For everyone is still in school. This one is for you.
annnnnnd...
:) Go you. You guys rock.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Book Spine Poetry #7
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now) Vacation All I Ever Wanted by The Go-Go's.
For everyone is still in school. This one is for you.
annnnnnd...
:) Go you. You guys rock.
For everyone is still in school. This one is for you.
annnnnnd...
:) Go you. You guys rock.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Monday's Muse, 55th edition.
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode.
The idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.
What I do is go to one of several places, narrow it down to a YA field and type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of (and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.
The Agency: A Spy in the House (The Agency series) by Y.S. Lee.
Mary Quinn, a young woman alone in Victorian London, is about to hang for thievery when she is whisked away and offered a new life in a women's academy. Eventually she learns the academy is a front for an all-female detective agency. Mary's first assignment takes her to the home of a wealthy merchant, where she is to gather evidence of wrongdoing while posing as a companion for his daughter. It is soon apparent that his household has more than its share of secrets. Mary finds herself forced to partner with James, the brother of her young charge's suitor, who has suspicions about the family. The first in a series, this volume sets up its premise in an unobtrusive manner. There is interesting chemistry between Mary and James as well as hints that they may reunite in a future volume. The descriptions of a crowded, smelly and unsanitary city are both well-drawn and important plot elements, as are the mores of Victorian life. Most intriguing is the unusual ethnic heritage Mary strives to conceal, which adds a fresh dimension.--Kirkus (February 15, 2010).
Perfect Cover (The Squad series) by Jennifer Barnes.
Barnes launches a teen spy series with this campy and thoroughly addictive read. Sixteen-year-old Toby Klein, a tough-girl loner who'd rather sit in detention than pump up a game-day crowd, is appalled but intrigued when she receives an invitation to join the super-popular varsity cheerleading squad at Bayport High. Then she learns the squad is a cover for a top-secret group of teen girl government operatives whose mission is to protect America at all costs. Readers will easily suspend their disbelief to follow the exploits of these party girls whose picture-perfect appearances conceal their skills as brilliant profilers, linguists, weapons experts and computer hackers. Barnes (Platinum ) handily blends scenes of mundane high school life with espionage as the girls sport necklaces with built-in microphones and bulletproof push-up bras. This over-the-top tale never takes itself too seriously, much like Charlie's Angels (to which Toby occasionally dryly refers). Despite a prolonged lead-up to the girls' first mission and an annoying younger brother who pops up too often, this is a terrific guilty pleasure.--Publisher's Weekly (vol 255, issue 5, p58).
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh.
Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down everything she knows about everyone, even her classmates and her best friends. Then Harriet loses track of her notebook, and it ends up in the wrong hands. Before she can stop them, her friends have read the always truthful, sometimes awful things she’s written about each of them. Will Harriet find a way to put her life and her friendships back together?--Barnes and Noble overview.
I'd Tell you I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls series) by Ally Carter.
Set in a spy school for girls, this entertaining novel centers on 15-year-old Cammie, the headmistress's daughter, who must decide if she is cut out for a life of secrets. Though the plot takes a while to unfold, fun details and characters will keep readers engaged (Cammie and her friends speak 14 languages, take classes in Covert Operations, can rappel down buildings and plant tracking devices). But when Cammie, known as the Chameleon for her ability to disappear in public places, is spotted by a cute boy named Josh in the middle of the town fair, she begins a new mission: learning to be an ordinary girlfriend ("All these years I'd thought being a spy was challenging. Turns out, being a girl is the tricky part"). Cammie soon leads a double life, and must decide which one is right for her. Readers may find some details familiar (Cammie lost her spy father during a mission; her CoveOps teacher is a handsome, intense man who seems to get along too well with her mother) and wish that rich, bratty Macey, a new recruit who is "capable of cracking the Y chromosome code," had been developed more fully. But the author escalates the tension well, leading to the night of the final exam, where Cammie finds herself blindfolded, kidnapped and facing off against the retired spies of the faculty—and also confronting Josh. Readers will eagerly anticipate the next installment.--Publisher's Weekly (Publishers Weekly, vol 253, issue 20, p73).
Sirens and Spies by Janet Taylor Lisle.
Organized Elsie is trapped in a chaotic family. Her mother seeks out people who have mental problems or are homeless, much to her daughter's disgust and embarrassment. Elsie has no friends, but she is the darling and star pupil of Miss Fitch, the flamboyant violin teacher. But suddenly Elsie quits her lessons, sells her violin, and refuses to have anything to do with Miss Fitch. When the teacher is brutally attacked and hospitalized, Elsie reluctantly agrees to pay a visit. Elsie is very cold-hearted, for it seems that she has discovered a horrible secret about Miss Fitch that occurred years ago during the German occupation of France in World War II. Elsie's older sister Mary discovers the truth and convinces her sibling to listen to Miss Fitch's side of the story. Together the sisters learn about friendship, secrets, and forgiveness.--Laura Hummel.
The Boxer and the Spy by Robert Parker.
Parker makes his second foray into YA literature with this tale of a 15-year-old aspiring boxer trying to solve the murder of one of his classmates, deemed a suicide by the authorities. As in his adult "Spenser" books, the question is not so much who committed the crime as how the protagonist will catch him (it is apparent pretty early on who the bad guys are). Terry Novak battles a group of powerful, evil individuals with only his wits, toughness, and a few loyal friends to help him. He has a personal code that requires him to avenge wrongdoing against innocents and will use violence only when forced to. In many ways it is Terry himself rather than the solving of the crime that is the main focus of the novel: haltingly, and often inarticulately, he begins to explore what it means to live honorably, with moral purpose. In this he is aided by George, the wise, elderly black man who is teaching him to fight, and by Abby, the sassy beauty whom Terry hopes to make his girlfriend. As in any Parker novel, the dialogue is delightful. Character is revealed in a word, a phrase, or sometimes even a gesture. (Has any writer ever conveyed more meaning through a shrug?) While some may object that the fight scenes are a little too graphic or the resolution a little too neat, few could question either the quality of the writing or the book's undeniable appeal to teen readers.--School Library Journal (School Library Journal, vol 54, issue 5, p136).
The Shalamar Code by Mary Louise Clifford.
In a post-9/11 world, Pakistan is an uneasy place to live, let alone become involved in political intrigue and drug trafficking. However, that is exactly what Mumtaz and her friend Rashid do, putting both of their lives in danger. When Mumtaz becomes aware that her older brother is in trouble with a drug-running, political spy, she devises a plan to rescue him. Being a headstrong 15-year-old, she does not realize the danger and the sacrifices that have to be made because of her actions. The novel reflects a time in Pakistan when cultures and ideologies collide. Mumtaz is from a privileged background; her friendship with Rashid, the assistant to the tennis coach at her club, defies generations of cultural traditions. Since her father is a member of the outlawed opposition political party, she must learn to live under constant governmental surveillance. Her courage and character are admirable.—Sharon Morrison, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK, School Library Journal (School Library Journal, vol 53, issue 1, p124).
The Counterfeit Princess by Jane Thomas.
There's nothing like the mess Henry VIII left his children in to produce captivating historical fiction. Intrigue, politics, spies, princesses, noble and ignoble folk alike are all grist for the mill. Thomas's heroine Iris is an appealing young Protestant noblewoman whose parents, sympathetic to the princesses Mary and Elizabeth, are rounded up and murdered as part of the Duke of Northumberland John Dudley's plot to subvert Edward's throne. Pressed into service by Elizabeth's ally William Cecil, and hoping for revenge against Northumberland, Iris is trained in stealth and camouflage. The story calls to mind something of Cap O'Rushes—the noblewoman in disguise, the lost wealth and rank, the restoration of status in a royal house. And there's a handsome knight, as well.Iris is well-drawn as a self-composed, strong-willed and capable girl who evokes sympathy for her plight and admiration for her courage. Conscientious readers may be bemused rather than enlightened by glimpses into royal relationships and conspiracies, the religious conflict of the age could have been put more firmly into perspective, and there actually are too many Cooks—but overall, a fine read with spirited escapades.--Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2005).
LoveSick by Jake Coburn.
After driving while drunk, crashing his truck into a tree, and wrecking his knee, Ted York no longer has a basketball scholarship to NYU or much of a future. He attends Alcoholics Anonymous on a judge's orders and has been sober for 90 days. When a stranger offers him full tuition if he'll keep an eye on a bulimic freshman for her billionaire father, the teen accepts the deal, expecting it to require little effort. But he hadn't counted on falling in love with Erica, and he finds himself forced to decide whether his loyalty is to her or the man paying his bills. Coburn skillfully balances the issues of alcoholism and bulimia with the fragile love story of two lost teens. Ted and Erica are surprisingly mature and aware of their faults, and their dialogue, including obscenities, is realistic. Erica's father is sympathetic in his genuine but misdirected concern for his daughter. The fast-paced narrative is helped along by frequent e-mails between characters. Part Ellen Wittlinger's Heart on My Sleeve (S & S, 2004), part Meg Rosoff's How I Live Now (Random, 2004), LoveSick will keep readers rooting for these teens.–Jane Cronkhite, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH, School Library Journal (School Library Journal, vol 51, issue 12, p143).
River Secrets by Shannon Hale.
Razo, this winning novel's endearing protagonist, first brought to life as a minor character in Hale's The Goose Girl , here gets his own story. Now a confidante of Queen Isi, Razo was originally a simple forest boy whose major skill is using a slingshot to hunt squirrels. Short in stature and low in confidence, he is asked to join a mission of peace between his own kingdom of Bayern, and the enemy kingdom of Tira. Razo is then selected to become a spy because of his unassuming nature and powers of observation. He soon discovers that traitors in the Tiran army are trying to re-ignite the war, literally, by leaving charred remains of bodies—an act they hope to pin on another envoy from Bayern—Razo's friend Enna (from Enna Burning ). This mystery unfolds along with charming friendships among Razo and his comrades, who lovingly tease him when he is the last to realize he has fallen in love with Dasha, the striking orange-haired daughter of the Tiran ambassador to Bayern, and has grown in height as well as self-assurance. This novel will be a special treat for readers of Hale's other two companion books, but it also stands on its own as a unique and tender coming-of-age story.--Publisher's Weekly (Publishers Weekly, vol 253, issue 35, p69).
The idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.
What I do is go to one of several places, narrow it down to a YA field and type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of (and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.
Today's random word:
Spies. Part 1.
Spies. Part 1.
The Agency: A Spy in the House (The Agency series) by Y.S. Lee.Mary Quinn, a young woman alone in Victorian London, is about to hang for thievery when she is whisked away and offered a new life in a women's academy. Eventually she learns the academy is a front for an all-female detective agency. Mary's first assignment takes her to the home of a wealthy merchant, where she is to gather evidence of wrongdoing while posing as a companion for his daughter. It is soon apparent that his household has more than its share of secrets. Mary finds herself forced to partner with James, the brother of her young charge's suitor, who has suspicions about the family. The first in a series, this volume sets up its premise in an unobtrusive manner. There is interesting chemistry between Mary and James as well as hints that they may reunite in a future volume. The descriptions of a crowded, smelly and unsanitary city are both well-drawn and important plot elements, as are the mores of Victorian life. Most intriguing is the unusual ethnic heritage Mary strives to conceal, which adds a fresh dimension.--Kirkus (February 15, 2010).
Barnes launches a teen spy series with this campy and thoroughly addictive read. Sixteen-year-old Toby Klein, a tough-girl loner who'd rather sit in detention than pump up a game-day crowd, is appalled but intrigued when she receives an invitation to join the super-popular varsity cheerleading squad at Bayport High. Then she learns the squad is a cover for a top-secret group of teen girl government operatives whose mission is to protect America at all costs. Readers will easily suspend their disbelief to follow the exploits of these party girls whose picture-perfect appearances conceal their skills as brilliant profilers, linguists, weapons experts and computer hackers. Barnes (Platinum ) handily blends scenes of mundane high school life with espionage as the girls sport necklaces with built-in microphones and bulletproof push-up bras. This over-the-top tale never takes itself too seriously, much like Charlie's Angels (to which Toby occasionally dryly refers). Despite a prolonged lead-up to the girls' first mission and an annoying younger brother who pops up too often, this is a terrific guilty pleasure.--Publisher's Weekly (vol 255, issue 5, p58).
Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down everything she knows about everyone, even her classmates and her best friends. Then Harriet loses track of her notebook, and it ends up in the wrong hands. Before she can stop them, her friends have read the always truthful, sometimes awful things she’s written about each of them. Will Harriet find a way to put her life and her friendships back together?--Barnes and Noble overview.
Set in a spy school for girls, this entertaining novel centers on 15-year-old Cammie, the headmistress's daughter, who must decide if she is cut out for a life of secrets. Though the plot takes a while to unfold, fun details and characters will keep readers engaged (Cammie and her friends speak 14 languages, take classes in Covert Operations, can rappel down buildings and plant tracking devices). But when Cammie, known as the Chameleon for her ability to disappear in public places, is spotted by a cute boy named Josh in the middle of the town fair, she begins a new mission: learning to be an ordinary girlfriend ("All these years I'd thought being a spy was challenging. Turns out, being a girl is the tricky part"). Cammie soon leads a double life, and must decide which one is right for her. Readers may find some details familiar (Cammie lost her spy father during a mission; her CoveOps teacher is a handsome, intense man who seems to get along too well with her mother) and wish that rich, bratty Macey, a new recruit who is "capable of cracking the Y chromosome code," had been developed more fully. But the author escalates the tension well, leading to the night of the final exam, where Cammie finds herself blindfolded, kidnapped and facing off against the retired spies of the faculty—and also confronting Josh. Readers will eagerly anticipate the next installment.--Publisher's Weekly (Publishers Weekly, vol 253, issue 20, p73).
Organized Elsie is trapped in a chaotic family. Her mother seeks out people who have mental problems or are homeless, much to her daughter's disgust and embarrassment. Elsie has no friends, but she is the darling and star pupil of Miss Fitch, the flamboyant violin teacher. But suddenly Elsie quits her lessons, sells her violin, and refuses to have anything to do with Miss Fitch. When the teacher is brutally attacked and hospitalized, Elsie reluctantly agrees to pay a visit. Elsie is very cold-hearted, for it seems that she has discovered a horrible secret about Miss Fitch that occurred years ago during the German occupation of France in World War II. Elsie's older sister Mary discovers the truth and convinces her sibling to listen to Miss Fitch's side of the story. Together the sisters learn about friendship, secrets, and forgiveness.--Laura Hummel.
Parker makes his second foray into YA literature with this tale of a 15-year-old aspiring boxer trying to solve the murder of one of his classmates, deemed a suicide by the authorities. As in his adult "Spenser" books, the question is not so much who committed the crime as how the protagonist will catch him (it is apparent pretty early on who the bad guys are). Terry Novak battles a group of powerful, evil individuals with only his wits, toughness, and a few loyal friends to help him. He has a personal code that requires him to avenge wrongdoing against innocents and will use violence only when forced to. In many ways it is Terry himself rather than the solving of the crime that is the main focus of the novel: haltingly, and often inarticulately, he begins to explore what it means to live honorably, with moral purpose. In this he is aided by George, the wise, elderly black man who is teaching him to fight, and by Abby, the sassy beauty whom Terry hopes to make his girlfriend. As in any Parker novel, the dialogue is delightful. Character is revealed in a word, a phrase, or sometimes even a gesture. (Has any writer ever conveyed more meaning through a shrug?) While some may object that the fight scenes are a little too graphic or the resolution a little too neat, few could question either the quality of the writing or the book's undeniable appeal to teen readers.--School Library Journal (School Library Journal, vol 54, issue 5, p136).
In a post-9/11 world, Pakistan is an uneasy place to live, let alone become involved in political intrigue and drug trafficking. However, that is exactly what Mumtaz and her friend Rashid do, putting both of their lives in danger. When Mumtaz becomes aware that her older brother is in trouble with a drug-running, political spy, she devises a plan to rescue him. Being a headstrong 15-year-old, she does not realize the danger and the sacrifices that have to be made because of her actions. The novel reflects a time in Pakistan when cultures and ideologies collide. Mumtaz is from a privileged background; her friendship with Rashid, the assistant to the tennis coach at her club, defies generations of cultural traditions. Since her father is a member of the outlawed opposition political party, she must learn to live under constant governmental surveillance. Her courage and character are admirable.—Sharon Morrison, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK, School Library Journal (School Library Journal, vol 53, issue 1, p124).
There's nothing like the mess Henry VIII left his children in to produce captivating historical fiction. Intrigue, politics, spies, princesses, noble and ignoble folk alike are all grist for the mill. Thomas's heroine Iris is an appealing young Protestant noblewoman whose parents, sympathetic to the princesses Mary and Elizabeth, are rounded up and murdered as part of the Duke of Northumberland John Dudley's plot to subvert Edward's throne. Pressed into service by Elizabeth's ally William Cecil, and hoping for revenge against Northumberland, Iris is trained in stealth and camouflage. The story calls to mind something of Cap O'Rushes—the noblewoman in disguise, the lost wealth and rank, the restoration of status in a royal house. And there's a handsome knight, as well.Iris is well-drawn as a self-composed, strong-willed and capable girl who evokes sympathy for her plight and admiration for her courage. Conscientious readers may be bemused rather than enlightened by glimpses into royal relationships and conspiracies, the religious conflict of the age could have been put more firmly into perspective, and there actually are too many Cooks—but overall, a fine read with spirited escapades.--Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2005).
After driving while drunk, crashing his truck into a tree, and wrecking his knee, Ted York no longer has a basketball scholarship to NYU or much of a future. He attends Alcoholics Anonymous on a judge's orders and has been sober for 90 days. When a stranger offers him full tuition if he'll keep an eye on a bulimic freshman for her billionaire father, the teen accepts the deal, expecting it to require little effort. But he hadn't counted on falling in love with Erica, and he finds himself forced to decide whether his loyalty is to her or the man paying his bills. Coburn skillfully balances the issues of alcoholism and bulimia with the fragile love story of two lost teens. Ted and Erica are surprisingly mature and aware of their faults, and their dialogue, including obscenities, is realistic. Erica's father is sympathetic in his genuine but misdirected concern for his daughter. The fast-paced narrative is helped along by frequent e-mails between characters. Part Ellen Wittlinger's Heart on My Sleeve (S & S, 2004), part Meg Rosoff's How I Live Now (Random, 2004), LoveSick will keep readers rooting for these teens.–Jane Cronkhite, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH, School Library Journal (School Library Journal, vol 51, issue 12, p143).
Razo, this winning novel's endearing protagonist, first brought to life as a minor character in Hale's The Goose Girl , here gets his own story. Now a confidante of Queen Isi, Razo was originally a simple forest boy whose major skill is using a slingshot to hunt squirrels. Short in stature and low in confidence, he is asked to join a mission of peace between his own kingdom of Bayern, and the enemy kingdom of Tira. Razo is then selected to become a spy because of his unassuming nature and powers of observation. He soon discovers that traitors in the Tiran army are trying to re-ignite the war, literally, by leaving charred remains of bodies—an act they hope to pin on another envoy from Bayern—Razo's friend Enna (from Enna Burning ). This mystery unfolds along with charming friendships among Razo and his comrades, who lovingly tease him when he is the last to realize he has fallen in love with Dasha, the striking orange-haired daughter of the Tiran ambassador to Bayern, and has grown in height as well as self-assurance. This novel will be a special treat for readers of Hale's other two companion books, but it also stands on its own as a unique and tender coming-of-age story.--Publisher's Weekly (Publishers Weekly, vol 253, issue 35, p69).
Friday, May 25, 2012
Feature Fun Friday - Tesseract
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Glass of Water by Coldplay.
Because of the new Avengers movie that has just been released recently, and because I love A Wrinkle in Time, I must share this video with you. Enjoy! Have an absolutely fantastic weekend, everyone!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Book Spine Poetry #6
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Lullaby for a Stormy Night by Vienna Teng.
This is an alteration of the first book spine poetry I did. Here is the first one again.
And here are the two new ones. It's amazing how much can change just by switching a line. I especially love how the Hiroshima one feels most like a haiku out of all of them.
The world before
the death cure.
The lost songs.
They never came back.
The world before
an empty death.
Hiroshima dreams.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Book Spine Poetry #5
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Into the West (cello version) by Howard Shore [The Return of the King].
Where she went...
The firefly letters
the butterfly clues
...Annie on my mind.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Book Spine Poetry #4
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): If Only by Fiction Plane [Holes soundtrack].
And here is the second title alteration - the accidental one (I was reading too fast!). I am rather fond of this one.
Hero
The Gardener
The Poison Eater
The Ask and the Answer
the power of one.
Just another hero.
And here is the second title alteration - the accidental one (I was reading too fast!). I am rather fond of this one.
Hero
The Gardener
The Poison Eater
The Ask and the Answer
the power of one.
Just another hero.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
And this is why my posts are delayed...
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Thank You, Stars by Becky Taylor.
I've been sneezing so much I really thought it might be preferable to die. Except instead of carrots, it is these little guys.
Sure it looks like it is snowing in May, but don't underestimate their deception. They are pure evil. Evvviiilllll, I tell you. I can barely breathe (unless sneezing counts) and I my eyes keep swelling. So now to go to the store to buy more allergy medication hoping *something* will stick, and then to possibly die. See you guys tomorrow. :)
I've been sneezing so much I really thought it might be preferable to die. Except instead of carrots, it is these little guys.
Cottonwood puffs are of the devil.
Sure it looks like it is snowing in May, but don't underestimate their deception. They are pure evil. Evvviiilllll, I tell you. I can barely breathe (unless sneezing counts) and I my eyes keep swelling. So now to go to the store to buy more allergy medication hoping *something* will stick, and then to possibly die. See you guys tomorrow. :)
Monday's Muse, 54th edition.
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Time Only Knows by Stuart Chatwood [Prince of Persia video game soundtrack].
The idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.
What I do is go to one of several places, narrow it down to a YA field and type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of (and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.
The Thief (& entire Queen's Thief series) by Megan Whalen Turner.
"I can steal anything."
After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, need the thief's skills for a seemingly impossible task - the steal a hidden treasure from another land. To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.
The Demon King (and all of the Seven Realms series) by Cinda Williams Chima.
Rich characterization and exquisite world building make up for a leisurely pace in the dense first volume of a new epic-fantasy trilogy. Han Alister is a fatherless street rat, former thief lord and runner for the Clan tribes. Raisa is the Princess Heir, last in a long line of fabled warrior Queens. Their paths should never have intersected, had not both become enmeshed in the schemes of the wizards seeking to regain powers curbed for the crimes of the Demon King, a thousand years past. Now ancient talismans and grim portents herald murder and treason, and both Han and Raisa are forced to embrace heritages they can scarcely imagine. Chima forges an intricate world, alloying standard genre tropes in unexpected ways and inlaying intrigue amid a delicately crafted setting of history and legend. Dozens of characters, complex and distinct in personality, are placed with jewel-like precision, set off by dark glints of villainy. Few readers will mind reaching the end with the protagonists still separated by hundreds of miles only to realize it was naught but prelude to the real action; instead, they will clamor for the sequel.--Kirkus.
The Thief Lord by Corneila Funke.
Wacky characters bring energy to this translation of an entertaining German novel about thieving children, a disguise-obsessed detective and a magical merry-go-round. After their mother dies, 12-year-old Prosper and his brother, Bo, five, flee from Hamburg to Venice (an awful aunt plans to adopt only Bo). They live in an abandoned movie theater with several other street children under the care of the Thief Lord, a cocky youth who claims to rob "the city's most elegant houses." A mysterious man hires the Thief Lord to steal a wooden wing, which the kids later learn has broken off a long-lost merry-go-round said to make "adults out of children and children out of adults," but the plan alters when Victor, the detective Aunt Esther hired to track the brothers, discovers their camp and reveals that the Thief Lord is actually from a wealthy family. There are a lot of story lines to follow, and the pacing is sometimes off (readers may feel that Funke spends too little time on what happens when the children find the carousel, and too much on the ruse they pull on Prosper's aunt). But between kindhearted Victor and his collection of fake beards, the Thief Lord in his mask and high-heeled boots, and a rascally street kid who loves to steal, Prosper's new world abounds with colorful characters. The Venetian setting is ripe for mystery—and the city's alleys and canals ratchet up the suspense in the chase scenes.--Publisher's Weekly.
Alanna: The First Adventure (and entire Song of the Lioness Quartet) by Tamora Pierce.
"From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight."
And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventures and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day, they decide to switch places. Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.
But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies. Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins - one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.
Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott.
Eighteen-year-old Danielle—aka Sydney, Rebecca, or whatever alias her mother chooses—has been stealing since she can remember. She and her theft-savvy mother move from town to town, mining the successful men whom her mother attracts for information that allows them to find and rob the toniest homes. Dani has no school, no friends, and no home until she and her mother land in Heaven, a small, wealthy beachfront town where Dani realizes what it is like to have a best friend and also a boyfriend, who just happens to be a cop. Scott tells a surprising story that features a mature teen who longs for the straight and narrow, even as the adults around her profit from crime and corruption. Dani's first-person narrative includes a few winking references to the lucrative life theft can garner, which feel like odd, misguided shifts from the story's strongest message that Dani is a brave teen who can and does shape a strong future for herself. --Bradburn, Frances, Booklist.
The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula LeGuin (Earthsea series, #2)
A finely realized fantasy set in the ancient Place of the Tombs, a desert society of women and eunuchs, where Tenar is taken at six and renamed Arha, the Eaten One, because her former existence must be cast off when she becomes high priestess to the Nameless Ones, the spirits of the tombs. The girl is raised with other neophyte priestesses until at fourteen she assumes her grand and isolated role of guardian of the sacred underground labyrinth, where light is forbidden and no one but Arha may enter. She accepts her new identity solemnly and completely, and the account of her life as a growing priestess is appropriately stately. But the story becomes more than the skilled creation of a closed, exotic world when a trespasser enters Arha's underground domain; then the stifling formality becomes a background that adds impact to the stranger's violation of the Place and drama to the girl's subsequent rebirth. The man is Sparrowhawk, the Wizard of Earthsea some years older, and he has come for the missing half of the amulet of Erreth-Akbe, which can bind the warring kingdoms and which is buried with other treasures in the labyrinth. Arha traps the wizard in the labyrinth and plans to kill him, but instead she begins to pay him compulsive visits, first to taunt, then to listen to his tales and watch his feats of illusion, finally to weep because her gods are dead. But the wizard answers that they are not dead: "They are immortal, but they are not gods. They are dark and undying, and they hate the light: the brief light of our mortality. . . . They exist. But they are not your masters. You are free, Tenar." Thus Sparrowhawk gives Tenar back her name and helps her to escape from the Place and the dark powers of the Nameless Ones. The usual tidy ending is foregone, though, just as the story is not the usual allegory; the abstractions do not so much dictate the events as rise naturally from Tenar's real struggles and transformations in her firmly structured underground world.--Kirkus.
The Storm Thief by Chris Wooding.
The latest from the author of The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray (2004) and Poison (2005) is a postapocalyptic fantasy with trappings reminiscent of the 1995 film Waterworld. The citizens of Orokos, a crumbling city surrounded by an endless ocean, live at the mercy of probability storms that "might steal a baby's eyes and replace them with buttons, or turn a house into sugar paper." Together with the chaotic conditions, the city's totalitarian government makes life miserable for marginalized "ghetto-folk" like teen thieves Moa and Rail. After the companions stumble upon a valuable artifact, they must flee pursuers who covet their find. Their journey brings them into contact with a half-mechanical homunculus and a group of rebels preparing to escape the city permanently. A familiarity with Frankenstein and Rime of the Ancient Mariner, clear sources of inspiration, will enrich appreciation of the novel, although most will simply like the inventive premise and the protagonists' tender relationship, never overtly romantic but replete with unspoken yearnings. -- Jennifer Mattson, Booklist.
The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley.
In the tradition of T.H. White's reincarnation of King Arthur, a novel that brings Robin Hood and his men--and women--delightfully to life. Compressing elapsed time into a year and a half--from Robin's escape to the forest to the band's pardon by King Richard--McKinley includes many familiar characters and incidents (e.g., Robin's first meeting with Little John, the defeat of Guy of Gisbourne) while reshaping others (Marian, in disguise, is the one who outshoots competitors at the Nottingham Fair). McKinley's band is truly merry, casually undertaking deeds of derring-do while engaging in witty repartee that recalls the Three Musketeers. After considerable research, the author has--like her predecessors--created a Robin Hood who reflects "what the teller and the audience needed him to be at the time of the telling" (McKinley's quote from J.C. Holt). Thus, her characters are idealistic Saxon guerrillas fighting invading Norman oppressors in the cause of justice; include several highly competent women playing crucial roles; and have a charmingly ironic 20th-century self-awareness--yet they also embody the perennial dream of escaping the flawed everyday world for a simple life and noble deeds in the company of well-loved companions. Enriched with entrancing details of life in the forest, graced with a neat pair of satisfying love stories, and culminating in a couple of rousing battles and a dramatic close when the king dispenses justice, McKinley's Robin should be delighting readers for years to come.--Kirkus.
Star Crossed/Liar's Moon by Elizabeth Bunce.
On the lam after a failed theft, 16-year-old runaway Celyn bluffs her way out of the city with four young nobles. She finds refuge as maid to one of them, Lady Merista, in a snowbound mountain castle. When Lord Daul discovers Celyn's thieving tendencies, he forces her to spy for him. Delving even deeper into the castle's secrets than she reveals to Daul, Celyn's eyes are opened to the myriad secrets and schemes of its many guests and occupants. In choosing her path, she confronts her own past, uncovers a rebellion that could lead to civil war, befriends a prince, contemplates religious persecution, and faces betrayal. She also encounters long-forgotten magic and comes to understand the mystical aptitude that ruined her life and set her on her path of crime. Couching her characters and setting in top-notch writing, Bunce (A Curse as Dark as Gold) hooks readers into an intelligent page-turner with strong themes of growth, determination, and friendship. Celyn's journey will leave readers asking for more, especially as the first-rate story neatly sets up a sequel.--Publisher's Weekly.
Quicksilver by Stephanie Spinner
Having given the tale of Atalanta a contemporary voice in Quiver (2002), Spinner proceeds to do the same for several other myths, by viewing them through the eyes of Hermes. Though a minor player in most of them, he's a wonderfully engaging narrator: mischievous but not malicious, hardworking, ingenious, a sardonic observer of his peers ("Seducing mortals was one of the great guilty pleasures of the gods, second only to tipping cattle and ruining the weather."). He's equally at ease among mortals and shades, ever eager to please his father Zeus, but so averse to violence that he swears off killing after helping Perseus slay Medusa and shuns Olympus rather than watch the Trojan carnage. Spinner gives these ancient tales a lively spin without inventing major new events or characters for them, downplays the sex and violence by leaving nearly all of it offstage, and ends on a light note, as Hermes throws off his gloom by springing Odysseus from Calypso's smothering embrace and settling down with the nymph himself to raise "many fine children." It's good to be a god.--Kirkus.
Heist Society (Heist Society series) by Ally Carter.
Tired of her lifelong involvement in her family's illicit dealings, teenager Katarina Bishop enrolls herself in a prestigious boarding school. Then after a mere three months there, 16-year-old billionaire Hale arranges for her to get kicked out. He informs her that five paintings have been stolen from the menacing Arturo Taccone and that her father is the prime suspect. Determined to save him by locating the real thief and stealing the paintings back, Kat gathers a crack team of larcenous teens for the heist to be pulled off before the two-week deadline. However, her resolve falters when she learns that the paintings are Nazi war spoils. She negotiates complicated relationships in an action-packed plot, and the unknown identity of the thief suggests a sequel. This irresistible light-fingered fairy tale is elevated by glamour and mystery. Carter's style is conversational, smooth, and clever, exposing Kat's wry humor and her steely determination. Amid themes of family loyalty and identity, the protagonist comes to understand herself, her beliefs, and her place in her family. Daring, delicious, but filled with a sense of purpose, Heist Society mixes classic elements of the adolescent bildungsroman into a high-stakes escapade.—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT, School Library Journal.
The idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.
What I do is go to one of several places, narrow it down to a YA field and type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of (and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.
Today's random word:
Thieves.
Thieves.
"I can steal anything."
After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, need the thief's skills for a seemingly impossible task - the steal a hidden treasure from another land. To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.
Rich characterization and exquisite world building make up for a leisurely pace in the dense first volume of a new epic-fantasy trilogy. Han Alister is a fatherless street rat, former thief lord and runner for the Clan tribes. Raisa is the Princess Heir, last in a long line of fabled warrior Queens. Their paths should never have intersected, had not both become enmeshed in the schemes of the wizards seeking to regain powers curbed for the crimes of the Demon King, a thousand years past. Now ancient talismans and grim portents herald murder and treason, and both Han and Raisa are forced to embrace heritages they can scarcely imagine. Chima forges an intricate world, alloying standard genre tropes in unexpected ways and inlaying intrigue amid a delicately crafted setting of history and legend. Dozens of characters, complex and distinct in personality, are placed with jewel-like precision, set off by dark glints of villainy. Few readers will mind reaching the end with the protagonists still separated by hundreds of miles only to realize it was naught but prelude to the real action; instead, they will clamor for the sequel.--Kirkus.
Wacky characters bring energy to this translation of an entertaining German novel about thieving children, a disguise-obsessed detective and a magical merry-go-round. After their mother dies, 12-year-old Prosper and his brother, Bo, five, flee from Hamburg to Venice (an awful aunt plans to adopt only Bo). They live in an abandoned movie theater with several other street children under the care of the Thief Lord, a cocky youth who claims to rob "the city's most elegant houses." A mysterious man hires the Thief Lord to steal a wooden wing, which the kids later learn has broken off a long-lost merry-go-round said to make "adults out of children and children out of adults," but the plan alters when Victor, the detective Aunt Esther hired to track the brothers, discovers their camp and reveals that the Thief Lord is actually from a wealthy family. There are a lot of story lines to follow, and the pacing is sometimes off (readers may feel that Funke spends too little time on what happens when the children find the carousel, and too much on the ruse they pull on Prosper's aunt). But between kindhearted Victor and his collection of fake beards, the Thief Lord in his mask and high-heeled boots, and a rascally street kid who loves to steal, Prosper's new world abounds with colorful characters. The Venetian setting is ripe for mystery—and the city's alleys and canals ratchet up the suspense in the chase scenes.--Publisher's Weekly.
"From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight."
And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventures and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day, they decide to switch places. Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.
But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies. Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins - one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.
Eighteen-year-old Danielle—aka Sydney, Rebecca, or whatever alias her mother chooses—has been stealing since she can remember. She and her theft-savvy mother move from town to town, mining the successful men whom her mother attracts for information that allows them to find and rob the toniest homes. Dani has no school, no friends, and no home until she and her mother land in Heaven, a small, wealthy beachfront town where Dani realizes what it is like to have a best friend and also a boyfriend, who just happens to be a cop. Scott tells a surprising story that features a mature teen who longs for the straight and narrow, even as the adults around her profit from crime and corruption. Dani's first-person narrative includes a few winking references to the lucrative life theft can garner, which feel like odd, misguided shifts from the story's strongest message that Dani is a brave teen who can and does shape a strong future for herself. --Bradburn, Frances, Booklist.
A finely realized fantasy set in the ancient Place of the Tombs, a desert society of women and eunuchs, where Tenar is taken at six and renamed Arha, the Eaten One, because her former existence must be cast off when she becomes high priestess to the Nameless Ones, the spirits of the tombs. The girl is raised with other neophyte priestesses until at fourteen she assumes her grand and isolated role of guardian of the sacred underground labyrinth, where light is forbidden and no one but Arha may enter. She accepts her new identity solemnly and completely, and the account of her life as a growing priestess is appropriately stately. But the story becomes more than the skilled creation of a closed, exotic world when a trespasser enters Arha's underground domain; then the stifling formality becomes a background that adds impact to the stranger's violation of the Place and drama to the girl's subsequent rebirth. The man is Sparrowhawk, the Wizard of Earthsea some years older, and he has come for the missing half of the amulet of Erreth-Akbe, which can bind the warring kingdoms and which is buried with other treasures in the labyrinth. Arha traps the wizard in the labyrinth and plans to kill him, but instead she begins to pay him compulsive visits, first to taunt, then to listen to his tales and watch his feats of illusion, finally to weep because her gods are dead. But the wizard answers that they are not dead: "They are immortal, but they are not gods. They are dark and undying, and they hate the light: the brief light of our mortality. . . . They exist. But they are not your masters. You are free, Tenar." Thus Sparrowhawk gives Tenar back her name and helps her to escape from the Place and the dark powers of the Nameless Ones. The usual tidy ending is foregone, though, just as the story is not the usual allegory; the abstractions do not so much dictate the events as rise naturally from Tenar's real struggles and transformations in her firmly structured underground world.--Kirkus.
The latest from the author of The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray (2004) and Poison (2005) is a postapocalyptic fantasy with trappings reminiscent of the 1995 film Waterworld. The citizens of Orokos, a crumbling city surrounded by an endless ocean, live at the mercy of probability storms that "might steal a baby's eyes and replace them with buttons, or turn a house into sugar paper." Together with the chaotic conditions, the city's totalitarian government makes life miserable for marginalized "ghetto-folk" like teen thieves Moa and Rail. After the companions stumble upon a valuable artifact, they must flee pursuers who covet their find. Their journey brings them into contact with a half-mechanical homunculus and a group of rebels preparing to escape the city permanently. A familiarity with Frankenstein and Rime of the Ancient Mariner, clear sources of inspiration, will enrich appreciation of the novel, although most will simply like the inventive premise and the protagonists' tender relationship, never overtly romantic but replete with unspoken yearnings. -- Jennifer Mattson, Booklist.
In the tradition of T.H. White's reincarnation of King Arthur, a novel that brings Robin Hood and his men--and women--delightfully to life. Compressing elapsed time into a year and a half--from Robin's escape to the forest to the band's pardon by King Richard--McKinley includes many familiar characters and incidents (e.g., Robin's first meeting with Little John, the defeat of Guy of Gisbourne) while reshaping others (Marian, in disguise, is the one who outshoots competitors at the Nottingham Fair). McKinley's band is truly merry, casually undertaking deeds of derring-do while engaging in witty repartee that recalls the Three Musketeers. After considerable research, the author has--like her predecessors--created a Robin Hood who reflects "what the teller and the audience needed him to be at the time of the telling" (McKinley's quote from J.C. Holt). Thus, her characters are idealistic Saxon guerrillas fighting invading Norman oppressors in the cause of justice; include several highly competent women playing crucial roles; and have a charmingly ironic 20th-century self-awareness--yet they also embody the perennial dream of escaping the flawed everyday world for a simple life and noble deeds in the company of well-loved companions. Enriched with entrancing details of life in the forest, graced with a neat pair of satisfying love stories, and culminating in a couple of rousing battles and a dramatic close when the king dispenses justice, McKinley's Robin should be delighting readers for years to come.--Kirkus.
On the lam after a failed theft, 16-year-old runaway Celyn bluffs her way out of the city with four young nobles. She finds refuge as maid to one of them, Lady Merista, in a snowbound mountain castle. When Lord Daul discovers Celyn's thieving tendencies, he forces her to spy for him. Delving even deeper into the castle's secrets than she reveals to Daul, Celyn's eyes are opened to the myriad secrets and schemes of its many guests and occupants. In choosing her path, she confronts her own past, uncovers a rebellion that could lead to civil war, befriends a prince, contemplates religious persecution, and faces betrayal. She also encounters long-forgotten magic and comes to understand the mystical aptitude that ruined her life and set her on her path of crime. Couching her characters and setting in top-notch writing, Bunce (A Curse as Dark as Gold) hooks readers into an intelligent page-turner with strong themes of growth, determination, and friendship. Celyn's journey will leave readers asking for more, especially as the first-rate story neatly sets up a sequel.--Publisher's Weekly.
Having given the tale of Atalanta a contemporary voice in Quiver (2002), Spinner proceeds to do the same for several other myths, by viewing them through the eyes of Hermes. Though a minor player in most of them, he's a wonderfully engaging narrator: mischievous but not malicious, hardworking, ingenious, a sardonic observer of his peers ("Seducing mortals was one of the great guilty pleasures of the gods, second only to tipping cattle and ruining the weather."). He's equally at ease among mortals and shades, ever eager to please his father Zeus, but so averse to violence that he swears off killing after helping Perseus slay Medusa and shuns Olympus rather than watch the Trojan carnage. Spinner gives these ancient tales a lively spin without inventing major new events or characters for them, downplays the sex and violence by leaving nearly all of it offstage, and ends on a light note, as Hermes throws off his gloom by springing Odysseus from Calypso's smothering embrace and settling down with the nymph himself to raise "many fine children." It's good to be a god.--Kirkus.
Tired of her lifelong involvement in her family's illicit dealings, teenager Katarina Bishop enrolls herself in a prestigious boarding school. Then after a mere three months there, 16-year-old billionaire Hale arranges for her to get kicked out. He informs her that five paintings have been stolen from the menacing Arturo Taccone and that her father is the prime suspect. Determined to save him by locating the real thief and stealing the paintings back, Kat gathers a crack team of larcenous teens for the heist to be pulled off before the two-week deadline. However, her resolve falters when she learns that the paintings are Nazi war spoils. She negotiates complicated relationships in an action-packed plot, and the unknown identity of the thief suggests a sequel. This irresistible light-fingered fairy tale is elevated by glamour and mystery. Carter's style is conversational, smooth, and clever, exposing Kat's wry humor and her steely determination. Amid themes of family loyalty and identity, the protagonist comes to understand herself, her beliefs, and her place in her family. Daring, delicious, but filled with a sense of purpose, Heist Society mixes classic elements of the adolescent bildungsroman into a high-stakes escapade.—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT, School Library Journal.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Feature Fun Friday - For Maurice Sendak, You'll Always Be A Wild Thing
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): The Show by Lenka.
The passing of Maurice Sendak has affected a great number of people. He saw the world in a different way and wasn't afraid to show it. This one is for him, who will always be a wild thing.
The passing of Maurice Sendak has affected a great number of people. He saw the world in a different way and wasn't afraid to show it. This one is for him, who will always be a wild thing.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
I Would Bake My Child Cookies Everyday If They Did This
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Another Believer by Rufus Wainwright [Meet the Robinsons soundtrack].
I honestly do not know where the source of this image is (anyone know?). I want to know this kid. Because not only are they smart, they are clever too.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Book Spine Poetry #3
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod): Crossroads by Michiru Oshima [Fullmetal Alchemist soundtrack].
Every you, every me
You are my only.
The declaration -
Over a thousand hills
I walk with you.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Book Spine Poetry #2
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Forbidden Friendship by John Powell [How To Train Your Dragon soundtrack].
This is only one of two poems where I altered the titles in any way. One was accidental. This was on purpose. I added the word "of."
Before I die
tell me a secret.
Of beautiful creatures,
the eternal sea,
the immortal realm--
the return.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Book Spine Poetry #1
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Requiem for a Tower by Clint Mansell.
The world before
an empty death.
The lost songs
... they never came back.
Book Spine Poetry is BAAAACCK!
Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode.
Since I completely missed out on National Poetry Month (It was in April. Yeah, I thought I had a couple of weeks left in that month. Go figure. Yesterday threw me for a bit of a loop. Which means... oh bleep! Credit card bill!) <---actual, legitimate thought. Um, I'll be right back *vanishes in a cloud of Wiley Coyote smoke*
Um, yes. Ahem. All better. ANYWAY.
Because I love poetry and mildly embarassing myself (it would seem) I am giving you a glimpse at my best book spine poetry again!
For those of you who don't know, the purpose of book spine poetry is to create a poem using only the spines of books. Trust me, it is a lot harder than it seems. But a whole heckuvalot of fun. I tend to favor the short, almost haiku-like poems. Partly because it is easy to photograph/see than a super tall one. Partly because there are less lines to create. Plus, I really like haikus. ^_^
I'll post up one every couple of days for the next little while (as long as the poems hold out). If you want to join in the fun, send me a link and I'll post it up here!
See? I have a space all ready for you. :)
Other Book Spine Poems of Awesome