The Watcher in the Shadows by Chris Moriarty

The Watcher in the Shadows 
(Inquisitor's Apprentice #2)

by Chris Moriarty

4.0 out of 5 stars An Alternate History? or Alternate World?, July 2, 2013

This book is everything that a tween or teen reader is looking for today...it is a little Victorian, just a touch of Steampunk and lots of Adventure.

That being said I really didn't expect to like it (not a big fan of Alternate Worlds) but it won me over! I didn't read Book One in the series, The Inquisitor's Apprentice so I truly thought it might be a difficult read but the characters and story sucked me in!

Magic - History - and death by an Electric Tuxedo?  what's not to like?  ...oh and the author's name is Moriarty...Seriously?  Love it!

The Watcher in the Shadows (Inquisitor's Apprentice) has something for everyone and boys will love it as much as the girls...some of the dialog is a little disjointed, though that could be a period issue.

I would recommend this series to boys and girls from 12 up (10 if they are good readers).



Summary from Amazon:
At the turn of the twentieth century, New York’s Bowery District becomes the scene of a terrible murder when the Klezmer King gets fried to a crisp by his Electric Tuxedo—on stage! The Inquisitor’s apprentice, thirteen-year-old Sacha Kessler, tries to help find the killer, but the closer he gets to solving the crime, the more it sounds as if the creature that haunted him in his first adventure is back. Worse still, his own Jewish family is in danger. Sacha has avoided learning magic until now, but as his world falls apart around him, he changes his mind.

#BookTrailerThursday - Debut Novel "Let The Sky Fall"

Book Trailer Thursdays!

To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before. 

Today we are featuring a Sneak Peek from...Shannon Messenger's Debut Novel! ...with some amazing buzz!

A broken past and a divided future can’t stop the electric connection of two teens in this “charged and romantic” (Becca Fitzpatrick), lush novel.

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

#BookTrailerThursday - My Prophecy? Ellen Oh's Debut My Most Anticipated New Book

Book Trailer Thursdays!

To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before. 

Today we are featuring a Sneak Peek from Prophecy, the Debut Novel by Ellen Oh!

PROPHECY by Ellen Oh -- Book Trailer by harperteen

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms . . . is a girl with yellow eyes. Kira is the only female in the king's army, and the prince's bodyguard. She's a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she's their only hope . . . Murdered kings, traitors, and a demon invasion sends Kira on the run with the young prince, who may be the true heir to the Dragon King's throne, destined to reunite the seven kingdoms. But without the lost treasures, there will be nothing left to reunite. With only the guidance of a cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king. Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping debut from Ellen Oh. Purchase your copy today! Amazon: http://amzn.to/T4G7Um Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/STb6Ev Books-a-Million: http://bit.ly/W2KYGz IndieBound: http://bit.ly...

Friday Matinee - Books To Movies: Beautiful Creatures

Are you as excited as I am for the new Beautiful Creatures MOVIE!!!

...probably one of my all time favorite series and btw - an amazing listen also so if you do a lot of driving or jogging...all of the voices are spot on!


So may I present...the official movie trailer...

#BookTrailerThursdays - The Rise of Nine

Book Trailer Thursdays!

To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before. 






This week we are featuring:

The Rise of Nine
(Lorien Legacy #3)

by Pittacus Lore





The official book trailer for THE RISE OF NINE by Pittacus Lore, in stores 8/21/12!

THEY know the charm is broken.
THEY know we're all in danger now.
THEY are determined to find us before
WE find each other.
WE must come together.
WE are Lorien and Earth's only hope, and
WE are prepared to sacrifice everything.

POWER IN NUMBERS WILL SAVE US ALL.

For more information, visit: http://iamnumberfourfans.com/

Latest Louise Rennison Heroine - Tallulah Casey

Have you seen the latest from the brilliantly funny author Louise Rennison?  you remember Louise from the hilarious high jinks in her "Confessions of Georgia Nicolson" series.

With this latest series she introduces a new heroine, Tallulah...drama queen in more ways than one!  With titles like "Withering Tights" and "A Midsummer Tights Dream" -  the Misadventures of Tallulah Casey promises:

"Hilarious new series from Queen of Teen – laugh your tights off at the (VERY) amateur dramatic antics of Talullah and her bonkers mates. Boys, snogging and bad acting guaranteed!"

....and to help you with those hard to understand "English" terms...

#BookTrailerThursday - The Age Of Miracles

Book Trailer Thursdays!
To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before.






This week we present...

The Age of Miracles
by Karen Thompson Walker

“It still amazes me how little we really knew. . . . Maybe everything that happened to me and my family had nothing at all to do with the slowing. It’s possible, I guess. But I doubt it. I doubt it very much.”

Luminous, haunting, unforgettable, The Age of Miracles is a stunning fiction debut by a superb new writer, a story about coming of age during extraordinary times, about people going on with their lives in an era of profound uncertainty.

On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, 11-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life—the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.

With spare, graceful prose and the emotional wisdom of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker has created a singular narrator in Julia, a resilient and insightful young girl, and a moving portrait of family life set against the backdrop of an utterly altered world. 

#BookTrailerThursdays: Changeling, By Philippa Gregory

Book Trailer Thursdays!

To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before.

This week we present...Changeling, the very first YA book by the amazing  Philippa Gregory via Simon Teen






Italy, 1453. Seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is brilliant, gorgeous—and accused of heresy. Cast out of his religious order for using the new science to question old superstitious beliefs, Luca is recruited into a secret sect: The Order of the Dragon, commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate evil and danger in its many forms, and strange occurrences across Europe, in this year—the end of days.     

Isolde is a seventeen-year-old girl shut up in a nunnery so she can’t inherit any of her father’s estate. As the nuns walk in their sleep and see strange visions, Isolde is accused of witchcraft—and Luca is sent to investigate her, but finds himself plotting her escape.     

Despite their vows, despite themselves, love grows between Luca and Isolde as they travel across Europe with their faithful companions, Freize and Ishraq. The four young people encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers as they head toward a real-life historical figure who holds the boundaries of Christendom and the secrets of the Order of the Dragon.      

The first in a series, this epic and richly detailed drama is grounded in historical communities and their mythic beliefs. It includes a medieval map of Europe that will track their journey; and the interior will include relevant decorative elements as well as an interior line illustration. And look for a QR code that links to a note from the author with additional, detailed information about the setting and the history that informed the writing. With Philippa Gregory’s trademark touch, this novel deftly brings the past—and its salacious scandals—vividly and disturbingly to life.

The Mark of the Golden Dragon (Bloody Jack Adventures)

The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea (Bloody Jack Adventures) (Hardcover)  

by L. A. Meyer

I never get tired of these books and in this recent installment on the life of the cunning and now beautiful Jacky Faber, soldier, sailor, spy, and Pirate Extraordinaire we follow Jacky into a world of danger and high adventure in the South China Sea!!!!

The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea (Bloody Jack Adventures) doesn't disappoint - on her return trip to London to find the man she loves a typhoon turns the ship, and the lives of the crew, around!

I have to share a moment with you - I love these books for the gripping adventures and world travel - but I never realized just how much is based in history and how much of the drama and events that unfold are based in reality. I was watching Jeopardy one night and was able to answer an entire column of questions on the founding of the Australian Colonies due to the last book in this series The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, On Her Way to Botany Bay (Bloody Jack Adventures). BRAVO L.A. Meyer - who knew history could be so much fun!

Recommended for boys & girls alike (my opinion - 10 and up) - girls will love the strong willed Jacky and boys will be in awe!  This book was provided to me through the Amazon Vine Program.

#BookTrailerThursdays: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Book Trailer Thursdays!
To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before.

This week we present... "Insurgent" the sequel to Veronica Roth's Blockbuster "Divergent"!



INSURGENT is the much-anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling DIVERGENT.

ABOUT INSURGENT:
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. 

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature. 

Join the #DivergentNation at http://www.facebook.com/divergentseries 

Order your copy today:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/H21jGu 
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/H8E65h 
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/Hy1PLb 
iBookstore: http://bit.ly/H0uy9e
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/Hy28Wy

...and I couldn't resist adding this cool Thank You from the author!



Thank you, Divergent Nation, for making both DIVERGENT and INSURGENT #1 New York Times bestsellers!

For more information on INSURGENT, visit:http://harperteen.com/books/Insurgent-Veronica-Roth/?isbn=9780062024046
For more information on DIVERGENT, visit:http://harperteen.com/books/Divergent-Veronica-Roth/?isbn=9780062024039

Join the Divergent Nation at http://facebook.com/divergentseries

Teaser Tuesday - "Damned"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Tuesday Teaser Today is from...

Damned  (Crusade #2)

by Nancy Holder 

and Debbie Viguie'

"Jamie leaped into the room, and suddenly saw everything in ultrasharp focus.  A white-haired vampire in jeans and a black sweater sat at a computer terminal.  A man in white cammies and a gas mask was standing in front of him."

Yep - those girls who gave you Wicked are at it again!  This quote is from the ARC which I got from Simon & Schuster.  It drops August 2011 - so you have time to read book one Crusade first !

Prisoners In The Palace:  

How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter and a Scoundrel

By Michaela MacColl

My Review from Amazon:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Summer Read...historical intrigue for teens!

This review is from: Prisoners in the Palace: How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel (Hardcover)

This book was right up my alley...I love Historical Fiction and the Teen/Young Adult genre, but it is few and far between that you find historical fiction written for teens!

Prisoners in the Palace: How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel is almost guaranteed to get your teen interested in history. Just the right amount of the politics of the time, blended with society and the daily lives of children in the pre-Victorian era.

Yes it's a coming of age story but with friendships that transcend station and a young girl's search for the strength it will take to become the woman she is destined to be...even though that woman is the Queen of England! It is a quick read filled with intrigue and that constant "fear of getting caught" tightness that teenagers seem to live for!

Teachers - grab this one it is a great introduction to Pre-Victorian England... 


Product Description - from Amazon:

London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?

Meticulously based on newly discovered information, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

About the Author - from Amazon:

Michaela MacColl studied multi-disciplinary history at Vassar College and Yale University, which turns out to be the perfect degree for writing historical fiction. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and three extremely large cats in Connecticut. This is her first book.

#ArmChairBEA: BUZZ Panels - Tweens & Teens

Thanks to the great BEA coverage from Publisher's Weekly...


BEA 2011: A BEA First: A Middle-Grade Buzz Panel 

There’s a kind of inferiority complex at work in the middle-grade market, which is sometimes perceived as receiving less attention and respect than its YA older sibling (which, in turn, has its own self-esteem issues when compared to the adult publishing world). But while the first-ever Middle-Grade Editors Buzz Panel at BEA wasn’t an SRO affair as were the YA and adult panels, it was still quite full. And more importantly, the five editors on stage confirmed what most devotees already know: middle-grade fiction can have all the action, wonder, and power as books published for older readers.

Moderator Lisa Von Drasek, librarian at New York’s Bank Street College of Education
Books: The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann; Wildwood by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis; Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby; The Apothecary by Maile Meloy, illustrated by Ian Schoenherr; and The Dragon’s Tooth by N.D. Wilson.

More...http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/47432-bea-2011-a-bea-first-a-middle-grade-buzz-panel.html

BEA 2011: YA Buzz Panel Rocks Javits 

As five editors talked up their favorite YA fall releases to a packed room of about 200 people during Tuesday afternoon’s YA Editor’s Buzz panel at BEA, a few things became clear: these books are what happens when editors want titles that reflect elements of Twilight, The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. This fall, it’s all about multi-layered thrills, chills, adventure, and romance, mixed in with the paranormal. 

Moderator:  Jack Martin of the New York Public Library

Books: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (Little, Brown); Au Revoir Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber (Houghton Mifflin); Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon (HarperCollins); The Unbecoming of Mara Dyerby Michelle Hodkin (Simon & Schuster); and Down the Mysterly Riverby Bill Willingham (Tor). 

More: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/47431-bea-2011-ya-buzz-panel-rocks-javits.html

ArmChair BEA: Day One Reports from the Trenches...

There are some really fabulous reports from the trenches for the School Library Journal coming from:

Susan M. Bartle, Precision Planning Diva of Library & Travel Events, and School Library System Coordinator for the Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES

WOW! I am regretting not being able to get to the Children's Book & Author Breakfast:

The Children's Book & Author Breakfast: This was one of the best children's breakfast programs I've attended in the last five years. This year's lineup included Sarah Dessen, Kevin Henkes, Katherine Paterson, and Brian Selznick, and was hosted by actress Julianne Moore. 

For more from Day One:  http://www.slj.com/slj/newslettersnewsletterbucketextrahelping2/890778-477/bea_2011_sljs_special_assignment.html.csp

Also from MediaBistro's Galley Cat:

As the publishing world concluded one last day of bookselling, panel discussions and parties at BookExpo America, GalleyCat continued to cover the conference.

Check out our BEA 2011 Cheat Sheet if you want to explore the conference and parties. Here are some links to our ongoing coverage…

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/bea-2011-return-of-the-galleycat_b31153

ArmChair BEA

For all those bloggers, reviewers and readers that can't make that trip to NYC!

With all of the perks & benefits of being there - panel discussions, Tweet Ups, Blogger Events, Book Chats, Book Trailers, Introductions and reveals...all from the comfort of your own home!

May 23rd through May 27th!

See the giveaways and events that have already happened and connect with other ArmChair BEA participants at ArmChair BEA Central!    http://www.armchairbea.com/