Mary, Bloody Mary (Young Royals #1) by Carolyn Meyer

Pages:  240

Publishers:  Guilliver Books

Published:  April 1, 2001

The story of Mary Tudor's childhood is a classic fairy tale: A princess who is to inherit the throne of England is separated from her mother; abused by an evil stepmother who has enchanted her father; stripped of her title; and forced to care for her baby stepsister, who inherits Mary's rights to the throne. Believe it or not, it's all true. Told in the voice of the young Mary, this novel explores the history and intrigue of the dramatic rule of Henry VIII, his outrageous affair with and marriage to the bewitching Anne Boleyn, and the consequences of that relationship for his firstborn daughter. 

Review:

This first book in the young royal series presents Princess Mary Tudor.  I believe this is where the urban legend of Bloody Mary came from. If any of you readers decide to try calling her up for a ghost story sleepover, then please do the following: wait till dark, always have someone accompany you, bring a candle and place it in front if your face, and say 'bloody Mary' three times. Don't know if it will work but I'm sure it will scare a few of your friends. he he he.

This books tells the story of princess Mary through her eyes at the age of 10.  This starts off with her being betrothed to the king of France. Then it goes to the festival of Yuletide, where she first witnesses her father's fascination with the Lady Anne. As she grows older, she learns along with her mother that her father, the king is trying to get his marriage to Queen Catherine annulled because she had been unable to produce a son for him.  When he sends her mother to an impoverished estate and deems her an illegitimate child, she knows that it is the work of the witch, Anne.

She is then separated from her mother, with orders of not to write or communicate with her. This is a story of love, betrayal, and intrigue. It also gives an insight into he life of the court of King Henry VIII.  I'd give it 5 stars.

Fragment Friday's

Today features the Son of Neptune, book #2 of the Heroes of Olympus series.

Pages:  384
Publishers:  Hyperion Book CH
Release Date:  October 4, 2011

In The Lost Hero, three demigods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they inherited a blood-chilling quest:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Who are the other four mentioned in the prophesy? The answer may lie in another camp miles away, where a new camper has shown up and appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea. . .

This is a link to the excerpt:

http://www.rickriordan.com/Files/Documents/Son_of_Neptune_preview.pdf

And to learn more about the book:

http://www.rickriordan.com/my-books/percy-jackson/heroes-of-olympus/thesonofneptune.aspx

Love sucks! by Melissa Francis

Pages:  285

Publishers:  HarperCollins

Published:  July 27, 2010

AJ Ashe may have gotten rid of her vampire stalker and her evil ex-teacher, but things are hardly back to normal. For one thing, she still has to maintain a strict look-but-don't-touch policy with Ryan, her hot ex-boyfriend-turned-stepbrother. For another, she has to learn to control her vampire superpowers—which means more than a few dates with Lex, mind-reading professional vampire trainer and too-sexy-for-his-own-good bad boy. And as if that's not enough, she happens to be the key to her father's plans to take over the world . . . and he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants.

All this and she's still got to plan the prom. Being a teenager is tough, but being a teenage vampire just flat out sucks!

Review:

This book begins a few months after the events of Bite me!  And I may just say I agree with the book title.  Love does suck!  In this book, AJ’s long lost daddy comes a’ knocking.  If he was my father, I would have sucked him dry.  He had no business coming back to them.  Loser!

AJ is betrayed by someone close to her, her mother is half-dead, and her stepbrother is jealous of her new “boyfriend.”  And some people think that they have it bad.  Then there are the ruins to find, while trying to keep them away from a bad breath demon.  Then you’ll find out more about vampires who are destined to become trainers based on their eyes.  I’d understand a birthmark or something, but eyes?!  It just seems so cliché.

I think that this book is even better than Bite me!, and has even more surprising ending.  I wish that she’d write a third book, but I guess this is the end.  I give it 4 stars.

Bite me! by Melissa Francis

Pages:  296

Publishers:  HarperTeen

Published:  August 1, 2009

AJ Ashe isn't your typical seventeen-year-old vampire as if there is such a thing! She's stuck in the middle of a huge fight between her two BFFs. Her ex-boyfriend whom she's still totally in love with, by the way is now her stepbrother. A former classmate who, um, she may or may not have turned into a vampire is stalking her. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. What ever happened to the good old days, when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

Review:

This is a new type of vampire lore.  One with crazy clans, prophecies, and a girl with a ‘thing’ for her new stepbrother.  I know it’s gross, but her was her boyfriend before Ryan’s dad and her mom got married.  Really!  Parents, you need to think of your kids before your self.  And the kids can’t just turn off their feelings like a light. *sigh*

I thought that this would be another book about: boy meets girl.  Boy and girl date.  Boy says he loves girl.  Boy and girl get separated.  Boy and girl fight evil.  Boy and girl are reunited.  Boy and girl think they’ll be together forever.  *gah!*  Some of them are sobbby love stories.  Hate them!  I don’t like to cry.  Goodbye Romeo and Juliet!

This one was filled with a lot of action and there was even a hint about a student’s affair with a teacher with a teacher.  Oh la la!  She’s also caught herself a stalker, and the school thinks that she’s cheated so she’s suspended.  In the end Ryan saves her and her parents tell them something that makes them go what the ****.  This book has more twists than a pretzel so be ready for surprises.