Book Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (1 ARC Tours)

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater





rating: 4.5/5.0






From Amazon.com:

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

My Review:

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. I signed up to read it with 1-ARC-Tours because I had heard wonderful things about it. I have read plenty of vampire paranormals but never really liked the werewolf angle, but decided to give it a shot due to the wonderful reviews. I am so glad I did. There is so much more to this book than the paranormal angle. It covers the female teen experience with friends and boys well, the first love aspect is sweet and touching and the history given behind Sam keeps you turning pages.

I especially enjoyed how this was told from both Sam and Grace’s point of view. It was nice to see both sides and how they felt about each other and about the things that were going on in the town and in the woods. I also liked the aspect of Grace’s parents, as unfortunate as Grace was to have them as her parents (they were self-absorbed), I think this is true of a lot of parents of this current generation. Not all (as I have children) but a lot. I think this speaks to the fact that we should pay attention to our children. You feel for Grace because of her family situation, but you never feel she is pathetic. She comes across as a fairly strong heroine who knows what she wants even though she has the typical teenage problems.

A wonderful storyline and back story of the wolves, plus great characters. I wanted this book to keep going when it ended. I want to know more about the characters. Shiver is a lovely young adult novel that will touch your heart.

Binding: Hardcover
On-sale Date: August 1, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 400

Review Copy Arrival: Not So Fast: Slow Down Solutions for Frenzied Families by Ann Kroeker

Is every hour rush hour at your house?

We’re raising our kids in a high-speed, high-pressured, 24/7 world. Pushing children to get ahead, we cram everything possible into our days to maximize their chance at success. We’re overloaded, overextended, overcommitted, and over-caffeinated. And we’re paying a price.

Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families explores the jarring effects of our overcommitted culture and offers refreshing alternatives with a Christian perspective. Author Ann Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace has resulted in a richer, fuller, and more meaningful family and spiritual life. Practical ideas and insights will spark creativity and personal reflection. Plus, ponder real-life stories from parents reaping the riches of a simper, slower lifestyle. Not so Fast offers hope that families struggling with hurried hearts and frantic souls can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life.

Author Bio: Author of The Contemplative Mom, Ann Kroeker is an acclaimed writer and speaker committed to encouraging and inspiring families as they face the demands of daily living. A contributor to the award-winning Experiencing the Passion of Jesus, she has written for numerous corporations and her articles have appeared in a variety of publications including Decision, The Student, Christian Home and School, and Indianapolis Woman. Ann and her husband, Philippe, have been married 18 years and have four children.

I received this from Audra Jennings at The B&B Media Group - Thank you so much Audra - I really need this book.

BBAW Giveaway #1: Century - Ring of Fire Book #1 by P.D. Baccalario

I've been a little lax this week - I had so much more planned, but my health, my job and my life aren't cooperating with BBAW! But I will take the time and post some long-needed reviews and I will also post some giveaways. And the giveaways will make me read some books with overdue reviews and then passs them on to you.

Every hundred years, four kids from four cities must save the world.

A mix-up with their reservations forces Harvey from New York, Mistral from Paris, and Sheng from Shanghai to share a room with the hotel owner’s daughter, Elettra. The four kids discover an amazing coincidence—they all have birthdays on February 29, Leap Day. That night, a strange man gives them a briefcase and asks them to take care of it until he returns. Soon afterward, the man is murdered.

The kids open the briefcase. In it they find a series of clues that take them all over Rome, through dusty libraries and dark catacombs, in search of the elusive Ring of Fire, an ancient object so powerful that legend says even a Roman emperor couldn’t control it.

In the first book of the Century quartet, Italian author P. D. Baccalario begins a mystery that will take four cities and four extraordinary kids to solve.

So my first giveaway of the week is for my current read, Century: Ring of Fire Book 1 by P.D. Baccalario. It's a gently used ARC that I just received last week. I'm 1/3 of the way through this book and it's very entertaining so far, I'm enjoying the suspense and getting to know the characters. I think of it like a tween/teen Da Vinci Code adventure-type book. No religious connection, just the adventure of following clues left in strange places. So if you would like to get a chance to win this book. Please comment. Rules are simple for this week:

• +1 for comment with email
• +2 for each way you follow (twitter, email, rss feed/blogger/etc.)
• +3 for tweeting (1 entry for this per day)
  

I'll open this through Sunday September 20th and draw the winner on Monday! Thanks for stopping by.

BBAW: Reading Meme

Wednesday's post with BBAW is a Reading Meme - we're supposed to pick a few questions and answer or answer all of them in just a few words. I think I did pretty good as I am usually wordy with my posts.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

• Dark chocolate M&Ms

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?

• Don't mark.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?

• Bookmark

Laying the book flat open?

• Only hard backs if I can

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

• Both but mainly fiction

Hard copy or audiobooks?

• Both

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

• It depends how sleepy I am - I do try and read to a stopping point

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

• No

What are you currently reading?

• Vanished by Joesph Finder

What is the last book you bought?

• The Mediator: Shadowland by Meg Cabot

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

• I read several at a time

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

• In the evening in my chair in the living room

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

• I love both

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

• Michelle Moran is my current favorite (Cleopatra's Daughter)

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

• Genre mainly - don't have time to alphabetize anymore

BBAW: Why I Blog

Today is interview day with BBAW and I didn't throw my name in the hat because I didn't want anyone to get stuck with me :) So I've been seeing other self-interviews so I thought I would do a quick one myself.

Why do I blog?

At first it was to keep track of books I read - a place to put a summary and a brief review so I would remember the book I read because I frequently forget whether I have read a book or not.

Then it blossomed into being a part of the community of book bloggers - people read my blog, they commented and I started participating in memes and giveaways and then the blog was fun.

Then there came review books - a way to get books, but it became even more than that. I have now virtually met several authors and have to say they are some of the nicest people.

So this is pretty much it in a nutshell - I blog to be a part of a community of people that love books like I do.

What new genres have I read since I started blogging?

Historical fiction, memoirs, more general fiction and young adult. Thank you book bloggers and authors for introducing me to these wonderful genres.

Why do I do the memes?

They are fun and there is nothing that makes me want to read more than finding new books to read and a lot of the memes show me new-to-me authors and books to add to my list.

Why do I do giveaways?

Some are publisher/author sponsored, but some are my copies. I do this because I can't keep all the books I've read or we wouldn't have room to live and also so I can share a wonderful book with someone else, who may or may not would buy the book, but will read it when they get it and hopefully love it and want to buy from the author in the future.

Did I ever want to write books?

Yes, but I quickly figured out I couldn't come up with the great ideas, so I decided to stick to reading and marvel at the great ideas that authors come up with.

Does my family read like I do?

Pretty much - my oldest son was upset the other night that he forgot to bring his book with him in the car before we went out to eat (it takes us 20 minutes to get to town) and that reminded me of when I was younger and took a book everywhere (okay I still do). My youngest loves for me to read "the pigeon" books by Mo Willems and my husband is addicted to the library just like I am, he just reads more non-fiction. My dad and mom also read all the time, so it's definitely in the family.

So that's just a quick summary of why I do what I do on this blog. I've really enjoyed reading the interviews today and hopefully next year I will be brave enough to throw my name in the hat.

Review: Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran (it's out today!)

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran





rating: 4.5/5.0










From Amazon.com:

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s revengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two– the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander–survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters: Octavia, the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra; Livia, Octavian's bitter and jealous wife; Marcellus, Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir apparent; Tiberius, Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power; and Juba, Octavian’s watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals.

Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place–the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the times. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and most tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of the past, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart.

My Review:

Wow, I knew I wanted to read this, but did not realize I would be so sucked into it. It's an amazing story of a time I know very little about. Not only did I learn of the history, I also learned of the cultural aspects of this time in Rome. It was very fascinating, and Ms. Moran does a wonderful job with her research and her writing.

Following the death of her parents, Cleopatra's Daughter follows Selene and her brother to Rome where they live in Octavian's palace with his sister Octavia who Selene's father Marc Anthony left for Cleopatra. It's an amazing tale of this child's life for the years between being captured and turning 15.

Selene's character is strong, yet typical of a tween/teenager. She's unsure of some things and very sure of others. She holds onto strong beliefs, never wanting to lose herself to the Roman culture and wanting to stay true to her Greek heritage. She hates slavery and will even give up something precious to help someone yet she is jealous of Julia who is to wed Marcellus. She loves her brother and loves to read. And as all of these typical teenage things are going on she still has to fear a forced marriage for her and also for her brother at the age of 15.

I can't do justice in a review to this story. I enjoyed every minute and I immediately got her backlist books from the library. Cleopatra's Daughter taught me some history while entertaining me. It also made for interesting discussion with my husband, the history buff.

Thank you to Michelle Moran and her publisher for sending me a copy of this to read and review and also for the giveaway they hosted. I cannot part with my copy of this book as I see me reading this again in the future.

Binding: Hardcover
On-sale Date: September 15, 2009
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Pages: 464

BBAW: Some of my favorite blogs

Welcome to BBAW! This is my first year participating and I am really excited. Today's topic is what book blogs mean something to me. Several of my favorites made the shortlist but here are some that didn't (at least I think they didn't - that's a long list):

I love Books and Needlepoint - Kristi has great giveaways and I always enjoy her reviews.

All About {n} is another one I frequent all the time - Nely also has wonderful reviews and giveaways.

The Misadventures of Super Librarian - Wendy can always make me laugh.

Cafe of Dreams - very enjoyable reviews and interviews.

So these are just a few that are on my list. I'm off to see what new blogs to add to my list from everyone else's list!