Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

Title: Tuesdays at the Castle
Author: Jessica Day George
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: LOVE
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Tuesdays at Castle Glower are Princess Celie's favorite days. That's because on Tuesdays the castle adds a new room, a turret, or sometimes even an entire wing. No one ever knows what the castle will do next, and no one-other than Celie, that is-takes the time to map out the new additions. But when King and Queen Glower are ambushed and their fate is unknown, it's up to Celie, with her secret knowledge of the castle's never-ending twists and turns, to protect their home and save their kingdom.

Opinions: I fell in love with Jessica Day Georges' writing several years ago when she wrote "Dragon Slippers". Then fell deeper in love when I read, "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow". So it was with great excitement that I picked up "Tuesdays at the Castle". Although I admit, I didn't have any idea what it was about. So I was very pleased to find out it was about a magic castle that could grow and change as was needed to help the royal family.

This is an interesting story of intrigue, bravery and there is some funny moments too. I love the practical jokes. I love Celie and her siblings. But honestly, one of my favorite characters was the castle. It was amazing. I wanted to go and visit it.

Jessica Day George is an amazing author with a great command of storytelling. I hope she plans to write another book about Celie and the Castle. I would be first in line to buy it. I loved this one so.

Slayers by C.J. Hill

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Title: Slayers
Author: C.J. Hill
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: There is dragon violence and a battle scene. The "Slayers" are teenagers that use firearms to protect people from the dragons.
Premise: Dragons exist. They’re ferocious. And they’re smart: Before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it – these “Slayers” are descended from the original knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart but spoiled senator’s daughter who didn’t sign up to save the world.

The dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?


Opinions: I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! I am a huge fan of C.J. Hill's other works (this book is written under a pseudonym) and was a bit hesitant to read this one. Cause it is a far cry from the other types of books she's written. But BOY HOWDY! is this one good!

Tori has always been obsessed with dragons and she has always believed that they were real, then she goes to "Dragon Camp" and discovers that not only are they real but she was born with special abilities that allow her to fight them.

This book follows Tori and the other Slayers as they train to save people from a Dragon attack. But of course there are adjustments for everyone to make and lots of learning for Tori. Okay, and honestly, I could go on and on about the things I liked, but I don't want to give any spoilers. So just know that this is an AWESOME book. (Can you tell I really liked it?) And I am super excited for the next book in the series.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

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Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Rating: LOVE
Alerts/Warnings: There is a mention of a groping in a prison camp and some brief mentions of forced prosititution. But nothing graphic.
Premise: In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp. All is lost.

Lina fights for life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive.

It is a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

Opinions: Such a powerful, heart-wrenching book. I sobbed several times in this book. There was a moment when I had to stop reading because I was crying so hard. As I was reading this book I realized how little I knew about what happened in Russia and the neighboring countries during Stalin's reign of Terror, and this book opened my eyes to it. Intellectually, I knew that Stalin was horrible and that he caused the death of millions of people. But I had never had a class on it or read a book about it. That changed this week when I read this amazingly touching novel.

Lina, her brother Jonas and her mother Elena, are "deported" from their home to Sibera. They don't know where they are going and people are dying all around them. But they are determined to stay together and to stay alive. You follow their journey for over a year and find that even through all the stink and horror they go through, there is still hope and determination to not let these horrible people beat them.

This is a power and moving book that I highly recommend. It is an amazing debut novel for Ruth Sepetys and I for one am anxious to read what she writes next.

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow

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Title: The Berlin Boxing Club
Author: Robert Sharenow
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: LOVE!
Alerts/Warnings: This deals with Nazi Germany so there are some moments of racism. There are also some mentions of male genitalial in connection to circumcision and trying to hide his heritage. There is nothing graphic.

Premise: Fourteen-year-old Karl Stern has never thought of himself as a Jew. But to the bullies at his school in Naziera Berlin, it doesn't matter that Karl has never set foot in a synagogue or that his family doesn't practice religion. Demoralized by relentless attacks on a heritage he doesn't accept as his own, Karl longs to prove his worth to everyone around him.

So when Max Schmeling, champion boxer and German national hero, makes a deal with Karl's father to give Karl boxing lessons, Karl sees it as the perfect chance to reinvent himself. A skilled cartoonist, Karl has never had an interest in boxing, but as Max becomes the mentor Karl never had, Karl soon finds both his boxing skills and his art flourishing.

But when Nazi violence against Jews escalates, Karl must take on a new role: protector of his family. Karl longs to ask his new mentor for help, but with Max's fame growing, he is forced to associate with Hitler and other Nazi elites, leaving Karl to wonder where his hero's sympathies truly lie. Can Karl balance his dream of boxing greatness with his obligation to keep his family out of harm's way?

Opinions: Wow! Can I tell you this is one of the best books I have ever read about Nazi Germany. Don't get me wrong, there are some powerful and touching books out there, but this one just spoke to me.

Robert Sharenow is an amazing author with a great talent for writing and storytelling that draws you in so that the story consumes you in that delicious way that you don't want to do anything but read and discover what happens. I cared so much about Karl and his family that I couldn't stop thinking about them even when I wasn't reading the book. Then when I was reading another book (review coming soon) that took place around the same time, I kept thinking about what Karl and his family would have been doing.

While the topic is sad and depressing, I loved how Robert Sharenow slowly depicted the denegration of the lives of the Jewish people in Germany. I felt that through the course of the book I was falling with Sterns. I was so drawn in that I felt like I was part of the Stern family and the Berlin Boxing Club.

This is an amazing book that everyone should read. It is a profound book that is written by an amazing storyteller who is also an impressive writer.

Secrets of the Magic Ring by Karen McQuestion

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To see my review of "Celia and the Faeries" by Karen McQuestion click here.

Title: Secrets of the Magic Ring
Author: Karen McQuestion
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: When nine-year-old Paul explores the hole dug for his backyard swimming pool, he discovers a box containing a ring—a ring that turns out to be magical. Moments later, a mysterious boy shows up demanding the ring; luckily, Paul’s trusty dog Clem scares him away. To keep the ring safe, Paul hides it in his pillow case, where, to his horror, it’s discovered by his mother, who loans it to his Aunt Vicky. Things get even stranger when Vicky, a non-swimmer, falls into the now-finished pool and discovers that her greatest secret wish has been granted—she can swim! As the ring gets passed around and wishes are made, a wild series of talents and circumstances threaten to turn their lives upside down…forever.

Opinions: I have to admit to being very excited to read this book. I really enjoy Karen McQuestions writing style. She has a unique voice and talent for writing kids in a way that makes you believe that it's real. I love that her writing and characterization is so beautiful that I'm sucked into the characters and I truly believe that what is happening and their choices could be real. Especially in a fantastical setting, it makes you think, "Huh, maybe this could be."

Paul was one of my favorite characters in "Celia and the Faeries" and I was thrilled to find him the main character in this book. Again I really liked the relationship between him and Celia. I also liked that he loved his parents but he was also frustrated with them. But as a mom, I could see both perspectives and I loved that.

I loved the wishes and that unexpected things kept happening. This was a fun, sweet book that I thoroghly enjoyed. I look forward to reading to my boys when they are just a little bit older. (I don't think my 2 year old is quite ready for it yet.) But it is a book that I know they will love, I mean, two words, Talking Dog. You're hooked now aren't you?

Fall by Jennifer Hurst

Go here for information about Jennifer Hurst's giveaway for Fall.




Title: Fall
Author: Jennifer Hurst
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Rating: Adore
Alerts/Warnings: One swearword, one incident of implied sex
Premise: "Women and construction shouldn't mix. At least, that is what the client, Mr. Blackwell, thinks when Twenty-one year old Julia D. Halstead is promoted to project manager to remodel a turn-of-the-century schoolhouse into a bed and breakfast. However, the schoolhouse contains a dark secret that has been hidden for nearly a hundred years. A secret that will unleash the furies of Hell and cause the Angels in Heaven to weep as ethereal brothers, Matthew and Nathan, battle over Julia's very soul." (Book Jacket blurb)
Opinions: So I wanted to have a fresh opinion of this book. I didn't read Karen's review, nor did I read anything about the book. I just dove in. And here's what I thought.

It took me probably 25 pages to get into the story. But once I did, I really did. I liked the pacing and I liked the characters, especially Nathan and Meagan. I have to admit that I was a bit confused at times in the first 75 pages but nothing too major. I assumed I would get it later, and I did. (Which was nice, I hate being left hanging.)

And in all honesty, this is probably not the type of book I would pick up to read. HOWEVER! I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it. It was fun and entertaining. Quirky (and I like quirky).

My one fault is that I don't know if there is going to be a sequel. (I'll find out I'm sure.) The ending was done in such a way that it wasn't clear to me.

I love that JD is a strong and fiercely independant woman. I love that issue of choice and consequence throughout the novel. I love the way Jennifer Hurst builds her characters and tension. She is a very talented writer and I look forward to more books from her.

Overall, an enjoyable read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)

Warning: For those who may be uncomfortable with sex in books there is one instance of sex. It is not described, but you know it happens and that the person is faced with consequences for those actions throughout the rest of the story. I loved that there was a balance between the choice and consequences for all of the characters' actions throughout the story.

Celia and the Fairies by Karen McQuestion

Title: Celia and the Fairies
Author: Karen McQuestion
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: When Celia Lovejoy's parents announce that her grandmother is coming to live with them, Celia is delighted. Now while her parents work at their toy company, she can spend time with Grammy instead of going to bossy Paul's house. When her grandmother tells stories about the fairies living in the woods behind Celia's house, her parents are quick to dismiss it. "Just a lot of nonsense," says her father with a wave of his hand. Her mother reminds her that a ten-year-old girl is too old to believe in magic. But if there are no fairies, how to explain the glimmers of light she sees from her balcony at night? And why does she dream of a fairy girl begging for help? All of the answers are in the woods, if only Celia is brave enough to find out.

Opinions: This is such a cute book. I love the sweetness of the story. Celia is a great character. I love that she feels real. She reads like an girl and not like an adult trying to sound like a girl. (Which is nice and a job well done for Karen McQuestion.) She is spunky and I liked her character.

It isn't a long book. I read it in less than 2 hours. But I enjoyed it. I liked that at the end I didn't have loose questions that hadn't been answered and I wasn't frustrated by the ending. I finished and was satisfied. (I love when I feel satisfied when I finish a book as opposed to frustrated and want to pull my hair out.)

I think my favorite aspect of the book was the relationship between Paul and Celia. It felt very real to me. I could see the tension of wanting to grow up and change and wanting to stay young. I felt the relationship was unique and appealing to me. (I think it reminded me of a friend from my childhood.)

Overall, it was a sweet and fun book. I loved that it felt like a book from my past and that it could have happened. It was beautifully written and had a magical feel to it that was grounded in childhood magic. I highly recommend this book and hope you take the opportunity to read it.

Winners!

We have our winners! Aren't you so excited?!?!

So the winner of the book is.......CHERYL!

*****tosses confetti*****

We will send you a list of books to choose from.

The winner of the $5 amazon.com gift card is..........ALISON!

******tosses confetti and blows horn*******

Congrats to our winners and thank you for the reviews we did got. We are excited to share them with you.

Have a wonderful day friends and happy reading!

Last day to enter!

Our giveaway ends tonight! So today is the last day to enter and send us those reviews. The contest ends tonight at 9pm EST. Winner will be announced either tonight or tommorrow (depends on how late my meeting goes tonight).

Go here or all the ways you can enter, and email your reviews to fabulousreads@yahoo.com.

Make sure you leave a way for us to contact you if you win.

Jazzmatazz! by Stephanie Calmenson and Bruce Degen(Ills)

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Title: Jazzmatazz!
Author: Stephanie Calmenson and Bruce Degen (Illustrator)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: When a piano-playing mouse slips inside a house to get warm, watch out! In no time he has a whole family, then a whole town, making music. They're drumming, fiddling, singing, dancing, and jazzmatazz jamming!

Stephanie Calmenson's sing-aloud words and Bruce Degen's eye-dancing pictures bring music to every page.

What kind of music will you make? (goodreads.com)

Opinions: This was one of those randomly selected books from the library that I just threw in my bag cause the title appealed to me and the pictures looked cute. Little did I know how much we would read and love this book.

This bookstarts with a piano playing mouse and builds through the house until everyone inside and out of the house is singing along and making music too. Each animal or person has a visual shape and color and when all the music comes together so do all the colors and shapes. I love that as the words (which we chant/sing in a jazzy rhythm) build into a fun sound that is also so very visual. And usually we are all bouncing (alright dancing) by the end of the book. The illustrations are beautiful and the words are fun and it has a great rhythm.

We love this book. It is one of our all time favorites that we read over and over and over again. And the kids like it too. :)

Pajamas Anytime by Marsha Hayles and Hiroe Nakata (Ills)

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Title: Pajamas Anytime
Author: Marsha Hayles, Hiroe Nakata (Illustrator)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: You can't help but have comfy fun in pajamas all year round. And not just when you're sleeping! If January's snow closes school for the day or a February cold keeps you sofa'd from play, it's time for pajamas. When your September school party has you all dressed for bed and in pumpkin October when ghost stories are read, only pajamas will do. This lilting book is perfect for snuggling at bedtime or any other time. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: We read this regularly at bedtime. Any guesses as to why?

This book has several appeals for me. I like that it goes through a year and talks about all the different months. Not only that, but if you are paying attention gives a brief blip about what generally happens during that month.

The lilting poetry is fun. We have a rhythm that we read it at, and whenever anyone reads it to my kids NOT in that rhythm they tell them they are reading it wrong. (But with kindness and love I'm sure.)

The illustrations are gorgeous watercolors. I am amazed what people can do with watercolors. They are just beautiful.

Overall, a fun and delightful story that will give you plenty to look at visually, and fun words to go to sleep by.

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Don't forget to enter our contest. Go here for all the ways to enter.
Title: Flotsam
Author: David Wiesner
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: This is a visually stunning book that has no words. I love that it tells the story without words. AND it does it so well, that you know exactly what the story is.

A young boy is on the beach and finds an underwater camera. He takes it and gets the film developed. The pictures he sees both on the land and on the see shock and amaze him as he discovers things about under the ocean and the history of the camera.

Seriously, just thinking about this book is giving me goosebumps. It's that amazing! This is one of those books that I will look at for hours and find new things in the illustrations. This book won the Caldecott Medal the year it was published, and it was my pick to win. Frankly, how could it not have. IT IS AMAZING! It is worth the time to look at, even briefly, and even if you don't have kids. (I was pregnant the first time I looked at this book. So amazing.)

Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton

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Title: Hippos Go Berserk
Author: Sandra Boynton
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: How dull, to be one hippo all alone... until the one calls two other hippos on the phone. Soon three more hippos are at the door, bringing along another four. Before the night is through, a houseful of hippos (and one beast) has joined the one hippo for a boisterous bash. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: Before I had kids, I didn't know who Sandra Boynton was. *hangs my head in shame* Boy was I missing out!

Sandra Boynton mixes fun illustrations with a creative mind that makes for fun stories. Like this counting book. You count up to 9 and back down again as the hippos arrive for a party and then leave. It's cute and fun. My kids love it. So do I. I admit to sitting around just staring at the illustrations. Sandra Boynton sneaks in all sorts of little quirky things (like a version of Whistlers Mother). The rhythmic language of the book is fun and definately adds to the appeal of the book.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Don't forget to enter our contest. Go here for all the ways to enter.
Title: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Author: Judith Viorst, Ray Cruz (Ills)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair.

And it got worse...

His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV! (goodreads.com)

Opinions: You have probably read this book. But I couldn't not review it for picture book month! It is one of my favorites. I have my copy from when I was a little girl that my kids read. It is thoroughly tattered, bent and torn, but we tape it back together and keep on reading it. Part of me loves that it is so damaged. It's just like the story of Alexander. Sometimes life doesn't go the way you want it to. Sometimes you wake with gum in your hair and you forget to count 16. But you make it through.

Life isn't about the easy stuff. It's the sticky stuff that makes life interesting. This book ran through my mind constantly while I was in China. Sometimes things are tough. Sometimes it seems like nothing goes right. But running away doesn't solve the problem. And when you stand strong, you will be stronger for it.

This is a great book, no matter what your age or where you live. It will hit a chord with you. Even in Australia.

The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko(Illustrator)

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Title: The Paper Bag Princess
Author: Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko (Illustrator)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: WORSHIP
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Elizabeth, a beautiful princess, lives in a castle and wears fancy clothes. Just when she is about to marry Prince Ronald, a dragon smashes her castle, burns her clothes with his fiery breath, and prince-naps her dear Ronald. Undaunted and presumably unclad, she dons a large paper bag and sets off to find the dragon and her cherished prince. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: This is a favorite in my house. By both me and my boys. It's a little tattered, a little torn, a little mended, and much loved. It is regularly picked by both boys to read for bedtime. And I do not mind. I love this book.

Princesses get a lot of crud in this world. They are picked on and trapped and really can't think for themselves in a lot of stories.

BUT in this story Princess Elizabeth looses everything and then does something about it. She goes after Prince Ronald to try and save him from the dragon. How awesome is that! She decides that she wants something, and she goes that uses her brains to accomplish it! I love that this book shows a strong female with smarts using them to her advantage. Then in the end, she stands up for herself again. (Not going to tell you, but you will know when you get there, and we all say that line aloud. It's the second to the last line of the book.)

The illustrations are fun and truly this is a great book about strong, smart females and how to treat each other. I love love love that my boys love this book. It gives me great fodder for talking about how to treat women and how not to underestimate anyone.

I don't know if you can tell, but I have loved this book for years. It's worth reading. Go read it. Go on. It's worth it!

The Queen of Style by Caralyn Buehber and Mark Buehber

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Title: The Queen of Style
Author: Caralyn Buehber and Mark Buehner
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Queen Sophie rules a small, happy kingdom of farmers, but she herself isn’t happy. Nobody ever comes to her with a problem, and she is bored to tears . . . until she spots an ad for the Royal College of Beauty correspondence course. Soon she is memorizing directions and practicing her lessons in a frenzy. She starts writing proclamations, demanding that her subjects come to the castle so that she can cut and curl and color their hair. Even the sheep must be coiffed. It’s not long before Sophie finds herself facing an angry—though very stylish!—mob. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: Queen Sophie is bored and so she finds her passion.....doing hair. So she practices on her subjects and their sheep. She is having a great time, until she realizes that her subjects are not. They don't like having to come and get their hair cut or dyed or whatever she needs to do. Sophie feels bad because she never realized that everyone wasn't having as much fun as she was.

Okay, so this book teaches a great lesson. What is fun for you is fun, but not everyone might think so. Forcing people to play how or what you want, isn't fun in the long run. Playing together is much better.

I love the illustrations. They are so fun. Especially the sheep. Don't forget to look for the sheep. I love that the people have these elaborate hairdos that just keep getting more interesting.

This is a fun book with a great message for kids. And yes, I read it to my boys. And yes, they liked it. And yes, my husband had issue with that. But that's okay with me. It's a GREAT story.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Historical Ficiton
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: There is some cursing and issues of racism. Also there is one chapter dealing with a nude man that has some mildly crass language.
Premise: Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: I feel like there is a good probablity that most of you will have read this book already. But I very much enjoyed it. So for the couple(?) of you that haven't read this book. I'm here to tell you what all the hulabaloo is about. (I know you are so excited, aren't you?)

The Help follows 3 women, 1 Caucasian and 2 African American, in the South in 1962. None of them are happy with how they are treated. They all want to rise above what everyone wants of them and to be treated with respect.

So they write a book. A book telling the truth about how African American women are treated in the South. Especially in the homes that they work.

This is a powerful look at racism and love and true acceptance. I love the range of characters and the way the story shows you several walks of life and how people choose to handle the problems that come their way. It is moving and beautifully written. This is definately NOT a book for young adults. But it is well worth the read.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot

Title: Avalon High
Author: Meg Cabot
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Teen Fantasy
Rating: Adore
Alerts/Warnings: Some mild language and a fantasy fight scene.
Premise: To newcomer Ellie, Avalon High seems like a typical American high school, complete with jocks, nerds, cheerleaders, and even the obligatory senior class president, quarterback, and all-around good guy. But it doesn't take Ellie long to suspect that something weird is going on beneath the glossy surface of this tranquil hall of learning. As she pieces together the meaning of this unfolding drama, she begins to recognize some haunting Arthurian echoes, causing her to worry that she has become just a pawn in mythic history. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: I spent a semester in college where we discussed Arthurian legend. I read Malory's "Le Morte de Arthur" in Middle English. I thought there was no way I would ever watch or read anything Arthurian again. Much less enjoy it.

That being said, I enjoyed this book. It takes the Arthur tale and puts it in modern day context with a nice twist. I like Meg Cabot's writing. I like her characterization. I like how you can read it and figure out who the different people are in the school and in the Arthur legend.

Now, in all honesty, I watched the movie first in China. Which I enjoyed. BUT the book is VERY different from the movie. I wish I had reversed it.

Meg Cabot is a very talented writer. She is amazing at getting into the souls of her characters and giving them situations that are true to how they behave and act. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Scumble by Ingrid Law

Title: Scumble
Author: Ingrid Law
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: Adore
Alerts/Warnings: Some theivery
Premise: Nine years after Mibs's Savvy journey, her cousin Ledge has just turned thirteen . . .
But Ledger Kale's savvy is a total dud--all he does is make little things fall apart. So his parents decide it's safe to head to Wyoming, where it's soon revealed that Ledge's savvy is much more powerful than anyone thought. Worse, his savvy disaster has an outside witness: Sarah Jane Cabot, reporter wannabe and daughter of the local banker. Just like that, Ledge's beloved normal life is over. Now he has to keep Sarah from turning family secrets into headlines, stop her father from foreclosing on Uncle Autry's ranch, and scumble his savvy into control so that, someday, he can go home.

Starring a cast both fresh and familiar, Scumble brilliantly melds Ingrid Law's signature heart and humor with the legendary Wild West. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: Savvy is one of my favorite books. So admittedly I was very excited about Scumble. And I very much enjoyed it. However, it took me longer to get into it. Now granted, Savvy starts with a hurricane. It's hard to top that.

Scumble takes place 9 years after Savvy. Mibs and Fish are briefly in it. But the book follows Ledge, their cousin who gets his savvy on his birthday just like all of his family. His savvy, however, is making things fall apart.

So his parents decide that it is safe to go across the country to Uncle Autry's ranch for a wedding. And then things start to fall apart, literally.

I really enjoy this idea that we all have an inate talent for something. Whether it's supernatural or not. Once we discover it we have to learn how to control it. I think that is what is so appealing to me. We find what we are good at and develop it so that we have control and use our talent to the best of our ability.

I for one hope that Ingrid Law writes another of these books. I really enjoy them.

Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

Title: Teen Idol
Author: Meg Cabot
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Teen Fiction
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: High school junior Jenny Greenley is so good at keeping secrets that she's the school newspaper's anonymous advice columnist. She's so good at it that, when hotter-than-hot Hollywood star Luke Striker comes to her small town to research a role, Jenny is the one in charge of keeping his identity under wraps. But Luke doesn't make it easy, and soon everyone—the town, the paparazzi, and the tabloids alike—know his secret...and Jenny is caught right in the middle of all the chaos. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: Okay, I know. Teen Idol? Stephanie, are you kidding me? But hear me out.

This is a fun book. It is almost every girl's dream that her movie crush will come to her high school. But Jenny isn't like all the other girls. So when Luke Striker comes to Jenny's high school she is given the responsibility to show him around and keep his secret. Hilarious chaos insues. Especially when Jenny realizes that she is not Mayo but Special Sauce. And seriously the part with the red sequeined lightning bolt dress had me laughing out loud. (Best part: that was based on Meg Cabot's show choir dress in high school. LOVE IT!)

Teen Idol is my go to book when I just need a happy, fun book that I know is clean and will keep me laughing and entertained for a couple of hours. It's super fun. Don't knock it till you try it, deal? Deal.