Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

“Madame Tussaud” by Michelle Moran was a wonderful piece of historical fiction, but incredibly overwhelming. I felt like I had to take notes throughout reading just so I wouldn’t get lost (which in turn, made me start singing “I Wish I Could Go Back to College” from the musical “Avenue Q”). I know that sounds like a bad thing, but if you love historical fiction, this is a must read. I finished it and I have the patience of a six year old most days.

Okay, so, my review. Well, you guys know I’m not known here for in-depth analysis. I’ll leave that to the reviewers who specialize in historical fiction. I’m a quirky, YA lovin’ gal and I hope my reviews reflect that. So for fun, I’m going to do something a little different today. I’m going to share with you my thoughts while reading and upon completion. These are the notes I jotted down, right before turning off the light at night.

Thoughts while reading “Madame Tussaud”:

• Wow, I really feel like I’m a part of the French revolution. I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep tonight!
• Um... who? what? I am so confused. /rushes back to character index
• Mm. I want to be a princess. Princesse Élisabeth’s house sounds so picturesque. /happy sigh
• I am so confused right now. I think I’m starting to remember plot lines from “The Scarlet Pimpernel” musical as part of this book. Whoooopsy. Doesn’t Robespierre have a lover?
• MARRY HIM ALREADY!! There is a war on, you crazy lady.
• This girl is a ruthless business woman. I’d love to see her duke it out with the fat cats on Wall Street. (yes....fat cats)

Upon finishing:

• Huh? Did I miss something? Hrm. Interesting time transition.
• I definitely can see why the publishers think that YA fans may enjoy this. I wasn’t aware of Marie’s existence so it was interesting to be introduced to her through this part of her young adult life.

Honestly, the last portion of the book I could have totally done without. I’m not sure where a better ending would have been, but it just threw me for a loop and made my overall enjoyment greatly decrease. That’s just me though and as you guys know, I’m weird. ;)

So, yeah, it’s overwhelming, intense, but if you like historical fiction, you should definitely check it out. Marie is an incredibly ambitious girl who blossomed into a young, determined woman during an incredibly tumultuous time in her country’s history.

I received a paperback copy of this book from the publisher (Random House). “Madame Tussaud” is on shelves now, so go and grab yours today.

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

I picked up this book based on my podcast co-host Allison's blog entry. Boy am I glad that I did! E loves this beautiful little book. I was a bit worried about purchasing a book with no words since E has become obsessed with words and letters. However, this simple story is so beautifully told that even I find myself enraptured every time I look at the beautiful watercolor illustrations.

Allison wrote an amazing review for this, so I'm not going to attempt to try to write something too detailed here. (Seriously, go read her review. She writes amazing, informative reviews.) This book will touch your heart.

"A Ball for Daisy" is published by Schwartz & Wade (Random House) and is available in hardcover. It won the 2012 Caldecott Medal.

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin

I know I know, I’m back to a dystopian this week. Not exactly in the holiday spirit, but I couldn’t help myself. This book was too engaging to put down! We are also interviewing Ms. McLaughlin soon for Authors are ROCKSTARS! so it was extra exciting to read. I love knowing I get to ask the authors questions after I’m done reading!

In “Scored”, society has gone through some rough times. The richer have become richer, the poorer poorer. You know..kinda where we’re headed now. Frighteningly familiar stuff. To help even out the playing field and allow people to rise above their initial place in society, a software company has created something called the “Score”. Every moment of the day the children of society are watched by cameras, called eyeballs that evaluate their every move and will decide what their final “score” is at the end of their high school education. In the meantime, your score can fluctuate and where you are determines your friends, your future options (from a free ride to college to being demoted to janitorial work), everything. The story follows Imani, a scored student who is drastically demoted after her friend falls in love with someone the system doesn’t deem worthy. This fall and the assignment of an essay where she has to oppose the score open up a new line of thought for Imani. What if the score isn’t fair after all? How did the score come to being and is it worth not living life for?

Ms. McLaughlin’s commentary on societal issues like standardized testing, privacy rights, etc are entertaining to read. She creates a very plausible world with a naive character who finally removes her rose colored glasses. The reader discovers the truth of their society along with Imani. It’s an interesting tale of self discovery in a world that could very well be where we are headed. I love how the Score isn’t ever truly demonized because, really, when is anything in life ever truly black & white when it comes to what is good for society. We all have different priorities, different morals... so it’s all gray, at least that’s how I see it.

ANYWAYS, I digress. It’s an interesting book full of politicial and social commentary that even those who aren’t usually dystopian fans will find entertaining. It does have some sweet romantic moments, but that is not the focus of the book. It’s a tale of discovery and learning that right & wrong are never as cut and dry as they appear.

I was provided with a copy of Scored by the publisher. It is published by Random House Books for Young Readers and was released in October of this year. You can find it on shelves everywhere. Be sure to tune in to Authors are ROCKSTARS! in 2012 to hear Ms. McLaughlin talk about “Scored”. If you have any questions for her, please feel free to leave a comment here. :) Happy holidays everyone!

The Other Countess by Eve Edwards

Gosh, I love a good historical romance. I have a confession to make... Ok, here goes. I used to be a historical romance novel junkie. It was a phase I went through in high school and well into a college. At the time, I felt like I was too grown up to read YA (silly me!) and I wanted something light and lovey-dovey. It’s still something I enjoy every now and then, but as you all know, I am happy now to admit that I will never grow up (points to her URL) and will forever love young adult fiction.

Anyways, back on topic. Pure historical romance is hard to find in the young adult genre, so when my Authors are ROCKSTARS! co-host, Allison, chose this book as her pick of the month for our July podcast. I *knew* it was something I had to read right away. I’ve been craving some juicy, mushy-gushiness and “The Other Countess” was just what the doctor ordered.

“The Other Countess” takes place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. At the start of the book, William Lacey, Earl of Dorset, has just become earl after the death of his father. His father left his family in dire circumstances after wasting their fortune working with an alchemist trying to change common elements to gold. William sends the alchemist and his young daughter out on their bottoms in a rage, hoping to never see them again. The book then advances a few years to William attending court for the first time, hoping to obtain the favor of the Queen or a rich wife to save his family from poverty. It is at court that he meets Lady Eleanor and is instantly smitten with the sassy and educated young woman (a rarity for the time period). When he finds out that Lady Eleanor is actually the daughter of the alchemist who ruined his family in his quest for gold, he shuns her and turns back to his quest for a rich wife. Unfortunately for his family’s fortunes, Eleanor has touched his soul and when their paths cross once more, he finds he may not be able to ever let her go again.

“The Other Countess” is what it is. It’s not full of epic adventure, action, or saving the world like other historical/paranormal romances of late. It’s a classic historical romance, set in the Tudor time period. It’s full of lush descriptions though of lovely countryside, the court of Elizabeth, lavish dinners, parties, gowns, you name it. The romance moves quickly (after all, women & men didn’t exactly have the time we have nowadays for courtship, especially when in secret), but it’s sweet and deliciously satisfying. I loved it so much that I will definitely be re-reading it again soon. It made me feel all warm and gooey, the perfect pick-me-up book. Once you start, you won’t want to put it down.

“The Other Countess” is published in the USA by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Random House) and was released last week (July 12, 2011). The second book in the series, “The Queen’s Lady” will be released in the US in April 2012. Allison at Reading Everywhere shared her ARC with me.

Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

E’s Pick of this Week is another book that doesn’t really need an introduction, it’s “Hop on Pop” by Dr. Seuss. Honestly, I could blather on and on about how awesome it is, but if you haven’t been living under a rock for the past 50 years, you’ve heard of it. It’s adorable. I love changing up the pacing to keep it fresh. E thinks it’s hilarious when I try to go really fast then flub. It’s fun. Get it today.

“Hop on Pop” is available in board book (abridged version, which is what we have), hardcover, and audiobook (read by David Hyde Pierce) form. It is published by Random House Books for Young Readers.

Richard Scarry’s CARS and TRUCKS from A to Z

E’s Pick of the Week is “Richard Scarry’s CARS and TRUCKS from A to Z”. It’s a little book, but what it lacks in size, it makes up in car fortitude (whatever that means). We picked up this little board book just last Friday on our weekly walk to a local bookstore. E has been crazy lately for the alphabet. He is obsessed with identifying letters and trying to write them! So, I perused the Alphabet section of the toddler books to see what I can find. This book was perfect. It’s easily portable (perfect for stroller reading!), features cars and trucks (another one of E’s obsessions), and has both the capital & small letters on every page. E is in love. I may actually have to make a trip to the store again today and get a few more copies because I have a feeling this one is going to be loved so much that it will fall apart. (The true test of being a good toddler board book.. if it is truly loved, you will need to purchase more than one copy.) The illustrations are adorable (love Richard Scarry) and the different kind of cars he has invented are a lot of fun.

If your little one loves cars or the alphabet, this is a great little educational book to add to your collection.

“Richard Scarry’s CARS and TRUCKS From A to Z” is available in “Chunky Shape” board book form from Random House. You can find it at your local bookstore or online.