{Book Review}: Fateful by Claudia Gray

Title: Fateful
Author: Claudia Gray Website | Twitter
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: HarperTeen (Sept 13, 2011)
Hardcover: 328  pages
ISBN:  9780062006202 
Source: Purchased
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository | Kindle | Nook

Description from GoodReads:

Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .
Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

My Review

First Impression: Have I ever mentioned how much I loved the movie Titanic? No? Well I absolutely do. I watched it like a million times. You can imagine my enthusiasm when I heard that Claudia Gray would be writing about about Titanic and adding paranormal creatures to it.


Plot & Characters: Fateful is like Rose and Jack backwards and with werewolves. Tess Davies is aboard the Titanic to change her life. She plans to leave the Lisle family and make a new life in America. Tess is a strong determined character that fights for those she loves. I enjoyed that even though she was just a girl from an underprivileged background and without supernatural powers she is able to stand up to everyone and fight for what she wants. 
     Alec Marlowe is not one of my favorite young adult paranormal swoon worthy guys. He constantly puts Tess in danger and does almost nothing to protect her. It seemed like it was the other way around with Tess protecting him.That however, did not stop me from enjoying their love story. As you can expect their falling in love happens rather quickly since they only have a few days in the Titanic. The limited time frame does not hinder this book from keeping you on the edge of your seat. I was constantly trying to figure out who would survive the voyage. The plot also adds a few twist that had me crying and rejoicing.


Final Thought: A great historical paranormal romance! Yes, we all know how the voyage ends but accompanying the characters on their journey to a new world is incredibly entertaining in Fateful by Claudia Gray. 


My Rating:
                   
Book Trailer:

{Review}: The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird

Title: The Betrayal of Maggie Blair
Author: Elizabeth Laird
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (April, 2011)
E-ARC
ISBN: 9780547341262
Source: NetGalley*
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

My Rating: 3/5

Description from GoodReads:

In seventeenth-century Scotland, saying the wrong thing can lead to banishment—or worse. Accused of being a witch, sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair is sentenced to be hanged. She escapes, but instead of finding shelter with her principled, patriotic uncle, she brings disaster to his door.

Betrayed by one of her own accusers, Maggie must try to save her uncle and his family from the king’s men, even if she has to risk her own life in the process.

My Review
From the description I was expecting Maggie to be a witch and this book to be a paranormal story. It was not. Do not read this book expecting Maggie to escape persecution by flying of in a broom stick.

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair is mostly a story about the struggle to practice one's religion. Maggie is accused of being a witch because of her grandmothers eccentricities and because others want their land. Then after her escape she goes to live with her uncle. A religious man that is fighting for his right to follow his beliefs. Trouble arrives in the form of people trying to get Maggie, her grandmother and her uncle's family to conform to what others believe to be the way to worship. What will one sacrifice for religion? One's life? How about the life of the one's we love?

Maggie was a very likable character. She was innocent and sweet. She loved her cold grandmother and just wanted to fit in. It is life and its unjust ways that make her strong and deteremined to fight for what she believes is right. It was great to see this growth in the character and experience along with her.

The pace is a bit slow because it doesn't build to a culminating part where everything is solved. It is more like different obstacles that Maggie has to overcome to shape who she becomes in the end.

I recommend it to those who like reading historical fiction. It takes place in 17th century Scotland.


*Disclosure: This e-ARC was provided by the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children via NetGalley) for free in exchange for an honest review.

{Review}: Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

Title: Lily of the Nile
Author: Stephanie Dray Website | Twitter 
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: Berkley Trade (December, 2010)
Paperback: 351 pages
ISBN: 9780425238554
Source: Library
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

My Rating: 5/5

Description from GoodReads:

To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene's parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother's dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win-or die?

My Review:
I decided to read this book because of many wonderful reviews I saw. THANK YOU! I would not have picked it up if it weren't for them. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one in this series. I loved how I was transported to Rome in this book. I was there with Selene as she first gazed eyes on the ancient city. I am not sure how historically accurate the book may be but it was 100% entertaining.

Princess Selene struggles to survive, protect her brothers, defend her faith and attempt to bring a Golden Age all while adapting to a new place, a new family and a changing body. I couldn't put this book down.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction. I can't wait for October 4th for Song of the Nile to come out.

{Review}: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Title: Revolution
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Delacorte Books (Oct, 2010)
Hardcover: 472 pages
ISBN: 9780385737630
Source: Borrowed from Library
Available on: Amazon

My Rating: 4/5

Description from GoodReads:

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break. 
PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape. 
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present. 
Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

My Review:
I stayed up all night finishing this book and took a few days to digest the story just to make sure I didn't end up dreaming up the end.. The beginning was slow and missing action, then out of no where, (I should have seen it coming) it gets strange and unrealistic but it totally grasped my attention. (Thus the stayed up all night reading).

Andi is depressed because she blames herself for her brother's death and her family's disintegration. Her life takes a much needed change when her father takes her to Paris and she finds Alexandrine's diary. She discovers that times may change but people's problems are immune to time and revolutions.

I can't say I liked Andi but I did enjoy her story. She was just too depressing for my taste. Alexandrine, on the other hand, I liked. She knew what she wanted in life and worked hard to accomplish it. I usually look for a love story in most of the novels I read but I was strangely happy that it was not the center point of the story. Andi's relationship with Virgil was refreshing because they behaved like two teenagers that were are getting to know one another not two intensely in-love adults.

The ending was what made me really like this story. I have seen some reviews and a lot of people that think it was too unrealistic but it worked for me. Yes, I agree it was strange but it gave the novel a reason.

I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the end but this is a great book for people who enjoy fiction with a historical background. 

{Review} The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by: Mary Ann Shaffer/Annie Barrows

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Author: Mary Ann Shaffer/Annie Barrows
Genre: Historical Fiction
                                 Publisher: Dial Press (May 2009)
                                            Paperback: 290 pages
                                            ISBN: 9780385341004
                                            Source: Library Book
                                            Available on: Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Plot: 20/20
Setting: 19/20
Writing: 19/20
Characters: 20/20
Creativity: 20/20

Total: 98/100 = 5 of 5 stars

Description from GoodReads:

“ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

Plot: Good: What could be more wonderful than reading a book about fellow book lovers. The story about a 1946, female writer from London and her friends was a joy to read. I like the humanity of this story, it shows the horrors of war and the resilience of people. Bad: Nothing.

Setting: Good: Post-war London and the island of Guernsey is a great setting for this story. It was great reading about the islander’s survival stories in Nazi occupied Guernsey. Bad: I would have liked a little more description of Juliet’s life during the war.

Writing: Good: I was a little skeptical about reading an epistolary novel. The characters are not well developed in the novels I have read, but this is not the case with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Every character has a different voice; I can see the difference of gender and education level in the vocabulary they use. Bad: The letter format of the story doesn’t allow for the reader to follow each characters throughout the whole story. I would have liked to see the point of view of other characters during certain parts of the story.

Characters: Good: The characters are the best part of this book. They are lovable; they are people I wish I could meet. Bad: There is nothing bad about the characters, they are wonderful. If anything, I would have loved more of them.

Creativity: Good: An original story about a writer that takes us on her journey in the discovery of a group of people brought together to survive WWII. Bad: None.



EXTRAS

Cover Art:A beautiful cover that is a perfect fit to the story.

Romance: Juliet relationship with Dawsey and Elizabeth and Christian add romance to this novel.

Overall: I recommend this book for a fellow book lover that enjoys learning about how reading and books helped a group of strangers come together, helped them survive the war and build a family.


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{Review} A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Title: A Reliable Wife
Author: Robert Goolrick
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Publisher: Algonquin Books (April 2009)
                                  Hardcover: 291 pages
                                  ISBN: 9781565129771
                                  Source: Library Book
                                  Available on: Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Plot: 17/20
Setting: 17/20
Writing: 18/20
Characters: 19/20
Creativity: 15/20

Total: 86/100 = of 5 stars

Description from GoodReads:

"Abandoning her worldly life, traveling to a remote Wisconsin town in the dead of winter, trusting her future to a man she had never met - such was Catherine Land's new beginning. But there was an ending in sight as well, an ending that would redeem the treachery ahead, justify the sacrifice, and allow her to start over yet again. That was her plan." "For Ralph Truitt, the wealthy businessman who had advertised for "a reliable wife," this was also to be a new beginning. Years of solitude, denial, and remorse would be erased, and Catherine Land, whoever she might be, would be the vessel of his desires, the keeper of his secrets, the means to recover what was lost. That was his plan." Set just after the turn of the twentieth century, A Reliable Wife is the story of these two people, each plagued by a heart filled with anger and guilt, each with a destiny in mind. But neither anticipates what develops between them - the pent-up longings that Catherine discovers in this enigmatic man and the depth of her own emotional response; the joy Ralph experiences in giving Catherine the luxuries she has never known, his growing need for her, and a desire that he thought was long buried."

Plot: Good: A story of passion, murder, madness that is a joy to read. A psychological driven tale with predictable twist and turns but non the less entertaining.

Setting: 1907, wintry Wisconsin was a good setting for this story.

Writing: Good: I loved the Gothic feel of this novel. Bad: It had too much of an erotic undertone for my taste.

Characters: Good: Ralph is a perverted, lusty, lonely man and Catherine is a manipulative, and murderous woman. Yet, despite the fact that they are both liars, I couldn't help wanting them to be happy and together. Bad: I would have liked a little more elaboration on the crazy citizens of the town.

Creativity: Not the most original story but still a good read.

EXTRAS

Cover Art: I read the Hardcover, with the snowy trees cover and didn't like it. However, the paperback cover I saw later was amazing. I think that the faceless women in the red dress standing on the snow with a train in the background gives a wonderful preview of what the book is about.

Romance: It is not your average good girl meets prince charming, it's more like Wuthering Heights.

Overall: A good book for lovers of Gothic literature you just have to get over the author constantly thinking about sex.

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