Amy

Prince Albert and the Doomsday Device, Clive London

I felt so honored to be asked by my friends at Zova Books to read and review one of their new releases for July, Prince Albert and the Doomsday Device, by Clive London. It's a YA Steampunk novel about a poor little urchin named Jack who leaves his small, rotten village in England for the hustle and bustle of London, on a mission to find his parents and the rest of the adults from his village, who have disappeared quite mysteriously, under the apparent order of Queen Victoria. 

I'm about seven chapters in and have definitely been enjoying it. It has that great whimsical feel to it that a lot of YA novels have, and naturally I am quite fond of its setting and Steampunk nature! So, I will read on with pleasure, hoping that it continues to be as entertaining as it has thus far. 

** UPDATE: I've finished it, and I must say it was really fun. The pacing was great, and the cast of characters were both endearing and memorable. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, steampunk, or good old adventure stories... young adults and adults alike. And it looks like there will be a Book Two... which is very exciting. Much success to Mr. Clive London in all of his future ventures. 

http://www.zovabooks.com/

Dead Reckoning, Charlaine Harris

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hmm... well this latest installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series sort of left me feeling a little unfulfilled. It seemed to be lacking that charm, and sense of fun and familiarity that the other books have had. I didn't like the interactions between Sookie and Eric (which are usually great), and the entire plot felt too random and not cohesive at all. It seems like I'm not the only one who was a little less than thrilled by Dead Reckoning, so I truly hope that Mrs. Harris delivers something a little bit better next time, because these books have been such a pleasure to read.


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Musings about the Royal Wedding

I think it's nearly every little girls dream to be a princess. For me, the images of Charles & Diana's wedding have been embedded in my mind: the epic dress, the carriages, the jewels... Such a fairy tale wedding, such pomp and regalia! Diana was so gorgeous. And now we get to do it all over again, only this time I am an adult and get the privilege of watching history being made live. After the tragic death of Princess Diana, I think so many people are just thrilled to see her children happy, and this wedding will be such a gorgeous testament and reminder of her. Kate Middleton will make a beautiful bride, and I honestly can't wait for the big day.

The Dragons are coming

I am so so so SO excited for A Dance With Dragons to finally come out! This fifth book in George R.R. Martin's epic series is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases in Fantasy this year (release date July 12, 2011). And, of course, HBO has produced the television version of Game of Thrones, which starts in the US on April 17. This series deserves all of the success that I know it will have with the new show. The depth of the characters and their complex relations and struggles for power is brilliant. I just hope HBO does it right (but if anyone can do it they can!)

For your viewing pleasure I will include the media tie-in cover for the first book, which includes the amazingly kick-ass Iron Throne. 

If Anita Blake and Mercy Thompson got into a fight who would win?

Hmm, what to read next? I feel like I need to go back to an "old friend," so it might be back to Anita Blake, but after seeing the new Mercy Thompson book at work today I'm also considering finally getting around to finishing Moon Called.


There's something about the Mercy Thompson covers that I really like. Every time a new one comes out I think about how I need to get my shit together and read these books. I have the first four sitting on my bookshelf, so no excuses.

I think I've had a long enough sabbatical from Anita Blake and her crazy-ass life, so I might be ready to re-visit her. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the boys: Jean-Claude, Nathaniel, Asher, Micah, Richard... lol. The list goes on.

One book I cannot wait for is the new Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead Reckoning. Is it May yet????

The Constant Princess, Philippa Gregory

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am giving The Constant Princess four stars simply because I think Philippa Gregory always does such a wonderful job giving a voice to intriguing historical characters. I had always felt that Katherine of Aragon was sort of a boring character, overshadowed by the much more dramatic and scandalous stories of Anne Boleyn and the rest of Henry VIII's life. But after reading The Constant Princess I have a greater appreciation for her fascinating life. I must say that the event of reading the book itself was not always 100% engaging (especially when compared to The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance), and I had actually put the book down for a very long time before finally finishing it. But overall, Philippa Gregory can always be counted on for well-researched, richly detailed historical fiction.


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Blameless, Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate Bk. 3)

Blameless by Gail Carriger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The delightful world of Alexia and her Parasol Protectorate is one that I absolutely adore. Gail Carriger's development of her charming and quirky characters continues endear the reader to them in this third installment of the series. We are able to strike an emotional connection with many of the characters in the book... with Alexia's eventual acceptance of her "infant inconvenience," and the love between Lord Akeldama and his young drone Biffy. The sense of getting down to the essential nature of what the books are all about comes out as well. We have the phrase "Parasol Protectorate" used for the first time by the characters, and we are a little bit closer to understanding more about the life of Mr. Tarabotti, which may play a big role in future books.

What I love most about these novels is the way that Gail is able to suffuse propriety with a sharp dose of humor and wit. Blameless was a really fun read, endlessly hilarious with a laugh-out-loud quality to it (as are all of her books). For your enjoyment, I will share with you some of my favorite chapter titles and excerpts from Blameless...


In Which Lord Maccon is Likened to a Small Cucumber
Tea and Insults
How Not to Cross an Alpine Pass
Wherein Alexia Encounters Both Pesto and a Mysterious Jar
"The site was lovely, shaded with trees of various bushy Mediterranean inclinations that took being leafy and green quite seriously." (p. 274)









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God Save The King

Early Modern England 1485-1714: A Narrative History by Robert Bucholz


So, I am really excited about my British History class this semester. After all of my casual devouring of history books over the past year or so, I'm thinking it will be pretty great to examine it in a scholarly setting. There's a part of me that feels like I might end up ready to change my major from English to History after all of this. Maybe it's my calling to marry the two. All I know is that I get this super giddy feeling in my gut whenever I think of studying British history.


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Louise Hay

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay


Finally getting around to reading this and so far it has really been great. I'm enjoying reading from it in the morning before I start my day. Hoping to get through the entire thing and really be able to apply what I learn, especially when I find myself in a dark mood.


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