What I'm Reading - The Redheaded Princess

I love letting people know what I'm reading. Heck, that's part of my job. I read and share my thoughts with you. Lately I've found that just posting an Amazon link on my twitter was just so... boring. So I have come up with a new idea. I'll post the book and cover blurb on the site for you to check out yourself. I know, that sounds like an offal lot of work, but I don't post enough as it is.

So here's today's book. This one is another YA (because I was in the mood) and a historical to boot!

The Redheaded Princess by Ann Rinaldi
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-06-073374-2
Genre: YA-Historical

A princess in exile...

Growing up, Elizabeth fears she can never be Queen. Although she is the King's daughter, no woman can ever hope to rule over men in England, especially when her mother has been executed for treason.

For all her royal blood, Elizabeth's life is fraught with danger and uncertainty. Sometimes she is welcome in the royal court; other times she is cast out into the countryside. With her position constantly changing, the Princess must navigate a sea of shifting loyalties and dangerous affections. At stake is her life—for beheading is not uncommon among the factions that war for the Crown.

With the vivid human touch that has made her one of the foremost writers of historical fiction, Ann Rinaldi brings to life the heart and soul of the young Elizabeth I. It's a portrait of a great leader as she may have been as she found her way to the glorious destiny that lay before her.

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Kindle - Amazon - Barns & Noble - Books-a-Million- Borders

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Sometimes life can be such a bitch

I took a dive into my YA TBR pile this last week, pulling out DAIRY QUEEN and THE OFF SEASON by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. I saw PRINCESS BEN at my local Barns & Nobles and I really liked the look of it, so I figured "What the heck" and pulled down those two.

I'm really glad I did, too. They where just so... real. Both books are part of the 'Dairy Queen' series and is told by the hand of Darlene Joyce "D.J." Schwenk. I admit it was a bit odd at first; the story written like it was pulled from 16 year-old D.J.'s head with all her quirks. But Murdock pulled it off fantastically. So fantastically, in fact, that by the end your surprised it's written by a grown woman and not a 16 year-old.

In the first book, DAIRY QUEEN, you fallow D.J. as she runs her family's dairy farm--if somewhat reluctantly. The Schwenks, you see, are huge football fans. The father played in the army and hurt his hip, the two older brothers are away to college on football scollerships, and the younger brother is in junior ball--and winning--and allowed to slack off. That leaves D.J. with an above average knowledge of the game and a little resentment. When she's asked to teach the rival town's starting quarterback, Brian Nelson, work ethics (the Schwenks are very hard working) she never expected to find herself coaching him or wanting to try out for the high school football team!

THE OFF SEASON, the second book, starts just days after the first one ends (though I had to admit Murdock did a great job of making it possible of being a stand-alone). D.J. again tells her story, but this one is a bit more of an emotional roller coaster ride. D.J.'s feelings for Brian are growing leaving her wondering what will become of the hot-jock and not-so-hot, taller-than-average farm girl. Her brother is more quiet than usual (if such a thing is possible) and may have a couple secrets of his own. Then there's this thing with her oldest brother... well, I can't tell you without messing with your emotional roller coaster. Needless-to-say it isn't very good.

Murdock is planning a third book in the series. Thank goodness!

Tru Blood - My new drink of choice. Maybe.

I'm messing around with Myspace tonight. No real reason, really, I guess I'm just board. Well, while doing one of those stupid little 'guess the movie' quizzes I stumbled across an add for Tru Blood, the synthetic blood nourishment beverage for all those hungery vampires out there. Seriously, they've sold me on their advertising and packaging alone (I'm such a consumer... No pun intended).

I guess there's a new show airing on HBO that asks the question: What if a synthetic blood drink was created and the vampire race could finaly anouce themselves to the world. Hum... Sounds like they are pigy-backing on the vampire craze that's been sweeping the entertainment *caugh-book-caugh* world. Still looks like it could be interesting. Of course I don't have cable (good 'ol rabit ears for me!) so I may never know. Is it possible for a person to TVo it and mail me the box? Probably not. *sigh* I guess I'll have to catch it when it comes to DVD. I still want the drink, though. I'm type O. Yum.

Check out Bloodcopy.com for videos, find out your tipe at the Tru Blood beverage site, or check out news about the show at the HBO Tru Blood site.

TSS: A midnight snack

It is a little after midnight here in sunny *cough* California and I'm still wide awake. That's fine, I suppose, since it is Sunday and I'm a creative soul (so I've done little to be called creative today. That's nothing to fuss over). I needed to blog about my latest read, DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY by Terri Garey, before I forget what I thought about it in my sleeping hours. Why can't I just write it down? What fun would that be?!

So, as I just stated, I've finished Terri Garey's DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY. Now, at first it was a bit odd. It read like a blog and I got the wrong impression of Nicki (seriously, she's not goth and is more like a rich, dark, er, romantic emo?). It also seamed like a re-hash of Medium/Ghost Whisperer (god, I hate that show!) but I'm happy to say it wasn't. Nicki Styx is a smartalic romantic-punk who, after a brush with death, can see ghosts.

I wouldn't call the book 'edgy but Garey managed to pull off a very entertaining story that wasn't too bogged down with a sappy, melodramatic romance. Joe (the good Dr.) was entertaining and made a great partner for Nicki. And while I couldn't call Garey's writing style the best, her imagination alone created enough of a 'good thing' with it's twisted plot, sharp and unexpected turns turns, and great humor that I'd gladly read the next Nicki Styx novel.

As a matter-of-fact I'm off to read it now (who needs sleep anyways, hum?)

Buy it now! Kindle - Amazon - Barns & Noble - Books-a-Million- Borders - Waldens