Random Musings of a Bibliophile

The Truth About Twinkie Pie  by Kat Yeh is a delightful read about relationships, secrets, and starting over. It is as light and fluffy as the cover implies. GiGi (Galileo Galilei) is starting a new private school after she and her sister DiDi (Delta Dawn) move to start over. DiDi, who dropped out of school to cut hair at a young age, is insists that the future will be better for her smart sister. GiGi spends most of her time studying and working for her future. GiGi is determined to start over entirely at her new school, insisting that her new nickname will be Leia. At this school she is going to have friends and spend her free time doing a few things other than studying. On her first day GiGi is knocked over (literally) by cute popular boy, Trip, and it looks like all her dreams are going to come true. But first she has to deal with Mace, the girl shooting daggers at her every day during lunch, and DiDi's relentless need to organize her life and push it in the direction she thi...

Top Ten Tuesday  is a Meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish This week's TTT topic: Wishes From the Book Genie I know this is supposed to be a Top Ten, but I'm going to play by the traditional genie rules and only choose three wishes. These are the bookish wishes nearest and dearest to my heart. 1. THE NEW QUEEN'S THIEF BOOOK Seriously. Those of us who love these books, the world, and the characters are slowly going out of our minds as we analyze the meaning behind the pictures of her coffee Megan Whalen Turner posts on Tumblr. 2. A house that contains a library like this but that is EMPTY (wait for it): 3. Unlimited funds with which to buy the books I want to fill above library. (With unlimited funds, even if they're out of print, I wills till be able to purchase exorbitantly priced collector's copies.)

I feel there is a lack of good quality MG historical fiction that is fun and adventurous, where the point isn't to teach a history lesson, but to just have a story that sweeps you up in its magic and action.  The Blackthorn Key   by Kevin Sands fills this need. Christopher Rowe is an apothecary's apprentice in post Restoration London. He works hard, but he has a kind master who teaches him well and allows him enough free time for adventures that often end in mischief and trouble. He can't complain about his life. All of that starts to fall apart when a series of murders occur in their small corner of London. Murders that seem to be targeting apothecaries. When Christopher's master becomes the next victim, Christopher's entire future is left unsure. Worse he finds himself a suspect. As time is running out, Christopher races to find the true murder and finds himself caught in a web of politic intrigue and ancient intrigues. Christopher is a hero whose story it i...

There is still a week left to nominate your favorites for The Cybils and there are some great books that haven't been nominated yet. Young Adult Speculative Fiction Ash & Bramble  by Sarah Prineas Crimson Bound  by Rosamund Hodge Death Marked  by Leah Cypess Dream strider  by Lindsay Smith Pure Magic  by Rachel Neumeier A Thousand Nights  by E.K. Johnston The Unquiet  by Mikaela Everett YA Fiction Emmy & Oliver  by Robin Benway The Kidney Hypothetical  by Lisa Yee Kissing Ted Callahan  by Amy Spalding Love, Lucy  by April Lindner Most Likely to Succeed  by Jennifer Echols Perfect Couple  by Jennifer Echols Six Impossible Things  by Fiona Wood MG Speculative Fiction The Arctic Code  by Matthew Kirby Mark of the Thief Lord  by Jennifer Nielsen Omega City  by Diana Peterfreund Shadows of Sherwood   by Kekla Magoon Villain Keeper  by Laurie McKa...

It is time for the Quarterly Review Round-Up where I talk about the best of the best, the one's I couldn't finish, and the adult novels I'm reading that I don't review here. Plus there's a GIVEAWAY. Adult Books (links to reviews on Goodreads): Ask Me Why  by Various A Wish Upon Jasmine  by Laura Florand Red Blooded  by Caitlin Sinead The Best of the Best (where the Giveaway comes in): Ash & Bramble  by Sarah Prineas Goodbye Stranger  by Rebecca Stead A Nearer Moon  by Melanie Crowder A Pocket Full of Murder  by R.J. Anderson Six Impossible Things  by Fiona Wood A Thousand Night s  by E.K. Johnston Walk On Earth a Stranger  by Rae Carson Links to my reviews unless otherwise noted. GIVEAWAY Rules *Indicates later books in a trilogy or series. If you are wanting to begin with the first book and you win, I will allow you to choose that as your prize. If you want to win one of the 4.5...