tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91332933123264619162024-03-05T16:09:02.448-05:00Geek on the BrinkFantastical Book ReviewsBarnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-22987447982125275062013-03-29T23:59:00.000-04:002013-03-30T17:32:21.117-04:00The Loved and the Lost by Lory Kaufman <em>In this final book of <strong>The Verona Trilogy</strong>, Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln go on the boldest adventure of their lives. They will face hardship, tragedy, and threats from sources they couldn't have imagined - all in an effort to wrestle a future from the steely grip of an unforgiving past.</em><br />
<em>--Taken from the back cover</em><br />
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<em>The Loved and the Lost</em> is a perfect end to an achingly beautiful story. Kaufman's writing is stellar, as is his imagination. He brings readers into his story with such ease and makes reading a gratifying experience. Readers cannot help but laugh and cry along with Hansum, Lincoln, and Shamira as their journey comes to a close.<br />
<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358968690l/16278139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358968690l/16278139.jpg" width="213" /></a> I had been waiting for this last installment in the series for some time and was excited at the prospect of finally reading it. Kaufman certainly did not disappoint. His characters are even more well-developed than they were in the first two novels. The plot too is interesting and engaging as readers wonder what will happen next.<br />
Though I still love Shamira dearly, I found a new respect for Hansum in this novel. All of the teens have grown up, but Hansum's losses seem to have really changed him, and understandably so. I cannot help but feel his pain and desperation throughout the novel. He is so close to getting what he has wanted for so long, but life always seems to rip it away at the last moment. I admire his strength and perseverance; he somehow manages to carry on. He puts on a brave face for Shamira and Lincoln that makes him all the more endearing.<br />
Lincoln too has grown up into a man. He is certainly still a joker, as in the past, but he has so much more depth in <em>The Loved and the Lost</em>. He knows what to say at just the right times to keep both Shamira's and Hansum's spirits up and never loses sight of what is important. I love how Kaufman molded him into this wonderful, charismatic person.<br />
Shamira, just as lovely and astounding as ever, is still my favorite character. Her strength rarely fails her, even through all of the pain she is put through. She is an<br />
amazing, exuberant character. One who supports her friends and always finds her way.<br />
I cannot express enough my love for this book and the characters within it. Lory Kaufman has outdone himself and left us content as readers. As much as I wish there were more of Shamira's, Lincoln's, and Hansum's stories, I also think Kaufman ended it perfectly. <em>The Loved and the Lost</em> is worth reading a thousand times over, had I the time.<br />
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Rating: 10<br />
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See my posts for the other two novels: <a href="http://geekonthebrink.blogspot.com/2011/06/lens-and-looker-by-lory-s-kaufman.html">The Lens and the Looker</a> and <a href="http://geekonthebrink.blogspot.com/2011/06/bronze-and-brimstone-by-lory-s-kaufman.html">The Bronze and the Brimstone.</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.</span> Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-66205446146433842592013-03-28T16:53:00.000-04:002013-04-25T22:06:46.701-04:00Book Tour with Lory KaufmanJoin <strong>Lory Kaufman</strong>, author of the Young Adult Fantasy novel, <strong><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Loved-Lost-ebook/dp/B00A6BE5BS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356913138&sr=8-2&keywords=the+loved+and+the+lost">The Loved and the Lost</a></span></strong>, as he tours the blogosphere January 14 through April 12, 2013 on his third virtual book tour with <strong>Pump Up Your Book</strong>!
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<img alt="Lorys-pic-for-Bronze-color-2-300x187" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-30114" src="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Lorys-pic-for-Bronze-color-2-300x187.jpg" height="187" title="Lorys-pic-for-Bronze-color-2-300x187" width="300" />ABOUT LORY KAUFMAN</h2>
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<span style="color: black;">“I write Post-Dystopian fiction. After society’s collapse, which is imagined in so many great dystopian stories, humans will either fade into history, with the dinosaurs, or, if it learns the right lessons, society will go on to construct a civilization to last tens of thousands of years. History Camp stories are the exciting adventures of young people doing the latter.” -Lory Kaufman
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<span style="color: black;">On the artistic side of Lory’s career, he’s written, acted and directed children’s theatre and musical theatre. He enjoys art, especially sculpture. He loves science fiction and historical fiction and he has been deeply involved in the green movement all across North America. All this shows through when you read his work. Lory has three grown children and works and lives in Kingston, Canada.
To find out more about Lory visit </span><a href="http://www.lorykaufman.com/"><span style="color: black;">www.lorykaufman.com</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/The-loved-and-the-lost.jpg"><img alt="The loved and the lost" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-31509" src="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/The-loved-and-the-lost.jpg" height="225" title="The loved and the lost" width="225" /></a>ABOUT THE LOVED AND THE LOST</h2>
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<span style="color: black;">A QUEST FOR LOST LOVE.
AN ADVENTURE OF MANY LIFETIMES.
They are three 24th-century time travelers desperate to return to 14th-century Verona and reclaim their medieval family’s shattered lives. It is a mission fraught with danger and the risk of unexpected consequences for themselves and their worlds. For all three, it is a matter of the heart. For one, though, it is truly the only thing that matters, as the fate of his eternal love and the life of their unborn child is the prize to be won – or lost forever.
In this, the final book of The Verona Trilogy, Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln go on the boldest adventure of their lives. They will face hardship, tragedy, and threats from sources they couldn’t have imagined – all in an effort to wrestle a future from the steely grip of an unforgiving past.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dividerline1326.jpg"><img alt="dividerline132" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-24733" src="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dividerline1326.jpg" height="70" title="dividerline132" width="282" /></a></h2>
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The Loved and the Lost Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule</h2>
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<strong>Tuesday, January 15</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://tampabookworm.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-lens-and-looker.html">Words From the Tampa Bookworm</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, January 16</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/">My Book Addiction and More</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, January 17</strong></div>
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Guest blogging at <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/">Beth's Book Reviews</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, January 18</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://notwhileimreading.blogspot.com/">Shhh...Not While I'm Reading</a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday, January 22</span></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://hangingoffthewire.com/">Hanging Off the Wire</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, January 23</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://www.lizziewrites.com/">Lizzie Writes</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, January 24</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://notwhileimreading.blogspot.com/">Shhh...Not While I'm Reading</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, January 25</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://bookloverstop.wordpress.com/">Book Lover Stop</a></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://notenoughbooks.blogspot.com/">Not Enough Books</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, February 4</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://notwhileimreading.blogspot.com/2013/02/blog-tour-stop-review-loved-and-lost-by.html">Shhh...Not While I'm Reading</a></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://www.readersrefuge.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-lens-and-looker-by-lory-s.html">Readers Refuge</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, February 5</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com/2013/01/the-lens-and-looker-book-review.html">Mary's Cup of Tea</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, February 6</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://strandupdate.blogspot.com/">Sara's Organized Chaos</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, February 8</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://mybookaddictionreviews.com/2013/02/08/blog-tour-and-review-lory-kaufman-the-bronze-and-the-brimstone/">My Book Addiction and More</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, February 12</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://bookloverstop.wordpress.com/">Book Lover Stop</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, February 13</strong></div>
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Interviewed at <a href="http://lauries-interviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-loved-and-lost-by-lory-kaufman.html">Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews</a></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://www.readersrefuge.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-bronze-and-brimstone-by.html">Readers Refuge</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, February 14</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://notenoughbooks.blogspot.com/">Not Enough Books</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, February 15</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://www.mikishope.com/">Miki's Hope</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, February 19</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://tampabookworm.blogspot.com/">Words from the Tampa Bookworm</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, February 20</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/">Books, Books, and more Books</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, February 21</strong></div>
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Guest blogging at <a href="http://daniel-alexander-book.blogspot.com/">Parenting from a Child's Point of View</a></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://www.mikishope.com/">Miki's Hope</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, February 22</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://literarygetaway.blogspot.com/">Literary Getaway</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, February 25</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://www.hangingoffthewire.com/">Hanging off the Wire</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, February 26</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://alwaysabooklover.blogspot.com/">Always a Book Lover</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, February 28</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://bookrevues.blogspot.com/">Pick of the Literate</a></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed and Guest blogging at <a href="http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/">Offbeat Vagabond</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, March 4</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://vicsmediaroom.wordpress.com/">Vic's Media Room</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, March 5</strong></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com/">Mary's Cup of Tea</a></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://vicsmediaroom.wordpress.com/">Vic's Media Room</a></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/">Bookworm Lisa</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, March 6</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://strandupdate.blogspot.com/">Sara's Organized Chaos</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, March 7</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://writingcrazyme.blogspot.com/">Words I Write Crazy</a></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://vicsmediaroom.wordpress.com/">Vic's Media Room</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, March 8</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://tampabookworm.blogspot.com/">Words from the Tampa Bookworm</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, March 11</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://www.mikishope.com/">Miki's Hope</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, March 12</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://www.hangingoffthewire.com/">Hanging Off the Wire</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, March 13</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://notenoughbooks.blogspot.com/">Not Enough Books</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, March 14</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://bookloverstop.wordpress.com/">Book Lover Stop</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, March 15</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/">Books, Books, and More Books</a></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/">Offbeat Vagabond</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, March 18</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com/">Mary's Cup of Tea</a></div>
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The Lens and the Looker reviewed at <a href="http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/">Why Not? Because I Said So</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, March 19</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://alwaysabooklover.blogspot.com/">Always a Book Lover</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, March 20</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://almybnenr.tumblr.com/">The Musings of Almybnenr</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, March 21</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://literarygetaway.blogspot.com/">Literary Giveaway</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, March 22</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://mybookaddictionreviews.com/">My Book Addiction</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, March 25</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/">Why Not? Because I Said So!</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, March 26</strong></div>
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The Bronze and the Brimstone reviewed at <a href="http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com/">Mary's Cup of Tea</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, March 28</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://everydayadventure11.blogspot.com/">Everyday is an Adventure</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, March 29</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://geekonthebrink.blogspot.com/">Geek on the Brink</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, April 1</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://www.brokenteepee.com/">Broken Teepee</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, April 2</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://hauntedorchid.blogspot.com/">The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, April 3</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/">Why Not Because I Said So</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, April 4</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/">Hezzi D's Books and Cooks</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, April 5</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/">Books, Books, and More Books</a></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/">Offbeat Vagabond</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, April 8</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://alwaysabooklover.blogspot.com/">Always a Book Lover</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, April 9</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://literarygetaway.blogspot.com/">Literary Getaway</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, April 10</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://strandupdate.blogspot.com/">Sara's Organized Chaos</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, April 11</strong></div>
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Guest blogging at <a href="http://engelsigh.blogspot.com/">Waiting on Sunday to Drown</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, April 12</strong></div>
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The Loved and the Lost reviewed at <a href="http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com/">Mary's Cup of Tea</a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong><strong>Lory Kaufman's THE LOVED AND THE LOST <span style="font-weight: bold;">VIRTUAL BOOK PUBLICITY TOUR </span> will officially begin on January 14 and ends on April 12,2013. Please contact Tracee Gleichner at tgleichner(at)gmail.com if you are interested in hosting and/or reviewing his book. Thank you!</strong></strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dividerline1326.jpg"><img alt="dividerline132" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-24733" src="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dividerline1326.jpg" height="70" title="dividerline132" width="282" /></a>
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<strong><a href="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pump-Up-Your-Book.jpg"><img alt="Pump Up Your Book" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-24024" src="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pump-Up-Your-Book.jpg" height="190" title="Pump Up Your Book" width="492" /></a></strong></div>
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Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-5720072097623173492012-08-15T19:56:00.000-04:002012-08-15T19:56:23.416-04:00Just Listen by Sarah Dessen <em>Annabel Greene is the girl who has everything. At least, that's what she portrays in her modeling shoots. But Annabel's life is far from perfect. Her friendship with Sophie ended bitterly, and her older sister's eating disorder is weighing down the entire family. Isolated and ostracized at school and at home, Annabel retreats into silent acceptance. Then she meets Owen - intense, music-obsessed, and determined to always tell the truth. And with his guidance, Annabel learns to just listen to herself and gains the courage to speak honestly. But will she be able to tell everyone what really happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends?</em><br />
<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1268787224l/51738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1268787224l/51738.jpg" width="212" /></a>--Taken from the back cover<br />
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Annabel's story of learning to be honest with herself is one that I think many people, teenagers and adults alike, would enjoy and relate to. Dessen's writing, as always, pulls the reader in and is as emotionally packed as real life.<br />
I can't help but love Annabel. She is not bold, but no overly shy either. She isn't cruel, or touchy. Annabel is the middle between her two very different sisters. She strives to keep the peace, even if that means fibbing about how her day went to her mom. I understand where she is coming from on so many points, and I love how strong she is. <br />
When Annabel and Owen meet, the book takes a new turn. Together, they learn from one another. Owen is more than what people see and what people say about him. He is sweet and unnervingly insightful. <br />
The friendship that blooms between the two is great to see, especially as Annabel slowly reveals all that has happened in the past year. Music is the original link that bonds them. As the book progresses though, and they learn about each other, they find they have more to discuss than just music.<br />
Sarah Dessen expertly weaves her story of truth, finding yourself, and learning what matters with beautiful words. One of my favorite passages comes from Annabel, who, despite the model stereotype, is very down to earth. I now leave you with these lovely words from Dessen's Annabel:<br />
"The past did affect the present and the future, in the ways you could see and a million ones you couldn't. Time wasn't a thing you could divide easily; there was no defined middle or beginning or end. I could pretend to leave the past behind, but it would not leave me."<br />
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Rating: 10Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-26481203076884601582012-08-01T22:58:00.003-04:002012-08-01T22:59:06.613-04:00The Magic and the Healing by Nick O'Donohoe <em>BJ Vaughan is in her last year of vet school - and in the first year of mourning her mother's suicide. Her grades have slipped, and she wonders if she can keep it together. She isn't even sure if she is really capable of working with animals after all. Then her mentor, Dr. Sugar Dobbs, asks if she will join a few other select students on a very unusual large animal rotation.</em><br />
<em> Their rotation is in Crossroads, a world where the creatures of imagination live and breathe - and hurt. And where BJ, tending to centaurs and griffins and magical cats, will discover the joy of healing, and the wonder of magic.</em><br />
<em>--Taken from the back cover</em><br />
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<em>The Magic and the Healing</em> was a pleasure to read. Though it took a few chapters to understand exactly what was going on and who the many characters were, once the team entered Crossroads it was hard for me to put the book down. <br />
In BJ the author constructs a very complex and lovable character. She is unsure of many things in her life as she attempts to finish vet school and come to terms with the loss of her mother. Crossroads really is just that for BJ, a point in her life where she has some serious questions to ask herself and decisions to make. The magical world gives her a chance to see her potential.<br />
The three other vet students that Dr. Dobbs chooses to accompany BJ and him on cases are as wildly different from one another as can be. Lee Anne lives beneath her country-girl stereotype, while Annie is very religious. Neither let these facts get in the way of what needs to be done in order to save their patients. Rather, they make these vet students all the more worthy of helping the animals in Crossroads. Dave, the last student, is known for his cockiness. Nothing can stop him from making a good joke. The time they spend together inevitably brings them closer, forming bonds between them, and creating a family they can depend on.<br />
Crossroads has the potential to rival Narnia. It is the kind of place that changes people, albeit discreetly. The vet students, and the people they encounter along the way, are immensely affected by Crossroads. BJ, Annie, Dave, and Lee Anne all learn a lot about themselves, as well as what it takes to save lives throughout their time in the world.<br />
O'Donohoe created a beautiful, fun story. The characters he wrote about were very real and interesting, as was the plot line. The way he was able to construct such a fantastic world full of imaginary creatures and parallel it to our own world was astounding. I can only hope that I'll be able to find the next installment soon.<br />
Rating:10Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-50326350679505149942012-07-24T19:16:00.002-04:002012-07-24T19:16:15.644-04:00College Girl by Patricia Weitz<em> Natalie Bloom is a shy young woman in her junior year as a transfer student to the University of Connecticut. On the academic side of things, Natalie has everything in order. However, her shy nature gets in the way of her social life. </em><br />
<em> When she meets the seemingly perfect Patrick, Natalie is shocked that someone with his status would see anything in a boring Russian history major such as herself. The downward spiral that ensues is only stopped when Natalie learns to accept her past as well as who she has become.</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjun8h_6lb7uxDdYsW3TV4RK1JMwyJAEDKzutHkrsriqb3otHmGukuhlJ-mbgid_t7UyiFxt1QnHcUFUu9VrqU2h1FALLO11aSP_G0XYi-3B-GOygEIx1BaDoZehRzg4z_58jF6dq0-g_23/s400/college+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjun8h_6lb7uxDdYsW3TV4RK1JMwyJAEDKzutHkrsriqb3otHmGukuhlJ-mbgid_t7UyiFxt1QnHcUFUu9VrqU2h1FALLO11aSP_G0XYi-3B-GOygEIx1BaDoZehRzg4z_58jF6dq0-g_23/s320/college+girl.jpg" width="212" /></a> With college quickly approaching in the fall, I had high hopes for <em>College Girl</em> giving me a good picture of life beyond the four walls of my high school. If college is anything like what Natalie experienced, I can honestly say I'd rather just sign up for another decade or two of high school. Weitz's book is just, well, depressing. <br />
Natalie has her insecurities, which I am more than willing to understand, as everyone has them. The thing that makes the book so depressing though is the extent to which she takes these insecurities. They blind her in a way that makes the reader cringe! Instead of seeing others for what they really are, be it friend or foe, Natalie lets her own issues color her view of everything. She doesn't see herself as worthy, in the classroom or outside, which saddens me because she is.<br />
The other characters in the novel seem to have their lives in order, according to Natalie. Faith, the roommate she keeps at a distance, might not know what she wants, but certainly knows what she doesn't. Gwen, the popular girl on her floor, seems to have it all. What Natalie fails to realize is that each of these people are dealing with their own hardships too.<br />
As a reader, I wanted to see more strength in our main character. I wanted her to pull herself together, put herself out there, and be who she wanted to be instead of waiting for some magical moment or person to change her life. <br />
I think Weitz's writing was great in how she brought the story to the page, even if I wasn't so fond of the story itself. The biggest thing lacking, in my opinion, was the dialogue. It was too strained and even numbing at times. Regardless, the author's style is certainly accessible. I was able to get to know Natalie for who she was, though she couldn't see it herself. <br />
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Rating: 4Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-50157998696782077192012-07-20T22:16:00.001-04:002012-07-20T22:19:47.468-04:00The Dark by Marianne Curley After waiting years to find <em>The Dark</em>, having read and adored the first book, I was more than eager to dive in to the wonderful world Marianne Curley creates. From the first page to the last, I was enthralled by every word.<br />
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<em> As the Order of Chaos increases its hold on the mortal world, Ethan, Isabel, Arkarian and the other members of the Guard find themselves fighting harder than ever to maintain history. When Arkarian finds himself in grave danger, Isabel convinces Ethan to help her save him, despite being forbidden to do so. Nothing will stop her, not the potential consequences nor the horrors they will surely face. </em><br />
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The ability given to the Guard is one that many might die for... and indeed many do. However, "with great power comes great responsibility." The Guard has the amazing ability to travel through time, but they are also the ones in charge of making sure history goes according to plan. Such a task wouldn't be so difficult if it weren't for the Order: those bent on shaping history to fit their own purpose of creating chaos.<br />
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As the war between the two groups escalates, the Guard is put into a precarious position. They must decide between saving Arkarian at the risk of those that go after him and losing Arkarian to the detriment of the Guard. Isabel is determined that she will save him, without help. Her stubborn nature shows through in this novel even more than it did in the previous installment. She doesn't care that she is forbidden to go after Arkarian. She doesn't care that she is risking everything to rescue him. <br />
Ethan, too, shows his bravery and selflessness. Arkarian has been his friend and mentor since he was a child. Now that he has the chance to help, how can he let Isabel go alone? Together with a stowaway, Isabel and Ethan go in search of Arkarian. <br />
Curley continues to astound me with her superb characters and flawless writing. From Matt, with his self-doubt, to Rochelle, struggling to fit in, the author creates characters that in turn pull at your heartstrings and then liven the mood. They are utterly relate-able and lovable. <br />
Her tale of danger and an ancient war will certainly become a classic. It gives meaning to the importance of history and divulges a truth that often escapes us: everything is intertwined. History affects the future as much as the present does.<br />
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Rating: 10Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-58125740771037942322012-01-07T23:26:00.000-05:002012-01-07T23:26:19.889-05:00Dael and the Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman<em> Dael and Sparrow leave the Ba-Coro tribe in search of something they can't really identify: maybe love, in Sparrow's case, or peace of mind for Dael. What they find is a new home to call their own.The quest for this restoration isn't easy or quickly achieved.</em><br />
<em> When Dael encounters an enemy among the painted people, the life he has made for himself among the tribe is threatened.</em><br />
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As I have been with the last two installments of this series, I was enthralled by <em>Dael and the Painted People</em>. The writing, the characters, and the entire story line drew me in. In fact, I finished the book in one day because I had to know what happened next. <br />
<a href="http://thebookwormchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/dael-and-the-painted-people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://thebookwormchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/dael-and-the-painted-people.jpg" width="204" /></a> Shickman's writing continues to amaze me. His uncanny ability to put the reader into the story and the characters he creates make this novel superb, to say the least. <br />
I can honestly admit that I never liked Dael in the previous books. I cared for his well-being because of how Zan-Gah remembered him, but I couldn't bring myself to actually care for him as a human being. He was cruel and heartless. As I read this book, however, I learned to like him. He really changed through his journey with Sparrow and the new tribe they found. Instead of being extremely violent and hateful, he becomes a caring, generous person. <br />
Sparrow changes in her own right as well. She becomes this vibrant, out-going, and incredibly patient woman by the end of the book. It is almost hard to believe that she is the same shy girl that left the Ba-Coro in the beginning. <br />
Sparrow, along with their new friend Koli, became my favorite characters in this novel. Koli was hilarious. I loved him for breathing a bit of life back into Dael and for being so kind. He was really an all around great character.<br />
Though I complained about the ending to the last book, I can't do the same for this one. It was exactly what I needed as a reader to tie up loose ends and feel like the story was complete<em>.</em> Shickman obviously knows how to bring a story to life, but he also knows how to end it.<br />
Rating: 8<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.</span>Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-82066793539312709332011-07-18T00:18:00.001-04:002011-07-18T11:12:11.471-04:00Denise K. Rago<div dir="ltr" id="internal-source-marker_0.6397788469204637" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #93c47d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Interview with author Denise K. Rago</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/63/c5/c0c2e0f8325d0ad8956e65.L._V199227182_SX200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><img border="0" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/63/c5/c0c2e0f8325d0ad8956e65.L._V199227182_SX200_.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Steps away from Central Park, among careworn books and paintings, the vampire Christian Du Mauré quietly watches over two modern mortals. Amanda and Ryan are the last two descendants of a painful affair Christian had more than two centuries ago with a mortal aristocrat in Paris. On the eve of revolution, he made a promise to his dying lover that he would secure their safety without ever involving them in his own twisted world. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Immortal Obsession</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> begins, Christian’s promise is intact; his young ancestors suspect nothing of their origin. Amanda's life is happily predictable: she landed her childhood dream job working for New York's monolithic Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she unites her fascination with Revolution-era Paris and her abiding love of art. During one especially late night at work, Amanda is roused by an unexpected phone call. Her brother Ryan (and only living relative) needs her help urgently; can she come right away? Against her better judgment, she rushes to meet him in Central Park—and unwittingly becomes entangled in a world she never imagined was real. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Why did you decide to start writing Immortal Obsession? Your website mentions a chance encounter. Can you elaborate? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let me start off by saying thank you so much for giving me the honor of an interview. Immortal Obsession was inspired by an otherworldly experience I had in a New York City diner one night five years ago, when my path crossed with that of a beautiful, unusual stranger who sat down at a table behind my husband and I. He was very tall, with waist-length blond hair and dressed entirely in black. When our eyes met and he said hello, he felt familiar to me as I fell into his dark eyes. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That weekend I began writing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Immortal Obsession</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and when my husband and I talked about this mysterious stranger, I realized we saw two very different people that night. The experience was unnerving, yet exciting. This stranger was the inspiration for my main character, the vampire Christian Du Mauré. I have since learned that this being is someone I have known from a past life. He continues to guide me as his role in my writing and my life continues to unfold. He is my muse. </span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Amanda's love for art shines through as you read Immortal Obsession. Is this something you have in common with her? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Very much so. I have always dreamt of working in a museum so I continued onto graduate school and obtained a Masters’ Degree in Museum Professions. I did my internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan which is one of my favorite art museums. I have been going there since childhood and like Amanda, it is one of those places that I love and feel at home. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. If so, what kind of art mesmerizes you? Amanda seems to be particularly fascinated with Parisian art.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06082c; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;">Amanda is drawn to anything to do with the French Revolution, a period that I love as well. I love all types of art really, from all periods of time. I am also fascinated with non-western cultures as well as their material culture. I love paintings, decorative arts and especially sculpture.</span> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06082c; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. What was the inspiration for Amanda, Christian, Michel, and any of your other characters? Do they represent anyone in your own life?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I did mention my inspiration for Christian and I also talk about my resemblance to Amanda. Tony, who is Christian and Michel’s human servant, is loosely based on the mailman at one of my previous jobs, a young, blond haired fellow named Anthony who was really warm, funny and without guile. He said what was on his mind and he always stuck with me. When I imagined a fellow who would admire and yet stand up to two vampires, Anthony came to mind. I changed his name to Tony. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> <span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One morning while perusing a magazine I came across a black and white photo of a male model and said to myself, ‘this is Michel.’ His personality is a bit trickier for on the surface he seems to be the exact opposite of Christian in every way, but Michel is much deeper than he lets on. On the surface he is much more outgoing and funny, but underneath he is a pained soul. He just hides it a bit better than Christian. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Which of your characters resembles you most? Why?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06082c; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06082c; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Amanda and Christian probably resemble me the most, with their love of art, books, antiques, history, New York City and Paris. They are both solitary figures with a rich inner life. Christian loves to read and Amanda loves being in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, hobbies I love as well. They both see beauty in nature and in the man-made world as I do and they both have an element of a sixth sense. Amanda has the gift of psychometry, which is the ability to obtain information from touching an object. This information may be in the form of music, words, sentences or images. Christian’s gift’s come from another place which will be revealed in future novels. </span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06082c; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Why do you enjoy writing? Are there any parts of your novel that you enjoyed writing most?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I love creating, especially when a chapter comes together and suddenly two and three chapters fall into place and the story takes off and the characters are talking to me, leading me in a particular direction. I wrote many drafts of Immortal Obsession that never made it into print but I still enjoy the process. I think I enjoy writing the romance the most. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Besides writing, what other hobbies do you have? Are you a thrill seeker with a passion for sky diving and extreme snowboarding? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No, I am not a daredevil in the least. I love the beach, reading, visiting museums and antique shops. I have a teacup collection as well. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. Is there anything else you would like to share (about you, your novel, or the art of writing)?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #365f91; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
</span><span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am working on the sequel to Immortal Obsession. I envision three novels in this series which is tentatively called The Enchanted Bloodline Series. I love to hear from readers, as I especially love their perceptions of a character or their interpretation of events. Sometimes I am too close to my characters and it takes a reader to point out something so obvious that I missed completely!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I plan to attend the Self-Publishing Book Expo in Manhattan on Saturday, October 22</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.199pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">nd</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, 2011. Please stop by if you attend as I would love to meet writers and readers. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I would love to share my website link which is </span></span><a href="http://www.denisekrago.com/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #d9d2e9; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">www.denisekrago.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;">. Please visit me there to see portraits of some of the characters from Immortal Obsession; reviews, interviews and guests posts.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/f6BTXDPaA2muwNqp3wgyX9lIcJKlbcmb9vMIEHO1RuPqqM5O9wwIa8La2l2CwIGb4Yh2VkELpEzbU8-KGTzSUe6lNa47Gy8HTRuBJH6mVMZHgSpYkw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/f6BTXDPaA2muwNqp3wgyX9lIcJKlbcmb9vMIEHO1RuPqqM5O9wwIa8La2l2CwIGb4Yh2VkELpEzbU8-KGTzSUe6lNa47Gy8HTRuBJH6mVMZHgSpYkw" style="height: 139px; width: 108px;" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"> </span><span style="color: #93c47d;"> I just want to take a moment to thank Denise for the great interview! She was kind enough to answer all of my questions so thoughtfully and everything. Hopefully everyone will enjoy getting to know this author a bit. Her novel, <em>Immortal Obsession</em>, was an interesting read. My review is </span><a href="http://geekonthebrink.blogspot.com/2011/05/immortal-obsession-by-denise-k-rago.html"><span style="color: #93c47d;">here</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;">, if anyone is interested. Again, thank you so much!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-56587618074070220712011-07-16T19:53:00.000-04:002011-07-16T19:53:36.488-04:00Book Blogger Hop (July 15-18)<a href="http://www.crazy-for-books.com/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.crazy-for-books.com');" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Book Blogger Hop" height="150" src="http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt34/crazybookblog/cfbmemebutton-2.png" width="150" /></a> This week has been amazing! I was able to attend a program at Sewanee: The University of the South. The campus is absolutely beautiful and the food was scrumptious! All said and done, it was a very rewarding experience. I am so ready for college now, much as I will miss my family.<br />
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Question of the Week:<br />
How/Where do you get your books? Do you buy them or go to the library? Is there a certain website you use like paperbackswap?<br />
<br />
Answer:<br />
My friends and I are all avid readers. So, whenever one of us gets a new book, it ends up getting passed around. That is where I get a good deal of my books, but I also recently got a public library card! I have a feeling that I will be going there much more often. Of course, my school library is fairly well stocked too. <br />
Additionally, I've been supremely lucky to have received books for review from authors and publicists. It gives me a chance to widen my horizons, so to speak.Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-26625066069345615312011-07-13T16:31:00.001-04:002011-11-23T19:20:54.554-05:00The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne<em> The Scarlet Letter follows Hester Prynne as she learns to cope with the conspicuous letter A sewn on her clothing. The letter symbolizes the adultery that she committed in having borne Pearl, her baby girl. Hester refuses to give up the man with whom she committed her sin with. </em><br />
<em> Hester raises little Pearl on her own, away from the prying eyes of the extremely conservative Puritan settlement of Boston. She grows as a person throughout this time and eventually becomes someone that people are no longer wary of.</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sk8rrMlj72R3Becoca6wtrulIH-mcHClBz9Qqafpw4PLbL_8xyqOYGOwqE4U4JH9lduEyJTQEqhCxd-VYxCVtLEeUVfxhnJXWYwhpC7sMv0FMWFnzgwkHgqdP3SYKqcWo5ksoIKPsfp8/s1600/The+Scarlet+Letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sk8rrMlj72R3Becoca6wtrulIH-mcHClBz9Qqafpw4PLbL_8xyqOYGOwqE4U4JH9lduEyJTQEqhCxd-VYxCVtLEeUVfxhnJXWYwhpC7sMv0FMWFnzgwkHgqdP3SYKqcWo5ksoIKPsfp8/s320/The+Scarlet+Letter.jpg" width="209" /></a> Before we actually started the novel, our English teacher wanted to give us a taste of what the novel was about by showing us part of the film with Demi Moore. So, I was expecting something much more romantic than what I found The Scarlet Letter to be. <br />
The novel starts with Hester's imprisonment and her embarrassment upon the scaffold. I felt so bad for her. The crowd was jeering and the Ministers were prying. I would have wanted to be swallowed by the Earth if I were her.<br />
As the book continues, I kept waiting to learn more about what really happened. I already knew who Pearl's father was from the movie, so I kept expecting him to step out and relieve Hester. He didn't, of course. I began to dislike this man; he was a coward in my eyes. When the book finally started describing more about his situation, I finally understood. He <em>was</em> a good man. He cared about Hester more than one might believe. <br />
Then there was Pearl. The girl kind of annoyed me. She seemed to take pleasure in giving her mother a hard time. Though, if I'm to be honest, she wasn't a terrible child. She just didn't seem to actually care!<br />
The person I absolutely could not make any excuses for was Roger Chillingworth.He was cruel and malicious. His only concern was for vengeance, and even that was misplaced. <br />
Most of my classmates didn't enjoy The Scarlet Letter, which I can understand. Hawthorne is a bit long-winded. Nonetheless, I found it to be an interesting book. It didn't drag on too long, nor was it seemingly pointless. I cannot say, however, that the ending did it for me. It just wasn't what I wanted to happen.<br />
Rating: 6.5Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-16941388260941442372011-07-11T12:08:00.000-04:002011-07-11T12:08:01.636-04:00The Art of Rereading Rereading. It's something that some say they despise. After all, they've already gleaned everything they can from that particular piece. Others say that they find more to love upon their second appraisal.<br />
So what exactly is it that pulls some of us back to a book? Is it the characters? Does the plot draw us in that well? <br />
I think it's something a little more than that. Everything about a book pulls us back. The plot, the world itself, the characters, and the writing all make or break a book. What really makes us pick it up again though is how the book impacts <em>us</em>, as individuals<em>.</em><br />
<em> </em>People pick up an old favorite because it feels right. It takes them back to the first time they read it. For me, rereading helps me find parts of myself that I had almost forgotten. For instance, last November I read The Velveteen Rabbit again after about a decade. It brought back so many of my childhood memories, things that I hadn't thought of in too long.<br />
Maybe I'm just being too philosophical, but I really do think that reading books more than once helps us find ourselves. Those little pieces that make us who we are get lost in the hustle and bustle of life. Sometimes it really is good to remember.Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-2922906235220003952011-07-09T00:46:00.000-04:002011-07-09T00:46:38.853-04:00Love, Meg by C. Leigh Purtill<em> Meg is just your average teenage kid. Or, rather, she wants to be. Lucie, her sister, stood in the way of that ordinary life by moving them around a lot. What else could she do since they had no other family and she needed a job?</em><br />
<em> When Meg finds out about Lucie's long kept secret, her world flips upside down and inside out. She travels to New York to meet the family she didn't know existed and along the way she discovers some things about herself, Lucie, and where she truly belongs.</em><br />
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I half expected this to be the same old parents die, sisters left to struggle through the world together kind of story. It wasn't really. There were more twists in the plot than that. I was also expecting it to be a light, summery read. Again, it wasn't really. At least, not light in the way of emotional baggage that Meg carries. Although, it wasn't a bad read for the summer...<br />
Meg is a bit of a snarky character and I love her for it. She's had it rough what with the constant moving. It would be hard for anyone: having to go to a new school, make new friends, and impress new teachers. So, she kind of builds a wall. Meg doesn't really let herself get close to anyone. I can't really blame her because Lucie isn't such a wonderful role model. In fact, I disliked her throughout the majority of the book. Then Meg goes to New York.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-c_xNnsrs_0SDtbOGD6tZksINp4I99ahS57B9kfIBt9p7of2USuOnsP6PYf-ViMWWIUAhWVK1wMSUcqg306Tp_hQiEL42648SXfpramXOGV7gWJNYZ7ZlenhQ4h360yIWIc3E8DoAnw/s1600/Love,+Meg+by+C.+Leigh+Purtill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-c_xNnsrs_0SDtbOGD6tZksINp4I99ahS57B9kfIBt9p7of2USuOnsP6PYf-ViMWWIUAhWVK1wMSUcqg306Tp_hQiEL42648SXfpramXOGV7gWJNYZ7ZlenhQ4h360yIWIc3E8DoAnw/s320/Love,+Meg+by+C.+Leigh+Purtill.jpg" width="215" /></a></div> There she meets the perfect guy, Juny. He is smart, athletic, and completely adores her. I admire Purtill for creating such a realistic character. Juny doesn't fawn over her obsessively, but he does care. Nor is he one of those mysterious guys that seem to be in quite a few YA books. You know, the ones who the heroines know little about and yet fall for instantly.<br />
Meg also finally finds some friends that she seems to be herself around... and they accept her. My favorite part of the book is when Meg goes to Nikki's Christmas party. Of course, she also meets her family. They leave something to be desired, to put it kindly. <br />
The plot is way better than I had thought it might be. It really had some depth to it. The author did a wonderful job of writing in Meg's voice. I could relate to her. Her worries, ambitions, and experiences became mine as I read. <br />
Rating: 6.8Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-71343237502203234302011-07-07T23:59:00.005-04:002011-07-08T11:27:28.734-04:00Book Blogger Hop (July 8-11) Oh, dear. I was afraid this might happen. You see, I've been meaning to do so many reviews! Much as I know I ought to get them done while I can still remember details, the piles of books I have sitting in various locations around the house are so much more appealing. So, I've had to make a little calendar on my dry erase board and delegate time to posting, reviewing, getting things ready for my school newspaper's relaunch (I'm copy editor!), and everything else I must do. I never realized that I would be so busy over the summer (I never was before), and I still have to find the time to sift through all of those piles of college mail... Yikes!<br />
There is one thing that has allowed me the time to breathe, of course. Last weekend my mom took me to the bookstore<em> and </em>the library! All of this in the same day, I might add. So, I finally got a library card! You see, last summer there was somewhat of a fiasco concerning me and my promised library card...but that is a story in and of itself. Either way, I now have a lovely, shiny little piece of plastic that entitles me to as many as 30 books at a time. <br />
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Question of the Week:<br />
This week’s question isn’t a question at all! I thought I would do things a little differently this week and give all of you a chance to promote a giveaway (or two!) from the blogosphere. <br />
The catch? <br />
IT CAN’T BE YOUR OWN GIVEAWAY!<br />
Gotcha! <br />
You have to find another blogger who is having a giveaway and promote their giveaway for them! If possible, promote a giveaway from a blogger doing the Hop (hey, you are visiting other blogs anyway, right?). Have fun with this one! It’s not an easy task this week! <img alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://crazy-for-books.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" /> <br />
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Answer:<br />
Well, this is not really an answer, but what else could I call it? It seems foreign for my Hop posts to take any other form than a question and answer. ;)<br />
Lisa at <a href="http://badassbookie.blogspot.com/">Badass Bookie</a> is hosting a nifty giveaway of Inside Out and Outside In, both by Maria V. Snyder! Plus, for her international followers there are bookmarks and other swag. Cool, right? Well, what are you waiting for? Enter <a href="http://badassbookie.blogspot.com/2011/07/declare-your-harlequin-teen-love.html">here</a>! The giveaway ends July 31st.<br />
Then we have Misha and Maxine at <a href="http://books-love-affair.blogspot.com/">My Love Affair With Books </a>who are giving away a <a href="http://books-love-affair.blogspot.com/2011/07/settling-solid-2-by-shelley-workinger.html">signed copy</a> of Settling by Shelley Workinger! Get there fast because it closes on July 14th.<br />
Ellie, yes the very same who runs <a href="http://musingsofabookshopgirl.blogspot.com/">Musings of a Bookshop Girl</a>, is hosting a fantastic giveaway as well! As part of her Page to Screen event, she is having a giveaway in which the winners will be able to choose a book that is supposed to make it to the big screen this year! It will last throughout her feature, so make sure to <a href="http://musingsofabookshopgirl.blogspot.com/2011/07/page-to-screen-launches-with-giveaway.html">enter</a>!<br />
Of course, there is also Carol at <a href="http://www.carolinavaldezmiller.com/">Carolina Valdez Miller</a> who is hosting several giveaways! On the list are Wildefire by Karsten Knight, A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie, Personal Demons, Original Sin, Bad Taste in Boys, and Texas Gothic. Be sure to enter these amazing contests!<br />
A contest that I am particularly excited about is at Little Miss Becky's blog, <a href="http://www.storiesandsweeties.com/">Stories and Sweeties</a>! She has reached over 1000 followers which is quite a feat and is filling a box with...BOOKS! Enter <a href="http://www.storiesandsweeties.com/2011/07/1010-follower-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+StoriesSweeties+%28Stories+%26+Sweeties%29">here</a> by July 31st, lest you miss out on a chance to win some possible ARC's and more.Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-12213181483870344742011-06-28T12:00:00.000-04:002011-06-28T12:00:01.054-04:00The Bronze and the Brimstone by Lory S. Kaufman Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln, three teens from the 24th-century, are trapped in 14th-century Verona, Italy. They’ve survived many deadly experiences by keeping their wits about them and by introducing futuristic technology into the past. Principal among these inventions is the telescope, which brought them to the attention of the rich and powerful. But standing out can get you into unexpected – situations. The nobles of Verona now believe Hansum is a savant, a genius inventor, especially after he brings them plans for advanced cannons and black powder. Being the center of attention is great, but the potential for trouble is now exponentially greater because people are watching Hansum’s every move.<br />
Meanwhile, artistic genius Shamira has fallen for a Florentine artist with bloody and disastrous consequences. Lincoln, considered an incompetent back home in the 24th-century, has blossomed – at least until he’s shot in the head with an arrow. And Hansum, after secretly marrying his new master’s beautiful daughter, Guilietta, is offered the hand in marriage of lady Beatrice, daughter of the ruler of Verona. To refuse could mean calamity for all the teens.<br />
<a href="http://www.history-camp.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Bronze-and-Brimstone-Arm-moved1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.history-camp.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Bronze-and-Brimstone-Arm-moved1.png" width="213" /></a> Amazingly, none of this is their biggest challenge. Because a rash illness is spreading across Verona – and it is threatening to consume everyone.<br />
--Taken from the back cover of The Bronze and the Brimstone<br />
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As much as I enjoyed the last novel, I think that this one was even better. Normally I prefer the first of any series, books or movies, but Kaufman really came into his writing in this book. He is really able to throw the reader head-first into the story. <br />
It was easy for me to get right back into the world that was created in The Lens and the Looker. While the first book took me a bit to get interested, this one did not. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the novel. I loved how well it flowed and how many twists and turns there were!<br />
In addition to the great plot, there are fantastic characters. Kaufman is truly amazing at developing his characters into real people. They have their flaws, their strong points, and all of the worries that being alive means. <br />
Hansum really takes the lead throughout this novel. He is the one trying to make their situation work. More than anything, he is trying to make a life for himself in the fourteenth century. Pan becomes an invaluable resource for him as he begins his dealings with the Podesta, but it is Hansum who has to learn how to deal with a noble. He proves himself over the course of the book.<br />
Lincoln really grows up too. He takes on the responsibility of two little boys and basically becomes a big brother to them. It's so cute to see how they adore him. Of course, as much as he has grown up, Lincoln is still the funny kid from the first book. Nothing can stop him from his jokes.<br />
Shamira is just great. I wish I had her artistic skill. I know I've mentioned that, but it's still true. I love that she is strong willed. It really comes in handy, but I won't spoil that for you!<br />
Signora della Cappa, the Master's wife and Gulietta's mother, plays a much more integral part in this novel than in the last. At first, I was very skeptical about her. She seemed so loony and almost malicious. As I continued reading though, I realized that she really wasn't. It just took her longer to get used to people. By the end of the novel, I adored her. <br />
I got so caught up in The Bronze and the Brimstone that I stayed up past midnight to finish it, even though I had to get up early the next day. I just had to know what was going to happen! Goodness, my eyes teared up, but I had to keep reading! The book certainly did not end how I expected - which is a good thing. I find that I keep thinking about the ending, even though I'm in the midst of reading other books. I am eagerly awaiting the third installment!<br />
Rating: 10<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.</span>Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-32935662607756836752011-06-24T17:57:00.001-04:002011-06-24T17:58:20.740-04:00Book Blogger Hop (June 24-27)<a href="http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt34/crazybookblog/cfbmemebutton-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Book Blogger Hop" border="0" height="150" src="http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt34/crazybookblog/cfbmemebutton-2.png" width="150" /></a> I've actually been able to get through several books in the past week or so. In comparison to my one book a month while school is in session, it feels lovely to be able to read that much again.<br />
<br />
Question of the Week:<br />
When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?<br />
Answer:<br />
I suppose some time in elementary school. For as long as I can remember I've loved reading. My parents read to me when I was younger and bought me books or took me to the library. I can't really remember a time without books. In elementary school we went to the library every week as a class, and I spent my recesses there often times. I fell in love with all of the books and the discussions that they inspired.<br />
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When did you finally embrace reading as a passion?Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-15078621653367335622011-06-15T16:07:00.001-04:002011-06-26T17:45:41.784-04:00The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman<em><strong> It’s the 24th century and humans, with the help of artificial intelligences (A.I.s), have finally created the perfect post-dystopian society. To make equally perfect citizens for this world, the elders have created History Camps, full sized recreations of cities from Earth’s distant pasts. Here teens live the way their ancestors did, doing the same dirty jobs and experiencing the same degradations. History Camps teach youths not to repeat the mistakes that almost caused the planet to die. But not everything goes to plan.</strong></em><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><em> In this first of a trilogy, we meet three spoiled teens in the year 2347. Hansum almost 17, is good looking and athletic. Shamira, 15, is sassy, independent and an artistic genius. Lincoln, 14, is the smart-aleck. But you don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find his insecurities.</em></div><div style="text-align: left;"><em> These three “hard cases” refuse the valuable lessons History Camps teach. But when they are kidnapped and taken back in time to 1347 Verona, Italy, they only have two choices; adapt to the harsh medieval ways or die. The dangers are many, their enemies are powerful, and safety is a long way away. It’s hardly the ideal environment to fall in love – but that’s exactly what happens. In an attempt to survive, the trio risks introducing technology from the future. It could save them – or it could change history.</em></div><div style="text-align: left;">-- Taken from the History Camp <a href="http://www.history-camp.com/">website</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1294778072l/9904384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1294778072l/9904384.jpg" width="212" /></a> I was beyond impressed with The Lens and the Looker. Kaufman did a wonderful job setting up the world of his story and creating dynamic characters. His writing really made the book what it is. Kaufman puts you in the story with ease through the language he uses; his style isn't what one would categorize as pedantic, but it does set the mood beautifully. Because the story takes place in Verona, Italy, you get a sense of the Italian language when he throws in a few words or when he uses words that were common from a time period of the past.<br />
My favorite thing about this novel was probably how well Kaufman managed to integrate all the minute parts of his story. There really was something for everyone (adventure, suspense, romance...) without any one aspect taking over. <br />
The characters in The Lens and the Looker were very easy for me to relate to. For the most part, they were down to earth and interesting.<br />
Shamira was my favorite. She has so many talents and she really seemed to accept her new circumstances. I loved how strong of a character she was. Throughout the novel, Shamira is one person that all of the others can count on. Even though she is from the 24th century, she fits in well with the 14th century just as well. Plus, who wouldn't want her amazing artistic skills?<br />
Lincoln and Hansum were great too. Lincoln was absolutely hilarious! I loved how he thought everything was "Zippy!" Hansum was cool because he was kind of the big brother sort. He, Lincoln, and Shamira weren't actually siblings, but Hansum did treat them as if they were some of the most important people in his life. <br />
By the end of the novel, all of the characters really grew into themselves. The Master was far deeper than he seemed at first (and far more of a softy than he liked to show). Guilietta proved that she wasn't just another pretty face. She was a great character. I loved her because of how caring she was.<br />
Mr. Kaufman is a Master Writer. He created a lovely cast of characters that just felt so... human. I have no doubt that The Bronze and the Brimstone will be a fabulous read as well!<br />
Rating: 7<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-51346769643060134232011-06-10T14:00:00.000-04:002011-06-10T14:00:10.484-04:00Book Blogger Hop (June 10-13) It is officially summer for me (and has been for a couple of weeks), which means that I'll actually have time to read again! What a relief! Those bus rides simply were not long enough for me to get in all of the wonderful books I have been meaning to.<br />
It seems that I have quite a bit to catch up on. There are plenty of reviews I have yet to write, interviews I have been hoping to have, and even a new hop-like event I was thinking of starting. If anyone is interested in participating in Summer Reading Sundays, please let me know through the comments or my email! More information will be forthcoming.<br />
Now, onto the hop!<br />
<a href="http://www.crazy-for-books.com/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Book Blogger Hop" height="150" src="http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt34/crazybookblog/cfbmemebutton-2.png" width="150" /></a><br />
Question of the Week:<br />
Who is the one author that you are dying to meet?<br />
Answer:<br />
Picking just one is extremely difficult... I suppose that Suzanne Collins is who I am absolutely dying to meet. Her writing is beautiful: eloquent at times, and very down to earth at others. It would be a dream come true to be able to discuss her novels with her!<br />
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Who would you love to meet?Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-82176496331338446842011-05-09T15:42:00.001-04:002011-05-09T15:42:00.205-04:00The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.fizzythoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/gatsby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://www.fizzythoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/gatsby.jpg" width="213" /></a><em> The Great Gatsby tells the tale of Gatsby's love for Daisy Buchanan. He was in the army and she was a beautiful, popular young girl. They meet again after years under Nick's supervision, but nothing is as it was. Time changes things.</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> I cannot say that I enjoyed The Great Gatsby. The novel didn't really seem to have a destination. Few things happened, but when they did, they seemed rather unconnected. Nick meets Daisy and Tom for dinner, then he sees Gatsby for the first time, then he goes to Gatsby's party. Suddenly Gatsby and he are the best of pals. I just didn't see any <em>point</em> in this.<br />
The characters themselves weren't particularly appealing either. The only one I actually liked even a bit was Gatsby, and maybe Nick. Gatsby was a really generous guy. I was fond of him for her his kind heart. Plus, I just felt bad for the guy. He was in love with someone he just shouldn't love. She was taken.<br />
At first, I thought Daisy was a great character. She was on the fence between her husband and the man she once loved. I could see how hard that might be. As time went on though, I realized that she wasn't a good person in the least. In essence, she was simply using Gatsby to have a little fun. After all, rich people can destroy things and then just pick up and move on, leaving others to pick up the pieces. That's exactly what she and Tom did at the end too. Things went wrong, so they left and Nick got to deal with the mess.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Jordan I'm still not sure about. She was cocky, that's for sure. I didn't like her because she really couldn't care less about others. At the same time, she wasn't nearly as bad as Daisy turned out to be. She certainly had more of a personality than Daisy did as well. Daisy didn't really have any opinion of her own.</div> All in all, this was not what I was hoping for or expecting. I suppose I set my standards too high because it is a classic. I wanted something that was timeless, and perhaps this is, but it didn't touch me the way it seems to have touched the world.<br />
Rating: 2.7Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-79201700378215918132011-05-07T20:00:00.001-04:002011-05-07T20:04:16.143-04:00Immortal Obsession by Denise K. Rago<em> Christian Du Maure is a Parisian vampire now living in Manhattan with his best friend, Michel. Behind him is a complicated past involving a power struggle during the French Revolution, a love affair with a mortal woman, Josette, and a promise. </em><br />
<em> His task: to protect Josette's daughter. Of course, nothing is as it seems and he comes to find that Solange is his daughter as well. This leads him to Amanda, a descendant of Solan</em><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.sellingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Immortal-Obsession.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://cdn.sellingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Immortal-Obsession.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>ge. When their paths intertwine, so do the mortal and immortal worlds.<br />
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The first word that comes to mind in describing this book is intense. The emotions are vivid and throw you into the book without a second glance back.<br />
Amanda is a unique character. There is something about her that sets her apart from other humans for the vampires of the novel (I won't tell, lest I ruin it for you) and that, in turn, sort of secludes her, if you will. That is not to say that she is a loner, but she does seem to be a bit of a workaholic. I admire that. Amanda loves her job and I hope to be that passionate about my work one day. Her biggest fault, in my opinion, was her lack of decisiveness. She didn't really know what she wanted from anyone, or herself, for that matter. Maybe I'm just being hypocritical though, because I can't even decide what I want to eat most of the time! <br />
Christian was the good guy. Although a vampire, he seemed to be like that guy in high school who everyone can't help but like. He was reserved, but still kind. It was interesting to read about his time in Paris and all of his younger years with Michel. I thought Rago did a wonderful job depicting that time period! <br />
The plot in the novel followed a relatively even pace. It wasn't too quick or too slow, until the end when it moved fast. This is extremely difficult to describe without giving anything away! I thought the mixing of the human world and the vampire world was intriguing. It wasn't anything like in other vampire books. For the most part, it seemed that the vampires had little control in Manhattan, but ruled over Paris even in the modern world. The vampires seemed totally inharmonious, though. They held grudges like no other. <br />
I was expecting the book to be more young adult than it was, not that I'm complaining. Personally, I was a bit, shall we say, uncomfortable with some of the scenes. So, some younger readers may want to wait a few years before reading <em>Immortal Obsession</em>. There isn't anything extremely graphic, of course. Just a little insinuation and such. None the less, I found this book to be really great! Denise Rago did a fantastic job in writing this novel!<br />
Rating: 7<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: x-small;">*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.</span>Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-9084335645920413052011-04-15T13:02:00.001-04:002011-04-15T13:02:00.289-04:00Allan Richard Shickman Allan Shickman has graciously agreed to share some things about himself today!<br />
<br />
<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Interview</span></strong></div><strong>1. What encouraged and inspired you to write your two prehistoric novels?</strong><br />
<strong> </strong><em>I never intended to write two books. The idea of the second came much later. The first was inspired by travel across the American West, where, it occurred to me that it would be difficult for anybody to survive without modern technology. From this came the notion of a survival adventure. I started collecting ideas, but it was a long time before I wrote anything. Long afterward my nephews encouraged me to write a sequel.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>2. Did you have to do much research on the era? Is any of it fact-based?</strong><br />
<em>As an art historian, I studied some of the art and artifacts of prehistoric cultures, so I knew a little of how they lived. Of course I had to do a little research too. Tribal societies sometimes were afraid of twins, I discovered, and would put them and the mother (never the father) to death. That fact became important in the first Zan-Gah story. My home state, Missouri, is rich in caves, and I visited Onondaga Cavern. That was a wonderful experience, and generated a number of ideas.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>3. How did you come up with the different clans? They were all so different from each other.</strong><br />
<em>It was half knowledge and half imagination—a fertile combination. There actually are totemistic societies—those that consider themselves related to animals in one way or another. I invented a people who had a totemistic relationship with wasps. They lived in, and were comfortable in trees. There are actually a very few tribes that do so. The Ba-Coro, Zan's people, perform a unification ritual that I actually saw (on video) performed in New Guinea. So I borrowed, mixed, and invented.</em><br />
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<strong>4. Zan and Dael were immensely close when they were young, but grew apart after Dael's torment. Does this parallel any of your own relationships? Is family particularly important to you?</strong><br />
<em>I have no doubt that my own family life unconsciously inspired relationships in the books, but they are all the products of reverie. I dream in fragments, and then I put the pieces together, polishing as I go. Who knows where those dream come from? They have to come from somewhere.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>5. Which of your characters would you say is most like you?</strong><br />
<em> I wish I could answer that question with exactitude, but I really can't. There is a side of me that is a little like Zan, that is, virtuous. There is another side of me that is angry, bitter and disturbed, like Dael—but not so much, I hope. I can be stupid/wise like Chul, ingenious and inventive like Rydl, and somewhat like my female characters as well. It is said that Charles Dickens had a little of Ebenezer Scrooge in him, and I do not doubt it.</em><br />
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<strong>6. Which part of your novel (either one) was most fun to write? Why?</strong><br />
<em> I liked writing the climactic ending of the first book. It's fun when solutions come together dramatically. I thought that happened when the characters' danger and their personal "profiles" interacted. I also had fun describing the land of the red rocks in the first book and the volcano in the second: "Soon only the fiery cataclysm was visible against the night sky. A burst of yellow sparks thrown from the molten heart of the mountain stood out against the blue-black sky, reflecting its brilliance in the fixed eyes of the watchers, while a glowing vein of lava trickled like blood down the smooth slope."</em><br />
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<strong>7. Given the chance, would you go back to the prehistoric era or would you choose some other time instead?</strong><br />
<em> I have just finished the third book, Dael and the Painted People, which is the sequel to the second. So I did go back to the same prehistoric era. It is not impossible that I will write a fourth; or I may invent something in an entirely different era—ours, for instance. It depends on where my dream life takes me.</em><br />
<em> But as for visiting the prehistoric era physically, not a chance! Why would I want to go to a time when life was "nasty, brutish, and short"? No, but it might be fun to go back to a period when the economy was running smoothly and a person could find a job.</em><br />
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<strong>8. Is there anything else you would like to share with readers whether it is about you, your novels, or writing in general?</strong><br />
<em> Dael and the Painted People is in the hands of a professional editor at this very moment. Soon, I will have to put together a cover. I intend to quote a passage of the story on the back, and comment, just as I did on the other two books. Here is what I think I will quote (nobody knows this yet): </em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em> The whole time the shaman was speaking, he shook a boney finger at Dael, his enemy—a finger that was almost doubled in length by its long nail.</em><br />
<em> "Did you dare to strike my brother?" Mlaka demanded, not without an evident note of sadness.</em><br />
<em> Dael did not answer. His eyes were fixed on an empty corner of the room. Something back there was bothering him, and he looked more closely. His vision was blurred and he was a little dizzy. Who was that standing apart in the shadows? Dael stopped listening to the voices around him and intently focused on someone he only gradually recognized—a wrinkled, haggard old woman that nobody else could see. She had glazed eyes, and a spear in her breast. It was Hurnoa, dead and yet alive!</em><br />
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<em> When Dael, guilty and tormented, came to live with the painted people, he longed for peace and restoration; but without knowing it he made a powerful enemy. A story of conflict and love.</em><br />
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A big thanks to Allan for such a wonderful interview! His novels, <a href="http://geekonthebrink.blogspot.com/2011/03/zan-gah-prehistoric-adventure-by-allan.html">Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure </a>and <a href="http://geekonthebrink.blogspot.com/2011/03/zan-gah-and-beautiful-country-by-allan.html">Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country</a>, are wonderful reads. I can't wait to get my hands on the next, Dael and the Painted People!Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-20910198570618039962011-04-03T19:17:00.000-04:002011-04-03T19:17:40.415-04:00Blue News For those of you who were interested in reading <em>Blue</em> by Lou Aronica, I have some great news for you. The e-book edition of this fabulous read is now only $2.99! As you can see from my <a href="http://geekonthebrink.blogspot.com/2011/02/blue-by-lou-aronica.html">review</a>, I think that this book is well-worth the price.Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-10115646842872756542011-04-01T21:19:00.000-04:002011-04-01T21:19:39.534-04:00Book Blogger Hop (April 1-4)<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I must say, it has been much too long since I participated in the hop! They do say junior year is the hardest, but I didn't expect such a lack of sleep... Thank goodness for Spring Break and all of the lovely reading I was able to do.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crazy-for-books.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Book Blogger Hop" height="150" src="http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt34/crazybookblog/cfbmemebutton-2.png" width="150" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Question of the Week:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Since today is April Fool's Day in the USA, what is the best prank you have ever played on someone OR that someone has played on you?</div>Answer:<br />
Honestly, I usually forget about April Fool's Day and usually people don't play jokes on me. Today, however, I got pranked and I did some pranking myself (insert evil grin here).<br />
My English teacher decided to tell us that she had a death in the family and would therefore have to resign her post and manage Walgreen's. I almost believed her, except that she had already played the joke on my friend who told me about it.<br />
My Chemistry teacher had the best practical joke ever! She told us that she was going to burn a candle and we needed to make specific observations about it. So we did, and then she blew it out and took a bite of it! She took a bite of the candle! Now, I was questioning her sanity at this point. Of course, it turned out that the 'candle' was really a potato and what we thought was the wick was actually a piece of almond. We got her first though. When she walked out of the room, we all hid, as much as one can hide in a chemistry classroom. :)<br />
There are two AP English 11 classes at my school. I have it first block and some of my friends have it fourth block. We are currently reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne ( review forthcoming) and were supposed to get through chapter 23 last night. So, first block decided that we would tell fourth block that we had a brutal test over it that our English teacher claims to have told us all about so we could freak them all out. Let it suffice to say that some people thought they were about to fail a major test. Ah, yes, goal accomplished.<br />
Re-reading all of this, I realize that you probably had to be there to understand how funny all of this really was. So, you'll just have to trust me on this. Hilarious! I'm telling you, today was a riot. ;)Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-16589753886294308542011-03-16T17:33:00.001-04:002011-03-16T17:34:19.786-04:00Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman The volcanic turbulence that shakes Dael's mind carries him to vicious extremes. It is Zan's task to calm his brother and lead him away from thoughts both destructive and self-destructive. But even the paradise of the Beautiful Country will not erase them.<br />
--Taken from the Earthshaker Books <a href="http://www.zan-gah.com/">website</a><br />
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This novel was just as interesting as its predecessor, but in a different way. It focused more on the relations between the people of the Ba-Coro than on the adventures Zan had. We learned about Sparrow, Morda, Siraka-<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4nRHMiNlsGE/TCTrA1G2yXI/AAAAAAAAAjI/G80_jeQ7pyU/s1600/b02646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4nRHMiNlsGE/TCTrA1G2yXI/AAAAAAAAAjI/G80_jeQ7pyU/s1600/b02646.jpg" /></a>Finaka, and many more of the characters who played minor roles in the first book. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> The only complaint I have is about the way it ended. It seemed as if Shickman wrapped it up a little too quickly because it just wasn't very believable. None the less, I truly enjoy his writing skills. He puts you in the world of the novel with such ease! Even if you don't fully understand, or like, the characters, you can't help but relate with them just a bit.</div> Dael, in particular, played a bigger part in the goings-on of this book. I was just as confused by his behavior as I was in the last book. I understand that he went through absolutely horrendous trials, but I still don't see how that could cause him to be, well, a horrendous person. Everyone goes through difficult times. Granted, his difficult times lasted for about two entire years, but that doesn't give him the right to act so cruelly. In my own personal opinion, he was a slight bit hypocritical. He hated the people who tortured him, and yet he was more than willing to do the same to others.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I felt bad for Zan. He wanted so badly to have the brother he once knew back again. After all, he had gone through his own perils to rescue Dael. Despite all of his desperate attempts to help his brother regain his old self, it just wasn't meant to be. Once Dael lost his beautiful wife and child, it was all over for him. Even his small amount of happiness was gone. Zan didn't know how to fix that. He couldn't very well bring Lissa back from the dead. Not only were these difficulties on his mind, but so were his problems with the always amazing Pax. All of this Zan handled with compassion.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Pax was just great. She, along with Siraka-Finaka, took feminism to a new level. Pax had hunting skills better than most men and Siraka-Finaka just had a bearing about her that gave her a sort of authority. I admired both of them for their wisdom and their kindly natures.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I cannot wait for the next book! This one was so good! Allan Shickman is a talented writer. He brings the words to life and creates stories that you want to read.</div> Rating: 6.5-7<br />
*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-27778116232642358312011-03-08T16:26:00.001-05:002011-03-16T17:03:34.481-04:00Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman<em> A bad conscience and concern for Dael, his missing brother, cause Zan to begin a search which will lead him to captivity, conflict, love, and victory. In a time of war, the hero goes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood, and a role of leadership among his people. </em><br />
<em> It's about survival, discovery, a long search, and a good fight.</em><br />
--from the Earthshaker Books <a href="http://www.zan-gah.com/">website</a><br />
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I was enthralled by this book. At first, I thought it would be a bit childish, just because of the cover, but it really isn't. The language gives you a feel of being in ancient times, as does the plot itself, obviously. Shickman must have put a lot of thought into how to make this adventure come to life!<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thebookwormchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/zan-gah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="http://thebookwormchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/zan-gah.jpg" width="206" /></a></div> Zan is just an ordinary kid in a prehistoric world. He lost his twin brother, Dael, and though life has gone on, he misses his best friend. I admire Zan's determination to find his brother and his willingness to leave behind all that he knows to rescue Dael. He shows amazing strength in bringing the clans together and enduring all that he is put through.<br />
I was so disappointed when we finally met Dael. He was far from the person built up in my imagination. Zan's view of him, and everyone else's actually, made him out to be a great person. Yet he is far from the person they once loved. Zan describes a meek, caring kid, but Dael is a withdrawn, disturbed young man now. Whatever he went through must have been beyond torture.<br />
Aniah seems so amazing and wise! He reminds me of a kindly grandpa, which, I suppose, he is. Despite his great status among the clans, Aniah is far from perfect and he doesn't try to hide the fact. He accepts who he is, which just adds to his aura of intelligence. I'd have to say he is one of the best minor characters I have met in a while.<br />
I really enjoyed this book. It had an amazing plot line and an awesome world. The Beautiful Country sounded so neat! I kind of wish I could see it for myself, maybe go swimming in the pristine lake. The different peoples that Shickman created in his story were fascinating as well. He really made interesting, deep characters that had entire backgrounds of their own. They could have stood alone, without the great plot, and still been great characters.<br />
Somehow, Shickman was able to turn the prehistoric era into a fascinating story of peril, growing up, the bond between family, and all that this encompasses. Zan-Gah was well-written and worth reading!<br />
Rating: 7.5<br />
*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.Barnard Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13264976925569419382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133293312326461916.post-63116035851206800842011-03-04T17:55:00.001-05:002011-03-04T17:55:00.506-05:00The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby For some reason, I keep forgetting to push the publish button on a lot of my posts. I thought I had this scheduled for a while ago, but I guess not...<br />
<em> Appointed to the queen’s household at the age of fourteen, Catherine Howard is not long at court before she catches the eye of King Henry VIII. The king is as enchanted with Catherine as he is disappointed with his newest wife — the German princess Anne of Cleves. Less than a year from her arrival at court, Catherine becomes the fifth wife of the overwhelmingly powerful, if aging, King of England.</em> <br />
<em> Caught up in a dazzling whirl of elaborate celebrations, rich gowns and royal jewels, young Catherine is dizzied by the absolute power that the king wields over his subjects. But does becoming the king’s wife make her safe above all others, or put her in more danger? Catherine must navigate the conspiracies, the silent enemies, the king’s unpredictable rages, as well as contend with the ghosts of King Henry’s former wives: the abandoned Catherine of Aragon, the tragic Jane Seymour, and her own cousin, the beheaded Anne Boleyn. The more Catherine learns about court, the more she can see the circles of danger constricting around her, the threats ever more dire.</em><br />
--Alisa Libby's <a href="http://www.alisalibby.com/">website</a><br />
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This is what makes me love historical fiction. It was so vivid and real. Libby is a very talented writer for being able to bring history to life as she did in this novel.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://yareview.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/The_Kings_Rose-199x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="http://yareview.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/The_Kings_Rose-199x300.jpg" /></a> The characters said and did things that I could actually imagine the real Catherine or King Henry do. Catherine is a timid child to begin with, but she grows throughout the book. She grows into a woman through the trials of being Queen. This may not seem so terrible, but nothing is <em>ever</em> as it seems. She had responsibilities just as anyone else does and she had to bear the largest burden of all: pleasing the King. I think Catherine was a great character. She wasn't so naive as to believe that she could trust everyone, but at the same time she didn't try to seclude herself.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Henry is an aging King. He isn't quite sure what to do to keep his position and status with his people. They are slipping away from him after all the years he has ruled. So, he turns to his </div>newest distraction: Catherine. I'm not quite sure how I felt about him. On one hand, I wanted to hate him. Knowing what I do about King Henry the Eigth (albeit very little), I was disgusted with his merciless actions towards women he supposedly loved. On the other hand, I could feel his desperation to have an heir to the throne.<br />
The plot of the novel was wonderful! It moved fast enough, but not too quickly, and of course it was interesting. I liked that we got to see Catherine's day-to-day activities and such. I could picture her chambers and the gardens. I could see her sneaking out late at night by the light of the moon to see... nope, can't tell you that. Her dresses sounded so beautiful! I also wish I could have heard her playing the lute in real life. It was just a very insightful book. Everything was imagined in detail and you can tell the author took great care to SHOW and not tell what happened.<br />
Rating: 8.5<br />
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