Worldshaker by Richard Harland

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My review:
Col Porpentine is on track to become the supreme commander of the Worldshaker, a juggernaut that is basically . . . well, England. Life and society have clear lines on Worldshaker, defined by the Upper and Lower decks. And the Bottom Deck, of course . . . but no one in Col's situation thinks of, much less mentions the Bottom Deck. There, among the pistons and sparks of the tremendous engines, live the Filthies. They're thought to be subhuman and half-animal, but when Col meets Riff, one who's running from her grim fate, he begins to ponder his inborn opinions of them. Riff changes his world - and in a few week's time, those changes become far greater than anything Col can control.

My thoughts:
Hmm. I think I liked this one. Harland's writing interested me - it was like a mirror, if that makes sense. I kept catching glimpses of styles I have read by other authors, and sometimes, I felt like I was reading something I might have written! It was a cool feeling, kind of abstract.

The characters were all intriguing, if not a leetle bit stereotyped. They all seemed like they had depth, and it would've been great if this book was longer to accommodate all of their possible intricacies. I loved all the Filthies Col encountered; they were unique and quirky and dark.

The setting of the Worldshaker was great - so very steampunk. :) My favorite part is when Riff leads Col through the Bottom Deck. I could feel the motion and see the huge moving parts and smell the coal. And all of the mystery around life on the Bottom was fascinating.

Content:
This novel wasn't squeaky clean, but it certainly wasn't abhorrent either.
Romance wise: Col and Riff have this connection throughout the story, but it doesn't amount to much as far as the reader is concerned.
Violence wise: The climax is slightly carnage-strewn.
And there is no bad language! That was refreshing in a YA novel.

Conclusion:
I liked it. That's all I can say. Out of four stars, I give Worldshaker 3.

Friday Night Reads

I love Friday nights. Last night was a rainy and low key one, so I pulled several of my favorite reads off the shelves and hunkered down in my room to enjoy them to the fullest.

I go down the stack, opening one at random and reading a chapter. It's so fun to relive the books I love. Last night's selections:
The Goose Girl--Shannon Hale is such a fun author.
Peace like a River--Mmm. MMM. A joy.
Torn Heart--Ellyn's novel, one of my favorites.
The Princess and the Goblin --Good old-fashioned fairy tale.
The Scarlet Pimpernel--Another of the Bestest Novels Ever.
The Shining Company--A Sonlight favorite.

IronHeart and IronSpear--These remind me of Eragon.

The Rescuers--The Disney movie has nothing on the novel. Garth Williams illustrations!
The Thief Lord--Always makes me smile. :)
The Silver Branch--A Sutcliff I haven't read yet.
Pride and Predjudice--Jane Austen is good for the soul.

I want to invent a bunk bed-compatible bedside table....

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

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Cassandra Mortmain leads an off-the-wall life set in a medieval castle in the English countryside. Her father is a celebrated novelist suffering from writer's block; stepmother Topaz is an artist's model and lover of nature; older sister Rose is beautiful, bitter and desperate to escape from the semi-poverty the Mortmains live in; younger brother Thomas is a schoolboy. And then there's Stephen, a nobly-souled young man who works for the family is in love with Cassandra, and Miss Blossom, the dressmaking mannequin is Cassandra and Rose's bedroom.

The ebb and flow of life in the castle is altered when an American family buys the neighboring estate; a family with two sons. Cassandra and Rose are determined to snag one of them for Rose to marry and bring the family out of destitution.
Their efforts do not always go smoothly, but eventually they pay off and Rose is engaged. Life looks hopeful for the entire family, and that should be the happy ending of the story . . . but then Cassandra surprises herself by realizing that she is in love with the man her sister is going to marry.

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This novel was in the form of the main character's journal, and I usually don't like books told in that way. But I Capture the Castle was different, in the sense that it was such an honest journal! Cassandra freely wrote about her rapidly-shifting emotions and thoughts in such a poignant, often humorous way that it was impossible to find them corny or fakey.
Her feelings are certainly not the only part of the journal, however--Cassandra relates her experiences wooing the brothers, trips to London, and life in the castle just as winsomely and truthfully.
The characters were definitely my favorite part of the story. (Surprise, surprise.) Everyone was well-developed and interesting, and the balance between believable and unique was perfect. Cassandra is espeacially good. She's 16 on the first page and 17 by the last, and she matures and grows through the story in a well-crafted sequence.
Oh yeah . . . and the last page is one of the best last pages I have ever read.

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There were several curse words throughout the novel, as well as some references to Topaz's peculiar habits while communing with nature and an artist photographer's photoshoots. I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up.

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Aside from hints of objectionable content, I can't find anything bad to say about this book. I Capture the Castle, like almost every other novel out there, had lots of chances to be tacky and "Yeah, right" worthy. But it never was. It is a novel that is purely winsome, quite often funny, and sometimes heartbreaking.

First Impressions

When I peruse the shelves at the library, the first thing that draws me to a book is its title. Then I look at the cover. That is when the decision of whether or not I want to read the book really begins. If the cover features art or a photo that does not appeal to me, maybe I will scan the description to see if there's a possibility that it's a good book, but most of the time, I just put it back.

In many ways, the book's cover decides its fate with every different prospective reader. I have been playing around with cover designs for my NaNo novel lately, which started me thinking about all of the covers I have come across in my life, and which ones have stuck with me. Here are some of them:

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My Antonia by Willa Cather
Whoa. Isn't this the most beautiful picture ever? It is so perfect for this lovely story about Nebraska . I also am loving the font and layout.
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Peace like a River by Leif Enger
This is one of my top favorites of any cover anywhere! I would sit down, intending to read the book, but would often end up simply gazing at its cover. It ties in perfectly with the title; don't you just feel instant peace when you look at it?
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The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
This is one of my absolute favorite books! And the cover is amazing, too! I love its magical, mysterious feel.
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A Charmed Life by Liza Campbell
I have not read all of this book, which is a memoir about a girl who grew up in a European castle, but I do know that the cover is darling! Don't you love how sweet and innocent she looks on her drawbridge? Sorry that the image isn't bigger!
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Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Mariller
This is another one I haven't read yet, but intend to sometime soon-ish. I love the details of the gorgeous painting; everything is so brilliantly vibrant. And don't you love that fish? What is it doing out of water? I think that I need to read the book and find out . . . :)
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The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
This is one of my favorite books from a few years ago. What I like about this cover is how regal the princesses look. Meryl is brave and adventurous and Addie is humble and timid, and they look perfect in the painting.
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Tell me about your favorite book covers!

The School Story by Andrew Clements

Natalie is writing a novel. Her best friend, Zoe, thinks it should be published. And so begins this delightful story.

Natalie knows that her novel won't be taken seriously if it is known that a 12-year-old wrote it, so she adapts a pen name. But from seeing the piles of untouched manuscripts at the publishing company where her mom is an editor, she also knows that her book has a very small chance of making it. Energetic Zoe has the solution- she makes up a fake name for herself as well and becomes the new writer's agent and biggest supporter. The two also recruit their skeptical English teacher, Ms. Clayton, to help with the legalities. The three have a tricky job to do- submit the manuscript to Natalie's mother while not letting her realize that her daughter is the author, while keeping it out of the hands of Letha Springfield, the dreadful editor in chief at Shipley's Junior Books. Quite the challenge, no?

I thought that this was a very good book- the plot was unique and the characters were superb. As a writer, reading about the publishing process was really interesting, too. I couldn't wait to see the outcome of Natalie and Zoe's hard work, and I was not disappointed by the ending.

The above image is not mine.

Currently reading....

Sure, I could have simply updated my books page, but I am so excited about the books I am reading right now I had to do a post about them. Starting from the bottom:

Peace like a River- This is the book I read in the evening while enjoying the sunset. I love the atmosphere of it.

Les Miserables- After listening to the musical's soundtrack, I was absolutely pumped to begin the book. It is really good. The writing and translation are clear and sharp, and the depth is enough to blow you away.

Enna Burning- Who doesn't love or at least like anything by Shannon Hale? My favorite part of any of her books are the characters, and Enna Burning's are no exception. :)

Mossflower- I am loving the forest-ey setting for this one.

Gone with the Wind- I have found it! The perfect summer read! I can park myself outside in the sun and read this one for hours and hours. It sweeps me away. I know that I won't finish it by summer's end, and I probably won't read it during the school year, but I am definitely reading it next year.
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Today I am leaving for my second and last week of camp counseling, so I won't be posing or commenting for the rest of the week. I would appreciate any prayer!

It's raining where I am at today, but I hope that the rest of you find ways to stay cool and enjoy summer!

~Margaret Rowena

The Horse from the Sea by Victoria Holmes

{ Cover Credit}

It's 1588 in Ireland, and Nora is a peasant girl who loves horses. Tensions between the English, Spanish, and Irish are growing when the most unexpected event happens: a shipwrecked Spanish stallion and sailor wash up on the beach below her cottage. The horse is huge and beautiful, nothing like the shaggy mountain ponies Nora is familiar with. The sailor is hardly older than her 14 years, injured, and desperate. Against all common sense, Nora agrees to help the boy somehow get back to Spain. If he is found, he will be hanged and her family will undergo no pleasant circumstance's as well. She will have to keep the secret not only from English soldiers, but also from her family. And then there's the horse to think about, too...

Pros: I loved the setting.

Cons: The facts seemed to fluctuate as the story needed.

Altogether, I found this book to be a fun read. My rating is three stars.

~Margaret Rowena

Days 1-5

Day 1: A favorite song

That's a hard one. It changes often, but there is one song that never fails to move me: Vida la Vida by Coldplay.

2: A favorite movie.

"Bride and Prejudice". It's a modernization of Jane Austen's classic about an Indian girl and a rich American. It's the first Bollywood film I had experienced, and, honestly, I loved all of the crazy dancing and music!

3: A favorite book.

Oy, another hard one. I will just choose one off my profile... okay, The Secret Garden.
I love it because it reminds me of a very happy night of my life, as well as being a great story.

4: A favorite television program.

First, I really don't watch very much real TV, so my favorite TV show was found at the library.
Monarch of the Glen is about a Scottish highland estate called Glenbogle and its young laird. My mom and I have watched all seven seasons twice (!) The series really, really pulls you in. (It's also BBC!)

5. A favorite quote

Well, if I thought about it, I could recall some deep, wise one I have heard, but for now, I will give you:
You get more with a gun and a smile than just a smile. -Al Capone

Thanks for reading and I will see you all again tomorrow!

~Margaret Rowena

A dilemma

Have you ever been overwhelmed by books? You know, felt like there is so much to read, too much to read? That you should be reading the classics, like Dickens and Dostoyevsky, to improve your education, but you want to read some fantasy for fun? That's what I am feeling like today. The above picture is of all the library books I have out right now, their total number being 12. I have started five of them already, spastically reading one whenever I feel like it, along with the couple of books I have started here at home. So I probably have bookmarks in eight different books right now, not counting earlier today when I picked up The Outsiders to page through it and remind myself of the characters (I actually didn't put it down until chapter five or so).

Anyway, my point here is that sometimes reading loses it magic and becomes a hectic scheduling chore: Let's see here, if I read one chapter of Peter Pan, half a chapter of Gone With the Wind, five pages of Crime and Punishment, and several chapters of The Door Within, then I can count today as one that was profitable. Tomorrow I can do different books. Oh, and need to write some of my own book today, too. Maybe I can scribble something this evening.

I am tired of restricted reading! Today, I will read what I want to read, when I want to read it. Who's with me? :)

P.S.- If you have read any of the books in the picture and thought that they were really good or really bad, I would love to hear about it!

The Giver - Lois Lowry

Jonas is a boy living an average life. A very average life. He need not make any choices or experience any pain. Or pleasure, for that matter. Having known only blandness his whole life, he and everyone else in the Community are content and unquestioning. When all of the children turn twelve, they begin training for the jobs they will have as adults. The jobs are assigned by the Elders, the leaders of the Community, who, among other things, watch the children as they grow up for characteristics that will help them decide who is right for a certain occupation. While some of Jonas' companions have an idea of what they would like to become (they have no choice except what the Elders give them, but they vaguely know what job they would be best at), Jonas does not. He is completely surprised and somewhat scared when he is told that he will become the next Receiver of Memories, an exclusive and important job. He goes the Giver, the only person in the Community who has the memories of a past time, when emotions were still a part of life. Some of the memories the Giver transmits to Jonas are painful and frightening, but others are blissful and happy. With his new knowledge of the real beauty, sorrow, and joy of life, Jonas knows he will never be able to survive in the Community. After a while, an urgent need to leave the Community arises, and he knows that it is time to go Elsewhere.

This is a very deep and powerful book. If you haven't read it yet, I really recommend it. The Giver taught me to savor the gift of emotion that God has given me.

Happenings

Hello everyone! It feels like it has been a while since I last posted, and I wanted to write something cool for this newest post, but nothing was coming. So I am just going to tell you all the stuff that has been goin' on with me lately!

1. I had a piano recital tonight. I told myself and everyone that it was just another recital and there was no way I was nervous. Psh, I do these things all the time, right? Right. Well, my number was third to last on the program, so I had all concert to NOT think about my turn. But when the time drew near, I was feeling acute anxiety. I had hoped to play my piece from memory like I could at home, but if I had not had the music in front of me while I was playing, it would have been a disaster. But I did it, and it's done, and I have all year to prepare myself for a butterfly-free recital next time! My friend and I also played a duet of "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera that we have been practicing for quite some time. It turned out very nicely, I think. Big sigh of relief :)

2. I have been very tired for last few days. The reason? Late night reading. The book Inkheart by Cornelia Funke is the type that you simply cannot put down for at least five chapters. I have been letting myself go for up to ten, which means my light has been on at 12:00 AM on a week night. It's a book about books, and very suspenseful, so I am just loving it.

3. I am very fed up with school. I want it to be done!!!!! Maybe the snow (!!!) that is falling outside right now will help me get into the winter/school year mindset again. But for now it is Friday night, and I will block IT from my mind until next week. Starting now.

4. My delightful friend, Abigail, told a whole bunch of stuff about blogging, so now I know how to mess with the template and fonts and buttons and backgrounds.... Can you tell? How are you liking the new theme? This website has a wide selection of the cutest blog graphics I have seen yet.

5. More recital stuff: I have my violin recital tomorrow, and I am not as confident as I should be about my song. But my teacher (who you know to be very cool) is assured that I will do fine, so I am blaming the insecurity on recital jitters. Which still do exist, as I learned tonight!

Have a fabulous weekend!