Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan

There are three different girls by the name of Elizabeth in Ladies in Waiting, all of which come from different backgrounds and yet, they share one thing in common: they're all ladies in waiting for the new queen, Queen Catherine. There's Eliza, who is quite wealthy and would much rather write plays than live a quiet, married life as well as Zabby, who grew up on a plantation and is more interested in scientific pursuits than other young ladies and lastly there's Beth, whose mother is dead set on keeping her completely chaste in the hopes of restoring their family's name.

I'm of two minds when it comes to Ladies in Waiting; on one hand, I did enjoy it and yet, at the same time, there were moments when I felt as if the plot slowed down and to be honest, there were a few times that I felt my interest waning because of it. If you like the time period in which it's set, then please do pick up a copy so that you can form your own opinions on it. Having said that, I definitely liked Eliza the best out of the three Elizabeths mainly because she knows what she wants to do and she knows exactly how she can accomplish it. Beth is definitely an innocent and at times, she was a bit creepy--in the manner in which she handled certain situations. But I think my real problem was with Zabby as she really seems torn for most of the book. There are essentially two things that she wants and yes, she can have both of them, but maybe not in the manner that she wants to have them--that'd make more sense if you've read the book, I promise.

I think I would've enjoyed it a bit more if there had been more intrigue or if Zabby had had less of an internal debate when it came to how she wanted to go about getting the King's attention. And yes, the King definitely plays a large role in Ladies in Waiting, even if he's not in every scene. Overall, I'd say that I enjoyed Ladies in Waiting and that I thought it ended perfectly considering the time period--although I do feel bad for Beth's mother.

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books, a part of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Release Date: May 8, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

To be honest, I wasn't really sure what I was expecting when I started reading The Wicked and the Just, but I definitely ended up enjoying it. No, it's not centered around romance--which, as you might know, is typically what I gravitate towards. But yes, there is a bit of romance in The Wicked and the Just--but it's definitely minor which worked out perfectly well.

On one hand you have Cecily, an English girl who has recently moved to Caernarvon with her father--not that she wanted to. She's definitely a bit of a brat and Cecily is also not exactly fond of the Welsh (for a while, she's pretty sure that they'll murder her where she stands). To be fair, none of the Englishmen and women who live in Caernarvon get along with the Welsh terribly well. They tax them relentlessly and if the Welsh can't pay, they take what they feel is equal in value to the tax. And then you have Gwenhwyfar, a Welsh girl who has had everything taken from her (except for her mother and her younger brother). She works in Cecily's household and is none to pleased about it. Both of them are fiery in their own way and they're alike in many ways (while still being extremely different). As much as I'd love to tell you about the story itself, I really feel that this one is best experienced entirely on your own. Seriously, I don't want to ruin anything for you.

And if you couldn't tell from all of that, the story is really focused around English and Welsh relations. It's a read that's bloody (on occasion), exciting, and at times, the characters can be maddening, but it makes for a brilliant read. I'd recommend this to you if you're looking for something that is historical fiction and relevant to the issues during the time period.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Release Date: April 17, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

What's Grave Mercy about? It's about Ismae Rienne, handmaiden (and daughter) of Death, who is sent (by her convent) to be their eyes and ears at court while playing Gavriel Duval's mistress. There's plots to steal Anne of Brittany's duchy out from under her, murders, a bit of romance, and well, quite a bit of action--although I should point out that it is not all action all the time (but it definitely has its moments).

Asides from Ismae, I really loved Anne. I know, not what you were thinking; but she's thirteen and rules the duchy. I mean, thirteen. I know that, during the time period it's not that young, but to me it's still pretty impressive. And let's not get me started on Duval because he's pretty hard to hate. Seriously, he rivals Ismae in terms of abilities and because of it, they're a really good match! There's also Sir Benabic of Waroch (known as Beast) and De Lornay--who are polar opposites and friends of Duval's. Honestly, there were very few characters who I didn't like--and those who I didn't like, well, I don't believe I was supposed to like them in the first place.

I love how the saints are incorporated into the story and in particular, Death--who is obviously very, very important to the story. Also, I have a feeling that for the most part, Grave Mercy is Ismae's story in its entirety--although we might see her again in the next book. To be honest, I was hoping that we'd see more of her story but I'm looking forward to seeing how Dark Triumph develops the story (as I believe it's Sybella's turn). Grave Mercy definitely flows nicely and if it sounds like you might like Grave Mercy, definitely give it a try.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite Quote: 
"I know that what our saints want is not always made clear to us. Sometimes, it is their wish for us to flail and struggle and come to our own choices, not accept ones that have been made for us."

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

The Vespertine
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's
Release Date: March 7, 2011
Edition: e-ARC
* Received via NetGalley for review.

Summary from GoodReads: It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

My Thoughts:
There are certain books that make me emit a dolphin like "Eeee!" of excitement, and The Vespertine is one such book. Amelia van den Broek goes to Baltimore in the spring in hopes of finding a husband--well, it's not really her idea, it's actually her brother's--and ends up meeting Nathaniel, an artist and thus quite an unsuitable match. However, they have an instant connection and Amelia feels drawn to him. At the same time, Amelia has just begun to catch sight of visions in the light of the setting sun and soon she becomes sought out for her ability which makes her quite popular in town. However, one such vision leads to a death--of whom, I shall not say--and from there, things begin to spiral out of control for dear Miss Amelia.

Zora was by far my favorite minor character--mainly because I loved the interaction between Amelia and Zora almost as much as the interactions between Amelia and Nathaniel. I found her to be full of life, quite fun, and rather like a sister to Amelia. I found The Vespertine to be well written, the writing style to be very fitting for the era, and needless to say I was in love with the imagery--in particular when Amelia has her visions. The Vespertine takes place during two different points in the year: the spring in Baltimore (bulk of the story) and the fall (afterwards) in Oakhaven (her home in Broken Tooth). Without giving anything away, I'll tell you that I loved the ending and I'm really looking forward to its companion novel--The Springsweet--which is due out in Spring 2012. I'd like to also quickly mention that the focus of The Vespertine is upon the romance and not the paranormal although the paranormal factor is indeed there. I'd recommend The Vespertine to those looking for a historical fiction romance with just a touch of the paranormal element.

Overall Rating:  ★★★★★

Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell

Trickster's Girl
Author: Hilari Bell
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Release Date: January 3, 2011 (1/3/2011)
Edition: Digital ARC
* Received for review via NetGalley

Summary from GoodReads: In the year 2098 America isn't so different from the USA of today. But, in a post-9/11 security-obssessed world, "secured" doesn't just refer to borders between countries, it also refer to borders between states. Teenagers still think they know everything, but there is no cure for cancer, as Kelsa knows first-hand from watching her father die.

The night Kelsa buries her father, a boy appears. He claims magic is responsible for the health of Earth, but  human damage disrupts its flow. The planet is dying.

Kelsa has the power to reverse the damage, but first she must accept that magic exists and see beyond her own pain in order to heal the planet.

My Thoughts:

Kelsa Phillips has just lost her father to cancer when she meets Raven, the boy who seems to suddenly appear out of nowhere and tells her that magic exists--and more importantly, he needs her to help him heal the ley lines which have been severely weakened by humanity. To say the very least, she's skeptical but finally agrees to help him heal at least one ley line. From there, their journey takes them through Utah, Montana, up into Canada, and finally over to Alaska. It really does feel like you're taken along on their road trip as Kelsa tries to aid in stopping the tree plague--which started in a small patch of the Amazon and has just recently been spotted beginning in Mexico as well.

If you're looking for a romance, this isn't it. More or less, this is an adventure--and one which I found to be rather interesting. With that said though, my one major gripe was that it seemed almost too short. And then of course there is the fact that although Kelsa's role is over, Raven still has more work to do--literally--and with only days to spare. On the other hand, Hilari Bell's writing style really let you picture your surroundings and I loved the incantations that Kelsa came up with. As a story, it certainly had potential, I only wish that the ending had been more fulfilling.

Overall Rating: ★★★ (and a half)