Review: Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin by Chieri Uegaki

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Hana has signed up to play the violin at the talent show, even though she's only had three lessons. Her brothers predict disaster. But Hana practices and practices, inspired by her grandfather, or Ojiichan, who played the violin every day when she visited him in Japan. As Hana takes the stage, doubt is all she can hear, until she recalls her grandfather's words of encouragement, and shows the audience how beautiful music can take many forms.

MY TAKE:
This is one of the most beautiful books I've read in awhile.

In Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin, Hana is a young girl who signs up to play the violin at her school's talent show, despite the fact the she just started playing the violin. Her brothers don't believe she can do it, but she practices as hard as she can before the talent show. When the time comes, will her performance be as good as she dreams it will be?

The combination of the illustrations and the prose had a bittersweet, whimsical quality that reminded me a little bit of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle. The ending of this book is a very happy one, though. I think it was mostly the style of the illustration, which reminded me of old-school Japanese anime cartoons I used to watch when I was a kid, as well as the imagery of the prose that made me feel that way.

Some of the words may be a little too advanced for younger children, and the length of the text on each page may seem a little long as well, but if an adult were to read it aloud to younger kids and explain the more complex words, even kids who have a more limited vocabulary may be able to appreciate this.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the e-ARC. Publication date of Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin is on August 1, 2014.

THE GOOD:

1. The illustrations are reminiscent of old-school Japanese anime cartoons, but with sharper colors.
2. The prose is beautiful.
3. It teaches the importance of perseverance and believing in yourself.

THE BAD:

1. Some of the words may be too advanced for younger children. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Ojiichan played every morning. From his study, the clear, bright notes would drift upstairs, through the shoji screen doors to where Hana slept on sweet-smelling tatami mats, and coax her awake as gently as sunshine. 

READ IT IF:

1. Your child plays the violin.
2. You or your child like whimsical books and movies.
3. You like beautiful imagery. 

RATING:


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Teaser Tuesdays

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!

The corrosion of the metal ran across its surface like a coral on a reef.

Blackwood Crossing Book Blast and Giveaway

Blackwood Crossing

If you had to make a choice, would it be loyalty or love?

Torn between loyalty to her family and refusal to marry a laird she despises, Rhona Davidson accepts a dangerous proposal from a man she knows only as Blackwood.

Leaving behind a life of leisure, Charles Blackwood bravely serves his country with honor and the skill of a trained British agent. When his newest case returns him to the wild Highlands of Scotland, he is faced with a choice between killing a man and saving the only woman he has ever loved.

Charles and Rhona join their lives, only to discover that their choices will result in bloodshed, unless they can uncover a truth long buried, deep in the Highland soil.



Praise for Blackwood Crossing

"MK McClintock has spun an enchanting tale deeply entrenched in the lands of Scotland and England that will leave you riveted to your chair until you turn the last page."

- Donna McBroom-Theriot, mylifeonstoryatatime.com



“This is a wonderful book with suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat and surprises to keep me guessing . . . a feisty heroine and a strong, gentle hero . . . My poetic soul is fed by the beautiful descriptions of nature.” – Verna Mitchell, author of Somewhere Beyond the Blue



“Ms. McClintock has written another whirlwind romance set in a historical world. I loved returning to a world with such a mesmerizing atmosphere, and I am more than eager to read Devon's romantic story in the next British Agent Novel.” – R. Harness, Amazon reviewer



“Her writing is always top notch . . . In BLACKWOOD CROSSING, her storytelling flows with a clear plot and strong characters.” – L. Townsend, Amazon reviewer

Amazon Kindle * Amazon Print * B&N NOOK * Kobo * AllRomance

Excerpt

Charles held the silver watch in his palm, watching the seconds and minutes pass. Devon would arrive to relieve him in half an hour. Until then, his thoughts would continue to be plagued with images of Rhona in the room behind him. If she had met him, Charles Blackwood, Viscount and British agent, and not Charles Pearce, the common man who saved her life a little more than two years ago, would they have found a way to stay together?
Keeping their identities secret was one of the reasons why both he and Tristan had quit the agency. Had the last assignment, which pulled them back into service, been for anyone other than a friend, they would have remained retired or at least tried to. That matter was easily solved, but then another case arose, and then another, until they found themselves once again at the top of the agency’s assignment list. They had managed for nearly two years to avoid accepting assignments, and Charles appreciated that Tristan was here for him.
He also knew there wouldn’t be another woman in his lifetime, and he was prepared to make his life a solitary one, but he never imagined escorting the only woman he had ever loved to another man. Charles recalled Rhona promising him that one day he would regret his choice to leave her behind.

“My father will never let me marry a commoner, but I will run away with you.” Rhona pressed her gloved hand against Charles’s face.
Charles turned his face inward and kissed her palm. “Nothing would please me more, but I can’t stay.”
Rhona pulled away. “I don’t understand.”
Charles ignored the heavy ache in his chest. “As you said, I’m a commoner, and England is home. It’s where my work is.”
“Then work here.”
“Too many are leaving Scotland. You know it’s not possible.”
Rhona stood from the bench they’d been sharing inside the walled garden, now left dormant with the heart of winter settling in. “It would be possible if it’s what you truly wanted.”
“Rhona, it’s not a simple thing for me to stay.”
“When do you leave?”
Charles stood beside her and reached out, but she backed away. His hand dropped to his side. “I have to leave in the morning.”
“One day, Charles, you will regret this choice.” Rhona walked quickly, frost and leaves crunching under each step as she moved farther away.
“I already do.” Charles’s whisper was carried away with the wind.

There’s also another giveaway taking place on Goodreads. Blackwood Crossing Goodreads Giveaway

Author MK McClintock

MK McClintock is an author, entrepreneur, and photographer. She enjoys spending hours walking along rivers or over mountains, loves the Scottish Highlands, and likes to put her creative energy to use in the kitchen. She dreams of a time when life was simpler, the land rougher, and the journey more rewarding. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, McClintock lives and writes in Montana.

Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

Pinterest * YouTube * Website * Blog

Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/30/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

FROM NETGALLEY:

All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant
Books That Cook: The Making of a Literary Meal by Jennifer Cognard-Black and Melissa A. Goldtwaite
Depth of Field by Chantel Guertin

Review: The Beast Within A Tale of Beauty's Prince by Serena Valentino

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

A cursed prince sits alone in a secluded castle. Few have seen him, but those who claim they have say his hair is wild and nails are sharp--like a beast's! But how did this prince, once jovial and beloved by the people, come to be a reclusive and bitter monster? And is it possible that he can ever find true love and break the curse that has been placed upon him?

MY TAKE:
Based on the cover, I assumed that this would be a prequel, in a way, to Beauty and the Beast.

In The Beast Within A Tale of Beauty's Prince, we learn of the Prince's background and what he was like before he became a beast and met Belle. This includes how he was transformed into a beast and what he did to become even more beastly.

The book is based on the movie, in the sense that there are scenes that have dialogue that are taken verbatim from the movie. However, it does have a number of differences too. One of those is the number of witches who cursed the Prince. In the movie, it was only one. In the book, it was one, sort of, but with three other witches with her.

One of the interesting things the book did was to make the Prince and Gaston friends. You couldn't see that from the movie, of course, but the explanation as to why they didn't remember each other was satisfactory enough.

Too bad Belle didn't really figure prominently until the last few chapters. I found the Prince's previous paramours to be annoying.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Press for the e-ARC. Publication date of The Beast Within A Tale of Beauty's Prince is on July 22, 2014.

THE GOOD:

1. It gives you an idea of what the Prince was like before.
2. There are cameos from other famous characters, Disney or otherwise.
3. The Beast seems a little more human. 

THE BAD:

1. You might not like the Prince's former love interests. 

READ IT IF:

1. You liked the Beauty and the Beast movie.
2. You like reading prequels.
3. You wonder what the Beast was like before he became a beast. 

RATING:


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Review: WARP Book 2: The Hangman's Revolution by Eoin Colfer

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Ages 12 and up
Young FBI agent Chevie Savano arrives back in modern-day London after a time-trip to the Victorian age, to find the present very different from the one she left. Europe is being run by a Facsist movement known as the Boxites, who control their territory through intimidation and terror. Chevie's memories come back to her in fragments, and just as she is learning about the WARP program from Professor Charles Smart, inventor of the time machine, he is killed by secret service police. Now they are after Chevie, too, but she escapes--into the past. She finds Riley, who is being pursued by futuristic soldiers, and saves him. Working together again, it is up to Chevie and Riley to find the enigmatic Colonel Clayton Box, who is intent on escalating his power, and stop him before he can launch missiles at the capitals of Europe.

MY TAKE:
If you were a fan of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series, you'll probably like this one too.

In WARP Book 2: The Hangman's Revolution, Chevie finds herself in a future wherein Colonel Box has taken over the world. When she ends up time-traveling back to Victorian London, she must again team up with Riley and other new acquaintances in order to save the future from Colonel Box.

There are several theories on time travel. From what I can tell, this books leans more towards the multiple universe theory. At first, I was a little confused as to when the two main characters where, since I hadn't read the first book. However, once Chevie had time-traveled, it was really easy for me to follow along. You don't need to read the first book in order to follow the story, but it helps since there are some references to things that happened in the first book.

There are a number of things I liked about this book. One is you really get a feel for Victorian London. The accents and slang flow so easily and it's easy to imagine the characters. The characters are also pretty complex, in the sense that you see different sides to even the villains, so it's easier to see the characters as people.

The dialogue and the prose is also funny without trying very hard, so it's an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the e-ARC. Publication date of WARP Book 2: The Hangman's Revolution is on June 24, 2014.

THE GOOD:

1. You really feel like you're in Victorian London.
2. The characters are complex.
3. The book is very entertaining.

THE BAD:

1. The book can be a little violent for some.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

But they looked like dandies from some ancient royal court, resplendent in powdered wigs and rouged cheeks, and in their midst sat Otto Malarkey himself, the most powdered of the lot. 

READ IT IF:

1. You liked the Artemis Fowl series.
2. You enjoy reading books set during the Victorian era.
3. You like characters that are funny.

RATING:


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Interview with Ben Hatke, author of The Return of Zita the Spacegirl

Today, we have an interview with Ben Hatke, the author of The Return of Zita the Spacegirl.

What was the hardest thing about writing this book?

That's a tough question because, of the three Zita books, this was was absolutely the easiest to write and the most fun. The main difficulty with this book was just making time to write it! You see most of this book was written over a very busy summer when we were visiting my wife's family in Italy. All summer I felt like the only one who wasn't on vacation.

Which of your characters can you relate to the most?

Ohh, let's see... A lot of times I feel like my wife, Anna, and I are a bit like Zita and Joseph. She will say "Let's do this adventurous thing!" and I will say "Let's just be careful instead." I feel like Piper is one side of my personality too. Piper is not as charming as he thinks he is.  

Which part of the book was the easiest to write?

One (the robot) is always the easiest character to write. He's such a strong personality that I always know just what he's going to say. The Piper and Madrigal parts were also easy because their relationship has been floating around in my brain for a while. I actually wish we could have seen a bit more of them in this story.

Which actors would play the main characters in the movie version of the book?

I've always thought Frank Oz would do a good voice for One. I imagine One's voice as being similar to Sam the Eagle, but a little rougher.

Other than that... I don't know! I haven't thought about it enough. That would be a fun question to put up on the internet.

Which songs would be on the soundtrack of the movie version of the book?

Let's see, I think James Newton Howard would do a great job with the score. And some of the music from the recent Doctor Who series works pretty well. Two songs that seem connected to Zita are Home is Where Your Heart Is by The Sounds and Hero by Family of the Year.

Any future books in the works?

Oh yes! I have my picture book, Julia's House for Lost Creatures, coming up in September, and after that will be a new graphic novel called Little Robot which is about a very young girl a small robot who develop a friendship over the course of a summer. That book takes place near my house, so I've done a lot of outside sketching for it. After that, well, I've got several projects in the works....

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ben Hatke's first graphic novel was Zita the Spacegirl. He has published comics stories in the Flight series as well as Flight Explorer.  In addition to writing and drawing comics, he also paints in the naturalist tradition and, occasionally, performs one-man fire shows.  Return of Zita the Spacegirl is his most recent entry in the New York Times Best-Selling Zita trilogy. 

Hatke lives and works in the Shenandoah Valley with his wife and their boisterous pack of daughters.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Ben Hatke brings back our intrepid space heroine for another delightful sci-fi/fantasy adventure in this New York Times‑Bestselling graphic novel trilogy for middle grade readers.

Zita the Spacegirl has saved planets, battled monsters, and wrestled with interplanetary fame. But she faces her biggest challenge yet in the third and final installment of the Zita adventures. Wrongfully imprisoned on a penitentiary planet, Zita has to plot the galaxy's greatest jailbreak before the evil prison warden can execute his plan of interstellar domination!

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