The Truth About Forever

The Truth About Forever
by Sarah Dessen
Puffin books
374 pages

Reviewed by Heather F.

I really needed a break from review books and this one sounded good. I’ve been meaning to try Sarah Dessen’s writing for a long time. Little did I know; this one hit a little close to home.

Macy is like most regular 17-year-olds. She has a boyfriend. She makes good grades. She’s on the student council. She has a summer job. Only difference, she witnessed her father’s death and hasn’t figured out how to mourn. But she’s fine, just fine.

She does what everyone tells her to do so that they will be happy. She takes over her boyfriend’s library job for the summer, while he goes to Brain Camp. She comes home every night and studies for the SATS. She fixes the salad to her mother’s chicken for supper. She covers for her sister when she sneaks out at night. She gives everything she’s got, just to be perfect.

But then she meets the Wish Catering crew, her boyfriend decides he wants a "break" and her life is turned upside down. Suddenly, it’s okay to go to a party of Friday night. It’s okay to see her friends and spend the night. It’s okay to be human. And then Wes, gorgeous, compassionate Wes, teaches her how to mourn.

My mom took off when I was about 3 and my dad died when I was 8. I was raised by my grandparents and I never really learned how to mourn for my dad. Even at 8, I felt I had to be, maybe not perfect, but *fine*. So you can see where this book hit a little close to home.

So, what was so great about this book? All of it! The characters were amazing. I felt a little bereft when I read the last page. They are still in my mind, days later and it’s made it somewhat hard to read another book. Dessen is a great writer who seems more than capable of writing for the Young Adult audience. The dialogue feels natural and honest. The story rings with humor and some of the more lighthearted moments serve as a nice contrast to the darker subjects of death, fear and loss. Macy’s shift from fragile perfection to poignant grief and renewal is nothing short of mastery.

There were a few problems. A few of the characters were barely two dimensional. Monotone Monica has a repertoire of, maybe 5 words. She has like 2 complete sentences throughout the book. Her sister Kristy has a tendancy to wear the loudest, most colorful outfits and their descriptions can get tiresome. And, yes, while everyone isn't perfect, sometimes it felt like Dessen was trying a little too hard to make sure every-single-character had a very pronounced fault.

All in all though, a must read for anyone who appreciates a good story with good, well-written and honest characters. I can’t wait to get my hands on more by this author.

A few favorite quotes:

"There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment."

"It's all in the view. That's what I mean about forever, too. For any one of us our forever could end in an hour, or a hundred years from now. You never know for sure, so you'd better make every second count."


"It's just that...I just think that some things are meant to be broken. Imperfect. Chaotic. It's the universe's way of providing contrast, you know? There have to be a few holes in the road. It's how life is."


"I knew, in the silence that followed, that anything could happen here. It might be too late: again, I might have missed my chance. But I would at least know I tried, that I took my heart and extended my hand, whatever the outcome.

"Okay," he said. He took a breath. "What would you do, if you could do anything?"

I took a step toward him, closing the space between us. "This," I said. And then I kissed him."

You can find more out about Sarah Dessen at herwebsite or blog.

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

Scholastic Press
384 Pages
Reviewed by Heather F.

What made me want to read this book? This book that did NOT sound like my type of book at all? Dystopian fiction is not usually my favorite thing. And I hate reality television. But I saw so many people talking about it; on Twitter, on other blogs, even Stephen King reviewed it in Entertainment Weekly. I just had to know what all the fuss was about. And I'm so glad I gave it a shot.

The main thing this book has going for it are the characters were of the type that you just couldn’t help rooting for. The main character, Katniss, can be a little grating on the nerves, but I still couldn't help caring for her and wanting her to overcome all the odds stacked against her. I love a good underdog! She was tough, tenacious, intelligent, resourceful; everything I look for in a female character, especially in young adult literature. Plus, I felt the author stayed true to her characters, whether it was something I liked or not. (i.e. of the romantic, dramatic, torn between two men sort). The writing was very good, in my opinion. The prose was taunt, quick, finely edited to keep the narrative moving, which with a story like this, felt appropriate. It was a fast read.

I admit, I was particularly worried about violence, since it’s basically a book about children killing each other to survive, but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I definitely recommend this book. If you like fantasy, dystopian literature, YA literature... you will like this book. Even if you don't, you'll probably like this book! Just like I did!

I really appreciated the author’s vision of what could happen to humanity if certain things were not to change. There is a definite warning note to this story that is one I think we should all take heed of. It seems extreme, but then again... it doesn't.

Galway Bay

by Mary Pat Kelly

Grand Central Publishing
576 pages
Reviewed by Heather F.

My grandmother was among other things a big reader and a history buff. She loved history. She knew all kinds of stuff, random stuff, stuff no one else seemed to know. She collected facts like some collect bottle caps or stamps. She knew her stuff. And she knew where she came from and made sure that I did too.

I am a mutt, like most Americans I expect. Among many, many different ethnicities, I am Irish. My grandmother was a Moore, descended from the O’Mores or O’Mordha. I still have her family crest, framed and hanging on the wall. Best I can tell, the Moores came over well before the potato famine, but the famine did not go ignored by them. Although she was born after the famine, Mama knew all about that as well. And she had a healthy, shall we say, ‘non-appreciation,’ for the English.

So I came to Galway Bay with an excitement to learn more about my history and with the expectation to put a human face on the tragedy I had heard so much about. Mary Pat Kelly delivered that and so much more.

Galway Bay is the fictionalized story of Mary Pat Kelly’s great-great grandparents and their struggle to survive not only the Irish potato famine, but also the move from their beloved Ireland to America. We meet the young Honora Keeley and Michael Kelly by the shores of Galway Bay. It’s love at first sight. They wed and start a family and their farm. They find solace from the troubles of their world in each other, their children, their faith, songs and stories of Ireland. These stories are shared, passed down generation by generation; and remains a theme throughout the book – the passing down of history by the ones who came before. Years of famine and abuse by the English government wear down on the family until; finally, they make the heart wrenching decision to move to America.

I won’t tell you any more. I don’t want to give too much away. But this tale to two sisters, their amazing strength, perseverance and faith is heartwarming, heartbreaking, and inspiring. The author did an amazing job of telling these stories of her ancestors and of Ireland. I highly recommend it. Even if you aren’t Irish, I think you’ll enjoy it.

If' you'd like to read more books that are in this vein, I also highly (HIGHLY) recommend Frank Delaney's Ireland. It is wonderful. He also has books out called Shannon and Tipperary; which I eened to read.

Letter from the Editor - March 2009

Wow. So. Hi there! This is my first "Letter from the Editor." It feels a little bit like I've been given the keys to the castle; so to speak. I can do whatever I want! The power!! Mwahahaha!

Just kidding! And don't worry about our fearless leader Andi. She's swamped with work, so I stepped up to the plate.

I am so excited to bring you the latest edition of Estella's Revenge. This month's theme was "Classics." What is a Classic? According to Wiktionary, a classic is:






Here you will find the musings of our writers about Classics. Who reads them? What are they? What are the becoming? And of course, a few reviews thrown in for good measure. I hope you enjoy this issue of Estella's Revenge and I look forward to "seeing" you again in April!


~ Heather


Table of Contents

• Door Prize and Book Giveaway

Interviews:

• Joshua Henkin

Features:

• Who Watches the Watchmen?
• The Evolution of the Classic
• Who Reads Classic Novels?
• All in the Family

Columns:

• Sure I Know the Queen, March 2009

Reviews:

• Drood
• The Porcupine Year
• The Madonna of the Almonds
• The Parliament of Blood
• Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before
• A Lovely Little War
• The Book of Unholy Mischief
• The Outlander
• Somewhere in Heaven

Drood

Drood
By Dan Simmons
Little, Brown
784 pages
Reviewed by Heather F.

From the moment I heard about Drood, I knew I had to read it. I love Charles Dickens well enough, but I adore Wilkie Collins. To have both of them, fictionalized in all their glory… well it was a no-brainer. I knew I had to read it. So thank you Miriam at Little, Brown, for sending it to me!

From the very beginning, Simmons immerses the reader in 19th Century England. It’s all very English, very Victorian, and you just know you are in for a finely crafted tale. Simmons knows exactly what he’s doing too, as he sets the stage for the mystery and suspense that builds, and builds, and builds over the many pages to the ending. Dark and stormy nights; opium dens complete with Chinese kings; dodgy (and gigantic) detectives; the fine ‘art’ of mesmerism; all and more are intricately woven into this tale of two men; once friends, collaborators, good-natured competitors and now bitter rivals.

As the tale progresses, the reader is introduced to a new, dark, dangerous London, complete with nameless Wild Boys, retched sewers, dark Cathedrals, graveyards, and the menacing, mysterious Drood. The novel is very Dickensian, with many cliffhangers and foreshadowing of the doom to come. It takes a little getting used to, but once you do, the rest of this gigantic novel moves by quickly as you are caught up by the gripping and enthralling tale. Simmons has clearly done his research. I almost felt as if I were reading Collins’s (the narrator) own journal as he divulged the deepest, darkest secrets of his soul. Simmons does not always paint a flattering portrait of Collins or Dickens. Collins comes out as a drug-addicted madman who sees ghosts and his doppelganger on a regular basis. Dickens is a spoiled, self-righteous brat who discards his wife (and mother of his nine children) to have an affair with a woman many, many years his junior. However, it all merely adds up to make these two men’s lives all the more fascinating and their rivalry stuff of legend.

By the end, I hated to see it all come to a close. Despite their flaws, I had a new appreciation for Dickens (who has never been a particular favorite of mine) and I had forgiven Simmons for creating in Collins such an outrageous and ridiculous fanatic. The ending, while not what I was expecting (especially with a particularly good fake-out), was compelling and delightful and dead entertaining.

Dan Simmons is the award-winning author of several novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Olympos and The Terror. He lives in Colorado.

Some fun goodies:

Audio excerpt #1

Audio excerpt #2

Audio excerpt #3

Audio excerpt #4

Author/Illustrator Interview: Lane Smith

Interviewed by Heather F.

HF: Congratulations on your new (and timely!) children’s book, Madam President! Can you tell us a little of what it is about?

LS: Thanks. It’s about a girl who imagines she’s president of the United States. A few books back I did a “presidential” book for the boys: John, Paul, George & Ben, so in the democratic tradition of Equal Time I made one for the girls.

HF: I just have to say, once upon a time, that I was Katy. I might even still be one. She is such a fantastic character; do you know some Katy’s? Is she based on anyone you know?

LS: Probably there’s a bit of myself in there. And there’s a neighbor girl down the road named Katie who influenced my Katy as well.

HF: I just love your gorgeous illustrations. Is there any one medium you prefer to work in or do you dabble in a little bit of everything?

LS: I like a little bit of everything. Mixed media is the best description. Sometimes I paint in oils and I collage bits of paper into the work. Sometimes I do charcoal or pencil drawings. In the case of Madam President I drew the pictures in pen and ink and painted them digitally in Photoshop. Some of the textures were created with oil paints and scanned in later.

HF: You collaborate with a lot of authors; Jon Scieszka, Bob Shea, Eve Merriman and many others. Do you find it easier to work with other authors or to write and illustrate your own material? Is your process different?

LS: I like both. I love to conceive an idea then write and illustrate it myself but I also love interpreting the work of others. My biggest compliment is when an author says, “When I wrote this I never imagined you’d illustrate it this way.” (At least I think that’s a compliment!)

HF: Just what is your process anyway? Once you conceive an idea, how do you go about creating a book?

LS: Lots of sketches. Lots of rewrites.

HF: Which part do you find more difficult? The writing or the illustrating? Do they both come naturally to you?

LS: Definitely the writing. I’m a visual person so I’m always thinking in terms of mood, color, shadow and shapes. When I write I tend to overwrite so I rely on friends and editors to cut my stuff down.

HF: What is your work space like?

LS: I work in an old turn-of-the-century one-room schoolhouse.

HF: What are your influences? Any particular books? Illustrators? Authors?

LS: It’s a mix of high brow and low brow influences: Edward hopper, Charles Schulz, Alexander Calder, Edward Gorey, Buster Keaton, Tex Avery, Jean Dubuffet, Alice and Martin Provensen, Paul Klee, Munro Leaf…. I don’t know where to stop.

HF: What do you think of graphic novels? Is it something you have ever considered trying?

LS: I love graphic novels. I was a huge comic book collector in junior high and high school. I used to go to the San Diego Comic Con in the 1970s before it became the behemoth that it is today. But I have to admit, I’m not great at sequential panel art. I’ve tried it, Flying Jake, Baloney (Henry P.), but with limited success.

HF: What are your favorite books for children?

LS: Many favorite books:

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss & Crockett Johnson
The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone & Michael Smollin
The Treehorn Trilogy by Florence Parry Heide & Edward Gorey
Robert Francis Weatherbee by Munro Leaf
The “…Can Be Fun” series by Munro Leaf
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffman
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
The “This is…” series by M. Sasek
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? By Dr. Seuss
McElligot’s Pool by Dr. Seuss
Happy Birthday to You! By Dr. Seuss
Tales for the Perfect Child by Florence Parry Heide & Victoria Chess
Fables You Shouldn’t Pay Any Attention To by Florence Parry Heide, Sylvia Worth Van Clief & Victoria Chess
Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book by Shel Silverstein
The Happy Day by Ruth Krauss & Marc Simont
Wizard of Oz by Baum
Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Arm in Arm by Remy Charlip
How Little Lori Visited Times Square by Vogel and Sendak
Thirteen by Remy Charlip & Jerry Joyner
Donald and the… by Peter Neumeyer & Edward Gorey
Donald Has a Difficulty by Peter Neumeyer & Edward Gorey

I’m know I’m leaving out William Steig and Barbara Cooney and Dahl and Raymond Briggs and the Provensens, Kipling, Lewis Carroll, Eleanor Cameron and so many greats not to mention all my contemporary peers but I could be typing all day.

HF: Do you have any favorite books for adults?

LS: Again, many:

Marcovaldo and The Baron in the Trees by Calvino
To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee
Anything by Flannery O’Connor
Anything by Poe
Most of Capote
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders
David Sedaris…
I read a lot of biographies and nonfiction as well.

HF: What is up next on your horizon?

LS: The Big Elephant in the Room (spring ’09) is about a misunderstanding between friends.

Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) is about a princess with a curious affliction – unless she is weighted down by a heavy crown and heavy stones and weights, she floats up into the sky. It was written by Florence Parry Heide who you may guess from my above ‘list of Favorite Books’ is one of my heroes. (Fall ’09.)

Thanks so much to Lane Smith! Visit his website here.

Paper Towns

by John Green

Dutton Books
305 pages
Reviewed by Heather F.

What do you when the most amazing girl in your whole school, in your whole world, suddenly pops up at your window and dares you to go out on a night of fun, revenge, breaking and entering… all in all, a life-altering night on the town? Why, you GO of course. That’s just what Quentin Jacobsen does when the incomparable Margo Roth Speigelman, childhood best friend and perpetual crush, comes to his window late one night and takes him out on the town. When the morning comes, Quentin believes he may just have a chance…only to find Margo has skipped town and no one knows where she’s gone. What follows is a life-altering search for Margo that takes Quentin and his friends Ben, and Radar on a quest for the truth about Margo Roth Spiegelman.

I found John Green’s writing to be fresh and original. His prose definitely reminded me of several teenagers I know and doesn’t feel dated. Quentin and his buddies Ben and Radar are hilarious, witty and felt very true-to-life. Genuine interactions, complex characters, and funny dialogue made this a great way to start my reading year.

The ending didn’t quite go the way this romantic-at-heart reader may have liked, but the English major inside my head appreciated the deviation from the norm. The ending was unexpected; perfect to my mind.

In general, this book comes highly recommended for the story, the remarkable characters and the fantastic writing skill executed here.

John Green has various haunts, all of which are fantastic:

His blog
Nerdfighers
Twitter

Madam President

by Lane Smith
Hyperion
40 pages
Reviewed by Heather F.

When I saw that Lane Smith had a new picture book all about a precocious little girl who imagines what her day would be like if she was the President of the United States of America, I just new I had to get it for my own precocious and imaginative little girl. Lane Smith is the illustrator of such wonderful children’s books as James and the Giant Peach, The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Cowboy & Octopus and author of The Big Pets, Pinocchio the Boy, and The Happy Hocky Family. With such classics under his sleeve, I just knew Madam President was sure to please.

And please it did. Katy, or Madam President, imagines a day where there are executive orders to pass, a few babies to kiss, yucky tuna salad to VETO!, treaties to negotiate, and choosing that all important cabinet. Plus, there is all that security on hand to keep a careful eye on her very important person. Smith’s dry wit and gorgeous and comical illustrations make this timely book positively a joy to read and a great way to begin teaching kids who the President is and his (or her) responsibilities.

You can find more about Lane at his website.

Two Books By Georgette Heyer

Charity Girl

by Georgette Heyer

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Reviewed by Heather F.

When Sourcebooks offered up some Georgette Heyer novels for review, I jumped at the chance. For the past few years, I've seen Heyer's name mentioned on many book blogs and I just knew I had to try her. I took Charity Girl and read it voraciously in only 3 days.

Charity Girl feels very much like a Jane Austen novel. It's a delightfully mad romp through Regency England that tickles the funny bone. Viscount Desford is a charming rogue of a man. Young, handsome, rich; he's everything a woman could want in a man, but to his parents' chagrin, he refuses to settle down and marry. However, a chance encounter with young Charity Steane at a party may change everything.

I just adored this book. It wasn't quite as witty as Austen, but nonetheless it was wonderful. The tongue-in-cheek humor was fantastic. The characters were all so funny and sweet. I highly recommend it to Jane Austen and/or Regency England fans.

Regency Buck
by Georgette Heyer
Sourcebooks Casablanca
reviewed by MizB

At first I thought I wasn't going to like this book. First off, because I'm apparently biased -- Gaelen Foley has spoiled me with her excellently-written Regency romances, and it's hard to find anything that lives up to those.

But, Ms. Heyer has a loyal following, so I made sure to give her book a fair chance. Sure enough, the story got better once it got going, and I ended up enjoying it.

I really found Ms.Taverner/Judith to be very prissy in the beginning, and I didn't like her much. But, as the story progressed, the gal grew on me, and I ended up rooting for her. Lord Worth was just the right amounts of annoying, yet mysterious.

Overall, this was a good book, and I would recommend it to others. I'm not sure if I'll try another book by this author, though. I have one in my collection but only time will tell.

The Sugar Queen

By Sarah Addison Allen

Bantam Fiction
Reviewed by Heather F.

I adored Garden Spells, the first novel by this author, when I read it several months ago. I recently started going to the library again and The Sugar Queen was one of the first books I checked out. I had a feeling I would love it just as much as GS and I was so right!

This is the story of Josey Cirrini. In her late 20s, she has settled for a life of living, and caring, for her tyrannical mother, who believes Josey’s sole purpose in life is to do her every whim. Josey’s only consolation is the piles of sweeties, romance novels, and travel magazines she keeps hidden in her closet. That is, until she comes home one day to find resident bad girl Della Lee Baker camped out in there. Begrudgingly, with the feisty Della Lee’s pushing, Josey’s world suddenly changes. She’s making friends. She’s going out to festivals and restaurants, much to her mother’s displeasure. She keeps running into her longtime crush, Adam, the postman. And she’s finding that there’s more to life that she ever dreamed.

What didn’t I like about this book? I loved everything about this book. The story, the characters, the whole atmosphere of the book was wonderful. I adored the characters. Josey felt like a best friend by the end of the book. All the women were fantastic; well-drawn, strong, and resilient. But Chloe, with her knack for 'finding' the right book at the right time stole the show for me.

It was one of those books that you just feel at home with, as soon as you open the cover and read the first page. I loved the magic of it.

My favorite part of all was when Chloe encountered all the books that had been trying to get her attention throughout the book sitting in her bathroom door, just barely touching the bathroom floor. Right before that it was said that books never came to her in the bathroom and then she turns around and there they are, putting a "toe" in, so to speak.

This book glows with love, tenderness and humor – and an extra dash of magic. Here lies a spellbinding tale of friendship, love, and life -and the enthralling potential of every new day.

A few favorite quotes:

"She stuck her head out and took a deep breath. If she could eat the cold air, she would. She thought cold snaps were like cookies, like gingersnaps. In her mind they were made with white chocolate chunks and had a cool, brittle vanilla frosting. They melted like snow in her mouth, turning creamy and warm."

"Books can be possessive, can't they? You're walking around in a bookstore and a
certain one will jump out at you, like it had moved there on its own, just to
get your attention. Sometimes what's inside will change your life, but sometimes
you don't even have to read it. Sometimes it's a comfort just to have a book
around. Many of these books haven't even had their spines cracked. 'Why do you
buy books you don't even read?' our daughter asks us. That's like asking someone
who lives alone why they bought a cat. For company, of course."

Read more about the author and her work here.

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Harper Collins
Reviewed by Heather F.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy.

He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead.

There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy-an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer.

But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family. . . .

Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, the graveyard book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

What a delight this book was. It's weird to say that about a book where the most of the main characters are dead and populate an ancient, practically abandoned, graveyard, but it was. Just so you know, this will definitely be in my top ten this year and I am so glad I went with my instincts and went ahead and bought it!

Frequent Gaiman collaborator Dave McKean again contributes illustrations, which from the very first page lend this tale a shivery, deliciously creepy feel. Are they not gorgeous? The opening illustration, of a bloodthirsty knife, in a bloodthirsty hand, tells you right away you are in for a tremendous story.

Bod, for reasons I will definitely not reveal here, is being hunted. His entire family is being hunted and Bod is the only one to get away. A curious and extremely precocious toddler, Bod escapes to the nearby graveyard as his family is being murdered. As the murderer pursues him, the ghosts of the graveyard come together to protect the boy, with Mr. and Mrs. Owens stepping in to be his parents (at the behest of Bod's recently murdered mother) and Silas, a being neither living or dead, as his guardian. By bequeathing him Freedom of the Graveyard, the protect him from his wouldbe murderer, and give him other unexpected talents.

Bod comes of age inside the graveyard, learning tricks of the trade as it were (basically, how to be a ghost) from his many neighbors and friends. He goes on many adventures, with the living and the dead (and slightly in between). He makes friends. He looses them. He learns poetry. He learns history. He learns about witches. In some ways, this book is rather like a book of short stories, with one story arc that ties them all together. It makes for quick, enjoyable reading.

It makes it hard to put the bloody book down!

It all comes to a head a few years later with a marvelous ending that I dare not spoil here. You will just have to read it.

Bod is an endearing little guy. From diapers, through first loves, first heartbreaks and first haunts, to starting out on his own, you can't help but come to care for this character. He is one of those one-of-a-kind characters, the kind that never really leave you. His story is haunting, it is familiar, it is a must read. For me he takes up a spot with Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Coraline, and other such unforgettable characters.

And now I must read The Jungle Book, which is apparently somewhat of a model for the story. Then I plan on listening to the audio. Can't think of anything better than having Neil Gaiman read this to me.

Author Interview - Colleen Gleason

Interviewed by Heather F.

Colleen Gleason, popular author with the Estella's Revenge editors and countless other readers, is back with the next exciting installment of her Gardella Vampire Chronicles series. See my review here. And thank you, Colleen, for again gracing us with your delightful presence.

HF: So, what is Victoria up to now that she's back in London, in "When Twilight Burns?"

CG: Victoria is heading back home to London because she's been notified that the heir to the Rockley estate has been found, and, well, she needs to get her stuff out of the Rockley house. She also wants to return to London to forestall any chance that her mother and her two cronies will make another trip to Italy. :-)

HF: Okay, what gives? Just want is it about vampires that has everyone reading? You, Stephanie Meyer, the Casts, and more; it seems like vampires are everywhere!

CG: There are vampires everywhere! I think it really started with Ann Rice and Chelsea Quin Yarbro--at least, as far as contemporary authors go. (Obviously, there was DRACULA and THE VAMPYRE and other books/stories previously.) And then Laurell K Hamilton, and others like JR Ward, came along. Most of them portray the vampire as the protagonist, whereas in my books, of course, the undead are the villains.

I think some of the fascination with vampires is that immortality aspect, and the superhuman powers...along with the eroticism of having one's flesh penetrated (with fangs). The fact that a human can be changed or turned, and given those powers--and those limitations--makes for interesting reading. And for compelling conflict when they interact with mortals. Fascinating, really. I just don't have the urge to write a sympathetic vampire.

HF: One of the things I love best about you, besides your writing, of course, is how open you are with your readers through your website and your blog. Do you find that their opinions affect your writing?

CG: Thanks so much! What a lovely thing to say. (And now I'm blushing.) I really enjoy blogging, and I think part of the reason is that since I don't go to an office and I work alone, my blog has become that social outlet that I used to have with co-workers. A lot of my blog entries tend to be things like water-cooler conversations, or the kinds of things I'd complain/chat/expound about if I went into an office or other job every day, or if I met friends for lunch or at the bar. That's the kind of conversations I try to keep on my blog.

And now that I've been blogging for awhile, and I know who my audience is, that makes it even more fun--because I sort of know who I'm talking to. I know how certain people will respond. It's my social outlet, and usually, it doesn't take me more than fifteen minutes per day to write the blog. I admit, I'm not as good about coming back and keeping the conversation going--nor am I as good about visiting and commenting on other blogs as I used to...but I'm trying to get better at that.

I am very flattered that people find my blog interesting, and it always makes my day when people join in the conversation, too.

Oh, and do the blog-readers' opinions affect my writing? No. Because by the time they're reading the books, I'm already one or two books ahead of them--and the decisions have already been made. (Thank goodness!)

HF: Do you find it hard to take their opinions in stride and stay true to what you want to do as the writer?

CG: Sometimes it can be a bit cringeworthy, when I hear a particular point of view and I think...oh, huh. Interesting.

Or...hmmmm...he/she missed the boat on that. Or....NEVER!!! I'd never do that.

LOL. But that's okay--everyone has their opinions, and like I said, since the books are already written before the blog readers can even respond to them, it makes it easy for me to say--well, that's the way it is.

Aside of that, I really do know how I want the story to be told, so even if everyone was up in arms about something in regards to the story, I wouldn't change it. That's called "protecting the story", as one of my favorite authors, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, has said. And she's right.

HF: Now, Max and Sebastian, the hot, hot leading men. Do your fans have strong opinions on which one Victoria should end up with? I know I do!

CG: Yes, my fans do weigh in on who Victoria should pick. Max has a slight majority over Sebastian, but the Sebastian fans are bloodthirsty. Well, some of the Max fans are too. And there are several people who want to know just why Victoria has to choose, anyway? LOL. Since these books are categorized as Romances, unfortunately, she has to eventually ride off into the sunset with only one of them.

But I have had people threaten to write fanfic with a Max/Sebastian/Victoria menage. Or, even, a Max/Sebastian scene. (Though I've yet to see one.)

HF: Do you feel that by keeping your blog and such a strong presence in the blogging world has helped your career?

CG: It's impossible to quantify whether my blog presence has resulted in more book sales (although I know it has because people have told me so), but at the very least, it's helped me remain sane. And it also helps me to know that, yeah, there are people who read the books, and who enjoy them, and who are waiting for the next installment....it takes away that worry that I'm writing in a vacuum. So, in those ways, definitely it has helped.

HF: Has there ever been a question you are surprised you haven't been asked? What is it and, more importantly, what's the answer?

CG: I can't really think of one, except maybe for people to ask if I have a religious background and what is it--because of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles' mythology. It is highly influenced by Catholicism. And, yes, I'm Catholic. You can see the that in the series if you're looking for it--the bottom line being that the series portrays the ever-present battle between good and evil.

HF: Victoria went to some very dark places, literally and emotionally. How hard was it to write these scenes? Did you ever worry that you would lose control of your character?

CG: No. I loved writing those scenes. They energized me. I found my heart racing, and my breathing increasing. Seriously. The ends of the books--those last few chapters where everything piles up and the worst happens--are so amazing to write. My fingers don't work fast enough, and I find myself out of breath, and tense everywhere at the end. :-)

HF: What is your favorite scene from all of the books?

CG: Wow. That's a hard one. I don't know if I can name a favorite scene, but there are a few that I really loved....In THE BLEEDING DUSK, I really loved the scene where Sebastian, Victoria, and Max are all captured in the dungeon. And in RISES THE NIGHT, I really liked the scene where Max visits Victoria when she's been captured and disarmed. In WHEN TWILIGHT BURNS, one of my favorite scenes is the chapter wherein a taut string snaps. And I love the epilogue for AS SHADOWS FADE.

HF: What has been the biggest challenge, other than getting published, with writing this series?

CG: I think it's been wanting to make each book different from the last in the sense of its structure. Ie, is it a chase/adventure book (RISES THE NIGHT), a scavenger hunt (DUSK & SHADOWS FADE), a mystery (TWILIGHT BURNS), or what? I try to give each book a different feel as far as structure--but of course, each book is going to have many of the same elements: the Big Bad, the threat of the End of the World, fight scenes, etc. But the structure sort of needs to be a little different. And the underlying message.

In THE REST FALLS AWAY, the theme was making choices. In RISES THE NIGHT, the theme was sacrifice for the greater good. DUSK portrayed regrets, and how making the wrong decision can haunt you and affect your world. WHEN TWILIGHT BURNS is about how we each have the propensity for evil, and that it's a constant inner battle. And AS SHADOWS FADE is about sacrifice, and also about acceptance of one's place/choices in life, and balance.

HF: Can you tell us a little of what to expect for Victoria in the last book?

CG: Victoria will face a different sort of evil demon than she's ever faced before, and this will result in the necessity of the Venators allying themselves--or at least cooperating--with the vampires in order to vanquish this evil. She'll go to Prague as well as the mountains of Lilith's lair, and there are a few surprising things that will happen. (I may hear from readers about this one. Yikes.) But, in the end, most of the loose threads will be wrapped up and Victoria will have a happy ever after--at least, as much as Illa Gardella can have.

HF: And what can we expect for Colleen Gleason?

CG: I'm currently working on a brand-new series due to be released in 2010 under a pen name (as yet to be decided!). There are no vampires in it, and it's not set in a historical time period, which is why I'll be writing under a different name. There will be paranormal elements to this series, and I've planned six books (am currently contracted for three). While there will be very strong female leads in the books, the series actually focuses on a group of five men (and the women they will love) who are thrown together when the world undergoes massive destruction...and they come out on the other side, so to speak, changed and bonded. Each book will focus on the story of one of them, although the books will overlap and integrate throughout the series.

It's very unique, and I'm really excited about it. More info when I have a name and titles and release dates, etc.

Thank you so much for having me here on Estella's Revenge! I always appreciate your time--and the great questions you have for me!

And thank you Colleen for your fascinating answers!

When Twilight Burns

When Twilight Burns
By Colleen Gleason
Signet Eclipse, August 2008
Reviewed by Heather F.

*May contain spoilers from previous Gardella Vampire novels*

If you have followed this series from the beginning (The Rest Falls Away, Rises the Night, and The Bleeding Dusk), you know that these Victorian era Vampire hunter bodice rippers are a guilty pleasure. When Twilight Burns continues the saga of Venator Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacey, recently bitten by an old and powerful vampire and fighting against the various affects of that bite. She has returned to London, where not even the sun can stop the vampire killings now. A new, and dangerous, vampire walks the streets. How can Victoria vanquish this new evil, when she cannot even detect its’ presence in the usual way? Not to mention, her mother has renewed her efforts to get Victoria out into society and duly married off to the latest rich dupe to come her way?

And now, and probably most importantly for fellow fans of this series, the love triangle of Victorian, Max and Sebastian comes to a head. And it is Hot. Yes, with a capital H. Romance comes sharply into focus in this latest installment and it’s not a moment too soon for many readers. But don’t worry, not all is resolved. Gleason leaves everyone just as full of angst and turmoil as usual, to the delight of all.

Gleason’s novels are different from most romance authors in that she has strong characters, especially as strong female lead, and the characters grow. She loves to shock with unexpected and exciting twists to her tale, twists that this reader loves. This series comes highly recommended to anyone who loves action, adventure, romance, and a strong female lead.

Urban Italian: Simple Recipes and True Stories from a Life in Food

By Andrew Carmellini and Gwen Hyman

Bloomsbury, USA

Release date: October 28

Reviewed by Heather F.

"Learning to cook isn't just about knife skills and timing and technique, and it's not all about I-am-an-artist thing either. It's about who you are and how you deal with the world: with banging out a meal for six hundred on the fly, for example, or with a crazy restaurateur, or with a pack of starving models, or with three months without a day off. And it's about understanding that cooking is more than just applying heat to food in complicated ways: a good cook brings his or her life to the table, and sucks as much experience as possible from the world into it."

So begins Andrew Carmellini's fascinating and gorgeous memoir/cookbook. It's not often I get the chance to review a cookbook. Yes, okay, so this is my first time. But, what a way to begin! I love Italian food and I love cookbooks and I love chefs, so I knew this would be good. My mouth was watering as soon as I opened the book.

Working with his wife Gwen Hyman, Carmellini, one of New York's leading chefs has written a surprisingly accessible and impressive collection. Beginning with stories from his life, Carmellini chronicles his ascent into the food world. He recounts stories of his family and life growing up, of his time in many kitchens and his adventures with exotic foods, and his rise to fame in NYC. Along the way, the reader is given a glimpse into the life of a chef, the exacting standards set by such a brilliant chef, and all the food you could possibly imagine, painted in words vivid and mouth-watering.

With the tales of his culinary adventures out of the way, Carmellini gets down to business, and, the best part of the book. Recipe after recipe, each one shines as a unique and honest tribute to the cuisine Carmellini so clearly adores. Each is presented with notes and stories, some even with gorgeous photographs, and all look amazing. Many of the more difficult looking dishes come complete with step-by-step photographed instructions, to make the process easier and relatively painless.

This is a beautiful addition to any home cook's library of cookbooks and chef-memoirs. The stories are heart-warming and fascinating. The recipes delicious and understandable. I personally cannot wait to try out some of these fabulous dishes.

Breaking Dawn

By Stephenie Meyer
Little, Brown, August 2008
Reviewed by Heather F.

I’ve been sitting here for several minutes trying to wrap my brain around just what I want to say about this book and to do it without giving too much away. I hope to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but I am pretty sure spoilers will leak into my review. So, without further ado…

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First off, I want to say I loved this book.

Flat. Out. Loved. It.

I’ve been looking around at Amazon and different blogs at reader reactions and I am mystified. I do not understand why so many readers have their panties in a twist about Breaking Dawn. What the heck were they expecting? What Stephenie Meyer has done here is give us one heck of a wild ride and tied up everything nice and neat with a nifty little bow and it’s all ready for a sequel.

So much happened in these 750+ pages! The romantic in me is satisfied. Bella got her Edward and Jacob is still in her life in a totally unconventional but satisfying way. The feminist in me is reasonably happy as well. Bella grew a backbone! Although, I never had as big a problem with Bella as some, I knew she had a backbone. She was just a little misguided about what it took to make her a complete and happy woman.

So, I loved the sappy romance, the new and improved Bella, the surprise that she was made a vampire, the neat resolution to the end and the possibilities of more to come. Yes, I totally did not expect Bella to become a vampire. I really, really did not expect the new character we were introduced to. I did not expect the resolution of Jacob, but I am not as bothered by it as so many others are.

I’m thinking that since my expectations were not as HIGH as some peoples and that I already EXPECTED the way women and men and relationships and all that would be portrayed the way they WERE, I was able to just enjoy the book for what it was. It’s not destined to be a classic. I am sorry, but Meyer is NOT the next JK Rowling. But it was what it was. A sweet, vampire, love story. Nothing more, nothing less. I was glad that Bella got her happily ever after. So, as an adult reader of the Twilight Saga, I am immensely satisfied with Breaking Dawn. For those who hated it, I strongly recommend bringing Meyer down off her pedestal and do a reread. And don’t hate me for loving it either.

Down to a Sunless Sea

Mathias B. Freese
WheatMark Fiction, 2007
Reviewed by Heather F.

From the cover:

Down to a Sunless Sea plunges the reader into uncomfortable situations and into the minds of troubled characters. Each selection is a different reading experience — poetic, journalistic, nostalgic, wryly humorous, and even macabre. An award-winning essayist and historical novelist, Mathias B. Freese brings the weight of his twenty-five years as a clinical social worker and psychotherapist into play as he demonstrates a vivid understanding of — and compassion toward — the deviant and damaged.

I’ve been a long time reviewing this, because I am just not quite sure what to say. I found this very short book of short stories to be slow, and very hard, reading. I am not normally a short story reader. I enjoy some short story writers; Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Munroe, Joe Hill, Flanner O’Connor is a favorite, Eudora Welty, Alice Walker…to name a few. I usually find most short stories to be too short, stagnant and, well, boring. I expect Freese pulls it off admirably, but I just didn’t enjoy it much. The stories were just too depressing and I’m not in a place in my life when I should read such heavy material.

All in all, it wasn’t for me, but I think many who appreciate short stories such as these would appreciate this collection. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Sovay

By Celia Rees
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Reviewed by Heather F.

It’s England, 1783. When the rich and beautiful Sovay is not sitting for portraits, she’s donning a man’s cloak and robbing travelers—in broad daylight. But in a time when political allegiances between France and England are strained, a rogue bandit is not the only thing travelers fear. Spies abound, and rumors of sedition can quickly lead to disappearances. So when Sovay lifts the wallet of one of England’s most powerful and dangerous men, it is not just her own identity she must hide, but that of her father. Sovay is a dazzling historical saga in which the roles of thieves and gentry, good and bad, and men and women are interchanged to riveting effect.

I am sure it is fairly well known around here how much I enjoy Young Adult fiction. It isn’t SO TERRIBLY long ago that I was a young adult myself. (I would hope that technically I am young!) And, even though it hasn’t been that long (really, it hasn’t! I swear!) I can see some big changes in the genre. One of the most noticeable is the evolution of strong, independent, intelligent female characters. Of course, I may have been reading the wrong books back then, but that's neither here nor there. Sovay is no exception in the trend of strong female characters.

Sovay is based on an old folksong of the same name:

Sovay, Sovay all on a day
She dressed herself in man’s array
With a sword and a pistol all by her side
To meet her true love to meet her true love away did ride.

And as she was a-riding over the plain
She met her true love and bid him stand
Your gold and silver kind sir she said
Or else this moment or else this moment your life I’ll have.

And when she’d robbed him of his store
She says kind sir there is one thing more
A golden ring which I know you have
Deliver it deliver it your sweet life to save.

Oh that golden ring a token is
My life I’ll lose the ring I’ll save.
Being tender-hearted just like a dove
She rode away she rode away from her true love.

Oh next morning in the garden green
Just like true lovers they were seen
Oh he spied his watch hanging by her clothes
And it made him blush made him blush like any rose.

Oh what makes you blush at so silly a thing
I thought to have had your golden ring
It was I that robbed you all on the plain
So here’s your watch here’s your watch and your gold again.

I did intend and it was to know
If that you were me true love or no
For if you’d have give me that ring she said
I’d have pulled the trigger I’d have pulled the trigger and shot you dead.

As you can imagine from that colorful song, the book is just as colorful. I greatly enjoyed this romp through 1794 England and France. Rees takes the reader skillfully through the height of the French Revolution and brings new clarity, for me anyway, about just how terrifying those days were for the guilty as well as the innocent. The threat of prison, the horror of prison, the eventual trip to the guillotine was all made more real to me than I can remember before. There is plenty of adventure, a little romance, and the love of family and country. The ending wrapped up just a little too neatly for me; there were a few loose strings, but I’ll forgive Rees that. This was a highly enjoyable character and read. If you have read Rees before (I've read Witch Child and enjoyed it) you will enjoy this one as well. I definitely recommend.



From looking around at other websites, it looks as though this book is marketed for 12-years-old and up. I'm not exactly sure I agree with that. There are prostitutes involved, but more specifically, there are young BOY prostitutes. There is no explicit sex scenes or anything, but it is made clear that they are boys and that they are there for men. I know I wouldn't know how to begin explaining that to my daughter, nor do I think I would want to at so young an age. I would feel more comfortable if she were a little older than that. But that is just my opinion. Of course, she's only 4 right now, I would evaluate her maturity level regardless of her age.

Sovay has already been released in the UK, but will not be released to the US until August 19th. You can read more about Sovay and Celia Rees at her website.

Voice of Dissent: The Hours

By Heather F.


Every year there is that book. You know. ‘That’ book, the one everyone and their dentist and your cousins’ sisters’ niece is reading and you just have to (have to!) read it as well. I am not usually one who likes to be left out of anything (a gross understatement), so the year The Hours by Michael Cunningham was ‘that’ book, I read it too.

I read it pretty quickly. It is not that hard of a read. And then I sat back and watched all of my reading groups cheer and proclaim to the heavens what an excellent book it was. And I shook my poor, confused head. Did we read the same book? Did I miss something? What was so great about that book?

Everyone talked of how well written it was. I found it to be stilted and pretentious. I thought it lacked style and felt the language was too clipped and abrupt.

Everyone talked of how well Cunningham wrote in the voice of a woman. I found it to be contrived and pompous.

Everyone talked of how well Cunningham captured Virginia Woolf’s voice. Albeit I’ve only read one book by Woolf, but I found the comparison to be lacking. I just could not see Woolf’s genius shining out at me through Cunningham’s words.

I am a firm believer that one can read a book at the wrong time in life and that the mood, maturity and disposition of said reader can affect their reaction to a book. Perhaps the timing was all wrong. Perhaps it was overly hyped. It wouldn’t be the first time, or the last, that a book was recommended to me by many, many people and I was the lone voice of dissent. Possibly I was too immature a reader to read The Hours when I did. I was in my early twenties.

Who knows? Now that I am older and hopefully wiser, I might enjoy it. There is only one problem. The mere thought of picking it up for a reread makes me cringe.

It's Not Easy, Being Green

by Heather F.

As the pressure to better our environment grows through media reports, campaign promises and a self desire to better the world, I find myself exploring different ways I can help. There are little things, baby steps that I am already doing; I’ve stopped using plastic bags. I’ve started buying better light bulbs, toilet paper made from recycled materials, and discontinued the use of Styrofoam and plastic cups, which is a good start, sure, but what more can I do for my planet? Plenty! And these books are a good place to start.

Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth Friendly Life
by Sophie Uliano

Sophie Uliano is an environmentalist with style. Her book, Gorgeously Green, is fast becoming a bestseller and offers a simple, eight-step, program that is an easy and fun way to start living a better, greener lifestyle. She’ll help you sort out all aspects of your life. With practical, optimistic, and forward-thinking panache, Uliano tackles everything from your beauty regime to your kitchen and on to your transportation. Uliano is your go-to gal with all the answers and shows that going green does not have to be a boring, time-consuming and can be glamorous!

The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time By Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen

Elizabeth Rogers' book gives practical advice for how you can better your environment. Here are some interesting facts:

-Don’t ask for ATM receipts. If everyone in the United States refused their receipts, it would save a roll of paper more than two billion feet long, or enough to circle the equator fifteen times!

- Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth. You’ll conserve up to five gallons of water per day. Throughout the entire United States, the daily savings could add up to more water than is consumed every day in all of New York City.

- Get a voice-mail service for your home phone. If all answering machines in U.S. homes were replaced by voice-mail services, the annual energy savings would total nearly two billion kilowatt hours. The resulting reduction in air pollution would be equivalent to removing 250,000 cars from the road for a year!

With humor and confidence, Rogers and Kostigen offer hundreds of ways to make small changes that add up to make a big impact on our planet.

Going Green? Anyone? Yes!

We see it on the news. We read about it on the Internet. It is a hot topic with this year’s presidential candidates, all the news shows, on various blogs, with our families, and even our friends. It affects the stock market, the cars we drive now, and the ones we will drive in the future. It is everywhere!

So just what does “Going Green” mean, exactly?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines environmentalism as:

1. Advocacy for or work toward protecting the natural environment from destruction or pollution.
2. The theory that environment rather than heredity is the primary influence on intellectual growth and cultural development.

There are so many ways companies are “going green,” or at least talking about it, but what are the purveyors of our beloved books doing to help? A lot, actually;

1. *Amazon recently released the Kindle. For $400 you have access to over 100,000 books, newspapers, magazines, and even blogs – all easily downloaded in minutes. It holds over 200 titles. You can send emails and save pictures. Even the bill is wireless. No paper involved whatsoever. That is pretty hard to beat. I just hope you are ready to wait; due to consumer demand, the Kindle is temporarily out of stock.

2. Random House, popular publisher of such titles as Atonement by Ian McEwan, Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama, and The Road by Cormac McCarthy, has promised what they call “the most substantial environmental initiative in the company’s history.” They promise that by 2010 to be using at least thirty percent (30%) more of the uncoated paper it uses to print the greater part of its U.S. titles will come from recycled fibers. They currently use around three percent (3%).

3. Lastly, Scholastic Books. Wow. Now they are really doing something! Scholastic’s "Act Green" program gets teachers, kids and their parents involved in the movement.

Scholastic has printed the mega-best-seller Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on paper that contained a minimum of thirty percent (30%) post-consumer waste fiber. 65% of the paper used will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. This was “the largest purchase of FSC-certified paper to be used in a single book. The decision followed lobbying by the Rainforest Alliance. Canadian and European publishers have printed the last several Harry Potter books using forest-friendly paper, in accordance with author J.K. Rowling's wishes. It is great news that the U.S. publisher is following suit.”

4. Bookmooch is a great option for recycling books. It’s a community for trading books. It’s simple; every time you give someone a book, you get a point, unless they are in a different country. Then you get 3 points. List 10 books, you get a point. With these points, you can “mooch” a book from someone else. A book from your country costs 1 point, from another country, it costs 2. The only cost to you is the cost of mailing the book out, which, if you use media mail is negligible. It’s a great way to spread around the books you love and find new ones to enjoy.

So go out, support all these efforts, and go a little green yourself!

*Despite the fact that we're no longer Amazon Associates, we still dig the Kindle for its friendliness to the environment. We can't deny it.