Mademoiselle Boleyn and The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn

Both of these books are by Robin Maxwell. With The Secret Diary being her debut novel.

Mademoiselle Boleyn is about Anne's life in France before coming back to England. I was looking forward to reading this book, I know about Anne in England but to read about what her life might have been like before was very interesting. If I thought the lifestyle of England was bad, France was really no different, that is in the way women are treated. I found in that book a different side to Anne that I didn't see before. A little girl growing up without the love of her father and to see how her relationship with her brother developed even though living across the Channel. I guess that I should stop before I spoil this for anyone.

Part of me wishes that The Secret Diary was written after Mademoiselle Boleyn, just for connections sake. I haven't read anything about Queen Elizabeth before, so this was new for me. I am anxious now to read more about what happened between her and Queen Mary. I felt this book really made me sensitive to what Anne went through with Henry, and being a mother and having her child taken away must have been awful.

I really enjoyed both these books and hope to read more of Robin Maxwell, which I will be doing next month since I found To The Tower Born in a used book store. (I love used books stores, you never know what treasure you will find).

Weekly Roundup

I saw this post on Baffled Books and thought that it was a really good idea. In an effort to be more organized and up to date with my reviews and whatever else I want to chat about I am about to do my first Weekly Roundup post.

Reviews last week:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (review)

Still to review:

Hold Still by Nina Lacour
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldonl
The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick
The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell
Madesoille Boleyn by Robin Maxwell (I think that I will review both these books at the same time).

There are other books that I have read this past year and missed reviewing.

Plans for the week:

start and finish - Much Ado About Anne by Heather Vogel Frederick
finish - Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Vern
continue reading - Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood - this is part of my 2011 Off the Shelf Challenge, so hoping to finish in January, might be a problem though because I am only suppose to read a chapter a day, however I am really enjoying it and I might be finished before January.

Library loot:

I have another week for these 2 books and not sure if I have reached my max renewal or not. So I might be reading them or not.
What The Dead Know by Laura Lippman
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

I have read so many reviews on this book, all of them good. I waited until it came out in paperback, which I received last summer. Finally this week as I am getting geared up and ready for some challenges next year I figured that I had better read this one.

What can I say? It took me all of 2 days to finish it. I don't know if this is Lauren Oliver's first book, but I will definitely read more of her work. I loved the writing style, the flow of words, the twists and turns and how like a jigsaw puzzle everything fit together nicely at the end.

The book did remind me of 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and I had the same reaction, in that I wanted the ending to be different. Was it different? Did I get the ending that I wanted? Well I will never tell...

Off The Shelf Challenge

Are your books multiplying like rabbits before you even get a chance to read them? Trying to keep up with them, but can't stop buying new ones?

Maybe this challenge is for you. I know what it's like. There's so many titles and so many beautiful books out there sometimes it's hard to keep that TBR shelf under control, but if you really want to try why not challenge yourself?

Well check out BA Reading Challenges, and sign up today.

Also check my link at the top of this blog and see what I will be reading in 2011

2011 Debut Author Challenge

What's the 2011 Debut Author Challenge?

• Goal: Read at least 12 debut Young Adult or Middle Grade novels that are published in 2011
• Time frame: The Challenge runs from January 1st, 2011 to December 31st, 2011.
• Who can participate: Anyone! You don't need a blog to join, you can post your reviews to Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari, et cetera.
• More info: This challenge is hosted by The Story Siren, so check out her blog to sign up, see a list of debut novels, or see a list of FAQ's about the challenge.
  

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

I went to the library the other day to check out Laura Lippman, I had read some reviews on One Person's Journey, and was intrigued. Before leaving the library I just had to make a quick stop at the new release section. I had heard about Still Missing, and added it to my pile. I knew it was a 7 day loan, and thinking why am I doing this I can't possibly read this in 7 days (I mean I was and still am in the middle of a couple other books - yes that is correct, a couple other books).

I started it Monday night and just finished this morning. It was a wet dreary morning, the perfect time to sit and read. Plus I just couldn't put this baby down.

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Still Missing is that rare debut find--a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted debut novel.

This novel grabbed me from the get go, it flowed, it was an attention grabber right away, I loved the characters. I loved the chapters, each of which were her therapy sessions. It was a believable story. The ending was amazing and I enjoyed it right to the last page.

Chevy Steven has her second novel coming out next year entitled Never Knowing, which I will be on the lookout for.

Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Jonah, Katherine, Chip, and another boy, Alex, have no preparation before they are sent back to 1483 at the Tower of London, with the promise that they can return to the present if they can repair history. They quickly discover that Chip and Alex’s true identities are the 13-year-old King Edward V and his 10-year-old brother, Richard, Duke of York. But before Chip can enjoy being the king of England, they discover that they are virtually prisoners—and that their uncle wants them dead. How can the kids repair time and return home when according to history, Chip and Alex were murdered?

This is book 2 from The Missing Series. While I enjoyed the first book, Found, I really enjoyed this one more. Maybe it is my love of English history or the mystery surrounding the princes in the Tower that grabbed my attention. There are so few clues as to what really happened to these 2 boys and I think Haddix did a wonderful job of creating this story.

There is a third book in the series Sabotaged, which has been released in hardcover already.

A Common Evil by Vivian Vande Velde

Again another book that sounded interested from another blogger. I had high hopes for this book.

This novel combines two periods in French history-the 1940s and the early 1300s. Lisette Beaucaire, 13, is sent to live in the country with her aunt, since food is scarce in Paris, which is overrun by German soldiers. Although she dreads spending time with her bratty cousin Cecile, Lisette is even more dismayed to discover that her aunt is hiding Jewish and gypsy children from the Nazis. As Lisette and the children practice what to do if the Nazis arrive unexpectedly, she begins to understand the seriousness of the situation. Then she encounters the ghost of Gerard, a young knight who died in 1314. At first he is merely a spirit but gradually he becomes solid and real-and a friend. In an exciting climax, Gerard helps Lisette save the younger children from the Nazis.

There are so many rave reviews for this book that I am wondering if I missed something. I found the book interesting and well written to a certain point. I was confused about Gerard, with no real reason was given for him being there and his background was a little confusing to me.

The historical part for France was good to read about, a time that affected all ages and it is sad to think about what the little ones had to endure in the 1940's. The ending I felt was rushed and abrupt.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

This charming classic, first published in 1970, brings together 20 years of correspondence between Helene Hanff, a freelance writer living in New York City, and a used book dealer in London. Through the years, though never meeting and separated both geographically and culturally, they share a winsome, sentimental friendship based on their common love for books. Their relationship, captured so acutely in these letters, is one that will grab your heart and not let go.

A quick read that I found charming, it put a smile on my face so many times. I could just picture Helene's apartment with the bookshelves and piles of books. I have a used book store close by that I just love to wander through. Though you can't wander too much, the shelves are so close together and l am thankful the last time I was there, my son was with me to catch the pile that also toppled over when I wanted a book from the bottom of the pile. So many treasures waiting for someone to find them.

if I stay by gayle forman

I am going to have to do a better job of keeping track where I find out about the YA books that I read. I very rarely go into a book store these days since I have discovered online places so much cheaper. Unless I find something that looks interested at the local Goodwill and other thrift shops.

"what would you do if you had to choose?"

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make--and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

When I started this book I didn't really have high hopes. I found the dialogue in the first 10 pages or so, rough and it left me wondering what the rest of the book would be like. All that quickly changes after the accident. From that point on jumping back and forth in time, the story just flowed together smoothly. The dialogue was so much better and realistic. I felt for so many people throughout this book, (Mia, her future, Kim, her best friend, Adam, the boyfriend and even the grandparents)

This book was one that I had to finish asap just to see what decision Mia would make. It reminded me of 13 Reasons Why for the basic reason that I somehow wanted something to happen to change the story, which I knew was impossible.

And the good news is that there is a sequel called Where She Went to be released next year.