Review: ROBIN: LADY OF LEGEND by R.M. ArceJaeger

 

ROBIN: LADY OF LEGEND, (The Untold Adventures of the Girl Who Became Robin Hood)

R.M. ArceJaeger

Amazon Kindle Edition, ASIN-B006SFN4GI

Platypus Press, (505KB)

January 2012.

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous retell of the classic story Robin Hood, but this time the role of Robin Hood is a girl. Robin is the recalcitrant, headstrong daughter of Lord Robert of Locksley.  She has no recollection of a warm loving father.  She has little contact with him, he is distant and reclusive, preferring to ignore his two daughters.  Then one day she is summoned to meet with her father. With cautious trepidation she arrives in his study.

He begins by stating the obvious, that it is her birthday. However, he is unable to recall that she is eighteen, not seventeen, and Robin politely corrects him. Without delay her father announces he has a surprise for her that he will reveal at her birthday feast. During the celebration she accepts a dance with a man who introduces himself as Phillip. He roughly pulls her close with arrogance and Robin is revolted by his acrid breath and demeanor. Once the music stops, Robin is further repelled when he kisses her on the lips. Some time later, her father announces her birthday surprise. It is the engagement of his daughter Robin to Phillip Darniel, the Sherriff of Nottingham. Robin is loath to accept Phillip, and is shocked with disbelief.

It is this situation that leads to her plan.  She will never agree to this marriage. With skill, determination and cunning Robin of Locksley, expert archer, transforms herself into a young boy.

R.M. ArceJaeger crafts the retelling of the classic Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest with the substitution of Robin, a women heroine.   She honors the classic by keeping the original characters, but the adventures are more complicated with a woman leading her band of outlaws.  I for one am delighted that this Robin gives young girls a role model that isn't dressed as the beautiful helpless princess. The story is most suitable for YA audiences and adults due to some mature content. Place is easily envisioned with the author's ability to capture mood and setting with precise descriptive prose.

Honestly, I couldn't put my Kindle down. I read this one in one afternoon at lightening speed. ROBIN LADY OF LEGEND will captivate readers with start to finish action adventure that certainly complements the original.

 Disclaimer: A Kindle Edition of this book was sent digitally for my review. This review is my honest opinion without bias for any reason.

Reference Links: http://rmarcejaeger.com

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012].

Disclaimer: A Kindle Edition of this book was sent digitally for my review. This review is my honest opinion without bias for any reason.

 

Read Across America Day at School

We Speak For The Trees!

Here I am (on left in orange) with a colleague as we greeted the students entering the building this morning. 

It was a blast at school today as our community celebrated READING.
Students and staff dressed up as their favorite Dr. Seuss characters. Truffula trees were everywhere...as you can see.

http://www.readacrossamerica.org/

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot

THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS
Rebecca Skloot
978-1-400005217-2
Crown Publishers, 2010, $26.00
HC, 370 Pages







It was during the 1950’s at John Hopkins Hospital that HeLa cells began to grow. The donor of the cells was unaware that a specimen was taken from her. She was unaware that she had only a short time to live. She was unaware that the future of medicine would owe so much to her. Henrietta Lacks was born in 1920, delivered in a shack, she was the ninth child. Her family farmed tobacco on the same land where her ancestors were slaves.

I recently read, THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS. Although it was published a while ago, I had heard high praise and affirmations everywhere. It has been on top reviewers lists and the blog world has been abuzz. This is a book you will want to read again, or skim back over chapters and passages that were just unimaginable...emotionally gripping. The truth so chilling and bizarre you will find your mouth drop in disbelief.

Rebecca Skloot, is a tenacious and strong-willed writer with compassion and understanding that compliments her drive for success. It is to her credit that she was able to craft such a spellbinding non-fiction account of the life of Henrietta Lacks.

It surprised me that I had no idea who Henrietta Lacks was. It surprised me that her story had never been fully realized. It surprised me that a medical book about cells and bioethics would even interest me. It surprised me as I began this book, that I simply couldn’t put it down. Rebecca Skloot shapes an absorbing story based on intense research sifting through primary documents and her candid and empathetic interviews with Lacks family. Astonishing truths about race relations in the medical field and the unacceptable covert practices that took place are chilling. It is a tribute to the author’s humanity that she so honored Henrietta Lacks’ family and gained their trust and friendship in order to help finally tell the story of the woman who made such a spectacular medical contribution that continues over 60 years beyond her own death.

A look back to this era when it was commonplace to use patients as subjects of experiments, whether African American or other marginalized members of society is still eerie to me-hard to conceptualize. Through our twenty-first century eyes the book reads more like a science fiction novel. I embrace THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS, with highest praise. Rebecca Skloot’s story is unnerving non-fiction, a bold accomplishment.

Disclaimer: I purchased the copy of this book. 


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012].

Join us for national Boycott Skechers weekend

Join us for national Boycott Skechers weekend

ASPCA | Skechers Super Bowl Ad Promotes Greyhound Racing

ASPCA | Skechers Super Bowl Ad Promotes Greyhound Racing

New from Galt-Greyhound Adoption League of Texas

 
 This was recently produced and published to You Tube by GALT, an adoption organization doing great work in Texas.  I have seen many movies produced about greyhounds and their situations....this one in my opinion is exceptional.  Thanks to GALT and all the adoption groups who give tirelessly to give greyhounds a better life.



Locally, those looking to adopt a greyhound or donate can also go to Greyhound Rescue and Rehabilitation. 


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012]. 

Petition to Stop Ad to Air on Super Bowl Promoting Dog Racing!!!!

Skechers is planning to air an ad during the Super Bowl that advocates greyhound dog racing. Please go to the Grey 2 K site and help stop the cruelty to greyhounds. Help in any way you can. You can start by signing a petition to stop the Super Bowl ad. If you have ever seen a racetrack dog kennel and the horrible conditions these poor hounds must endure, you know what I mean. If not...take a look at this undercover report featured on the Grey 2K website of a kennel in Tucson, AZ.  This is unfortunately very typical of a greyhound's life as a racer.

 

http://www.grey2kusa.org/boycottskechers/

 

Thank you for your interest. 

Here is a recent picture from the holidays of my two boys, Lion and Wizard. They were both adopted by me from the track when their racing life was finished.  

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012].

Happy New Year Everyone!

Wishes to all my blogger friends for a GREYT New Year!!!

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012].

Oh NOOOOO-Rachel Crow is Eliminated-Your opinion

This video speaks for itself.  What do you think?
Should Rachel Crow have been eliminated?
This performance was stellar. My heart breaks for her. Rachel it is not over...

YOU ARE A BRILLIANT SHINING STAR

Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton

Oh No, GEORGE!
by Chris Haughton
Candlewick Press
978-0-7636-5546-4
To be released 2012
$15.99/$18.00CAN






I received a surprise package from Candlewick Press today with the book Oh No, GEORGE.  I couldn't help but flip it open to read about the boldly colorful owl-eyed dog called George.  Harry, his owner goes out and George copes with numerous temptations that test his resolve.  As the author allows us to listen in on how George thinks, you just know trouble is inevitable.  Chris Haughton, hits the nail on the head with simple text, making this a perfect early reader and read aloud. With humor and perceptive expressions, the author captures the essence of George- a "wanabegood" pet who struggles with the ultimate test of will power.  Children will empathize with George's feelings,  when he gets into mischief.  A fun, lovable story for anyone who has tried to understand what goes on in their own pet's mind. This character should have a long life in the artful hands of Chris Haughton.

The copy of this book was furnished for free by the publisher. My review is my honest and unbiased point of view.

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2011]. 

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES GIVEAWAY!!

Soon to be released in paperback!!

Penguin is due to release the enormous best-seller, A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, by Deborah Harkness on December 27, 2011. If you haven't read this part historical fiction, part paranormal romance, you need to mark your calendar, or pre-order this compelling novel.  I became hooked from the beginning and now I am restless waiting for the sequel. 

Several posts back I summarized recent reads from my bookstand. One of my favorite books in that list was A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, by Deborah Harkness.  The setting is Oxford University and below I have a clip with Harkness giving a walking tour of Oxford. The story centers around the characters of Diana Bishop, a researcher who descended from a brilliant notable ancestry of witches. She has known she has some unique sorcery capabilities, but has been in a cloud of denial her whole life. She calls up a book called Ashmole 782 from the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library with unexpected results. Her hands sense the power within the pages and quickly sends the book back to the ancient stacks. Matthew Clairmont has observed this from a distance, anything but an ordinary geneticist, he is a vampire with a long history with seemingly endless resources and a strong interest in Ashmole 782.  Matthew is only one of countless daemons, witches and vampires who covet the same book. Harkness speaks of their first date in the video. It is myth busting for Diana and provides a challenge to her as she must create a menu that will please a vampire.  She learns that his taste in fine wine is paramount to food, but that's about all. A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES is part of the ALL SOULS TRILOGY, SHADOW OF THE NIGHT due to be released in the summer 2012. 

Deborah Harkness-Walking Tour of Oxford

Book Giveaway Details

My readers will be thrilled to have the opportunity to win a copy of the the paperback edition of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES that will be released by Penguin on December 27th. 

Contest runs from today through December 31st. 

To enter you must:

1. Leave your email address in code and follow my blog. 

2. Extra chance if you post on facebook and/or twitter, leave link. 

3. Extra chance if you blog about it, leave link. 

4. Leave a comment about the video, question for the author, or general comment about the book and contest. It's up to you. :)

5. Contest limited to participants in US and Canada.

Good Luck to all!

The Betrayal, Brides of Gabriel, by Diane Noble

THE BETRAYAL
Brides of Gabriel, Book 2
Diane Noble
HARPER COLLINS
978-0-06-198094-7
2011, 291 pages







I  was surprised to discover this was Christian Fiction and also book two in the Brides of Gabriel series.  I did not read book one, but the plot is easily picked up as the author recaps the details from book one. Nevertheless, the story is entertaining and full of drama as you can image there would be when one man is a husband with multiple wives in a polygamist community. This book in the series features Bronwyn who upon the death of her husband is wed to Gabriel MacKay. Her sister wife and friend is Mary Rose and the family is part of a caravan of Saints traveling to the promised land called Salt Lake Valley. The problem arises when an unspeakable secret is realized. The wives struggle with decisions that question the religious leaders, including their husband Gabriel. They are driven to make plans that are dangerous but critical for their survival.

Noble frames this second book around the Mormon faith, yet it could easily speak of any evangelical faith whose overzealous elders drive to convert and overpower the weak with strict compliance to rules that supersede true spirituality.

This book was given to me by Library Thing for Early Reviewers. My review is unbiased and my honest opinion.

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2010].

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2011].