Julia Reviews "The Jewel of St Petersburg" by Kate Furnivall

Title/Author: The Jewel of St Petersburg by Kate Furnivall
Publisher/Year Published: 2010 by Sphere
How I got this book: I spotted the cover at the library
Why I read this book: I have a guilty soft spot for reading historical fiction about revolutionary Russia
Rating: 5 stars

I wish I could remember how I found out about this book. If I could find the person or website I would give them a big hug. Well, I don't think it is possible to hug a website, but if I could find a way I would. In any case, somehow I found out about the book. I love reading about early 1900s Russia. Something about the time period draws me in and doesn't let me go. Maybe it's like reading about the Titanic, always perched on the edge of your seat knowing what's going to happen, but hoping for a happy ending anyway.

In any case this brings me to The Jewel of St. Petersburg. The main character in this story is Valentina Ivanova, daughter of the financial director to the Tsar. She's grown up in privilege, but tragedy strikes the family and alters the path Valentina sets for herself. Jump ahead to 1910 and we get to see Russia on the brink of change.

The interesting part about this book is it has the perfect balance between the historical and the fiction. Entwined with the history, Valentina's story of what she does for love of her family and of Jens is remarkable. It twists and turns all the while taking Valentina from a children to an adult. She is such a strong character that is supported by some pretty dynamic characters as well.

But what pushed me into 5 star land was really the fact that it wasn't all Valentina's story, but also Russia's story. We received the story of the revolution through Arkin, a rebel Bolshevick ready to stir the flames of change in the heart of the people. Arkin was a great foil to Valentina. I couldn't hate him from what I know of history and even what he revealed of himself through the pages.

Two minuses: One was the initial overuse of Russian words. I don't mind Russian words, but after one or two times don't tell me the direct English translation. I can figure it out by context. Either this tapered off as I read or I stopped noticing...

The other minus was the ending, well not really the ending per say but my own ending experience. Let's step back. Picture it. I am sitting on a crowded airplane, soaking in the climactic scenes the novel was building towards. The end happens. "Wow! What and ending! I am completely satisfied!" I say. "Oh look! An excerpt from the next book!" I skim the pages and all of the happiness I had just felt was invalidated. I was kind of angry, but I did a little research and found that this book was in fact a prequel to the excerpt I skimmed, which would make for a whole different experience for the readers who read in publishing order. I felt better after that.

The Jewel of St. Petersburg is a wonder of historical fiction. I would recommend this to anyone. It has intrigue, war, romance, rebellion and great plot and characters.

Plus look at how pretty that cover is! 5 stars!

Jen Reviews "Nightshade"

Title: Nightshade (Nightshade #1)

Author: Andrea Cremer

Published: Philomel Books, 2010

How I Got It: Purchased myself

Rating: 4 stars

Summary:

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice? (from the book jacket)

Thoughts:

What caused this book to skyrocket to the top of my to-read list and also convinced me to pre-order the book (and I never pre-order books)?  The ingenious marketing plan.  When I first heard about this book I thought it sounded interesting and of course added it to my constantly growing TBR list.  Then about a month before the book’s release one of the main characters, Shay Doran, started popping up all over the Internet.  You could actually interact with Shay.  He had his own Facebook page, a blog, and he’d post videos that addressed fans by name.  I really enjoyed following Shay’s adventures through Rowan Estate and hearing all of the strange happenings.  

Now onto the book! 

First, the cover is so amazing.  I fall hard for good book covers.  The dust jacket feels pretty.  I’m not sure how to describe it, but the texture is just...pretty!  Side note #1:  I love Calla’s makeup on the cover.  Hey, maybe next Halloween I’ll dress up as Calla. 

Nightshade starts off with Calla, the alpha female of the Nightshade pack, saving a human who was being attacked by a bear.  She didn’t recognize the boy, she thought he was a lost tourist.  Needless to say, Calla got a surprise when the human, Shay, shows up in one of her classes a couple weeks later.

This book has one of the most intense love triangles I’ve come across recently.  Our alpha female is torn between two worthy (but completely different) suitors: Ren, the alpha male of the Bane pack and Shay, the new kid at school.  All of her life Calla has known that she has been ‘arranged’ to marry Ren.  Since they are both alphas their packs will combine to form one larger pack.   Then just before the union Shay comes into the picture.  This makes Calla question if she should just assume her role as Ren’s mate or if she should take a chance and make her own decisions.  Side note #2:  One thing that drove me crazy throughout the book was how Ren was allowed to date different girls but Calla had to stay ‘pure’ until the union.

I don't want to get too much into the paranormal aspect.  It's too hard to not give away any major spoilers.  The Keepers, Guardians and Searchers are all quite fascinating.  The mystery that starts to unravel is riveting (but a little confusing, I had to reread some parts).  The dynamic of the werewolf packs and their traditions is interesting. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Nightshade!  I loved how strong of a character Calla is, yet she still gets flustered by a cute boy.  I'm looking forward to the next installment of the trilogy!

Side note #3:   There is one part of the story that I did not like at all.  It’s a pretty big twist and I did not see it coming.  It takes place in a cave...if you read the book you probably know what I’m talking about.  

So I'm pretty new to the paranormal genre.  I'd like to read more paranormal books, any recommendations?  I've only read the Twilight books and Shiver.  

Jess' Review: The Simple Dollar (Trent Hamm)

Image found here

Title: The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams

Author: Trent Hamm (Web site)

Publisher: Financial Times Press, 2010

Notes: I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher, Financial Times Press. I have reviewed it honestly and personally. As part of this opportunity, I was also asked to apply one chapter from Trent's book to my life, which you can read about here.

A brief summary: Trent Hamm is best known on the Web as the man behind The Simple Dollar, a popular personal finance blog. In The Simple Dollar, Trent explores personal finance in his own life, offering many personal narratives, as well as constructive, useful techniques for readers to apply to their own lives.

My thoughts: I am a long-time reader of The Simple Dollar, and so when the opportunity came about to receive an ARC from the publisher, I jumped on it. I was curious to see how this combination memoir/self-help book differed from others, and if Trent's fantastic blogging personality would come through in the book.

Trent's book is well-written and to-the-point, which is consistent with his blog style. I like the personalized anecdotes and interesting tidbits. One thing I'm curious to see is if the aesthetic nature of the book changes with publication; it seems very textbook-like in paper, font, and plain book style. (The book is published by a subsidiary of Financial Times Press.) Most memoirs or books similar to this are published with a more reader-focused, audience-oriented feel. This is not so (though I do recognize that my copy is an ARC, so I'll have to compare after publication).

As much as I liked the book, I think it repeats a lot of what Trent already discusses on his blog. I also think that his writing is especially well-suited for blogging because he proposes questions and is able to engage the audience in a different way. Much of the same material is covered in his blog, but in fact the blog posts cover it at much greater length and with a greater number of resources.

Overall I think Trent's book is a worthy, wonderful read. It has given me new perspective on where his writing comes from, and where the motivation to get financially fit, originates. I especially think that people who have not yet read Trent's blog will benefit from the book in a major way.

Rating: 4 stars

Daisy's review of The Study Train

Title/Author: The Study Train Vol 1: Reunion of the Untouchables by Kurt Frenier
Publisher/Year published: Eloquent Books in 2010
Why I read it: it sounded interesting.
How I got it: the author sent it to me. This will not influence this review in any way.

Summary from GoodReads:
"Five hundred years ago, Master Magician Mikhail Pilkington III created a magical flying train, the Study Train. His vision: to take average teenagers aboard, show them the world, and turn them into leaders. Ethan is invited on the train, escaping his miserable life in Switzerland, and soon discovers that the train is all but ordinary. It is filled with magic, secrets, people with interesting histories, and much more. Ethan's intrigue and hunger for knowledge and power catches the attention of a hidden, ancient alliance called the Untouchables. Soon, Ethan learns all their mysteries, powers and sorcery. He stands out from the rest of the students and is recognized as the long-awaited leader for the Untouchables. But his dark side - The Dark Fire Inside - grows and becomes much stronger than anyone thought it would. Ethan gets sucked into a web of conflicts and feuds while battling his own inner feelings. Will he go for power, or turn toward good?"

Sounds interesting right? I thought so too. But (yes here it is already) it didn't live up to it.
For me it went wrong almost from the start of it, I didn't believe the picture Frenier painted of Ethan's home life with a mom working two jobs who Ethan claims not to know at all and a dad who refuses him his dinner when he's 3 minutes late. After that it didn't really get any better, the characters seemed to act unnaturally and I still don't really know what kind of person they are. Or even what kind of person Ethan is. One minute he's antisocial, then he's uber-friendly, he's in awe of his headmaster Althulos and the next things he's defying him and going all powerful maniac on us. It's a bit confusing, most of all because he's only 15 years old and completely new to all of it.

Which makes me come to another thing that bothered me: the Study Train is supposed to be a school where they train people to become world leaders, then TELL ME what it is that makes this school so special other than the fact that it's a flying train. Never once in the book does Frenier mention what kind of classes they are taught, where is the magic that I expected them to be studying?

The magic comes for Ethan, though not very gradually. One day Althulos decides to teach him how to fly the train and he masters this instantly. The same goes for other skills he picks up. In one afternoon he acquires at least 10 different magical abilities it takes others ages to learn. Maybe it's just me, but I enjoy it when characters have a hard time or at least some difficulty with stuff like this. It makes them more real and in this book not even the instant mastering is described. Frenier just tells us Ethan's spent an afternoon with someone who teaches him this and POOF! he knows how to do it. I always enjoy it more when you show me what is happening, not when you just tell me it did. This happens most of the time with a lot of things I would have liked explained more extensively.

Ethan goes against Althulos' wishes pretty early on and doesn't really get into any trouble because of this. He does something way out of line and Althulos only shouts at him and that's it. I mean, really? My parents were pretty easy going, but even I would have gotten sent to my room (at least) for that. They're not really big on discipline on the Study Train.
I also didn't really feel Ethan struggled with the good vs evil dilemma, he doesn't even seem that impressed he's supposedly the new long-awaited leader of a group of mostly grown men.

One last issue I had: at some point Frenier mentions people who've been students of the Study Train (it's been around for 500 years generating influential people) and on the list is Alexander the Great. Who lived from 356 to 323 BC (I googled it). Which is way more than 500 years ago. Maybe it's not that big an issue, but it bugged me.

But of course, this is only my opinion. The Crazy Bookworm loved it, you can read her review here.

As for me, I can't in all honesty give this book more than 1 star.

Jamie Takes on Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

*** Also posted on my personal book blog-- The Perpetual Page-Turner ***
Title/Author: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher/Year: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster Imprint) 2008
How I Got This Book: I bought it before I went to the LHA signing.
Why I Read This Book: My love for history, particularly the Revolutionary period, coupled with the fact that I really enjoyed Speak and reading LHA's blog, I just had to read this one. I also, as a child, had a period where I read anything and everything I could get my hands on regarding slavery.
Rating: A well-deserved 4.5 stars!

I typically provide my own synopsis but every time I tried to write a compelling synopsis it fell short of the one written on Goodreads.

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom. 

I need to divulge the fact that I don't typically read Middle Grade fiction but I could not pass this one up. My fascination with history, coupled with the fact that my stepdad is a huge Revolutionary War buff (he even does the Washington's Crossing reenactment every Christmas morning) and my childhood obsession to read everything ever written about slavery, made this novel a must read for me!

This book did not disappoint me in any way. I felt the shackles come out and bind me to this novel immediately; I knew I couldn't put this down. What a thoroughly captivating novel with memorable characters and moments. Laurie Halse Anderson proves herself to be a masterful storyteller as she deftly weaves together an evocative fight for freedom through the eyes of Isabel, a Loyalist's slave, and the history of a nation's fight for freedom. The novel doesn't openly "tsk tsk" the nation's gross injustices on the slavery front but rather shows, through Isabel, the implications of such a practice and the glaring hypocrisy of a nation who wants to be free yet are not willing to release their slaves but want nothing more than for them to fight for their cause.

At certain points I forgot I was reading a novel meant for a younger audience. The perfectly paced adventure will hook younger readers (as I saw at the LHA event)  as well as adults but the impeccable writing and the complexities that lie within the heart of the story, as well as this period in history, will keep adults reading.  It was fun to read this book and then converse with my Revolutionary War genius stepfather  about the events that were happening in the novel only to learn even more about the particular event--e.g. the fire in New York City--not a spoiler as it is in the history books!

I really appreciated Anderson's dedication to keeping the novel pretty much in line with the historical facts. I loved that she focused on the struggle between the Loyalists and the Rebels in New York City as it is an area that often gets overlooked and it really is quite compelling--as I learned further from my step dad. I found the inclusion of pieces from real documents and letters from this time period at the beginning of the chapter to be fascinating and was glad that she added them.

Isabel is a character that you will find yourself remembering for a long time to come. She's strong, resilient and entirely loyal to the ones that she loves and cares for. Reading this book felt reminiscent of the feelings that I felt while reading Little House on the Prairie or Little Women as a child. I felt myself wholly transported to another time and side by side with Isabel in her fight. There were moments where I felt like Isabel wasn't quite true to the times, either because of speech or questionable actions, but for the most part I felt like she was convincingly written.

The only thing I found to be irksome was the incredibly short chapters. I'd get really into the story and then I was jolted into a new chapter. However, I thought about the fact that this was written for a younger audience with a shorter attention span than mine and found that it was probably perfect for them and I just needed to deal with that minor inconvenience.

My final thought: Amazing! I don't care if you don't read MG or YA books, if you like a good historical novel--pick this up! It isn't a wonder that the kids at the signing I went to were hanging on to every word that Laurie uttered and were completely enamored with this novel. It is compelling and the ending will leave you rushing out to by Forge! I think this would be an awesome novel to complement a social studies lesson on this time period.


Found this AWESOME video a kid made about the novel for what I'm guessing is a school project (listen to the words!):

Jamie's Top Ten Most Unfortunate Character Names

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. If you can't come up with ten, don't worry about it---post as many as you can!

Next week's topic is:  Top Ten Villains, Criminals and Degenerates. To see a list of future topics through January go here.


Have you ever been somewhere and a name gets called for whatever reason and you just cringe and you think, "What the heck were their parents thinking? Did the drugs not wear off when the name was picked or are they just cruel sadists who wanted their child to endure relentess torture for being named Sally Mangina, Dick Swett, or Coco Crisp." I've seen celebrities naming their children the most absurd names as well. Apple? What kind of a name is Apple? So I decided to embark on the challenge of coming up with the most unfortunate names in literature.


1. Katniss from The Hunger Games-- I'm sorry but all I can think of is Catnip.


2. Bucky Wunderlick from Don DeLillo's Great Jones Street -- I haven't read this but it is on my TBR list but really? I understand he's supposed to be a rockstar but that's like social suicide right there.


3. Bilbo Baggins from The Lord of The Rings -- I don't even know where to begin with this one. LOTR really had some horrible names in general lol


4. Mustapha Mond from Brave New World -- I always say this name really funny...remember the part in the Lion King where the hyenas are saying the name Mufasa over and over again. Don't remember? Well, here you go! That's pretty much how I say it except I say MUSTAAAPHA.



5. Peeta from The Hunger Games -- What a hideous name. I always think of pita bread..which is kind of hilarious since his family was a bunch of breadmakers.


6. Encyclopedia Brown -- Loved this series but how horrible to be named after a big ol' book full of facts and information..especially when you are clever. I mean, the boys in my group of friends call another one of our friends Wiki because he thinks he knows everything. lol.


7. Pussy Galore from Goldfinger by Ian Fleming -- Need I say anything? And I'm totally not making this up.


8. Sookie Stackhouse from Dead Until Dark and all the rest of the books in the series-- This name just makes me cringe. Icky.


9. Stargirl Caraway from Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli -- Loved Stargirl but what a crazy name!


10. Beezus from Beezus and Ramona/Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary -- What a horrrrible name! Seriously. I can't help but think of Beavis and Butthead when I hear the name Beezus.

Jessi Finds a New Favorite Author

Title/Author: Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman 
Publisher/Year: Doubleday, 2004
How I Got This: From my college town's library
Why I Read It: I saw a friend on Goodreads who loved it, and the synopsis sounded appealing to me, so I figured I'd give it a try! 
Rating: 4 Stars 


Quick Synopsis (from Goodreads): 


With “incantatory prose” that “sweeps over the reader like a dream,” (Philadelphia Inquirer), Hoffman follows her celebrated bestseller The Probable Future, with an evocative work that traces the lives of the various occupants of an old Massachusetts house over a span of two hundred years.

In a rare and gorgeous departure, beloved novelist Alice Hoffman weaves a web of tales, all set in Blackbird House. This small farm on the outer reaches of Cape Cod is a place that is as bewitching and alive as the characters we meet: Violet, a brilliant girl who is in love with books and with a man destined to betray her; Lysander Wynn, attacked by a halibut as big as a horse, certain that his life is ruined until a boarder wearing red boots
arrives to change everything; Maya Cooper, who does not understand the true meaning of the love between her mother and father until it is nearly too late. From the time of the British occupation of Massachusetts to our own modern world, family after family’s lives are inexorably changed, not only by the people they love but by the lives they lead inside Blackbird House.

These interconnected narratives are as intelligent as they are haunting, as luminous as they are unusual. Inside Blackbird House more than a dozen men and women learn how love transforms us and how it is the one lasting element in our lives. The past both dissipates and remains contained inside the rooms of Blackbird House, where there are terrible secrets, inspired beauty, and, above all else, a spirit of coming home.


My review: 


This being my first read by Alice Hoffman, I must say--I think I've found a new author to add to my favorites list. I'm absolutely itching to go out and read everything else she's written.

What I loved the most about Alice Hoffman's writing was her style. It was absolutely phenomenal. Between her use of words and her descriptions, I was there. This is definitely one of those books that you just want to soak up and enjoy the words. However, for being a book that at times reads almost like poetry, this was a quick read. I stretched it out over a few days just to make it last!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book in particular because the story of the various occupants of Blackbird House is told through interconnected short stories. I'm not usually into that format. Let's face it--not many authors can pull that off well, without telling a completely disjointed tale. I loved all of the stories, and I felt a connection to each character and their situations. I won't lie, I didn't want the individual stories to end. I wanted to find out what happened to each of the characters. But she flows right between stories without confusion of any sort. Like I said, my only complaint was that I wanted MORE!

Overall, I was very impressed with Hoffman, and I'm looking forward to reading more by her. This would be the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day!