Beware, Princess Elizabeth (Young Royals #2) by Carolyn Meyer

Pages:  214

Publishers:  Gulliver Books

Published:  September 1, 2002

Imprisonment. Betrayal. Lost love. Murder. What more must a princess endure?

Elizabeth Tudor's teenage and young adult years during the turbulent reigns of Edward and then Mary Tudor are hardly those of a fairy-tale princess. Her mother has been beheaded by Elizabeth's own father, Henry VIII; her jealous half sister, Mary, has her locked away in the Tower of London; and her only love interest betrays her in his own quest for the throne. 

Told in the voice of the young Elizabeth and ending when she is crowned queen, this second novel in the exciting series explores the relationship between two sisters who became mortal enemies. Carolyn Meyer has written an intriguing historical tale that reveals the deep-seated rivalry between a determined girl who became one of England's most powerful monarchs and the sister who tried everything to stop her.

Review:

The second book follows princess Elizabeth, the sister of Queen Mary. She is the only monarch of England to have been a woman and not married.  This book begins with the death of King Henry VIII and the princess finding out three days later and her brother being crowned as king. When Edward dies of Consumption, princess Mary becomes queen and Elizabeth is told that she would be restoring the true church of England. The catholic church.

When she questions her sister's choices, she is imprisoned in the tower until she is released and sent back to court. When her sister is nearing death, Elizabeth is made the heir. Everyone expects her to marry and produce an heir because they believe that a woman does not have the power to rule. Kind of stupid really. Girls are much more powerful than guys. Check Amelia Earhart.

This story is told from the point of the child of Anne Boleyn. From her lost love to betrayal from someone close to her. This book provides an insight into the life of princess Elizabeth and how she created one of the most celebrated eras in history. I'd give it 5 stars.

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.

May (Daughters of the Sea #2) by Kathryn Lasky

Pages:  328

Publishers: Scholastic Press

Published:  March 1, 2011

May feels her life drying up. The sea calls to her, but her parents forbid her from swimming. She longs for books, but her mother finds her passion for learning strange. She yearns for independence, but a persistent suitor, Rudd, wants to tame her spirited ways. Yet after her fifteenth birthday, the urge to break free becomes overpowering and May makes a life-changing discovery. She does not belong on land where girls are meant to be obedient. She is a mermaid-a creature of the sea.

For the first time, May learns what freedom feels like-the thrill of exploring both the vast ocean and the previously forbidden books. She even catches the eye of Hugh, an astronomy student who, unlike the townspeople, finds May anything but strange. But not everyone is pleased with May's transformation. Rudd decides that if can't have May, no one will. He knows how to destroy her happiness and goes to drastic measures to ensure that May loses everything: her freedom and the only boy she's ever loved.

Review:

The second book of the Daughters of the Sea quartet, features May.  She was found by a lighthouse keeper after the shipwreck that killed her mother and separated her from her two sisters.  She grows up on Egg rock, the same place where we saw Hannah visiting with the Hawley’s.  As she grows up, she catches the eye of a young fisherman named Rudd and that of an astronomer named Hugh.

When a storm comes to Egg rock, she and her sister meet.  Then they travel to the shipwreck to find who their mother was and who they were.  Rudd tries to court her, but she resists because he only cares about her beauty.  When she falls in love with the astronomer, Hugh, Rudd decides to get rid of the competition.

This book also stopped in the middle of the story.  I mean, it could have used some more details, such as, what did they do after Hugh discovered she was a mermaid?  Does her adoptive father find out about what she is?  What will happened to Rudd?  I stay tuned for the next book: Lucy (Daughters of the Sea #3) by Kathryn Laksy.

Fragment Friday's

This is a new segment on Sweet picks for the excerpts that come out before a book is released.  Today features Kiss of Frost, the second book in the Mythos Academy Series.  Hope it comes out soon!

Pages:  368

Publishers:  Kensington

Release Date:  November 29, 2011

Logan Quinn was trying to kill me. My Spartan classmate relentlessly pursued me, swinging his sword at me over and over again, the shining silver blade inching closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes practically glowed with the thrill of battle …

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I’m getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart — the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword — with Logan’s help — I just might die by the sword …

This is a link to the excerpt:

 http://www.jenniferestep.com/excerpts-short-stories/kiss-of-frost/

And to learn more about the book:

 http://www.jenniferestep.com/books-series/books/kiss-of-frost/

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Pages:  350

Publisher:  Kensington Publishing Corporation

Published:  July 26, 2011

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

Review:

I loved the book.  I mean really, does anyone ever think of writing about mythical monsters and warriors?  Jennifer is a genius!  This book has everything for fantasy readers: warriors, battle, and Romance with a capital R.  With another warning of spoilers I give you the rest of the review.

A mad Valkyrie who tries to sacrifice her best friend, a goddess who’s crazy enough to make Gwen her champion, and a Hot Spartan Warrior who’s hiding a dark, dark secret.  Really dude, I feel sorry for you, when Gwen wants to find a secret, she rips through minds just to get it.  And most of all let us never forget the talking sword, Vic.  Love you dear, but you’re kind of a snooze.

I thought that this book had me asking a lot of questions at the end.  Like what’s the Ashton family going to do to Gwen, what did Grandma Frost see in Gwen’s future, and most of all, what’s the secret that Logan hides.  But I suppose that it’ll be answered in the next book, Kiss of Frost.  I got the book read through it all in one sitting.  It was that good!  I’ll be following the series until they finish…5 stars and shooting higher!

Hannah (Daughters of the Sea #1) by Kathryn Lasky

Pages:  301

Publishers:  Scholastic Inc.

Published:  September 1, 2009

Hannah is not like other girls in the turn-of-the-century Boston orphanage where she grew up. Instead of seasickness, she gets land sickness. She leaves a ring of salt in the tub when she bathes, and sometimes she sees a faint tracing of scales on her feet. It's freakish, horrifying . . . and deeply thrilling.

Hannah feels a change coming. But she is not the only one who senses it. A young painter recognizes something in Hannah--a connection with the sea that recalls a secret from his own past. A choice lies ahead, and Hannah must discover if she is a creature of the land--or of the sea.

Review:

Kathryn Lasky has created her own little world into the world of mermaids.  This story follows a young girl name Hannah, who leaves the orphanage to work at the Hawleys household.  There she works as a scullery maid and makes friends with Henrietta ‘Ettie’ Hawley, while trying to hide what she is.

Hannah also meets a young painter named Stannish Whitman Wheeler, who complicates things for her.  She knows that he is different like her, but does not know why she hides it.  Then there’s the witch of the family and her monster cat.  Lila Hawley has her eyes on the painter, but his attention is on Hannah, so this causes her to try and harm Hannah on several occasions.

This book was good but had me asking many questions towards the end.  It ended unrepentantly with the storm and the mermaid’s tail.  It could have showed some history on how Hannah was found by the people of the orphanage.  Even though it provided a look onto how people of the 1900s lived.

May 22-28

I've already finished Chapter 1 of Black Phoenix.  I hope to have Chapter 2 done by the end of this week.  The first chapter has 1413 words.  I expect Chapter 2 to have up to 1500 words.

Finished Goals:

• cover art done
• full and short pitch done
• Chapter 1 finished- 123 KB