Ophelia by Lisa Klein Review

Ophelia is young, vivacious, and falling in love with a prince who cannot return her affections without arousing suspicion. And so they meet in secret—embracing in stairwells and castle turrets, reaching passionately for each other under the cover of darkness. His name is Hamlet; her name is Ophelia. And if you think you know this story, think again. Because when bloody deeds turn the court of Elsinore into a place of treachery and madness, Ophelia alone will find the means to escape, with nothing more than the clothes on her back…and one very dangerous secret. -Goodreads

I was completely blown away by Ophelia. It was so beautifully crafted that I immediately fell into the story. It was incredibly difficult to put down, and I think that there really isn't much more to say than this: Don't let this book make it's way to the bottom of your TBR pile. Read it. You won't be disappointed.

Although Shakespeare can be intimidating, I didn't find Klein's take on the play to be confusing at all. In fact, I'm very glad that I read it before the play. Now that the characters are more firm and solid in my mind, I think it will be much easier to comprehend than if I had gone in blind. I'm looking forward to reading her other novel, Lady Macbeth's Daughter.

Rating: 9.5/10

<3 Cate

P.S. I'm sorry for the lack of postings lately, everyone. I haven't been feeling well these past few days; I think I'm catching some sort of head cold. I have been doing a lot of reading, however, and hope to have a few more reviews up within the next week.

IMM

Thanks to Kristi from The Story Siren for coming up with this great idea to share what's in our mailboxes!


First, I received Ice, by Sarah Beth Durst. I won this in a contest, and I'm very excited to read another retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon!




Okay, so this may not be book-related, but I was very excited when the first two seasons of Gilmore Girls (only the best show of all time) came in the mail this week. I have a feeling a marathon is coming up soon...Anyone else a fan?

What did you get this week? Leave your link in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out! <3 Cate

Wish List Wednesday

Blanche Kelly's dad is a famous indie rock icon, but not many people at the private school she attends on scholarship know this. Her father left when she was in the first grade, and she can’t quite forgive her mom for not understanding that an artist like her dad needs the time and space to connect to his muse.
When Blanche creates an all-girl rock band, their sound captures a wide audience and the band is invited to compete at the Coachella Music Festival. Blanche feels this could be the perfect time for a reunion with her father. Won’t he be proud to hear her band? Won’t he be happy to get to know his only daughter?

I don't know if any of you remember, but about six or so years ago, there was this T.V. show called Joan of Arcadia. It followed a teenage girl, Joan, who was not in the least religious. However, she saw God (as many different people), who sent her on 'missions.' It's still one of my favorite shows. Anyway, Barbara Hall was one of the main writers for the show, and she has also authored Tempo Change.

The entire premise of this book intrigues me, but I mainly just want to experience Barbara Hall's writing. The cover's pretty awesome as well.

Also, I now have links to my Twitter and Library Thing on the sidebar!

<3 Cate

Green Books Campaign: Syren by Angie Sage

This review is part of the Green Books campaign. Today 100 bloggers are reviewing 100 great books printed in an environmentally friendly way. Our goal is to encourage publishers to get greener and readers to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books. This campaign is organized by Eco-Libris, a a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out books by planting trees, and supporting green books. A full list of participating blogs and links to their reviews is available on Eco-Libris website.

Becoming more eco-friendly has always been an important aspect of my life; I am glad to see that the environment is taken into consideration even in books! Syren is made with FSC-certified paper, and is published by Bloomsbury. I'm glad to see that large-scale publishing companies are getting envolved in the effort to help create a greener society!

In this fifth book in the Magykal series, Septimus ends up on a captivatingly beautiful island, one of seven set in a sparkling sea. He's stranded there with his badly injured dragon, Spit Fyre, along with Jenna and Beetle.
There are some strange things about the island, including a Magykal girl named Syrah, a cat-shaped lighthouse that has lost its Light, and an eerie presence that sings to Septimus—can he escape the persistent call?
Trouble is also brewing for Lucy and Wolf Boy, who have become entangled with some nefarious sailors at sea, and for Milo Banda, Jenna's father, who is harboring a mysterious treasure chest in his ship's hold. -Goodreads

Although this is the fifth book in the Septimus Heap series (which I haven't read before), I decided to take it on for this event. Though I wish I had time to read the first four books, I found Syren to be enthralling. Filled with dragons, ghosts, a princess, and magyick, this book is the epitome of fantasy. Also, I really enjoyed seeing the small illustrations at the beginning of each chapter- it was a lovely Harry Potter flashback. Speaking of which, if you are a Harry Potter fan, I think that you will be very impressed with Angie Sage's work. It's beautifully crafted, and a chunky fantasy read.

What are your opinions about eco-friendly books? Are you a supporter? :D

<3 Cate

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr Review

Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam's personal one, and the already-worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel. -Inside cover

When I first began reading Once Was Lost, I didn't really connect with the writing style; Zarr writes in a very matter-of-fact way that I've never really come across before. However, as I began to understand the inner-workings of Sam, I realized that the voice Zarr uses really did suit her character. In truth, both the style and the story grew on me.

The way Zarr tackled religion left me impressed; she didn't press faith on the reader, but also wrote honestly of Sam's doubts in God without hesitation. And what really struck me was how she not only crafted the aforementioned beautifully, but she also made it relatable. Every thought, emotion, and action from Sam felt understandable and mostly realistic.

Although this was not a favorite book of mine, I applaud Sara Zarr, and I do think that I will be looking around for a few of her other books to see what else she has to offer.

Rating: 8.5/10

<3 Cate

Wish List Wednesday

I've fiddled around with Waiting and Wednesday and pondered over Want it Wednesday, but I've found myself leaning towards a meme that also focuses on books that have already been released that I'm interested in reading. Hence Wishlist Wednesday. :D

Fifteen-year-old Mackenzie Hill knows something is up when she arrives home to find her father making a home-cooked dinner, instead of his standard delivery pizza. But nothing prepares her for the bombshell announcement: Mackenzie and her dad, alone since the death of her mother a year ago, are moving to Jerusalem, where her father has taken a position as a visiting professor at a university.

The adjustment from life in Canada to life in Israel is dramatic - though it's eased somewhat when Mackenzie is befriended by an American girl in her new school. The biggest shock of all comes when Mackenzie faces the wrath of her new friends, new community, and even her own father after she begins dating a Muslim boy.

I have been dying to read Mackenzie, Lost and Found by Deborah Kerbel. And although I haven't heard too much buzz around this book, what I have heard has been only good. Earlier this week, Briana from The Book Pixie wrote a review that only piqued my interest even more so than before. Also, this cover is beautiful and striking; I can hardly wait to get my hands on it!

Has anyone else read this? Did you enjoy it, or were you disappointed? I'd love to hear your opinion!

<3 Cate

Looky What I Found...

This photo makes me smile. The Book Thief in all it's glory. And vintage. :)

<3 Cate

Photo from weheartit.com