Monday, August 27, 2012

"The Legend of L'Esprit" by Doris Greenberg and Pandré Shandley

As the resident dancer here at The Velveteen Rabbit, I was so excited to have The Legend of L'Esprit fall into my lap this summer.  It was the perfect summer read for someone who spent 14 years of her life in a dance studio, but I think the plot line will appeal to those who have never stepped foot in a dance class as well.

Libby Nobleton and her family have recently moved to Chicago and she is looking for a new dance studio to call home.  When she auditions for the premier studio, L'Esprit, she knows she's found her place.  But there's more to this dance studio than ballet barres and full-length mirrors; rumor has it that L'Esprit is haunted by the spirit of the prima ballerina who originally founded the school.  Now Libby and her new friends have to uncover the truth about what happened on the most tragic night of L'Esprit's history to help more than one soul find its peace.

What I found so refreshing about this first novel in the Dance Legacy series was its spot-on blend of the day-to-day life of a young dancer along with the mystery and intrigue of the paranormal phenomena at the dance studio.  I also appreciated the fact that Libby was not involved in a torrid love triangle; she's got a straight head on her shoulders and is an excellent role model both for young dancers, as well as young women in general.  That's not to say that this book is not without its romance!  There's just enough of it to keep the reader satisfied and it's handled in a way that makes it seem realistic, rather than totally unattainable. 

One of the unique features of this book was the dance glossary located in the back.  After having been taught dance by hearing the terms rather than reading them, it was fun to see them actually spelled out and say, "So that's how that's written!"  Each chapter features a different dance term as well, so you don't have to keep paging to the back of the book to look them up.  This is a must-read for those reading dancers out there, as well as those readers just looking for a good book.

Grace gives it 5 out of 5 carrots!

Click here to order your copy at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop and Guest House!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

"The Secret History of the Pink Carnation" by Lauren Willig


This book is not technically a recent read for me as I finished it this past spring, but we've been pretty busy at The Velveteen Rabbit and haven't had much of a chance to blog about what we're reading.  Now that I finally have a chance to sit down and type out my thoughts, I'd like to first give credit to Beth for recommending this fantastic series to me.  It'd been one of her staff picks for awhile and now I can see why!  My only disappointment in this series is that it isn't a true story, which just goes to show how wonderful Willig's narrative really is!

The novel is a story within a story.  The reader follows Eloise Kelly, a smart but slightly fumbling American grad student as she works to uncover the secret identity of the Pink Carnation, the most elusive English spy during the Napoleonic wars for her dissertation.  Her search leads her to some of the descendents of the Purple Gentian, another famous spy whose identity was revealed and therefore was forced to retire.  One such descendent, a Mr. Colin Selwick, is a little more than irate to find that his great-aunt has let a perfect stranger look at their family papers and it's hate at first sight.  Of course, hate has always been rumored to be far closer to love than most would think.....

As I've already mentioned, I was more than a little disappointed that the majority of the espionage and intrigue in this novel was all fiction.  I so desperately wanted there to really be a Pink Carnation and a Purple Gentian, but that just shows how totally engrossing Willig's novel is.  It sucked me right in and didn't even let me go when I finished the book.  I had to immediately purchase the next book in the series (and the next after that and the next after that.........you get the idea).  Now, at the halfway point in the series, I'm taking a small moment to recommend this novel to readers in search of a great escape from reality.  Then I'm heading back to England with Eloise and the Pink Carnation!

Grace gives this book 5 out of 5 carrots!

Click here to purchase your copy at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop and Guest House!

Monday, January 9, 2012

"Persuasion" by Jane Austen

Jane Austen's last novel, though overshadowed by her other wonderful classics, is fully worthy of the highest praise. Anne Elliot is the unmarried heroine of the story, having been persuaded to deny her love her hand in marriage, due to class distinctions. Now a handsome naval officer, a resentful Captain Wentworth and Anne are brought back into the same social circle. Various love interests and crises spice the pages, which go by altogether too quickly.

Unique charaters make this novel the intriguing satire that it is. Proud Sir Walter Elliot, conniving Mrs. Clay and fickle Mary Musgrove are a few who make their appearances. Anne Elliot herself is described by her creater as "almost too good for me", according to every description of the book that I've read. The plot jaunts across England, from Lyme to Bath, and the latest news is never far behind. An intelligent commentary on England's gentry, it is moreover an artfully scripted lesson in love and true character.

Kerry gives it five out of five carrots!

Click here to purchase your copy from The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!