YA Historical Fiction Month: Julie Chibbaro Interiew and Giveaway!

1. In what ways do you relate to your main character, Prudence?

Prudence is actually really different from me. I was not so great in school, especially at math and science. She’s sort of who I wish I was, in a lot of ways. I do relate to her inner dilemmas – I’m always weighing the moral issues of things, and I have similar self-confidence troubles.

2. How much research did you conduct before you started writing?

Research is a mixed bag. Once I get an idea for a story, I start writing. As the writing progresses, and I see what I need to know, then I continue the research. I use a lot of pictures, videos, and books and just read about the period compulsively, until I feel like I understand it. The research never really ends until I’m done with the book.

3. If you could travel back to any period in history where would you go?

I like this question. It’s the game I play with myself when I’m starting a book. I think the enduring answer would be: The 1960s. It seems like a time when people were most wild and free – musically, politically, and, um, otherwise. Many of my musical heroes/heroines are from that time. I could do without the war, but much of that time period is pretty fascinating to me.

4. What's next for you writing wise?

I’m working on historical mystery set in the 1940s, during WWII. It’s about a female serial killer, is all I can say. I just finished a book about a graffiti artist and a poet girl who live in the parks of NYC.

5. Why do you think teenagers should read historical fiction?

“Should” is a word I hesitate to use with teenagers. It’s the fastest way to turn them off (if I remember correctly). I just think there are some really cool stories in history, and a good book is a good book, no matter the label. So, read historical fiction if you want to read a great story, read it if you want to learn something about the past that doesn’t come from a boring history textbook, read it for fun, to pass the time, to annoy your family and friends with weird facts. For God’s sake, don’t read it because you “should.”

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Thanks so much Julie!

For more information on Julie and her newest release, Deadly, check out these links:

My review of Deadly

Deadly Facebook Page

Julie's website

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GIVEAWAY!

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YA Historical Fiction Month: Deadly Review

Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Release date: February 22, 2011

Source: Author

A mysterious outbreak of typhoid fever is sweeping New York.

Could the city’s future rest with its most unlikely scientist?

If Prudence Galewski is ever going to get out of Mrs. Browning’s esteemed School for Girls, she must demonstrate her refinement and charm by securing a job appropriate for a young lady. But Prudence isn’t like the other girls. She is fascinated by how the human body works and why it fails.

With a stroke of luck, she lands a position in a laboratory, where she is swept into an investigation of the fever bound to change medical history. Prudence quickly learns that an inquiry of this proportion is not confined to the lab. From ritzy mansions to shady bars and rundown tenements, she explores every potential cause of the disease. But there’s no answer in sight—until the volatile Mary Mallon emerges. Dubbed “Typhoid Mary” by the press, Mary is an Irish immigrant who has worked as a cook in every home the fever has ravaged. Strangely, though, she hasn’t been sick a day in her life. Is the accusation against her an act of discrimination? Or is she the first clue in a new scientific discovery?

Prudence is determined to find out. In a time when science is for men, she’ll have to prove to the city, and to herself, that she can help solve one of the greatest medical mysteries of the twentieth century.

Review:

Every time I crack up a historical fiction novel I learn something new, which is why I love them so much. Occasionally the book is about a time period I’ve read about numerous times like Elizabethan England, but in the case of Deadly everything was fresh, new, and interesting. I knew next to nothing about “Typhoid Mary”, including that she was an actual person. She always seemed more like a symbol than an actual human being. Luckily, Deadly opened my eyes to this time in history and kept me engaged and intrigued enough to finish it in one day.

Deadly was written in diary form from the perspective of a teenager named Prudence. Prudence was a very likable main character. Her strength and determination shown throughout and I always wanted the best for her. Reading about things through the eyes of a teenager made the story that much more interesting, especially Prudence’s involvement in everything. She drops out of school to work alongside a group of scientists researching typhoid and how it spreads. From there things get very complicated for Prudence. After much research Prudence and her colleagues discover the connection to all those who succumbed to typhoid- Mary Mallon.

Mary Mallon, also known as “Typhoid Mary”, was another big character in the book. Mary was an Irish immigrant who was unknowingly passing on the typhoid virus to the people at the different houses she worked at. The medical information and facts on typhoid were especially eye opening. Readers not only learned about the people involved, but also how and why the disease was spread. It was still unknown to the people of the time that someone could be a carrier for a disease without actually showing symptoms. Julie Chibbaro definitely did her research and it showed with the numerous facts presented in the book.

I liked the little drawings included in the story and they proved just how dedicated Prudence was to finding out what made humans tick. Her interest in cells and understanding death was a huge aspect of the story.

Although typhoid and Prudence’s involvement in research of it was a key part of the story, there were also several sub plots going on. Prudence’s father was missing and she and her mother didn’t know whether to move on or keep hoping for his return. Also, Prudence experiences her first feelings of love.

All in all, Deadly was an interesting and well researched novel and the main character was likable and determined. I learned a lot reading this and definitely recommend it!

Overall: 4.25 out of 5 stars

YA Historical Fiction Month: Guest Post from Keyona!

Keyona from Only Sexy Books Allowed is stopping by to talk about some of her favorite YA Historical Fiction Books. She picked some great ones!

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YA Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres. I'm obviously a huge fan of Young Adult books, but I feel like Historical fiction brings so much more to the table. As a reader we have the opportunity to learn abouta whole different point in time. It may be an era we'd learned about in school but reading it in a fiction novel sometimes makes it not only more realistic, but a lot more entertaining and engaging. Instead of telling us what happened during that time period, these books are practically transporting us there. The scenery, the language, and even the clothes that are worn play a hugepart. Here are some of my favorites:

The Agency by Y. S. Lee

This novel set in the 1850's Victorian London. This is one of my favorites because the main character, Mary isjust too fierce forwords. She's supposed to be cracking a mystery quietly about a shady rich merchant butinstead she's coming across even more secrets about the whole family and even herself. Breaking into warehouses, and hiding in wardrobes one day at a time. Who says she isn't a proper English woman?

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

This one is more so historical fantasy. When Nimira "trouser girl" gets offered a job to sing for Hollin Parry, she discovers that his Automaton is being haunted by the fairy prince Erris. This novel is filled with an odd love triangle, loads of unexplainable magic, mystery, and romance.

Everlasting by Angie Frazier

This historical fiction novel is set in 1800's San Francisco. This turned out to be a forbidden love story, turned adventure/mystery. There was definitely some romance but it was so much more to this than that. Frazier gives such great imagery as we follow Oscar and Camille all over Australia in the search for an ancient stone that has powers. With characters that jump off the page at you whether you love them or hate them, this novel will keep you wanting more.

Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham

This novel is set in 1932 Gee's Bend, Alabama. I love this because the author gives the reader an accurate account on what life was like during that time, and even educates us on rich quilting that Gee's Bend is famous for. Throughout the bookwe are going on a journey with Ludelphia to get her sick mom some medicine. Some of the people she meets along the way are very helpful and kind. Other people she encounter appear to be helpful but may have other motives. She learns at her young age that not everyone can be trusted and that looks are sometimes deceiving.

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

This actually comes out in stores January 11, 2011 but I recently finished it and it was so good I had to include it. When Michele finds the beautiful chain with the key, she is transported back in time to her ancestors. Set in New York City 1910, to the roaring 20's, and through the World War Michele is there. The Gilded Age is where she finally finds the man she's been dreaming about since she was a little girl and that's when things get a little tricky. This novel is humorous at times, heart breaking, engaging and romantic. I truly enjoyed it and it is a beautiful love story definitely for hopeless romantics.

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Thanks again, Keyona!

What are some of your favorite YA Historical Fiction Reads?

Review: Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

Release date: December 21, 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin/ 224 Pages/ Young Adult

Source: Publisher/Author (ARC)

Other books by this author: Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are

From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father.

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

Review:

Fall for Anything was, amazingly, my first novel by Courtney Summers. I have Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are on my TBR but I just haven’t had a chance to read them yet. After finishing the beautifully written and intense Fall for Anything I will be reading both of them as soon as I can!

To begin with, Eddie was a great main character. She wasn’t always likable, but my heart went out to her. She was dealing with so much pain and just didn’t know where to turn. After her father commits suicide, Eddie’s mother basically shuts herself off from the world. I truly felt for Mrs. Reeves, but I wish she was there for Eddie as well. I couldn’t relate to what Eddie was going through, but the pain and heartbreak of losing a loved one, especially a father, is terrible no matter what. Not only did Mr. Reeves commit suicide, but also he didn’t tell anyone why. No one knew, not Eddie, not Mrs. Reeves, and not Culler Evans, his ex-student.

Culler Evans was the one character that truly understood Eddie’s grief better than anyone. They set out on a road trip to visit the places in the photographs Mr. Reeves left behind for Eddie. As Eddie learns more and more about Culler she discovers he may not be what she seems. In addition to Culler, there were two other characters in this book that added so much to the story. Beth, Mrs. Reeves’s best friend and resident-in-control. It was great to watch Eddie’s relationship with both her mother and Beth change over the course of the story. Another character with a large part in the book was Milo. Milo was Eddie’s best friend since childhood and a truly sweet and understanding guy.

There was a lot of mystery and uncertainty concerning the suicide of Eddie’s father and Fall for Anything was packed with emotions. With a single phrase or statement Courtney could have me laughing or crying. This is one novel that I highly recommend picking up, especially since it released in paperback. Courtney Summers truly knows how to write a novel that will have readers gripping the pages and experiencing the emotions and ups and downs of each character. I am beyond anxious to read her previous two novels and to see what’s next for her.

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

YA Historical Fiction Month: Carolyn Meyer Guest Post and Giveaway!

“How much is true?”

That’s question I’m often asked about my historical novels.

The short answer: “All of it.”

But the real answer is more complicated. I don’t change facts. But sometimes there aren’t many facts to go on, or they aren’t at all clear, or historians don’t agree. So I often do a complicated dance, choosing among the possibilities to find those that make a good story that is also “true.”

My most recent book, THE BAD QUEEN: RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR MARIE-ANTOINETTE, illustrates the challenge. A lot is known about the life of Marie-Antoinette, but she is also surrounded by myths. Her supposedly hard-hearted dismissal of the French peasants unable to find enough bread to keep them alive, “Then let them eat cake!”, has been thoroughly discredited. There is no record of her saying it. Another hotly debated issue is whether or not she had an actual affair with the Swedish count. (Read the book and decide for yourself!)

My inspiration for writing the story of the famous (or infamous) French queen was the 2006 film, “Marie Antoinette”--gorgeous to look at, but I didn’t think it explored the subject in depth. Movie-makers are not concerned with factual accuracy. Their goal is to create a vivid impression in a very short time; no one cares if dates are altered or events rearranged. My goal was different: I used my research as a basis for imagining what Marie-Antoinette might have been thinking and feeling, to weave scenes and create dialog in order to make the story vivid and engrossing and to create a dynamic, wholly rounded—and believable--character.

I was fortunate with Marie-Antoinette; plenty of books have been written about her and about the French Revolution. But sometimes there simply aren’t many facts to rely on. I recently finished work on CLEOPATRA CONFESSES, a historical novel to be published in June 2011. What a challenge that was! Cleopatra’s birth date is approximate. No one knows who her mother was. There are no contemporary writings about her, none of her own words have been preserved, and there are no pictures of her to tell us what she really looked like.

But is it true? As true as I can imagine it to be.

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Thanks so much Carolyn for participating!

I love Carolyn's books and reviewed her newest book earlier today.

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GIVEAWAY!

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YA Historical Fiction Month Review: The Bad Queen by Carolyn Meyer

The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette by Carolyn Meyer

History paints her as a shallow party girl, a spoiled fashionista, a callous ruler. Perhaps no other royal has been so maligned—and so misunderstood—as Marie-Antoinette.

From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. She tried to please everyone—courtiers, her young husband, the king, the French people—but often fell short of their expectations. Desperate for affection and subjected to constant scrutiny, this spirited young woman can’t help but want to let loose with elaborate parties, scandalous fashions, and unimaginable luxuries. But as Marie-Antoinette’s lifestyle gets ever-more recklessly extravagant, the peasants of France are suffering from increasing poverty—and becoming outraged. They want to make the queen pay.

Review:

I have read almost all of Carolyn Meyer’s books and loved every one of them. She writes such great novels about females in history and presents their stories in an intriguing and enjoyable way. The Bad Queen was no exception.

I’ve read quite a bit about Marie-Antoinette, but never a whole novel about her. The Bad Queen spanned over the course of her whole life. From the time she was a young child to her death; in which case her daughter takes up the tale. My heart went out to Marie-Antoinette because she really wasn’t a bad person. Her life was just difficult. She was married off at a young age to a boy who didn’t understand marriage and ruling at all. King Louis XVI was another character in the novel I had never read about. Meyer wrote an intriguing look at the life of one of history’s most famous couples and opened readers eyes to how difficult things were for them, especially in their final days.

Marie-Antoinette was a controversial character. Her excessive spending and arrangement of extravagant balls was obviously not a good choice, but readers can still sympathize with her because she was so oblivious to what was really going on and was dealing with a lot. Carolyn Meyer presented both sides of Marie-Antoinette and I got really attached to her by the end of the story.

The historical facts included in the story were especially interesting. Reading about the fashions and rules of the court and the different people that Marie-Antoinette encountered throughout her life was one of my favorite aspects of the book. Each chapter began with a new rule Marie-Antoinette had to follow at the French Court and some of them were so extreme!

The Bad Queen was another great novel by Carolyn Meyer. It presented the famous French Queen in a new light and the facts were impressive and thorough. I highly recommend this to historical fiction fans!

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

April 12, 2010/Harcourt Children's Books/420 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Author

Fun Fireside Fiction Giveaway

Thanks to Simon and Schuster I have an awesome prize pack to giveaway to one lucky winner! One winner will receive a copy of each of the above books.

Rules:

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Good luck and Happy Holidays!

In My Mailbox (63)

First off, I hope everyone had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! I got some great books for review as well as some awesome books for Christmas- including a NOOK! It's awesome and I've already finished one book on it :)

For Review:

Kindred by Tammar Stein

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell (second copy)

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder

Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen

Loser/Queen by Jodi Lynn Anderson (two copies)

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg (second copy)

Entice by Carrie Jones (already read and loved)

Angelfire swag, Loser/Queen keychain, Christmas Card from Scholastic

Christmas Gifts:

Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Banished by Sophie Littlefield

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz

A Curse as Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

Purge by Sarah Darer Littman

Ruined by Paula Morris

Break by Hannah Moskowitz

A Nook!

IMM Is Hosted By: The Story Siren

Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

Review:

I have waited way too long to read The Body Finder- it was a completely fabulous and edge-of-your-seat debut that left me anxious to read the sequel as soon as possible.

Violet was a great main character who never let anything stand in her way. She was determined to do the right thing. Violet was a relatable character because she was just an average high school girl. Although one thing really separated Violet from regular teenagers- she could sense the bodies of murder victims. Mainly animals, but at age eight she discovered the body of a young girl- murdered and buried in the forest near her home. The epilogue truly set the tone for the book and once reading that I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down.

It isn’t until years later that Violet’s ability again leads her to discover the body of a human being. As more and more young girls in Violet’s town and the towns surrounding hers go missing, Violet realizes she may be the only person who can stop the murderer. One of the most disturbing parts of the novel was reading the story from the POV of the murderer. His sections were horrifying and cringe worthy, but added so much to the story.

Not only was this a mystery and suspense novel, but also a romance. In the midst of all the terror going on around Violet, she discovers her feelings for her best friend, Jay, are turning into something more. I loved Jay- he was sweet, kind, and oblivious to the attentions of practically every girl in his high school. Watching his and Violet’s relationship develop was so sweet- they were perfect for each other but neither of them was able to come straight out and say it. Jay also saved the day many times and helped Violet out of many tough situations.

There was endless suspense and the ending, while I did see some of it coming, was exciting and had me clinging to the book, dying to know how things would turn out.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Body Finder, it was a well written and original debut and I’m anxious to see what’s next for Violet and Jay in Desires of the Dead.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

March 16, 2010/HarperTeen/329 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Trade/Gift

Other books in the series: Desires of the Dead

Entice Giveaway!

I have a giveaway for a hardcover copy of Entice by Carrie Jones along with some bookmarks!

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YA Historical Fiction Month: Anna Godbersen Interview

1. If the girls from The Luxe and the girls from Bright Young Things could spend a day together what would they do?

What all girls do everywhere—talk about boys!

2. Of all your characters which one do you relate to the most?

There is a lot of Letty in me (minus the singing ability), but a lot of Cordelia, too. Astrid is the girl I always wanted to be.

3. What is your favorite Broadway show?

I haven’t seen many, but I was incredibly moved by Cabaret when I saw it by chance a few years ago.

4. If you could travel back to any period in history, where would you go?

French Riviera, 1920s, for sure. Picasso, the Fitzgeralds, various bohemians, sunshine, striped sailors’ shirts, cartwheel hats, villas. Done.

5. Bright Young Things takes place during the Jazz Age, do you have a particular song or songs you think relate to the novel best?

You know, I listened to a lot of Louis Armstrong while I was writing, and that certainly gave me a sense of the playfulness of the times. But I think Cat Power’s “Lived in Bars,” while anachronistic, probably captures the emotional realities of these girls much better. I love that song—it is so broken and so beautiful, so yearning and defeated, it is both sparkly and sad at once.

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Thanks so much Anna!

For more information on Anna and her books visit her website here.

Also, check out my review of her newest release, Bright Young Things!