Author: Jana

Item: The Winner's Curse
Rating: 4
Author: Jana

That Artsy Librarian | My Children’s Lit Class Reading List

Posted March 13, 2014 by Jana in That Artsy Librarian / 8 Comments

That Artsy Librarian is a feature all about my journey through graduate school as I work towards my Master’s degree in Library and Information Science.

Last week Kel requested that I post my entire reading list for this semester’s children’s lit class. For the most part I have the option of choosing between a number of different titles. These titles are listed in my textbook, Essentials for Children’s Literature, in the genre indexes. Below, you will find my choices. If I review them on the blog, I’ll link you to my reviews. :)

Week 1: Newbery Medal Award
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Week 2: Other Book Awards
The Westing Games by Elixabeth Raskin
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Week 3: Poetry
Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart selected by Mary Ann Hoberman (anthology)
Around the World in Eighty Poems selected by James Berry (collection)
Behind the Museum Door: Poems to Celebrate the Wonders of Museums selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins (collection)

Week 4: Baby Books
Hello, Baby! by Mem Fox
Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel
Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett
Lemons are Not Red by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Week 5: Picture Books
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (Caldecott)
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems (Caldecott)Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Caldecott)
The Problem with Chickens by Bruce McMillan
Slugs in Love by Susan Pearson
Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Week 6: Beginning Readers
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassel (Geisel)
Penny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes (Geisel)
Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont (Geisel)Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas by Cynthia Rylant
Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars by Cynthia Rylant
Snowed in with Grandmother Silk by Carol Fenner
Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look

Week 7: Folklore, Fairytales, Fables, and Myths
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola (folktale)
Stone Soup by Marica Brown (folktale)
Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter by Diane Stanley (fractured fairytale)
The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Story by Judy Sierra (cultural fairytale version)
The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo (cultural fairytale version)
Beauty and the Beast by Marianna Meyer (fiarytale)
Beauty and the Beastly Children by Michael O. Tunnell (fractured fairytale)
The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale by Laurence Yep (cultural fairytale version)

Week 8: Fantasy and Science Fiction
A Wrinkle in Time my Madeleine L’Engle
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Week 9: Popular Children’s Books
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Keff Kinney
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Week 10: Contemporary Realism
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
The Double Digit Club by Marion Dane Bauer
The Summer Sherman Loved Me by Jane St. Anthony

Week 11: Historical Fiction, Mystery, and Adventure
Roland Wright, Future Knight by Tony Davis
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

Week 12: Multicultural Literature
The Jamie and Angus Stories by Anne Fine

Week 13: Information Books
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Flemming
Leonardo da Vinci by Kathleen Krull
A sex ed book (I have not received the list of approved titles yet)
The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole
An art or music book (I have not received the list of approved titles yet)

Week 14: Graphic Novels and Non-Book Resources
Magic Pickle by Scott Morse
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hal

Week 15: Censorship and Banned Books
1 banned picture book (I have not received the list of approved titles yet)
1 banned picture book (I have not received the list of approved titles yet)
a banned fiction book (I have not received the list of approved titles yet)

And there you have it! It’s a LONG list of books, but I’m a week passed halfway through the semester and it has actually been a pretty fun class, even though it is a ton of work!

Have you read any of these books? Which ones do you like or dislike?

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski | Book Review

Posted March 12, 2014 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 8 Comments

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Series: Winner's Trilogy #1
Published by Farrar Straus & Giroux on March 4, 2014
Genres: Romance
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

In the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Cassandra Clare comes this brilliant, unputdownable, star-crossed romance about the curse of winning.

Seventeen-year-old Kestrel is an aristocratic citizen of Valoria, a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Here, a girl like Kestrel has two choices: join the military or get married. Despite her skills in military strategy, Kestrel’s real passion is music.Which is why she feels compelled to buy Arin, a slave with a talent for singing, at auction. It’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with Arin, and he seems to feel the same for her. But Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for Arin is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

I read The Winner’s Curse MONTHS ago. I’m not kidding. Almost 5 months ago, actually. And I have been mulling this book over in the back of my mind ever since. And I am so distraught, because during all these months of mulling I still have no idea what to write. None. I’m hoping that things will come to me as I write now, and that hopefully I will have some sort of epiphany. Now, don’t get me wrong. I did not dislike this book. I loved it! And that’s why I’m so perplexed as to why I can’t figure out what to say about it. Normally if I love a book I go crazy and fangirlie and have SO much to say that I can’t organize it and end up feeling like a babbling idiot. This time, though, I’m experiencing something completely different. I loved it, yet I have no idea how to tell you why. I’m going to try here, and I’m going to let things flow. No numbered and bolded lists this time! This is going to be a complete brain dump.

I love the idea of a girl saving a boy for once. Kestrel purchases Arin, a slave, at an auction. And she does it because he is musical. What a unique way to begin a story.

Things started out really slow for me. I was honestly terrified that I was missing something because I was seeing all these raving reviews, and I was just not on board at all. Things change, though, and as I read more I became entranced.

I love that Kestrel is smart. She has so much power within her mind, which makes her strong in a way that is not usually written about. She is strong mentally instead of physically.

Arin is swoony in a very understated and mysterious way. He observes and watches from the sidelines. I love that about him. He is also very intelligent, and challenges Kestrel. I love the tension this creates.

I know that there is some romance that is just barely beginning to bloom. There’s no instalove, but there is definite interest. Kestrel and Arin watch each other. They are figuring each other out. And when they start to realize that they are being discovered by one other, the intrigue grows. I just get this feeling that neither of them is used to being at the forefront of someone’s mind. They are both quiet and broody and smart. They are so good for each other, even though society views them are being very far apart.

I’m not usually a fan of politics, but they worked for me here.

The writing is very pretty. The story is beautifully told.

I cannot WAIT to learn more about these characters. I am hoping for lots of details in the next two books, because I want to become even more invested in their lives.

Wow. I think this review is full of fail. Haha! I have never had such a hard time getting my thoughts out. I just know I loved this book, and I guess that will have to be good enough. I just loved it, ok!?!?!

Anyone want to help me out here? What did you think of The Winner’s Curse? And please help me feel better by telling me I am not the only person who has loved a book just because they loved it!! Has this happened to you before?

Top Ten Books That Take You Places

Posted March 10, 2014 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over at the other blog I write for, The Broke and the Bookish.

Next week is my spring break, and last week was midterm… so I have summer and traveling on the brain! I thought it would be fun to share my top ten favorite books that take you somewhere instead of talking about my top ten favorite books in a specific genre. Although seriously, travel is a genre in my opinion! Clicking on the book’s banner takes you to its Goodreads page.

Do you have any recommendations for books that take you places? Road trips, cruises, flights, study abroad, anything. This is my favorite kind of book, so PLEASE give me recommendations on more of them I can read! I’ll love you forever. :)

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan | Book Thoughts

Posted March 10, 2014 by Jana in Book Review, Middle Grade / 5 Comments

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1
Published by Disney Hyperion on January 1, 2005
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology
Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

(I read this book for my children’s lit class as part of my fantasy unit. I’m not really going to review it, but more discuss my thoughts on it.)

I really, really love greek mythology and I studied a lot about it in elementary school. I thought Riordan’s idea put a really fun spin on those myths. I enjoyed seeing the “familiar” faces of Zeus, Poseidon, Medusa, and others show up.

I really loved Grover, Percy’s satyr companion. He’s kind of wacky and silly, but an absolute delight to read about. I was so-so on Annabeth, Percy’s partner in crime. And honestly, I’m not really in love with Percy himself yet. Grover made the book for me. I feel like I would have liked this more as a younger child. I had a hard time relating to the characters. They acted really young, whereas some books for kids seem to have characters that span a variety of age groups.

My favorite theme of the book is a mother’s love. Percy’s mother is a wonderful sweet and caring woman, who is married to an absolute idiot. He is skummy and sleezy and abusive. He smells horrible. And Percy always wonders why such an amazing person would put up with it. It’s not until later in the book that he discovers why, and I ended up really loving the tender moment that discovery created.

Even though I had some issues with the book, I am definitely interested in continuing the series. I’m intrigued by some of the other story lines, and I’m excited to see Percy grow up a little.

The Secret Diamond Sisters Blog Tour | Character Profile – Peyton + Giveaway

Posted March 7, 2014 by Jana in Blog Tour, Giveaway / 10 Comments

Welcome to my stop along the book blog tour for The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow, hosted by Kismet Blog Touring. This post is chock full of goodies, including all the information about the book and the author, the character profile for Peyton, and a really exciting giveaway! So, let’s get started!

–

About the Book

The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow
Series: The Secret Diamond Sisters #1
Published by Harlequin Teen on February 25, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Book Depository • Books-A-Million

Savannah. Courtney. Peyton.

The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. Suddenly the Strip’s most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.

Add to Goodreads

–

Character Profile for Peyton

At seventeen years old, Peyton is the oldest Diamond sister. She’s been hurt in the past, but because of it, has developed a thick skin. She will do anything for her sisters, going as far as protecting them from their mom’s outbursts and getting home first from school to make sure everything in the house (including their mom) is ready for them. She’s tough, doesn’t trust easily, and while she has many people she hangs out with, the only people who she feels truly know her are her sisters. She doesn’t like school (she gets restless sitting in classrooms!) and can’t wait until graduation so she’ll be done forever.

Peyton’s a natural night owl, and waking up in the morning is a constant struggle. (Her sisters usually resort to throwing things at her to wake her up, and often yell at her to hurry up showering so they can have time for their morning routines, too.) She needs at least three cups of coffee to get going. She loves rock music, and can usually be found with an earbud attached to her ear, even during her classes. She loves partying and dancing and getting lost in the music. She also enjoys an occasional chill night of movies and television shows, as long as it’s not a rom-com chick flick.

She wears mostly black clothing—why bother with colors when black always looks hot on her? Her nails are usually painted black as well. She’s not afraid to speak up for what she believes in and she will always stand up for her sisters. She tries to not let anyone in to avoid getting hurt—but really she just wants to find that one person who cares enough to break down her walls.

–

About Michelle Madow

Michelle Madow wrote her first novel, Remembrance, in her junior year of college. Remembrance is the first book in the Transcend Time Saga, a three part series about reincarnation and true love that Michelle successfully self-published. The series was inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” music video. Michelle’s upcoming YA trilogy, The Secret Diamond Sisters, about three sisters who discover they are the secret heirs to a Las Vegas billionaire casino owner will be published by Harlequin TEEN in Spring 2014.

Michelle graduated from Rollins College in 2010, cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the International English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta. She received the Charles Hyde Pratt Award for Excellence in Creative Writing in 2010.

She lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she is writing more novels for young adults. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling, shopping, sunshine, Disney fairy tales, Broadway musicals, and spends way too much time on Facebook and Twitter.

Find Michelle here!
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

–

Contest Information

Each tour stop is offering up a copy of The Secret Diamond sisters, and one winner will receive a fantastic Grand Prize Package including the following Harlequin Teen titles: 2 copies of The Secret Diamond Sisters, a copy of White hot Kiss by Jennifer Armentrout, Grim edited by Christine Johnson, a signed copy of Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott and an ARC of Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
–

Follow the rest of the tour!

Monday, March 3rd – Chapter by Chapter
Wednesday, March 5th – The Book Bells
Friday, March 7th – That Artsy Reader Girl

Monday, March 10th – Good Books and Good Wine
Wednesday, March 12th – Book Swoon
Friday, March 14th – Spiced Latte