On My Wishlist #7

This is a fun weekly event hosted by

Carolyn at  Book Chick City,

 and runs every Saturday.

Each participating blogger features books 

s/he hasn't actually bought yet,
but desperately wants to read,

because the plots sound so very fascinating!

These books can be either newly-published,

to be released in the near future,

or they might have been in print for several years.

In my particular case, any books I place

on my wish list are strictly the print versions,

since I do not read ebooks. 

Here are my choices for this week!

The Swan Kingdom

Zoe Marriott

Trade Paperback, 288 pages

Published by Walker Books, Ltd.

March 5, 2007

Genre: YA Fantasy

From the Goodreads Synopsis

When Alexandra’s mother is slain by an unnatural beast, shadows fall on the once-lush kingdom. Too soon the widowed king is entranced by a cunning stranger — and in one chilling moment Alexandra’s beloved brothers disappear, and she is banished to a barren land. Rich in visual detail, sparked by a formidable evil, and sweetened with familial and romantic love, here is the tale of a girl who discovers powerful healing gifts — and the courage to use them to save her ailing kingdom.

When I first saw this book,

I fell in love with the gorgeous cover!

So I know I will try to buy itas soon as I possibly can!!

This is the UK cover, by the way.

The story promises to be just as enchanting as the cover,

too, since it's a classic 'hero's quest' tale,

only, in this case, the 'hero' is a heroine.

Just my cup of tea!

The Seraph Seal

Leonard Sweet,  Lori Wagner

Trade Paperback, 384 pages

Published by Thomas Nelson

April 12, 2011

Genre: Science Fiction, Christian Fiction,

Religious Thriller

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Using the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to symbolize the four Gospels, four transcendentals, and four forces of the universe (air, water, earth, and fire), Sweet and Wagner weave a fast-paced, end-times tale of good vs. evil and the promise of a new dawn for humanity.

Set in 2048, when planet Earth is suffering from the damaging effects of years of misuse and abuse, cultural history professor Paul Binder receives a mysterious letter that leads him to examine a lost 2nd-century Diatessaron manuscript. Ancient prophecies, cryptic letters, and strange events set him on a course to uncover the missing clues that could lead humanity into a new age. Each character embodies elements of the four horsemen in a race to save the world from total destruction. Layered with forgotten symbolism from the ancient, Jewish, and Christian traditions, the novel is a type of engaged fiction in which the main character's lost journal serves as a guide to the reader in interpreting clues and understanding the novel's conclusion.

This one sounds so very fascinating!

I love the subject matter,

since I've long been interested in

the spiritual riddles of the universe.

This novel also contains a lot of action,

and speculation regarding mysterious manuscripts

and end-of-times angst.

Just the thing for me to get lost in!!

And I have to say that this cover is very striking!

Ruby Red

Kerstin Gier (Author)

Anthea Bell (Translator)

Hardcover, 324 pages

Published by Henry Holt & Co.

May 10, 2011

(first published January, 2009)

Genre: YA Science Fantasy

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon, the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

I've had my eye on this one for a couple of weeks now.

The cover is absolutely luscious!

I love it even though red is not usually a color

I'm attracted to (except at Christmastime).

It's really all that elegant,

Art Nouveau scrollwork that I find so

aesthetically pleasing!

The plot sounds so very exciting!

I adore the combination of romance and time travel!

I like the new twist given to the theme

by Gier, too -- the idea of "a time travel gene"

is quite interesting.

So, what wonderful books are you all

wishing for this week?

Edith Hamilton's "Mythology"

The wonderful "Midnight Summer Festival"

is in full swing!

Be sure to visit the host blogs,

as well as the participating blogs,

for interesting posts related to mythology,

as well as terrific giveaways!

Today I'd like to feature a book that

has become a classic in

the literature of mythology.

Mythology

Edith Hamilton

Hardcover, 497 pages

Published by Little, Brown & Co.

January 30, 1942

From Amazon's Product Description

Since its original publication by Little, Brown & Company in 1942, this author's Mythology has sold millions of copies throughout the world & established itself as a perennial bestseller in its various available formats: hardcover, trade paperback, & mass market paperback. Mythology succeeds like no other book in bringing to life for the modern reader the Greek, Roman & Norse myths & legends that are the keystone of Western culture - the stories of gods & heroes that have inspired human creativity from antiquity to the present.  (description for the Back Bay Books 1998 trade paperback edition)

I have just purchased a copy of this book on Amazon, and hope to read it soon -- that is, after I've finished my current and soon-to-be-read books...( There's just so much great stuff to read, and so little time in which to do so!)

The author presents skillful retellings of the original, classic Greek, Roman, and Norse myths.  As far as I know, this book has been in print continuously since it was first published in the 1940's.  

Here's a partial list of the Table of Contents:

PART ONE

I) The Gods

The Titans and the Twelve Great Olympians

The Lesser Gods of Olympus

The Gods of the Waters

The Underworld

The Lesser Gods of Earth

The Roman Gods

III) How the World and Mankind Were Created

IV) The Earliest Heroes

Prometheus and Io

Europa

The Cyclops Polyphemus

Flower-Myths: Narcissus, Hyacinth, Adonis

PART TWO

I) Cupid and Psyche

II) Eight Brief Tales of Lovers

Pyramus and Thisbe

Orpheus and Eurydice

Ceyx and Aleyone

Pygmalion and Galatea

Baucis and Philemon

Endymion

Daphne

Alpheus and Arethusa

And here's a quote from the book:

We do not know when these stories were first told in their present shape; but whenever it was, primitive life had been left far behind.  The myths as we have them are the creation of great poets. 

Aside from Bulfinch's Mythology, this is probably the book most read by those who love mythology, being used as an introductory textbook in many high schools.  It's impressive how long it has endured.

The author, Edith Hamilton, was a noted American educator and classical scholar.  Her first book The Greek Way, was published in 1930.  Another work, The Roman Way, was published in 1932, and yet another, The Echo of Greece, in 1957.

Born in Dresden, Germany, on August 12, 1867, she grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the United States.  She would return to Germany in 1895 to study humanities and classics at the University of Munich.

She had originally intended to pursue a doctoral degree in Leipzig, but was discriminated against merely because she was a woman.  She then planned to obtain it at Munich, but never did.  Instead, she accepted a position as head of the newly opened Bryn Mawr Preparatory School for Girls in Baltimore, in the U.S.  She remained for twenty-six years.

She received the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Rochester and the University of Pennsylvania, both  in 1950. 

In 1957 she was awarded the Golden Cross of the Order of Benefaction by King Paul of Greece, thus becoming an honorary citizen of Athens. 

She wrote several other books related to classical studies, and died on May 31, 1963, in Washington, D.C.

The Wikipedia article I used as source contains more detailed information about this fascinating scholar.

Edith Hamilton

Classical scholar and author

(1867 - 1963)

Waiting On Wednesday #8: Winter's Shadow - M.J. Hearle

This is a weekly book meme, hosted by

Jill at Breaking the Spine,

which features future releases that we book bloggers

are eagerly anticipating!

My pick for this week is Winter's Shadow,
by M.J. Hearle.

Winter's Shadow

M.J. Hearle

Trade Paperback, 432 pages

Published by Pan Macmillan, Australia

June 1, 2011

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

From the Goodreads Synopsis

He's all that Winter Adams can think of. Ever since their fateful meeting at Pilgrim's Lament. Ever since he looked at her with those emerald eyes.

Ever since he saved her life.

But Blake isn't all that he seems. There is a strangeness about him, something dark and otherworldly.

Something dangerous...

This certainly sounds like an intriguing story!

When I read the synopsis,

I became totally fascinated!

You can see just how much of an impression

this novel has made

by reading the Goodreads reviews,

and going to  

the fan page on Facebook,

which you can access

HERE.

I'm sure the cover of the book is part of its appeal,

since it's obviously gorgeous!

Although the book has already been released, it's

by no means easy to obtain,

at least not for those of us who live in the U.S.

I've already checked Amazon, eBay,

Half.com, Abebooks, Alibris,

and Powells...

Of course, I can always order it 

directly from Australian book sellers.

Except that the shipping alone is

at least $25.00!

So I'm currently signed up to be notified

by The Book Depository

as soon as they have it in stock again...

Meanwhile, I will just have to finish

reading the books I've already started,

so I can post the reviews!

So what books are all of you 

waiting on this Wednesday?

On My Wishlist #3

This is a fun weekly event hosted by

Carolyn at  Book Chick City,

 and runs every Saturday.

Each participating blogger features books 

s/he hasn't actually bought yet, but desperately wants to read,

because the stories sound so very fascinating!

These books can be either newly-published,

to be released in the near future,

or they might have been in print for several years.

In my particular case, any books I place

on my wish list are strictly the print versions,

since I do not read ebooks. 

Here are my choices for this week!

Entwined

Heather Dixon

Hardcover, 480 pages

Published by Greenwillow Books

March 29, 2011

Genre: YA Fantasy

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away.

 

All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries.

Sea Change

Aimee Friedman

Hardcover, 292 pages

Published by Point

June 1, 2009

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.

Daughter of Xanadu

Dori Jones Yang

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published by Delacorte Books

January 11, 2011

(first published Dec. 22, 2010)

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Athletic and strong willed, Princess Emmajin's determined to do what no woman has done before: become a warrior in the army of her grandfather, the Great Khan Khubilai. In the Mongol world the only way to achieve respect is to show bravery and win glory on the battlefield. The last thing she wants is the distraction of the foreigner Marco Polo, who challenges her beliefs in the gardens of Xanadu.

Besides the absolutely beautiful covers,
the plots of these books
promise very fascinating reads!!
I simply can't wait to make them mine!!

So what books are on your own wishlist this week?

Favorite Author: Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer

( Born December 24, 1973)

Some time back in 2006, I was doing my customary browsing on Amazon, in search of something new to read.  This is a compulsive ritual I engage in every single day.  Most of the time, I buy a book.  Other times, I merely torture myself with all the books I'd like to add to my collection, and know I won't be able to.  On that fateful day, I first came across Twilight.

As I've done on so many other occasions, I opened the site's reader, and sampled an excerpt.  As I read, my interest fascination increased to the point that I knew I needed to own this novel!  So I hurriedly closed the reader, and ordered the book .  I had never heard of Stephenie Meyer at the time, but I knew I had found something incredibly good!!

When I received it in the mail, I began at once to read it, falling headlong into Meyer's fascinating, utterly compelling world.  I felt that I was part of that world, somehow.  I lived the novel.  So, of course, I devoured the book in a very short time.  Then I ordered the next one, New Moon, only to have the same experience. 

Five years later, I have read Twilight three times, and the entire Saga twice.  I will never grow tired of the timeless romance of Edward and Bella, nor will I ever grow tired of a certain werewolf named Jacob Black, whom I love almost as fiercely as the vampire Edward Cullen.

The four books in the series are Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.  They tell the enthralling story of the love between a vampire boy and a human girl, who is also loved by a shapeshifter/werewolf. 

We are introduced to all three of them in the first book, in which Bella also has a chilling, nearly fatal encounter with a ruthless vampire who doesn't share the Cullen family's firm ethical code of not harming humans. 

In the second book, Edward leaves Bella, and she seeks solace in her deepening friendship with Jacob, the werewolf, who ends up falling hopelessly in love with her.  Later in the novel, she must rescue her despairing beloved from the clutches of the Volturi, a coven of ruthless vampires who have no qualms about killing humans for their blood. 

In the third book, the two groups -- the Cullen family and the werewolf members of the Quileute tribe -- have to form an uneasy alliance in order to deal with the Volturi, and a renewed threat to Bella's life. 

The fourth book portrays the wedding of Bella and Edward, as well as the birth of their very gifted, very unusual daughter.  Things come to a head with the Volturi as well, and the series reaches a satisfactory resolution, leaving its devoted fans happy, and yet wanting more...

Some of us -- myself included -- have even written Twilight-inspired fan fiction, so as to savor our beloved characters as many times as we wish...  We simply can't get enough of them!

Meyer hails from Hartford, Connecticut, USA, but grew up in Phoenix, Arizona.  She graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, with a major in English.  She and her husband, Christian Meyer, whom she married in 1994, have three sons -- Gabe, Seth, and Eli.

In addition to The Twilight Saga, she has written Midnight Sun , which tells the story of The Saga from Edward Cullen's perspective.   The book needs more work, but Meyer has put the project on hold because several chapters were leaked and appeared on the Internet.  It is available, however, on the author's official website, which you can access HERE. 

Other books include The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, a novella set in the Twilight universe,  The Host: A Novel, a science fiction novel for adults, and The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide, released in April, 2011.

A graphic novel adaptation of the first book has also been released --- Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1, as well as The Twilight Journals, which are blank diaries adorned with quotes from The Saga. 

There are several critical analyses of the series, most of them favorable.  The one I consider best so far is Spotlight: A Close-Up Look at the Artistry and Meaning of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga.  The book, written by John Granger, who has also authored an analysis of the Harry Potter series, presents a penetrating look at The Saga, discussing it as serious literature. 

I was delighted when I discovered, about a year ago, that the story had started with a dream that Meyer had one night -- a dream in which she clearly saw Edward and Bella, standing in a meadow, discussing their unusual relationship.  Edward was sparkling in the brilliant sunlight...

This dream refused to drift back into the recesses of her mind.  Instead, it blossomed and grew.  As she went about her daily duties at home with her children, it stayed with her.  So she sat down one day and began to write...and the dream flowed...

The magic of literature always begins with a dream, whether the dreamer is asleep, fully awake, or in some kind of in-between state more receptive to images from the unconscious.  In this case, Meyer's unconscious proved especially fertile!

This is the beautiful white edition of The Twilight Saga,

released only in the UK.

Of course, I own one of them!

(As well as the original one, with the black covers!)

Stephenie Meyer has profoundly touched the hearts and souls of millions of girls and women.  There are those who will disagree, criticizing the books as "cheesy", poorly written, and of no literary value whatsoever.  Stephen King, for instance, whose work I enjoy detesting with every fiber of my being, has stated that Stephenie Meyer, in contrast to J.K. Rowling, "...can't write worth a darn."  These are very unfair words indeed.  Those of us who love The Twilight Saga pay such critics no mind, however.  We have been indelibly marked by the beauty and magic of these four books, and will always treasure them!

The first three books have been made into movies, and the fourth is being filmed in two parts, the first of which will be released in November of this year. 

Many of us fans would be thrilled, of course, if Meyer published more books.  However, I would venture to say that for us, there will never be anything to equal The Twilight Saga.  It will firmly retain a place in our hearts as a testament to the power of true, unconditional love!

Waiting On Wednesday #6

This is a weekly book meme, hosted by

Jill at Breaking the Spine,

which features future releases that we book bloggers

are eagerly anticipating!


My pick for this week is Breath of Angel,
by Karyn Henley. 

This is the very first book in
The Angelaeon Circle,
and it sure promises to be exciting!

Breath of Angel

Karyn Henley

Paperback, 277 pages

Published by WaterBrook Press

Expected Release Date: June 21, 2011

Genre: YA paranormal romance,
Christian fiction

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud

between two immortal brothers who destroyed

the stairway to heaven,

stranding angels in the earthly realm.

When the feud turns violent and Melaia becomes a target,

she finds refuge with a band of angels

attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible

without the repayment of an ancient debt—

the “breath of angel, blood of man,”

a payment that involves Melaia’s

 heart, soul, and destiny.

This sure sounds like a winner to me!
And the cover is sooo beautiful, too,
with all that blue!

So what book are you anxiously waiting on this Wednesday?

Musing Mondays #3

This is a weekly book meme hosted by Miz B at

 Should Be Reading.

Each week, she poses an interesting question

related to books and reading preferences.

To join in, simply visit her blog, grab her logo,

and add your blog link in the comments section.

Today's question is:

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?

I definitely have to go with Lisa Bergren's Waterfall!  I really and truly couldn't stop reading until I finished.  Well, if you don't count such things ad having to go to work, having meals, and other necessities.  However, when I wasn't doing these things, I was reading this book.  I did stay up until 3:00 AM one Saturday night in order to finish it. 

The story is a beautiful fantasy, with a combination of time travel, adventure, and romance.  It revolves around two sisters, Gabriela and Evangelia Betarrini, whose parents are archaeologists.  While on an archaeological site with their mother, the sisters are accidentally transported through time to 14th-century Italy.  There, one of them, Gabriela, finds her true love, and astonishes him as well as everyone else with her expertise with a sword, as well as her uncanny ability to scale castle walls! 

Not to be outdone, her sister, Lia, shows her own expertise with bow and arrow, and is admired by her own true love, who will probably make a move in the second book, titled Cascade, which I will soon start reading!

This is an exciting fantasy trilogy, and I really can't praise it enough!

You can find my review of Waterfall HERE!!

Beautiful Cover for 'Angelfire' Sequel!!

What an absolutely awesome cover this is!!

The second book in the Angelfire series

is set for release on February 14, 2012!!!

Even though I had a little quibble about the first book,

I'm all fired up for the sequel,

because the story of Ellie and Will is still a great one!!

You can read my review of Angelfire

HERE . 

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

For further information on this book,

just click HERE!!