Rumors - Anna Godbersen

Rating: 5 horses out of 5

Pages: 423

Challenges: Library, Young Adult, Young Adult Romance, 20 in 2009

Synopsis

The second book in the Luxe Series picks up on the main characters of the first: Elizabeth and Diana Holland, Penelope Hayes, and Carolina (Lina) Broud. Elizabeth was taken for dead, but really went to find her true love Will in California. Diana is in love with Elizabeth's fiance (arranged by their parents) Harry and Penelope is after Harry as well. Lina is just trying to break into the upper class after being fired as Elizabeth's maid.

Will Elizabeth find Will? Will she be able to come back home to New York after leaving under the pretense of having "fallen" into the river? Will Elizabeth and Will be happy together?

Will Diana and Harry find happiness together?

Will Penelope continue her manipulation to marry Harry?

Will Lina continue to use her inside knowledge of the Holland family to get money from Penelope? Or will she find herself loyal to her previous employers? Will she get her sister Claire in trouble for divulging Holland family secrets? Will Lina get exposed for not being in the upper class?

Review

The second book in the Luxe series was just as good as the first! I devoured it. I like historical fiction and have really enjoyed both of these series. #3 comes out in a few days and I already have it reserved at the library. The last chapter of the book sets up the premise of the next book (but I don't want to give anything away). If you have started this series and liked the first book I am confident that you will like the second as well.

Lock and Key - Sarah Dessen

Rating: 5 - Loved it!

Pages: 432

Challenges: New Author, Library Book, Young Adult, Young Adult Romance

Synopsis (from Publishers Weekly)
Dessen (Just Listen) inverts a familiar fairy tale: what if Cinderella got the prince, the castle and all its accoutrements, but wasn’t remotely interested? After her mother abandons her, Ruby Cooper is flying below the radar of officialdom and trying to make it to her 18th birthday, when she’s busted by the landlord and turned over to social services. Ruby gets taken in by her estranged sister, Cora, who left for college a decade earlier and never looked back, and Cora’s husband, Jamie, the wealthy founder of a ubiquitous social networking site.

Resentful, suspicious and vulnerable, she resists mightily, refusing the risky business of depending on anybody but herself, and wearing the key to her old house around her neck. All the Dessen trademarks are here—the swoon-worthy boy next door who is not what he appears to be; and the supporting characters who force Ruby to rethink her cynical worldview, among them the frazzled owner of a jewelry kiosk at the mall. The author again defines characters primarily through dialogue, and although Ruby and her love interest, Nate, sound wiser than their years, they talk the way teens might want to—from the heart. A must for Dessen fans, it will win her new readers, too.

Review

Well this reader is a new fan of Sarah Dessen! This book was awesome. It kept me entertained and I could relate to Ruby's struggles with life and adjusting. I liked how she came into her own in the book.

I am so glad I joined the Young Adult Romance Challenge - it has introduced me to so many great books!

The Luxe - Anna Godbersen

Rating: 5 - Loved it!

Pages: 433

Challenges: Young Adult Romance Challenge

Genre: Young Adult

Synopsis (from BN.com)

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.This is Manhattan, 1899.

Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone—from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud—threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear...

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

Review

Loved it! Read it in only a few days which is amazing for me because I get so little time to read! I enjoyed the history of the time period and the ways that the ladies got around doing what was proper. Each chapter started with an article from the time or a tidbit of information about the time period, which was great to really understand the confinements that women had. The book starts out with a mystery that I had an idea what happened but not how. The book didn't resolve the details of how the mystery occurred but I still enjoyed it. There are 2 more books in the series, so far and I have them reserved at the library!

There are a few racy parts in this book so I would think hard about give it to a young teen, but perhaps someone in high school.

The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett

Rate: 3 Don’t bet on this one…wait for the movie

Pages: 120

Challenges: Novella Challenge - but it's over :(

Synopsis (from BN.com)

When her corgis stray into a mobile library parked near Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels duty-bound to borrow a book. Discovering the joy of reading widely (from J. R. Ackerley, Jean Genet, and Ivy Compton-Burnett to the classics) and intelligently, she finds that her view of the world changes dramatically. Abetted in her newfound obsession by Norman, a young man from the royal kitchens, the Queen comes to question the prescribed order of the world and loses patience with the routines of her role as monarch. Her new passion for reading initially alarms the palace staff and soon leads to surprising and very funny consequences for the country at large.

Review
I thought this book started out really good and really interesting, but my interest in it wained towards the end. I would recommend other Novella's over this one.

Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen

Rating: 5 Better than a new Derby Hat and the winning horse

Pages: 320

Challenges: None

Synopsis (from BN.com)
In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.…The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures.A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants—from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys—except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before.When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down—along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they mustdeal with their common legacy—if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom—or with each other. Enchanting and heartfelt, this captivating novel is sure to cast a spell with a style all its own….

Review

This is my second book by Sarah Addison Allen and I liked this one much more than Sugar Queen. It kept me wanting more and more. I recommend it!

Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah

Rating: 5

Pages: 496

Challenges: Pub Challenge, Summer Thing

Synopsis (from bn.com)
In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all---beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer's end they've become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah's magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness.

Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn't know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she'll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she'll envy her famous best friend. . . .

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship---jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they've survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

Review

This book was great!! I really felt for the characters and it may be because I am very hormonal but I cried and cried through this book! The author sets up sections by starting with a song for the era, which brings back songs that I haven't heard in a long time.

If you like books about women's relationships you will like this book!! I would highly recommend it! I will read more books about this author.

The Ohter Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory

Rating: 5 Better than a new Derby Hat and the winning horse (¨¨¨¨¨)

Pages: 661

Challenges: 2008 TBR, A-Z Challenge (G Author), Chunkster

Synopsis (from BN.com)

When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her family's ambitious plots as the kings interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands.
A rich and compelling tale of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue, The Other Boleyn Girl introduces a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamorous court in Europe and survived by following her own heart.

Review

This book was great! It is one I would highly recommend. Believe it or not I was sad to see it end at nearly 700 pages. There was only one part where I thought moved a little slow, but clearly that didn't slow me down. This book really made me want to learn more about Henry's wives. It also made me very appreciative not to be in the King's court. The money it takes, the separation from your children, the lack of value in women, and the gossip! I am going to read more of Philippa Gregory's books.

By the way, anyone watching The Tutors on Showtime? The plot with Anne Boleyn seems to follow closely with the book, which I am not sure if it is because there are common facts that happen or if Ms Gregory should get some credit for writing! I have only seen one show, so it could have just been this episode.

Life As We Knew It - Susan Beth Pfeffer

Rating: 5 Better than a new Derby Hat and the winning horse (¨¨¨¨¨)

Pages: 337

Challenge: A-Z Challenge (P Author)

What would you do if an Asteroid hit the Moon completely changing the way you live? This book explores this concept through the diary of Miranda a 15 year old girl. This book is FABULOUS! I do warn you though - after chapter 2 I dare you to put it down! If you are participating in any of the upcoming read-a-thons this would be a great book for it.

There are a lot of things in this book where I was thinking I would never think to do that!! I feel better prepared now in case of a tragedy and really don't think I have enough cash to liquidate!!

Miranda has an older brother and a younger brother plus her Mom and they have a good friend who lives down the street Mrs. Nesbitt. It is the story of how Miranda's family stays together through terrible life events. The asteroid hits the moon and forever changes the Earth's atmosphere and life itself. I highly recommend this book!

I will be reading the companion book Dead and Gone about a boy in New York and how the asteroid hitting the moon has affected him and his family. I will save this for the 48 Hour Read a-thon coming up in June! I know it will be a book that will keep me up all night reading. Plus Susan Beth Pfeffer is writing a continuation to Life As We Knew It that I can't wait to read, but since she is still writing it I expect that it won't be out for a while. I will be giving this book as gifts this year!!

I read this for Becky's Book Club - everyone loved the book you can read some of our comments here.

Love Comes Softly - Janette Oke

Rating: 5 Better than a new Derby Hat and the winning horse (¨¨¨¨¨)
Pages: 240
Challenges: Novella Challenge, 1st in a Series, A-Z Challenge L: Title

I read this book because I love the Hallmark movie and the book didn't disappoint! It is about Marty who looses her husband as soon as they get to the west. All she has to her name is a covered wagon with a broken wheel. A man proposes that he marries her, because he needs a mother for his young daughter (his wife died also) and she needs a house. Clark promises her that if she stays through the winter he will pay her fare to go back to the East. This story is about Marty and Clark's relationship and how Marty learns to be a homestead wife and mother. Also, Marty is pregnant with her husband, Clem's baby.
If you have seen the movie the book is different, but with the same story line. For example, in the movie Missy - Clark's daughter is 6 or 7 years old, in the book she is 2. In the movie, Marty learns to cook from some books she bought in the book one of the neighbors teaches her to cook and shares her recipes with her. Also in the book you learn a lot more about the neighbors and the ending is different than the movie. The ending has the same result, but it is a different climatic end. I would recommend this book and can't wait to read the rest of the series!!

Tallgrass - Sandra Dallas

Rating: 5 Better than a new Derby Hat and the winning horse (¨¨¨¨¨)

Pages: 336

Challenges: A-Z Challenge (Title T)

Synopsis

This is about Rennie Stroud and her family and what happens to them when a Japanese are rounded up during WWII to stay at an internment camp. On top of the negative feelings for the Japanese a child is murdered at a house near the camp. The town blames the Japanese. The Stroud family though befriends the Japanese and the story follows 4 Japanese characters as well as the Stroud family and several of the towns people.

I thought this book developed the characters really well and did a good job of telling their story. It doesn't leave you hanging at the end either! I would highly recommend this book. I also liked the Diary of Mattie Spenser from Sandra Dallas.

The Alphabet Sister - Monica McInerney

Rating: 5 (stars) Better than a new Derby Hat and the winning horse (¨¨¨¨¨)

Pages: 419

This is one of those books you are sad to see end!! It is about 3 sisters who were a singing group as children called the Alphabet Sisters (since their names: Anna, Bett, and Carrie were the first 3 letters of the alphabet). They had a falling out - over a boy of course and this is the story of their journey back to each other. It's a great story that keeps you wanting to turn the page. This is a book I wish I had other people reading at the same time to discuss it!

I want to read more books by Monica McInerney...she will be on my list of to reads in 2008.