Apology

I'm really sorry that I have not posted anything recently!  I've just been so busy getting ready for school, leaving the farm, etc.  I'm working on some reviews right now.  The two below are of two really good books, I hope you get a chance to read them too. 

I'm also working on a proposal for book review... type thing. Can't say much more than that, other than that I think could really help people find the books they want to read.

As I get back to blogging, I'll tone down what I used to do.  I won't have much time in the future but Book Bag Bounty and the reviews are so far the only constants.  We'll see.  Thanks to all those that kept checking for updates!

Wild Spirits

Love animals?  Then this novel is for you!  A farm of wild animals, a young girl just out of high school and a neglected little boy may not have much in common in this story it really works. Wild Spirits by Rosa Jordan, a Canadian author, is the tale of the healing powers of love.  The amazing thing is that other than Wendy's fear I could see this plot being real life.  Just you are on the same page as I am:
Newest book from author Rosa Jordan focuses on burgeoning friendship between young girl and boy.  19-year-old Wendy Marshall is a bank teller and has a special kinship with animals of all kinds.  While closing for the night, Wendy’s bank is robbed. Terrified of a repeat incident, she is unable to work and retreats to the country.  11-year-old Danny Ryan, neglected at home and ostracized by his peers, befriends Wendy as they rescue and care for injured or orphaned wildlife.  Over the next three years Wendy and Danny go beyond caring for animals to caring for each other…  But, the robbers from that fateful day are still at large, and in a whirlwind series of events, Danny, now 14, must act to save Wendy’s life.
Wendy has a very normal fear, that she deals with in her own way.  She has the support of more than Danny but telling you would spoil the surprise.  The research of the different species that show their furry faces in the books was impressive.  Wendy seemed so knowledgeable about all kinds of wildlife.  She is overall an awe-inspiring character.  When she has to quit her job because her fear is just too high to handle the people anymore, she starts a small business from her new home, the farm. 
Danny is a special character.  Neglected at home, he turns to Wendy for support and Wendy, being the kind soul she is, gives it to him.  There is a third character who I loved as well but his name would ruin a pleasant surprise for those that have not read this book.
The plot is about as twisted as a strand of barbed wire.  The climax is a brief few pages however, now that I think about it there are other climaxes that are much slower and better than the life-saving event.  The whole book lacks the darker emotions but for once this was fine by me. 
This tale of love is for animal lovers, girls and those who just want a good story.  I'd have to say that this book is 4 and a half stars to me.  The twisted plot tangled too much of story for me.  Still a good read though!  Thanks to Dundurn Press for letting me review a book from another great Canadian author!

Shadow Riders

Suspense, wit and history all mixed up with adventure is the only recipe you need for Shadow Riders by B.J. Bayle.  Rob and Luke take readers on a ride wilder than a Bill Cody-style rodeo.  This book should definitely be on your list, just so you can give it to a 12-16 year old boy who doesn't always like to read.
Author B.J. Bayle is back with her newest book, set in Canada circa 1874. After their father is wounded by a band of horse thieves, 16-year-old Rob McCann and his adopted Native brother, Luke, are determined to find the culprits.  The boys ride to Fort Ellice, Manitoba in hopes of cutting the thieves off, but instead learn that a new force called the North-West Mounted Police have formed and are bringing law and order to the Canadian wilderness.   After a trying journey to locate the NWMP, the boys share their story with commander Colonel George French who agrees to help locate the thieves.   Amid life-threatening hardships, Rob wonders if the bandits will ever be found and if he and Luke will make it back home.
The writing in the book is simple but still in-depth.  I am absolutely shocked at the amount of research the author did.  I have studied a bit about the NWMP myself so I was very curious to learn more.  Bayle has my respect for refraining to call the horses by their 21st century breed names, instead sticking to terms actually used during that time period.  The accuracy of the historical content is astonishing.  Half of the time I was more into the history than the actual plot.
The plot started off fast with the harebrained ideas of two boys faced with starvation the next winter if they don't get their stolen horses back.  This part was not developed enough for my liking.  I don't know many people who would just ride out for the next 5 months or so.  However, I am aware that the ages of the main characters, Luke and Rob, were at this time the age where a boy became a man.  The boys are cunning and smart... loved that!  You feel for the characters at all part of story even if the emotion is lacking at points through the story.  This could be in part due to the pace of the plot.
I highly recommend this book to boys, and historical literature lovers.  There is action and history plenty.  The best part of the deal for me (besides getting to review this book for Dundurn Press) has to be the fact that Bayle is Canadian!  Totally worth the 5 stars I'm gonna give it!

Book Bag Bounty (26)

I got Runaway by Meg Cabot! Review to come!

Used Book Sales

If you happen to be one of my readers who lives in the same area as I do... HUGE book sale at the Festival!  I am so totally going by after the show tomorrow.  I love used book sales.  There is just something about getting so many books for such a low price.  I have my fingers crossed that I will be home before the sale closes.  After all tomorrow is my first horse show in years! Excited!

The Pace

I won this book in a contest from The Extreme Reader and LOVED it!  The Pace by Shelena Shorts is an amazing book.  Intrigue, immortallity, a smart heroine and romance in abundance.  I don't think I have enjoyed a YA novel this much in several weeks.  This book needs to be on your to read list!

Weston is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time.

That is a rather poor blurb from Goodreads.  Sophie has been moving around the country.  She goes to a virtual high school because of this.  Her mother would like her to have some social outings.  At one of these she crashes into Weston.  Fate plays her hand.  The sparks fly.
The romance is very normal.  They have a strong relationship and unlike Twilight, these two still live their own life.  Yes, the words "I love you" surface but only about 5 months into the relationship.  Weston carries a secret that could kill him, Sophie and destroy the life the two of them would like.
I enjoyed the character development, the plot, the writing... in short the whole works.  I highly recommend this book, 5 stars!  Now I can hardly wait to get my hands on The Broken Lake which continues the story!

Guest Post: Cynthia Roberts

Native Historical Fiction Author, Cynthia Roberts is here to do a guest post!

A bit about her:

I’ve always had a passion for writing from that very moment a Crayola was placed in my hand and throughout my career in marketing, public relations and sales writing creatively came easy... I chose to write an historical Indian romance because the first fiction I ever read was a novel from Cassie Edward’s Savage series and instantly became hungry to read more.  I tracked down every one of those babies; let me tell you, until I read them all.  However, every one I read from that point on was based on a Plains tribe.  I wanted to focus on a tribe indigenous to my area and decided to write a series based on the tribes that make up the Iroquois League of Nations here on the east coast.  Their warriors were the fiercest ever known to strike terror in the hearts of early settlers from Pennsylvania to Canada.  They were referred to as "People of the Longhouse" because their families lived together in wooden structures upward of 40 feet long.  They were an extremely powerful nation that was sadly torn apart by the American Revolution.  I fell in love with the simplistic beauty of their culture and folklore.  We could learn so much from our Native American brothers and the reverent love and respect they have for everything that is natural and of this earth.  They knew how to live in balance with plants, animals and the natural elements ... never taking more than what was needed to sustain their people and way of life.

 I asked her to write about why she thinks readers seem to love romance so much.  Over the past few years I have noticed that romance seems to be spreading to every genre including YA.

Romances were strictly written as prose starting as early as the 13^th century.  But I think it’s pretty safe to say true romance began after Eve ate the apple in the Garden of Eden and ticked off Adam.  He had to do some real “wooing” back then to populate the world and according to scholars he lived to be 930 years old. 

It has become such an inherent part of our society that as little girls we fantasize about a Cinderella world, being carried off by Prince Charming and living happily ever after.  Our daddy’s revere us as their little princess at birth, treat us with tenderness, make us feel special and promise to always protect us.  Most every woman want a man in their life like their daddy with a little bit of bad boy mixed in. 

It’s what makes our heart go pitter-pat, our step lighter, our smile brighter, our day seem easier to cope with.  If it’s lacking in our lives, we make up for it escaping into a fictional world where the hero is all man and the woman is US.  It’s not the real world that’s true and as women we are nurturing, strong, independent, problem solvers, heads of businesses and multi-tasking managers of households.

We escape into genres filled with romance because while in that world we forget that the men in our lives are wired differently, come from Mars and gave up romancing us once the chase was over.

Thanks so much, Cynthia!  Be sure to check out Wind Warrior, her book! Wish I could get the graphics to work, the cover is so pretty.  This book is on my 2RBL.