Aussie Review & Giveaway: Saving Francesca & The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Published on May 9, 2008 
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

A compelling story of romance, family, and friendship with humor and heart, perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Lauren Myracle.

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom.  Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player.  The boys are no better, from Thomas, who specializes in musical burping, to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is.  Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, hersocial life and—hardest of all—herself.

My Thoughts:
It's a weird smile, but it reaches his eyes and I bottle it. And I put it in my ammo pack that's kept right next to my soul and Justine's spirit and Siobham's hope and Tara's passions. Because if I'm going to wake up one morning and not be able to get out of bed, I'm going to need everything I've got to fight this disease that could be sleeping inside of me.


After reading Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta I’m convinced that this author can write a 500 page book about the different brands of toilet paper and I’d be glued to every page and every single word she has to share. I love this author’s writing, and I’m going to make it a point to read a couple more of her books before the year is out, including The Piper's Son and On the Jellicoe Road. Marchetta is a master of her craft and I’m enchanted by her skill and ability to draw the reader into her story and make them want to travel with her characters and feel every emotion they are experiencing.

Saving Francesca is a poignant, character driven story filled with humor and heartfelt moments that kept me turning the pages until I reluctantly stumbled upon the conclusion. What a beautiful novel that will stay on my mind because I became attached to the characters immediately upon meeting them.

This is more than a story about St. Sebastian’s boy’s academy becoming coed and Francesca and several other girls having the misfortune of trying to infuse themselves in the school. This book deals with depression, family issues, social pressures and a girl’s attempt to find the strength to keep her family together and her life in tact. It’s about love, friendship and finding the will to continue when everything around you makes you just want to curl up and hide from the world. I loved it and I’ll be reading Francesca’s story over and over again.

There were moments I laughed out loud, giggled like a goof and other times my eyes got misty and my heart felt a tug. When a story pulls me in so many emotional directions, but leaves me with a sense of hope, I know something was done right. I loved this book and I hope others will give it a try and get to know Francesca and walk in her shoes. Great book that shouldn’t be missed.


Favorite Quotes
I can't believe I said it out loud. The truth doesn't set you free, you know. It makes you feel awkward and embarrassed and defenseless and red in the face and horrified and petrified and vulnerable. But free? I don't feel free. I feel like shit.

I came, I mucked around. Thus I did not learn.

Do something that scares you everyday.

Ten years from now…
Will you have played your part?
Will you have carved your mark?

What are you thinking?
I’m thinking a lot of things, but they will require too much honesty and I don’t think I can take that at the moment.

I was born seventeen years ago. Do you think people have noticed that I’m around? Francesca said. Will replies, I notice when you’re not. Does that count?

Did he just insult me? Francesca asks Justine. Yes, but the tragedy is that he thinks he’s paying you a compliment.

You go shake your foundations, Will. I think it's about time I saved myself.

Favorite Scenes
Thomas, Jimmy, Justine, Francesca are on the bus and Tuba Guy Francois boards. Thomas makes things happen for Justine. I loved this guy!!!

Francesca rids the cabin of evil spirits with her hip hopping and chanting but before she does, she stops Will from entering and tells him “Nonbelievers are barred” Why did that make me crack up???

Thomas, Jimmy, Justine, Tara, Siohban wait for Francesca at her home as her dad drives out to Woy Woy to bring her back home. What an awesome group of friends. 

 5 Snowflakes

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta
Published on March 1, 2010
Publisher: Penguin Australia 

The award-winning author of Finnikin of the Rock and Jellicoe Road pens a raw, compelling novel about a family's hard-won healing on the other side of trauma.


Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again.

My Thoughts:
Maybe she’d always been there. Maybe strangers enter your heart first and then you spend the rest of your life searching for them. - TM

I don’t know how she does it, but Marchetta delivers it every time - a fictional story that seems so real, a cast of characters you’re not ready to let go of, and a powerful dialog that reaches into your heart and soul and reveals lessons and observations that have you contemplating love, life, loss and redemption. Absolute and shear perfection that I will never get enough of.

The Piper’s Son is a heart-wrenching story told in alternating POVs of both Thomas Mackee and Georgie Finch. It takes place two years after the death of Thomas’ Uncle Joe and the day he walked away from his friends from St. Sebastians and his family that was on the verge of imploding. Georgie has a set of issues of her own as her pregnancy progresses and she struggles to make sense of her life and the man that cheated on her seven years prior. This story takes you on their journey, one of healing, forgiveness and finding one’s way home again.

As with Marchetta’s other books, I love the cast of characters she creates and every single one is a gem in their own right. They are full of surprises and ready to take you on their exploration of life. I loved the twist with Mohsin the Ignorer. It made me realize that the worst thing you can do is not give someone a chance or simply the benefit of the doubt. Wow, when his bit was revealed, I was this close *gestures thumb and index finger one inch apart* to starting the story from the beginning to get a different perspective.

Frankie, Tara, Justine and Will were fun to revisit, but I wish.wish.wish Jimmy would have made an appearance. But no worries, this book delivered a healthy dose of surprises, sigh-worthy moments, and misty eyes that I hope others will enjoy as much as I did.

Melina Marchetta, the words you to commit to page are magical and the journeys you deliver are heart rending. You are a literary genius!!

Favorite quotes
Don’t let anyone take care of you. Can you maybe leave that for me to do? I mean, take care of you? Feel free to take care of me in return… because I think I’ll need you to do that.- TM

Death by humiliation... - TM

Play me something that makes me feel,
This soul inside is made of steel.
Brain is breathing, but heart’s not beating,
And babe I need you to make things real.

Walk inside me without silence,
Kill the past and change the tense.
Empty gnawing and the ache is soaring,
Take me places that make more sense.
-Thomas Mackee 

5 Snowflakes

I am giving away a copy of both Saving Francesca & The Piper's Son to one lucky reader!  Open to all countries that are able to receive books from The Book Depository!

Good luck! 

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Review: Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 9, 2006
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

For as long as Josephine Alibrandi can remember, it’s just been her, her mom, and her grandmother. Now it’s her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. The nuns couldn’t be any stricter—but that doesn’t seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life.

Caught between the old-world values of her Italian grandmother, the nononsense wisdom of her mom, and the boys who continue to mystify her, Josephine is on the ride of her life. This will be the year she falls in love, the year she discovers the secrets of her family’s past—and the year she sets herself free.

Told with unmatched depth and humor, this novel—which swept the pool of Australian literary awards and became a major motion picture—is one to laugh through and cry with, to cherish and remember.

My Thoughts:
I only wish we could have been the best or the worst in the class. Not just somewhere in between… Purgatory... I hate it so much that when I die, and if God sends me there, I’ll beg him to send me to hell instead.

What can I say about Melina Marchetta that I haven’t said before? I love her character driven novels, I wish I could meet each and everyone one of them, and if I could define novel honesty fused with passion, I’d stamp a Marchetta book cover as an example. She’s brilliant, she’s literary perfection and she’s at the top of my list of favorite authors of all time.

Well after that little soliloquy it’s probably no surprise that Looking for Alibrandi did not disappoint one bit. This little gem of a book had all of the elements that I love to experience when reading Marchetta’s novels. It starts off in undefined territory where I’m not quite sure what’s going on or where Marchetta intends to lead me, but by the time I’m done with the story, I don’t want to turn the final pages and I wish I could have just a little more time with the characters that crept into my heart and took a post.

Josie Alibrandi is everything I love in a MC. She’s full of passion, spark, flaws, honesty and hope. This book is comprised of heavy themes such as culturalism, teenage struggle, sexual pressures, faith, and finding oneself in the midst of an ongoing storm. The relationship Josie has with her mother, nonna, father and friends tugged at my heart and pulled my emotions in many different directions.

There were a couple of events I predicted, (view spoiler) but that didn’t’ stop me from feeling the hurt and pain that Josie experienced when these truths unfolded. I loved how Josie and her father’s relationship developed at a slow but steady pace and by the end of the novel, he was one of my fave characters. I was bummed about Jacob Coote, but not left without hope. Josie really showed tremendous growth from the beginning to the end of the story.

If you’re a fan of Marchetta, I highly suggest you give Looking for Alibrandi a try. It’s sure not to disappoint.

Favorite quotes
…She asked me on Friday what type of contraception I use. “Underwear,” I said. “Keeping it on prevents pregnancy.”

Face it, the age of innocence is gone. We abused the act of sex now God’s sitting back and having the laugh of his life.

Please, God, let me be accepted by someone other than the underdog.

Thank you to Nomes for challenging me to read this sooner than later. I loved it!!

4.5 Snowflakes

 

Teaser Tuesday, #35

 

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

 

 

 

 

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publication Date: August 26, 2008

 

 

My Teasers are from book pages 80 & 81

He looks at me and I open my mouth to say something but he puts two taped fingers to his lips. "I think we've crossed the boundary without realizing," he continues, whispering.

So I keep my eyes forward as I slowly raise myself, and then we're eye to eye, give or take the ten centimetres he has on me.

 

 

 

 

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

 

 

 

Upcoming Release & Giveaway: US Edition of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta

WinterHaven Books is excited to announce the upcoming release of the US Edition of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta. This book marks the final installment of the gorgeous series The Lumatere Chronicles. 

We were lucky enough to get our hands on a copy of the US Edition, so be sure to enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win this epic conclusion to a fantastical series. Good luck!

US Edition

Quintana of Charyn (The Lumatere Chronicles #3) by Melina Marchetta
US Publication Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Candlewick Press

The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy trilogy!

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exilescoalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

To read Arlene and Amber's review of this book, please visit our post HERE.

Be sure to fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win an ARC of the US Edition of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta. Don't forget to share with us your favorite book by this author. Good luck!

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta

 Today WinterHaven Books is touring with 132 Minutes and not only are we sharing a DOUBLE REVIEW of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta, but also a DOUBLE GIVEAWAY!

Thank you 132 Minutes for allowing us to participate!

Quintana Of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Publication Date: September 26, 2012
Publisher: Viking Australia

There's a babe in my belly that whispers the valley, Froi. I follow the whispers and come to the road . . .

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi must travel through Charyn to search for Quintana, the mother of Charyn's unborn king, and protect her against those who will do anything to gain power. But what happens when loyalty to family and country conflict? When the forces marshalled in Charyn's war gather and threaten to involve the whole of the land, including Lumatere, only Froi can set things right, with the help of those he loves.

Arlene's Thoughts
As Froi would say... My side of despair is that our Lumatere journey is over. My side of wonder is that this amazing experience Marchetta delivered will forever remain in my heart. Quintana of Charyn was more magnificent than I could ever express in words. Melina Marchetta once again delivered an epic tale of friendship, loyalty and love. Those elements combined with her magical storytelling provided an emotional and heartfelt journey not to be missed by fans of this gifted author!

In this final installment of The Lumatere Chronicles, we journey through the land of Skuldenore as Froi searches for Quintana to fulfill his promise of bringing her and their unborn Little King to safety and away from those that hunger for power at any cost. Throughout this novel, Froi battles between his loyalty for Lumatere and his love for Quintana. This is a story of community, conflict and commitment to those you serve and those you love. It's about putting the needs of others before your own. To walk away from this series without some sense of attachment to this cast of characters is to miss the gift of magic this story has to offer.

When I began this series with Finnikin of the Rock, I developed an attachment to the two main characters Finn and Isaboe. They won my heart in the first installment, but as the story progressed I found my loyalty shifting to Froi and Quintana. In Froi of Exiles and Quintana of Charyn, these two characters stole the show with their fierce sense of allegiance toward each other and their sincere moments of vulnerability. I truly fell for these two for so many reasons... where to start? There was something about Quintana's character that I admired and to see this girl struggle to survive at any cost was nothing short of inspirational. There's a part in the novel where Quintana says, "Me. I determine my own worth. If I had to rely on others I'd have lain down and died waiting." That is just a small example of her strength and determination to get herself through the difficult times she faced. Quintana was like the flawed gem that ultimately shined brighter than any other character in this story.

However, as with any cast there are always one or two supporting characters that must also be acknowledged and to dismiss Phaedra and Lucian would feel criminal. If there's a character quality that holds its weight in gold for me, that would be loyalty. Bar none, when I read about characters that are willing to sacrifice their happiness or at times their life for another, and do so with the most noble of intentions I'm hooked. Their story somehow pushed its way to the forefront and captured my attention pretty hard, and if Marchetta decides to revisit any of the Lumatere cast, I hope it's these two.

As with most of Marchetta’s novels, her stories are significantly character driven. You get to meet several communities in this series and have the opportunity to spend considerable time with them. At the end of the novel, as a reader you not only gain a sense of accomplishment in having completed the journey, but also a feeling of having earned a place in these people’s lives. Becoming vested in the story is what Marchetta delivers every time with her novels and Quintana is no exception.

Quintana of Charyn was poignant and heartrending to such a significant degree! There were so many moments that pulled at my heartstrings. However, I feel the need to call out one in particular. There's a moment in the novel where Phaedra is returning to her village and she's given a letter from her Queen Quintana, as she was reading that letter, as a complicit bystander in that moment I was fighting hard to keep back the tears. It was EMOTIONAL to the 10th degree!! So when you come across that scene, embrace it and read it slowly. If your experience is anything like mine, you’ll feel a myriad of emotions cascade through you in the most rewarding of ways.

Well, as I said at the start, I’m truly sad this journey has ended, but I’m so grateful for having experienced it to begin with. One of my favorite stories that will hold a spot at the top of my shelf for quite some time. Loved it!!

5 Snowflakes

Amber's Thoughts
Where do I even begin? Quintana of Charyn was the perfect ending to a perfect trilogy of epic proportions. Even though I am devastated for this journey to end, I feel utterly satisfied and left with a smile. The world Ms. Marchetta has created is one for the record books and one that should be snuggled up next to your all-time favorites. Her creative imagination and storytelling is insurmountable. I have so much admiration for her beautiful writing, creative pros and captivating characters.

“We don’t know what we’re fighting for anymore,” Fekra said quietly to Froi. “Do you?” “Oh, I’ve always known what I’m fighting for,” Froi replied. “Quintana of Charyn and her child. Nothing else matters, Fekra.”

 “You want to make a good king?” Gargarin asked. “One of sound mind? One who knows he was loved so he can love his people in return? One who understands justice and the sacrifice of those who came before him? Then treat his mother as a queen.”

  “And if he is all wrong, what will you do?” Froi asked. She thought a moment. “I’ll hold him tight and tell him that we’ll be wrong for this world together.”

 I don’t know how Ms. Marchetta does it, but these pages are filled with magic and a story deeper within itself. In this installment, I really loved that Froi has found a sense of what family and love is. He’s found an undeniable bond that develops over time, but was so very touching. There are many difficulties and obstacles thrown into the paths of the people on the Land of Skulendore. Your heart will be torn and then patched back together and then repeated over and over. But it was so worth it. There is just so much to say about this trilogy, the writing, the plots and twist, but what I really want to relay is that I couldn’t possibly write a typical review of this book and give it the justice it deserves nor do I want to dive into the intricacies of the story because I want you, the readers, to experience this masterpiece for yourself and develop your own relationship with it.

I will miss reading about these characters and the lands they roam. I just have one wish, and that is that Ms. Marchetta considers writing a story of the new young King. Not now, but maybe down the road.

5 Snowflakes

Giveaway #1 Courtesy of WinterHaven Books

Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta - International Giveaway

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Giveaway #2 Courtesy of 132 Minutes

WinterHaven would love it if you could please show some bloggie love to our tour organizers 132 Minutes by visiting their blog and thanking them for this incredible series giveaway. :) Thank you Alexa and Joy for putting this event together and hosting such a great giveaway!!!

INTERNATIONAL.

Entrants must be 13 years old to enter.

Hosts will not be responsible for lost or damage of goods while in shipment.

Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to reply or another will be drawn.

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Cover Reveal: Quintana of Charyn North America Book Edition

Some of you might remember me sharing one of my most anticipated wish list novels by Melina Marchetta. So, while Amber was lucky enough to get a copy of Quintana of Charyn from the Australian publisher, I’m happy to report that the Aussie bookstore confirmed my copy is on its way! ~happy dance~ :D

I can’t wait so share my review with you on this final installment of the Lumatere Chronicles. Not just that, I’ll be participating in a blog tour hosted by 132 Minutes, so stay tuned for more details on that event. In the meantime, while I stalk my mailbox, I’m excited to share with you a cover reveal for the North America book edition. Now the problem is, do I buy this one too?? Decisions, decisions! =} 

Anywho, without further adieu here is the cover reveal for the North America book edition of Quintana of Charyn - courtesy of 132 Minutes and Candlewick Publishers. Be sure to let me know what you think!!

Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Publisher: Candlewick
Pre-order: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy trilogy!

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

Waiting on Wednesday, #9

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on.

Quintana of Charyn (Lumatere Chronicles #3) by Melina Marchetta
Publication Date Australia: September 26, 2012
Publisher: Viking Australia
Publication Date US: March 12, 2013

Quintana of Charyn is the spine-tingling and unforgettable final volume in the Lumatere Chronicles, which began with Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles. An achingly satisfying and masterfully plotted novel from the pen of internationally best-selling and multi-award-winning author Melina Marchetta.

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child's right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face to face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other.

Quintana of Charyn is the third and I believe final installment of the Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta. To call myself a huge fan of this author is probably the biggest understatement of the year. I truly believe the woman does NOT have the ability to disappoint when she puts her pen to paper. I’ve love her contemporary novels with a passion and her fantasy books are just about the epitome of brilliance.

To give you an idea of how badly I want to get my hands on this book, I’ve actually contacted an Aussie bookstore and offered to pay premium shipping prices to ship me a book to the US because having to wait until March 2013 will probably just about send me to my grave. I’m so excited to read this book and re-visit with some of my favorite characters in the hopes they find everything their hearts desire. I.JUST.CAN’T.WAIT!! I’m truly jumping in my seat with anticipation!!

If you've never heard of this series and would like to hear what Melina Marchetta has to say about her Lumatere Chronicles, check out this YouTube trailer. Enjoy!

So, what book are you waiting on?

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Rating: 5 Snowflakes


“At night she whispers his name in her sleep with intimacy and reverence. As if their bond is ordained by the gods.”

Finnikin of the Rock is revered as a masterpiece in my mind. This book blew me away! My dear friend Tina, gave me a bit of advice before I began my journey with Finnikin of the Rock. She advised me to take my time, and that it is a book to be savored. She was so right. Finnikin of the Rock, is one mesmerizing story. Melina Marchetta has taken my love of reading to a whole new level.

I grabbed my notebook and my favorite pen, sat down and started my journey into Marchetta’s world.

This story is about 3 best friends, a pledge, a royal family and the land they love and call home. Lumatere has been taken over by an imposter king and the royal family has been murdered. This is a journey to take back Lumatere, and bring its people back to their homeland. There is such a deep, intriguing story within those pages that you must read it for yourself to get the full experience.

The plot is solid, the writing phenomenal and the characters will leave an imprint on you. Finnikin was an outstanding character to read about. He has a deep love of his land and the people within those walls of Lumatere. He grows from a boy to a man. Finnikin thought he had it all figured out and knew what he wanted to be when he grew up, but fate had other plans for him and his friends. There are trials, action, adventure, romance, a prophecy and a deep commitment and love that combine together for one amazing story. Evanjalin appears simple, but she’s a force to be reckoned with, a true warrior. The secondary characters brought so much to the story. There are a lot of them, but it wouldn’t have been as intense and meaningful without all of them. Then there is Froi, the thief from Sarnak. He is another amazing character and will touch your heart. I love how he stayed true to what he believed in.

My favorite quote:

“I prayed to see you one more time. It’s all I prayed for. Nothing more. And my prayers were answered. Go east, I’ll lead them west.” (Trevanion, Fin’s father) “We have a dilemma, then,” Finnikin said fiercely. “Because I prayed that you would grow old and hold my children in your arms as you held me. My prayers have not been answered yet, Trevanion. So whose prayer is more worthy? Yours or mine?”