by tragedy that I would have chosen not to happen, as with all the sorrow already present, I didn't feel it was necessary to burden Iris's life with tragedy, too.

This is a novel for those who like to read about history, war and ordinary people. I recommend it.

THIS MISS RATES:

Guest Post: Melissa Douthit on beloved authors/books + TWO giveaways

2011-08-04T16:05:00.004+01:00

Melissa Douthit, author of The Raie'Chaelia, which I reviewed HERE, wrote a post about the books she read as a child and the authors she admired. Thank you, Melissa, for sharing it with us!

Melissa says:

When I was young, and before I was introduced to Robert Jordan’s novels, I read a lot of Jack London and John Steinbeck. In fact, I loved the Call of the Wild so much that I named a puppy of mine Buck. We had assigned reading by these authors in school - Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, The Call of Wild and more but I think once I was introduced to the authors, I read almost every book they wrote.

My love affair with these two authors hasn’t ceased. When I was working at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab back in 2004-2008, I took BART trip to Oakland where I visited Jack London Square. You see, there is a bar there that I wanted to visit. It is an old bar that has been around for over a hundred years. It is called Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon and IMHO, it is the most important establishment at the square. Why? Because it is a bar that Jack London visited when he was kid and it is where he first began to conceive his ideas that went into his books. The bar, tables, and chairs are still made of the original wood. Even the clock on the wall, that reads 5:12 all the time since 1906, is still the original clock. It fell from the wall on the morning of Wednesday April 18, 1906 at 5:12 am (the morning of the great San Francisco earthquake) and stopped working. The owner of the bar at the time, hung it back up and just left it there never fixing it. The bar itself, and the floor, slant downwards because of the shifting of the soil during the quake and it is still that way. When you walk in, you feel like you are stepping back in time a hundred years. The feeling is unbelievable.

When Jack London frequented the location as a kid (he didn’t drink, just visited), he met interesting characters - seafarers that would come in with the tide and then leave with it when they were done drinking. One of the men he knew became the inspiration for the main character in Sea-Wolf. The owner of the bar at the time actually funded London’s first year at Berkeley, where London studied literature. The reason the bar is called the First and Last Chance Saloon is because during the prohibition, San Francisco was a dry city but Oakland wasn’t and those who would take the ferry into the city to work in the morning would stop in for their first drink and then their last drink when they came home. I love this bar! It is one of the most historical places in the Bay Area.

After I left LLNL, I went to work (luckily!) in Monterey with the Naval Postgraduate School. It was a stroke of luck as there is the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. I went on several occasions. It is a great place. If you are ever in Monterey county, it is definitely worth the visit. I miss Monterey!

I remember during the two years I lived in Monterey, I would look out into the bay during a cloudy day and feel what Steinbeck must have felt when he wrote The Pearl. The pearlescent glow of the water is stunning. Then, I would take a walk on Cannery Row and imagine the scenery in the book that was inspired by it. It was really then that I realized how lucky I was to be able to walk in the literal footsteps of the authors whom I loved so much as a kid.

*****

This is a wonderful post and I think Melissa had a great reading childhood, don't you? Thank you again for your guest post, Melissa!

Now, I have very thrilling news to share - I (as well as number of other bloggers) am hosting not only one, but two giveaways, or rather a giveaway and a contest.

THE GIVEAWAY:
- if you enter the giveaway, you will win a copy of The Raie'Chaelia in an e-book format,
- since the winner will get his/her copy in an e-book format, this means that the giveaway is open internationally,
- the giveaway ends August 10,
- to enter the giveaway, leave a response to Melissa's guest post in the comments section below and add your e-mail address,
you do not have to be a follower of this blog to enter.

THE CONTEST:
Would you like to read The Raie'Chaelia on an e-reader, but you don't have one? Don't worry, you might win your very own e-reader!

Rules of the contest:
Enter a drawing and win a free e-reader of your choice or a $100 gift certificate to your favorite store by answering the following question:

How did Heinhold's First and Last Chance Saloon get its name?

To answer the question go to this link and fill in the information (place answer in Message field): http://melissadouthit.com/contact-me-2/

Contest ends September 10, 2011. Winner will be announced September 12th on Melissa Douthit's Blog.

*****

Thank you, Melissa, for such a generous contest!

Good luck to everyone! If you'd like a bigger chance at winning a copy of the novel or an e-reader, consult THIS link for tour dates and check out other blogs hosting giveaways and the contest.

The Raie'Chaelia by Melissa Douthit

2011-08-03T20:09:00.003+01:00

GENRE: fantasy/adventure

SUMMARY:
When Chalice sets off for Branbury in the middle of the night with her grandfather’s instructions, she has no idea of the dangers that await her. The King’s men have destroyed her home village of Canton and she is suddenly thrown into a Terravailian world that she does not know. Lost and alone, she is hard pressed to evade the iron grasp of the madman who rules the land. With the help of a friendly Chinuk, an old man, and a book that she discovers along the way, not only does she find true friends and true love, but she also finds her true self and what it means to be the Raie’Chaelia.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
The Raie'Chaelia (pronounced rye-kale-ya) is an original fantasy adventure story that provides the reader with a gripping tale, a wonderful and unique setting, and interesting, not to mention engaging characters. It is also a coming-of-age story for Chalice, the novel's brave and heroic protagonist.

Chalice is a girl who was raised as a warrior, for she must be capable of fighting and surviving whatever comes her way in life. Such skills are necessary in the Terravailian world, once ruled by a good king, but which is now ruled by an evil man. Chalice experiences quite a journey when what she’s been preparing for suddenly becomes a reality. Her grandfather wanted her to go on an important quest and at the beginning of the novel, Chalice runs away from her home and from everything she ever knew to go on the quest and complete her mission.

Chalice is a great heroine who is decisive and brave. There are obstacles she must overcome, and she does so with determination. Her story shows her coming-of-age transition into a world of experience and danger, and her inner strength is a great factor during this transition as she fights the dangerous Terraivilians. I was also impressed by the character of Jeremiah, a skilled archer who helps Chalice. He is an intelligent man who values duty and honour beyond anything else. To me, Chalice and Jeremiah made a great pair.

In my opinion, the Terravailian world is at the centre of the novel. It is a beautifully inventive world that offers many novel things, like incredibly sharp obsidian knives, something I had never encountered in literature before. The fantasy setting shows the author’s creativeness. It offers detailed descriptions that give a vivid picture of the place; over the course of the novel, it begins to feel very real. Some readers might be put off by the many insightful descriptions, but I enjoyed them very much, as they created a clear picture. Something that put me off at times was how many new things were introduced over the course of the novel. I had to read carefully to remember them all. Yet I understand that, since this is the first novel in a trilogy, the author had to introduce the reader to a new world, to a new people. I am sure this information will be useful in the following novels and is necessary, as well as interesting.

I am sorry for being a bit vague, but I feel that by saying more, I’d give away information that could be labeled as spoilers. I can say, though, that this is a fantasy novel, set in a new world, which is filled with adventure on almost every page. I don’t read fantasy often, but I dare say that The Raie'Chaelia is a book to be read by fantasy enthusiasts. It's an enjoyable journey.

I received an e-book from Teddy at Premier Virtual Author Book Tours. Thank you, Teddy, and thank you Melissa, for providing the copy.

Tomorrow, Melissa will share her guest post on this post, along with a giveaway, so stay tuned!

THIS MISS RATES: / (3.5 stars)

Bookie Brunch: Why Do We Read the Classics?

2011-07-25T08:01:00.002+01:00

Welcome to Bookie Brunch
Come join the discussion!
Founder: Sasha Soren (Random Magic)
* Every Sunday*

Today's host: This Miss Loves to Read
Next week’s host (August 31): Beyond Strange New Words
This week’s discussion open through: July 27

Your host this week:
Irena at This Miss Loves to Read

Her guests this week:
Jennie at Jennie's Corner
Jo at The Fluidity of Time
Pepca at Beyond Strange New Words

We are one guest short this week.

Welcome to the Bookie Brunch! Created by the wonderful Sasha Soren, the Bookie Brunch is a traveling event where bookish people get together to discuss bookish things. Every Sunday, five readers will share their opinions on a particular topic, and you are welcome to join us!

Please join me in welcoming Jennie, Jo and Pepca to This Miss Loves to Read!

ON THE MENU:
Do you think people only read classics because they are classics or because they are actually enjoyable? Is there a classic that you don't think should be a classic? Why do you think that?

LET US BEGIN!

Jennie says:

Do you think people only read classics because they are classics or because they are actually enjoyable?
I think that it is a combination of both. I feel as if the majority of people read the classics because they are classics and it's just something you "should" read at some point. However classics also wouldn't be so popular if they weren't good or enjoyable. What I personally feel is a testament to the fact that classics are actually enjoyable, is the fact that they are constantly being reinterpreted or re-invisioned. The majority of books that are out now, are influenced in way or another by the classics. Take the most obvious example of Dracula by Bram Stoker. It has literally spawned a whole genre in itself. Frankly if you take the time to read the book that started it all, you'll find that it is a really great read! (Well in my opinion at least). There are lots of ways to interpret what a classic is but a quote that I like is “A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say” So much so that they tend to create their own genres! ;). They are books that have stood the test of time. A book that has stood the test of time and is never finished saying what is has to say? Well that is a book I want to read and I'm pretty sure it will be extremely enjoyable! :)

Is there a classic that you don't think should be a classic? Why do you think that?
To be honest... No.
I've sat here, for I don't know how long, trying to think of one that should not be a classic. I can't. Is it awful that I even resorted to googling "books that shouldn't be classics"? Honestly I disagreed with every suggestion that I found (I mean they said Dickens! Dickens? How is that possible? *shakes head in disbelief*) So I'm back to square one. No I don't think there is a classic that shouldn't be a classic. For the most part I think they all have there own merits. Some people argue that they are outdated. Outdated, really? If a book is set in the 1920's but written in 2011, its not outdated, why should the classics be? If anything it makes them more authentic. People need to appreciate them for what they are, not for what they want them to be.

*****

Jo says:

For most of us, it seems like we encounter classic books when we're in school (high school, for many of us). In my experience, the books are relatively varied, mostly by dead white men and including a selection or two from women, like Jane Austen or one of the Bronte sisters. Unfortunately, either way, unless you have a really wonderful teacher, classics seem to be beaten to death, over-analyzed until the enjoyable bits are few and far between, and you don't want to read another book by that particular author.

I was lucky enough to have some really great English teachers in high school, so I was able to enjoy some classics, like Wuthering Heights, and Of Mice and Men, and others. But other classics seemed to fall by the wayside, or I just never felt like I enjoyed reading them. My theory is that the state of mind you're in when you read a book, and what's going on in your life, affect how you react to a book. For some classics, I think that's what makes them pretty hard to relate to for a lot of readers. Others seem to transcend anything modern because the story is written so well, or you just enjoy the characters so much.

That being said, I think that some people really do enjoy classics, and that style of writing. For them, the experience of reading a classic is like listening to well-composed music, or gourmet food, and something enjoyable. For other readers, however, I think that classic books, read outside of the bounds of school reading, are read just because they are classics; that there is a feeling like one should read the book because it is a classic, and not for any other reason.

I don't believe in reading something just because it is a classic. While I enjoy some classic books, I don't like others. And I'm not going to read them just because they have been deemed as a classic. Case in point: Catcher in the Rye. I have read it 3 times, and I can't stand it. Twice for school (once in high school, once in grad school, and once just for "fun"). Cannot stand that book, and actually don't think it should be a classic. While I don't enjoy Jane Austen's books (I know, I'm a heretic for saying that), I can understand why they are classics --- her books are quite well-written and give us insight into a time period in history. Catcher in the Rye, on the other hand, gives the reader (in my opinion, of course), insight into a very annoying character, and the time period and setting don't really matter much. Given my druthers, if I'm going to read about a high-school aged boy in a "classic" book, give me A Separate Peace. At least I find the main character interesting, the time period relevant, and the story to be good.

Classics are the kinds of books that I think should be taught and should be studied, and should be enjoyed. However, I don't think it's cool to feel like one "should" read something one isn't interested in (unless it's assigned. There's not much to do about that except try to enjoy it). Simple reading something to brag to other, "I've read War and Peace" or "I read only the classics" --- unless it's true, and you really do love the classics, why bother? Plenty of wonderful books in the world to be read and enjoyed.

*****

Pepca says:

I think there are three kinds of people. Some people read the classics because they are classics. They read classics because they want to sound sophisticated. The second kind of people read classics because they enjoy reading them. They want to read classics because they want to learn something, get some food for thought, educate themselves, and enjoy the writing. There is also the third kind of people – the people who do not read classics at all, except when they are required to, that is in school.

I used to belong to the third group. The word classics used to lit a flashing read alarm light in my head saying classics = required reading = boring and difficult = to-be-avoided-at-all-costs. However, since I started blogging, other people’s enthusiasm about classics convinced me to give them another chance. I have read several classics lately and found them quite enjoyable. That said, I do not think myself qualified to give an opinion about whether there is any classic which should not be considered a classic. After all, classics become classics because many people find a great artistic value in them.

*****

Your host, Irena, says:

I encountered most of the classics in school, but I had the luck of reading a lot of people's beloved classics without knowing their importance – without the burden of any sort of expectation, so to say. Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Catcher in the Rye, all of Jane Austen's novels – I read them by coincidence when I was in high school, developing my passion for reading, without being aware of the fact that they are classic novels of significance. I can say, though, that I tackled those books that I knew to be classics with an amount of reluctance, merely because they were obligatory reading material. So, I think that a lot of people avoid classics precisely because they are classics, because they see something obligatory or even posh in such literature, and it is for the same reasons that a lot of people read such books. They want to appear smart and in a way, that's a reader's version of peer pressure.

I have grown to love classic literature over the years, mostly British works. I read classic works because I like the genuine sense of the past; the old values, traditions, realistic presentations of a society now gone. I think that is why one should choose to read a classic or two; not because they would look smart because let's face it, all classics are just books. Not because they have to, but out of curiosity, to see things through different glasses.

Last year, I decided to read twenty American classics in the next few years, simply because I want to. I want to explore America through classic literature because it is classic literature that shows one the primary essence of a nation, of a culture. The world has modernized, but we still follow ancient values – respect, honesty, love, and so on. Classic literature shows one just that.

In conclusion, I can't name a book that should not be a classic. It would be me saying that a book is not worthy, that a book should not be popular. It's a completely subjective thing. And the thing is, when one book is loved and value by many people, it can't be avoided that it becomes an immediate classic.

*****

If you want to be a part of Bookie Brunch, please contact one of the people below:

Contact Bookie Brunch:
If you would like to be a host, contact: @StoryWings
If you want to bring goodies for a giveaway: @StoryWings

*****

You’re invited to join the discussion below, and you will most likely get a reply from one of your fellow bloggers. So, what do you think about classic literature?

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: Aurore and Aimée

2011-07-22T18:45:00.002+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

Today's post is about: Aurore and Aimée (written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont, who also wrote "Beauty and the Beast")

A lady had two beautiful daughters – Aurore, her first-born, who was good, andAimée, who had a bad character. When Aurore was sixteen and Aimée twelve, the lady began to lose her looks. She moved to another city, sent Aurore to the country, and claimed that Aimée was only ten and that she herself had been only fifteen when she had given birth to her. Fearing that someone would discover the deception, she sent Aurore to another country, but Aurore’s guardian abandoned the young woman in a forest. Aurore hunted for a way out and finally found a shepherdess's cottage. She bemoaned her fate and blamed God for it.

The shepherdess, however, told her that God permitted misfortune only for the benefit of the unfortunate person, and offered to act the part of her mother. The shepherdess pointed out that age would make misfortunes less pleasant, and that she herself could teach Aurore how to live without boredom. Aurore agreed and the shepherdess set her to a life divided into prayer, work, reading, and walks. Aurore found this life very agreeable because it was not dull.

One day, a prince, Ingénu, went hunting. He was a good prince, though his brother Fourbin, the king, was an evil king. He fell in love with Aurore and began to court her. The shepherdess gave them her consent, knowing the prince would make Aurore a good husband, and he left, to return in three days. In that time, Aurore fell into a thicket while she was gathering the sheep and her face was dreadfully scratched. She was very unhappy, but the shepherdess reminded her that God doubtlessly meant it for good, and Aurore reflected that if Ingénu no longer wished to marry her because her looks were gone, he would not have made her happy.

Meanwhile, Ingénu told his brother of his bride and Fourbin, angry that he would marry without his permission, threatened to marry Aurore himself if she were as beautiful as Ingénu claimed. He came with Ingénu and when the king saw Aurore's marred face, he ordered Ingénu to marry her at once and forbade the couple to come to court. Ingénu was still willing to marry her. After Fourbin left, the shepherdess cured Aurore's injuries with a special water. Back at court, Fourbin ordered portraits of beautiful women brought to him. He was enchanted by one of Aurore's sister Aimée and married her.

After a year, Aurore had a son, Beaujour. One day, he vanished and Aurore was stricken with grief. The shepherdess reminded her that everything happened to her for her own good. The next day, Fourbin's soldiers came; they had been sent to kill the king's nephew. Not finding him, they put Ingénu, Aurore, and the shepherdess to sea in a boat. They sailed to a kingdom where its king was at war. Ingénu offered to fight for the king and killed the commander of his enemies, making the army flee. The king, who was childless, adopted Ingénu as his son.

Four years later, Fourbin died of grief because of his wife's wickedness and his people drove Aimée away and sent for Ingénu to be king. On the way there, they were shipwrecked; this time, Aurore held that it must have happened for the good, and on the land where they were shipwrecked, she found a woman with her son, Beaujour. The woman explained that she was the wife of a pirate who had kidnapped the boy, but got shipwrecked himself. Ships came looking for his body and bore back Ingénu, Aurore, and Beaujour back to their kingdom. Aurore never again complained of any misfortune, knowing misfortunes were often the cause of happiness.

*****

This was one of the first fairy-tales written for children, as at first, fairy-tales were meant to be read by adults. This is a great example of a story playing with the good vs bad motif, and goodness triumphs. It is a story that is very educational, but also entertaining to read.

Awakened by a Kiss by Lila DiPasqua

2011-07-21T19:43:00.003+01:00

GENRE: erotic novel/historical romance

SUMMARY:
Three classic fairytales—“Sleeping Beauty,” “Puss in Boots,” and “Little Red Riding Hood”—cleverly retold with enough sensual twists to prove wickedly ever after does exist….

Sleeping Beau: Five years ago, the notorious rake, Adrien d’Aspe, Marquis de Beaulain, was awakened by a sensuous kiss—and experienced a night of raw ecstasy that was branded into his memory. Years later, he spots his mysterious seductress—and this time, he has no intention of letting her go…

Little Red Writing: Nicolas de Savignac, Comte de Lambelle, has been assigned by the King to uncover the secret identity of the author writing scandalous stories about powerful courtiers. He never expected his investigation would lead to his grandmother's house, or to a ravishing woman who would stir his deepest hunger…

Bewitching in Boots: Elisabeth de Roussel, daughter of the King, is accustomed to getting what she wants—and she wants Tristan de Tiersonnier, Comte de Saint-Marcel, an ex-commander of the King’s private Guard. A recent injury has forced Tristan to leave his distinguished position, but Elisabeth is determined to make him see he's every bit the man he once was—and more than man enough for her.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Awakened by a Kiss is a collection of three novellas based on three famous fairy-tales: Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots. They all take place in 17th-century France in the time of the Sun King (Louis XIV).

I will begin with the aspect of the novel that I truly (and actually) enjoyed: the historical aspect. The author clearly researched the time period, which makes the stories enjoyable to read and the three fairy-tales are transformed into quite realistic romantic adventures. The allusions to the originial material are present, but they are not too obvious, which leaves it to the reader to detect them. That was a nice and fun venture for me.

However, although, in general, I enjoyed the three novellas and found the re-tellings quite original, I learned an important lesson: simply because you love fairy-tales, that does not mean you have to buy/read any book related to this genre. These three novellas are not merely historical romances; they are erotic historical romances, a genre that I do not read, not because I am a prude, but because I am not interested. I actually did not know what I was getting into when I started reading the book; I did not read the fine print on the front cover, so this is my fault.

While all three premises are very good and make for enjoyable stories, it has to be pointed out that 70-80% of each novella revolve around sexual intercourse. In all honesty, I wouldn't have minded this so much had there been some wooing, teasing and subtle seduction. No, these stories feature extremely detailed descriptions of copulation, which makes every sexual act sound like an anatomy lesson. Vulgar expressions are used, which, in my eyes, demeans the act of making love. I know one has to expect this from an erotic novel, but in all honesty, so much sex in one book makes it all rather boring, actually; things become repetitive, no matter how many different positions are practiced in a bed or on a table; sometimes, disgusting is the word I liked to use in my mind.

I don't think that I can fairly review/judge this collection of novellas because erotic romances are not my genre, so naturally I will find faults with it. I would like to say more, because I like to say meaningful and useful things in my reviews, but this must be an exception.

If you enjoy erotic romances, then by all means, read this book. I do like the general idea and the parts not involving sex, so I am not rating the collection as low as you might have expected. But really, you have to enjoy this genre to really enjoy the stories.

THIS MISS RATES:

Sorry for the absence + new reviews coming!

2011-07-19T07:12:00.002+01:00

Hello, my dear fellow book bloggers!

I want to apologise for my absence. You might have noticed I haven't posted anything in a while. The reason is simple: I've been busy. I'm really sorry for not updating this blog.

However, I'm back in gear. I'm reading books and I've finished two. You may expect my review of Awakened by a Kiss by Lila DiPasqua tomorrow, and my review of The Postmistress by Sarah Blake on Thursday.

Friday is reserved for fairy-tales - this feature is back, too. And be sure to tune in on Sunday for the Bookie Brunch - I am this week's host. We will be discussing the classics, namely why do we read them and what their importance is.

I will also catch up on all your reviews. I hope you've been having a great summer!

Sincerely,

Irena

Coming Soon: Bookie Brunch

2011-07-07T07:16:00.003+01:00

Coming soon: Bookie Brunch
Founder: Sasha Soren (Random Magic)
Come join the discussion!
* Every Sunday*

Is there anything better than getting together with your friends and discussing something you are all passionate about? Maybe, but not much. So, let’s get together on Sunday over Bookie Brunch and talk authors, characters, stories, genres, and everything else related to what we love – books, books, books.

What’s Bookie Brunch all about?: Bookie Brunch is a weekly
meet-up, held every Sunday, where book bloggers can have a cup of tea
and chat about a particular bookie question of interest.

The discussion is open from Sunday through Wednesday, and you’re
welcome to drop by any time to add your opinion or read what other
people have to say.

This discussion is open as well to general readers or bloggers in a
different field, authors, publishers and publicists.

Courtesy guidelines: All thoughtful comments will be considered
and probably get a response from fellow bloggers. In fact, you’re
encouraged to talk about it and share viewpoints or include links to
relevant materials. We’d like everyone to have a nice time. Differing
viewpoints are just fine, even if strongly expressed, but inflammatory
or off-topic comments will be removed.

Contact Bookie Brunch

Be a guest at an upcoming brunch: @StoryWings
Bring goodies for a giveaway: @StoryWings S
Suggest a question: @LiederMadchen
Browse Bookie Brunch discussions (after July 2011, archive): The Fluidity of Time

Find Bookie Brunch

You’re invited! Feel free to join us every Sunday for great
company, fun discussions, and occasional goodie giveaways. Some upcoming dates are listed below, it’ll be great to see you there.

Calling all bookies - grab a seat and let’s talk books.

Upcoming Bookie Brunches in July 2011:

We’ll be talking about e-readers vs. print editions, fantasy vs.
realism in books, characters vs. plot, and lots of other cool and
bookish questions.

Sunday, July 10
Host: Songs and Stories (@LiederMadchen)

Sunday, July 17
Host: Moonlight Gleam’s Bookshelf (@MoonlightGleams)

Sunday, July 24
Host: This Miss Loves To Read (@MissIrenne)

Sunday, July 31
Host: Beyond Strange New Words (@StrangeNewWords)

More Bookie Brunches: Every Sunday, July 2011 through December 2011:Upcoming dates on the schedule - coming soon.

Would you like to be a guest on an upcoming brunch, bring a giveaway,
or send a question? Feel free! Please leave your info below, and then
contact the Bookie Bruncher who can help get you set up:

Contact Bookie Brunch

Be a guest at an upcoming brunch: @StoryWings
Bring goodies for a giveaway: @StoryWings
Suggest a question: @LiederMadchen

The first Bookie Brunch is open for a delicious discussion on July 10, at Songs and Stories.

I’m going to be a host at an upcoming Bookie Brunch on July 24, feel free to drop by. See you there!

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten

2011-06-25T08:45:00.003+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

Today's post is about: The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten (a video)

I want to apologise first for being late with this post. I've had some difficulties logging in my blogger account, but that is over now, or so I sincerely hope.

Now, I discovered a YouTuber recently who makes wonderful animations. His stories are dark, Gothic fairy-tales, in the style of Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton. As I am a big fan of both Gaiman and Burton, and of those stories that are a bit dark in a sympathetic way (namely, focusing on outcasts and such), I thought I'd share one such fairy-tale animation with you.

"The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten" is about a small girl, Emmeline, who went unnoticed by everyone, including her parents. One night, she wished upon a star to have a friend and her wish was granted, but loneliness and lack of love had already created a festering wound inside her heart and tragedy strikes. I think this is a lovely animation. I hope you enjoy it and check out other animations by this person.

*****

My Guest Review: Wood Angel by Erin Bow

2011-06-21T18:59:00.003+01:00

I read and reviewed Wood Angel by Erin Bow and thoroughly enjoyed it!

You can read the review HERE at Becky's blog The Bookette.

SUMMARY: Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden talismans are so fine that some even call her "witch-blade": a dangerous nickname in a country where witches are hunted and burned in the square. For Kate and her village have fallen on hard times. Kate's father has died, leaving her alone in the world. And a mysterious fog now covers the countryside, ruining crops and spreading fear of hunger and sickness. The towns people are looking for someone to blame, and their eyes have fallen on Kate.

Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he'll give Kate the means to escape the angry town, and what's more, he'll grant her heart's wish. It's a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes she can't live shadowless forever --and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed.

Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro

2011-06-19T10:28:00.002+01:00

GENRE: short stories/realism/contemporary fiction

SUMMARY:
A collection of ten short stories.

In the first story a young wife and mother receives release from the unbearable pain of losing her three children from a most surprising source. In another, a young woman, in the aftermath of an unusual and humiliating seduction, reacts in a clever if less-than-admirable fashion. Other stories uncover the “deep-holes” in a marriage, the unsuspected cruelty of children, and how a boy’s disfigured face provides both the good things in his life and the bad. And in the long title story, we accompany Sophia Kovalevsky—a late-nineteenth-century Russian émigré and mathematician—on a winter journey that takes her from the Riviera, where she visits her lover, to Paris, Germany, and, Denmark, where she has a fateful meeting with a local doctor, and finally to Sweden, where she teaches at the only university in Europe willing to employ a female mathematician.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
This collection of short stories is my first encounter with Alice Munro, a famous and respected Canadian short-story writer and winner of many prizes, including the Man Booker International Prize in 2009.

The ten short stories talk about people in different life situations and how they cope with their predicaments. The stories show that happiness, relief or atonement can be found in truly small things, and the desired happy ending does not necessarily involve hugs and kisses; sometimes, a happy ending can be just one thing finally giving a person release or better insight. The stories tackle real people and put stress on emotions, as well as on the way a human mind works. All of the stories are touching or revealing in one way or another, and most importantly, they make the reader pause and think a little.

The stories tackle many different subjects: a murder of three children and how their mother tries to overcome the terrible loss; children committing crimes; broken marriages; awkward sexual experiences; accepting those are different; and so on. Sometimes, it may seem that at first, a story does not really make sense, that there is no real punch line. But those stories draw on the idea that happiness can be found in small and unexpected things. They imitate life truly well.

The title story, “Too Much Happiness”, which speaks about Sophia Kovalevsky, a real historical person, is actually the story that disappointed me a little. It is well constructed and sums up Sophia’s life truly well, but what I found was missing was the exploration of Sophia’s mathematical genius and her talent for writing fiction. Munro focused on her relationship with other people and how she often struggled because she was a female mathematician among so many male scientists, but very little was said about how she wrote fiction, what she wrote and why. Also, her relationship with mathematics was lacking in the story. Apparently, she is famous for those things, so I would have loved to read more about them. I suppose that writing about a real person can be quite tricky. Still, this was a strong story and one I truly enjoyed reading.

This collection contains something suitable for everyone. Apart from in “Too Much Happiness,” the setting is Canada and since I rarely read books written by Canadian authors or set in Canada, this was a real treat for me, something fresh and new.

If you are looking for a realistic, but not too heavy read, this collection of short stories may just be perfect for you.

THIS MISS RATES:

The Paid Companion by Amanda Quick

2011-06-12T09:50:00.002+01:00

GENRE: historical romance/mystery

SUMMARY:
The Earl of St. Merryn needs a woman. His intentions are purely practical - he simply wants someone sensible and suitably lovely to pose as his betrothed for a few weeks among polite society. He has his own agenda to pursue, and a false fiancee will keep the husband-hunters at bay while he goes about his business. The easiest solution is to hire a paid companion. However, finding the right candidate proves more of a challenge than he expected - until he encounters Miss Elenora Lodge. Her dowdy attire and pinned-up hair cannot hide her fine figure and the fire in her golden eyes. And her unfortunate circumstances, and dreams of a life of independence, make the Earl's generous offer undeniably appealing.

But Elenora is unsure what this masquerade might entail. For St. Merryn is clearly hiding a secret or two, and things seem oddly amiss in his gloomy Rain Street home. She is soon to discover that his secrets are even darker than his decor, and that this lark will be a far more dangerous adventure than she's been led to believe. And Arthur, Earl of St. Merryn, is making a discovery as well: that the meek and mild companion he'd initially envisioned has become, in reality, a partner in his quest to catch a killer - and an outspoken belle of the ball who stirs a wild passion in his practical heart.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Elenora Lodge, a young lady who had a home, money and a fiancée, finds herself without all of the mentioned things after her stepfather’s demise. Determined not to let anything crush her, she becomes a paid companion to earn money and save it to open her own business one day. Then, there is Arthur, Earl of St. Merryn, ever practical and not caring much for emotions, who decides that, after the fiasco including his runaway fiancé, he will simply not bother, so he decides to hire a woman to pose as his betrothed, allowing him to blind the society and run an important investigation concerning his uncle’s murder.

Elenora’s and Arthur’s paths cross. As they are both intelligent and practical, they find it easy to pretend they are a couple, but the problem arises when the killer Arthur is after tries to use Elenora to get to Arthur, and most importantly when, despite all their careful planning and logical reasoning, Elenora and Arthur start to become attracted to each other.

I enjoyed the characters of Elenora and Arthur. I enjoyed their intelligence and practicality, which hindered them in expressing love, creating some intense and slightly awkward moments between them. The villain of the book is quite intriguing, as he is also a highly intelligent individual. The problem is that he uses all of his genius for the wrong cause, which makes him go quite wild and crazy towards the ending, providing the reader with a very suspensful finale. The rest of the characters were stock characters and I did not much care for them, but I must admit they helped put the story together in a nice, rounded way.

The mystery is the focal point of the novel. It is actually related to the arcane arts, something that interested the late Regency society, but especially Victorian society (I am not exactly sure when exactly the novel is set, but it is definitely the first half of the 19th century). It had a bit of an Indiana-Jones-meets-Victorian-England feel to it, and as I enjoy such mysteries, I had great fun reading about it and trying to guess who the killer might be and (which was crucial) whether he would succeed in achieving his goal or not. I loved the way Elenora and Arthur tried to apply good, sound logic to the case and how they worked as a team. Arthur had a high regard for Elenora, despite her gender, and took into consideration everything she suggested.

As for the romance, I must admit that it was slightly in the background. Although Amanda Quick is famous for creating romantic adventures, The Paid Companion puts more stress on mystery than on romance. While I truly enjoyed the mystery, I found myself missing the romance, mostly because there was not nearly enough character development reserved for Arthur and Elenora in this regard. Quick usually puts a lot of stress on her characters’ emotions evolving and turning into love, and she tries to make it believable. She definitely managed to create friendship between Arthur and Elenora, a friendship that was based on understanding and mutual respect, but the lust that first burst between the two characters turned a bit too quickly into love. The mystery shaded that delightful development from lust to regard, and then to love. This is my main complaint.

All in all, this was a delightful read and fans of Amanda Quick, and of historical romances featuring mysteries will definitely find enjoyment in reading this book.

THIS MISS RATES: / (3.5 stars)

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The German Fairy-Tale Route

2011-06-10T11:35:00.001+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

Today's post is about: The German Fairy-Tale Route

If you ever travel to Germany, make sure to check out the German Fairy-tale Route. It is a journey from Bremen to Hanau, linking more than 70 towns and villages associated with the Brothers Grimm and the realm of fairytales, sagas, myths and legends. The official website offers a lot of information and since by summing them up, I might overlook crucial information, I will copy and paste the text this time. Enjoy!

*****
Fabulous footpaths and cycle trails whisk you away to the wonderful world of fairytales where childhood dreams spring into life... to the land of daring princes, the seven dwarfs and their seven mountains, enchanting fairies, the Pied Piper and Little Red Riding Hood. Between Heiligenstadt and Göttingen you can walk the Frau Holle trail - Frau Holle could still be shaking out her featherbeds to "make it snow" and you will feel like Hans in Luck.

On the German Fairytale Route your daily routine will seem like an eternity away. Covering more than 600 magical kilometres from the River Main to the sea, it runs through a region full of literary invention all the way to Bremen's market square and the statue of the Bremen town musicians. It takes in Sleeping Beauty's palace and Cinderella's castle, the quaint little town where the pranksters Max and Moritz got up to their tricks, as well as the enchanted castle where Rapunzel let down her hair. This route boasts a wealth of art and culture, eight nature reserves, charming highlands and river scenery. Quaint old villages and romantic towns associated with the Brothers Grimm follow hot on one another's heels, like turning the pages of a story book. Enjoy the lush, green countryside and the shady forests, feel the energy in the vibrant towns and enjoy the hospitality along this route, one of the oldest and most popular in Europe.

Trendelburg Castle, for example, where the Rapunzel tower offers glorious views of Reinhardswald forest, Sababurg Castle, where Sleeping Beauty was woken by the prince's kiss, and Ebergötzen mill museum, which features the rascals Max and Moritz and their seven pranks. In delightful Schwalmstadt we recall Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf, on Mount Hoher Meissner we find ourselves in the fairytale land of Frau Holle. Hamlyn awaits with the tale of the Pied Piper and in Polle we are on the trail of Cinderella. The German Fairytale Route is also glorious walking terrain. A land of fantasy for young and old alike, it offers open-air plays, puppet festivals, fairytale festivals - one celebration after another.

In some places visitors come face to face with "real" fairytale characters. No visit is complete without a historical feast - there are buffets and fairytale meals with all the trimmings, barn parties, regal banquets and all the pleasures of medieval dining. The German Fairytale Route offers culture and history, enchanting medieval towns, bewitched castles, fairytale palaces, museums, galleries, concerts and theatres - a charming blend of colourful town life and local folklore traditions. Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel – who could resist the idea of going in search of the characters from our favourite childhood fairytales. Many fairytales start with "Once upon a time..." Travel the German Fairytale Route and create a fairytale that is yours to keep.

*****
I found the information HERE.

So, what do you think? Would you travel the fairy-tale route? Does this interest you?

Have a great fairy-tale Friday!

*****

Top Ten Favourite Book Settings

2011-06-07T18:59:00.004+01:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

My favourite ten book settings are:

1. Wyndspelle in the Wyndspelle trilogy by Aola Vandergriff.
Wyndspelle is an old weather-beaten mansion on top of a cliff looming over a wild sea. It is full of secrets and eeriness, and it is a perfect setting for a Gothic novel.

2. Prince Prospero's palace in "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe.
I love the symbolism of this lush, yet macabre setting. But the stress is on lush and macabre. This setting is very memorable: seven rooms, painted in seven different colours that speak of the character of those in the palace.

3. Rivendell in the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.
This is an Elven outpost that is secluded, as well as truly beautiful, ancient and serene. I just love this place.

4. Fell's Church in the Vampire Diaries trilogy by L.J. Smith.
I love the old, New-England feel to the town. It's small and sort of mystical. History is a big part of this place and I love towns that embrace their history.

5. The Opera Garnier in The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.
This is a real building in Paris, and I love what Leroux did with it. It is a place of beauty, epicness, mystery, labyrinths. There are many secret passages, an underground lake with an apartment, and above ground the lush auditorium, the stage, the enchanting and eerie backstage area. A wonderful setting.

6. Neverland in "Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" by J.M. Barrie.
Everyone can conjure up a Neverland in their minds and Neverland is precisely like a dream. It's magical and beautiful, and offers pure escapism.

7. The Glass City in Random Magic by Sasha Soren.
This is an impressive city where everything is made of glass. The city itself is a tricky place, as it supports complete conformity in a way that is a bit scary, but the city itself, physically speaking, is a real marvel.

8. Gotham City in DC Comics.
It's a Gothic, strange city, home to Batman/Bruce Wayne and many villains/degenerates. There's just something about this place that is appealing. It's ugly, it's dark and hard, but you just want to uncover the secrets. A place with a strong atmosphere.

9. Victorian England.
Just in general, Victorian England is my favourite type of book setting.

10. St Hauda's Land in The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw.
This is a fictional archipelago of seven islands that reminds one of the Hebrides. It is such a wonderful, enchanted place, with narwhals populating the sea, which, as a lover of whales, I find great.

When the Duke Returns by Eloisa James

2011-06-05T13:07:00.002+01:00

GENRE: historical romance

SUMMARY:
The Duchess of Cosway yearns for a man she has never met . . . her husband. Married by proxy as a child, Lady Isidore has spent years fending off lecherous men in every European court while waiting to meet her husband. She's determined to accept him, no matter how unattractive the duke turns out to be. When she finally lures Simeon Jermyn back to London, his dark handsomeness puts Isidore's worst fears to rest—until disaster strikes.

The duke demands an annulment. Forsaking his adventuresome past, Simeon has returned to London ready to embrace the life of a proper duke, only to find that his supposed wife is too ravishing, too headstrong, and too sensual to be the docile duchess he has in mind. But Isidore will not give up her claim to the title—or him—without a fight.

She will do whatever it takes to capture Simeon's heart, even if it means sacrificing her virtue. After all, a consummated marriage cannot be annulled. Yet in forcing Simeon into a delicious surrender, will Isidore risk not only her dignity—but her heart?

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
When the Duke Returns is the fourth book in the Desperate Duchesses series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. Taking place in Georgian England, it is a romantic story with intriguing characters and lovely period details.

Isidore was only a child when she was married – by proxy – to Simeon, Duke of Cosway. Now that she is a grown woman of twenty-three, she thinks it is high time she has met her husband, but he is still roaming the wilderness of Africa, so she must lure him back to England with a trick. All those lonely years, Isidore has been faithful to her husband, saving herself for the man she created in her head – a handsome, fashionable youth of the day. Instead, when she first sees her husband, who is anything but a proper duke, she receives a great shock, but Isidore is determined – she wants to be a duchess and she wants her husband to be exactly as a husband should be, as well as to assume the proper role of a true duke. Yet Simeon is so different from anyone she’s used to that Isidore is in for a lot of unexpected things, and the same can be said for Simeon. He expected to find a wife that was an epitome of grace, docility and virtue. Instead, he gets a spitfire of a woman who is intent on changing his ways.

Simeon Jermyn, Duke of Cosway, is a male protagonist I haven’t read about before reading this novel. He is so different from all the dashing, rough heroes of romantic novels that sweep their heroines off their feet. He is based on James Spruce, an 18th-century Scottish traveler, who spent most of his life in Africa, where he found the origins of the Blue Nile. Simeon is such an explorer as well and as he has spent more time in India and Africa than he has in England, he is quite unused to the ways established in Georgian England. He does not wear a wig, he does not powder his hair and he prefers trousers to breeches. He adheres to the so-called Middle Way, which means that he is always in control of himself, even when seeing his beautiful, enticing wife. In fact, he is even a virgin at twenty-way, which shocks his wife furthermore. Needless to say, many things irk Isidore to no end.

Yet their love story is delightful to explore and is really quite beautiful. It shows that acceptance goes hand in hand with love, and that differences between two people can actually bring them closer to one another. The story of Isidore and Simeon is interesting, witty and romantic, and in the second part of the novel it even becomes seductive and just a bit steamy.

Isidore and Simeon are both delightful characters that I found myself caring about during the course of the novel, and good characters are always a plus. They are both educated, yet innocent in many ways, and with all their differences, they manage to complement each other quite well. I also enjoy the fact that other characters present in the novel – Simeon’s family and Isidore’s friends – were explored and not just inserted into the story for the sake of helping the plot develop. A subplot of another couple is present, a story equally enjoyable, but it is further explored in another novel from this series, which I will happily discover and read in the future.

Period details and the etiquette of Georgian England are observed. In historical romances, such elements tend to be overlooked, but James balanced them well with the romantic portion of the novel. The sole focus is not on love, although it is prevalent, but on other matters as well, and that made this novel enjoyable to me.

The ending is a bit flamboyant for my taste (flamboyant in the sense that it borders on something that is a bit over the top and consequently slightly far-fetched), but I liked it nonetheless and I think it is a fitting finale for a couple who have had their fair share of struggles to overcome.

I definitely recommend this novel to all lovers of historical romances.

THIS MISS RATES:

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Wooing of Becfola

2011-06-03T06:42:00.002+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

Today's post is about: The Wooing of Becfola (an Irish fairy-tale)

Today, I am sharing another Celtic fairy-tale with you - this time, an Irish story. As you may have noticed, there is a distinct pattern to Celtic fairy-tales that draws material from Celtic mythology and usually determines a specific time and place in which a story is set. There is a moral (although not always), but mostly the stress is on the (magical) experience. Such is the case with "The Wooing of Becfola" as well.

This is a very long story, so I really narrowed it down in my summary. The story can be found online on many websites if you wish to read the whole fairy-tale.

THE STORY:
Dermod, son of the famous Ae of Slane, was monarch of all Ireland. He was unmarried, but he had many foster-sons, princes from the Four Provinces, who were sent by their fathers as tokens of loyalty and affection to the Ard-Ri. Among the young princes of his household there was Crimthann, son of Ae, King of Leinster, whom the High King preferred to the others.

The High King and Crimthann would often set out from Tara to hunt and hawk, sometimes unaccompanied even by a servant. Dermod mac Ae delighted in these solitary adventures, and when he could steal a day from policy and affairs he would send word to Crimthann. The boy would join the king at a place arranged between them and they would roam around. On one of these adventures, as they searched a flooded river to find the ford, they saw a solitary woman in a chariot. The woman in the chariot had arrived at the ford by which they were standing, and, without pause, she swung her steeds into the shallows, took the horses through the river and lifted them up the bank. The king took a fancy to her, but she only looked at Crimthann.

She would not give her name, but the king, liking her so much, asked her to marry him and she could not refuse the king, so she accepted. They were married quickly. Time passed and the king was really happy, but not the girl whose names was finally revealed as that of Becfola. She loved Crimthann, but could not have him. He loved her as well and after some thinking, they decided to escape from Tara.

Becfola left the palace with one maid, and as she crossed the doorway something happened to her: she did not walk outside the palace, but into Faery, yet she did not know this. Her intention was to go to Cluain da chaillech to meet Crimthann, but when she left the palace she did not remember her meeting with Crimthann anymore. To her eye and to the eye of her maid the world was as it always had been, and the landmarks they knew were about them. But the object for which they were travelling was different, although unknown, and the people they passed on the roads were unknown, and were yet people that they knew.

They set out southwards from Tara into the Duffry of Leinster, and after some time they came into wild country and went astray. On their way, a pack of wolves attacked them and they saved themselves by climbing a tree. But after some time the moon arose and the wolves went away. The two women waited awhile befor descending from the tree. In a spot between three great oaks, Becfola came upon a man who was roasting a wild boar over a fire. She saluted this youth and sat beside him. But after the first glance and greeting he did not look at her again, nor did he speak. When the boar was cooked, he ate of it and she had her share. Then he arose from the fire and walked away among the trees. Becfola followed because she very much liked the youngster. In fact, she found that she liked him even more than Crimthann. They came to an inlet of the sea, stepped into a boat and rowed to an island. There they went inland towards a vast palace, in which there was no person but themselves alone, and there the young man went to sleep, while Becfola sat staring at him until she grew so tired that she fell asleep as well.

She was awakened in the morning by a great shout. The young man leaped from his couch, girded on his harness and strode out. Three young men met him, each in battle harness, and these four advanced to meet four other men who awaited them at a little distance on the lawn. Then these two sets of four fought together and at the end of that combat there was but one man standing, and the other seven lay dead. Becfola spoke to the youth, Flann, who returned her and her maid to the palace in Tara, promising that he would wait for Becfola.

Becfola pushed the door of the king's sleeping chamber and entered noiselessly. Then she sat quietly in a seat and prepared to consider what she would say to him when he awakened. But at that moment the king lifted his head from the pillow and looked kindly at her. Her time in Faery went unrecorded in the real world. She remembered that Crimthann, the son of Ae, must be now attending her at Cluain da chaillech, and she thought of that young man who brought her back as of something wonderful and very ridiculous, and the fact that he was waiting for her troubled her no more. She fell asleep.

In the morning, as they sat at breakfast, four clerics were announced, and when they entered the king looked on them with stern disapproval because they journeyed on a Sunday. They told him that they saw eight comely young men who fought together and seven of them were killed. One cleric revealed that they saw Becfola there. The king sank back in his chair stupefied, gazing from one to the other, and then turned towards Becfola. She confessed that the young man who remained alive brought her home and that he was waiting for her to be his. She went out from the palace then and was never seen or heard of again.

*****

The Taste of Sorrow by Jude Morgan

2011-05-30T18:46:00.005+01:00

GENRE: biography/historical fiction

SUMMARY:
Charlotte. Emily. Anne. The Bronte sisters - the drama, the passion, and a story that lives for ever...Once upon a time there were three sisters, bound by love and suffering, growing up in wild isolation in a lonely house on the moor. Their story will astonish you: their passionate, dangerous closeness; their struggle against the world; their determination to rise above the fates of their parents and their other lost sisters, to become more than the world ever thought they could be. They were the Brontes.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
I am a great fan of the Bronte sisters, especially of Charlotte Bronte (the author of Jane Eyre), and while it's difficult to please fans like myself when it comes to the Brontes, I can say that I was thoroughly pleased with Morgan's novels about the Brontes. It was a wonderful and deep reading experience for me.

Jude Morgan tells the story of the Bronte family, with the main focus on Charlotte, Emily and Anne, in the form of a novel. Therefore, one does not necessarily feel that they are reading a biography, but rather an extraordinary and highly emotionally powerful story about three talented sisters, all of them writers. The language is very rich and uses beautiful metaphors, reminiscent of the Bronte sisters. Even the way the story was constructed and explained in details reminded me of the three Bronte women. Everything felt truly genuine.

The story begins with a tragedy and many tragedies follow – the Brontes lived a difficult life, plagued by illnesses and death, by heartbreak and rejection. But although their story is sad, it is also beautiful and extremely insightful. I loved the amount of insight Morgan incorporated into the novel. It is explained how and why certain things happened, and everything makes perfect sense. Although some of the explanations and background are the author's speculation, it is obvious Morgan did his research and dove into the very minds of the Brontes, revealing their psyches in this novel. In this respect, the character development is quite amazing and the story as a whole is a poignant and emotional read. Morgan took a risk, but he succeeded.

Another thing I enjoyed is how well it is shown why and how the Bronte sisters became authors. Writing was a significant part of their lives since infancy, their way to cope, to escape, to exist, and it makes perfect sense that these women became well-known, respected and loved novelists. Morgan connects their lives to the novels, showing how their books reflect their lives, how Charlotte lives in Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre), Emily in aspects of Heathcliff and Catherine (Wuthering Heights), and Anne in Agnes Grey (Agnes Grey). By knowing the sisters, it is easier to understand their novels.

I am very pleased, both as a fan of the Brontes and as an every-day reader. This truly is a fascinating read and a fresh take on the three famous sisters. You will also learn about their brother Branwell, their sisters Maria and Elizabeth, as well as their father and mother. The lives of their friends are included. Anyone who affected the sisters in any way is present in the novel and made into a round character.

This is a must-read for any fan of the Brontes.

Read for the British Books Challenge (BBC).

THIS MISS RATES:

Random Magic: Reading Circle (Historical Romances with Pirates)

2011-05-29T19:19:00.012+01:00

The Reading Circle is part of the Random Magic tour that focuses on pirate fiction. I have some romantic goodies to share with you, namely a list of novels of the genre that combines historical romance and pirates, so keep on reading, mateys!

When absent-minded Professor Random misplaces the main character from Alice in Wonderland, young Henry Witherspoon must book-jump to fetch Alice before chaos theory kicks in and the world vanishes. Along the way he meets Winnie Flapjack, a wit-cracking doodle witch with nothing to her name but a magic feather and a plan. Such as it is. Henry and Winnie brave the Dark Queen, whatwolves, pirates, Struths, and fluttersmoths, Priscilla and Charybdis, obnoxiously cheerful vampires, Baron Samedi, a nine-dimensional cat, and one perpetually inebriated Muse to rescue Alice and save the world by tea time.

*****

I would like to share a list of books dealing with pirates. Although one would assume I would recommend classic pirate novels like Treasure Island by R.L. Stevenson, this is not the case. I would like to introduce you to some pirate romance. I used to be a fan of historical romances featuring pirates, and I found some (more or less) recent, as well as new releases that might delight a lover of pirates and romance. Enjoy while browsing through the list of pirate-themed novels.

Do you find anything to your liking - that you'd like to read?

1704 - Dangerous times, when the colonies of the Americas are threatened by Queen Anne's War. It is not the French but a pirate who captures Mercy Penhall, mute Puritan spinster. In fear for her life and virtue yet drawn to the captain in spite of herself, Mercy has unknowingly begun on a course of adventure, heartbreak that will test her courage to the utmost. And in the end the secret she carries in her soul threatens to prevent even the small chance of happiness inherent in an impossible love. Edmund Gramercy is an unwilling pirate, forced to join a hostile crew to save his life. He defies them to spare the lives of the vanquished and the virtue of the women. But the mute Puritan girl tempts him like no other. It is best to set her free and never see her again. A pirate's life is a short one - for her own sake he cannot claim her. Yet their paths cross again, then again. He is drawn to her but his passion is hopeless. He is a wanted man. To love a decent woman is impossible. And there is a strange shadow behind her brave blue eyes... Can the impossible become possible for the pirate and the Puritan? (AMAZON)

(to be released) A vacation in the Bahamas goes awry, and a woman from 2009 unexpectedly finds herself in 1718 - amidst pirates. Sabrina is so consumed with her present-day problems that the last thing she expects is to suddenly end up face to face with real pirates. The notorious bad boys of the Golden Age of Piracy, Edward England, Howel Davis, and "Black Bart" Roberts, become Sabrina's means of survival in the past, and ultimately, her key to returning to the future.The catch? Sabrina happens to be carrying a book about pirates when she is swept into the past, and that book contains biographies of the very men she meets. She forms relationships with them and learns that, contrary to what she previously thought, they are sailors, servants, and slaves who were pressed into service, victims of social and historical circumstances of the era. When Sabrina finds herself falling in love with Howel Davis, a sailor who becomes a pirate out of desperation, she begins to wonder: Can she use her knowledge to change the past? (AMAZON)

Once caught, it’s harder still to let a pirate go. When Annalisa Townsend’s ship is set upon by pirates in search of her father’s treasure, one of the crew, James Sterling, discovers her in the hold. When he moves to take her necklace, she begs him not to, as it is all she has left of her mother. He accepts a kiss in exchange for the necklace. “A fair trade, m’lady,” he tells her afterward, before disappearing.
A year later, with a forged letter of marque, Annalisa is intent on hunting down the wretched James Sterling and reclaiming her father’s treasure from him. But now she’s in danger of him stealing something far more vulnerable this time: her heart. (AMAZON)

Wild as a pagan goddess, Lady Summer galloped her stallion along the Cornish coast. She had dabbled in the smuggler's game to save her family estate, but a wealthy marriage would better serve her purpose now. Lord Ruark Helford seemed the answer to her reckless prayers. But as his hot, hungry kisses drew her toward deception and irresistible acts of love, she had to hesitate. Would this arrogant, handsome lord be her ticket to heaven--or hell? (AMAZON)

Lady Isabel Ashton, scorned by society after the birth of her illegitimate child, longs to regain wealth and position-despite Christ's call on her heart. But when her son is kidnapped, she's forced to seek the aid of the man who pirated her purity. How far will Isabel go to save her child and redeem her honor? Captain Kent Carlton, desperate to win the heart of the woman he once ravished, finds himself battling jealousy as well as the sea. Can a penniless pirate capture the love he so urgently desires, or will the lady seek her safe harbor in another man's arms? (AMAZON)

*****

Ports to visit for the Reading Circle:

The Fluidity of Time

What Book Is That?

Cerebrate’s Contemplations

My Love Affair With Books

vvb32 Reads

Willowdust Reviews - Tina’s Book Reviews

Songs and Stories

The Diary of a Bookworm

Random Magic Tour: Top 10 Fictional Corsairs and Buccaneers + Special Bonus

2011-05-27T17:29:00.009+01:00

Random Magic Tour: Pirates

You can read my review of Random Magic by Sasha Soren RIGHT HERE.

This tour for Random Magic is related to pirates - aaarrrrgh! Pirates appear in the book (to learn more, read the novel) and to honour them, I compiled a list of top 10 fictional pirates. I provided you with links, so that you may learn more about these - for such is the truth - badass and fun pirates, m'mateys.

The pirates I chose arrrrghhh:

1. Captain Jack Sparrow (The Pirates of the Carribean movies)
2. Morgan Adams (Cutthroat Island, movie)
3. Captain Hector Barbossa (The Pirates of the Carribean movies)
4. Dread Pirate Roberts (The Princess Bride by William Goldman; movie from 1987)
5. Long John Silver (Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson)
6. Captain Hook (Peter Pan by J.M Barrie; several movie adaptations)
7. Captain Nemo (20,000 Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne)
8. Red Sonja (Marvel Comics)
9. Davy Jones (The Pirates of the Carribean movies)
10. The Master of Ballantrae (The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter's Tale by Robert Louis Stevenson)

How do you find these pirates?

On to the special bonus:

Bonus: Pirate karaoke - Horrible Histories: Blackbeard

Ahoy, hearties! It be time for a jolly round of-- well, just one song.
One’s enough, when it’s a troublesomely catchy tune like Horrible
Histories: Blackbeard.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SONG. (I am truly sorry, embedding doesn't work right now.)

Shown above: Your musical accompaniment and, also, Blackbeard.

Here are the song sheets for our pirate sing-a-long: Horrible Histories: Blackbeard
Get PDF or Read online.

True, it’s more of a sing-a-long than strictly karaoke and there’s no bouncing ball, either, but you’re a pirate -- improvise!

Mi-mi-mi-mi-mi and away we go…

This pirate sing-a-long has been brought to you -- or inflicted upon you, or your unsuspecting flat mates or neighbors, depending on the context -- by the merry crew sailing along on Random Magic Tour:
Pirates!

src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YsyMtK0wV9s" frameborder="0"
allowfullscreen>

Shown above: One of the book trailers for Random Magic. Yes, there are pirates in this book, but shhhhhh.

Find Random Magic: Amazon|Kindle

Come along with us for more features and videos about pirate grub, superstitions and gear, legends, tunes, treasures and general pirateyness. Browse the tour schedule here.

WIN this! (INTL)
Cute Blackbeard plush doll
Play to win at Rum + Plunder hunt: Prizes and info

Here's another interesting tour feature you might also enjoy:

The main Rum + Plunder treasure hunt is open internationally!

Here’s a fun way to win something piratey and cool: Browse prizes or join the hunt…

(click HERE to join)

Bonus: Find even more pirate plunder, with Little Pirate Prizes, these aren't marked on the schedule and they're not part of the hunt, but they’re out there for visitors to find and they could be ANYWHERE.:
Find some Little Pirate Prizes (**blogger note** - or replace with your own tour schedule
link)

Have fun and good luck!

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Witch of Lok Island

2011-05-27T15:20:00.003+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: The Witch of Lok Island (Breton fairy-tale)

The previous Friday, you enjoyed Lady Yolanda's Thimble, a Breton fairy-tale, so I decided to share another Breton story with you. It's a bit long; I tried to shorten and summarise it as best as I could. I really loved reading this story, so I wanted to keep as many of its elements as possible. Enjoy!

*****

In Lannilis in Brittany, there lived a youth called Houarn Pogam and a maiden whose name was Bella Postik. They had grown up together and loved each other with all their hearts. When their parents had died, leaving them nothing, they became servants in the same house.

But they were not happy. They complained every day until Houarn became impatient. One morning he went to the threshing-floor where Bella was winnowing grain and told her he was going to set out to seek his fortune. Bella was very sad on hearing the news and tried to persuade him not to go. But he would not listen. She led Houarn to her linen press and from it took a little bell, a knife, and a stick. The sound of this bell could warn thier friends of any danger they may be in. Whatever this knife touched would escape from the spell of a magician or of a witch. The staff would guide the bearer to wherever he may wish to go. She kept the staff, so that she could reach him if he needed her. Houarn thanked his sweetheart. They shed a few tears togetherand he started off toward the mountains. Then he decided to turn south and after several days reached the town of Pont-Aven.

One morning he was sitting at the door of the inn and saw two salt dealers pass, leading their mules. Houarn overheard their words, and discovered that they were talking about the witch of Lok Island. Houarn asked what they meant, and they answered that the witch of Lok Island was a fairy who lived in a lake in the biggest of the Glénan Islands. They told Houarn that this witch was richer than all the wealth of the kings of the world. Many youngsters had gone to the island to find her treasure, but not one of them had ever returned.

Houarn went down to the seashore and hailed a ferryman who took him over to Lok Island. He soon found the pool in the middle of the island. It was surrounded with sea-drift covered with pale pink blossoms. Houarn noticed at the far end of the lake in the shade of a clump of flowering broom a sea-green boat floating on the still water. The boat looked like a sleeping swan with its head under its wing.

As Houarn had never seen anything like this he drew near out of curiosity. Then he stepped into the boat to examine it more closely. Hardly had he put his foot in it than the swan awoke. Its head came out from under its feathers, its web feet spread out in the water, and suddenly it left the shore. Then the bird put its bill in the water and plunged, carrying Houarn into the depths. In a moment they had reached the witch's home, a grand underwater palace.

Houarn stood in the doorway of the palace, and there in the first room he saw the witch lying on a golden bed. Houarn drew back at the sight of so delightful a being. But the fairy rose up smiling and went toward him. The witch promised to grant him his wish of having a cow and a pig. Then she treated him with eight kinds of wine in eight goblets of chased gold. Houarn began by drinking the eight kinds of wine and, as he found them very nice, he drank eight times of each, and always he imagined the witch was more and still more beautiful.

The witch offered to become his wife. The young man was quite breathless at what he heard. Houarn told the fairy very politely that he could not refuseher offer, and that he was overcome with joy at the prospect of becoming her husband. The witch then said she would prepare the feast for the betrothal at once.

While the witch was cooking, Houarn began to hear strange voices and as he was beginning to be frightened, as well as feeling remorse for forgetting Bella so easily because of the witch.

Houarn sat down and taking from his pocket the knife Bella had given him, he sighed. Then he tried to eat. But hardly had the spell-destroying knife touched the golden dish than all the fishes stood up and became little men. They told him the witch put a spell on them after marrying them, turning them into fish and trying to feed them to other victims. Houarn tried to escape, but the witch turned him into a frog and threw him into the fish pond with her other enchanted husbands.

At that very moment the little bell that Houarn wore sang and Bella heard it at home. Immediately, she went to find him with her magic staff. The staff changed at once into a steed. Bella mounted and off they started. Near the island of Lok, she met a bird who was once a dwarf and he told her all about the witch and how to save everyone. She would have to introduce herself as a young lad. Then she would have to to snatch the steel net the witch carried in her belt, shut her in it and the witch would remain there till the judgment day.

The dwarf pulled out four of his red hairs, blew upon them and muttered beneath his breath. Instantly the four hairs became four tailors. The first tailor held a cabbage in his hand, the second a pair of scissors, the third a needle, and the fourth a flatiron. They sat themselves around the nest with their legs crossed and began to make a young lad's suit for Bella. With the first cabbage leaf they made a fine laced coat. Another leaf soon became the waistcoat, and it took two leaves to make the baggy knickerbockers. Finally a hat was cut out of the heart of the cabbage and the stalk was used to make the shoes. When Bella had put on these clothes she looked like a young nobleman.

Bella quickly mounted her horse that grew wings and in one flight he transported her to Lok Island. Safely there she ordered him to become again the staff of apple wood. Then getting into the swan boat she plunged downward to the witch's palace just as Houarn had done. At the sight of the velvet-clad youth the witch was delighted. They went to a table beautifully set with all manner of good things. And there before her Bella saw the magic knife that she had given Houarn and that he had left behind. Bella quickly took the knife and hid it in her pocket. Then, after having partaken of the good things, she followed the witch into the garden. The enchantress showed her the lawns set with diamonds, the fountains with their lavender-scented sprays, and last of all the fish pond where thousands of many-colored fish were swimming. Bella appeared delighted and gazed with rapture upon the gaily colored scales and tails. The witch seeing her so pleased at once asked her if she would not be glad to live always in the palace. Bella consented, but asked the witch to allow her to catch one of the beautiful fishes. The witch who suspected nothing thought the request a mere whim of boyish fancy, gave Bella the net.

Bella quickly threw the net over the witch. The witch uttered one terrifying shriek that ended in a moan, for the beautiful water pixie had become the hideous Queen of the Toadstools. Bella hastily rolled up the net and threw it into the well, over which she put a stone sealed with the sign of the cross. And this could not be lifted until the judgment Day. Then she ran back to the fish pond, but the fish had already left it and were moving toward her. Just as she was about to touch the first fish with the knife, she noticed at her feet a large green frog. It was on its knees sobbing bitterly with its forepaws crossed upon its breast, and on a cord around its neck there hung the magic bell. She recognised her beloved.

Then Bella touched him with the knife, and immediately Houarn stood before her in his own true form. They kissed each other, laughing and crying alternately. Bella then touched each of the fish in turn with the magic knife and all of them became what they had been before the witch had changed them. As Bella was touching the last fish, the dwarf who had helped her came. He was sitting in his nest which now looked like a chariot while six black beetles were pulling it. These had just been hatched out of the stone eggs he was required to lay. His spell was broken. He jumped out of his chariot, and led Bella and Houarn to the witch's treasure chest. When they opened it they found that it was full of precious stones.

Both Bella and Houarn filled their pockets, their hats, their belts, and even their wide knickerbockers. When they had as many gems as they could carry, Bella ordered her staff of apple wood to become a coach large enough to hold all the people she had set free. And thus they went to Lannilis. At last their banns were published, and Houarn and Bella were married. But instead of buying a little cow and a lean pig they bought all the fields in the parish and settled down as farmers. And all the people they had brought from Lok Island settled down there, too.

*****

I love how the story is clearly defined. It is clear the setting is a town in Brittany and the magical elements seem really natural, a part of that French Celtic world. Bella is a great heroine, brave, and sort of grounded. Houarn is a flawed hero, which makes him very human and natural, I think. He realises his mistake soon and wants to make what is wrong right, which is definitely to his credit. The fairy-tale elements are really enjoyable. I find Breton fairy-tales very appealing and much to my liking.

What do you think?

*****

Top Ten Books I Lied About

2011-05-24T19:03:00.002+01:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Hm, books that I lied about... Well, I never lie in my reviews, but I have lied about books in the presence of certain people for various reasons. I came up with five such instances. I guess I do lie about books, but it doesn't happen that often. I try to not be (too) afraid of hurting other people's feelings or admitting that I like/don't like something.

1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I've read a few novels by Dickens, but I haven't managed to read Great Expectations (although I want to). The funny thing is, I tend to say that precisely Great Expectations is my favourite Dickens novel. I've only seen the BBC adaptation with Ioan Gruffudd and loved the story so, so much. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't read the book and only know the story because of the BBC adaptation, so...I lie... It's not exactly "legit" to say you love a book because you know its story, but haven't actually read it. *bows head in shame*

2. Othello, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Oh, I've read a lot of Shakespeare, but I skipped these three although they were required university reading. Yes, even Romeo and Juliet. I know the stories in detail, but I haven't read the plays. When I was talking about Shakespeare with an acquaintance and she said, "Well, who hasn't read these three famous tragedies, anyway?" and laughed, I felt compelled to add that I sure have read them. Her tone totally scared me.:)

3. Amanda Quick's novels. I'm ashamed to confess that I really love to read her novels. I am mostly ashamed because they're just plain Regency porn. I mean, romantic adventures... I said to one of our haughty librarians (we have one in our local library) that I only read one Amanda Quick novel and disliked it, but in truth I've read all of them. Sure, the novels are shallow, but they're fun to read and I love the tortured, yet powerful males Quick comes up with. Amanda Quick's my guilty pleasure for the summer.

4. Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. I persisted for half of the book, but just couldn't continue. I rarely give up on a book, especially on a classic, but Ivanhoe was, I admit, just so very boring. I started reading it because a good friend loves Walter Scott and wrote a fantastic seminar paper on Ivanhoe. She was so enthusiastic about it that I lied to her about how I read the novel and really liked it. At least I didn't say I loved it, only that I liked it.:)

5. Vanity Fair by William Thackeray. I love this massive novel. I've even read it twice. At university, a lot of people really disliked it, so I cowered and said I didn't like it so much myself because it was too long and stretched out. Massive lie. I have grown a better spine since.:) To my credit, it was my first university year, the first semester, so I thought I should just agree with things. I was angry with myself afterwards, so after reading Oliver Twist as the next book on the list, I proudly admitted that while the novel had its merits, I found it boring, although many other people loved it. In this case, I think they lied.

Have you lied about books?

Winner of Maureen McGowan's Giveaway

2011-05-22T08:33:00.002+01:00

I chose the winner of Maureen McGowan's giveaway with Random.Org.

The winner is Bookworm1858!!! Congratulations!

I have already e-mailed the winner. Bookworm1858 will get a copy of Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer. Please, contact me soon.

Congratulations again!

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: Lady Yolanda's Thimble

2011-05-20T18:31:00.003+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: Lady Yolanda's Thimble (Breton fairy-tale/folk tale)

All the warriors of Brittany went to the Crusades. But when the knights rode away to the Holy Land, they left sadness behind, for now there would be no more tournaments, hunting and dancing.

Time passed and the knights did not return. At last messengers arrived. The Christian army had a heavy task, they said, in its struggle with the infidels and doubtless the war would last for many years to come. All the country folk at home now fell to work to forget their worries. The ladies in the castles were the most dilligent ones. They made banners andscarves, and proud mottoes decorated the walls of the castles. They decorated the Mass books with splendid colors. While the knights were doing wonders in Jerusalem, the ladies in the castles were achieving marvels at home.

Now Old Nick saw this from his dark abode. This change in women's habits did not suit his wicked plans because their goodness diminished the evil. He had imps as his followers and went to them for help. One ugly creature offered to help Old Nick by taking the ladies' needles at night and dipping them in the poison of vipers. That should calm their eagerness. The next day, the needles kept pricking the ladies, causing them much pain, so they laid aside their work.

Old Nick was pleased and the women soon began to return to their former habits of indolence. The young ones spent their time on their clothes or admiring themselves in the mirror, when they were not idling on the castle lawns. The older ones gossiped and said unkind things about one another. They all had ceased to think about their men folk fighting in the Holy Land.

But there was one worker who was faithful to her task. That alone was enough to put a drop of bitterness in Old Nick's cup of pleasure.

Yolanda de Tregout lived in a great castle and there she worked with her needle for the church and for the poor. She was betrothed to a famous knight, Jehan de Kergoff. She neither stopped nor rested, not even when the needles, by the imp's trick, tortured her and gave her cruel pain. She only laughed at his cunning, while he gnashed his teeth in rage.

One day Old Nick devised a new plan. He dressed himself like a pilgrim and went to ask for charity at Yolanda's castle gate. Yolanda's kind heart was moved. She ran down quickly to the gate and bade Nick to come inside. So Old Nick entered the castle and ate and drank with a hearty appetite. When he left, he pretended to pay his debt of gratitude to the lady Yolanda. He gave her a shell he had picked up on the seashore, which, he said, had touched the Holy Sepulcher and was, in consequence, blessed. In reality he had poisoned the shell.

Yolanda took the shell and kissed it and Old Nick thought that it would cause her destruction. But the shell did not hurt her, as her innocence was her protection. As soon as Nick left the castle, Yolanda began to sew, but the needle pricked her finger so painfully that she wept in agony. As she wiped the blood away, an idea suddenly came to her that she would slip her finger into the shell while she was sewing so as to guard herself from the poisoned needle. The old wounds were healed, for by a miracle the poison on the shell was turned into a health-giving balm. Yolanda's friends followed her actions. All the women began to pick up shells and to put them on their fingers, and then they set to work again. They sewed and sewed without so much as shedding a single drop of blood.

As a sign of gratitude, Yolanda, who on the return of her lover from the Holy Land became Lady Kergoff, put a thimble among her daughter's wedding gifts, and had a thimble engraved on her armorial bearings.

The story concludes thus: "But in the Breton countryside old grannies may be found who bear a grudge against the thimble. It came, they remember, from Old Nick, and in consequence they remain to this day faithful to the distaff and the spinning-wheel."

*****

I love the medieval setting of the story and the tale has a very good moral. Goodness and good work are always rewarded.

*****

It's Been a Year

2011-05-12T11:59:00.000+01:00

Precisely one year ago, This Miss Loves to Read was born!

I would like to give special thanks to Suzana at Bookalicious Rambling, a friend of mine, for persuading me to start my own book bloog. Without her wonderful words about the book-blogging world, this blog would never have come to life. Thank you, Suzana, for your enthusiasm!

I would also like to give special thanks to Becky at The Bookette! We joined forces a few months ago, so to speak, and she sends me wonderful books for review that I review every Monday on her blog. Thank you, Becky, for this great opportunity and for introducing me to so many great new authors and books! It's been a wonderful journey.

Thank you to all my 167 followers! Wow! When I first started blogging, my goal was 30 followers. 167 is a number that's beyond me. I feel very happy that so many people like my blog! I'm glad that the posts I've blogged have interested you!

THANK YOU!!!

I would have liked to thank you with a great giveaway, but this year I have to save money - I'm so sorry! However, I hope that next year, I can thank you with a bunch of cool books!

For now, you have my sincere thanks, dear followers of this blog.

HAPPY READING!

Interview and Giveaway with Author Maureen McGowan

2011-05-11T06:54:00.003+01:00

Yesterday, I reviewed Mauren McGowan's two novels Cinderella: Ninja Warrior and Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer. You can read the reviews HERE.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing the author. I proudly present my interview with Maureen McGowan, the author who gave Cinderella and Sleeping beauty a new, daring image.

THIS MISS: Cinderella and Lucette (Sleeping Beauty), your heroines from your two novels based on famous fairy-tales, are very brave, have an independent spirit and are quite capable of taking care of themselves. Do you think they can be an inspiration to young female readers of today?

MAUREEN: I hope so. If not an inspiration, I at least hope that my heroines aren’t generating negative messages. The traditional fairy tales are so much a part of western culture and it bothers me that while modern girls have so many more choices in life, those stories—in which the heroine sees marriage as the only way out of horrible circumstances, or needs a prince to wake her from a long nap—are still so standard.

I wanted to take the basic ideas of the fairy tales, but turn them on their heads. I decided to leave them in a fairly traditional “fantasy” setting, but update them both in terms of the words and the characters and the action.

THIS MISS: Cinderella is a ninja warrior and Lucette a vampire slayer. Have you always had an interest in ninjas and vampires, or is there any other reason you chose these "professions" for these two feisty heroines?

This one is kind of a funny story. I was actually approached by a freelance editor who had the idea of creating a series of updated fairy tales. I wanted to know where my boundaries would lie as a writer and storyteller if I chose to take on the project. The editor insisted that I’d have complete creative freedom, as long as the books appealed to younger teens as well as older readers, and to test her assertion I asked, “In Cinderella, can there be ninjas?” She answered, “Sure!” And although I was initially joking, I immediately imagined a scene with ninjas dropping from trees to attack Cinderella. That scene was the initial story spark, although readers only see that scene if they choose a specific route through the book.

With Sleeping Beauty, it was the title that came first. I was thinking about darkness and night and wondering how I could write a story in which the heroine is largely asleep… Darkness took me to vampires and very quickly to the title. I rarely work that way—creating a story to fit a title, rather than the other way around—but that’s pretty much what happened with Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer. The instant I thought of the title, I knew I was onto something. I included the title as a possible second book in the series when we pitched Cinderella: Ninja Warrior (then entitled Not Your Mother’s Cinderella Story) to the publisher. The publisher re-titled Cinderella to make the titles fit together better.

THIS MISS: I love fairy-tales. Are you a fan of fairy-tales yourself? Do you have any favourite stories, heroines and princes?

MAUREEN: I think I like fairy tales now more than I did as a child. As a child, I had a deep fear of witches. That fear made sleeping after watching or reading fairy tales difficult. Although it’s one others rarely mention, and not romantic at all, I honestly remember loving Hansel and Gretel the best, but I think it was the image of them leaving the crumbs as a trail to find their way home, only to be thwarted by birds. That seemed like a life lesson to me. Always know your way home. :)

Wow, that makes me sound really cautious. I’m adventurous in many ways, but I do always make sure, no matter where I am in the world, I’ve got a way home.

THIS MISS: What was the main inspiration for these twisted tales?

My main inspiration was a desire to “fix” the traditional stories, so that the heroines were proactive and the stories didn’t send negative messages to young girls. I also wanted to make the stories fast-paced, adventurous and fun to read.
Those were my guiding principles and beyond that, I let my imagination run wild.
More specific inspirations… I already mentioned the image of ninjas for Cinderella, and with Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer, early on I had an image of strangers watching a girl sleep. I thought that was really creepy and wanted to incorporate that into the story. How would someone feel if she knew others watched her in her sleep.

THIS MISS: The reader can actively participate when reading your novels because at the end of every chapter, they can choose a path they want the story to take. How did you come to decide for this option?

MAUREEN: The idea of doing updated fairy tales with a choose-your-own-adventure element was actually brought to me. I’m not sure I would have chosen to do the stories that way on my own. The only restriction I was given on structure was that the books had to be broken into nine sections and each section had to be the same length. (This was because of an earlier plan to bind the books with physical tabs. Turns out that restriction didn’t matter in the end as that plan was abandoned.)

I looked at a few other series with reader interaction and thought about following their patterns of wrong choices and/or multiple endings. But I decided I didn’t want to go that route for two main reasons. First, fairy tales by their nature promise happy endings—and pretty specific happy endings in some cases—so, I decided that each book in the series should have a single ending.

Second, I didn’t like the idea of “wrong” choices. The way I see things, each day we face choices, and the alternatives aren’t necessarily right or wrong—just different. Smart heroines (and smart readers) will make smart choices, so I wanted to present reasonable alternatives at each decision point without making it obvious which choice was better. Also, a capable heroine—even if she makes a mistake—should be able to face whatever challenges her choice places in her way.

When I decided on the structure, I didn’t realize what a difficult path I was laying out for myself as a writer! Because the books have alternate paths that loop into common sections, I had to be very careful to ensure the key story elements either: occurred in the common sections; or occurred in different ways but with similar outcomes, in the alternate paths. There were times while writing these books when my head was spinning so badly I didn’t know which end was up!

THIS MISS: If you could choose, which one of the two heroines would you be - Cinderella or Lucette? Why?

MAUREEN: I think I’d have to pick Cinderella. I admire how determined she is to escape her dire circumstances and would love to have some of her skills and talent. While I admire Lucette, as well, I’d hate to grow up with the cloud of a curse hanging over my head, and it would be so lonely—not to mention terrifying—to wake alone every night, knowing vampires were lurking about.

THIS MISS: I like to ask this question - how does your writing process look like?

MAUREEN: A very squiggly line. :)
My writing process is slightly different for each book I write, but in general, it goes something like: Think, Scribble, Think, Scribble => Plan.
Write about half the book, realize I’ve come up with many things while writing that weren’t in the plan. Pull hair out. Regroup and decide whether new ideas make the story better or worse. Show it to a few key critique partners if I can’t decide.
Plan again.
Write to the end.
Revise.
Show it to critique partners.
Revise, revise, revise revise.

THIS MISS: Do you have more ideas for twisted tales in store? Can we look forward to another twisted tale? If so, which heroine(s) do you have in mind?

MAUREEN: I have lots of ideas for more twisted tales, but I can’t announce any firm plans for future releases at this point.

THIS MISS: Thank you very much, Maureen, for answering my questions in such a wonderful, in-depth way!

*****

Now on to the GIVEAWAY!!!

Would you like to win a copy of Maureen's Twisted Tales?

Here are the rules:
* open to US and Canada only
* you do not have to be a follower of this blog to enter the giveaway
* enter by stating which book you'd like to have (Cinderella: Ninja Warrior or Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer)and leave your e-mail address - it's as simple as that
* giveaway ends May 20th

Good luck!

In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she's a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire-slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

Double Review: Maureen McGowan's Twisted Tales

2011-05-10T19:07:00.003+01:00

Today, I reviewed two books for Maureen McGowan's book tour for Twisted Tales, so the reviews are shorter than usual, but I hope you will still enjoy reading them.

1. Cinderella: Ninja Warrior (Twisted Tales #1)

GENRE: re-telling/fairy-tale/supernatural

SUMMARY:
In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
After her father’s death, Cinderella becomes a slave to her evil stepmother and stepsisters Gwendolyne and Agatha. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But in this story, Cinderella trains in secret in the privacy of the cellar to become a ninja warrior and one day defeat her evil stepmother, a powerful sorceress who only allows Cinderella to live so that she, the stepmother, can claim Cinderella’s mother’s powerful wand that is hidden somewhere. Right from the start, it is clear that the reader is bound for a magical and different kind of fairy-tale adventure.

I truly enjoyed the characters and the way they were outlined. Cinderella is a feisty young woman who knows she must tread carefully around her stepmother, but who is also determined to save herself. So, she reads about ninja fighting in secret and trains herself, while her loyal cat, Max, is watching. Her mother knew magic, but Cinderella’s powers are truly underdeveloped and she hopes to become like her mother. She sees her opportunity at a ball hosted by the king and queen of the country – the ball will hold a magic competition. The prince is really fun, and also dashing, but most importantly he is down-to-earth – as much as a prince can be so – and respects his heroine. The stepmother and her daughters are really evil and delightfully so.

It is important to know that this is a choose-your-own-adventure type of novel. The reader can help shaping the story and it is really fun to combine the different possibilities. While they all lead to pretty much the same ending, the creative process is the one that is truly entertaining.

Magic, aside from the ninja-warrior training (and very much connected to it), is a very important part of the novel and I loved the way the author handled and used it in the novel.

All in all, this is a highly entertaining “twisted” spin on the classical fairy-tale that should delight any fan of fairy-tales, adventures, magic and, of course, ninjas.

THIS MISS RATES:

2. Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer (Twisted Tales #2)

GENRE: re-telling/fairy-tale/supernatural

SUMMARY:
In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she's a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire-slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
This is a highly original and entertaining “twisted” retelling of the classical fairy-tale Sleeping Beauty. In this novel, Lucette (our Sleeping Beauty), who is Princess of Xandria, is cursed by Natasha, the evil Queen of Sanguina, for a mysterious reason. The curse involves Lucette pricking her finger like in the original, but this time the kingdom will sleep when she will be awake during the night, and she will sleep when the kingdom will be awake during the day. The other fairies lessen the curse: Lucette will not prick her finger before she turns sixteen and the curse will be over once she finds her true love.

Lucette grows up shielded from sharp object. She must not expose herself to any danger, but when she meets a vampire her age, she begins to train as a vampire slayer in secret to prevent any wayward vampires to enter the palace while everyone is sleeping. Lucette shows that she is not a damsel in distress, but a real fighter and she is definitely not afraid to kick. She is adventurous and witty, and definitely a heroine that can be seen as inspiring.

This is also a choose-your-own-adventure type of novel. What I found really interesting about this novel is that it features a love triangle. I must not mention names and I will not describe the two men to avoid spoilers, but it was definitely interesting to follow this love triangle and although true love triumphs, which is the only thing I am willing to accept in fairy-tales, I confess that I was very much inclined towards the man who “lost”. Both male characters are good characters and make for worthy competitors for Lucette’s love.

I have to say that this is definitely one of the most original retellings of a classical story and as I am a fan both of vampires and fairy-tales, this is a perfect combination for me. If you are like me in this respect, you will definitely enjoy this story.

THIS MISS RATES:

I received both ARCs via NetGalley.

Thank you to Teddy at Premier Virtual Author Book Tours for offering me the novels to review and for organizing the book tour.

My Guest Review: Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

2011-05-09T16:59:00.002+01:00

You can read the review HERE on Becky's blog The Bookette.

I read the book for the British Book Challenge (BBC), also hosted by Becky.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

2011-05-08T11:43:00.003+01:00

GENRE: historical fiction

SUMMARY:
Lady Jane Grey was born into times of extreme danger. Child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she was merely a pawn in a dynastic power game with the highest stakes, she lived a live in thrall to political machinations and lethal religious fervour. Jane's astonishing and essentially tragic story was played out during one of the most momentous periods of English history. As a great-niece of Henry VIII, and the cousin of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, she grew up realize that she could never throw off the chains of her destiny. Her honesty, intelligence and strength of character carry the reader through all the vicious twists of Tudor power politics, to her nine-day reign and its unbearably poignant conclusion.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Innocent Traitor is a brilliant and detailed account of the life of Lady Jane Grey, Henry VIII’s great niece, who was an innocent pawn in traitors’ hands and lost her life far too young, paying tragically for the sins of others.

The novel explores Jane’s life from the day of her birth to the day of her execution. Jane Eyre was born into a life of privilege, but she was an unhappy child, as she was not born a boy, but a girl. Her mother, the daughter of Henry VIII’s sister Mary, was a very stern parent and Jane’s father always remembered that Jane failed to be a boy. But Jane had the best tutors and turned into a highly intelligent and learned noble lady, known across Europe as a scholar. She was happy with her books and Latin texts, and she was able to think independently. She became very important when her parents and other noblemen saw a great opportunity to make Jane queen. That involved a lot of treachery and defying Henry VIII’s testament. The intelligent Jane, who never sought glory, saw how wrong that was, but after a great amount of scheming on the part of those around her, Jane became a queen with the shortest period of reign in history, as she was on the throne for only two weeks.

It shows that Weir is a historian, because the novel is very detailed and is an accurate account of Lady Jane Grey’s interesting and tragic story. This should delight any history enthusiast. The historical characters are very well explored and given a clear voice. The novel is written from several points of views, which really gives the story a fully perspective and I must compliment the author on capturing those real-life characters’ personalities so well. The reader gets to read about Henry VIII, Katharine Parr (his last wife who survived him), Edward VI (Henry’s son), Princess Elizabeth (who became Queen Elizabeth I), Princess Mary (the queen who became known as Bloody Mary) and other well-known historical characters. At the centre of the story is Jane Grey, the innocent traitor of the story. If you do not know Lady Jane’s story and if you are not all that familiar with the Tudors, you will definitely learn a lot from this novel. The customs of the period are observed and period language is used, although in a slightly simplified form to have the novel flow more smoothly.

The novel is also an emotional read. It is easy to love the Lady Jane and her tragic end really touched my heart. It seems unjust that she was executed, especially when understanding all the reasons for her untimely death. She is a forgotten heroine, but this book really makes her stand out and the Lady Jane deserves the attention.

This novel really is a must-read for all Tudor enthusiasts and just for lovers of historical fiction in general.

Read for the Historical Challenge 2011.

THIS MISS RATES:

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: Graciosa and Percinet

2011-05-07T11:37:00.002+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: Graciosa and Percinet by Madame D'Aulnoy (French fairy-tale)

A king and queen had a beautiful daughter, Graciosa, and an ugly duchess hated her. One day, the queen died. The king was so grief-stricken that his doctors ordered him to hunt. Weary, he stopped at the duchess's castle and discovered how rich she was. He agreed to marry her, although she demanded control over her stepdaughter Graciosa.

Princess Graciosa was reasoned into behaving well by her nurse. A handsome young page, Percinet, appeared. He was a rich young prince with a fairy gift and he was in her service. He gave Graciosa a horse to ride to greet the duchess. It made the duchess's own horse look ugly and she demanded that Percinet lead her horse as he had led Graciosa'a. Nevertheless, the duchess's horse ran away and her disarray made her look even uglier. The duchess had Graciosa beaten with rods, except that the rods were turned into peacock feathers, and the princess suffered no harm.

The king wed the duchess and arranged a tournament to flatter the new queen. The king's knights overthrew all the challengers, although their queen was ugly, until a young challenger overthrew them and showed the portrait of the princess as the most beautiful woman in the world. The queen had Graciosa abandoned in the woods. Percinet rescued her, but she wished to return to her father and when Percinet showed her how the queen had claimed her dead and buried a log of wood in her place, she insisted to return home. He told her that she would never see his castle again until she was buried.

The king was glad to see his daughter, but when the queen returned and insisted that Graciosa was an impostor, he seemed convinced that was true. The queen imprisoned Graciosa and, with the aid of a wicked fairy, set her to disentangle a skein, on pain of her life. Graciosa thought Percinet would not aid her, but she called on him in her despair and he disentangled the skein for her. The outraged queen set her to sort a room filled with feathers and Percinet did that as well. Then the queen set her to bring a box to her own castle and forbade Graciosa to open it. Curiosity got the better of the princess and Graciosa freed a swarm of little men and women whom she could not get back in. Percinet helped her.

The queen suggested that they lift a stone in the garden which covered a well, on the grounds that she had heard there was treasure to be found. When the stone was lifted, she pushed Graciosa in and dropped the stone. Percinet and his mother rescued her, and this time, Graciosa agreed to marry him.

*****

This fairy-tale was fun to read, but the story is a bit all over the place and I miss the sense of justice being served. Graciosa married Percinet, but she was never acknowledged as the real princess again and her stepmother wasn't punished. It would have been nice if the stepmother received some sort of punishment for her wicked deeds.

*****

Top Ten Books That Came Recommended

2011-05-03T19:20:00.002+01:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: recommended by my mom. I was 15 at the time, very much into Victoria Holt, and one day my mom said: "You know, you'd love Jane Eyre." And I really, truly did.

2. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux: that became my favourite novel. Recommended by a friend/fellow student at university.

3. The Collector by John Fowles: recommended by Suzana at Bookalicious Ramblings. I am so glad I listened to her! This is a fantastic book.

4. Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz: recommended by my uncle and his daughter/my cousin: this book was an epic philosophical trip for me that answered a lot of my questions.

5. A Rose in Winter by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss: recommended by the same cousin. This book introduced me to the world of historical romances and boy did I love it!

6. Wyndspelle by Aola Vandegriff: recommended by my other uncle. Introduced me to Gothic fiction, which pretty much defined my academic path.

7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: recomended by a friend. One of the best reads in recent years.

8. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier: recommended by the previously mentioned cousin: I am a big fan of the author now, so a really good recommendation, indeed!

9. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon: recommended by a university professor. I never expected a fan of John Dunne to recommend this, but I totally loved the book.

10. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: recommended by a friend from Finland as an antidote to modern YA vampires and a great bonus for fans of Dracula. A great recommendation.

My Guest Review: Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-05-02T11:44:00.002+01:00

You can read my review of Lament by Maggie Stiefvater on Becky's blog The Bookette, right HERE.

SUMMARY: Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand - one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass - a soulless faerie assassin - and she is his next target.

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: Peter Pan

2011-04-29T18:18:00.002+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J.M. Barrie

To me, Peter Pan has always been a fairytale-like story. Peter Pan is a boy who can fly and lives in a land - Neverland - where a child never grows up. One of his friends is a fairy, Tinkerbell. There are mermaids, too. The adventures involving Indians and pirates may not seem very fairytale-ish, but they can happen in a fairytale. After all, everything is possible in fairytales.

I've heard people complain about the moral message, or the lack thereof that this story conveys. After all, we can't avoid responsibilities in life (as Peter might show by not wanting to grow up), but to me the message has always been that we must never "kill" the child within us. When we grow up, we must keep a small part of us that was once a hopeful, innocent child who could believe without cynicism. Also, the story is pure delightful escapism and should be enjoyed as such.

My favourite part of the story has always been when Peter Pan saves the Indian Princess Tiger Lily at Mermaid's Lagoon and battles the pirates, including his nemesis Captain Hook. I must also confess that I have a soft spot for Peter and Wendy, the girl whom he takes into Neverland (along with her family) on an adventure. I liked to believe that they would both grow up, not only Wendy, and Peter would come to live in her world - if you know what this romantic girl means.

Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up is a play, but it can also be read in its novelized form - Peter and Wendy.

Hardcover Penguin Classics

2011-04-28T10:46:00.002+01:00

This may be old news to some of you, but I found some lovely new Penguin hardcover editions of popular classic novels. I have a thing for hardcover editions of the classics and the Penguin editions have beautiful, simple and vintage-looking covers. If you are interested, check the covers HERE.

Did any cover in particular catch your eye? I must say that the cover for The Hound of the Baskervilles looks very lovely.

My Guest Review: The Crusade by Linda Wulf Press

2011-04-25T09:23:00.002+01:00

I read and reviewed The Crusade by Linda Wulf Press and you can read my review HERE on Becky's blog The Bookette.

SUMMARY:
Robert: Left on the steps of a church as a baby, Robert was often hungry but never stole food like the other orphans in town. Introverted and extraordinarily intelligent, he knew all the Latin prayers and hymns by heart by the time he was five years old.

Georgette: Her own mother died in childbirth, leaving Georgette with a father who, seventeen at the time, had neither experience nor aptitude as a nurturing parent, and a brother known in town as Le Fuer - The Spitfire - for his terrible temper.

Perhaps to replace something missing from their own lives, both Robert and Georgette are drawn to the news of a crusader, twelve or thirteen, no older than themselves, travelling down through France with thousands of followers - all, unbelievably, children too. Of those thousands, this is the incredible story of two. This is a story of hardship, loss and love.

I read the book for the Historical Challenge 2011.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

2011-04-23T09:52:00.005+01:00

GENRE: crime fiction

SUMMARY:
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
In Cold Blood is an amazing piece of fiction detailing the murder of four members of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas. Truman Capote researched the event in detail, interviewing everyone involved, even the two murderers who committed the heinous crime. Capote said, “I spent four years on and off in that part of Western Kansas there during the research for that book and then the film. What was it like? It was very lonely. And difficult. Although I made a lot of friends there. I had to, otherwise I never could have researched the book properly. The reason was I wanted to make an experiment in journalistic writing, and I was looking for a subject that would have sufficient proportions. (…) [I]was looking for something very special that would give me a lot of scope. (…) And one day I was gleaning The New York Times, and way on the back page I saw this very small item. And it just said, "Kansas Farmer Slain. Family of Four Is Slain in Kansas." A little item just about like that. And the community was completely nonplussed, and it was this total mystery of how it could have been, and what happened.”

I can say that he definitely succeeded in unveiling the mystery and wrote a gripping page-turner about a true event, using people’s real names, their quotes and every little detail he discovered during his long research and stay in Kansas. The book reads like a novel, but all the while there is the knowledge that those things really happened, which makes it a thrilling experience.

There are two things I must point out about this novel, as I absolutely loved them. The first one is the order the events are presented. The actual murder – the way it took place – is reserved for the final portion of the book, which creates suspense. First, Truman plays on the strings of the reader’s emotions. He presents the final day of the Clutter family in detail, revealing their hobbies, their aspirations, their popularity in the Holcomb community, thus shaping them into real people whose lives were cruelly and unjustly taken from them. Then, their bodies are discovered and Capote presents the shock, the confusion, the sadness of their friends, as well as the fear of the entire community that something like this might strike them, too. No one knows the motive of the heinous crime and they have absolutely no clues. The murder itself is omitted and the reader is left to speculate how it happened, just as the Holcomb police and citizens did. This way, Capote creates a natural flow of events, putting the reader into the position of those people who lives in Holcomb in 1959, clueless as to what happened and why.

The second thing I really loved is the presentation of the murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock. He presents them in absolute detail, focusing on every aspect of their lives, good and bad, just as was done with the Clutter family. Capote does not seek to excuse them, but he also does not blame them. He presents them – as a true journalist – as they truly were. He reveals the chronology of their lives, focusing on their mentality in particular. He presents them as human beings who, one day, killed four people. Yet one cannot help but sympathise with them and that is exactly what Capote allows the reader to do. I still think they did a terrible thing that was inexcusable, but Capote presents those shades of grey we often tend to ignore. He makes the reader understand the killers before judging them, not just having the reader simply judge them and be done with it. Capote takes the stance that even those we see as monsters have their reasons. A sad and abusive childhood, and an innate tendency towards violence may not be an excuse, but they explain why people do certain things and by understanding them may actually help us cope with a tragedy like murder. The then developing science of forensic psychology is presented and death sentence discussed. In this respect, the novel is delightfully provocative, as it really makes the reader think and ponder on certain important issues. Not everything is black and white and although we may not be inclined to accept other shades of colours, we have to acknowledge them.

The murder itself is described in detail as well, which was a chilling reading experience, yet intriguing as well, precisely because it is stated exactly what Perry and Dick were thinking about when the trigger of the shotgun (their murder weapon) was pulled four times. I found the final part – the trial – to be the most thrilling part to read about. It is the part that discusses whether death sentence is a justified means of punishing a criminal, as well as whether killers are truly monsters or merely human beings who committed a grave sin, for which they must repent and pay. It is, as I’ve said, a provocative section of the book, but rewarding as such.

I admit that there were two or three times when the book dragged for me, as perhaps too many pieces of information were included about people that were not crucial to the story, but other than that, this novel is a literary gem. It is a true page turner and I whole-heartedly recommend it to everyone. It is a novel unlike any other.

I read the novel for my personal American Classics Challenge and for the What's in a Name 4 Challenge, section Evil.

THIS MISS RATES: / (4.5 stars)

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Sprig of Rosemary

2011-04-22T11:14:00.005+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: The Spring of Rosemary (a Spanish fairy-tale)

I've become really fond of Spanish fairy-tales and I'd like to share a new one with you that I recently discovered.

*****

A man made his only daughter work very hard. One day, he sent her to collect firewood. She went and plucked a sprig of rosemary as well. A handsome young man appeared and asked her why she came to steal his firewood. She said that her father sent her and the youngster led her to a castle and told her that he was a great lord and wanted to marry her, so they married.

The old woman who looked after the castle gave her the keys, but warned her that if she used one, the castle would fall to pieces. After a time, curiosity overcame her and she opened a door and found a snakeskin. Her husband, a magician, used it to change shape. Then the castle fell to pieces. She cried, broke off a sprig of rosemary and went to search for him.

She found a house of straw where they gave her work, but she grew sadder by the day. When her mistress asked her about it, the young woman told her her story and her mistress sent her to the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind, to ask for help. The Sun could not help her, but gave her a nut and sent her on to the Moon; the Moon could not help her but gave her an almond and sent her on to the Wind; the Wind did not know how to help her, but promised to look around. He learned that her husband was hidden in the palace of the king and would marry the king's daughter the next day, as he had lost his memory.

The young woman implored him to put it off if he could and after giving her a walnut, the Wind blew on the tailors sewing for the wedding and destroyed their work. The young woman cracked the nut and found a fine mantle. She sold it to the princess for a great sum in gold. Then the almond held petticoats, which she sold again. Then the walnut held a gown, and for this she demanded to see the bridegroom. The princess finally agreed, and when the young woman went in, she touched her husband with the rosemary, which brought his memory back, and they went back to her home.

You can read the story HERE.

*****

My Guest Review: The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove

2011-04-18T19:21:00.002+01:00

I read and reviewed The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate. You can read my review on Becky's blog The Bookette, right HERE.

Thank you to Becky for sending me the book to read and review, and to Random House Children’s Books for providing the copy I got.

SUMMARY: Natalie Hargrove would kill to be her high school's Palmetto Princess. But her boyfriend Mike King doesn't share her dream and risks losing the honor of Palmetto Prince to Natalie's nemesis, Justin Balmer. So she convinces Mike to help play a prank on Justin. . . one that goes terribly wrong. They tie him to the front of the church after a party-when they arrive the next morning, Justin is dead. From blackmail to buried desire, dark secrets to darker deeds, Natalie unravels. She never should've messed with fate. Fate is the one thing more twisted than Natalie Hargrove. Cruel Intentions meets Macbeth in this seductive, riveting tale of conscience and consequence.

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Star -Child

2011-04-15T12:02:00.003+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: The Star-Child from the House of Pomegranates collection by Oscar Wilde.

An infant boy was found abandoned in the woods by a poor woodcutter, who took pitiy on him and took him in. The boy grew up to be exceedingly beautiful, but vain, cruel, and arrogant, believing himself to be the divine child of the stars. He made himself superior over the other children, who followed him devotedly, and took pleasure in torturing the forest animals and town beggars.

One day, a beggar with bleeding feet came to town in search of her lost son, who the Star-Child is revealed to be. However, he rejected her and sennt her away, and in doing so, was transformed into a loathsome cross between a toad and a snake. His followers abandoned him, and he set off to seek forgiveness from his mother.

He came to a city where he was captured and sold into slavery. His master treated him cruelly. On his first task, he sent him to find a piece of white gold hidden in the forest. The Star-Child searched all day, but couldn't find it. On returning to the city, he saw a rabbit caught in a trap and stopped to free him. In gratitude, the rabbit showed him where the gold was and the Star-Child got it. However, returning with the gold, a beggar called to him that he would surely starve unless he could give him money for food. The Star-Child gave him the gold, and his master beat him and denied him food and water that night.

For the second task, he was told to go find a piece of yellow gold hidden in the forest. Again, the rabbit showed him where it was, and again, the beggar met him at the gate, and again, the Star-Child gave him the gold. His master beat him and chained him up.

For the final task, his master told him that unless he found the hidden piece of red gold, he would kill him. The rabbit showed him where the gold was hidden, and he returned to the city with it. Along the way, he again met the beggar and gave him the gold, deciding it meant more to him.

Upon entering the city, everyone awaited him to crown him the new king, and he discovered the city's present rulers to be his mother, the beggar woman, and his father, the beggar he had given the gold to. At that point also, he was transformed to his former beautiful self. At the story's end, we are told of his kind, loving, and charitable reign, but that it only lasted for three years, and the king that followed him was cruel and evil.

*****

This is a true fairy-tale. It features a hero who must learn his lesson the hard way. He has to perform three tasks to be awarded and he is helped by an animal he had saved. The ending is sad, what with the ruler after him being a cruel man, but the main point is that the hero became the man he was set out to be.

*****

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to See Made into Movies

2011-04-12T09:20:00.002+01:00

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen: This is such a magical and heart-warming book. I think it would translate well onto the screen. Set in the South, featuring magic, sisters, hidden pasts and drama, then ending on an optimistic note. Yes, I'd watch this movie. (The good news is, I think this book actually will become a movie.)

2. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield: It's a Gothic mystery and that's always "in". It has a great setting - English countryside, old house. There's suspense, there are mysteries, great characters. I see Dame Maggie Smith, or Judi Dench, and Kate Winslet.

3. If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern: It's an Irish romance. It's incredibly touching, it's sweet. And, it's Irish. We need that.

4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: I know there have been a lot of WWII movies made, but this war movie would be unlike any other war movie you've seen. I think the book would work great as a movie.

5. The Collector by John Fowles: A movie was made in the 1960s and it's been almost 50 years since then. This book needs a new movie. A movie that will honour it.

6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: I think this book is perfect for an animation in the style of Coraline. Tim Burton should do it.

7. Angelology by Danielle Trussoni: This is a great angelic thriller. It doesn't romanticize these celestial beings and that's what we need: some badass supernaturals. I think the effect on the big screen would be epic.

8. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton: If this book was turned into a movie, that would be a wonderful thing. It would make a great period drama.

9. Villette by Charlotte Bronte: This overlooked classic could really shine on the screen.

10. A Trick of the Dark by B.R. Collins: What a thriller this would be!

Hollywood Sinners by Victoria Fox

2011-04-08T14:24:00.002+01:00

GENRE: contemporary fiction/chick lit/drama

SUMMARY:
POWER Marriage to Hollywood heartthrob Cole Steel secured Lana Falcon a glittering place on the red carpet. But running from a wicked past she has trapped herself in a gilded cage and the price of freedom...her soul? REVENGE Kate diLaurentis' career is fading as quickly as her looks. What could be worse than discovering her husband's latest mistress is Hollywood's hottest starlet? Her only option – the most shocking revenge. LUST Chloe French's innocent beauty has captured a million hearts, but no one's warned her of the dangerous, dark temptation of rock star Nate - will lust destroy her? GREED Las Vegas King, Robert St Louis's fairytale wedding to Sin City's richest heiress is tabloid gold. But scandal circles like a vulture - dirty secrets are about to be exposed! BETRAYAL From the deepest desires come the deadliest deeds...and these four couples are about to pay for their sins...

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Hollywood Sinners takes you inside the coveted Hollywood world of glamour and beauty…not to mention lust, betrayal, greed and revenge. It is a gripping tale about the behind-the-scenes of how we picture the luxurious life of Hollywood stars, revealing their dirty secrets and past sins that come back to haunt them.

The novel focuses on several characters that become (deeply) connected over the course of the narrative. The protagonist is Lana Falcon, as her story is the most prominent one. She is the current hot actress in Hollywood, awaiting a possible first Oscar nomination. She is beautiful and rich, and married to the Hollywood heart-throb, Cole Steel. They seem to be the perfect couple, but their marriage is only a publicity stunt. Although their marriage is a sham, Cole keeps finding ways to keep Lana on his leash and trapped and Lana is beginning to feel the walls of her gilded cage closing in on her. When a lost friend from her past comes back into her life, her life doesn’t seem so grim anymore. Then, Lana makes a mistake and gives Cole an excuse to find a new way to trap her. All the time, no one is aware of the fact that someone from Lana’s hidden past has come back – and he wants revenge.

The stories of other characters are just as interesting and offer juicy tidbits from their lives. Elisabeth, a Las Vegas star and the daughter of a wealthy man, is engaged to the very successful Robert St Louis. But something that is connected to Lana Falcon seems to be bothering Robert and her insecurity makes her choose a dangerous path. Cole Steel’s ex wife, Kate diLaurentis, finally found the right man, but it’s turning out that he is an adulterer extraordinaire, which makes her very unhappy. On top of it all, her career is losing its shine and she must form alliances and perform a revenge to get what she wants. Chloe French, an innocent and sweet model from UK, gets a wonderful acting opportunity in Hollywood and even Chloe, dating the notorious musician Nate of The Hides, cannot escape the corruptive charms of Tinsel Town.

The stories of all these characters are highly intriguing and at times even twisted. Their lives are full of mysteries and it seems that appearances are what matters the most, but they are all soon put to a test that will prove them wrong. It is not easy to relate to these characters, as they live in a world so different from the average reader’s, but that is part of the appeal. The story had something of the feel of a soap opera, as it was quite dramatic and the secrets, but especially the revelations, were quite shocking. This was definitely a very interesting and entertaining read.

I must say that there was a bit too much of sex present for my taste, most often described in vulgar terms, but aside from that, the novel provides the reader with a delightful time of pure entertainment. This is a novel that is meant to be dramatic and it is to be enjoyed as such. Imagine The Young and the Restless set in Hollywood and you get Hollywood Sinners.

If you enjoy a bit of glamour mixed with drama, this is definitely a book for you.

Thank you to MIRA Books for sending me a copy of this novel for review!

THIS MISS RATES:

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

2011-04-04T13:06:00.003+01:00

GENRE: contemporary fiction/drama/women's fiction

SUMMARY:
When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn — shy, quiet Brynn — who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
These Things Hidden is a very appropriate title for this novel, as the story features a tangled web of mysteries that influence lives in a dramatic way. This book is an intense, emotional read, showing how keeping mysteries and harbouring guilt can lead to a dramatic and even tragic climax.

Allison Glen used to be the perfect girl. Her parents loved her, her younger sister Brynn admired her, she was beautiful and her school life exactly was what one would hope for. It was as if this girl never had a flaw. But on one fateful night, everything changes for Allison. This perfect girl makes a mistake and a number of bad decisions lead her to getting tried for murder and locked up in prison for five years. During this time, her parents become strangers to her and her sister, Brynn, completely excludes her from her life. Because of the nature of her crime, the prisoners hate her and reject her, and once she is released and installed in a halfway house where she will learn to take care of herself, hatred and rejection follow her. All she wants is to have her normal life back and above all, for her sister to finally talk to her, but Brynn has her own issues to deal with.

Brynn, only one year younger than Allison, used to adore her big sister. As the girls grew up, they slowly grew apart, but one terrible night connected them again. Brynn cannot forgive Allison for pulling her into her problems and although no one knows Brynn was there on that night Allison committed her crime, Brynn must carry the weight of guilt and live with the mystery every single day. She is a troubled girl who wants to escape the past, but cannot. She sees it in her mind, all the time.

The novel follows the emotions of guilt and of trying to achieve redemption in a beautiful, touching and intense way. Both sides of the coin are presented, so to say, and it is shown that things are not simply black and white, but have many colours in between. It is especially important to know that things are not always how they appear to be.

When Allison finds a job in a bookstore, owned by Claire, she takes one look at Claire’s five-year-old son Joshua and instantly knows who he is. This little boy is at the core of Allison’s mystery and with Allison’s discovery of his whereabouts, the drama begins to prepare for its climax. The past strikes back and reveals truly unexpected truths about the characters in the novel.

The novel explores that an ex-convict is only a person with their own complexities and is not necessarily bad. As I’ve said, there are colours besides black and white. It also touches on the important subject of safe haven laws that were ‘enacted to prevent infant abandonment and infanticide.’ (SOURCE) These are all important subjects are truly well and believably presented in the novel.

All in all, this is a truly enjoyable and emotionally gripping read that is perfect for fans of dramas and women’s fiction. Lovers of Jodi Picoult will surely appreciate this book.

I would like to thank Katie McKelliget at MIRA Books for sending me a copy of this novel for review!

THIS MISS RATES: / (4.5 stars)

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Well of the World's End

2011-04-01T11:21:00.003+01:00

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: The Well of the World's End (an English fairy-tale)

Once upon a time there was a girl whose mother had died and her father married again. Her stepmother hated her because she was more beautiful than her and so she was very cruel to her. The girl had to do all the servant's work. One day, the stepmother decided to get rid of her altogether, so she handed her a sieve and told her to fill it at the Well of the World's End and bring it home to her full, or else... The stepmother thought she would never be able to find the Well of the World' s End, and, if she did, how could she bring home a sieve full of water?

The girl started off and asked everyone she met to tell her where the Well of the World's End was, but nobody knew, and she didn't know what to do, when a queer little old woman told her where it was, and how she could get to it. So she did what the old woman told her, and at last arrived at the Well of the World's End. But when she dipped the sieve in the cold water, it all ran out again. She tried and tried again, but every time it was the same; and at last she gave up and began to cry.
Suddenly she heard a croaking voice and she saw a great frog with goggle eyes looking at her and speaking to her.

The girl told the frog about her problm and the frog promised to help her it she did whatever the frog asked her. The frog said to use moss and clay to keep the water in the sieve, then the frog jumped into the well. So the girl looked about for some moss, and lined the bottom of the sieve with it, and over that she put some clay, and then she dipped it once again into the Well of the World's End. This time, the water didn't run out and she turned to go away.

Just then the frog popped up its head out of the Well of the World's End and told the girl to remember her promise. The girl went back to her stepmother and brought the sieve full of water from the Well of the World's End. The stepmother was very angry, but she said nothing. That very evening they heard something tapping at the door and a voice cried out, speaking about the promise. It was the frog. It wanted the girl to lift it to her knee, but the girl didn't like to, till her stepmother said ordered her to do so, as girls must keep their promises. The girl obeyed and put the frog on ger knee. Then, the frog wanted dinner and the girl fed it with a bowl of milk and bread. and fed it well. After dinner, the frog asked the girl to take it with her to bed and the girl didn't want to do it, but again her stepmother demanded that she obey the frog. So the girl took the frog with her to bed and kept it as far away from her as she could. When dawn came, the frog asked the girl to chop off its head.

Very reluctantly, the girl and chopped off its head with her axe. When she did that, there stood before her a handsome young prince, who told her that he had been enchanted by a wicked magician, and he could never be unspelled till some girl would do his bidding for a whole night and chop off his head at the end of it.

The stepmother was surprised when she found the young prince instead of the nasty frog and she wasn't pleased when the prince told her that he was going to marry her stepdaughter because she had unspelled him. But married they were, and went away to live in the castle of the king, his father, and all the stepmother had to console her was that it was all through her that her stepdaughter was married to a prince.

THE END

***

I think this is a romantic story and quite a typical romantic fairy-tale. There is a nasty stepmother, a test and a stepdaughter who gets to marry a prince.

***

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-03-30T09:25:00.002+01:00

GENRE: paranormal romance/urban fantasy

SUMMARY:
the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Shiver is the first book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. It is a gripping tale that puts wolves in its centre. At first, I was not so sure I was going to like the novel, as it’s been compared to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

When she was ten, Grace was attacked by wolves and survived because one of the wolves saved her. Ever since that day, Grace has been fascinated by wolves, in particular by the yellow-eyed wolf that saved her life. One day, that wolf is badly hurt and turns into a human boy, Sam. That day is the beginning of Grace and Sam’s love story, but also of their struggle and danger.

This time, I felt and believed the instant love connection between Grace and Sam. They have been connected ever since the day he saved her life and Grace’s fascination with wolves is not strange, but has an actual basis. While Grace and Sam did spend a lot of time talking about their love, which is something I don’t particularly enjoy in paranormal romances, they also experienced normal couple moments. I must say that they really endeared themselves to me, as a couple and as characters.

Grace is a very independent teenage girl. Her life is more or less normal, apart from the fact that she rarely sees her always busy and slightly childish parents, a fact that she acknowledges and resents (what I consider to be a normal reaction in her case). She loves her friends, is a good student and a good daughter. Most of all, she loves wolves – specially her wolf, Sam. Sam is half human, half wolf. He is struggling with his animalistic side because he wants to stay with Grace and he can’t be with her as a wolf. He is a shy and introverted boy, a consequence of his tough childhood. He loves to read, especially poetry, something that I really enjoyed about him. Together, they make a great couple and there is one of the few paranormal romances that I find myself really caring about.

I enjoyed the wolf mythology. The word werewolf is mentioned, but I don’t think that the supernaturals in this novel are meant to be werewolves; they are people who turn into wolves during winter and remain human during the summer. I really liked this new aspect that one’s nature is connected to seasons, to temperature. There comes a time, after several years, when a human turns into a wolf for the last time, meaning they remain in their wolf form until the end of their days. Because Sam had a tough time when he first became a wolf, this time is coming for him much sooner than normal and he and Grace would do anything to have him remain human, but that is not as easy as it sounds. This is the main struggle in the novel and while there is not a lot of action present at all, all the tension is psychological, another thing that I personally like as a reader.

I liked the fact that Grace’s friends were involved in the story. At first, they were discarded when Grace began to dedicate all of her time to Sam, but that was rectified when one of Grace’s friends got quite an important role in the novel, becoming involved with wolves herself. Some questions remained unanswered, but hopefully that will be done in the sequel.

I must also mention that the narrative is very lyrical and beautiful. It alternates between Grace’s and Sam’s points of view. I’m really glad I could read Sam’s perspective as well.

The novel ended in a great, emotional way that definitely makes me want to read the sequel, Linger. I recommend this novel to lovers of paranormal romances and urban fantasy.

THIS MISS RATES:

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Fiddler and the Sea Nymph

2011-03-25T08:58:00.002Z

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: The Fiddler and the Sea Nymph (Swedish fairy-tale)

Many years ago a dancing society of Brasta, a village in the parish of Stora Mellosa, planned a great Christmas festival, to which the old and the young came from far and near, knowing that Sexton Kant, of Norrbyas, would be there with his fiddle and that they would have a very merry time. Sexton Kant was no ordinary fiddler and he was very proud of his skill and ready at the least word of praise to laud himself to the skies.

When the merry making had gone well into the night and the pleasures were at their height, someone remarked that not many could measure themselves with Father Kant when he let the bow leap over the strings and played in "tour voices," as he himself called it. Nothing further was needed. Kant, always ready to begin where the others left off, declared that the devil, good player as he was reputed to be, could not compete with him in the waltz which they had just heard. This boast came near costing Kant dear. When the dance ended and he set out in the night on his way home, he met, near the hill of Bjurbacka, a young woman dressed in white, who saluted him and addressed him as follows:

"If you will play a polka for me, Father Kant, I will dance for you."

Father Kant sat himself upon a stone and applied the bow to the strings of the instrument. Instantly he lost all control of himself. Such a polka as now came from his fiddle he had never expected to hear, much less play. The tones seemed to come without any help from him. The bow ran over the strings and his arm was forced to follow. One melody followed another; his arm became numb, but the music continued in the same wild measure.

Kant now understood that something was wrong. Finally he burst forth:

"God forgive me, poor sinner. What have I brought upon myself?"

Upon the instant the fiddle strings parted and an awful-sounding laugh was heard from the brook at the foot of the hill. Heavy of heart, Kant hastened homeward, acknowledging to himself that the devil, after all, was his superior. For a long time he could not be persuaded to again take up his fiddle, but, when he finally complied, he found that one of the beautiful waltzes he had played on the eventful night had fastened itself upon his memory and he acquired greater renown than before as a fiddler.

FIN

The sea nymph is never mentioned, although we may assume she is the woman in white, working for the devil. I wish she had a bigger role; I kind of like nymphs. However, I think this is an interesting story about humility.

The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen

2011-03-23T12:54:00.003Z

GENRE: Jane Austen re-telling

SUMMARY:
Convinced that the lovely Elizabeth Bennet is her brother's soul mate, Georgiana Darcy enlists her clever and not at all snobbish cousin Anne de Bourgh in ensuring that pride and prejudice aren't able to keep these two hearts apart. All is going according to plan until Lydia Bennet brings scandal on the family by eloping with George Wickham, and Darcy is called away from Elizabeth's side before he has a chance to propose. It will take all Georgiana and Anne's considerable matchmaking talents to ensure that Elizabeth and Darcy are reunited in time to claim their happily ever after.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy offers a delightfully detailed background to the story and the characters of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, as well as interesting and accurate insight into the society of the time. That makes it a highly enjoyable read and a must-read for lovers of Austen’s characters.

In this novel, Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana Darcy have more important roles. They come to the forefront as matchmakers, especially Anne, who first notices her cousin’s feelings for Miss Elizabeth and who first learns about Darcy’s failed proposal. This prompts her to act and bring the two lovers together as best as she can. I loved the expansion on the characters of Anne and Georgiana. In Austen’s original novel, they are minor characters who serve to more or less explain certain plot points. In this story, they become rounded, multi-dimensional characters with active roles and yearnings of their own. Although some significant changes were made to their characters, the changes are enjoyable and complement the two characters very well, giving them life.

The story follows the plot of Austen’s original, but offers expanded backgrounds to the story, as well as the characters. I was so glad to read about Darcy’s thoughts and feelings that were very well delivered. In the original, the reader gets to see the events mostly through Elizabeth’s eyes, but in this story, all characters are given a chance to contribute in this respect – even the snotty Caroline Bingley and the charming, yet conniving Wickham. Their narrations are smooth, vivid and executed in the period lingo with great ease.

There are some plot twists that are delightful and some that I needed some time getting used to, like the fact that Darcy had a mistress as a youth and the fact that Jane has a second suitor. However, this created some tension and uncertainty and I’m always happy when things become a little complicated. I was especially pleasantly surprised by Mary Bennett’s new fate and I hope that you will be, too, when you read the novel.

I highly enjoyed period details. The workings of the society are explained, their rituals, the places they frequented, and the Napoleonic wars are mentioned on several occasions, giving the story a very firm historical frame and also reminding the reader that the militia was not there (only) to entertain ladies, but was at the ready for battle.

This novel is a highly enjoyable and insightful story, and it is a fresh take on Austen’s beloved novel. I recommend it to all Austen enthusiasts – you shall not be disappointed.

My thanks go to Mary Lydon Simonsen for sending me a copy of the novel for review!

THIS MISS RATES: / (4.5 stars)

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Pet Peeves

2011-03-22T17:19:00.003Z

The meme Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

I am so happy I have this opportunity to vent. I think I have more than just ten bookish pet peeves, but the ten bookish pet peeves that get to me the most are:

1. Dog-eared books. Is it so hard to use a bookmark? You don't have to buy one; you can find something in your home, I'm sure, a piece of paper or a string.

2. People who write, draw and underline words in library books. I would take their library cards. If you feel the need to maul a book by writing in it, buy your own copy.

3. The lack of standalone books. There are too many trilogies and book series out there. I like a story to begin and end in one book. I like a few trilogies/book series, but currently the market is overflown by them and I'm almost afraid to start reading a book these days, fearing it will have ten sequels.

4. Detailed descriptions of bodily fluids. Perhaps authors who do just that think they are cool because they are not afraid to write just about anything. But detailed descriptions of vomit, sperm and a woman's period just turns me off entirely. These things simply disgust me.

5. Love triangles and instant romantic connections. I'd really love to read a book that doesn't feature a love triangle (teenage girls can't be that indecisive) or in which the couple gets to know each other before deciding that they love each other and can't be apart. Instead, what I get is one look that determines everything. Ugh.

6. Literary snobs. I love the classics and read them when I can, but I don't think they are the best thing humanity has produced in fiction. Literature keeps evolving and people who think that only the classics are worth their time (because if you say you love the classics, you sounds so sophisticated...apparently) should read some Neil Gaiman (for example).

7. Librarians who scoff at what you check out of the library (literary snobs, part II). I know two such librarians. If I check out a classic or some drama, they look pleased. If I check out a Kathleen E. Woodiwiss romance, they turn up their noses. What is their problem? Snobbish much? Very much.

8. Present tense narration. "I look through my window and see Fred./She looks through the window and sees Fred." I don't even comment on it in my reviews because then I'd pretty much have to "pick on" every second novel out there, but it does bother me. I like my narration to be done in the past tense.

9. People who ask me "Why do you buy books when you have a library card?" I don't buy books all the time. But I do indulge sometimes, the way other people buy DVDs and CDs. They don't go to the library to borrow them. There are just certain things we want to own because they have some value for us.

10. People who read the last page of a book first. Seriously - why bother reading the book if you know the outcome? So silly.

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

2011-03-20T09:28:00.002Z

GENRE: American novel/drama/adult fiction

SUMMARY:
Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering, this is the unforgettable story of a mental ward and its inhabitants, especially the tyrannical Big Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy, the brawling, fun-loving new inmate who resolves to oppose her. We see the struggle through the eyes of Chief Bromden, the seemingly mute half-Indian patient who witnesses and understands McMurphy's heroic attempt to do battle with the awesome power of the Combine. Hailed upon its publication as "a glittering parable of good and evil" (The New York Times Book Review) and "a roar of protest against middlebrow society's Rules and the invisible Rulers who enforce them" (Time), this powerful book is as bracing and insightful today as it was in the 1960s.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest is an extraordinary story about an individual standing up against a group of people trying to suppress his true self. It takes place in a mental institution in the 1960s and showcases the strength of the human mind, as well as that the stronger the human mind is, the more it will be suppressed. For me, this book was a read that has stayed with me and I will gladly return to it in the future.

The story is narrated by ‘Chief’ Bromden, a Native-American who is a large man, but he is very docile and pretends to be deaf and mute. This way, he can make himself invisible and stay out of harm’s way, as well as be a silent witness to everything that happens in the mental institution where he is a patient. He is a paranoid schizophrenic, which makes the story very interesting to read. His narration is full of imagery that is a delight to read and for which Kesey can be nothing but complimented. At times, the narration is confusing when Bromden’s schizophrenic tendency grows strong and claims him, but not confusing in a bad sense. The reader is put in a very interesting position, seeing the story through the eyes of a mental patient, trying to see the truth through Bromden’s unstable mind.

The organized, never-changing life at the mental institution changes when a new patient arrives. He is Randle Patrick McMurphy, who faked insanity to serve his sentence in the hospital instead of in a prison cell. It is obvious from the start that he is a rebel and a free-thinker. He defies the rigid laws of the hospital whenever he can, trying to minimize the tyrannical rule of Nurse Ratched, the main antagonist of the novel. McMurphy wants to free the patients’ minds. He wants them to act out, to stand up for themselves and not always do what they are told to do. He is a great example of an individual expressing himself freely and Nurse Ratched, his opponent, is a perfect example of a society trying to suppress the freedom of thinking and speech.

I really enjoyed the antagonistic relationship between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched, a prim lady-like woman who looks docile, but her calm is poisonous and all she wants to do is suppress and have the patients follow her rule. Their patient-nurse relationship was fun, as well as intense to read about. Every battle has a winner and I was very anxious about the outcome of their battle.

Life in a mental institution is presented well. What I liked was the already-forming idea that people with mental problems are not crazy, but simply need help. In the 1960s, however, electroconvulsive therapy and lobotomy were, sadly, still practiced in mental institutions and they are badly misused in the novel by Nurse Ratched. She does not use these methods to help, but to have patients succumb to her. On a more symbolic level, I believe Kesey presented brainwashing and the sadness of using it.
The novel offers very strong themes that make one think. They are presented through a number of very interesting mental patients. They all stand out in their own ways, but most of these characters are not aware of their own individualism. Only McMurphy is aware of himself as a free, individualistic person and he wants his fellow inmates to break free from the yoke of Nurse Ratched. He is an extremely brave and inspiring individual for whom I cannot imagine not impressing the reader.

The ending was partly expected, but one bit surprised and shocked me. Yet still, it gives one hope. Sometimes, it is enough to have one warrior stand up for the rest. Despite suppression, the seed of freedom can begin to bloom in the mind and that is worth a lot.

I recommend this novel to everyone, no matter your usual reading preferences. This novel is a classic for a reason.

THIS MISS RATES: / (4.5 stars)

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: The Bird of Truth

2011-03-18T08:03:00.002Z

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: The Bird of Truth (a Spanish fairy-tale)

I have recently started discovering Spanish fairy-tales and would like to share one that really caught my attention. It is called The Bird of Truth.

STORY:
A fisherman found two beautiful babies in a crystal cradle, a girl and a boy, floating in the river. He brought them home to his wife to raise as their own. As the babies grew up, their older brothers were cruel to them and the boy and the girl often ran away to the riverbank, where they would feed breadcrumbs to the birds. In gratitude, the birds taught them to speak their language.

One day the oldest boy made fun of them because they didn't have parents, so the boy and the girl went out into the world to seek their fortunes. When they stopped to rest along their journey, they heard birds gossiping and one bird said that the king had married the youngest daughter of a tailor, despite the opposition of the nobles. He had to go to war and when he returned, he was told that his wife had given birth to twins who had died. Missing her babies, the queen went mad and had to be shut up in a tower in the mountains where the fresh air might restore her. In fact, the babies had not really died, but were taken to a gardener's cottage and that night the chamberlain threw them into the river in a crystal cradle, which the children recognized from the story of how the fisherman found them.

The bird went on to say that only the Bird of Truth could convince the king that the children were really his children and the bird was kept by a giant who only slept a quarter hour a day in the castle of Come-and-never-go. Only a witch could tell the way to the castle and she would not do it unless she was given the water from the fountain of many colours. The Bird of Truth was also surrounded by the Birds of ill Faith and only an owl could tell which one was which.

They went to the city, where they begged hospitality for a night and were so helpful that the innkeeper asked them to stay. The girl did, but her brother left on his quest. A dove told him to go with the wind and by following the wind, he reached the witch's home and asked the way to the castle of Come-and-never-go. The witch tried to get him to stay the night, but when he refused, she demanded a jug of the many-colored waters or she would turn him into a lizard. She then ordered a dog to lead him to the water.

At the castle, he heard the owl's cry and asked its advice. It told him to fill the jug from another fountain and then find the white bird in the corner, not the brightly colored birds. He had a quarter of an hour to do the task and succeeded. When he brought back the water, the witch threw it over him and told him to become a parrot, but he became more handsome, and all the creatures about the hut threw themselves into the water and became human again. The witch fled on her broomstick.

The courtiers who were responsible for abandoning the children tried to prevent the King from learning about the children, but they talked so much of it that he overheard the commotion and became curious. When the bird flew to him, he listened. The King at once went to embrace his children and then all three of them freed his wife, their mother, from the tower. The wicked courtiers had their heads cut off and the couple who had raised them were given riches and honor.

THE END

Interview with Pamela Klaffke

2011-03-16T09:19:00.003Z

I am happy to share my interview with Pamela Klaffke, author of Snapped. Pamela was kind enough to answer my five questions and her answers are delightfully informative.

You may read my review of Snapped HERE.

Enjoy!

*****

IRENA: You are a former newspaper and magazine journalist who has published two novels, Snapped and Every Little Thing. Why did you decide to leave journalism behind and become a writer? Is this something you have always wanted to be or did the desire to write fiction develop gradually, over the years?

PAMELA: i wanted to write fiction when i was a kid, but didn't really have any desire while i was working as a journalist to do so. as for leaving journalism, it was a simple case of burn-out and the fact that the industry had changed so much, with writers becoming "content providers," the workload becoming heavier and heavier while the budgets got smaller and smaller. it was a good time to get out! i am still writing non-fiction, though. the book i'm working on now is non-fiction and it's been great fun to get back to research and dealing in facts after writing three novels pretty much back-to-back (the third isn't out yet).

IRENA: The protagonist of Snapped, Sara B., is quite the fashionista. Is fashion important to you as well? How? And speaking of Sara, do you and Sara B. have anything in common?

PAMELA: fashion was a lot more important to me when i had to go to a newsroom and meet interview subjects. now, i work exclusively at home and let's just say i have an extensive collection of lounge-wear, like pajamas and t-shirts. but when i was younger, i was rather fashion-obsessed, and i've always loved vintage clothing, which i still do collect. that's my one remaining fashion indulgence. as for having anything in common with sara: yes and no. i know a lot about the media industry having worked in it for almost 20 years, particularly in regards to lifestyle and fashion writing, so that's definitely a commonality. we both also work as photographers, though i didn't actually take up photography until i started writing snapped. but beyond the media connection, we're quite different, i think. i do have a fairly dark sense of humour, but sara's life is much, much more unstable than mine: i have a 10-year-old daughter, a fiancé, a job i love and a pretty nice life. sara reminds me, however, of a lot of people i've met over the years who work in media and really loathe what they do.

IRENA: You are not only a writer, but a photographer, too. Are there any differences/similarities between the creative processes of doing photography and writing a story?

PAMELA: the process is definitely different, but the one similarity is that when i write i see the story in my head, like a film, and when i shoot, i see the image very clearly first. with writing i don't spend a lot of time planning. i know the beginning, middle and end of the story (just like in school!) and the main character's voice, but don't like to outline too much, otherwise i'd find the writing itself really dull. but with the photos, i plan everything out meticulously, though this has a lot to do with the fact that many of my images involve a lot of props and costumes, and that i shoot exclusively with film, which is expensive to develop, so i try to use as few frames as possible to get what i want!

IRENA: I love fairy-tales and I noticed that your latest photo series is called Little Red Riding Hood. Could you tell us something about this photo series, how it came to be and what it means to you?

PAMELA: i shoot a lot of photos of children in masks, and i came across a little red riding hood mask from the 1950s, so it just seemed natural to tell the story in photos in my own style. the mask spurred the project, but it took months of planning. i shot it with my daughter (who is in many of my photos), which was super-fun. and it was great to do a literal interpretation of a fairy tale; much of my work to that point had been heavily influenced by fairy tales, but the connection was not direct. i recently found a wonderful vintage dirndl dress, and am planning to use it in a photo-adaptation of hansel and gretel this summer.

IRENA: Last but not least, when you are in the process of writing a novel, how does your typical writing day look like?

PAMELA: typically, i write very fast, and i always write my books sitting on my bed with my old, first-generation turquoise clamshell macbook. i'll usually spend three days writing up to 12-14 hours a day, burn out, give myself four days off and then start again. as long as i know the character's voice in my head and where the story is heading, then i can let my imagination take over. i love being able to be spontaneous. for example, the "artners" reference in snapped came from a conversation i had with the friend the morning i was writing that point of the book. he misheard me when i said another friend and i were "art nerds" and thought "artners" was the most pretentious, horrible thing he had heard. when i realized that he had misheard me, i thought it was hilarious and wrote it into the story that day. i go on a writing blitz and then in the days i'm not writing, i think of scenes and possibilities for the characters going into the next one. i do this until i have a draft, then put it away for at least a month, so when i do a self-edit, i can look at it more critically; my attachment to the work tends to have dissipated by then, and i can see it more as an editor. i'm not an outliner or someone who writes every day — i prefer a quick-and-dirty approach!

IRENA: Thank you very much, Pamela, for answering my questions!

*****

Pamela Klaffke is a former newspaper and magazine journalist who now works as a novelist and photographer. She is the author of the novels Snapped (North America: 2010; UK: 2011) and Every Little Thing (February 2011), and the non-fiction book, Spree: A Cultural History of Shopping (2003). She has recently completed a draft of her newest work, The Mod Girls, and has begun researching a new non-fiction book.

You may find out more about Pamela's novels and photographs on her WEBSITE.

The Awakening by L.J. Smith

2011-03-15T09:03:00.005Z

GENRE: paranormal romance/vampire fiction/young adult

SUMMARY:
A deadly love triangle. Elena: beautiful and popular, the girl who can have any guy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, desperately trying to resist his desire for Elena . . . for her own good.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him.

Elena finds herself drawn to both brothers . . . who will she choose?

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
The Awakening is the first book in the popular The Vampire Diaries series. It is an enjoyable read featuring both vampire and human drama.

Elena Gilbert is the most popular girl in her high school. She lost her parents in a tragic accident and now lives with her Aunt Judith. A change has started to happen inside Elena, but on the outside she is still the girl she used to be – a high-school princess who is used to having her way. When a boy comes to the town of Fell’s Church and becomes a student at Elena’s high school, he immediately gets Elena’s full attention, but the problem is that Stefan Salvatore completely ignores Elena. Furious and confused, Elena vows that she will have this boy she feels so strongly drawn to – without knowing what she is getting herself into.

Stefan Salvatore, a 500-year-old vampire, comes from Italy to Fells’ Church in search of normality. But for a vampire who has been avoiding human company, it is not easy to fit in with the crowd and when he sees Elena, a girl that looks so much like the woman he fell in love with five hundred years ago, he receives a shock. On top of that, he begins to struggle with immense hunger.

I really enjoyed the setting of this novel. Fell’s Church is a small American town that has not changed much from the times of the Civil War. It has an ancient feel, with Victorian buildings and an old scary cemetery that becomes the scene of attacks that might have only been committed by an animal…or someone not entirely human.

The atmosphere is great. It is intense and every event is accompanied by an underflow of darkness, as strange things begin to happen in Fell’s Church. There is always a large crow lurking nearby, observing, almost as if it were hunting something, and the bird manages to affects those around it in a strange way. I really loved this mystery and the suspense it created. The moments between Elena and Stefan very so intense that one could cut the tension with a knife. I could feel genuine connection between them and its power was a delight to experience.

I enjoyed the presentation of vampires that appear in the novel. They have classical powers and their strength depends on their age and on the amount of human blood they drink. I also like the explanation as to why these vampires (but not all) can walk in the sun, yet are still not entirely immune to it, as it weakens them. This all fits nicely with the vampire tradition.

I must mention a few things I did not enjoy, or rather, that I found questionable. The eternal mistake, one might say, of paranormal romances is that the connection between the heroine and the hero is established too quickly. It starts with physical attraction that suddenly turns into powerful, passionate love. While I enjoyed reading about Elena and Stefan as a couple, I truly resented the fact that, without really knowing anything about each other, they pronounced words of love so quickly and freely. Elena also accepts Stefan’s true nature too quickly.

While Elena’s character gained a likeable personality over the course of the book, she was extremely annoying in the beginning. She behaved like a princess, had a superior attitude as she knew she was the most popular girl at school and she really noticed Stefan because he ignored her. She cried tears of anger because a boy did not see her and that anger led her to swear that she would have him. Eventually, Elena became really likeable, fortunately. And, I suppose that one might argue that the lack of a perfect heroine – that is, a Mary Sue – is actually a bonus.

Another thing that bothered me was that the novel seemed a bit rushed. This novel is short (my copy has a bit over 200 pages) and all the action is crammed in. I would have liked to see some parts extended and elaborated on. But otherwise, the action and the mystery that are present are a delight to read and are filled with wonderful suspense.

The novel ends on a wonderful cliffhanger. The fight between two vampires (one of which is already my favourite character of the series) was a delight to read and something that I often miss in modern paranormal romances. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The Struggle.

I recommend this novel to fans of vampire fiction and paranormal romance.

THIS MISS RATES: / (3.5 stars)

Snapped by Pamela Klaffke

2011-03-12T15:23:00.002Z

GENRE: chick-lit

SUMMARY:
Sara B. is losing her cool. Not just in the momentary-meltdown kind of way—though there's that, too. At the helm of must-read Snap magazine, veteran style guru Sara B. has had the job—and joy—for the past fifteen years of eviscerating the city's fashion victims in her legendary DOs and DON'Ts photo spread. But now on the unhip edge of forty, with ambitious hipster kids reinventing the style world, Sara's being spit out like an old Polaroid picture: blurry, undeveloped and obsolete. Fueled by alcohol, nicotine and self-loathing, Sara launches into a cringeworthy but often comic series of blowups—personal, professional and private—that culminate in an epiphany. That she, the arbiter of taste, has made her living by cutting people down…and somehow she's got to make amends.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Snapped is a story about a middle-aged woman trying to find herself again, as well as her balance and purpose in life.

Sara B. is a co-founder of the fashionista magazine Snap and she has become famous for taking snaps of people and categorizing them as DOs and DON’Ts, according to what they wear. Now that she is approaching forty and her young new assistant is beginning to usurp this fashionista, Sara’s life begins to spin out of control. Her professional and private are in need of a make-over and Sara must step on the path of self-discovery. She will have to learn that fashion is not everything in life.

The novel is a mixture of light, humorous and dark moments, which gives it an appealing touch. The main problem of the novel that is a bit off-putting, however, is its protagonist. Sara B. is a vulgar woman who drinks too much, indulges in casual sex and morbid thinking and has no respect for herself or other people. She dedicates a lot of time to thinking about mushroom-shaped penises, strange-mutant babies, sex and old people – in fact, she has a strong dislike towards old people that is a bit over the top. She is cynical, has a superior attitude (despite her low self-esteem) and tries to escape the real word by drinking herself into a mindless daze. Eventually, Sara re-invents herself and finds a sort of happy ending for herself, but she does not really learn any lessons and, truth be told, she does not really change for the better, mostly because she does not solve her problems in a healthy way.

The plot is a bit messy, does not have a peak and does not really offer an obvious solution. The premise is good and interesting, but it is not executed as well as it could have been. I am not a prude, but there is too much cursing involved and the word sex is always replaced by the f-word, which makes one imagine that – with all due respect to animals – humans are no better than animals that only trust their instincts.

However, this novel has a very bright point and that is the character of Esther. Esther is an elderly lady who helps Sara see things differently and navigate in the right direction during her journey of self-discovery. Esther is a very warm person, wise and positive. She is the best thing about this novel, as she really is a great character.

The novel also presents the world of fashion in a good and honest way. That part, teeming with well-placed sarcasm, was definitely a joy to read.

To conclude, my main problem with the novel is the protagonist who is not at all likeable. However, if you can get past that, you may still experience a fun read. If you’re interested in the world of fashion, you will know how to appreciate the humour and sarcasm of the novel.

Thank you to Katie McKelliget for sending me a copy of the novel for review and to the author Pamela Klaffke for providing the copy!

THIS MISS RATES:

Giveaway Winner: The Arrow Chest

2011-03-12T08:59:00.002Z

Hello!

The giveaway of Robert Parry's novel The Arrow Chest is over and I have a winner.

Thank you very much to all who participated! I used Random.org to choose the winner and the number generated was 5, which means that the winner is

Majanka Verstraete of I Heart Reading!

Congratulations, Majanka!!! I have already e-mailed you and am waiting for your reply.

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: Snow White and the Huntsman

2011-03-11T18:54:00.003Z

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

Today, I don't have a fairy-tale to share because I found out about a new movie adaptation of a classic fairy-tale and wanted to share the news instead.

Director Rupert Sanders will do Snow White and the Huntsman for Universal: it's a new take on the classic fairy tale, the script is written by Evan Daugherty. The cast includes Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron and Viggo Mortensen. The release date of Snow White and the Huntsman is set for December 21, 2012.

Plot: Based on the legendary fairy tale, Snow White and the Hunstman follows the princess after the evil Queen Ravenna calls for her death, centering on the huntsman who disobeys orders and allows the fair maiden to live. The updated story will break from convention by having the huntsman mentor and train Snow White to fight off Ravenna herself.

Movie Cast:
- Kristen Stewart in the title role as Snow White
- Viggo Mortensen as the titular huntsman
- Charlize Theron as the evil Queen Ravenna

Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron are great actors and while Stewart's fame as Bella Swann in the Twilight movie saga worries me (she is so very famous as Bella), I think this movie might prove to be really interesting.

One other movie adaptation of the fairy-tale that I am familiar with is Snow White: A Tale of Terror, which I rather like. It is a sort of guilty pleasure of mine. You may see the trailer HERE.

Have you seen this version? If so, what do you think of it?

What do you think of the new adaptation that will be released in 2012?

My Guest Review: In the Bag by Jim Carrington

2011-03-07T13:55:00.002Z

Hello!

I read and reviewed In the Bag by Jim Carrington, a young adult thriller that features two boys making a very wrong decision.

You may read my review at Becky's blog The Bookette right HERE. My thanks go to Becky for sending me a copy of this book for review and to Bloomsbury for providing the copy!

I read the book for the British Book Challenge (BBC) hosted at the Bookette.

SUMMARY: Joe and Ash are best friends. Ash is the leader, Joe the one who follows. Then one night after a party, Joe and Ash come across a holdall, seemingly abandoned by the side of the road. They open it up ...and find GBP20,000 in cash. Of course they're going to hand it straight to the police. Aren't they? Or is all that money just too tempting? Whoever has lost it won't notice if a bit goes missing, will they? And that is precisely when the trouble starts ...Jim Carrington has already established himself as a fine writer for teens with his debut novel, Inside My Head. With In the Bag, he shows how horribly easy it is for two teenage boys to make a car crash of their lives, through an unlucky combination of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and making a handful of wrong decisions.

Friday is for Fairy-tales: The Golden Bird

2011-03-04T12:28:00.004Z

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: The Golden Bird, a Slovene fairy-tale

I found a very old book of Slovene fairy-tales when cleaning our spare room and have started re-reading them. I'm really glad I'm re-discovering them and I thought I'd share another Slovene fairy-tale with you.

The story goes as follows:

There was a king who had three sons. There was a beautiful garden next to the castle and in the garden was an apple tree, the king's favourite, that bore only about six gold apples every year. One year, the king noticed that every night, one apple went missing, so he promised to give his castle to the son who would catch the thief.

The three brothers decided to keep guard of the tree every night. The first night was the eldest brother's turn. He soon fell asleep and suddenly, he heard a rustling noise in the branches of the tree. When he opened his eyes, he saw something shiny fly away and one apple was missing. The next night, the same happened to the middle brother. On the third night, when it was the youngest brother's turn to guard the tree, the young man did not fall asleep. The rustling noise came and he saw a golden bird trying to take an apple. He tried to catch it and the bird escaped, but he did get a hold of one of its golden feathers. In the morning, he took the feather to his father and the king promised to give the castle to the son who brought him the golden bird.

The three brothers went in search of the bird, the older two together, the youngest on his own. Some time passed and there was no sign of the golden bird. On his way, the youngest brother met a fox and the animal, seeing the look of despair in his eyes, offered to help him. At first, the young man did not wish to tell the fox the truth about his quest, but finally he relented and despite the lack of trust on the young man's part, the fox told him in which castle the golden bird lived. It told the young man to find employment in the castle and steal the bird, but he must not look at it, or it would begin to screech and alert everyone in the castle. The young man followed the advice. He found the castle and became a servant in it, feeding the birds - among them the golden bird - that lived in the castle. One day, he stole the cage with the golden bird in it, but made the mistake of looking at the bird. The animal began to screech and the young man was arrested and put into a dungeon. The king of the castle, however, was curious to know why the young man wanted to steal the bird and visited the prisoner. The young man told him the truth and the king promised to free him and give him the bird if the young man brought him the golden horse from another castle.

So, the young man went in search of the golden horse and again he met the fox. The animal told him to become a groom in that castle's stables and once the animal became used to him, he must ride away with it, but he must not look at the horse for too long, or the animal would begin to neigh loudly and alert everyone in the castle. The young man found the castle and became the groom in the stables which also contained the golden horse. Once the animal became used to it, he stole it, riding away with it to the castle where the golden bird lived. He did not make his presence known to the king, not trusting him, but stole the golden bird and rode towards home.

On his way home, he found his brothers working for a smithy because they had spent all of their money on their quest. The young man took pity on their brothers and offered to take them home with him. His brothers, howevered, attacked him, threw him in a ditch and rode away with the horse and the bird. When they arrived home, the king gave them the castle and when he asked after their brother, the said they hadn't seen him since the first left the castle.

After a while, however, the youngest brother, who survived the attack, returned home and told his father the truth. The king gave the castle to him, then, and had his first two lying sons executed.

***

So, this is the story. I really like it. It's a typical Slovene fairy-tale. I think the ending is a bit too harsh - a father killing his own sons - but other than that, it's a pretty entertaining tale. Perhaps not very educational, as it's all about gaining possession and stealing, but it serves for ten entertaining minutes it takes to read the story.

Interview with Sasha Soren, Author of Random Magic

2011-03-03T08:56:00.003Z

I am very thrilled that I can share my interview with Sasha Soren with you! Sasha, author of Random Magic (MY REVIEW) is a super kind and approachable person, and she was good enough to want to answer some of my questions. I am very happy with the way this interview turned out; it is very insightful and presents Sasha's novel and Sasha herself very well. Enjoy!

IRENA: Who is Sasha Soren? How would you describe yourself briefly?

SASHA: Probably as a seeker, explorer, creator - curious about many things,
like to learn, think new experiences are interesting, like to create
beauty for the world. Also appreciate these traits in others.

IRENA: Have you always wanted to become a published author? How did you decide that Random Magic should be a published story?

SASHA: Well, was always a writer. Sometimes people are just born with some particular interest or a particular gift, and it manifests itself
early on.

So, wasn’t a goal to become a published author, necessarily, just always happened to write. A lot. All the time.

Decided that Random Magic should be a published story because why not share a good experience? There’s so much that’s good in it. It’s like a passport to a more vivid,
magical world and readers are welcome to come along, if they like.

It’s a great escape, but, interestingly, it’s also become a sort of unexpected spark for creative, intelligent people.

Not sure if it’s because the Nine Muses are part of the story, or just because happen to have a particular fiery, bright and supportive energy when it comes to any creative art and that just comes through in the story, but the book seems to have a curious but consistent effect on readers.

When someone finishes the book, they’re suddenly reawakened to their own creativity and possibility, everyday magic. They reawaken, come to life again - and that’s just wonderful.

Had no idea it would have that effect, was basically just creating a fun, unusual story that someone could happily enjoy and get lost in for a few days.

The story also poses some questions about life, love and magic, but leaves the reader free to find their own answers. But that seems to be an interesting side effect. People spark to life after reading the book, and they start all kinds of creative projects. How cool!

IRENA: Random Magic contains many fairy-tale and fantasy elements. Have you always been interested in the fantasy genre and in fairy-tales? And, do you have a favourite fairy-tale?

SASHA: Fantasy, not so much, but fairy tales, very possibly. Have always been interested in reading legends, myths, fairy tales – that’s probably obvious when someone reads the story. There are so many fun and quirky references to fairy tales and popular culture, just to make people smile.

Favorite fairy tale, hmmm. There are so many wonderful ancient tales, especially Slavic fairy tales, Nordic or Celtic fairy tales, they’re some of the most magical and mysterious.

There are also more contemporary – all right, if we can consider the 19th century to be ‘contemporary’ – stories that have a fairy tale quality, which are also interesting and enjoyable.

There are too many excellent fairy tales to be able to choose only one favorite; you can see from Random Magic that there are all
sorts of fairy tale characters blended in, maybe with a bit of a twist to make people laugh – Baba Yaga, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, and so on.

But one of the most memorable is Diamonds and Toads. This is a nice one because of its understanding about the power of words and the beauty and value of kindness:

The old woman wasn’t an old woman at all but a fairy. “You are not only very pretty, but also very kind…My gift to you is that every time you speak, either a flower or jewel will drop out of your mouth.”
(More)

IRENA: From where did you draw your inspiration for Random Magic? And, to elaborate on this question, I, personally, was very impressed by the Glass City. How did the Glass City come to be?

SASHA: Oh, from everywhere and nowhere. A lot of it just sort of streamed into my head, as if watching it unfold while standing in that world.

The Glass City was one of the places that just seemed to happen. I looked out from the ship (in the book, in that particular scene) and saw it, and knew the story about it.

IRENA: Random Magic is full of interesting, exotic and magical places. Would you visit any of the places you created or even live there?

SASHA: Yes, all of them! Even the spooky castle of the De Morgues, or Baba Yaga’s dangerous garden, or the Garden of the Nine Muses, or Callie’s home in the clouds.

IRENA: Are there traces of you in any of the characters?

SASHA: Yes, probably. It would be unusual for any kind of artist to create something which didn’t, in some way, reflect their personality.

Can be strong and silent, like Winnie. A lot of reviewers say she’s brave and courageous, and would agree with this, but mostly she just gets on with what needs to be done. She’s reserved and stoic. She’s also more than a bit sarcastic, when the occasion calls for it. That’s familiar territory.

Can be alight with bonhomie and a bit giddy, like Callie, very cheery and welcoming, a merry and generous host, a bit hedonistic. Her love of writing, writers, creativity, books – and her flights of fancy, all obvious shared characteristics.

Can be pensive and a little melancholy, like the De Morgues, or whimsical and affectionate, like Lady Witherspoon, or enigmatic and mysterious, like Professor Literati.

Can be demanding of myself, like Terpsichore, mellow and pleasant like Efterpe, or even a bit of a cheeky rascal, like Eros or dryly sardonic, like Baba Yaga.

Surreal and inspired humor makes me laugh like crazy, but, then, so does gallows humor. Yes, am all for light and color and magic, but also for quiet reflection and thoughtfulness and quiet bravery, and these are all reflected in the book in some way.

And, yes, can even be brilliant and ingenious yet completely vague, distracted and absent-minded, like Professor Random.

So, they’re all in there, somewhere.

IRENA: When you write, do you have any special rituals? How does your typical writing day look like?

SASHA: No particular rituals, although, unlike some writers, can’t work with music playing or any kind of noise. Prefer peace and quiet, or the words and images don’t take shape, as if they’ve been scared away until silence returns.

IRENA: Are there any authors that you look up to?

SASHA: Authors in general usually have my respect because it’s very difficult
to create and complete a book. You sacrifice a lot - it takes blood, sweat and tears and extraordinary dedication and focus.

Favorite authors tend not to be contemporary writers, though, for some reason have an attraction for literature a few centuries removed from our own.

IRENA: What, do you think, is the best thing about being a writer? What is your favourite part of this profession?

SASHA: The best thing about being a writer is that you’re never bored. For some reason, a lot of people say this all the time, they complain, ‘I’m bored.’ And then try to distract themselves with TV or social
events or whatever they happen to like.

Me, I’m never, ever bored. There’s always something interesting happening inside my head. It’s like an infinite cinema or library or laboratory, or all three wrapped up in one. Never a dull moment.

One of those odd birds who, you know, they might be stranded on a desert island and get a smoke signal message, we’re coming to rescue you. Rescue me from what? I’m at the carnival inside my head, having a splendid time. Wish you were here!

Actually, some people have commented that’s kind of what the book is like, in Technicolor.

And would like to say, in response that that cool compliment - thank you and glad it was such a wonderful experience, because that’s how it was meant to be. We all need a little magic. Even people who don’t think they require this unusual item in daily life. Maybe they need it more than anyone.

IRENA: What do you read in your free time? Do you have any favorite books and authors?

SASHA: Usually reading non-fiction, out of curiosity, to learn something interesting, or to check on some detail, some information used in a book, mostly traditional symbolism, or to fact-check some particular bit of information.

Favorite books and authors – don’t have any in particular, tend to read voraciously and widely. Nearly everything interests me.

The only genre that really isn’t terribly appealing, purely for leisure reading, anyway, would be Westerns, romances, or anything too tied to the real world.

Political thrillers, for example. Family dramas, romances which aren’t fresh or quirky or offbeat in some way or where nothing really happens.

Take me somewhere else, you know? Someplace a little strange, with some odd characters, where everything’s vivid and unexpected things might happen at any moment. Grab a compass and away we go.

Not all that keen on anything based on a true story, either, because would rather read the source materials for the true story and translate the details in my own way.

Fiction based on the real world doesn’t have the same attraction as something offbeat, wild or imaginative. Too much of the same thing, or the expected thing, doesn’t really hold my attention very well.

Definitely prefer imaginative journeys, inventiveness, exceptional stories, something unusual and slightly off-kilter, or something that doesn’t tell us what happened so much as it reflects on who we are.

There are all kinds of art forms out there, and many of these are so beautiful you can only admire them and wish you’d been the one to create it. A film, a book, a work of art, a song.

There’s a lot of ugliness in the world, but also a lot of beauty. There are destroyers, but there are creators.

And it’s always been that way, since humanity began. Cave paintings, for example. Shards of pottery. Lost cities. Unearthed, rediscovered master works of painting, sculpture, literature. Even someone making something with scissors and a bit of felt.

It’s not the material that’s important, it’s the vision that drives it. Usually appreciate it when someone sees beauty that no one else can see, yet, and if they can manifest it, will also enjoy it and be lost in admiration and grateful for the gift.

So, tend to seek out things that are different or unusual or inspired or beautiful or unique in some way, and this is true in reading tastes, also.

But everyone to their own tastes, whatever makes you happy - that’s important and everyone finds it in their own way.

If solid familiarity makes someone feel good, and it’s an enjoyable and comforting reading experience, then I’m happy for them.

IRENA: Do you have any new writing project(s) in mind for the future? If so, could you tell us a bit about them?

SASHA: Yes, always, although so busy with tours and other events for Random Magic, there really is no writing time available for the moment.

Always thinking about something, though, so you’ll never know what to expect, really.

If you’d like to be the first to know, please feel free to come and spend some time at @RandomMagicTour, since anything new will most likely be shared there, first – of course, it’s also a cool, magical and mellow place, too.

Interesting, nice people will always feel welcome there, and hopefully enjoy themselves.

If you’ve read the book and would like to continue on the journey on a tour or event or would just like to spend some time relaxing there and seeing what’s new, please feel free to visit, and see you around!

Also, should like to say that on this blog (This Miss Loves to Read), there are some interesting and thoughtful features and memes and you’ll have fun exploring the blog. Glad to be asked to be interviewed on such a delightful blog and to pass a pleasant hour chatting away with its charming proprietor. Thank you, and have a great day, everyone!

If you haven’t read the book and are just curious, feel free to browse the trailer, if you like:

Book trailer: Random Magic

You can also find a copy of the book here: Amazon|Kindle version

IRENA: Sasha, thank you ever so much for this wonderful interview and for complimenting my blog!

I hope you have been persuaded to buy and read Random Magic by Sasha Soren!

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

2011-03-02T08:52:00.003Z

GENRE: vampire fiction/urban fantasy/young adult

SUMMARY:
St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school—it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's—the very place where they're most in danger... Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Vampire Academy is the first novel in the Vampire Academy book series. It offers a new perception of the vampire world, dealing with supernatural characters mostly. The only true humans that appear in the novel are those who give their blood to vampires and the absence of human characters is definitely something fresh in the genre of vampire fiction.

The protagonist of the novel is Rose Hathaway, a Dhampir girl (half human, half vampire) who is training to become a bodyguard of the Moroi, a vampire race. She is a vivacious, brave, tough and rebellious girl who is prone to being reckless, but her heart is in the right place. Her best friend, Vasilisa ‘Lissa’ Dragomir, is a Moroi Princess who is having a very hard time at St. Vladimir’s Academy for vampires and dhampirs. Rose is destined to be her bodyguard. There is a strong bond between the two girls that is extremely rare. It also means that Lissa has powers that might put her in danger if the wrong vampires learn about her special abilities. This is exactly what happens and Rose must do everything in her power to save her friend before it’s too late because there is always the threat of Lissa becoming a Strigoi.

To explain about the Moroi and the Strigoi – I have never read a vampire book mentioning the two kinds of vampires and I am really glad and pleasantly surprised that Mead dug so deep into the Slavic vampire folklore. In the novel, the Moroi are mortal vampires and they are born. They need blood to survive and have to avoid the sun, but they are benevolent; they do not kill people and they have magical powers, as they can control the elements. I see them as very classy, elegant vampires and many of them are noblemen and noblewomen. Many of them have connections to Eastern Europe, which adds a nice, Slavic touch to the novel. The Strigoi, on the other hand, are created – if a Strigoi bites a human or if a Moroi kills a human while feeding, they become Strigoi. The Strigoi are evil, immortal vampires who prey on the Moroi, trying to eliminate them. The Moroi are strong, but not as strong and fast as the Strigoi, therefore the Moroi must employ bodyguards – Dhampirs – to protect them. This is so because the Moroi have given up on fighting long ago; they truly are a benevolent vampire race, focusing on doing good. I am very happy dhampirs are in the book. I am intrigued by the notion of dhampirs – half humans, half vampires - and Mead creates a very nice background for this race.

I truly enjoyed the folklore in the novel. It is something delightfully fresh and Slavic in the world of vampire fiction and while it took some getting used to the fact that the Moroi appeared to be almost human (since they do not engage in fighting and since, after training, Dhampirs are actually stronger than them), I truly enjoyed Mead’s take on the vampire world. The Strigoi only make a brief appearance in the first installment, but the short appearance proves that the Strigoi will be fun to read about. They are vampires as we know them – lethal, powerful, immortal and can be killed by getting staked or beheaded. They cannot go out into the sun and the best part is that all vampires, both the Moroi and the Strigoi, have fangs that they use on a regular basis.

The plot is not too complicated, but it is definitely enjoyable and intriguing, and there were moments when I was surprised. The characters are delightful, very individualistic and enjoyable to read about. Rose is a breath of fresh air amongst the heroines of paranormal fiction. She a fighter and also has a soft side, but foremost she is independent and knows her mind. Lissa is struggling with her powers and with many anxieties. She is very royal, but after all, she is only a teen and that shows. The men in the novel are delightful; female readers will know how to appreciate them – the bodyguard Dimitri Belkov, the Moroi Christian (my personal favourite so far) with his own demons and others.

I liked that the novel has a moral code. While fangs and sexuality are not avoided, they have rules. It is quite popular to have vampires bite their partners during sex, for example, but in this novel this is a great offence. In this teenage world, there are rules to be broken, but there are rules that have to be respected, or one’s respect is lost. I liked that concept. While perhaps there was too much teenage drama going on for my taste instead of vampire action, the novel set a great matrix for the continuation of this book series and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second novel in the series, Frostbite.

To conclude, I truly enjoyed this novel and it is a great new series I discovered. It digs deep into vampire folklore, going to its famous roots (Slavic culture). It has drama, action, intrigue and romance and if you are a fan of the paranormal or want an introduction into paranormal fiction, Vampire Academy is your book.

THIS MISS RATES:

Giveaway: The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry

2011-02-28T07:59:00.002Z

I have wonderful news for you!

I am happy to say that author Robert Parry is giving away one copy of his new novel, The Arrow Chest.

I reviewed the novel recently and had the wonderful chance of interviewing Robert. You may read my review HERE and the interview HERE.

SUMMARY:
London, 1876. The painter Amos Roselli is in love with his life-long friend and model, the beautiful Daphne - and she with him - until one day she is discovered by another man, a powerful and wealthy industrialist. What will happen when Daphne realises she has sacrificed her happiness to a loveless marriage? What will happen when the artist realises he has lost his most cherished source of inspiration? And how will they negotiate the ever-increasing frequency of strange and bizarre events that seem to be driving them inexorably towards self-destruction. Here, amid the extravagant Neo-Gothic culture of Victorian England, the iconic poem 'The Lady of Shalott' blends with mysterious and ghostly glimpses of Tudor history.
Romantic, atmospheric and deeply dark.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
- the giveaway is open to US, Canada and Europe,
- to enter the giveaway, all you have to do is write a comment to this post that you are entering the giveaway and add your e-mail address,
- the giveaway ends March 11, 2011 and the winner will be announced March 12 (using Random.org),
- you do not have to be a follower of this blog to enter the giveaway, but you must have a blog.

Good luck to you!

What Alice Knew by Paula Marantz Cohen

2011-02-26T13:30:00.003Z

GENRE: historical fiction/mystery/crime

SUMMARY:
Henry James is suffering through boring drunken dinner parties in London, but when his brother William – renowned for his groundbreaking work in the new science of psychology – is summoned from America by Scotland Yard to help investigate an East End serial killer who calls himself Jack the Ripper, things are suddenly much more interesting. Their bedridden sister Alice James takes on the role of lead detective, as the three precocious siblings attempt to unravel the true identity of the killer. Searching London high and low, encountering characters both suspicious and ridiculous, they inch closer to a killer neither they, nor readers, would suspect.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
Jack the Ripper, the notorious serial killer who murdered (at least) five women in the Whitechapel district in London, has been a mystery ever since 1888, when he committed his brutal crimes. Over the years, there have been a number of suspects, but not one of them has been confirmed as Jack the Ripper. In this novel, the author takes a new approach to the mystery of the serial killer, choosing as the investigators of the crimes the James family – Henry James, American author, William James, his brother and famous psychologist, and their bedridden sister Alice.

What Alice Knew is a very gripping tale, offering both suspense as well as intellectual merit in the style of Henry and William James, as both brothers were greatly interested in human psychology. The story begins with a desperate invitation by Scotland Yard to William James, asking him to help them with his new approach – in modern terms, William is asked to create a profile of Jack the Ripper (Criminal Minds style), so that the police will be able to know where to search for the killer and find him before he slaughters more women. Meanwhile, Henry and Alice James live in London. Alice spends her days in her bed, suffering from the nerves, but still exercising her clever mind regularly. Henry spends his days trying to write and his evenings with his literary friends, drinking and debating on various issues.

I do not know much about the personal lives of the James siblings, but I enjoyed their characterization very much. I loved how attention was paid to character development and to their psyches, which is faithful to the spirit of the novels by Henry James. The James siblings are introduced really well and incorporated into the Ripper case in a believable and entertaining way. The reader also gets to read about other writers, as Henry James spends a lot of his time with various artists; for example Oscar Wilde, whose characterization is spot on in this novel, and the painter John Singer Sargent, who proves to play an important role in the novel due to his knowledge about the suspect.

There are a lot of details about the Ripper case included, some very interesting, some a bit gruesome, but although some descriptions are rather graphic, they do add to the novel in a good way. After all, the murders that Jack the Ripper committed were cruel and brutal and for the sake of the poor women who died by his hand, I don’t think it would be fair to ‘sweeten up’ the murders. I really enjoyed the profiling of the Ripper. The James siblings created the profile as best as they could, considering the limited means of investigation in Victorian England. William’s knowledge about psychology and his new ideas really shined through. Henry helped with his knowledge about London and its people and Alice was the one who put the pieces together.

Once the investigation involving the James siblings begins, the tension begins to build up nicely. Whitechapel is presented well, with all the dark alleys, poverty and despair of the poor. The reader has a chance to meet some very interesting characters, be it historical or fictional. Once the suspect is revealed, the tension is thick because in order to confirm the suspect as Jack the Ripper, the James siblings had to spend time with him and that was quite scary, in a thrilling sort of way. The ending, however, is quite surprising. The Ripper is discovered, but a shadow of doubt remains. In this respect, the novel is true to reality, which I liked: we still cannot be sure who the Ripper really was. In the novel, the reader has two options and it is up to them to decide which one is right. I can tell you that the man who is the suspect in the novel was one of the suspects in reality.

The language was smooth, very Victorian; sometimes a bit academic, in the spirit of the James brothers. At times, I found Alice a bit annoying, as she was so self-assured at times. But at the same time, I admired her because, despite being an invalid, more or less, she used her brain a lot.

All in all, this is a great Victorian thriller. It will definitely appeal to those who are interested in the mysterious case of Jack the Ripper, but also to those who simply like a bit of history, mystery and suspense.

THIS MISS RATES: / (4.5 stars)

Friday is for Fairy-Tales: Rapunzel

2011-02-25T15:03:00.005Z

This is a meme hosted by me every Friday.

My post today is about: Rapunzel (The Brothers Grimm)

As a lovely adaptation of Rapunzel came out last year (Tangled), I decided to dedicate today's post to Rapunzel.

The story goes as follows:

There was a lonely couple that wanted a child. They lived next to a walled garden which belonged to an enchantress. The wife was finally pregnant and it was then that she noticed a rapunzel plant planted in the garden and longed for it to the point of death. For two nights, the husband went into the garden and stole some of the plant for her. On the third night, the enchantress, whose name is said to be "Dame Gothel," caught him and accused him of theft. He begged for mercy and the old woman agreed to show him mercy if the unborn child is given to her at birth. Desperate, the man agreed. When the baby girl was born, the enchantress took her and raised the child as her own, naming her Rapunzel. When Rapunzel reached her twelfth year, the enchantress shut her away into a tower in the middle of the woods, with neither stairs nor door, and only one room and one window. When the witch went to visit Rapunzel, she stood beneath the tower and called out:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair.

Upon hearing these words, Rapunzel would wrap her long, fair hair around a hook that sat beside the window and drop it down to the enchantress, who would then climb up the hair to Rapunzel's tower room.

One day, a prince rode through the forest and heard Rapunzel singing from the tower. He was captivated by her ethereal voice, so he went to look for the girl and found the tower, but he was unable to enter it. He would return often to listen to her beautiful singing and one day, he saw Dame Gothel visit the tower. He learned how to enter the tower and come to the girl. When Dame Gothel was gone, he asked Rapunzel to let her hair down. When she did this, he climbed up, introduced himself and finally asked her to marry him, to which Rapunzel agreed.

Together they planned her escape. He would come to her each night and bring her silk, which Rapunzel would gradually weave into a ladder. Before the plan came to fruition, however, Rapunzel foolishly gave the prince away. She asks the witch in a moment of forgetfulness why it was easier for her to draw him up than her. In anger, Dame Gothel cut short Rapunzel's braided hair and cast her out into the wilderness. When the prince came that night, the enchantress let the severed braids down to pull him up. To his horror, he found himself staring at the witch instead of Rapunzel, who was nowhere to be found. When she told him in anger that he would never see Rapunzel again, he leapt from the tower in despair and was blinded by the thorns below.

For months he wandered through the wastelands of the country. One day, while Rapunzel sang as she fetched water, the prince heard Rapunzel's voice again and they were reunited. When they fell into each others' arms, her tears immediately restored his sight. The prince took her to his kingdom, where they lived happily ever after.

You can also watch two trailers of the adaptations I am aware of:

Tangled (the embedded video didn't work)

Barbie as Rapunzel

Interview with Robert Parry, Author of The Arrow Chest

2011-02-24T08:31:00.003Z

Greetings!

Yesterday, I reviewed Robert Parry's new novel, The Arrow Chest. You can read my review HERE.

Robert was kind enough to answers my questions related to the novel and I think that the result is a wonderful, very insightful interview.

***

IRENA: The novel features a delightful Victorian setting that is very genuine, including a number of details. How much research did you have to conduct for the purposes of this novel?

ROBERT: Actually, it occurred to me the other day that, given the fact that the Victorian era ended officially in 1901, that my birth has to be closer to the Victorian period than it is to the present! After I got over the initial shock, I felt rather proud of that. I was lucky enough to grow up in an old part of London, surrounded by places, values and characters that – looking back - I realise now were far more ‘Victorian’ than I would have appreciated at the time. So a lot of the ‘research’ is in fact just experience and recollections – about memories or places – or, as a young man, of chatting to people like my Grandfather. Those are very real and genuine connections to the 19th century that I will always cherish. Apart from that, the rest is all down to the usual grind of historical research – of visiting places, reading books and going online to build up the details, dates and so on. I did quite a lot of study of the Pre-Raphaelites – the wonderful talented painters and the lives of their lovely models – and of course I also had to brush up on my Tudor history a little in order to blend the two ages into one. That was not so difficult, however, since my previous novel was set entirely in Tudor England.

IRENA: How long did it take for you to write The Arrow Chest?

ROBERT: Without taking into account the research stage, it would have been a little over a year. I was fortunate to have had a good run at it without too many distractions. And I felt quiet fired-up about it at that time.

IRENA: The novel is a very original and gripping re-telling of the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Why did you decide to draw inspiration from Anne and Henry's story in particular?

ROBERT: The story of King Henry and Anne Boleyn is really such a powerful archetypal theme, how can one not be inspired - especially once we add the poet Tom Wyatt as the 3rd corner of the triangle! The mighty King jealous of his Queen and her friendship with another man; the would-be lover resentful of the King; and the poor heroine somewhere in-between being torn apart by her feelings. It’s a story that is probably re-enacted on a smaller scale in countless relationships everywhere. It has also always appeared in literature throughout the ages – King Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot for example. It remains a very powerful framework for any story - and we never really tire of the magic and ‘alchemy’ of it.

IRENA: Art - painting, foremost - is very important in the novel. Amos Roselli, the male protagonist, is a painter and his world revolves around painting and Daphne, his muse. Do you yourself enjoy art? Are there any works of art that you like? Did any of them inspire you when creating Amos's world and his relationship with Daphne?

ROBERT: This is a great question. I have some practical experience in this respect because painting has always been something I have enjoyed doing. (I used to earn a living as a commercial artist, as well). Often a good painting will tell a story. Conversely, every great work of literature usually manages to paint a picture in the imagination of the reader. You look back at your experience of reading a great book, for example, and you somehow see in your mind’s eye a tableau of the story, with all the colours and textures that the author has conjured up. That’s how I often see books, anyway. And yes, I do have my favourites. Along with the Pre-Raphaelites, the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich will always be among my favourites – and much of his work is very gothic in style, as well.

IRENA: A work of art, so to say, that plays a role in the novel is Lord Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott", which, I must admit, is one of my favourite poems. How did you come to include it into the novel? Why did it speak to you?

ROBERT: People have speculated over the meaning of this great Victorian poem ever since it first appeared in 1833, and will probably continue to discuss it for as long as people read poetry. It was a favourite among Victorians, and just the kind of work that the heroine of the story, Daphne, would have adored. If it had been written in Tudor times, perhaps it would also have been one of Anne Boleyn’s favourites. In The Arrow Chest it connects the Tudor aspects of the story to the Victorian ones, therefore, through the narrative of the tragic heroine who is cursed through being unable to reconcile an unrequited love for the knight with the limitations of her own reality. In the novel, Daphne’s marriage is likewise a conflict between desire and duty - (a major Victorian theme). She is like the lady confined to the tower, working at the loom, seeing life only through reflected experience. The ‘mirror cracks’ once she realises her true love for Amos – and from then on the poem foreshadows the events of the story with a certain chilling sense of destiny that everyone ultimately comes to realise.

IRENA: Séances appear in the novel. Why was Victorian society, known for putting propriety above all else, so fascinated with the phenomenon of being able to speak to the dearly departed?

ROBERT: Yes, spiritualism was hugely popular in Victorian times. Perhaps it had something to do with the damage being inflicted on institutionalised religion at the time - during the 19th century with Darwin’s theory of evolution, for example, or the new knowledge of geology which was already dating the age of the earth as being far older than taught in the bible. Christianity was under threat, in other words – just as it was perceived to be in Tudor times with the Reformation – and so people could either turn to science or go in the opposite direction and seek solace in the mysteries of the occult. It could have been their way of seeking some spiritual experience when the Church itself was so full of doubt and uncertainty.

IRENA: The Arrow Chest features elements of the supernatural, which heightens the Gothic tension of the story. Are you a fan of Gothic/supernatural stories? Which authors and/or novels would you recommend to readers who enjoy this type of story?

ROBERT: I am not an expert in this sort of thing, at all - but I would suggest for anyone interested that they always start with the classics - Mary Shelley, the Brontes, Bram Stoker or Edgar Allan Poe – though actually it could be argued that most Victorian fiction has some element of ‘the gothic’ in it, anyway. It is always interesting to speculate on what actually constitutes a ‘gothic’ story. Some people say that, to be genuine, it can only be something written in the past – i.e. in Georgian/Victorian times. I think I might disagree with that. But it probably does require a certain degree of ‘time travel’ on the part of the modern writer.

IRENA: I found The Arrow Chest to be both an entertaining and an intellectual read. How did you combine the two so well? I learned a lot and was also entertained all the while.

ROBERT: That is very kind of you, thank you. I like to think that interesting ideas, no matter how deep they flow through a story, can always be expressed in an entertaining way. The Arrow Chest can be enjoyed on lots of different levels, therefore – it’s a ‘good yarn’ on the surface. It’s a ghost story. It’s a Gothic mystery. And it’s also a tale about Anne Boleyn. Take your pick! It’s all there somewhere if you dig deep enough. I hope so, anyway – and that people will keep on digging.

I have really enjoyed responding to your questions, Irena. Thank you again.

IRENA: Thank you very much, Robert, for doing this interview! I truly enjoyed reading your answers.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Parry is an independent UK writer of historical fiction with special interests in Tudor and Elizabethan history, Victorian Gothic and Pre-Raphaelite art.

You may also visit Robert's website for more information about his work.

***

THE ARROW CHEST

London, 1876. The painter Amos Roselli is in love with his life-long friend and model, the beautiful Daphne - and she with him - until one day she is discovered by another man, a powerful and wealthy industrialist. What will happen when Daphne realises she has sacrificed her happiness to a loveless marriage? What will happen when the artist realises he has lost his most cherished source of inspiration? And how will they negotiate the ever-increasing frequency of strange and bizarre events that seem to be driving them inexorably towards self-destruction. Here, amid the extravagant Neo-Gothic culture of Victorian England, the iconic poem 'The Lady of Shalott' blends with mysterious and ghostly glimpses of Tudor history.
Romantic, atmospheric and deeply dark.