Book Review : The Blood Confession by Alisa M. Libby

Book Details:

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (August 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525477322
• ISBN-13: 978-0525477327

Purchase The Blood Confession:
Amazon / Dutton Books

Synopsis:

Erzebet is young, beautiful, rich, and imprisoned in her castle, waiting to be sentenced for murder. In a brilliant fiction debut, Alisa M. Libby resurrects the real-life Erzebet Bathory, a seventeenth-century countess who believed that bathing in human blood would preserve her looks forever. The jailed countess tells her story from her birth, which was overshadowed by a bad omen, to her mother’s mental deterioration, Erzebet’s own love for a mysterious figure, and the crimes she committed in pursuit of eternal life.

Review:

The Blood Confession circles around the life of Erzebet Bizecka, the daughter of a count who was born under an ill omen. She was predicted to be "a child whose days will end quickly or whose days will have no end". Under the influence of Sinestra, a mysterious stranger, she started to murder virgin girls, believing that their sacred blood will protect her from death and bring herself a step closer to eternal youth and beauty.

Erzebet's ways of sarificing the lives of numerous young girls were cruel and sickening. In her attempt of pursuing immortality, she had lost her sanity and aborted all her morality. She had become a horrifying monster, even though she deceived herself by saying "I'm not a murderess." after slaughtering a victim. The scenes are not too graphic, so it's suitable for everyone (teenagers and adults), unless you have Haemophobia.

Erzebet is portrayed as an evil person, but somehow I sympathize her because of the loneliness and emptiness she had endured in her early years. Erzebet lived a luxurious life, but behind the glorious facade was a sad and lonely heart. Maybe she was good in nature, but her mind was corrupted with evil thoughts (infused by Sinestra, and partly because her own madness), and she was eventually led astray.

The Blood Confession is the first book by author Alisa M. Libby which is deftly written based on the legend of Countess Bathory. It succeeds in capturing and revealing the dark sides of human nature and shows readers how far would a person go to ensure their own benefits. The Blood Confession is a compelling novel which teenagers, especially Goth-lovers will love.

Rating: 10/10

Many thanks to Alisa M. Libby for sending me a signed hardcover copy of The Blood Confession! I really enjoyed reading this book and I hope to read more books by Alisa in the future!

Purchase The Blood Confession:
Amazon / Dutton Books

Alisa's Online Connections:
Blog ♥ Website ♥ MySpace page ♥ Facebook page

Book Review : The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby

I love this cover! It's so beautiful!

Book details:

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (March 19, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 0525479708
• ISBN-13: 978-0525479703
  

Synopsis:

Life in the court of King Henry VIII is a complex game. When fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard catches the king's eye, she quickly transforms from pawn to queen. But even luxury beyond imagination loses its luster as young Catherine finds her life and her heart threatened by the needs of an aging king and a family hungry for power. Will their agendas deliver Catherine to the same fate as her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn sacrificed at the altar of family ambition?

My review:

Catherine Howard, King Henry’s 'rose without a thorn' was only fifteen years old when she caught the his lustful eye. Her life changed that very moment. She was introduced to a glamorous and luxurious world which she had not encountered before she became Queen. At first, she found it interesting to pamper herself with gorgeous, specially-tailored gowns and dresses, exquisite, one-of-a-kind jewels and indulge herself in elaborate revelries.

It was not long before she realized the truth that she was merely a pawn of the Howard clan in a game of power and politics. She had to hide her true self and burn her past, for many were out there, waiting for a chance to pull her down into the big, black abyss of no return.

I feel pity for Catherine Howard, because she did not have a choice. In fact, she never had. She was only a teenage girl who had no rule over her own fate. I won't reveal the ending to those who haven't read this book, but I assure you that The King's Rose, a story constructed on accurate historical facts, is exceptionally well-written, highly entertaining, and plausible.

Alisa uses her fascinating style of writing to deliver the story in Catherine’s point of view, which gives me a more exact idea of her feelings, emotions and life. Catherine’s character is portrayed realistically, but somehow, readers will feel that this young girl is very naïve. Alisa describes the Tudor court brilliantly. Thou shalt not trust anyone in court. The court is a dangerous place full of conspiracies, backstabbers and powerful clans who are hungry for power.

The King’s Rose is written for young adults but I think adults will enjoy it as well. Through this novel, you will know more about Catherine's life as the fifth wife of King Henry, relish the grandeur of the Tudor court, and have a real view of what is it like to life in a place where you are all alone and there is nobody you can trust. Overall, The King's Rose is a great read. If you are a fan of historical fictions, you MUST read this book. I promise you will love it! Lastly, if you think being married to a King means a fairytale with a happy ending, maybe you would want to consider about it again.

Rating : 10/10

A great THANK YOU to Alisa M. Libby for sending me a signed hardcover copy of The King’s Rose!

Get your own copy of The King's Rose on:
Alibris
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Better World Books
Powell's Books

Visit Alisa's blog

The love letter which leads to Catherine Howard's condemnation.

Book Review : Peony In Love by Lisa See

Read the synopsis of Peony In Love

My review:

Peony In Love is a captivating story set in the seventeenth century China, encircling a young maiden (Peony) from a prominent family. Despaired of being caught in an arranged marriage, Peony starves herself to death, only to learn right before her death that the man her father has picked for her is the man she loves. Her journey in both the mundane world and the after-world gives me insight of the traditional bounds and spiritual beliefs of the people in China. This story introduced me to the women who secretly yearns for true love, besides trying to win respect and achieving freedom in a male-dominated society.

“An educated woman is a worthless woman.” Because of this popular adage, almost all of the women in China lost their chance to get a proper education and thus, only the men has ultimate power. Any woman’s writing, even if it were an excellent piece, would be considered not worthy of reading. However, some of the women writers did get their works published to express their opinions and thoughts on various subjects to make sure that their words can be heard by everyone.

Peony died at a young age, but instead of resting in peace, her soul kept roaming the human’s world because her ancestor’s tablet was not dotted, and she could not continue her journey. Even though she was a ghost, she still loved her poet, and tried to make him happy in all ways.

Lisa See’s writing is still as skillful and beautiful as ever. The love between Peony and her poet seems fairytale-like. At first I thought that it was merely a puppy love, but soon I realized that I was wrong. They loved each other deeply, even though they have only met each other for four times. Peony's life resembles that of the main character of the famous The Peony Pavilion, an opera she was quite obsessed with.

The Chinese’s foot-binding tradition has always enchanted and horrified me at the same time. The girls had to endure great pain to shape their feet into perfect three-inch lilies. In the "Spring Sickness In Summer" chapter, you will know more about the procedure of foot-binding, when Peony’s mother binds her niece’s feet.

I also read about marriage preparations, obsequies rituals, as well as the ghost marriage, which is still performed in some places nowadays. Well, I won’t deny that I find that some parts of the story are not logical, especially the part where she helps Qian Yi conceive a son. But after all, Peony is a ghost, isn’t she?

Through this novel, I learned about different aspects of love, uncover the truth that has been kept a secret by Peony’s parents and hear the voices of the women who wanted to be heard through their works of literature. Peony In Love is hauntingly beautiful…it’s definitely a book worth reading.

Rating : 9 / 10

A great THANK YOU to dear Lisa for sending me a paperback copy of Peony In Love. I really appreciate your kindness and generosity.

Read more about Peony In Love on Lisa See's Website

About the author:

Lisa See, author of the critically-acclaimed international bestseller, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), has always been intrigued by stories that have been lost, forgotten, or deliberately covered up, whether in the past or happening right now in the world today. Ms See is probably best known for Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, for which she traveled to a remote area of China—where she was told she was only the second foreigner ever to visit—to research the secret writing invented, used, and kept a secret by women for over a thousand years.


Purchase Peony In Love from:
Amazon (Hardcover)
Amazon (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble (Hardcover)
Barnes & Noble (Paperback)
Random House (Hardcover)
Random House (Paperback)

Book Review : City of The Dead by T. L. Higley

Product Details:

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: B&H Books; First Edition first Printing edition (March 1, 2009)

Paperback: 400 pages

ISBN-10:0805447318
ISBN-13: 978-0805447316

Synopsis:
Up from the sands of Egypt rises the Great Pyramid, where Hemiunu, Pharaoh’s Grand Vizier, commands the historic building project as he orders his life—with justice, truth, and precision. But when a series of murders at the site threatens chaos, Hemi must abandon his legacy to hunt down the killer who may be closer than he would like to think. Can he restore justice to the city before his careful life and work are destroyed, or will a mysterious people and their strange God uncover the secret past that Hemi has tried to forget?

My Review:

I am truly fascinated by this book. City of the Dead, the second novel of the Seven Wonders Series by T. L. Higley brings us on a journey to the past to ancient Egypt, when The Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the Pyramid of Khufu and Pyramid of Cheops) is built.

The story is fast-paced and well-written. It captured my attention from the moment I set my eyes upon the first page of the book. I find myself completely immersed in the story when the murder cases occur one by one, with no witnesses and clues at all. Nothing except a golden mask laid on the face of each of the victims.

I like Neferet's character. She is kind and helpful, and has great faith in God. She even shows mercy to the killer. I think the killer is quite pathetic in some ways. The killer wants to avenge the death of a beloved one by blaming the deaths of Hemiunu’s friends on him. After the truth is revealed, the killer does something that you would never expect. The story is full of twists and turns, and there are a few everyone’s-a-murder-suspect situations. This time, I didn’t guess correctly the true identity of the person behind all the murder cases.

We can also read about Christianity in the few appearances of The People of The One in the novel. They support each other physically (food) and spiritually (caring words), and they are always willing to help their friend even if it will endanger their own lives.

Another thing I love about this novel is that the author uses flashback techniques to reveal more information of Hemiunu's childhood, little by little. A past that haunted him in his dreams... This contributes to the plot by telling the readers the killer's motive and it makes the story even more exciting and gripping!

City of The Dead is an engrossing novel full of suspense, intrigue, mystery, and a tinge of romance, combining accurate historical facts with an interesting storyline. I hope I can read all the novels in the Seven Wonders Series by T. L. Higley!

Rating : 9/10

I'd like to express my deepest gratitude to Tracy for sending me a paperback copy of City of The Dead! THANK YOU, TRACY!

{Tracy is offering some Egyptian souvenirs for one of my lucky readers! This contest is open to US/Canada residents only! Hint : Leave a comment on this review for 2 extra entries!}

Get your own copy of City of the Dead now from
Amazon / B&H / Barnes & Noble / Better World Books / ChristianBook.com

Book Review : The Call of Zulina by Kay Marshall Strom

“No one will come to help you. We all called in every language we know, and no one ever comes to help.”


The Call of Zulina by Kay Marshall Strom

Book Details:

• Title: The Call of Zulina (Grace in Africa)
• Paperback: 303 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (August 2009)
• ISBN-10: 1426700695
• ISBN-13: 978-1426700699

Purchase from Amazon / Eden / Kay's website

WEST AFRICA, 1787: Grace Winslow, daughter of a mixed marriage between an English sea captain and an African princess, is swept up in a slave revolt after she escapes the family compound to avoid an odious betrothal. As the truth about the fortress Zulina unfolds, Grace begins to grasp the brutality and ferocity of the family business--the capture and trade of slaves. Despite being held for ramson, viciously maimed and threatened with death, Grace casts her lot with the African captives. She is especially moved by the African Cabeto's passion and willingness to sacrifice anything, including his own life, for his people's freedom. Leaning on the faith of her nanny Mama Muco, Grace risks everything to follow her heart.

The Call of Zulina explores the theme of slavery, which has aroused controversies and debates from people all around the world. In this story, Grace Winslow is my favourite character. She has her own scales of justice. She fights for what is right until the very end – even if that means to go against her parents. Her bravery, determination and desire for freedom will capture your heart.

Despite of being an African princess, Lingongo sells her own people to Westerners as slaves in exchange of gold and more gold. She is heartless and evil, and has no mercy for anyone – including her own daughter. Lingongo never love anyone. In her heart, there are only two things : hatred and revenge. She even leaves her daughter to die, and has no intentions of saving her only child. I find her completely disgusting.

All Joseph Winslow thinks about is to marry Grace off to a wealthy but repellent man to ensure unlimited financial supports. Sometimes Joseph's way of conversing is a little bit confusing (he's a sailor). I really pitied Grace's condition. She seems to have everything, but the truth is, she is merely a pawn of her parents, and she is seriously lacking of freedom. Luckily, Mama Muco is always there for her, supporting her in every way.

In chapter four, the author tells us how the peacefulness of a small village is destroyed by slave traders. The scene is heart-breaking...Almost everyone in the village is captured, chained, and eventually sold to faraway places, where they'd be a slave for their whole lifetime. If anyone fights back, a bullet will promptly end their lives. I just don't understand why would these slave traders do such inhumane things to the native Africans. If they were the ones who are captured, how would they feel?

The Call of Zulina by Kay Marshall Strom is an exciting tale which reminds all of us of the brutalities of slavery and resonates with the clear message of banishing slavery in all forms. I enjoyed reading this book, and I look forward to reading the second book of the trilogy.

I'd like to express my deepest gratitude to Kay Marshall Strom and Gina Stinson for sending me a paperback copy of The Call of Zulina. THANK YOU!!!

Rating : 8/10

Purchase from Amazon / Eden / Kay's website

About the author:

Kay loves to write, and she loves to share what she writes about. Guess you'd call her a natural-born communicator! Author of 36 books and numerous magazine articles, Kay's work has appeared in many compilations and book clubs, and around the world in many languages. She has recently completed three new non-fiction books and a historical novel trilogy.

Visit Kay's website here

Book Review : The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

Merit narrowed her eyes. “She’s seen tonight that you are competition and wants to frighten you away. By telling you this, she imagines you’ll have no incentive to return to the palace.”

“Then she is wrong!” I swore. And suddenly, I could see the future clearly.

I looked at Merit beneath the moonlight and repeated, “Then Henuttawy is very, very wrong.”

Book Details:

• Pub. Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
• Format: Paperback, 416pp
• ISBN-13: 9780307381767
  
• ISBN: 0307381765

My Review:

The Heretic Queen is a very enjoyable read. I love the way Michelle plotted the story, I love its originality and most important of all, I love her writing style - it makes you feel like you're listening to someone who's telling the story of her life in a simple yet captivating voice which makes you interested in knowing everything.

Nefertari is the niece of Nefertiti and the daughter of Queen Mutnodjmet and General Nakhtmin. She spent her childhood hunting and playing with her friends, Ramesses and Asha. When she grew up, she realized that she had to strive to win the attention and love of the crown prince Ramesses. With the help of Woserit, the aunt of Ramesses, and Paser, her tutor, she succeeded in climbing to the top. Ramesses made her his queen because of her wit and powerful command of languages, and out of his love for her. Nefertari learned about court rules and found herself between the devil and the sea when she learned about a huge secret and was unsure whether she should tell Ramesses about it. Although Nefertari is not as beautiful as Iset, she has many talents and Iset could not compete with her.

Ramesses is brave, rash and sometimes over-confident. His rashness and over-confidence nearly cost his kingdom during his battle with the Hitties. At last, Ramesses signed a peace treaty with the kingdom of Hatti, which was written in both Egyptian and Akkadian. At times, I find his rashness somewhat cute and heart-warming, especially when he rushed into the birthing pavilion to see Nefertari’s condition although it was against the tradition.

Beautiful but cunning Henuttawy, the sister of Pharaoh Seti, is always finding ways to control the gold in Egypt. She even tricked Iset, Ramesses’ first wife into poisoning Pharaoh Seti to ensure that her plan can proceed smoothly. Nefertari called her ‘viper’ without her knowing.

I love this quote by Nefertari : When the right time comes, I thought, then the viper will see what a vulture can do.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. Once again, Michelle has proved that she really is talented in writing. I was so eager to know what happens next in the story, which explains why I was able to finish this 374-page story (not including the extras) in 2 days time.

On the front pages, you will find a chart of the royal family tree and a map of Egypt and her neighboring countries. At the back, there is a glossary, which I find very interesting. Did you know Mawat means mother? An Egyptian calendar, a reader’s group guide and an excerpt of Cleopatra’s Daughter are also included.

Michelle's clear, simple and skillful way of writing kept my eyes and mind focused on the story, absorbing as much as I could. Reading Michelle’s The Heretic Queen makes me wish that I’d been born in ancient Egypt so that I have the chance to experience their lifestyles and culture. Now, I’d love to see Michelle write a new story of a different era, though undeniably, ancient Egypt is still my favourite.

If you're looking for a historical fiction which is romantic, dramatic, thrilling and touching as well, then The Heretic Queen is your best choice. I hope you'll like this book as I do.

A great THANK YOU to the generous Michelle Moran for sending me this book. Dear Michelle even signed it for me! I'm really touched. I think I'm going to make a little 'something' for her as a gift. I haven't thought of what to do, but I'll tell you what is it when the right time comes. :)

Thank you, Michelle!

Book rating : 9.5/10

Buy The Heretic Queen from :
Amazon ♥ Barnes & Noble ♥ Books-a-Million ♥ Borders ♥ IndieBound ♥ Random House

Visit Michelle Moran's Official Website
Visit Michelle's blog

• Read an Excerpt
• Go Behind the Story -- meet the characters!
• The Heretic Queen Q&A-- what's fact vs. fiction!

Michelle's other books:
Nefertiti
Cleopatra's Daughter

Dear readers, have your read this book? If you have any comments about my review, please feel free to express your lovely thoughts! Thanks! :D

P/S : Michelle is offering FREE personalized Cleopatra's Daughter bookplates on her website until the end of October, so be sure to check it out!

A Special Book Review Contest for Teens!

Hi all, do you know that Michelle Moran is having a review-writing contest for her new novel, Cleopatra's Daughter? The winner will get a $250 gift certificate to Hollister!

CONTEST RULES

• Reviews can be posted on FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, or any blog
• You may enter the contest as many times as you like as long as you provide a different link to a new place you have posted your review. For example, if you have posted your review on Facebook and MySpace, simply fill out the form twice and that will count as 2 contest enteries. The more enteries, the better your chance of winning!
• The contest will be closed to enteries on October 31st at 12pm PST.
• One winner will be chosen and announced here on November 1st!
• The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. The winner's first name and last initial will be posted here, and two emails will be sent to them on November 1st.

So, what are you waiting for? Enter now!

What Are Your Favourite Books?

The PMR test is just around the corner! I really have to start studying!

Can you recommend me some of your favourite books? I'm going to add these to my book wishlist after the exam if I find them interesting. My all-time favourite genre is historical fiction, and I love ancient Rome and Egyptian stories! Here are a few of my favourite books.

In no particular order:
1. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran. Read my review here.
2. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Read my review here.
3. Chinese Cinderella - A Secret Story of An Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah. Read my review here.
4. Empress Orchid by Anchee Min.
5. Jantsen's Gift: A True Story of Grief, Rescue, and Grace by Pam Cope and Aimee Malloy. Visit the website here.

Image from uwsp.edu

My Wishlist:
♥ Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

♥ Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen

♥ My Splendid Concubine by Lloyd Lofthouse and Anchee Min
♥ Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
♥ The Last Empress: A Novel by Anchee Min
♥ The Lost Treasure of King Juba: The Evidence of Africans in America before Columbus by Frank Joseph
♥ The Memoirs of Cleopatra: A Novel by Margaret George
♥ The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene: Royal Scholarship on Rome's African Frontier (Routledge Classical Monographs) by Duane W Roller


If you've any worldwide giveaways going on your blog / someone else's blog, please leave the link below. Share the fun with everyone! Don't forget to enter my current giveaways :

September Giveaway #3 ♥ Orange Ink Studio

Book Review & Giveaway : Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Book Review & Giveaway : Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Book Details:
Random House, Crown Publishers
# ISBN-10: 0307409120
# ISBN-13: 978-0307409126
Hardcover, 430 pages

Synopsis:

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome, but only two—the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander—survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

My review:

In my opinion, Cleopatra's Daughter is a brilliantly-written historical fiction full of twists and turns. Michelle Moran has done a great job in introducing the world of ancient Rome to her readers and leading them to embark on this wonderful journey to the past.

In the olden days, boys were already considered as adults when they reached their 15th birthday, and girls were available for marriage once they reach the age of 15. Selene was afraid of growing up because she feared that Octavian might arrange a betrothal for her to one of the old Senators of Rome. She was also worried that her brother might be killed by Octavian so that Alexander will never have the chance to start a rebellion. (It turned out to be true. Alexander did not live to wear his toga virilis.)

Kleopatra Selene is my favourite character in this story. Although she lost all her next-of-kin (including her twin brother Alexander towards the end of the story) and ancestral kingdom, she managed to cope her sadness and proved herself worthy to Rome in order to fulfill her dreams of returning to her homeland. Selene was extremely talented in architecture and she worked hard as the assistant of Vitruvius, a famous engineer and architect, in order to improve her architecture skills. I'm glad that Selene had a happy-ending in her love life. Her romance with Marcellus, Octavian’s nephew never blossom, but she eventually found her knight in shining armour and lived a blissful life.

The Romans regarded the Gauls as barbarians but I think they themselves were no better. They mistreated their slaves by torturing, and even killing them. In the story, a rich merchant, Pollio wanted to throw an old slave into a pool full of eels to kill him because the old man accidentally dropped a crystal glass. Slaves for sale were locked up in cages like animals. There was another incident in the story which clearly portrayed the injustice in ancient Rome. When Fabius, one of the richest men in Rome was murdered, all his slaves, 200 people of various ages, from young lads to old men, were mercilessly killed. Even the babies were poisoned to death before they had the chance to see the world. This showed that the ruling clans of Rome never really cared and no laws were ever made to ensure the safety of the poor slaves and to champion their rights.

Michelle's decision of making Selene as the narrator of this story is no doubt a perfect choice. As I read through the pages, I felt as if I was in ancient Rome with Selene herself, who was seeking survival in a foreign land full of envy, perils and conspiracies.

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran is truly a remarkable historical fiction. If you enjoy reading stories of ancient Egypt and Rome, then Cleopatra's Daughter is a book you will definitely love!

A million thanks to Michelle for her generosity of sending me a review copy of Cleopatra's Daughter. This book has exceeded my expectations and I really enjoyed reading it. I hope I can read more books by Michelle in the future!

Thank you, Michelle!

Book rating : 10/10 - A perfect score!

*****************************************

Now readers, I've a great news for all of you! Michelle has agreed to sponsor a giveaway on my blog! One lucky reader will win a paperback copy of The Heretic Queen and another lucky winner will be getting a hardcover of Cleopatra's Daughter. Both books are autographed copies.

Mandatory entry:
To enter, simply leave a comment telling me why you want to win. ( 1 entry)

Extra entries:

*Visit Michelle Moran's official website and tell me something you've learned about the author. ( 1 entry)

*Sign up for Michelle's Mailing List. (2 entries)

*Become a new follower of my blog. (1 entry)

*Already a follower. ( 2 entries)

*Tweet this giveaway and leave the link. (1 entry)
You may tweet as many times as you like. Every tweet will be counted as 1 entry.

*Update your Facebook status and leave the link. (1 entry)

*Blog about this giveaway and leave the link. ( 3 entries)

*Post this giveaway on other websites/social networks and leave the link. (2 entries for each site)

*Refer a friend to enter. Your friend must state your name in his/her comment. ( 2 entries)

*Leave a comment in any of my September posts other than the giveaways. You may leave as many comments as you like, but only one comment will be counted for one post. (1 entry for each comment)

Can't wait to read Cleopatra's Daughter? Buy it here:

Amazon ♥ Barnes & Noble ♥ Books-a-Million ♥ Borders ♥ Indie Bound ♥ Random House




~Michelle Moran's official website~

CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER: a novel
The death of Cleopatra was only the beginning...

CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER
Excerpt
Cleopatra's Daughter Q&A
Synopsis

Visit CleopatrasDaughter.com
Check out Michelle's blog at michellemoran.blogspot.com

Please remember to leave your e-mail address. You may leave it in the form (ex: aikychien at yahoo dot com) to avoid spammers.

Giveaway ends 23rd September, 2009 at 8.00 pm Malaysia time.

Giveaway is open worldwide. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The mandatory rules MUST be completed for the extra entries to count. Winner(s) will be chosen via Random.org. The winner will have 3 days to respond, or another winner will be chosen.

Update: Giveaway is now closed.

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

I have been wanting to read this book for ages! You have no idea how excited I am to receive it! Author Michelle Moran has kindly sent me a copy of Cleopatra's Daughter for a book review and it's a beautiful hardback copy! I have started to read the book and I really love it! I'll tell you more about it in the coming review. Please check out Michelle Moran's official website for more details! She is now offering FREE personalized bookplates to all her readers on her website, so be sure to check it out! Cleopatra's Daughter will be released on 15th September, 2009.

♥ Thank you so much, Michelle! ♥

Book Details:

Random House, Crown Publishers
# ISBN-10: 0307409120
# ISBN-13: 978-0307409126
Hardcover, 430 pages

If you want to buy the book right now, please order from:

Amazon ♥ Barnes & Noble ♥ Books-a-Million ♥ Borders ♥ IndieBound ♥ Random House

If you'd like to win a FREE copy of Michelle Moran's latest novel - Cleopatra's Daughter, please be sure to enter these worldwide giveaways!

Giveaway! Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran at Mom Musings
Contest ends on Sept 13th at 11:59 CST

Giveaway: Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran at Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Deadline to enter is September 13th at 11:59 p.m

Giveaway for Cleopatra's Daughter by Author Michelle Moran from Chocolate & Croissants
Ends 13th September, 2009.

Cleopatra's Daughter-A Book and Pen Giveaway! at Rundpinne
The contest closes on September 14.

Cleopatra's Daughter Giveaway! at Passages to The Past
Giveaway ends on September 14th.

Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran (with giveaway!) from Book Addiction
Ends 14th September, 2009.

3-Prize Giveaway from author Michelle Moran from Age 30+: A Lifetime of Books
Ends 15th September, 2009.

Win a signed copy of Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran from The Book Muncher
Contest ends 9/22/09, at 9 p.m. PST.

For more giveaways and blog candies, you can go to my List of Worldwide Giveaways. I will update the list from time to time.

Book Review : Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Pub. Date: February 2006
ISBN-13: 9780812968064
Sales Rank: 878
Pages: 288

Order Snow Flower and the Secret Fan from

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Review:

Lily and her friend Snow Flower are a laotong pair, related more closely than husband and wife. Lily's Aunt describes a laotong match this way: "'A laotong relationship is made by choice for the purpose of emotional companionship and eternal fidelity. A marriage is not made by choice and has only one purpose -- to have sons.'"

The two girls are also bound together by experiencing the painful process of foot binding at the same time, and by letters to one another written on fans with Nü Shu, a secret phonetic form of 'women's writing.' In addition to the language itself, the young women learn Nü Shu songs and stories.

Although both friends are born under the sign of the horse, they are quite different. Lily is practical, her feet firmly set on the ground, while Snow Flower is a flying horse that attempts to fly over the constrictions of women's lives in the 19th century in order to be free. Their lives differ as well. Although Lily comes from a family of relatively low station, her beautiful feet play a role in her marriage into the most powerful family in the region. Lily ends up as Lady Lu, the region's most influential woman. Snow Flower is not so fortunate. She marries a butcher, culturally considered the lower of professions, and has a miserable life filled with children dying and beatings at the hand of her husband.

The novel depicts human suffering in many ways: the physical and psychological pain of foot binding; the suffering of women of the time, who were treated as property; the terrible trek up the mountains to escape from the horrors of the Taiping Revolution; the painful return back down the mountain trail with dead bodies everywhere. Some estimate that the number of people killed during the Revolution was approximately 20 million.

The detailed treatment of the suffering which Lily and Snow Flower experience in their laotong relationship is a major aspect of the book. Lily’s need for love and her inability to forgive what she considers to be acts of betrayal cause her to inflict harm on many people, Snow Flower most of all. Believing that Snow Flower has not been true to her, Lily betrays her by sharing all her private secrets to a group of women, virtually destroying Snow Flower's reputation. When Snow Flower is dying, Lily is called to her bedside and tends to her until the end.

As the book returns to the present (1903), Lily is an 80 year old woman who has lived 40 years after her friend's death. Lily’s final words indicate that her love for Snow Flower remains: “But if the dead continue to have the needs and desires of the living, then I’m reaching out to Snow Flower and the others who witnessed it all. Please hear my words. Please forgive me.”

Through this novel, I have learnt more about the lives of the Chinese women in the 19th century, their culture, tradition and the hardships they encounter on the journey of life. The tales of their amity are heart-warming, but sad and sorrowful sometimes. Lily and Snow Flower have gone through much together, as they evolve physically and mentally from innocent little girls into beautiful young ladies, tasting all kinds of 'flavours' of life --- happiness, love, joy and sorrow. This is a well- written, fascinating historical fiction. I must say that Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is certainly one of the best books I've ever read.

My rating : 10/10

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Lisa See, the author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, who is so kind to send me an autographed copy of the book. I also want to thank her for writing such a beautiful story that keeps my eyes permanently fixed on the pages from the beginning until the end.

Thank you, Lisa!

Lisa's other books:

On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese American Family. St. Martins Press, 1995.
Flower Net. HarperCollins, 1997.
The Interior. HarperCollins, 1999.
Dragon Bones. Random House, Inc., 2003.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Random House, Inc., 2005.
Peony in Love. Random House, Inc., 2007.
Shanghai Girls. Random House, Inc., 2009.
Chinatown (guidebook), Angels Walk LA, 2003.