Mystery at Blackbeard's Cove

Mystery at Blackbeard's Cove by Audrey Penn
Artwork by Joanna Miller
2.5/5 stars
Tanglewood, 2007
343 pages
Middle-Grade

Source: Received an e-copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an older book I found while poking around on Netgalley and with my deep love for the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I decided to request it. The beginning was promising with a pirate raid occurring.

However we then shift to the present and I felt the story slooooow down. There is set up around the widow Mrs. McNemmish who wants to be buried at sea. A group of four children are enlisted to ensure that this last wish is carried out: Billy, Daniel, Mark, and Stefanie.

Now I know I usually love books with my name but a. it's spelled wrong and b. Stefanie was annoying. She whined a lot and never seemed committed to the spirit of adventure like the boys were. Mark didn't speak although he could communicate a lot through facial expressions and gestures and I found the other two boys indistinguishable. So it's safe to say that I didn't click with the characters.

But what about the plot? Although quite a few events are detailed, I felt like this book dragged. It took me ages to read it and I ended up stopping and reading something else more than a few times before buckling down to finish. Why didn't I DNF? Well, I try to give any book I receive for a review a strong chance. By the time, I was considering stopping, I was already pretty far in and I wanted to know what happened, just for curiosity's sake. I will say that I thought the book improved with more excitement near the end. But there was so much that bored me in the beginning that I almost didn't stay for that good stuff.

Overall: I could not connect with the characters and felt the plot dragged for about the first half. While it did pick up, I was never fully immersed in the story.

Cover: I do like the skull-very piratey even though I feel like that aspect wasn't strongly emphasized in this book.

Never Enough

Never Enough by Denise Jaden
4/5 stars
Simon Pulse, 2012
375 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-galley via Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab Program (RIP).

I didn't know much about this book before starting it other than being familiar with Denise Jaden's work from her debut Losing Faith, which I read as part of The Contemps Challenge. My favorite part of that book was anticipating the relationship between sisters and I was pleased to see that sisters were also in this book. I wondered what the relationship would be like here.

And wow did we get a doozy of a relationship in this book, told from the perspective of Loann who is constantly unable to measure up to her beautiful popular sister Claire, making the title poignantly fitting even from the beginning. However as the book progresses we see more of Claire's perspective as well as a friend of Loann's, both of whom also live up to that title in absolutely heartbreaking ways.

But before we get to that good stuff, there was the choppy beginning. I felt very much in a daze and prepared for one kind of story based on the beginning. That story had more about friendship with one of Loann's friends stabbing her in the back and acting bizarrely cruel-the worst aspects of high school. Happily that passed and Loann begins to develop a friendship with loner Marcus, who I just adored.  As mentioned, his backstory and the ways he feels he is not enough are sad and we are teased with those details before they all spill out while also showing the many good things he tries to do. I really loved Marcus-he was a stupendous book boy!

The other element of note in my opinion is that of the relationship between sisters, always complicated, rarely easy (at least in my experience). Claire is the golden girl who has the world at her feet until she delays going to college and seems to throw herself into ballet, into work, into anything but confronting her dwindling frame. Meanwhile Loann, while never popular, has her strong friendship with Marcus and is the first to notice that something is not right with Claire, attempting to bring it to their parents' attention with lackluster results. The way Claire's eating disorder ends up consuming the family adds to the sadness. However I never felt overwhelmingly sad while reading this (which has happened to me while reading some books); I guess because I still felt some hope for the future and there were elements of humor along the way.

Overall: I was very thrown by the beginning but soon settled into the meat of the story, wiling away a pleasant afternoon with this book.

Cover: The girl looks pretty wistful as she contemplates the ways she can't measure up.

Imperfect Bliss

Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill
4/5 stars
Atria Books, 2012
294 pages
Austen-Inspired Fiction

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an automatic want-to-read after seeing that it was inspired by Austen's Pride and Prejudice, my very favorite book. I am always curious to see how an author will update the specific settings, characters, and plots from Austen's time to fit into our time.

In this case, we have a Jamaican-born mother whose childhood under the British empire inculcated her into certain ideas about status and class; this has been something she has tried to impress upon her four daughters, who were all named for British royalty: from eldest Victoria, next born Elizabeth (aka Bliss, our narrator), Diana, and Charlotte. She herself married a British man but alas a lowly professor without the income to keep them in the style she'd like. Bliss is her mother's disappointment, having married a poor Latin man, divorcing him when she discovered his adultery, and returning to live at home with their daughter while earning her PhD in history. Meanwhile Victoria is possibly on the verge of an unenthusiastic engagement to a very suitable man and high-schooler Charlotte is sneaking out at night for impure activities. Diana is the pride, having been selected to appear on a reality show called The Virgin, as the titular virgin who chooses a man and will marry him on television. This is her chance to snag a wealthy and hopefully titled man while also earning fame that will reflect onto her family.

Of course as I read, I was making comparisons to the original text. I thought the parents were especially well-done with the grasping mother and the distant father who has basically written off his two youngest. Diana and Charlotte as fame-seeking young women akin to Kitty and Lydia are also well-done. I also liked the stand-ins for Darcy and Wickham, with the Darcy guy in particular having some swoonworthy actions (he's so good to Bliss' daughter!) However I thought Bliss, while possessing an enjoyable sly sense of humor, cannot quite live up to my beloved Lizzy Bennet.

I did end up with two sizable problems. First, I didn't think enough time was spent on the romance. Bliss comes a lot closer to being with her Wickham and I felt their romance received more page-time than the real one. The ending with Bliss and her Darcy together felt rather rushed and abrupt. Second sometimes I thought the author was trying to speak against a society that condemns women for the clothing they wear and the fact that they might enjoy sex. But then there would be language agreeing with that point of view and a lot of use of the word "slut" used by both sympathetic and unsympathetic characters. It made me uncomfortable.

One last thing, I also had a very dumb moment about a third of the way through when I realized the book title comes from the main character. Her name is Bliss and she is imperfect! Um, that's something I should have realized right off but instead it took me quite a while...

Overall: A fun modern updating on Pride and Prejudice; I especially loved the exploration of the Mrs. Bennet character and her relationships with her daughters.

Cover: Love the pink and the artwork does remind me of some covers of Austen books that I've seen while also incorporating the modern elements of reality television.

The Girl Is Trouble

The Girl Is Trouble by Kathryn Miller Haines
4/5 stars
Roaring Brook Press, 2012
325 pages
YA Historical Mystery

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Although not enthused with the behavior of main character Iris in The Girl Is Murder, I loved the setting and was eager to return. Thus I was very pleased that my request was accepted on Netgalley and I happily dove into this part two.

More good news-Iris has somewhat learned her lesson about lying and sneaking around although she still does quite a bit in this book. But unlike last time, it didn't really bother me. In fact, I was very much Team Iris, supporting her through her trials and travails.

And it is very good that I liked Iris so much as she is our guide through this book ramping up the suspense and danger. Iris' first problem is the threatening notes Jewish students at her school are receiving; although Iris is no longer practicing, her family background in investigation makes her an obvious candidate to figure out who is harassing them. One of the suspects is her best friend Pearl, who has been ostracized and given the unfortunate nickname Pearl Harbor. But Iris cannot imagine Pearl doing such acts and wants to get to the bottom of the case.

That is, she wants to do so until she uncovers some shocking new evidence in her mother's suicide. Let's just say there is nothing simple or straightforward but instead lies and undercover shady acts abound. This comes to consume Iris and test her beyond anything she's done so far. Because of the personal nature of the case, I was easily able to feel for Iris. Her entire world was rocked and Iris' bravery in pursuing the truth really impressed me even as she was sometimes foolhardy when considering the potential danger.

So I've shared that I liked Iris in this book but what about the other characters? First, Pearl-one of the best best friends I've read in YA lately. She is in sync with Iris and aids her at several key junctures besides just being good emotional support. Then there is Iris' love interest, the bad boy Benny. Although I don't usually like the bad boy in YA lit, it helps that he seems to have a sweet heart deep down below his juvenile delinquent antics. As for the adults, I loved Iris' aunt and continue to adore her Polish landlady. I also loved getting to know more about Iris' mother in her final days-the love she had for her daughter and husband is touching and her end is very heartbreaking. The villains, being largely pro-Nazi/anti-Semitic, are quite easy to dislike and mostly receive their justice by the end. That may not always be the case in the real world, but I'm glad it usually happens in book world.

Overall: A strong second book, successfully evoking the 1940s WWII era while also strengthening the characterization and tying together two strands of mystery into one cohesive story. I'm expecting there to be a third book that will even top this!

Cover: I love pretty much everything about this, even including the fact that she's kind of looking at me-I think it helps that her face is pretty small and she seems suspicious of me. I really love her skirt as polka-dots are my favorite pattern. It's actually the same outfit as on the cover of the first book, which is great as not much time as passed and Iris doesn't have money for new clothes.

Review: A Farewell to Charms by Lindsey Leavitt

A Farewell to Charms by Lindsey Leavitt
4.5/5 stars
Hyperion, 2012
279 pages
Middle-Grade Fantastical
Book 3 in the Princess for Hire trilogy

Source: Received a copy from publisher as support for blog tour.

**Spoilers for the earlier books**

After loving Princess for Hire and The Royal Treatment, I was eagerly anticipating this conclusion to the trilogy. The previous book ended with suspense as Desi confirmed her suspicions that Reed was also a sub in the male branch of Facade.

Through her discussions with Reed and her relationship with her agent Meredith, the world of Facade is vastly expanded. We see more of the other agents and managing staff as well as more about the ultimate designs and purposes. This potentially has some negative outcomes that Desi is determined to thwart while also balancing her new responsibilities as a Level 3 sub. Desi will stop at nothing to uncover and proclaim the truth.

Meanwhile Desi's home life is getting more and more complicated. Her feelings toward Reed are in turmoil, she's fighting with her best friend, and her mother is all of a sudden awfully tired. The former was a bit tiresome but he's really only Desi's second crush and she needs some help negotiating that. It is sometimes hard to remember how old Desi really is because she takes on so much responsibility and is mature beyond her years. Meanwhile the situation with her friend was so rough to read; all Desi wants is to confide but she can't without betraying the confidentiality of Facade. The family storyline is really sweet although it fades a bit in comparison to the other plots.

Unfortunately in the end I wanted a little bit more of Desi using her empathy as a sub instead of investigating the machinations of Facade. I know how the series has been building toward that and if there hadn't been anything about it, I probably would have complained. Still I missed Desi subbing as much. I promise though that there are several satisfying episodes with Desi subbing-they were some of my favorite parts.

Overall: A satisfying conclusion to this princess trilogy-sure to please fans of the previous books. Desi is a great heroine and well worth reading about.

Cover: I love these covers so much! They provide the perfect opening to what these books are like.

Want to read this (or any of the books)? I'm hosting a giveaway of your choice of one of the books in the series. Open internationally!

#Giveaway: Princess for Hire book by @Lindsey_Leavitt

As part of the blog tour for the conclusion to Lindsey Leavitt's Princess for Hire series, I decided to give away one copy of any of the three books. I know everyone hasn't had a chance to read them all yet so this way you can choose which book you need. You can choose from:

Princess for Hire
The Royal Treatment
A Farewell to Charms

Rules:
1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships.
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. You do NOT have to follow although I appreciate it; I have a couple of extra entries because I am experimenting with Rafflecopter but all it takes to enter is to input a valid email address.
4. Contest ends July 15 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter-does any one know how to change the time zone on Rafflecopter?
5. Winner will be contacted via email on July 15 and will have 48 hours to respond with book selection and address or else I will move on to the next person. I pledge to keep your address confidential and to delete it as soon as I have shipped your book.
6. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at bookworm1858@hotmail.com.

~Blog comments are appreciated but do not count as valid entries~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Stop: A Farewell to Charms by Lindsey Leavitt

I am very pleased to be hosting author Lindsey Leavitt today in support of A Farewell to Charms, the conclusion to her Princess for Hire trilogy. Today she stopped by to answer some questions for me.

photo by Jennie Slade, from author website

Links:
Author Website
Author Blog
Author Twitter
Goodreads

• Name 3 things we can look forward to reading about in A Farewell to Charms.

REED, Façade’s secrets, Desi’s work life and real life finally coming together.

• What was your favorite part to write in this book?

The final two big scenes. I feel like I’ve been writing towards those moments for the last five years. I literally squealed and did a happy dance when I figured out the ending. I think that excitement shows up on the page too.

• In what way is Desi most like you? Least like you?

I was awkward and tall like Desi in junior high, kind of insecure and not sure where I fit. I figured that out more high school, also learned to rely on humor to get me through things. I don’t think I always have Desi’s heart, though I wish I did. She really goes out of her way to help others, regardless of consequence.

• I love the covers for this series. Did you have any say or get to share ideas to guide the process?

The overall concept is all Disney. When they showed me the idea for PRINCESS FOR HIRE, I knew it was a winner. So with each cover, I’ve given some overall thoughts. Like for PRINCESS FOR HIRE, I asked to add the Eiffel Tower key chain. And with THE ROYAL TREATMENT, the girl in the mirror was initially closer up, and with a strapless dress I thought she looked a little naked ☺ With A FAREWELL TO CHARMS, we went back and forth which characters should be in the locket. But really, the credit goes to the designers, who have been able to make each book mirror the content, but also created a lovely trilogy that looks gorgeous lined up on the shelf. (I can attest to that, I love seeing them all lined up together :)

• Like Desi, I love classic films. My favorite Old Hollywood actress is Vivien Leigh. Who is yours and why? 

Oh, I love Vivien Leigh! Girl had that eyebrow raise down to a science. Although I love loads of actresses and movies from the forties, fifties and sixties, I’m an Audrey Hepburn girl, through and through. I grew up watching her movies, and she was just a really elegant and kind person. I admire her so much.

This or That Questions:

• Sweet or salty? Sweet AND salty! Salted caramel hot chocolate with whip cream
• Heels or flats? Flats for everyday, heels for when I’m going for Amazon Woman. I’m 5’10”, so in six-inchers, I’m sometimes the tallest person in the room, which means it’s easier to find my friends.
• Cats or dogs? Oh dogs. Mostly at dog parks, where I take my kids to play with other people’s pets. Because both animals have hair that makes me sneeze/looks bad on my black shirts.
• Early bird or night owl? Night owl. Woo woo.
• The book or the movie? The book. Please. Sometimes the book AND the movie, but if it’s an or choice, words win.



Thank you so much for stopping by Lindsey-t was great to get to know a little bit more about one of my favorite authors! A reminder to readers, I will have a review of A Farewell to Charms up later today as well as a giveaway of one of the books so be sure to check back!