My daughter and I have really enjoyed middle grade books in diary format. Plus, we also like time travel, so when we saw this second book in the Mira's Diary series, we were excited to read it. We didn't read the first book, where Mira's mom goes missing for six months in the past because she is a time traveller and Mira's family goes to Paris to find her. Mira touches a gargoyle on the roof of Notre Dame and discovers she can also time travel.

In this second book, Mira, her Dad and her brother Malcolm get a postcard from the mom indicating they should go to Rome with instructions for Mira's next time travel. She is to be disguised as a boy. Once they get to Rome, Mira touches a relic and is transported to 16^th century Rome. She has a mission to do although she doesn't know what it is and finds out along the way that it has something to do with Giordano Bruno, a famous philosopher and mathematician.

My daughter and I have mixed feelings about this book. We liked the descriptions of ancient Rome and the honest portrayal of life back then. Because we've been to Rome (we have family there) we enjoyed reading about the places Mira went to and revisiting some well-known touristic spots. We also learned about history because Mira met the painter Caravaggio and Cardinal Del Monte. We liked the idea that Mira could time travel simply by touching a touchstone and not know where she would end up. We were also intrigued by the mystery of what dangerous mission the mom (who we never meet in this book) is trying to accomplish.

Mira is a smart and courageous girl, and although we really liked her as a character, my daughter couldn't relate to her because she came across as much older. She didn't really speak or act like a teen. The book did not have the feel of a diary, except for the occasional drawings Mira included. The topic was also heavy and serious with Mira witnessing the burning alive of one of the persons she came to know well. The Roman Inquisition was not a fun time in history.

The book ends with Mira having done something to help preserve history and travelling back to her time, but we still have no idea about the mom, where she is and what she's doing. Mira also ends her story hoping that someday soon they'd be together as a family again. She says, “With no more wonders, no more time travel, just a regular family doing ordinary things.” It was a sobering end to her adventure.

This book is well written and researched. I enjoyed reading the author's note at the end of the book and the author also includes a bibliography. It's a book for kids and adults who love history and time travel. However, it has a seriousness to it that may not appeal to kids who prefer light and fun time travel fantasy stories. I can see it being great for classroom discussions while studying history and ancient civilizations.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia who now blogs at To Be Continued. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mari at MariReads is hosting for the month of April. You can also view the touring blog list here for the upcoming months.

I have one giveaway currently running on my blog:
The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau (Open to US and Can Ends May 1st)

Review Books:
I got children, middle grade and adult fiction!

Nalah and the Pink Tiger by Anne Sawyer-Aitch

This book made me experience such a wide range of emotions! I laughed, grimaced, rolled my eyes, yawned, gasped (not in that particular order) and my heart raced as the story came to a climax with a plot twist I did not see coming. Jack Absolute is the first book in an historical fiction series set during the American revolution that features the swashbuckling rogue hero, Jack Absolute, known as a charming womanizer, cavalry officer and the blood brother of a Mohawk leader.

The novel opens with a scene where a dual takes place and thus begins the story of Jack's many escapes, enough to make me think he has nine lives as he survives nearly impossible situations. Jack has just returned from years abroad and is soon after recruited as a spy for the British in the Revolutionary War. They want to use his connection to the Iroquois people to recruit them on their side of the War. Jack quickly realizes there is a traitor among them, part of a secret society bent on ruling the world, and they want to get rid of Jack because he is on their trail.

Humphreys is a great writer, bringing alive the character of Jack as only he could have done since he, being also an actor, played the role of Jack Absolute in the play The Rivals in 1987. Because he enjoyed this role so much he decided to write a novel based on this character, making him “the Double-O Seven of the 1770s”. It's clear that Humphreys did extensive research and included real-life figures in his story. I have to admit the military talk got boring for me, but I knew it to be essential to the story, so I forced myself to pay attention when reading these parts.

The last part of the book was suspenseful as Jack got closer to discovering what this secret society was and who was their leader. There is plenty of action in this book. The battle scenes are bloody and gruesome, but there is also romance and some funny scenes. Jack wins your heart because he is adorably imperfect, one minute making me want to shake him for his silly mistakes and the next making me marvel at his kindheartedness.

If you like historical fiction set during the American Revolution, this one delivers a good story with unforgettable characters and an ending that left me reeling.

The heroine of the story is strong-minded Gina Santiago, a 13-year-old guitarist and singer from Manhattan who wants to go to the same school as her hero, guitarist Angel “Wings” Dominguez. Despite receiving a full scholarship as an art major to that school, the prestigious New York Academy of Arts & Talents, she is disappointed. Her true love is music - she has song lyrics in her head just waiting to come out! “I love the way it (music) can transport me somewhere else, mentally and emotionally” says Gina. 

At NYAAT she meets other talented teens, “schollies” – poor kids on scholarships and “dollies” – kids from affluent backgrounds. Then the inevitable disputes and jealousies erupt between rival girls when the  handsome Craig comes into the picture. When Gina starts up a rock band at school, the one thing that attracts everyone and allows them to put aside their differences is music. 

Gina is part of a single-parent family, her musician father having died in an accident before her birth. Although having a strong, supportive extended family, Gina yearns to know more about her own father. She attempts to imagine and draw a picture of him because there are no photographs of him in their apartment. Her mother is reluctant to talk about him, irrationally blaming music as the reason for his death! There is also some mystery involving Gina’s mom and a student called Willa. All is resolved!

This is a great book for teens and adults who want a fast-paced and charming read. It is well written by a young author not far from the teen years herself. She thus writes an entirely believable story with an authentic voice as she describes the typical parent-child tugs-of-war, the striving for independence, the teenage emotions, and the conflicts at school that Gina experiences as she tries to fit in. Cultural identity and family secrets are also explored.

I highly recommend this wholesome book. It rocks!

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.

Reviewed by Sandra

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia who now blogs at To Be Continued. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mari at MariReads is hosting for the month of April. You can also view the touring blog list here for the upcoming months.

I have one giveaway currently running on my blog:
The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau (Open to US and Can - Ends May 1st)

Review Book:

Frozen in Time by Mitchell Zuckoff

Frozen in Time is a gripping true story of survival, bravery, and honor in the vast Arctic wilderness during World War II, from the author of New York Times bestseller Lost in Shangri-La.

On November 5, 1942, a US cargo plane slammed into the Greenland Ice Cap. Four days later, the B-17 assigned to the search-and-rescue mission became lost in a blinding storm and also crashed. Miraculously, all nine men on board survived, and the US military launched a daring rescue operation. But after picking up one man, the Grumman Duck amphibious plane flew into a severe storm and vanished.

Frozen in Time tells the story of these crashes and the fate of the survivors, bringing vividly to life their battle to endure 148 days of the brutal Arctic winter, until an expedition headed by famed Arctic explorer Bernt Balchen brought them to safety. Mitchell Zuckoff takes the reader deep into the most hostile environment on earth, through hurricane-force winds, vicious blizzards, and subzero temperatures.

Moving forward to today, he recounts the efforts of the Coast Guard and North South Polar Inc. – led by indefatigable dreamer Lou Sapienza – who worked for years to solve the mystery of the Duck’s last flight and recover the remains of its crew.

Audiobooks for review:

While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax

Congratulations to our winners! 

Angelie for winning the Dodinsky poster and signed bookmark
and
Kimberly @TurningThePages for winning the 3-book package from author Vikki VanSickle

“This could possibly be one of my favorite books”, my 9-year-old son says to me. To me that says a lot about this book! My son loves non-fiction but doesn't have a long list of fiction books that he considers favorites. We found this book on our family bookshelf when we were looking for books to read. It was given to me by another book blogger. I decided to read it to my son and we enjoyed every minute. My son said that the character of Ida B really resonated with him. He totally liked her and understood what she felt. He could relate to her.

Ida B is not your average 9-year-old. She is homeschooled and lives on a large plot of land where she talks to the trees and the brook and spends most of her free time outdoors among the nature she loves so much. But her mother gets cancer, her father is forced to sell part of their land to pay for the treatments and Ida B is sent to school, a place she loathes because of a previous bad experience in kindergarten. Now she will be going into the third grade. Ida B is so angry that she feels her heart hardening, cuts herself off from everyone, and puts together a plan to save her world.

This book is brilliant. It's told from Ida B's point of view and is really about her and how she sees the world and deals with everything that happens to her. This is the main reason my son could really relate to her. Ida B came across as real. She was smart, funny and hurting. Our hearts went out to her. There is a scene with Ida B gently caressing her mom's cheek as her mom lay in bed sick from her treatments. My son spontaneously reached out his hand and did the same to me which touched me enormously, and then we briefly spoke of cancer when he asked me if I would ever get the disease.

I think my son didn't want this book to end because, when it did, he felt it was incomplete, probably because it never showed the response of Ida B's classmate to her apology. I liked the ending, but I understood my son's reluctance to let go of this book. It's a beautiful story with an unforgettable character. Highly recommended.

The Catholic monasteries have been abolished; Joanna is raising her 5-year-old ward, and attempting to lead a normal life by weaving and selling beautiful tapestries. There is a love triangle of Geoffrey Scovill, now constable of Dartford town where Joanna lives, “Brother” Edmund, a former monk, and Joanna. She decides on Edmund and they are to marry, but a quiet, family life is not to be. 

An edict forbids former religious people - nuns, priors, friars, priests to marry. Then, travel to London exposes Joanna to the limelight once again as she begins having unexplained visions and hearing voices (or so she thinks) that remind her of prophecies concerning her. She is brought to a seer who tells her that she has a crucial role to play in the future of the kingdom and Christendom – but what is it? What is she expected to do? Intent on finding out, Joanna travels to Ghent, Belgium to meet a third seer who finally reveals the meaning of the prophecy. Joanna is to poison Henry using a special chalice! 

The character of aristocratic, religious Joanna is well developed. She is a strong woman who prefers a quiet, contemplative life serving God in a priory. However, she is willing to risk imprisonment and possible torture as she assumes her responsibility to king and country, while being pitted against some of the most powerful men of her time.

This is very good historical fiction combined with a religious mystery. The reader learns about Henry’s court, the infamous Tower, ladies in waiting, religious struggles as the Reformation continues, and religious devotion of the time. The description of daily life in a small English village rounds out the atmosphere of the 1500’s. Anne of Cleves, Henry the VIII’s 4th wife makes an appearance in the story as does Mary Tudor, Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester (Joanna’s nemesis in The Crown) and Emperor Charles.

I love the descriptions the author uses, such as “her face was crisscrossed with faint lines, like delicate parchment paper left too long on a table, unused.” 

I found the story overly long and somewhat confusing at times as I struggled to understand the complicated code about the prophecy, but all in all it is worthwhile reading for historical fiction fans. 

Note: This book is rated C = clean read, although there are some religious expletives.

About the author:
Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown, is a writer and magazine editor who has worked on the staffs of InStyle, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Good Housekeeping. Her latest position is features editor of Du Jour magazine. A native of the Midwest, she graduated from the University of Michigan. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

You can learn more about her on www.nancybilyeau.com.


Reviewed by Sandra

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher and Amy Bruno from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.


Mandatory:

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia who now blogs at To Be Continued. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mari at MariReads is hosting for the month of April. You can also view the touring blog list here for the upcoming months.

I have two giveaways currently running on my blog:
Poster and signed bookmark from Dodinsky (Open to US and Can - Ends April 16)

Review Books:

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (from Sourcebooks)

A new time-slip romance adventure from award-winning, New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author.

Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird—the mythical creature from an old Russian fable. Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna into the past who leads her on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption.

Tainted Angel by Anne Cleeland (from Sourcebooks)

It’s a fine, well-dressed line between a traitor and a hero.

In the tradition of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Tainted Angel takes the reader on a fast-paced adventure story in which it’s never quite clear who is outwitting whom. One of the most beautiful courtesans in England is a brilliant spy, working for the Crown...or is she tainted, a double agent working for Napoleon? Carstairs—with whom she occasionally shares a bed—is a fellow spy...but he has his own dark secrets. Tainted Angel offers up a delightful game of cat and mouse in which no one can be trusted and anyone can be tainted.

Bought:

The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

On March 18, 1990, thirteen works of art today worth over $500 million were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. It remains the largest unsolved art heist in history, and Claire Roth, a struggling young artist, is about to discover that there’s more to this crime than meets the eye.

Making a living reproducing famous artworks for a popular online retailer and desperate to improve her situation, Claire is lured into a Faustian bargain with Aiden Markel, a powerful gallery owner. She agrees to forge a painting—a Degas masterpiece stolen from the Gardner Museum—in exchange for a one-woman show in his renowned gallery. But when that very same long-missing Degas painting is delivered to Claire’s studio, she begins to suspect that it may itself be a forgery.

Her desperate search for the truth leads Claire into a labyrinth of deceit where secrets hidden since the late nineteenth century may be the only evidence that can now save her life.


Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
Olivia Donatelli’s dream of a “normal” life shattered when her son, Anthony, was diagnosed with autism at age three. He didn’t speak. He hated to be touched. He almost never made eye contact. And just as Olivia was starting to realize that happiness and autism could coexist, Anthony was gone.

Now she’s alone on Nantucket, desperate to find meaning in her son’s short life, when a chance encounter with another woman brings Anthony alive again in a most unexpected way.

In a warm, deeply human story reminiscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and Daniel Isn’t Talking, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova offers us two unforgettable women on the verge of change and the irrepressible young boy with autism whose unique wisdom helps them both find the courage to move on.

Brad and TJ are fraternal twin brothers who love playing hockey. Their father has aspiring goals for TJ attending an Ivy League university and therefore places him in a private high school, whereas Brad goes to the local public high school, until the family's financial situation changes, and TJ must now transfer to public school. All of this causes resentment on both sides, with TJ feeling pressure from his father to perform and Brad feeling he isn't as good as his brother. Things heat up when TJ becomes the new kid in Brad's school and is vying for captain of the hockey team. With their parents on the verge of a break-up and pressure mounting in the hockey rink, Brad and TJ will have to face-off and pull together to win.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this re-issue of a book initially written in 1992 by the author when she was sixteen and published when she was eighteen. The storyline and plot flow smoothly as the author builds the characters of two teens in the midst of problems both in the family and at school. The dialogue is realistic and the teens sound like teens, no surprise since the author wrote this when she was a teen. I'm not a hockey fan but I could easily see how much the author knows about hockey and the game, making it even interesting for a mom like me who doesn't have any kids playing the sport.

Maxwell Glick, the narrator, does a good job of changing tones when voicing all the different boy characters in this novel. I could distinguish the subtle pitch in TJs voice that was slightly different from Brad who was more of a hot-head.

This is a YA novel about hockey, family and brotherhood. This book is a quick read and ideal for anyone who likes hockey within a school setting or who just likes a good clean YA read.

As soon as I received this book, I dug into it. I liked the layout, read the authors' introductory words and skimmed through the table of contents to see what topics this book contained. I immediately liked what I saw and read. I'm careful about what I read when it comes to advice about living the best life simply because I'm a Bible reader and I think the best advice is found within its holy pages. I was pleased to see that this book gave sound advice that for the most part did not contradict what I believe but rather sustained it. Kudos to the authors.

Past Tense is an easy book to read because it's meant to be read one page for every day of the year. Perhaps in the morning so that the reader can meditate on the information. The book is divided into 24 sections with topics below each section. It does not have to be read in order but rather you can go to the exact page of the topic that interests you because the Table of Contents lists them all. For example, in Section 2: Stress Handling Tools, I went to Stop Black-and-White Thinking, and then in Section 7: Family and Stress, I quickly zeroed in on Ten Tips on Raising Children. Below I have listed the Sections that cover almost every topic in life.

This is an ambitious book that handles 365 topics as daily tools for putting stress behind us. Of course, some of the advice we've heard before, but they are great reminders and are discussed in a brief but well-written page, making it easy to digest and to pick up anytime for a 5-minute reading of positive, educational and upbuilding information. You will definitely find new information you can apply and benefit from. As you can see, it gives advice on topics for every member of the family. My daughter is starting high school next year and I'm going to read Sections 12 and 13 with her.

The authors also include many resources, website links and inspiring quotes throughout their pages, and there's also a resource guide at the end of the book. Past Tense can be considered a resource manual that can be left on the coffee table or handy on the kitchen counter or bedside table for a daily look at quick but powerful tools to handling everyday stressors.  

After Maggie Martin's husband dies and she uncovers secrets of his double life, she is ready for a new life. She inherits the estate known as Rosemont and when she travels to the Midwestern town of Westbury to sell it, she ends up falling in love with the beautiful fully furnished house and decides to make a fresh start there even if it means being away from her grown children. But soon, Maggie, who is a forensic accountant, becomes involved with the townsfolk to uncover political corruption and embezzlement. She also discovers a new love and heads toward a new career.

With its charming book cover, I was eager to dig into this book and into Maggie's new life adventure. I began reading and before long a few things became apparent to me. This is a self-published book that would have benefited from professional editing. The story unfolds with a lot of telling rather than showing and before long I became bored. The characters are pretty much one-dimensional, but I kept reading with the hopes that things got better. It didn't. I just could not get emotionally invested in this book.

I liked that Maggie had a chance at a new start in life, especially in mid-life. She took a chance, befriended the townsfolk and found a new calling. She rallied to help with the financial problem of the town's dwindling pension fund. However, the way the story is written failed to move me, including the romance. I also felt uncomfortable with the amount of religious expletives and f-bombs in this book.

This is the first book in the Rosemont series. After plodding through this one, I have decided this series is not my cup of tea.

I didn't quite know what to expect from this novel, but I didn't think it would affect me so deeply, make me laugh and cry and sigh. I simply loved reading this book. I savored it and didn't wanting it to end.

Meg May grew up with an imaginative and free-spirited mom, Valerie, who told her funny and outlandish stories about her childhood. Whenever Meg asked her what really happened, her mom would repeat these same stories. As Meg grew up she became frustrated and rejected anything illogical and decided to become a scientist. She wanted to be the opposite of her mother. When Valerie became ill and Meg realized she was dying, Meg decided to spend the summer with her. Finally, she was determined to know the truth about her past, about who she was.

Meg learned more than she was prepared for but the presence of Ewan, the young gardener--who her mother hired to tend the vegetable garden and landscape--and her mother's advancing illness jolted her to question everything she ever believed and what truly matters. Is her mother crazy or is there a reason why she invents stories about her past life and Meg's childhood? And how will the truth change who she is?

Beautifully written, and filled with the warmth of comfort food, spices and herbs, gardens and orchards, and a loving but conflicted mother-and-daughter relationship, this debut novel is simply a delicious and feel-good read. I loved how Meg grew as a person, how she was torn with her feelings about a mother she adored yet rejected, until she came to realize the sacrifices her mother made in loving her to the best of her abilities. Valerie's character made me want to be a more fun-loving mom. Ewan was a smart and confident young man whose insightful nature helped both Meg and her mother heal. I was attracted to him immediately!

This is a warm novel that deals with relationships using quirky humour, nature, and the power of storytelling. It will count as one of my best read in 2013. Highly recommended.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia who now blogs at To Be Continued. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mari at MariReads is hosting for the month of April. You can also view the touring blog list here for the upcoming months.

I have two giveaways currently running on my blog:
Poster and signed bookmark from Dodinsky (Open to US and Can - Ends April 16)

3-Book Giveaway by Vikki VanSickle - Middle grade series (Open to Canada only - Ends April 10)

Review Books:

The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas (from Author Marketing Services)

It is the eve of 1941 and World War II is engulfing the globe. Newlywed Nerys Watkins leaves rural Britain to accompany her husband on a missionary posting to India, but when he leaves her in the exotic lakeside of Srinagar to take on a complicated mission elsewhere, she discovers a new world. Here, in the heart of Kashmir, the British dance, flirt, and gossip against the backdrop of war and Nerys soon becomes caught up in a dangerous liaison. By the time she is reunited with her husband, she is a very different woman. .

Years later, Nery’s granddaughter Mair Ellis clears out her dead father’s house and finds an exquisite shawl--a kaleidoscope of silvery blues and greens. Wrapped in the folds of this delicate object is a lock of a child’s curly hair. With nothing else to go on, Mair decides to trace her roots back to Kashmir, embarking on a quest that will change her own life forever. .


The Happiness Handbook by Jenn Flaa (Virtual Authors Bk Tours)

Delightfully engaging, frequently humorous and definitely accessible and actionable, Jenn Flaa’s Happiness Handbook caringly guides you (whether single or coupled up) through the steps to help you find, communicate and receive what truly makes you happy.





Whatever After #2: If the Shoe Fits by Sarah Mlynowski (Scholastic)

This second book in Sarah Mlynowski's charming new series puts a fresh spin on the Cinderella story!

Once upon a time my brother and I found a magic mirror. Tonight the mirror swept us into Cinderella's fairy tale. Now, we are NOT messing this story up. No way. Cinderella is going to marry her prince just like she's supposed to.

Uh-oh.

Cinderella broke her foot and there's massive swelling. The glass slipper won't fit, the prince won't know she's the one for him, and they won't live happily ever after. And it's all our fault!

To save the day we'll need to:
1. Learn how to use a dustpan
2. Stay out of jail
3. Find Cinderella a job
4. And make sure true love finds its way.

We just have to get it all done before the clock strikes twelve and the chance for a happy ending is gone . . . forever!

Hold Fast by Blue Balliett (Scholastic)

From NYT bestselling author Blue Balliett, the story of a girl who falls into Chicago's shelter system, and from there must solve the mystery of her father's strange disappearance.

Where is Early's father? He's not the kind of father who would disappear. But he's gone . . . and he's left a whole lot of trouble behind.

As danger closes in, Early, her mom, and her brother have to flee their apartment. With nowhere else to go, they are forced to move into a city shelter. Once there, Early starts asking questions and looking for answers. Because her father hasn't disappeared without a trace. There are patterns and rhythms to what's happened, and Early might be the only one who can use them to track him down and make her way out of a very tough place.

With her signature, singular love of language and sense of mystery, Blue Balliett weaves a story that takes readers from the cold, snowy Chicago streets to the darkest corner of the public library, on an unforgettable hunt for deep truths and a reunited family.

Free Kindle Books:

The 1920s are drawing to a close, and feisty Katie O'Connor is the epitome of the new woman--smart and sassy with goals for her future that include the perfect husband and a challenging career in law. Her boyfriend Jack fits all of her criteria for a husband--good-looking, well-connected, wealthy, and head-over-heels in love with her. But when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Cluny McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face to face with a choice. Will she follow her well-laid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever?

A Hope Undaunted is the engrossing first book in the WINDS OF CHANGE series from popular author Julie Lessman. Readers will thrill at the highly charged romance in this passionate story.

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon be married. She dreams of a handsome and charming prince, but when the first suitor arrives, she finds him stodgy and boring. Prince Aethelbald from the mysterious land of Farthestshore has traveled far to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be approaching Parumvir.

Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his warnings. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir, and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in grave danger. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.

This meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. This is where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.  The kidlit version is hosted by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

Read and reviewed:
In the Garden of Thoughts by Dodinsky (inspiring)
The Last Telegram by Liz Trenow (great story!)
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (awesome audiobook!)
Buzz Books 2013: Spring/Summer by Publishers Lunch

Currently Reading:
Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys
Ida B. . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan (with my son)
Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome by Marissa Moss (with my daughter)

Finished Reading: (reviews coming up)
The Journey by John A. Heldt
Coming to Rosemont by Barbara Hinske

Hope you all have a great reading week!

Published Feb 5, 2013

Kindle book

For book lovers who want to read excerpts of upcoming new releases this is the book you need to scroll through. It contains a list of 28 new titles that you can view along with the cover, synopsis, excerpt, author bio, marketing campaign and info on how to get a copy.

The list is divided into four categories: Fiction, Debut Fiction, Nonfiction and Young Adult. It's exciting for a book lover like me to know what's new out there and what will soon be released. This book truly causes a buzz about the publishing field. It also allows you to read a portion of the book before requesting it.

Some of the books that are featured are: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (Little, Brown), Z by Therese Fowler, (St. Martin’s) and The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (Viking Juvenile). There were only three YA titles featured which was a little disappointing. This book is free on Kindle and worth looking through if you want in on the buzz of this spring and summer's new releases.

Note: This book is rated C = clean read as a reference book only. I cannot vouch that all the book excerpts in this book are clean reads.

Reviewed by Laura

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

My daughter and I decided to simultaneously read the book and listen to the full cast audiobook version and it was an awesome experience! We don't usually read fantasy fiction but decided to give this book a try and discovered why everyone raves about Shannon Hale. This is an author who knows how to fully immerse her readers into the worlds she builds where her strong female characters are good, loyal, intelligent and brave.

Dashti is a mucker maid, who, along with her mistress Lady Saren, is shut in a tower for seven years because of Saren's refusal to marry the despicable Lord Khasar, a brute of a man. Dashti is a happy person who takes delight in even the small things in life and tries to make the most of their situation, but Lady Saren is depressed, despondent and miserable. Khan Tegus, one of Lady Saren's suitors arrives outside the castle and wants to talk with Lady Saren, but she refuses, asking Dashti to pretend to be her. Khan Tegus and Dashti exchange pleasant and intimate talk until the day he leaves never to return.

As the days trickle into years, Dashti does all she can to minister to Lady Saren, singing her the healing songs she learned as part of her mucker culture. When food starts to run out, Dashti knows it's up to her to do something or they will both starve to death. Through her resourcefulness and courage, Dashti makes decisions that will save both herself, her mistress and the villagers of the Eight Realms, the fantasy Mongolian setting of this story.

The story is told from Dashti's point-of-view through journals that contain some sketched illustrations. We loved Dashti's voice both written and spoken. She is charming, witty, and full of life and spunk. She has lost her mother but speaks of her lovingly when she refers to their past life together. She is honest and pours out her feelings in her journal book. She is a wonderful heroine!

This story is based on the Brothers Grimm story of Maid Maleen, but of course, Hale has infused this one with an exotic fairy tale setting, memorable characters, romance and a plot that had me and my daughter guessing how it would all end. The full cast audiobook version is fantastic, with the beautiful and passionate voice of Chelsea Mixon that was perfect for Dashti. We also loved Khan Tegus' voice, which had us imagining a handsome and kind young man. Lord Khasar's deep voice exuded the right amount of growling disdain that suited his character. My daughter thought that Lady Saren's voice sounded too old for her. Besides this, listening to a full cast was just great, with exotic music in the background that got us right in the mood of this exciting tale.

This is a clean novel with an unforgettable strong female heroine that is a good role model for young girls. The full cast audiobook brings out Shannon Hale's beautiful writing and wonderful storytelling. Truly captivating and memorable!

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.