Showing posts with label Anne Rinaldi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anne Rinaldi. Show all posts

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Recommended Reads For YA Readers, Sugestions Anyone?

Recently I was approached by a YA reader in search of "clean and innocent" books to read. Boy is that a hard mission when it comes to historical fiction. Sadly it made me realize that I generally have not covered many reads that are made for young adults. I need your HELP and I am posting a Mr. Linky (listed at the bottom) to see if anyone out there has a link for "clean and innocent' YA books.  It does not matter to me if your link is a review, a new release post, or even a link to an authors website. My only requirement is that if you do post a link you have to know for a fact that it is age appropriate to YA which means, no sex, no foul language, and defiantly no over the top bloody violence. I would love to hear from you on this. 

YA For Sure Appropriate 
The Redheaded Princess: A NovelThe Redheaded Princess by Anne Rinaldi
" Growing up, Elizabeth fears she can never be Queen. Although she is the King's daughter, no woman can ever hope to rule over men in England, especially when her mother has been executed for treason.
For all her royal blood, Elizabeth's life is fraught with danger and uncertainty. Sometimes she is welcome in the royal court; other times she is cast out into the countryside. With her position constantly changing, the Princess must navigate a sea of shifting loyalties and dangerous affections. At stake is her life—for beheading is not uncommon among the factions that war for the Crown.
With the vivid human touch that has made her one of the foremost writers of historical fiction, Ann Rinaldi brings to life the heart and soul of the young Elizabeth I. It's a portrait of a great leader as she may have been as she found her way to the glorious destiny that lay before her". 

ArabellaArabella by Georgette Heyer
The prolific Georgette Heyer--author of more than 70 novels--is perhaps best known for her Regency romances. A consummate storyteller, Heyer was also an astute historian of the times she wrote about; every detail of the language, dress, and customs rings with authenticity. Arabella is one of Heyer's most charming Regency novels. In it, young Arabella Tallant, the beautiful daughter of an impoverished clergyman, comes to London for her social debut and almost immediately runs afoul of Robert Beaumaris, a wealthy, eligible aristocrat. Beaumaris suspects that Arabella engineered a carriage accident in order to meet him; Arabella, in a rage, leads him to believe that she is the heiress to a massive fortune and thus quite uninterested in his own riches. Having set the stage for inevitable misunderstandings between this arrogant Romeo and hotheaded Juliet, Heyer then peoples it with unforgettable secondary characters. Arabella's warm heart and strong principles lead her to befriend such unsavory types as an abused apprentice to a chimney sweep, a stray dog, and a fallen woman happily known as "Leaky Peg"--all of whom she foists on the reluctant but gallant Mr. Beaumaris. Arabella is an intelligent, witty romp--both a romance with a hearty sense of humor and a historical novel that remains true to the times it depicts. 

YA Unsure Appropriate  

Emma and the Vampires (Jane Austen Undead Novels)Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson 

"Watch out Edward Cullen! Meet Mr. Knightley…The Vampire
Screenwriter Wayne Josephson Gives Jane Austen’s Emma Some Bite. Literally. From Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the Count in the 1931 film Dracula, to the hit 90s TV show Buffy The Vampire Slayer, to the modern-day HBO series True Blood and the blockbuster book and film franchise Twilight, the vampire has evolved from a being that wreaks horror on humans to one that wreaks havoc on the affairs of the heart. Pop culture continues its fascination with vampires in the latest classics mashup Emma and the Vampires. The Regency-era comedy of manners finds Jane Austen’s beloved title character, Emma Woodhouse, attempting to arrange the affairs of the young ladies and gentleman vampires, including Mr. Knightley, in her social circle with delightfully disastrous results. Emma and the Vampires reflects the author’s passion for retelling the great classics of literature for a modern-day audience. Josephson originally rewrote Emma for his teenage daughter, who then suggested he add vampires given their popularity in books, TV, and film.
Emma is the most popular Jane Austen novel with young adult readers, and continues to delight audiences today, including the loose adaptation of the story in 1995’s Clueless, starring Alicia Silverstone, and the 1996 film adaptation with Gwyneth Paltrow portraying Emma. Is the mashup dead? No, it’s undead".
 
The Queen's Dollmaker by Christine Trent
"On the brink of revolution, with a tide of hate turned against the decadent royal court, France is in turmoil - as is the life of one young woman forced to leave her beloved Paris. After a fire destroys her home and family, Claudette Laurent is struggling to survive in London. But one precious gift remains: her talent for creating exquisite dolls that Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France herself, cherishes. When the Queen requests a meeting, Claudette seizes the opportunity to promote her business, and to return home...Amid the violence and unrest, Claudette befriends the Queen, who bears no resemblance to the figurehead rapidly becoming the scapegoat of the Revolution. But when Claudette herself is lured into a web of deadly political intrigue, it becomes clear that friendship with France's most despised woman has grim consequences. Now, overshadowed by the spectre of Madame Guillotine, the Queen's dollmaker will face the ultimate test".
 
As far as Trent goes, this one is really a maybe for me. I remember that there is a part where there is an attempted rape but as far as I remember that was the worst of it. It was not sexual and the main protagonist  Claudette is more the prim and proper type than the rebellious wild child. Tell me what do you think appropriate for YA or not

Update: Thank you to everyone who contributed to the YA list here is the submitted links as follows:
1. Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein
2. A Golden Web by Barbara Quick
3. The Bad Queen by Carolyn Meyer
4. Daughter of Fire and Ice by Marie-Louise Jensen
5. Ashes by Kathryn Lasky
6. Leigh Ann's Civil War by Ann Rinaldi
7. Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards
8. Daughters of the Sea: Hannah by Kathryn Lasky
9. Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones
10. La Petite Four by Regina Scott
11. Duchessina by Carolyn Meyer
12. Duchessina by Carolyn Meyer
13. In Mozart's Shadow by Carolyn Meyer
14. Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi
15. The Last Duchess by Sharon Stewart
16. The Nine Days Queen by Karleen Bradford
17. Princess in the Tower by Sharon Stewart
18. The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott
19. Lady in the Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen
20. Time of the Witches by Anna Myers
21. Troubadour by Mary Hoffman
22. Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein
23. The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley
24. Unclaimed Heart by Kim Wilkins
25. A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov
26. A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov
27. Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
28. The Plague by Joanne Dahme
29. Bewitching Season bY Marissa Doyle
30. The Season by Sarah Maclean
31. Chains by Laurie Halse ANderson
32. Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl
33. Montacute House by Lucy Jago
34. Faithful by Janet Fox
35. The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry
36. Everlasting by Angie Frazier
37. Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
38. I am Rembrandt's Daughter
39. Spy in the House by YS Lee
40. Edge on the Sword
41. YA historical fiction booklist on goodreads


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Monday, June 08, 2009

Reading Young Adult Historical Fiction

Recently a girlfriend of mine asked me for help in finding a good historical fiction novel for a school report for her older daughter. I had a hard time finding a novel that was age appropriate for a young impressionable mind. With no avail, she settled on a reasonable book that was not very interesting to her, and as soon as it was over she went back to finishing Twilight.

I began a search for a novel that would be more to her liking when I came across a book named The Redheaded Princess by Anne Rinaldi. Which we all know could be the one and only redhead princess that later became Queen Elizabeth. Given the scandalous details of Henry VIII rein, I was curious as to how it would play out in the young adult world. It stuck my curiosity and I read the first chapter. I was thoroughly amazed at the way it opened to Elizabeth. Keeping to a view point of a young adult who's life experiences would shape her future.

This is Ann's first book on Tudor era her previous books had been more centered around American History, civil war era. This is for all of you out there looking to spark a interest in a historical fiction for a young adult reader. I sincerely hope that Anne will explore more of this time period with future books because as we all know the world will never have enough books. Visit Ann's site here
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