PrincessReviews

Piper LeVine and a Gypsy's Truth by Eris Kelli is the first book in the Piper Levine series. Seventeen-year-old Piper is the Senator's daughter and the focus of much negative media attention that strains her relationship with her parents. But as we find out in the first chapter, the strain may be deeper than teenage angst. The Senator's wife is not Piper's mother, and Piper never knew. After many revelations and tears are shed, Piper goes to the only place she feels loved and safe, her Grandma Sidney's house, an animal sanctuary. But it may not be so safe when a strange man and then a werewolf show up outside her bedroom window. I didn't know what to make of this book. The first several chapters I was asking myself, Where is this book going? Several times I just wanted to stop reading. Piper's first person account of events is sometimes disjointed. Sometimes I didn't know where she was and what she was doing, nor did I care. Even with the werewolf...

As many of my fabulous followers are aware, the Blogaversary of PrincessReviews is mid-May. Unfortunately, due to AP tests and finals, I have not been as active with PrincessReviews as I would have liked to have been. Fortunately, Cherese Vines has continued her much-valued contributions to this blog, and for that I thank her. Since we did not have a grand celebration in May for the Blogaversary, I have decided we will have a spectacular mid-Summer celebration. This shall take place mid-July, and I would like it to be huge. Any donations would gladly be accepted. Donations do not have to be things for giveaways or contests, although those will be useful as well. Donations can be as simple as a guest post, or an interview or book review, anything you are willing to allow us to post here on PrincessReviews will be appreciated. Thank you very much for your consideration. And Thank You for your understanding! Keep being the royalty you were born to be!

Rating: 5/5 Now, Voyager is the third installment in the Vale family saga written by Prouty in the 1930s and 1940s. This book is about Charlotte Vale, the spinster aunt and her incredible transformation. After a nervous breakdown, Charlotte is sent to Cascade to recover. It is a forward-thinking, psychiatric facility in the early 1940s. Her doctor, Dr. Jaquith, then sends Charlotte on a cruise alone to try out the coping skills she learned. Charlotte has never been anywhere without her domineering mother and so this is an extraordinary new experience for her. At first she is shy and self-depreciating, but then she meets J.D. Durrance and her entire perspective changes about life and especially about love. I really enjoyed this book. I saw about 3/4 of the movie a while ago and just loved Betty Davis as Charlotte. I love old black and white movies. But the book gave me so much more. I thought Charlotte's character gained so much strength and self-worth as the story progress...

The Third Wish by Deby Adair is the final book in the Wish series. It follows Rielle and (now) Willful James and their unicorn friends as they finally come face-to-face with the Sorcerer of Great Contempt in a fight for the future of their lands. I as always enjoyed the underlying warmth of the characters, the forest and the land of Wish. However, this book has the hard edge of deparation interwoven in it. Rielle and Will must face their fears and be pushed to their limits to succeed. It had a darker quality to it. There is much introspection and self-doubt among the main characters including the Imperial Guard Snails and the Sorcerer of Great Contempt. This leaves the book feeling less adventurous than the other books, which I missed. I did enjoy the fast-paced sections, but they were slowed by cutting to less exciting goings on. I was also surprised by Will taking up more time in the book when the series began with Rielle. It took a turn in a different, unexpected directi...

Sticks, Stones and Dragon Bones II by Evelyn Ink Paige, Bean, Dorrit and Hayde, the Darlington sisters, find themselves on a pirate ship on the Sylock River. They are following the cryptic prophesy cited in book one and headed into the dangerous territory of Abraxis, the almost king, in search of their sister Audra. The second book of the Sticks, Stones and Dragon Bones series is just as adventurous. However, you must read the first book to fully grasp this one. Although this book does have excitement, I didn't find it as thrilling as the first book. But this being the middle of the story, I expected the slight lull. I can't wait for the exciting ending to the Darlington sisters' tale. Great series. Rating 4/5

How a Book Comes to Be Have you ever wondered where authors get their ideas?  I wonder all the time, but then, I was one of those annoying children who constantly asked their parents and everyone else within hearing, "Why?"  So, really, where is it that book ideas come from?  Believe it or not, writers don't walk up to fortune-telling machines at the fair, put a couple quarters in, and get a multi-million dollar plot in return.  Nor do they swirl fragrant tea leaves about in a bowl of warm water and try to decipher what the leaves are telling them about the next great American novel idea.  Well, maybe some do.  I can only speak for myself! I have come up with ideas based on dreams, out of bizarre conversations I've had with people and out of the unending wealth of material my teenage son gives me.  I have created plots out of "What if?"  What if I won the lottery?  What if I found out I was the long-lost daughter of a multi-millionai...

Rewrite Redemption  by J.H. Walker Autumn Jones (AJ) time travels, but she doesn't know how or why or when it will happen. She has lost her mother physically and her father emotionally because of it. The only reason she has made it to age sixteen still sane is because of her best friends Alexandra (Lex) and Ivan (Ipod) who have both taken up residence with AJ in the elaborately built treehouse in her backyard. Then Constantine moves to town and he may have the answers she needs. He might even be a time traveller like her. Rewrite Redemption has an intriguing premise of time travel and romance. The world building is thoughtful and interesting. The setting of Boulder, CO is intertwined and expressed well in the story. The author creatively uses 1) our interconnectedness with nature and 2) technological possibilities acknowledging and using that connection. The dialog is believable for teens although some phrases were questionable for characters of their age such as "...