My First Blog Award!!

I so excited! I received my first blog award today from Ursina at The Farmer's Daughter's Bookshelf! Thank you so much, Ursina, for the One Lovely Blog Award!

"So here are the rules: Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award."

I choose these 15 Lovely Blogs!!

Tales of Whimsy
Teens Read and Write
J'adore Happy Endings
Cornucopia of Reviews
Nats
Vvb32 Reads
Read.Read.Read
Nomad Reader
Handle Like Hendrix
In Which a Girl Reads
Alexia's Books and Such...
Book Journey
The Neverending Shelf
Sharon loves books and cats
Confessions of a Book Junkie


Thank you again to Ursina at The Farmer's Daughter's Bookshelf! I really appreciate the award! Enjoy checking out these Lovely Blogs!

Waiting On Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine, and it is a way to show off the books you can't wait to be released!!

This week I chose:
"The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie Antionette"
by Carolyn Meyer

Harcourt Children's Books
Release Date: April 12, 2010

The following description is from Goodreads.com:

History paints her as a shallow party girl, a spoiled fashionista, a callous ruler. Perhaps no other royal has been so maligned--and so misunderstood--as Marie-Antoinette. From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. She tried to please everyone--courtiers, her young husband, the king, the French people--but often fell short of their expectations. Desperate for affection and subjected to constant scrutiny, this spirited young woman can't help but want to let loose with elaborate parties, scandalous fashions, and unimaginable luxuries. But as Marie-Antoinette's lifestyle gets ever more recklessly extravagant, the peasants of France are suffering from increasing poverty--and becoming outraged. They want to make the queen pay. In this latest installment of her acclaimed Young Royals series, Carolyn Meyer reveals the dizzying rise and horrific downfall of the last Queen of France.


I've really enjoyed the other books in Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals Series, and this one looks just as great! I also love all things Marie Antionette, as you can tell by my blog layout, so this is a must-have for me! Isn't this cover amazing?? What are you waiting for this week?

New Releases Tuesday Dec. 8

Today is Tuesday, which means New Releases!! Here are a few books that have just been released today, so run, don't walk to the nearest bookstore!


Fallen
by Lauren Kate

from Goodreads.com:


There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.





Need (Paperback)
by Carrie Jones

from Goodreads.com:

Zara collects phobias the way other girls collect Facebook friends. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

With suspense, romance, and paranormal themes, this exciting breakout novel has readers rapidly turning the pages.

The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein
by Libby Schmais

From Goodreads.com:



Lotus Lowenstein's life is merde. She dreams of moving to Paris and becoming an existentialist. Yet here she is trapped in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with a New-Agey mom, an out-of-work dad, and a chess champion brother who dreams of being a rock star. Merci à Dieu for Lotus’s best friend, Joni, who loves French culture enough to cofound their high school’s first French Club with Lotus. At the first meeting, the cutest boy in the world walks in. His name is Sean, and he too loves French culture and worships Jean-Paul Sartre.

At first, Lotus thinks Sean is the best thing to happen to her in years. He’s smart, cultured, and adorable. Unfortunately, though, Joni feels the same way. And having an existentialist view of love, Sean sees nothing wrong with enjoying both girls’ affections. Things come to a head when all three depart for Montreal with their teacher, Ms. G, on the French Club’s first official field trip. Will Sean choose Joni over Lotus? And will Lotus and Joni’s friendship ever recover?






Enjoy the new releases, everyone! Feel free to comment with any other new releases you'd like to add!

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, and is a way for everyone to show off their new books for the week, including those bought, swapped, won, or received for review.

Swapped:

It Ain't All About the Cookin' by Paula Deen

I've been wanting this autobiography for quite some time, have any of you read it? Can't wait to start reading!

Next up, a blast from the past! I'm so excited to have swapped not one but two classic Sunfire teen romances this week! If you have never read a Sunfire romance, you are missing out!! They are classic teen romances from the 80s/early 90s each set in a different historical time period, with a strong teen heroine and two handsome young men vying for her heart!

Diana by Mary Francis Shura

Merrie by Vivian Schurfranz

What did you receive in your mailbox this week??

"The Duke of Shadows"

"The Duke of Shadows"
by Meredith Duran

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I read this book because of all the great reviews of Meredith Duran's writing. But after struggling to finish, I realized this book was just not for me. Duran is an excellent writer, and wrote a very well developed plot, but I didn't care for the descriptive violence that permeated the book.

At the start of the book, Emma Martin has been through a tragedy, the first of many, and emerged wanting to truly live life. Julian Sinclair, the Duke of Auburn, feels at home neither in India or in London, as a son of both worlds. The last thing they expected was to be caught up in the political turmoil between Britain and India with only each other. They survive the unthinkable together, but ultimately are separated by the political unrest. Years later, they are reunited in London, only to discover how much they both have changed.

The book is split into two parts, and the first part was more promising than the second. The second book didn't tell me enough from Julian's viewpoint, the only side of the story I saw was Emma's. Julian was downright mean and cruel to Emma, and since I didn't see his point of view, I didn't understand his motives. Honestly, his cruelty might have been the breaking point for me, where I just completely stopped enjoying this book. In the first part, Julian was loving, caring, and kind to Emma, and wanted her to know how much he loved her. In the second part, he was constantly mocking her and condescending. The only part of the second half that I liked was the storyline with Emma's paintings. She worked through her grief by painting the horrors that she had seen. I didn't think the cold, dark secret she was keeping was something that she couldn't share with Julian after everything that they had been through together.

I am a sucker for a reunion story, and the actual reunion scene in the London ballroom was by far my favorite scene of the book. This is the Julian that I wanted to see through the entire book, so caught up in his love for Emma that the rest of the world disappears.

This book is very dark and filled with tragedy and violence. When the couple does let their love show, the result is beautiful and tender. However, these moments are just too few in my opinion.

"What Happens in London"

Mini Review:
My mini reviews are short, sweet reviews just long enough to give you an idea of what I thought about a book, they usually don't include a summary like my regular reviews. Take a minute or two and enjoy!


"What Happens in London"
by Julia Quinn

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


"What Happens in London" has so many rave reviews, that maybe my expectations were a little too high. I do think Julia Quinn's writing style is excellent, so much thought goes into every single page. The main characters' witty banter and snappy inner dialogue were so much fun to read. I absolutely loved the supporting character, Sebastian! He was just too much fun to read about, especially his love for the silly "Ms. Butterworth" novel. He was such a vivid character who just jumped off the page for me. However, I was less than thrilled about the actual romance in this book. I just felt no connection between Harry and Olivia, and when they started to fall in love, I thought it came across as forced and cheesy. I know, I know, I'm in the minority in thinking this, but I really did think the book was funny and witty, just not very romantic. I can't wait for Sebatian to get his own book!

Waiting On Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine, and it is a way to show off the books you can't wait to be released!!

This week I chose:
"A Golden Web"
by Barbara Quick

HarperTeen
Release Date: April 6, 2010

The following description is from Goodreads.com:



Alessandra is desperate to escape—from her stepmother, who’s locked her away for a year; from the cloister that awaits her if she refuses the marriage plans that have been made for her; from the expectations that limit her and every other girl in fourteenth-century Italy. There’s no tolerance in her village for her keen intelligence and her unconventional ideas. In defiant pursuit of her dreams, Alessandra undertakes an audacious quest, her bravery equaled only by the dangers she faces. Disguised and alone in a city of spies and scholars, Alessandra will find a love she could not foresee—and an enduring fame. In this exquisite imagining of the centuries-old story of Alessandra Giliani, the world’s first female anatomist, distinguished novelist Barbara Quick gives readers the drama, romance, and rich historical detail for which she is known as she shines a light on an unforgotten—and unforgettable—heroine.





I love historical fiction, especially those with a little bit of romance! And ones that are based on historical fact are even better! What are you waiting for this week??