The Queen of Water

I just finished an amazing book called the Queen of Water.  The Queen of Water is about a young girl named Virginia Farinango who was born in an Andean village in Ecuador.  Virginia lives with her poor family in a small mud hut.  In her village it is not uncommon to work in fields all day long, even as a child.  It is also very common to be called longa tonta (stupid Indian) by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants.  When, at the time, seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds ahead of her.  Over the years spent with the mestizo couple,Virginia quickly grows accustomed to the luxuries of the mestizo life.  Virginia even finds it hard to remember how to speak her hometown language called, Quichua, and only knows how to speak Spanish, The Mestizo language.    Virginia also finds it hard to remember the faces of her own family.  While working for the mestizo couple she is beaten many times and told that the sole purpose of an indigenous girl like her, is to serve.  But Virginia has a dream to one day be famous and not to be told what to do, how to act, how to eat, how to speak, she wants to be free.  Virginia must fight to hold on to her spirit and humor.  Virginia soon gets caught up between the decision of going back home to her parent's in a mud house and farm all day, or stay at home with the nasty couple but have a good chance to grow up and be someone successful?  This novel is based on a true story and the writing is so good it keeps you hooked throughout.



Thanks
Alyssa :)

Betsy and The Emperor

Today I finished a fascinating book called Betsy and the Emperor.  This book is about a fourteen year old girl named Betsy Balcombe.  Betsy lives on remote, ugly island called St. Helena.  Napoleon Bonaparte is being transported over to St. Helena, being held prisoner by the British soldiers.  Bonaparte is in need for a place to stay and is assigned to reside in Betsy's house.  Betsy and the emperor build up a strong and caring relationship for eachother.  Both go through many hardships and obstacles.  But one day one of Betsy's friend's, Huff, is determined to free the great Napoleon Bonaparte, and get this great leader off of this island!  Betsy soon decides that she will take part in this plan too.  Will Betsy be able to free the emperor?  Or will the emperor have to live the rest of his life on the island of St. Helena?  Read this awesome historical fiction novel to find out!  This was a really good book and I would recommend it! :)



Alyssa :)

Beware Princess Elizabeth!

A couple of days ago I finished an awesome book called Beware Princess Elizabeth.  This great book written by Carolyn Meyer, is about Princess Elizabeth's teen years and up.  Betrayal,  lost love and murder, what more must a princess endure?  Princess Elizabeth's mother Anne Boleyn was beheaded by her father Henry VIII, her evil half sister Mary locks her in a tower and keeps her prisoner, and her young brother dies of a deadly disease.  This book is a fact filled, historical fiction novel.  I learned so many things about Princess Elizabeth I had no idea about before!  Elizabeth has to face many dangers and roadblocks in her way, especially Mary's religious views. Mary is Catholic and Elizabeth is Protestant.  Mary will kill anyone who disagrees with her or stands in her way!  This is a great book.  I would rate this four stars!  I would recommend this book to anyone interested in, well, Princess Elizabeth!

Alyssa :)

Next review:  Betsy and The Emperor. 

City of Masks

I just yesterday finished a book called the City of Masks.  This book was so good!  It started off kind of slow and all of the names were a little confusing but once you got deeper into the story it was really cool!  OK here's a little summary:  Lucien is badly ill.  He has a brain infection that is causing him a tumor.  But his life is transformed when an old Italian notebook that his father gives him allows him to stravagante (time travel to 16 century Italy.)  Whenever Lucien holds the beautiful Italian journal, his mind is swept away to an enchanting Venice-like city called Bellezza while his earthly body sleeps peacefully.  But as his body begins to follow his mind in this other world, there is always a chance that Lucien may be caught on the other side of time and not be able to return!  This book is so good.  I would rate this four stars!  I have already read Mary Hoffman's book called the Falconer's knot which was really good as well!  I will also be reading the other books in this Stravaganza series called: City of Stars, City of Flowers, City of Secrets and City of Ships!  There, that should be in order!  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a kind of historical mostly fantasy read!

Thanks
Alyssa :)