TSS I'm dreaming of...

...a white Christmas, of course, and a lot of good books under my tree! Christmas is just around the corner, and I finished my shopping just in time to avoid the frenzy. As always, I'm buying books for my family. It was easy this year since they finally spoke up and expressed their wishes so I didn't have to guess and hope they'd like it. As for my friends...I'm so excited about this! Starting with next weekend, they will be arriving one by one. The six of us best friends study in four different towns. On the 19th, a legendary rock-band from our hometown is having a concert back home. I'm buying tickets for my friends, and I can't wait for us to get together for the god old times. We'll be playing numerous parties of pool and sip beer since we're not so much into clubs and catch up for everything we missed since July.

Today is St. Nicholas day, a prelude to Christmas for kids. There are several legends about this saint. According to one of them, a bishop in the 14th century has helped three poor girls who couldn't get married because they didn't have a dowry, so he left money in their shoes while they were sleeping. Hence the tradition that children polish their shoes and put them in the windows. If they were good, the get presents. He is also the protector of seamen and children. I didn't put my shoes in the window, but St. Nicholas still thought of me. I love you, mom, for telling him which shirt I was wishing for! This was the first year my Little Hobbit could enjoy this. He got himself a whole new set of tractors and other farming tools, and of course, lots of Ben 10 figures...

It's that time of the year when everyone is signing up for new contests and recapitulating old ones. I still have one or two books to finish for the Fall Into Reading challenge, and The Global Classic challenge runs until June, so there's plenty of time to read the remaining four books. There are so many great challenges around the blogosphere, but I'll have to keep it simple. I have lots of books that just need to be read if I plan to major in English Literature (the list, for now, has some 200 books). I found the Richard Yates Reading Challenge at Sasha's blog. Since three out of ten required books are on the list, it's not much of a sacrifice.My official post is coming on Tuesday.

This was a very bad reading week for me. I read some Poe and started Revolutionary Road. I have so much to do for college and can't steal any more time than I already do. I did the review for Cleopatra's Daughter. I loved the book so much. Right now, there are seven books on my night stand;three for my bachelor's dissertation (Herta Mueller, who won the Nobel for literature this year) and few other for literature classes. In fact, I'm writing this instead of studying for a Word Formation revision test.

I'm preparing some author interviews in the next few weeks so stay tuned!

Now I'm really off to do some serious work. I wish everyone a nice Sunday (mine has only few hours left) and an interesting week!

Cleopatra's Daughter

by
Michelle Moran

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st edition (September 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307409120
• ISBN-13: 978-0307409126
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches 
• I got it from: the author in exchange for a review
  

First give me a moment to make a loud happy squeal, because I'm sooooo happy to have read this book! Michelle was my guest blogger in October. She allowed me to host a giveaway and we had an interview (you can find the post here). My own copy arrived three weeks ago, and due to lack of time, I finished it just last week. I'm still thrilled about it (imagine me squealing again). But enough of my squealing. Here goes the review.

After Cleopatra's defeat and suicide, her children Selene, Alexandre and Ptolemy are taken to Rome as captives. The little Ptolemy doesn't survive the long journey (this was my first crying moment). Once in Rome, they are treated as a Prince and Princess of Egypt, though in golden chains, but all effort is put into making them as Roman as they could be. Their intention is to return to Egypt, but Caesar Octavian has other plans. So does the Red Eagle, a rebel who fights against slavery and threatens to shake up the foundations of Rome, where a third of the population are slaves. Who is the Read Eagle? How does Selene get involved into his fight, and will Octavian succeed in his plans to remove the only surviving descendants of the Ptolemy dynasty?

I was never much of a history fan, but this story has swept me off my feet. It's wonderful when the passion of the author shines through the pages as it does here; Michelle, who has been to numerous archeological sites all over the world, has resurrected Rome to every single detail. I never experienced Rome so real, starting from the descriptions of the buildings, inhabitants, arts and customs to weather, clothing and food. Though the novel is based on historical facts, I never got the impression that any of them were slowing down the action.Michelle Moran has turned a history lesson into an exciting, thrilling, compelling novel that kept me up reading deep in the night, ans I only wish I had it few years ago, when this era was taught in school!

Cleopatra's Daughter was an exciting read from the very first page. It's narrated from the perspective of Selene, a pretty, but also very intelligent, artistically talented and responsible girl who is determined to survive and revive her mother's kingdom. Selene is a character whom you'll sympathize with throughout the novel and keep your fingers crossed for. She's the heiress of Egypt, but she's also a young girl (eleven when she comes to Rome, fifteen at the end of the novel) who experiences first love, broken heart, injustice and treachery, political games and social ailments. Can you imagine what were teenagers like in ancient Rome? They loved shopping, games, nice clothes, make-up, being pretty for the guys they like. They didn't like school much either and would rather spend the time hanging out and partying with their friends. Sounds familiar?
Each character is well-developed and unique. They all have their own stories and carry their burdens, and it was fascinating to watch them grow as they come of age. At the end of the book is an appendix on what happened to them afterwards. The sad story of Julia and Marcellus was a bitter surprise. Who would have thought it would end up so tragically? There's also a timetable, a map of Rome, a list of characters and a glossary for better understanding.

The mystery of the Red Eagle had me guessing to the last page. There were just so many characters who might have been the mysterious fighter for abolition of slavery.When the veil of mystery was finally lifted, it was so perfectly obvious. That simple and yet powerful resolution and the revelation of a beautiful love story was my last crying moment and a reason for another squeal-I want more!

I doubt this review has captured how I fell about Cleopatra's Daughter. It's definitely one of my favorite books this year. It's also a book I'd recommend to everyone, no matter of what age and interest in history or historical fiction. Indulge yourself in this time-travel and find out what is so enchanting about Cleopatra and her daughter.

Watch the trailer for the book:

Thank you, Michelle!

TSS Just to drop a line or two...

...and to apologize for not posting any reviews this week. I have a huge book presentation on Wuthering Heights on Monday and the preparations took much time more than I thought they would.
Several reviews are in drafts, Cleo's Daughter and three bus books (Cirque Du Frique, Daisy Miller and Bleachers) and I'll try to finish them this week. Also, I finally caught the bull by the horns and started reading Moby Dick. It's going very slow so far, and if anyone is up for some healthy competition let me know :) I need a push to get through it.
This week I finally bought my own copy of Pride and Prejudice. I just couldn't resist the Dover edition with such a wonderful covers. I read Age of Innoccence and Daisy Miller from Dover and I absolutely adore the covers! Next week I think I'll buy either The Time Traveler's Wife or The Lovely Bones. Both movies look amazing, but I want to read the books first.

Oh...and speaking of movies...I went to see New Moon after all. I know I swore I wouldn't, but hey...I didn't like the movie, but the soundtrack is amazing. I can't stop listening to it. Hellou, there's Muse on it. Enough said.

Thank you for all your wonderful comments this week. I'm sorry I didn't make it much to your blogs, but I promise to catch up.
Also, the weather was perfect for the last couple of weeks and I spent a lot of time outdoors with Little Hobbit, catching the last few rays of sun. Anyhow, it's raining today and the nice weather is gone, so I'm leaving you with this beautiful song. It makes me curl into my bed with a good book or write something romantic.

Oops...This post happened to be a lot longer than I intended.

Everyone have a WONDERFUL week!

TSS What a week...

...and the worst is yet to come. The first round of revision tests is just around the corner, starting Monday with Puritan Literature. Next thing you know, it's Christmas, New Year, then February and the battle for exams begins.

The last week wasn't very fruitful when it comes to reading. I finished The Age of Innocence for the Global Classic Challenge. The only reason why I didn't post the review is that I forgot my reading journal with my favorite quotes, and doing the review without them would be like...chocolate chunkies without the chocolate. I loved the book, and I can't wait to share my favorite quotes with you. For a guy boring as Archer Newland, he did impress me several times.
Also, I started Wuthering Heights again. I'm near the point where I put it down last summer, but this time it's going to be different. Few months ago there was a discussion on not liking a book vs. not getting a book, and the conclusion was that some books demand a certain set of circumstances and a perfect timing. Hallelujah- mine seems to have come!

There is another book I started this week. It's The Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones. When I was a kid I heard so much about her books, but never got to read any. It's what would today be labeled as Tween, and it's about a eleven-old girl in the time of WW II who finds herself traveling trough time. It's interesting to read a book about time traveling that was written in the year I was born. 

My copy of Cleopatra's Daughter arrived this week. It's looks amazing. Michelle sent me a signed hardcover with a bookmark!  Thanks, Michelle! I can't wait to start reading it, I read the first chapter and had to lay it aside until I finish the compulsory reading for college.


Friday was TWLOHA day. Since I didn't go out much, no one saw my tattoo. In the evening we went to see and Austrian movie, and that's when it came in handy since, well, I used a sharpy that glows in the dark!


Altogether, it was a bad week. I didn't feel like blogging , though I read a lot. I hope you guys had a better week, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that the week to come is going to be much, much better!

And the winner is....

The winner of Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran is

....drum-roll please.....

RUTH !!

My son has fished your name out of a cereal bowl. I'll be emailing you shortly. I wish you a happy reading!

A big THANK YOU to all of you who have participated! You're awesome!

TSS: Booking through the week...

As some of you may know, last week saw me returning to Osijek for college. I passed my last exam with a great B. Considering the conditions under which I prepared the last ten exams, I cannot but say WOW to myself. But enough bragging. This semester, I will have a class on creative, essayistic and journalistic writing, first in German, next semester in English. I'm eagerly looking forward to these.
In a record time, I managed to find an amazing apartment. It's less than a ten minutes walk to the university. On the way, I pass the beautiful cathedral, the main square, my favorite bookstore and the oldest park in town. My roomie is a great girl. I had no idea who occupied the other bedroom until I came to see the place. We went to high school together, and though we were never close friends, we got along great at the instant that I moved in!
The only thing that bothers me is that there is no internet access in the apartment, and I'm so NOT buying that little mobile internet device. It's way too expensive for my limited budget. I'll have to use the computers in the college library or schedule posts at weekends when I'm home. Neither of these makes me too happy, but hey, it's not like I get to be picky here.

What actually bothers me most is that, again, I'll be away for four days a week from my little sunshine. He is staying with my parents. It's horrible to leave each Monday morning, but it's the best solution for all of us. I get to concentrate on studying, so the weekends are only to be enjoyed with him. The sooner I graduate, the sooner we'll be able to build up a living together. I know that, everything I do know, will pay off well some time soon, and it makes all the sacrifice less painful.

This week I'm hosting my first giveaway. Michelle Moran, author of three bestselling historical novels, who was also my guest blogger, donated a copy of her latest novel, Cleopatra's Daughter. To enter the contest, simply click on the cover image on the sidebar or follow this link.
For more awesome giveaways, check out Froggaritavilles's Bookcase, Ms Bookish who has a weekly updated list and, if you are a member of Book Blogs, there are several groups where you can find the newest giveaways. I have tried to compile a list on my sidebar and found it very time-consuming, so kudos to all of you wonderful bloggers who do it for us!

This week I finished two more books from my Fall into Reading Challenge list. I finished Christopher I King's motorbikes, ducks and crispy sweet apples and Cathy Marley's Peeking over the Edge. Reviews are coming up this week. Seems like I will need to add some additional goals, since I read the first two college assignments faster than I thought. I was thinking about Herta Mueller, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature this year. I'm going to read the German version of her book. Hopefully they have it in our college library.

Writing, you ask? Ehem...beside one single chapter to my current WIP, I did some rewrites for another WIP. I'm not happy with that status. Not at all. I think its was largely due to the fact that I was sick. I caught a bad flu and couldn't get out of bed, let alone to spend hours starring into the screen when I could barely sit straight. To make things worse, I passed it on to Little Hobbit, so none of us slept last night. Being sick is horrible; watching your child being sick when there is only so little you can do to help him is excruciating.

This week, I will have one more great author as guest blogger,  Nadine Laman, whose books I adore. It should be posted  on Wednesday if nothing gets in the way, so stay tuned!

It's been a long week, and I couldn't wait for Sunday to come. I'm going to spend the rest of the day cuddling with my little precious, reading and watching cartoons.

To all my dear fellow Saloners,  I wish you a nice Sunday and great week!

Guest author: Michelle Moran and Giveaway

I am proud to present Michelle Moran, the author of bestselling historical fiction Nefertiti, its standalone sequel The Heretic Queen, and recently published Cleopatra's Daughter. 

Cleopatra's Daughter was published with Random House, Crown Publishers, on September 15th. Here is the short synopsis (taken from Michelle's website):

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.

Michelle was so kind to answer few questions for my blog. So here we go.

Q: What prompted you to write a novel about Cleopatra’s daughter?
A:  I do a great deal of traveling both for research and for fun, and most of my destinations are archaeological sites. On a trip to Alexandria in Egypt, I was afforded the amazing opportunity of participating in a dive to see the submerged remains of Cleopatra’s ancient city. More than ten thousand artifacts remain completely preserved underwater: sphinxes, amphorae, even the stones of the ancient palace. Although I'm not a fan of diving, it was an incredible experience, and it changed the way I looked at Cleopatra. I immediately wanted to know more about her life, and it was mere coincidence that my next trip took me to Italy, where her ten year-old children were brought to live after her suicide. While in Rome, I was able to retrace her daughter's steps, and upon seeing where her daughter had lived on the Palatine, I knew I had my next novel.

Q: What was it like to walk where Selene walked? In particular, what was it like to visit Octavian’s villa?
A: Unbelievable. For two thousand years, Octavian’s villa has sprawled across the top of the Palatine Hill, slowly deteriorating. At one time, its vibrantly painted dining room had hosted magnificent feasts, one of which would have been the celebration of the emperor’s triumph over Marc Antony and Cleopatra in Egypt. As the heir to Caesar, Octavian was determined to rule the western world without interference. He changed his name to Augustus, and with the help of his general Agrippa and his architect Vitruvius, he turned a city of clay into a city of marble.

I had known all of this on that day in March when the villa was opened for the first time in more than a century. What I hadn’t known, however, was just how unbelievable that trip back into the world of ancient Rome would be. After three million dollars in restoration, Italian archaeologists have been able to recreate not just the intimate library and studies Augustus used, but the mosaic floors he once walked on and the vividly painted ceilings he once walked beneath with Ovid, Seneca, Cicero, Horace, and even Julius Caesar himself. As we were quickly escorted through the frescoed rooms, we stopped in the triclinium – the dining room which had once seen so many famous faces smiling, laughing, even crying for mercy. With a little imagination, it was easy to see the tables and couches that had once adorned the chamber, and there was the undeniable feeling of standing in the presence of the ancients. It was the kind of feeling you only get in Grecian temples or Egyptian tombs.

Q: In all three of your novels, your narrators have been teenage girls. Is there are reason for this?
A:  Actually, yes. I like to begin my novels during the time of greatest transition in a person’s life. And in the ancient world, the greatest transition in a woman’s life was often the time when she was married. Because women married at much younger ages two thousand years ago (twelve years old was not uncommon), my narrators have all been very young girls. In fact, Random House will be making a concerted effort to market Cleopatra's Daughter to young adults as well as adults. However, as my novels progress through time (my next book, for example, will be about Madame Tussaud), my narrators will be older.

Q: Is the Red Eagle based on an historical person?
A:  Yes. The Red Eagle is actually based on several men who led slave rebellions (unsuccessfully, I might add) against Rome. Spartacus led the most famous revolt, but there were other men too, such as Salvius, who waged war with his army of slaves in ancient Sicily.

Q: You write in your acknowledgements page that the character of the Red Eagle is an homage to the works of several authors. What made you decide to do this?
A: Creative as well as personal reasons. First, I wanted to create a character that fans of swashbuckling adventures might love, and it wasn’t at all difficult to find historical personalities on which to base such a hero. Men like Spartacus and Salvius were heroes in the truest sense of the word. But I didn’t want there to be too much action, and certainly not so much that it would detract from the real story – that of Selene and her twin brother Alexander growing up in a foreign court. I could certainly have chosen not to include anything as obviously fictitious as the Red Eagle. But I wanted to illustrate just how threatening slave rebellions were at that time, and how ever-present the danger of becoming a slave would have been, even to captured royalty. And the creation of the Red Eagle wasn’t a huge stretch. Many rebels who came before – and after – the Red Eagle employed similar tactics: rousing the plebs, arming the slaves, and encouraging those in servitude to passive resistance.
On a more personal note, however, I wanted to include the Red Eagle because I knew it would be a character my father would have loved. He devoured anything having to do with ancient Rome, and I deeply regret not having written this while he was still alive.

Q: Was a third of Rome’s population really enslaved?
A:  Sadly, yes. And you didn’t have to be born a slave to become one. You could be kidnapped and sold into slavery, your city could be overrun and you could be turned into a slave, or you might be sold into servitude by your own parents. Slavery meant an absolute loss of every human right we now take for granted, and as a slave, your body was no longer your own. Many slaves were physically and sexually abused, regardless of age or gender.

Q: Where did these slaves come from?
A:  Many were Gallics and Greeks. The Gallics were from Gaul, a region which now encompasses France, Belgium, parts of Switzerland, and Germany.

Q: When did slavery end?
A: It hasn't. In the Western World, it was slowly - very slowly - phased out with the coming of Christianity (which was one of the reasons Christianity flourished… it appealed to the disenfranchised and enslaved, making everyone equal if not on earth than in the next life). But slavery certainly hasn't ended for everyone. There are women and children who are enslaved today, even in America and Europe. Of course, this isn't legal. Many of these victims of modern-day human trafficking have been brought over from places like Albania or Algeria and have no resources to escape. That's why organizations such as STOP International exist. You can visit them here.

Q: Is it still possible to visit the places Selene visited when she was in Rome?
A: Yes. In 2008, I went on a photographic safari in search of the places Selene would have gone during the brief years she was in Rome. Many of the photos are included here!

Q: What are you working on next? Will it also be marketed to both adults and YA?
A: Actually, my next book will be firmly adult fiction. MASKS OF THE REVOLUTION is about Madame Tussaud, who joined the gilded but troubled court of Marie Antoinette, and survived the French Revolution only by creating death masks of the beheaded aristocracy. I’m very excited about this novel, since Marie (the first name of Madame Tussaud) met absolutely everyone, from Jefferson to the Empress Josephine.

Thank you very much, Michelle, for being my guest!

While I'm waiting for my copy of Cleopatra's Daughter to arrive, Michelle has kindly allowed me to host a giveaway for her latest novel. Along with a hard copy of the book, you will get an ancient Roman coin, complete with certificate of authenticity, dating back to the time of Octavian (circa 25 BCE).

Rules: 

• Everyone can participate as Michelle will ship the award anywhere in the world.
• Open to followers only. If you haven't already, become a follower now!
• Leave a comment below with a way to contact you if you win.

The contest is open until October 16th.

Good luck, everyone!