Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Title: Princess of the Midnight Ball (Princess of the Midnight Ball #1)

Author: Jessica Day George

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2009

Genre: YA fairy tale

Pages: 280

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Telling Tales; Women Authors; Library; Book Bingo -- 5 from series

How I Got It: Library Loan

Rose is one of twelve princesses forced to dance through the night in an underground palace. The key to breaking the spell lies in magic knitting needles, an invisibility cloak, and—of course—true love. Inspired by "The Twelve Dancing Princesses,"this novel is as captivating as it is fresh. Enchanted readers are sure to clamor for the new companion, Princess of Glass, also publishing this season.

This was such a cute little fairy tale retelling.  I sat down to read it after lunch and read it straight through.  The plot is fairly predictable.  It is a retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses."  But it's the characters that drew me into the novel.  I love seeing all twelve of the princesses.  They each have their own personality and interests.  Rose is the focus, but each of the others are given their own time.  Galen is a treat.  I loved following him from solider to future king.  He's a down-to-earth character and kept my attention throughout.

Princess of the Midnight Ball

1. Princess of the Midnight Ball
2. Princess of Glass
3. Princess of the Silver Woods

Good Things: February

I ran across this idea on Kapachino who got the idea from The Literary Wife.  I love the concept of trying to focus on the positives on life.  And I am going to try to do this: record at least one good thing every day for a year.  Here's February's list:

1. Dinner and Star Trek with one of J's friends.
2. Awesome craft meet and greet over lunch.
3. Sick, but great TV shows to comfort.
4. Laurie R. King author event at Santa Clara library.
5. Started The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and actually like it.
6. J came home early, so dinner at Rok.
7. Finished ST:TNG Season 1.
8. Possible good news, but must wait for confirmation.
9. A partial confirmation.
10. A good night's sleep.
11. Lots of energy for house cleaning.
12. Reading The Forgotten Garden... awesome book.
13. Walked to the library, found some great books.
14. J sent me flowers!
15. Energy for card making.
16. Sick, but J took care of me.
17. Spent the day lounging.
18. Another day relaxing and reading.
19. A great card class to get me out of the house.
20. Free craft night with Pam and new friend Kati.
21. Chicken salad sandwich and mocha at the coffeehouse.
22. Started Battlestar Galactica.
23. Almost completed "Reviews by Author" page on blog.
24. Fun and yummy Dishcrawl in Mountain View.
25. Awesome stamp club night.
26. Good news confirmed.
27. Got a chunk of reading done.
28. Beautiful sunny day for a walk.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Title: Princess of Glass (Princess of the Midnight Ball #2)

Author: Jessica Day George

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2010

Genre: YA Fairy Tales

Pages: 266

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Telling Tales; New Author; Library; Book Bingo -- 5 from series

How I Got It: Library loan

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program. She travels abroad hoping to find better political alliances and perhaps a marriage. But thanks to a vengeful fairy, Poppy's happily ever after gets complicated. This companion to Princess of the Midnight Ball will delight readers with action and romance.

So, I realized after finishing this book that I read it out of order.  Silly me!  I was wondering why lots of past plot points were referred to often.  Oh well!  It was a good little story even with my blunder.  We are treated to a retelling of Cinderella complete with glass slippers and a fairy godmother (or is she?).  Poppy must use her previous enchantment breaking experience to help the people of Breton.  I liked Poppy. She was unconventional and spunky and smart.  She kept her wits about her when faced with what seemed to be impossible odds.  Thankfully I also liked the male lead, Prince Christian.  He too is just unconventional enough to be thoroughly likable.  The characters are where this book shines.  The plot is predictable (it's Cinderella, remember?), but the characters keep it fresh and interesting.  Now that I've read book two, I guess I should go back and read book one...

Princess of the Midnight Ball

1. Princess of the Midnight Ball
2. Princess of Glass
3. Princess of the Silver Woods

A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel

Title: A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel Vol 1

Author: George R.R. Martin, Daniel Abraham

Publisher: Bantam 2012

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 240

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Library

How I Got It: Library Loan

This graphic novel adaptation contains more than fifty pages of exclusive content not available in the original comic books, including  a new Preface by George R. R. Martin • early renderings of key scenes and favorite characters from the novels • a walk-through of the entire creative process, from auditioning the artists to tweaking the scripts to coloring the final pages • behind-the-scenes commentary from Daniel Abraham, Tommy Patterson, and series editor Anne Groell

This is definitely not the TV show.  Instead we are treated to a reimagining of the story from the novels.  I love the illustrations.  There are just gorgeous, full of so much detail.  I especially loved the panels starring Daenerys.  While Emilia Clarke is just amazing on the TV show, the graphic novel version is to die for.  I really want to pick up Volume 2.

February 2013 Wrap-Up and Monthly TBR

Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.

February's TBR Pile Recap: Books Read and Reviewed (20/23 books)

1. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (from January's TBR)
2. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
3. 300 by Frank Miller (iPad)
4. Cowboys and Aliens
5. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein (iPad)
6. Matched by Ally Condie
7. Crossed by Ally Condie
8. Windfall by Rachel Caine
9. Firestorm by Rachel Caine
10. Thin Air by Rachel Caine
11. Queene of Light by Jennifer Armintrout -- DNF
12. Child of Darkness by Jennifer Armintrout -- DNF'd series
13. Veil of Shadows by Jennifer Armintrout -- DNF'd series
14. Chicks Dig Time Lords by edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O’Shea
15. Stories of Hans Christian Anderson (iPad)
16. Velveteen by Daniel Marks -- DNF
17. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
18. Terror by Night by Ambrose Bierce
19. The Postman by Brinn (iPad)
20. Fables: Vol. 17 Inherit the Wind
21. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (not pictured)
22. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
23. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King (not pictured)

1,000,000 Page Goal

Monthly Total: 6213 pages
Pages Remaining: 873,019 pages

Current Read -- Crossed by Ally Condie

Books Won (3)

• Epub of Fallen by Lauren Kate from Louise @ Book Bliss
• The Turning by Francine Prose and Feedback by Robison Wells from Michelle @ The True Book Addict
• Y from Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader

Books I Gave Up On (4): 

• Jennifer Armintrout's Lightworld/Darkworld.  I felt very confused by the world...  I gave the series 85 pages and it just wasn't pulling me in at all.  I give up.
• Velveteen by Daniel Marks.  I gave it 100 pages and nothing was compelling me to read it.  I just think it's not my cup of tea.

Challenges Completed -- None yet, but I'm making great progress.

Comments -- A mixed bag this month.  I read a few great books and a DNF'd a few books.  I felt very schizophrenic this month.  But I am happy with my page counts and challenge slots. I knocked off quite a few books from my TBR list.  Onward to March!

March's TBR Pile:

1. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (iPad)
2. Sandition by Jane Austen (iPad)
3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (iPad)
4. Death: At Death's Door by Jill Thompson
5. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
6. Morrigan's Cross by Nora Roberts
7. Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts
8. Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts
9. The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper
10. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
11. A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel by George R.R. Martin
12. Locke and Key Vol 5: Clockworks
13. Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend by Katie MacAlister
14. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
15. London Eye byTim Lebbon
16. The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
17. The Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
18. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
19. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
20. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
21. Crossed by Ally Condie
22. Next by Michael Crichton
23. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (book club selection - preordered, delivering on my birthday!)

FF #2: Flea Market Outting

I can see wearing this one if I had better legs (hardy har har).  The top is flirty and feminine, but the shorts are really the focal point.  I love the sailor details with the buttons.  The addition of the plaid purse gives the outfit some interesting pattern.  And comfortable flats are a must.

Blouse

review-australia.com

Hot shorts

amazon.com

Sam Edelman coral pumps

$195 - allsole.com

Vivienne westwood bag

viviennewestwood.co.uk

Lucky Brand straw hat

luckybrand.com

Locke and Key Vol 5: Clockworks

Title: Locke and Key Vol 5: Clockworks

Author: Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2012

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 152

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel, Library, Seriously Series

How I Got It: Library Loan

The sprawling tale of the Locke family and their mastery of the 'whispering iron' thunders to new heights as the true history of the family is revealed to Tyler and Kinsey. Zack Wells assumes a new form, Tyler and Kinsey travel through time, and surprises beyond imagination will be revealed before the sixth issue ends!

I thought this was the last volume.  Turns out I was wrong.  There's one more volume, but it won't be released in trade form until sometime later this year.  Even with my mix up, this was a great volume.  We learn so much more about the keys and the history surrounding Keyhouse.  We also finally see what happened to Dodge all those years ago.  We find out how he came to be the way he is.  And man is it a wild ride!  There's twists and turns everywhere within the pages.  I am so excited to see how this series concludes.

Locke and Key:

1. Welcome to Lovecraft
2. Head Games
3. Crown of Shadows
4. Keys to the Kingdom
5. Clockworks
6. Alpha and Omega

Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed (Matched #2)

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Books 2011

Genre: YA Dystopian

Pages: 367

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: SubGenre -- Scifi/Fan, Dys; Women Authors; TBR Pile; Seriously Series; Eclectic - Dystopian

How I Got It: I own it

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

I figured that the second book would be a bit of a let down after the amazing first book.  This one is good, just not amazing.  I did love seeing what is outside Society, but the overall plotline and pacing didn't grab my attention.  The addition of Indie and Eli and even Hunter did make up for some of the pacing issues.  I like meeting of new people.  Ky and Cassia are good characters, but they seem to flounder here.  Cassia starts questioning everything, but not in a good way.  Ky continues to hold back and keep secrets from Cassia.  If these two have any future, they really need to start being honest with one another.  Of course, they are only seventeen.  After all they have seen and know, I expect to see more growing up.  Oh well, there's always the conclusion...

Matched:

1. Matched
2. Crossed
3. Reached