The Girl with the Windup Heart

The Girl with the Windup Heart (Steampunk Chronicles #4)

by Kady Cross

4 stars

 

400 pages

Published May 27, 2014 by Harlequin TEEN

 

I love these books. This book follows the continuing stories of Finley, Griffin, Mila and Jack. Much like a soap opera jumps from one storyline to the next, this book follows that pattern. In one, Finley is trying to free Griffin from the evil clutches of Garibaldi; and in the other story, Mila is discovering the world.

Mild swearing and implied sex. Nothing to make you blush.

I hope there are more of these books in Kady Cross's head.

The Dark Discovery of Jack Dandy

The Dark Discovery of Jack Dandy (Steampunk Chronicles #2.5)

by Kady Cross

4 stars

44 pages

Published July 1, 2013 by Harlequin Teen

 

This is a great little novella that explains bridges the gap between #2 and #3 in the Steampunk Chronicles. It tells how Jack Dandy came to find his "dark discovery" and what he thinks and feels about himself, his father and "love." It's a quick read - it took me an hour maybe - and worth it if you love the Steampunk Chronicles, which I totally do!

The Secret Prophecy

by Herbie Brennan

2 stars

 

368 pages

Published Oct. 30, 2012 by Balzer + Bray

 

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. The concept was good-ish, but it just didn't work. There was too much Da Vinci Code shenanigans, but without the panache. And the ending??? Don't get me started on such a poorly written, confusing, abrupt end to a lackluster book.

There was too much dialogue and too much conspiracy theory to make this an acceptable book for the YA genre. Characterization was blah. Em was a wuss; Charlotte would have made a much better main character. At least she had some gumption and smarts.

At least there wasn't any swearing or sex. That was a positive. And it was a stand-alone book. Thank goodness.

Etiquette & Espionage

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1)

by Gail Carriger

3 stars

307 pages
Published Feb. 5, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

 
After reading Gail Carriger's adult Parasol Protectorate books, I thought I'd give her YA ones a try. This one didn't disappoint, although there was a bit less adventure contained within its pages. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, characters, and the plot. Mostly the writing. Exquisite vocabulary usage.

Completely YA appropriate - no swearing, sex or other ickiness. I may be checking out the next in the series.

Tryst

Tryst

by Elswyth Thane

4 stars

264 pages

Published June 1, 1974 by Amereon (first published 1939)

 

I got lucky when my friend handed me this out-of-print book. I had never heard of Elswyth Thane, but now that I have I just may find other books by her.

This book melded some of my favorite genres: romance and the supernatural. Basically - a girl falls in love with a ghost. But she's never seen or spoken to said ghost.

I enjoyed such a different and fresh take on the supernatural.
And no swearing and sex made it that much more palatable!

The Camelot Caper

The Camelot Caper

by Elizabeth Peters

2 stars

352 pages

Published Jan. 9, 2001 by Avon (first published 1969)

 

I got through this. It was OK. If you can forget the fact that half the storyline details are dropped and just focus on the general plot, you will enjoy it.

Alas, it's next to impossible for me to ignore glaring gaps. The love story aspect is not developed correctly at all. Details are glossed over - then BAM! they're engaged. What just happened??

Character development was seriously flawed and jagged.

And the ending SUCKED - confusing and lackluster.

I think the reason I actually got through this was the writing. It wasn't bad. In places, it was quite witty and clever. It's like ... you have high quality ingredients for a cake recipe - but you put them together totally wrong and the cake flops. This is what this book was - a flopped cake with great ingredients.

So much potential. Such bad execution.

Skulk

Skulk

by Rosie Best

4 stars

Expected publication: Oct. 1, 2013 by Strange Chemistry

It's official. I'm excited about this book! A fresh new voice in YA fiction has made her debut with panache and creativity. I am anxious to see where her career goes and how many awesome books Rosie Best can churn out.

Her debut, Skulk, is filled with fast pacing, horrible Roald Dahl-esque parents, an eclectic group of shape-shifters, a seriously evil bad guy, betrayal, wonderful writing and clever plot. It has been a while since I read a book I couldn't put down - this revived my faith in great YA novels.

Her character development is stellar. As a reader, you can easily know what is going on in the mind of the main character - her thoughts and feelings - allowing you to connect and sympathize with what she's going through. Some of the other characters are a bit flat, but I'm hoping/assuming more will come with Book Number 2 in the series.

I would have loved to give this book 5 stars, but there are aspects that prevent me from doing so.

Gore - quite explicit gore, actually - is peppered throughout the book. Also, the language is rough - one f-bomb and some strong British cursing - mar the overall fantastic-ness of Best's story.

I am ecstatic that a new - and great - author has made an appearance on the vast stage of YA literature. If her writing continues on the same vein as Skulk, Best will be a powerful player for years to come.

Thank you NetGalley.com and Strange Chemistry/Angry Robot Ltd. for allowing me to review this fantastic ARC.

Heartless

Heartless (Parasol Protectorate #4)

by Gail Carriger

3 stars

385 pages

Published July 1st 2011 by Orbit

 

A solid fourth performance by Gail Carriger. I love these books! The wit, the charm, the manners! 

So why did I rate this only 3 stars? Unfortunately, the story was weak. The plot thin. In my view, the book only acted as a bridge to the next book in the series.

Yet, that major flaw was oddly easy to overlook because Carriger's writing style is so entertaining and engaging. Her vocabulary is incredibly extensive. After reading a few chapters, I always feel smarter!

I will read the next book in the series.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

5 stars

 
274 pages

Published July 29, 2008, by The Dial Press

 

I've read this book twice, which is rare for me. I don't usually deem a book good enough to spend time on twice, but this one did! And still does. I expect I will re-read it in the future, I loved it that much! I wish Mary Ann Shaffer were still around to write more fantastic books.
Here are my two reviews:

The first:
I rarely give 5 stars to any book, but I really loved this book! It was clean and uplifting - I would recommend it to my sisters and maybe even my mom. I liked the happy ending. I wish more books had that.

The second:
I just reread this book. And I still absolutely give it 5 stars! I think it's one of my favorite books ever. Wonderful, witty, poignant, informative. Love, love it! Please read it. Recommend to all!

At Home

At Home: A Short History of Private Life

by Bill Bryson 

3 stars

497 pages

Published Oct. 5, 2010 by Doubleday

 

I've given up on this book, which is sad because what I did read, I liked. It was just too long and too verbose, and I just couldn't get into it enough to read it all the way through.

The book details each room in Bryson's home in England, its history and reasons for the room's existence. I didn't even mind the various tangents Bryson travels on - since there is only so much information you can tell relating directly to a hall or kitchen, etc. Each chapter is chock full of trivial details all delivered in Bryson's patented dry wit. This is actually the first of his books that I haven't been able to finish.

I'm just glad I can return this book to the library and get it out of my house.

Blameless

Blameless (Parasol Protectorate #3)

by Gail Carriger

4.5 stars

374 pages

Published Sept. 1, 2010 by Orbit

I can't get enough of this fabulous series! The writing is plain fantastic, and the repartee between characters is witty and whip-smart. Pull out your dictionaries, people, because Carriger sure can use her huge vocabulary for literary hilarity! There are too many great quotes to choose from.

The pacing was fast. The plot well-defined and action-packed. No swearing, and only half a page of sexiness.

The only reason I docked a half star is that the whole explanation on what exactly the kid is going to be and why the Templars were interested in the whole situation was a mite confusing.

Thank you, Gail Carriger, for writing a series that uses an extensive vocabulary - there's no dumbing down for this author!

I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!

Below Stairs

Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey"

by Margaret Powell, Leigh Crutchley (Ghost writer)

4 stars

212 pages

Published Jan. 3, 2012 by St. Martin's Press (first published 1968) 

 

After reading Austen and Gaskell and watching Downton Abbey, etc., I've begun to wonder about the lives of servants. They play such a huge part in the lives of the upper-class - but always in the background, never noticed. Servants cook, clean, garden, raise children, do hair, serve the food, welcome guests - so much stuff!! But rarely, if ever are they even mentioned.
This book, "Below Stairs," gives a fantastic glimpse into the lives of those in service and the undeniable inequality and injustice of the "master and servant" system. Though as a mother, I sometimes feel I am still a part of that - my kids being the masters and I the servant. Hmph.
As this memoir was written by a fairly "modern" woman (she was born in 1907), it would be really interesting to read a memoir of a servant who served back in the 1700s or 1800s, to see if the same dissatisfaction was still apparent.
All in all, a good book. One that I recommend. It's funny, sad, and eye-opening.