Raiding Bookshelves

Wednesday

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird

#42 of 200

Original Language: English
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Country: UK
Publication Date: April 18 2011
ISBN: 0547341261Page Count: 360

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair is due to be released on April 18 2011

In seventeenth-century Scotland, saying the wrong thing can lead to banishment – or worse. Accused of being a witch, sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair is sentenced to be hanged. She escapes, but instead of finding shelter with her principled, patriotic uncle, she brings disaster to his door. Betrayed by one of her own accusers, Maggie must try to save her uncle and his family from the King’s men, even if she has to risk her own life in the process.

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair (also published as The Witching Hour) is the latest novel by popular children's and young adult author Elizabeth Laird. A stunning story of witchcraft, religion and belief, The Betrayal of Maggie Blair will keep you on the edge of your seat, eagerly awaiting poor Maggie's next obstacle.

Queens of All the Earth by Hannah Sternberg

#41 of 200

Original Language: English
Publisher: Bancroft Press
Country: USA
Publication Date: June 15 2011
ISBN: 9781610880190
Page Count: 160
eARC provided by NetGalley

Queens of All the Earth is due to be released on June 15!

As her freshman classmates move into dorms at Cornell University, Olivia Somerset suffers a nervous breakdown. When months of coaxing and analyzing fail to rouse Olivia from her stupor, big sister Miranda decides the sisters should fly off to Barcelona for some "vacation therapy."
When a mistake at their Barcelona hostel leaves the Somersets in a large co-ed dorm room, Olivia and Miranda are saved by kindly Mr. Brown and his son Greg, who happily volunteer to surrender their private room. But while Olivia feels an instant connection with brooding Greg Brown, Miranda sides with fellow guest and cocky American travel writer Lenny:
The Browns are just plain weird, and must be avoided at all costs.
In the midst of urbane Peruvian priests-in-training and Scottish soccer fans, from the shops of La Rambla to the waters of the Mediterranean to the soaring heights of Montjuic, Miranda works to protect her still-fragile sister while Olivia struggles to understand her burgeoning adulthood, her feelings for Greg, and the fear that makes the next step in her life so impossible to take.
Inspired by E. M. Forster's classic novel A Room with a View, debut author Hannah Sternberg's Queens of All the Earth is a poetic journey of young love and self-awakening set against the beauty of Catalonia. Teenagers and adults alike will be riveted and moved by this coming-of-age novel about the conflicting hearts and minds of two very different sisters.

Hannah Sternberg's debut novel is a thrilling coming-of-age adventure where control is taken over by the whimsical and imagination moves in leaps and bounds. Queens of All the World is the story of sisters Olivia and Miranda, separated by more than just age. Olivia is unwilling to release the wonder of her childhood while Miranda believes herself beyond it's call.

Poison Study was the first of Maria V Snyder's books that I have read. It ended up being the first of six, and I have plans to get my hands on her dystopian series Inside Out and Inside In. The reason Poison Study became Feb's Book of the Month was the intriguing way Snyder rethought the classic heroine and drew out the series. In truth, it was Snyder's Study series that gave Poison Study it's title, but the first book of the trilogy is still my favourite.

It had close competition in Matthew Reilly's Ice Station but Reilly can't claim the same sense of mystery that Poison Study gave me. Ice Station will always be one of my favourites, but this month Poison Study really stood out for me.

February's recommendation is Poison Study by Maria V Snyder. Expect a review this week.