Upcoming Releases - June 14 - 20

This is such a hectic week at school, the final one before exams, and there is so much to do that I almost forgot about this post. I helped chaperone prom last Friday, which was very interesting.  I don't really remember my own prom, it seems so long ago, and I am amazed at how much money these students spend, they stay for dinner, and they leave right afterwards.  It blows me away.  I also got a new blog look that I am absolutely thrilled about, but have not yet had a chance to do anything with, even thank Emily who was such a great help in putting this new look together.  I can't wait to get my hands on my blog and begin putting the finishing touches on it.  Thank you Emily so much!!!

But I actually enjoy doing this post as it helps me focus on books that are being published and I use it as a list of books that I really want to read, especially if I have not yet purchased or borrowed them from the library.  So I decided to take a break from marking and take a sneak peek at what is being released this week.  This is what I found:

The Ogre of Oglefort

by Eva Ibbotson

Release Date: June 14, 2010

When a Hag, an orphan boy and a troll called Ulf get sent to rescue a princess from an ogre, they expect it to be a fairly standard magical mission.  But the ogre is depressed, the princess doesn't want to be rescued - and the ogre's dead wife is turning in her grave.  The Norns who rule their fates decide to take things in hand - will the ogre meet a bloody end, or will he get a happy ending?

This one is for my son.

The Confession of Catherine Howard

by Suzannah Dunn

Release Date: June 15, 2010

Eighteen-year-old Catherine Howard thought she could have it all.  Told twenty years later from the perspective of her friend, the novel tells the life of this damaged, dangerous, and short-lived Queen.

Sea

by Heidi R. Kling

Release Date: June 15, 2010

You can read my review of this novel here.

This is Where We Live

by Janelle Brown

Release Date: June 15, 2010

This is the story of Claudia and Jeremy, a young married couple who are on the verge of making it.  Her first film was a sensation at Sundance and is about to have its theatrical release, and he's assembled a new band is a few songs short of a new album.  They've recently purchased a new home with the magical assistance of an adjustable-rate mortgage.  But a series of seismic events - the tanking of Claudia's film, the return of Jeremy's ex-girlfriend, and the staggering adjustment of their monthly mortgage payments - deal a crushing blow to their dreams of a bohemian life and their professional aspirations and make them questions their values and their shared vision of a future.

The Day I Died

by Polly Courtney

Release Date: June 15, 2010

A story of losing one's memory and trying to figure out the truth of who she is.

The Reinvention of Moxie Roosevelt

by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Release Date: June 15, 2010

Moxie Roosevelt Kipper has endured thirteen years of being an ordinary girl with an unordinary name.  Now that she's entered boarding school, the time is ripe to reinvent herself.  But at boarding school, Moxie isn't the only one who isn't what she claims to be.

Holy Water

by James P. Othmer

Release Date: June 15, 2010

A funny novel about downsizing, outsourcing, globalization, third-world dictatorships, and vasectomies.  As a big fan of The Futurist, I am looking forward to this novel.

Review: Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Sea
by Heidi R. Kling
Release Date:  June 10, 2010
2010 G.P. Putnam's Sons
ISBN: 978-0-399-25163-4
Softcover Edition; 336 Pages
Genre: Young Adult
Source: ARC from Penguin Canada

5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Sienna Jones has had a hard time dealing with the loss of her mother three years ago in a place crash over the Indian Ocean.  Nightmares and fears of the ocean and planes haunt her.  So when her father asks Sienna to join his international relief team for two weeks of her summer vacation to help tsunami orphans cope with their losses, she thinks he must be kidding or crazy or both.

What she finds there is the most handsome boy she's ever seen.  Their connection is instant and true, so when he hears word that his father may have survived the awful tsunami after all, Sienna doesn't hesitate to run away with him to the epicenter of the tsunami disaster.  She knows they're taking a huge risk, bu she doesn't expect that what they find might break both their hearts...

My Thoughts
Sea is the debut novel by Heidi R. Kling and I absolutely loved it.  It is a compelling jaunt to another culture, and another world, where we get a look at the lives of troubled young orphans whose lives were turned upside down in the aftermath of the terrible destruction of the tsunami that destroyed everything these people have ever known.  I found it heartbreaking, but at the same time, I found it to be joyful and hopeful. 

Sienna is a wonderful principal character and I connected with her immediately.  I think anyone who has lost someone important in their lives will connect with Sienna and her grief as she tries to identify with a world that terrifies her.  She demonstrates a lot of growth as a person throughout this novel and I felt like I was right there along with her as she experienced these remarkable things in her life, things that made her open her eyes to the possibility of life going on after her mother's death.  She demonstrated compassion and courage in a lot of situations, even one so simple as using the washroom.  I am well-travelled, but even I blanched the first time I had to use a washroom the way it was described to Sienna in the book and it brought back a lot of memories of my earlier travels and my mortification as I realized that people do not live the way that I live at home.

I really enjoyed the interactions of the secondary characters in the novel.  I like the relationship that Sienna has with her father as it's so real; this is not a novel about teen angst and fighting with her parent, but about reconnecting with her world and I really enjoyed that.  I would have loved to have gotten to know Tom a little better as he seems like quite a character, but it really wasn't about him.  The relationship between Sienna and Deni was sweet and romantic; every girl should have a romance like that in her life.  Both Sienna and Deni shared devastating losses in their life and were able to share that loss with each other.  They were able to communicate and help each other deal with the grief that comes with such devastating loss and understand how the other person feels.  I understood right away why Sienna would want to help Deni in his search for his father as without hope we would wither and die.  I like how impulsive they are, how they just want to hop on a plane and go, as it shows how young they are and the impulsivity of youth.

The setting itself was extremely interesting.  I love the cultural tidbits that are included and the behaviours and norms one must follow if one is to fit in, especially the doctors if they want to be allowed to return to do their missionary work.  While we heard so much about the tsunami during the actual event and in the weeks that followed, very little was heard months afterward and this book is great for explaining some of things that were still occurring even six months after.  It is important that these things are not forgotten and are brought back to our attention as help is always needed.

Verdict
Sea was a fantastic debut novel and I enjoyed it tremendously.  It captured my attention right from the beginning and I had a difficult time putting it down.  It was a sweet, romantic novel, set in the midst of devastation and chaos, but demonstrates the power of love and hope and how people can help each other heal.  I am definitely looking forward to more novels by this author.

$ 40 Giveaway from CSN Stores

Giveaway!  Giveaway!

I was recently contacted by CSN Stores and have a wonderful giveaway to offer one of my lucky readers.  I was familiar with the company, having looked at their website before, but this time I literally spent hours looking through many of their various items and found everything from bookshelves (one of my favourite categories) to patio furniture to lights to office supplies and dining ware.  There are so many items available, at every price level, that it would be difficult not to find what you are looking for.  With over 200 shops from which to choose, many with their own specializations, you can pretty much find exactly what you are looking for.  It was very easy to order and many items included free shipping in both the U.S. and in Canada.

Here are some items you can purchase for $40.

6-Quart Popcorn Maker 36.99 (For when reading good books!)

Zojirushi Thermal Carafe - 34 oz - 26.99 (We use these when travelling!)

CSN Stores has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers one $40 gift certificate to use at any of their stores.

Mandatory Entry: Please comment on this post with your email address.

Extra Entries:

- Become a follower of Curling Up By the Fire (+1 New Follower; +2 Old Follower)

- Share this giveaway on a social network of your choice.  Please include the link in your comment. (+1 for each place you share this giveaway.)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents.  Deadline to enter is midnight on June 30th.

Good luck everyone!

Book Blogger Hop

It's time for another HOP!

If you are interested in playing along, head on over to Crazy for Books,

sign up, and visit as many blogs as you like.  It's a great way to

meet new friends, discover some fantastic blogs, and just generally

join in a very supportive and fabulous community.  Oh, and you

also get to talk about BOOKS!

I am away at Prom tomorrow night; not mine as those days are long gone,

but I just wanted to mention that it may take me a few days to visit

everyone's site.  I'll be busy blowing up balloons, playing with the helium machine, 

decorating the hall, and getting ready for a group of very

excited high school students.

Oh, the drama of prom!!  I'm sure it was a big deal when I

was in school, but to be honest I just don't really remember. 

Isn't it amazing how we forget things like that?  

Especially as I'm sure it was such a big deal at the time.

 

Review: Ravished by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

Ravished by a Highlander

by Paula Quinn

2010 Forever

Release Date: May 1, 2010

Trade Paperback; 368 Pages

ISBN: 978-0-446-55238-7

Genre: Historical Romance

Source: Review Copy from Forever

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

Davina Montgomery is no ordinary English lady.  For her own protection, she's been locked away from society, her true identity the Crown's most closely guarded secret.  Until a shocking betrayal - and a bold rescue - land her in the arms of a fierce highlander, a powerful warrior whose searing gaze and tantalizing touch awaken her body and soul.

As the firstborn son of a powerful Scottish laird, Robert MacGregor has no loyalty to the English throne, but he's not the kind of man to leave a woman in distress.  He vows to deliver Davina to safety, unharmed and untouched.  Yet one stolen kiss leaves them both smoldering with desire...and desperate for more.  With Davina's secret threatening to destroy his clan, Rob must choose between everything he holds dear and the one woman he can't live without.

My Thoughts

Ravished by a Highlander was an enjoyable historical romance; it was full of enjoyable and quirky characters, romance that I loved, enough drama that I was satisfied, and full of historical facts about Scottish history that I have always found fascinating. 

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this novel is the depth of the characters and their character development.  I will admit that the idea of Scottish highlander men who are totally fit for battle, having trained since they were small, certainly causes a thrill and I can always picture myself in the rugged mountains envisioning the scenes where they practice and test each other's skills at arms.  The cover of the book certainly helps one envision them as well and makes you want to get into the book to find out what those Scottish men are up to this time.  Not having read any of Ms. Quinn's previous novels, it was a treat to be introduced to the rugged MacGregor clan and its diverse personalities.  The MacGregors are certainly interesting characters and I love the fact that the women are equally strong in this family.  Davina herself was a delight as she displayed a carefree attitude to the world, one who took every day and just embraced it, but at the same time stood up for herself and her beliefs, even against the strong personalities of the MacGregors.  You have to admire her for that.  Both Robert and Davina faced some difficult choices and it was interesting to see the byplay between loyalty for one's clan and love for one another and how you sometimes have to sacrifice one for the other.

I found the love and romance between Robert and Davina to be great.  They had a wonderful emotional connection and I enjoyed how it grew slowly and developed over the course of the book. This is one of the strengths of this novel.  I do have to admit that one of the things I found somewhat unbelievable however, is the subplot, and this is the reason why I only rated this novel a four instead of a five.  I found it difficult to believe that someone like Davina could be hidden away for twenty-four years without anyone knowing about it.  I also found it somewhat unbelievable that a man like Gilles could be felled the way that he was considering the type of man that he was;  everything happened a little too easily for it to be believable.  

Verdict

Ravished by a Highlander was a fast-paced, enjoyable read with clever and enjoyable characters.  Seventeenth century Scotland is an interesting period of history and Ms. Quinn introduces us to a memorable cast of characters in order to bring this era to life, using a mix of fact and fiction.  Historians will enjoy this romp through time while romance lovers will not be able to get enough of Robert and Davina.  I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series, Seduced by a Highlander, featuring Tristan MacGregor, Robert's younger brother.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.  It's a great way to take a look at those upcoming releases we are drooling over and to share some of the books we are anxiously awaiting with others.  It's also a great way to check out what other bloggers have found that we have missed or did not know about.  I know it's been difficult for me to focus on what I currently need to read as there are so many great books on the horizon being released.  My Tuesday feature Upcoming Releases helps me to take a look at what is being released during that week and helps me to stay more organized in my reading.  I still can't help that 'squeal' though when I notice something new that I have been waiting for for a long time is finally being published.  

One of the first Science Fantasy series/writers that I read, other than Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry, was Terry Brooks and I was thrilled to discover that he is releasing a new fantasy series, the Legends of Shannara.  I have begun to read The Sword of Shannara (it's hard to believe it was first published in 1977), although I had to put it aside because of some other obligations, but it's still sitting on my nightside table, patiently waiting for my return.  With this new book being published, I am putting it at the top of my TBR pile.  

Bearers of the Black Staff (Legends of Shannara, Book 1)

by Terry Brooks

Release Date: August 24, 2010

The Genesis of Shannara trilogy - Armageddon's Children, The Elves of Cintra, and The Gypsy Morph - charted the fall of our own world into the hands of once-men and demons - and the escape of a few humans, Elves, and others into a remote mountain valley walled in by impenetrable magic.  For five-hundred years the survivors have lived peacefully, learning to coexist and to build a new world with the limited resources and skills available to them.  Now the magic that has kept them safe for so many centuries is wearing down.  Frightening creatures are penetrating the barriers and wreaking havoc on the valley within.  It is time for the four peoples to stand together and create the new world of Shannara.

Upcoming Releases June 7 - 14

It's been one of those weeks at work where it's been so crazy that I've been using my downtime to take a look at upcoming releases and fantasizing about holidays and freetime and looking forward to that time when I can sit down and read just for pleasure, without the pressure of work on my back.  It's coming soon and I can't wait.  No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers'...wait, I am the teacher!   Anyways, here are a few books that my family and I are looking forward to this week.

The Hidden Heart of Emily Hudson

by Melissa Jones

Release Date: June 7, 2010

London, 1862.  Emily aspires to be an artist.  Full of spirit and energy, she is too outspoken for the stuffy drawing rooms in which she finds herself confined.  Under the patronage of her cousin William, she struggles against the bonds of her time.

Insatiable

by Meg Cabot

Release Date: June 8, 2010

Sick of hearing about vampires?  So is Meena Harper?

But her bosses are making her write about the anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them.

Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural.  See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die.  

But not even Meena's procognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets - then makes the mistake of falling in love with - Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side.

The Passage

by Justin Cronin

Release Date: June 8, 2010

Justin Cronin has written both a relentlessly suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of unprecedented catastrophe and unimaginable danger.

Passing Strange (Book 3, Generation Dead)

Daniel Waters

Release Date: June 8, 2010

I have been waiting for this book for quite a while now.   This latest installment is about Karen, one of my favourite characters in this series.

Book of Shadows

by Alexandra Sokoloff

Release Date: June 8, 2010

All homicide detective Adam Garrett's beliefs about the nature of reality will be tested as he is forced to team up with a woman he is fiercely attracted to but cannot trust, in a race to uncover a psychotic killer before he strikes again.

A Colourful Death (Cornish Mystery, Book 2)

by Carola Dunn

Release Date: June 8, 2010

Eleanor Trewynn is a recently retired widow who has moved to a small village in Cornwall.  Life in this small village is anything but dull and soon Eleanor finds herself investigating a murder and discovering secrets. 

The Tilting House

by Tom Llewellyn

Release Date: June 8, 2010

This one is for my son and daughter.

Brothers Josh and Aaron Peshik are about to discover that their new home with the tilting floors hides many mysteries.

The Queen's Daughter

by Susan Coventry

Release Date: June 8, 2010

Joan's mother is Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the most beautiful woman in the world.  Her father is King Henry II, king of England.  She loves them both - so what can she do when she is forced to choose between them?  As he parents' arguments grown ever more vicious, Joan begins to feel like a political pawn.  When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself with a man ten years her senior.  She doesn't love him, and she can't quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.  As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents' worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs.  Is it too late to figure out whom to trust?  And, more important, whom to love?

A Bad Day for Pretty (Stella Hardesty, Book 2)

by Sophie Littlefield

Release Date: June 8, 2010

Stella Hardesty, avenger of wronged women, is getting cozy with Sheriff 'Goat' Jones when the tornado that is blazing a path of destruction through town blows his scheming ex-wife, Brandy, through the front door.  Adding to the chaos, the tornado destroys the snack shack at the demolition derby track, pulling up the concrete and unearthing a woman's body.  The main suspect is Neb Donovan.  Stella doesn't believe the gentle man could kill any woman, so she agrees to look into the matter for his frantic wife. 

Blind Fury (Anna Travis, Book 6)

by Lynda La Plante

Release Date: June 10, 2010

Another multiple murder thriller by a fantastic author.

What books are you looking forward to this week?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I had a very interesting week, with lots of little upsets that seemed to get in the way of my reading this week.  My water heater went on the blitz this week and after two days of cold showers, I was ready to head to a hotel and stay there, but luckily the Direct Energy man was able to finally fix it on the third day.  It does not leave one in a mood to read though.  Exams are coming up and my students have ISU presentations this week so I feel guilty if I read as I have so many other things to do. 

I do love this meme though, hosted by Sheila of One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, as it helps keep me focused on what I need to accomplish during the upcoming week.  It's also such a fantastic way of discovering other great blogs, seeing what other bloggers are reading, reading interesting reviews and posts, and just generally doing one of the things I love best, discussing books.

This is what I finished last week:

Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings - I like to promote Canadian literature whenever I can, and this murder mystery set in 1895 Toronto was great. 

They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of An American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti - Another amazing Young Adult non-fiction book from a fabulous author.   Look for my upcoming giveaway of this book.

Currently Reading:

A Wretched Man:  A Novel of Paul the Apostle by R.W. Holmen - I am enjoying this, but it's deep.

Ravished by a Highlander by Paula Quinn - Not one of my usual reads, but I love reading about Scottish Highlanders.  A lot of fun.

Reign Check (Demon Princess) by Michelle Rowan - I am enjoying this one so far. 

What I Need to Read:

Sea by Heidi R. Kling - I am really looking forward to this one.

Flirting with Forever by Gwen Cready

How is your reading going?