Oh.My.Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

Genre: YA-Mythology

Author Site: www.teralynnchilds.com

First Line: “When I’m running I can almost feel my dad at my side.”

One Word Review: εξαιρετικός (Great, in Greek)

My Review: I really enjoyed this one and I felt like a got a great workout at the same time! Does it count as my workout if the main character runs a lot in the story? Probably not, but it did make me want to go for a nice long job while I was reading (which is not really like me). Anyway, Phoebe is about to start her senior year of high school when her mom up and surprises her with news of her wedding (to a guy she has only known a week…scary!), and plans to move the whole family to a little island in Greece. When Phoebe arrives in Greece she soon finds out that she will be attending an ultra private school full of superhuman students, where she’s the only one without any power. Poor Phoebe! I really liked her character, I thought she was tough and stood her ground. Enter Griffin, a super hot guy who also happens to be a major jerk. Phoebe is a little too swoony for my taste, but she still pulls off some witty comebacks and does hold her own. I admit, I did enjoy their interactions and thought they had good chemistry. I thought their situation was settled a little too easily for me, but I’m happy with how everything ended up.

The story did remind me a bit of the Percy Jackson series, with the half-god angle. However, this really took on a life of its own and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the next book, and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys teen-lit, jogging, or a little Greek mythology.

(So, I’m not sure if my “one word review” is translated properly. I just entered “great” in the Google translator and out spit εξαιρετικός, I hope it’s right, but if not…o-well).

Reading Order:
Book One: Oh My Gods
Book Two: Goddess Boot Camp

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Genre: YA Fiction

Author Site: www.janetterallison.com

First Line: “Thank you for allowing me to raise my semester grade through this extra-credit project.”

One Word Review: Fantastic!

Book Synopsis: “Finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience! After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah's gum-chewing, cell phone carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she's only Fair because she's not a very good fairy student, Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah's class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight.” -GoodReads

My Review: This is one of those books where I was actually sad it ended. I thoroughly enjoyed My Fair Godmother. Rallison created a wonderful plot, witty and believable dialogue, endearing characters and a wonderfully quirky fairy. Going into this I thought the story would be about Chrissy (the fair godmother), she is on the cover, the book starts with her “report” and so I was pleasantly surprised that it’s really the story of Savannah. I really enjoyed going on this journey with Savannah, I liked her from the beginning and she continued to grow on me throughout her adventures. Tristan was also a fun character; I also liked him from the beginning. And of course Chrissy, she may be a bit flighty but she actually made some good points along the way, and also provided a few laughs. This is definitely a romantic comedy; I loved the mix of favorite fairy tales with a modern twist. I thought Rallison did a fantastic job with this book, especially the dialogue. The interactions with Tristan and Savannah were realistic and fun. I hope there will be a sequel, if not a series. I would love to be reunited with Chrissy as she continues to become a true “fairy godmother”.

This book proves that you can write a great teen romance without drinking, drugs, sex or foul language. This was a fun, clean read that taught some valuable lessons and I would feel comfortable recommending it to anyone.

Other Reviews:
Always Something to Read
Charlotte’s Library
Em’s Bookshelf
Presenting Lenore

Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by R.J. Anderson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Author Site: www.rj-anderson.com

First Line: “'I only want to go out for a little, little while,' the faery child pleaded.”

One Word Review: Charming

Book Synopsis: "Bryony is a faery who has spent her short life longing to leave the Oak tree that forms the boundary of her people's world. The only faeries allowed out in the wild at all are the Gatherers who are sent out to forage for food and the Queen's own hunter--a faery trained to hunt and protect the Oakenfolk and the fragile existence they have carved out for themselves. When she is summoned before the Queen, Bryony is stunned and elated to hear she is to be the new assistant to the Queen's hunter. Proving herself extraordinarly skilled, she changes her name to Knife and determines she will not only protect and provide for her people but discover why they are slowly dying out, unearth their mysterious and forbidden connection with humans, and discover why she is drawn to the stone House on the hill and to the unhappy boy named Paul who lives there." -Angieville (Hope you don't mind Angie, I just really liked your discription!)

My Review: I’ve been reading a lot of “faery” books lately and it seems that each one has a unique take on faery lore. This is no exception! I really enjoyed Spell Hunter (although, I think I like the U.K. title “Knife” better). Knife is adventurous, curious, and brave. Not considered the best attributes to the other calmer faeries that she lives with. Her bravery soon catches the attention of the faery queen and Knife becomes her personal “hunter”. While performing her duties she comes across a human boy, Paul, and soon they become fast friends, which is against all the faery rules. I enjoyed the friendship of Knife and Paul, I wasn’t sure where their story was going but I ended up pleased with how everything turned out. For some reason I had a hard time getting into this book, I ended up really liking it but it was a slow started for me. Maybe it’s because I’ve read too many faery books lately (Wings, Faerie Path, and Blackbringer). I thought it was imaginative, unique and fun. I look forward to reading the next book, Wayfarer, which follows the character Linden (a character from Spell Hunter).

I’m not sure which cover I like more, but I’m leaning towards the U.K. version.

Reading Order:
Book One: Spell Hunter
Book Two: Wayfarer

Other Reviews:
Always Something to Read
Angieville
My Favorite Author

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson

Genre: YA Fiction

Author Site: www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com

First Line: “Lightning flashed over Big Ben, and a bruise-like darkness draped over th done of St. Paul’s.”

One Word Review: Good

Book Synopsis: Clio Ford, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean looking to find some missing underwater treasure that could unlock the secrets of civilization. Along for the ride are her Dad's wacky best friend Martin, his bizarre research partner Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa . . . and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant assistant. What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway? As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more cryptic than the sea—her own heart.

My Review: I guess I’ll start by saying that I think teens would probably really enjoy this book. It’s about a seventeen-year-old girl who goes to live with her Dad in Italy for the summer. When she arrives things aren’t quite what she had in mind. I enjoyed the story, but for some reason it didn’t really suck me in. Here’s what I did like: the overall story was good, had mystery, a love-triangle and a pretty cool setting. Again, I think this is one teens would enjoy; it just didn’t capture me like Enthusiasm or Loser’s Guide, still a fun read though.

Sorcery & Cecelia by Patricia Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

Genre: Fiction, Mystery

Full Title: Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot being the correspondence of two Young Ladies of Quality regarding various Magical Scandals in London and the Country

First Line: ”It is dreadfully flat here since you have been gone, and it only makes it worse to imagine all the things I shall be missing.”

One Word Review: Creative

Book Synopsis: A great deal is happening in London and the country this season. For starters, there's the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There's also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he's not doing a very good job of it--so just what are his intentions?) And then there's Oliver. Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn't bothered to tell anyone where he is. Clearly, magic is a deadly and dangerous business. And the girls might be in fear for their lives . . . if only they weren't having so much fun! -GoodReads

My Review: The book started out as a Letter Game between Wrede and Stevermer, in which both authors would write, in character, to each other. No discussion of plot was formed; they simply wrote and responded to one another’s letters. The whole idea of the Letter Game and actually producing an entertaining novel is really amazing. Both authors are creative, and I ended up loving the book. Both Kate and Cecy were lovable heroines, I loved reading about their adventures and if it wasn’t for their constant interference I fear Thomas and James would not have been able to overcome the obstacles of Sir Hillary and Miranda. I knew from the beginning that I would just love both James and Thomas, they were great characters and the relationship between the four was fun to read about.

I really enjoyed the story, the characters were all fun and the commentary between Kate and Cecy was witty and entertaining. I liked the magic throughout, it wasn’t overdone and felt believable. Definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery, magic, and romance. I look forward to reading the next two books in the Cecelia and Kate series.

Reading Order:
Book One: The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
Book Two: The Grand Tour
Book Three: The Mislaid Magician

A Kiss In Time by Alex Flinn

Genre: YA Fiction, Fairy Tale Re-Imagining

Author Site: www.alexflinn.com

First Line: “If I hear one more syllable about spindles, I shall surely die!”

One Word Review: Charming

My Review: This was a fun retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. I’m not sure if it has been done before, but the idea of a modern day teenager waking up a princess who has been asleep for three hundred years was genius. Talia lives a very sheltered life due to the curse that was placed on her as a baby. In order to prevent the curse from being fulfilled her parent’s ban the use of spindles in their kingdom and Talia is never left alone. She starts out kind of bratty, which is understandable knowing where she came from, but as the book progresses so does Talia. She really turns into a lovely girl on the inside to match her beauty on the outside. Our young hero, Jack is your typical teenage boy. He is shipped off to Europe for the summer. Instead of being amazed by the beauty and history all around him, he is bored. Destiny intervenes and he soon stumbles upon an enchanted castle where he happens upon the sleeping princess. And that is where the fun begins. After Talia awakens she soon realizes she is no longer in 1709 and has a lot of catching up to do.

Watching Talia experience the 21st Century for the first time is fun, as well as her relationship with Jack. I also loved the take on our evil witch Malvolia, her motives were clearer and it was a fun twist on the original story. I liked that the book still had that fairy tale feel to it. It was a great re-imaging and would make a very fun movie. If you like Flinn’s Beastly then you will enjoy this as well.

Retro Friday Review: Sarah Plain and Tall

For today’s edition of Retro Friday I chose Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan. I think one of the main reasons why I enjoyed this book was because of the circumstances in which it was read. I must have been around seven or eight, my Dad was at work and my three older brothers were out of the house, leaving my mom all to myself. I remember curling up next to my mom on our living room couch and having her read this book to me, cover to cover. It’s only 64 pages, but at the time I thought it was so long and was totally absorbed in the story. Sitting there reading with my mom is one of my favorite memories, and again, probably a big reason why I loved this book so much.

First published in 1987, this is the story of Sarah. The book takes place in the late 19th century, long before internet dating came about. Jacob, who has lost his wife and has two young children, decides he needs another wife. He places an ad in an Eastern newspaper hoping to locate a new mother for his children. After some correspondence with Sarah they decide to have her move out to his farm for a month-long trial. During this trial period the kids fall for Sarah and a relationship is slowly formed between Jacob and Sarah as well. As the month comes to an end the kids are worried that Sarah won’t want to stay and when she leaves they really begin to worry. She does return, with colored pencils to draw pictures of her home in Maine and explains to them that she would rather be their mother than return to her home. This is a sweet story about love and family. I’ve read a lot of reviews that thought it was a boring book, but I enjoyed it.

While researching this one I realized that this was actually the first in a series of five books. I guess I’ll have to go out and read the rest and see what happens with Sarah and her cute family.

Reading Order:

Book One: Sarah Plain and Tall
Book Two: Skylark
Book Three: Caleb’s Story
Book Four: More Perfect Than the Moon
Book Five: Grandfather’s Dance

Other Retro Friday Reviews:

Angieville: Morning is a Long Time Coming

Wings the Movie

I tend to like books more than their movies. I still LOVE to see the movies though, its fun to see the books come to life. I just saw a post on Reading Rocks that Wings by Aprilynne Pike is going to be made into a movie!! This is kind of amazing since the book was just barely published, at least in my opinion. I'm sure it will be awhile before the movie actually comes out though.

Rumor has it that our lovely heroine Laurel will be played by Miley Cirus. Hmmm, I'm not really too excited about Miley playing Laurel, she just doesn't fit for me. I'm not sure how set-in-stone this is and maybe things will change. I'm hoping they do, no offense to Miley, but I'd prefer someone new or at least someone who fits Laurel's description and personality a little better.

What are your thoughts?? Who would you want to see as Laurel, David and Tamani?

My review of the book can be found here.

No Time for Love by Nancy Campbell Allen

Genre: Fiction

Author Site: www.ncallen.blogspot.com

First Line:

“The hands that gripped the steering wheel were bruised and bleeding; all traces of the expensive manicure administered mere hours before had been obliterated.”

One Word Review: Exciting

Book Synopsis: Connor O’Brian knows his engagement is a mistake, but before he can take steps to end it, his fiancée is dead and FBI agents are on his doorstep. Then Liz Saxton, a resourceful and self-assured private investigator, shows up looking dangerously like the woman he thought he loved. Connor is hardly looking for a new romance, and the last thing Liz wants is to get involved in a murder investigation with someone as attractive as Connor O’Brian. Before they know it, Liz and Connor find themselves on a non-stop chase across continents and oceans in a race to find the evidence they need before a bullet finds them.

My Review: So, this book follows Liz (Amber’s sister from Love Beyond Time) and Connor. This could probably be a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading book one first. I liked that we were able to see a bit of Amber and Tyler and what they have been up too since their story was told. Liz and Connor have known each other for years but have only been “just friends”, although deep down they both have feelings for one another. They are thrown together when Connor’s condo keeps getting broken into and Liz, the private investigator, decides to help her friend out. As the story unfolds we learn that Connor’s fiancée wasn’t all that she seemed and her death may not have been an accident.

I enjoyed Liz and Connor, and it was fun watching them interact knowing that they both liked each other and at the same time not wanting to ruin their friendship. It was fun traveling with them all over the world as they try and solve the mystery of Allyson’s death and the mysterious disk left in Connor’s condo. This book is action packed, suspenseful, and full of romantic tension. A fun, quick read that anyone would enjoy.

Reading Order:
Book One: Love Beyond Time
Book Two: No Time for Love
Book Three: A Time for the Heart
Book Four: Echoes

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Genre: Adult Fiction

Author Site: www.janeaustenaddict.com

First Line: “Why is it so dark in here? And that smell, like dried lavender mixed with ammonia.”

One Word Review: Okay

Book Synopsis: Courtney Stone wakes up and finds herself not in her Los Angeles bedroom or even in her own body, but inside the bedchamber of a woman in Regency England. Not only is Courtney stuck in another woman's life, she is forced to pretend she actually is that woman; and despite knowing nothing about her, she manages to fool even the most astute observer. Enter the enigmatic Mr. Edgeworth, who fills Courtney's borrowed brain with confusing memories that are clearly not her own. -GoodReads

My Review:
I decided to read this book for the Everything Austen Challenge that I’m participating in. Originally I hadn’t listed this as one of my six Austen items, but the idea of a modern girl being transported back to 1813 England sounded fun to me. It reminded me a bit of Prada and Prejudice, but for a more grown up audience. Our heroine Courtney wakes up in another women’s body, in a completely different time. After awhile Courtney finally decides to play along hoping that eventually she will wake up in her apartment in LA and that everything had just been a dream. Soon Courtney starts to really take on Jane Mansfield’s life and even begins to have some of Jane’s memories. The book was just okay for me. I never really cared for Courtney that much, so I found it hard to really root for her. Once she accepted her situation it did get a little better, but it was still confusing. Her feelings for her modern-day guy made it hard to fall for Mr. Edgeworth, and the ending was just horrible. No explanations, no closure, nothin’. It has made me curious to pick up the companion book to see things from Jane’s point of view as she is transported from 1813 England to modern day LA. Maybe then we will find out what really happened and get some closure. It felt like Rigler wanted to recapture the magic found in the original Austen novels, but ended up falling short, for me anyway. I won’t give any spoilers but there was one scene that I did enjoy, a chance encounter that Courtney has with a certain lady-author. Oops, have I said too much?

There is some swearing and one short seduction scene (if you can call that), which I admit Courtney does solve in a humorous way.

Reading Order:
Book One: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
Book Two: Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

Other Reviews:
Booking Mama

Written Word

Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George

Genre: YA Fiction

Author Site: www.jessicadaygeorge.com

First Line: “It’s a bucket of sand,” I said.

One Word Review: Fun

Book Synopsis: "As far as Creel is concerned, all is finally right with the world. The dragon king, Shardas, and his queen, Velika, have made a home for themselves on the Far Islands, and for the first time in centuries it seems dragons and humans might be able to live together in peace. So what better time for Creel and Luka to plan their wedding? But when Velika is kidnapped, Creel and Luka will join Shardas on their most dangerous mission yet-- only to discover that the real enemy may be one of their own. and if dangerous new foes and volcanic eruptions weren't enough to throw off the wedding, add in a bushel of unwanted relations and a little accident involving not one but two wedding gowns, and Creel's dream wedding might be turning into a nightmare." -GoodReads

My Review:
This is the third book in the Dragon Trilogy, and probably my least favorite of the three. Don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoyed the story and thought it was a good book. It just didn’t capture me the way that Dragon Slippers did. It was a fun story, I loved being reunited with all my favorite characters again, and watch as they go through yet another unbeatable obstacle. I love Shardas and Velika, as well as many of the other dragons. George goes into a lot more detail about dragon history/culture that I thoroughly enjoyed. I am not usually a huge “dragon lover” but these books have converted me. I was glad to see Hagen (Creel’s brother) more in this book and think it would be awesome if George did a spin-off series with Hagen as our lead!

Cover Comments: I like the book covers, especially the dragons. However, they always make Creel out to be twelve, instead of 18+ that she actually is. I know this book is targeted to the juvenile audience, but I think all three can appeal to all age ranges and wish that they had depicted Creel a little older. Still cute covers though.

Reading Order:
Book One: Dragon Slippers
Book Two: Dragon Flight
Book Three: Dragon Spear

Other Reviews:
Always Something to Read