Lover of Ebooks

Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home. Henry Cole. 2010. HarperCollins. 342 pages.

Below the crackled and faded painting of a horse, beneath the heavy sideboard, under the worn carpet, and dusty floorboards of the dining room, sat Celeste, hunched over her worktable. She was weaving a basket from blades of dried grasses.

If you’re a fan of the Tale of Despereaux, The Underneath, or Night Fairy, then you should consider reading Henry Cole’s A Nest for Celeste. Who is Celeste? She’s a mouse who doesn’t quite have a place to call home. She’s bullied by two rats–Trixie and Illianna–though we later learn that it are these rats who taught her to live in the big house, so they can’t be all bad. When she’s not being bullied by the rats or chased by the cat, Celeste likes to spend her time weaving baskets of all shapes and sizes. She uses these baskets when she’s about the house. She gathers crumbs and other small remnants that only a mouse could appreciate–blades of grass, the occasional feather, etc. One day after a vigorous escape from the cat, Celeste finds a “better” home. But this home isn’t a true home either. It’s a boot. With an owner. Fortunately, it’s owned by a young boy, Joseph, who appreciates just how cute and little and harmless she is. He calls her “Little One.” And he likes to carry her with him in his pocket. Who is Joseph? He’s a young boy who is an assistant to John James Audubon. For those unfamiliar with Audubon, he was a nineteenth century artist. He specialized in painting wildlife–birds. Did the birds love Audubon? Not so much. With good reason.

I didn’t love this one. Not as much as I hoped anyway. It is beautifully illustrated. It’s a novel about loneliness, friendship, and finding happiness where you can, when you can.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Originally posted here:
Nest for Celeste (MG)

The topic this week at Random Ramblings is Favorite Books of All Time. It is extremely difficult for me to even think about creating a top ten. But. I shall try.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

Lisa is pregnant.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

“I’ve watched through his eyes, I’ve listened through his ears, and I tell you he’s the one. Or at least as close as we’re going to get.”

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.

Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.

Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck

When war came to Monterey and to Cannery Row everybody fought it more or less, in one way or another.

Book Thief by Markus Zusak

First the colors. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try.

Venetia by Georgette Heyer

“A fox got in amongst the hens last night, and ravished our best layer,” remarked Miss Lanyon.

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

“Your noise reveals you, Todd Hewitt.”

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies’ eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde’s Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde’s door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

View post:
Top Ten Picks: Favorite Books of All Time

Cloaked in Red. Vivian Vande Velde. 2010. October 2010. Marshall Cavendish. 128 pages.

From the author’s note: Everyone knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the girl with the unfortunate name and the inability to tell the difference between her grandmother and a member of a different species.
The question is: Why do we all know it?
If you look at “Little Red Riding Hood,” it’s a perfect example of the exact opposite of a good story.

I loved this one. I did. I just LOVED it. Vivian Vande Velde gives readers EIGHT different “Little Red Riding Hood” stories. Each supposed to be ‘better’ than the original. With more heart and substance. And she definitely succeeded in my opinion. I enjoyed reading these stories. One area in which Vivian Vande Velde excels is in creating great first lines.

The Red Cloak: Once upon a time, after fashion was discovered but before people had makeovers on TV, there was a young girl named Meg.

The Red Riding Hood Doll: Once upon a time, before department stores and designer labels, there was a young seamstress named Georgette.

Little Red Riding Hood’s Family: Once upon a time, long after people had found out that their families could sometimes be an embarrassment, but before there were advice columnists you could complain to, there was a girl named Roselle.

Granny and the Wolf: Once upon a time, before online dating services, there was a granny who had an unwelcome suitor.

Deems the Wood Gatherer: Once upon a time, before eyeglasses were invented, there was a nearsighted but good-hearted man named Deems.

Why Willy and His Brothers Won’t Ever Amount to Anything: Once upon a time, after books were invented but before TV and movies, there was a girl named Isolda Adeline Genevieve Trenthausen.

The Little Red Headache: Once upon a time, before superhighways and hotel chains, a wolf was journeying through the woods.

Little Red Riding Hood’s Little Red Riding Hood: Once upon a time, before malls, boutiques, or online clothing catalogs, there was a fairy godmother who was having trouble finding something to wear to the naming-day ceremony for her goddaughter.

The focus shifts in each story. Sometimes focusing on the human characters: the young girl, the grandmother, the woodcutter; other times focusing on the red riding hood (cloak) or the wolf. Many stories do have a twist–as you’d expect in a collection of fairy tale retellings.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Read more:
Cloaked in Red (MG)

Venetia. Georgette Heyer. 1958/2009. Harlequin. 368 pages.

Venetia. Georgette Heyer. Read by Richard Armitage. 2010. Naxos AudioBooks. Abridged. 4 hours, 48 minutes.

“A fox got in amongst the hens last night, and ravished our best layer,” remarked Miss Lanyon. “A great-grandmother, too! You’d think he would be ashamed!” Receiving no answer, she continued in an altered voice: “Indeed, you would! It is a great deal too bad. What is to be done?”

I love Georgette Heyer. I do. I just love her. Most of her books leave me feeling happy, satisfied. Some more than others. But still, it is always difficult for me to name one book as my favorite. Or even two or three books as my favorites. Just when I think I’ve found it–the perfect Heyer–I read another and change my mind again. Such is the case with Venetia. I absolutely loved this one.

Venetia is a woman (25) living with her younger brother, Aubrey (17), and being courted by two equally unsatisfying gentlemen of the neighborhood, Edward Yardley and Oswald Denny. The Lanyon siblings do have an older brother, Conway. But he is in the army, and he hasn’t been at Undershaw in years. Venetia and Aubrey do not miss him at all. Life is fairly routine for the two. Until. Lord Damerel (“The Wicked Baron”) returns to his estate.

The two meet when she is trespassing on his land. He has no idea who she is. But she has a fairly good idea who he is. Especially after he kisses her! Yes, he kisses her.

“Who are you?” he demanded abruptly. “I took you for a village maiden–probably one of my tenants.”
“Did you indeed? Well, if that is the way you mean to conduct yourself amongst the village maidens you won’t win much liking here!”
“No, no, the danger is that I might win too much!” he retorted. “Who are you? Or should I first present myself to you? I’m Damerel, you know.”
“Yes, so I supposed, at the outset of our delightful acquaintance. Later, of course, I was sure of it.”
“Oh, oh–! My reputation, Iago, my reputation!” he exclaimed laughing again. “Fair Fatality, you are the most unusual female I have encountered in all my thirty-eight years!”
“You can’t think how deeply flattered I am!” she assured him. “I daresay my head would be quite turned if I didn’t suspect that amongst so many a dozen or so may have slipped from your memory.”
“More like a hundred! Am I never to learn your name? I shall, you know, whether you tell me or no!” (33)

He intends to know her better while he’s in the neighborhood. Venetia doesn’t need a Lady Denny to tell her that would be unwise. But. When her brother, Aubrey, has a riding accident and is saved by none other than Damerel…well, she can’t help getting to know him much, much better. And soon they become great friends. Of course, it’s a friendship with always a hint of something more…

Lord Damerel isn’t the only newcomer to the neighborhood. Soon Venetia and Aubrey welcome TWO very unexpected house guests. Conway has gotten married–her name is Charlotte. And Charlotte and her mother have come to stay at Undershaw. And the mother is quite the character. How long can Venetia stand to share a home with such a woman? Venetia begins to think about her options…and wishing it was more socially acceptable for her to set up her own home.

What did I love about this one? Everything! I loved the characters. I loved the main characters: Venetia, Aubrey, and Lord Damerel. I loved the minor characters too! Edward Yardley, Oswald Denny, Charlotte Lanyon, Mrs. Scorrier, etc. I loved the dialogue–the conversations. They were so well done! So exciting. Whether Venetia was having a heated argument with Mrs. Scorrier or flirting with Lord Damerel, there was just something about this one. So many memorable scenes. I think it would make a WONDERFUL movie.

The romance. Venetia and Lord Damerel make a great couple. There is such chemistry from the start! Every scene with these two is satisfying! It was a joy reading this one.

He released her hands, but only to pull her into his arms. “When you smile at me like that, it’s all holiday with me! O God, I love you to the edge of madness, Venetia, but I’m not mad yet–not so mad that I don’t know how disastrous it might be to you–to us both! You don’t realize what an advantage I should be taking of your innocence!” He broke off suddenly, jerking up his head as the door opening on to the passage from the ante-room slammed. (221)

Venetia is a Georgette Heyer romance that does not follow her usual pattern.

The audiobook! Wow, wow, wow! I LOVED listening to Venetia. I did read the book first, so I would be familiar with the story, the characters. But then I listened to this one. And it was so very satisfying! I didn’t think it was possible for me to love Lord Damerel more than I already did…but hearing the part read by Richard Armitage…wow!!! He does such a wonderful job with all the characters!

In other news:

The Convenient Marriage is the next Georgette Heyer audiobook to be narrated by Richard Armitage. It releases in August 2010.

In August, Austenprose will be celebrating Georgette Heyer! The month long celebration includes: “thirty-four book reviews of her romance novels, guest blogs, interviews of Heyer enthusiast from the blog-o-sphere, academia and publishing and tons of great giveaways.” The schedule can be found here.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Read more here:
Venetia

Julia Gillian (And the Dream of the Dog). Alison McGhee. Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan. 2010. July 2010. Scholastic. 336 pages.

Welcome to sixth grade,” said Mr. Lamonte. “We have a great many forms to fill out, so let’s get started, shall we?”

Julia Gillian (And the Dream of the Dog) is the third in the Julia Gillian series by Alison McGhee. The first two are Julia Gillian (And the Art of Knowing) and Julia Gillian (And the Quest for Joy). I love Julia Gillian. I love her best friend, Bonwit Keller. I love her dog-of-my-dreams, Bigfoot. I love how connected she is with her parents, her neighbors, her community, her school.

Julia Gillian is still uncomfortable with change. She’s learned the best way is to move forward, to work past the fear, the anxiety. But it doesn’t always make it easier in-the-moment. Her sixth grade teacher has introduced Julia to the concept of controlling variables. And Julia Gillian has taken his words to heart in just about every area of her life. From how to best avoid the Crazy Eights (eighth graders), to how to take care of her aging dog. Yes, Bigfoot, is getting older. And slower. And Julia Gillian isn’t ready for what’s coming. (I wasn’t either.)

I loved this one. It was bittersweet. I have to warn you. But it was good, very good. It not only made me cry, it kept me crying. The last couple of chapters it was impossible to read without tears. To read her project for the Reading Buddy Extravaganza, it was definitely emotional!

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

See original here:
Julia Gillian (And the Dream of the Dog) (MG)

The Everlasting Now. Sara H. Banks. 2010. Peachtree Publishers. 176 pages.

When I first met Champion Luckey, I didn’t know that he was going to change my life. Maybe you never know when that’s going to happen; it’s not like something you’re expecting. It’s more like getting struck by lightning and living to tell about it.

Historical fiction. Set during the Depression. In Alabama. In 1937. Our narrator, “Brother” Longstreet Sayre, is coming of age at a difficult time in America. One unforgettable summer, he becomes close friends with Champion Always Luckey. (He is the nephew of Lily Luther, the Sayre’s housekeeper.) That friendship surprises and upsets. Some at least. Champion is black. Brother is white. During these months Brother sees the world around him in a new way. He notices the differences, the restrictions, the injustices for the first time. It’s not like he thought the world was perfect before–he’s lost his father; he’s felt the rawness of pain and grief–but he is realizing that the world needs to be changed. And he wants to be a part of that change. He wants the world to be better.

I liked this one. Not like I love To Kill A Mockingbird. Not like I enjoyed Moon Over Manifest. Or The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had. But I did like it.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

See more here:
The Everlasting Now (MG)

What’s On Your Nightstand is hosted at 5 Minutes for Books.

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters. I am reading the second Generation Dead novel. I hope to get to the third, Passing Strange, soon. The books star a diverse cast of zombies differently biotic individuals. 30 chapters in.

Fire by Kristin Cashore. YA Fantasy. 18 chapters in.

Knightley Academy by Violet Haberdasher. Alternate Victorian historical setting. The synopsis (borrowed from B&N): In Violet Haberdasher’s Knightley Academy, the first commoner accepted at a prestigous boarding school uncovers a conspiracy that could lead to war. 6 chapters in.

Venetia by Georgette Heyer. Regency romance novel. I am listening to this one and reading it. It is such a great read so far. 8 chapters in.

Emma and the Vampires by Jane Austen and Wayne Josephson. Paranormal retelling of Jane Austen classic. It releases mid-August, I believe. 4 chapters in.

X Isle by Steve Augarde. YA Dystopia. Synopsis (borrowed from B&N) Ever since the floods came and washed the world away, survivors have been desperate to win a place on X-Isle, the island where life is rumored to be easier than on what’s left of the mainland. Only young boys stand a chance of getting in, the smaller and lighter the better… 1 chapter in.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Read the original:
What’s On Your Nightstand (July)

Julia Gillian (And the Quest for Joy). Alison McGhee. 2009. Scholastic. 320 pages.

It was the end of September, and Julia Gillian, along with the other Lake Harriet Elementary School students, had been in school for nearly a month.

I loved Julia Gillian (And the Art of Knowing). I thought Julia Gillian was a great quirky heroine. I found it easy to relate to her and her problems. (In the first book, she struggled with anxiety and fear.) Changes. This second book deals with changes.

Julia and her friends are in the fifth grade. And at times Julia feels her friends are growing up faster than she is. Julia doesn’t want to be a baby. But. She likes her parents to pack her lunches. She loves the notes her parents write her in her lunches. She has saved each and every one. And some of these notes, well, she pastes them into her papier-mache masks because they give her courage, they make her feel better. When her best friend, Bonwit, announces that he packs his own lunches, Julia does the unthinkable. She lies. She says she packs her own lunches too. And that one little lie is just the start of the uncomfortableness that becomes Julia’s life. There are so many things bothering Julia these days. Worries about her trumpet–she’s the only one in her class that can’t make the trumpet make a sound. Worries about her friendship with Bonwit–he hasn’t invited her over to his house in months, and every time she invites him over, well, he says no. Worries about the lunchroom–her favorite lunch monitor is out, and there’s a substitute who is trouble, trouble, trouble for anyone who believes in life, liberty, and the pursuit of Oreos. But though Julia very worried, she can’t find the courage to speak up. She thinks she should be able to solve her problems on her own without asking her parents for help, for advice. Can Julia learn to be honest with everyone in her life?

I loved Julia Gillian and the Quest for Joy. I did. I would definitely recommend these books!

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Follow this link:
Julia Gillian (And the Quest for Joy) (MG)

Dark Life. Kat Falls. 2010. Scholastic. 304 pages.

I peered into the deep-sea canyon, hoping to spot a toppled skyscraper. Maybe even the Statue of Liberty. But there was no sign of the old East Coast, just a sheer drop into darkness.

When Ty, a boy who has spent almost all of his life living deep undersea, meets Gemma, a Topsider, a girl who has spent her life on land, their lives are changed for better or worse.

Gemma has come to the sea in hopes of finding her brother. She hasn’t seen him in years. But if she can get his signature, she’d have some freedom. She hates being a ward of the ‘wealth (The Commonwealth). Of course, she’d love it if her brother welcomed her with open arms, if he welcomed her into his home. But. Before she can settle her future, she has to find him. And that is proving more challenging than she ever thought. Ty, not exactly used to girls, let alone Topsider girls, agrees to help her in her search. But the search has its own interruptions. Because things aren’t exactly stable undersea–politically. There’s a band of outlaws making things a bit topsy-turvy. And Ty and Gemma keep stumbling into danger.

I really liked this one. It was a very interesting dystopian novel. Falls has created a unique new world, new society, undersea. For those humans with the pioneer spirit–like Ty’s parents–the ocean offers a new beginning, a new hope.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

View post:
Dark Life (YA)

Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom and Science. Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos. 2010. November 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 176 pages.

It was a typically hot, dry day in Jerusalem.

Before reading this book, I had not given much thought to the history of sugar. I had not made the connection between sugar and some of the cruel injustices of the world. I speak of the connection between sugar and slavery.

“Sugar created a hunger, a need, which swept from one corner of the world to another, bringing the most terrible misery and destruction, but then, too, the most inspiring ideas of liberty.
Sugar changed the world.” (8)

The book is divided into four sections: “From Magic to Spice,” “Hell,” “Freedom,” and “Back to Our Stories: New Workers, New Sugar.” The book spans the centuries and explores many different cultures and societies.

I found the book rich in detail. I would definitely recommend this one.

© Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews

If you’re reading this on a site (other than Becky’s Book Reviews or Becky’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

See the article here:
Nonfiction Monday: Sugar Changed the World