Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

retro friday - so you want to be a wizard

2012-02-24T22:44:00.002-05:00

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville that focuses on reviewing books from the past. These can be old favorites, under-the-radar treasures that deserve more attention, woefully out-of-print books, and so on. Everyone is welcome to participate!

When I go out in public with friends I try to avoid book displays (notice key word: TRY). If I’m by myself with time to burn, I can be completely happy in a bookstore for hours on end. But when I’m with friends I try to stay away from the books because I really can’t resist their lure. Take this Monday, for instance. I went to the Goodwill thrift store with my roommate. There were books. I… wandered away.

And promptly found the remains of a sci-fi and fantasy collection from someone who was a teenager in 2002. I know this because I recognized some of my favorites and found some new-to-me reads. One dollar per book – you know how that ended. One of the ‘new’ books I found was Diana Duane’s So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Something stopped Nita's hand as it ran along the bookshelf. She looked and found that one of the books had a loose thread at the top of its spine. It was one of those So You Want to Be a…books, a series on careers. So You Want to Be a Pilot, and a Scientist…a Writer. But this one said, So You Want to Be a Wizard. I don't believe this, Nina thought. She shut the book and stood there holding it in her hand, confused, amazed, suspicious—and delighted. If it was a joke, it was a great one. If it wasn't…?

Nita, short for Juanita, is a smart, friendless thirteen year old who is just trying to escape daily bullying. One day, though, she encounters a book that may be an elaborate prank, but may also be her key to escaping abuse. Using the book will introduce her to a world she never could have imagined, unexpected friends and a seemingly impossible task to save the city she loves, New York.

This book was first published in 1983. The year I was born. A long, long time ago. Naturally, there are technological (and cultural) references that are no longer relevant. In that respect, the book reads like classic sci-fi – something akin to Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. I can compare it to L’Engle without guilt because it’s also high-quality fantasy with an engaging protagonist and an interesting magical universe. I can't say much more without giving away things that should be kept unspoiled - so I'll stop.

Please don’t be dissuaded by the dated references – So You Want to Be a Wizard is a charming middle grade fantasy with an epic adventure, a brave heroine, and loyal friends. It’s about a girl beating adversity and finding her calling – oh, and saving the world. First-class fun.

Recommended for: fans of Diana Wynne Jones and Madeline L’Engle, those who enjoy magic-in-our-own-world fantasies, and devotees of enduring vintage middle grade literature.

waiting on wednesday (22)

2012-02-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

I’m participating today in "Waiting On" Wednesday. It is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and its purpose is to spotlight eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

Last week I watched the 1995 film version of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. And then, caught up in the story and the language and the romance of it, I reread the book. For...what, the tenth time? It’s my favorite of Austen’s works, and I’ll admit to reading spin-offs, retellings and (gasp!) fanfiction in the past. Diana Peterfreund, a very cool local author (she writes about killer unicorns, kids) has written a sci-fi reimagining of Persuasion, and it will be published this summer. I’ve already pre-ordered it. And I might have to start a countdown soon. It’s going to be SO GOOD! And you don't even know how tempted I am to use multiple exclamation points there. It would be entirely pertinent. For Darkness Shows the Stars releases on June 12, 2012 from Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins).

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.

But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

What books are you waiting on?

chopsticks

2012-02-20T15:40:00.005-05:00

Real life and blog life intersect in strange places. I was back home in Seattle for Christmas, at lunch with a second cousin, when she mentioned that she had a friend who had a young adult novel coming out. I wasn’t expecting anything (except the worst-case scenario: to hate the book on sight), but I looked up the cover on my phone anyway and HELLO! How to say this? Exceeded expectations.

I don’t need to tell you that the cover is gorgeous, right? The book was Chopsticks (claro que sí), which I had already heard advance praise for in the blog world. I added it to my wishlist then and there, and the rest is history.

After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song "Chopsticks."

But nothing is what it seems, and Glory's reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it's up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along…

Glory is a musical prodigy, and has been escaping the world at her piano bench ever since her mother died when she was eight years old. Chopsticks is a look at her life over 18 months, and it follows her romance with neighbor boy Frank. The interplay of chat messages, art, photographs and music tell several stories, and it is left up to the reader to discern how things end, and what has been happening all the while.

While not strictly defined as such, Chopsticks reminded me of a graphic novel. It took just over an hour to finish, but I found myself going back to particular images several times just to ‘check,’ and I’m still putting together Spotify playlists of Glory and Frank’s mixed CDs. I could have lengthened my reading experience by watching every YouTube video and listening to every piece of music as it came up, but as a primarily visual person I was impatient to move on.

When it comes to giving a verdict on Chopsticks, I have a few words: out of the ordinary, eclectic, intriguing. I think it is an excellent exercise in art and story, and creates believable mystery and tension. However. I am a print girl, and I did not connect as strongly with the characters as I would have with a book that had more, well, words. On the other hand, I am left with much brighter and clearer visual memories. Chopsticks is well worth the read if only for that. It is also the sort of story I want to discuss with someone else, so I'll be lending it to (read: forcing it on) my friends.

Still wavering? Check out this article/interview with Largehearted Boy. The book is also available in app form (a slightly different experience, and one I didn't check out personally). The trailer for the app can be found here.

Recommended for: appreciators of music and photography (and how when combined they can tell an entire story), fans of contemporary YA fiction, graphic novel enthusiasts, and anyone willing to try a new type of storytelling.

smoked sausage and white bean soup

2012-02-19T10:44:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow (Monday) is President’s Day, a U.S. federal holiday. Here in the Washington, D.C. area it means we have the day off work. To celebrate the long weekend, I’ll be hosting a dinner party tonight. I invited 36 people, thinking that the majority would have other plans. So much for thinking – 17 have said ‘yes’ thus far. [insert panicked face]

I needed a recipe big enough to feed all of us. The interwebs yielded this gem, which I tripled (TRIPLED), using my biggest stockpot. And, as expected, it is delicious.

Smoked Sausage and White Bean Soup (slightly modified from this recipe)

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dried navy beans, rinsed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound smoked pork sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

10 chicken bouillon cubes

10 cups hot water

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

Soak beans in cold water and cover overnight (8 to 10 hours). Drain beans and rinse well, reserve.

In a large stockpot, heat water until just below boiling and add bouillon cubes. Remove from heat and stir until cubes are completely dissolved into stock.

In a saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until browned. Remove the sausage from the skillet and reserve. Add the onions and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, an additional minute.

Add the browned sausage and beans to the stockpot. Stir in bay leaves and thyme. Add the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook partially covered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The cook time may vary depending on the beans, but they should be tender and falling apart when finished.

Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if needed. Continue to simmer the soup for 30 minutes, uncovered, or until desired consistency.

The finished soup has a bit of a kick, which is great for a wintry day. I think I’ll add more thyme when I make it again, just because I like an herby flavor. Great with a salad and crusty bread to accompany (and I made fudgy brownies for dessert!). NOTE: this is a two-day recipe at the minimum. I think you could bend that if you used canned beans, though.

Recommended for: a robust option to nourish the hordes (err… I mean, friends?), a delicious soup for your winter feast, and the perfect solution when you find sausage on sale at the grocery. Enjoy!

retro friday – dealing with dragons

2012-02-17T22:51:00.007-05:00

In my early teenage years I was [in]famous for a) reading classics, and b) for trying to find the biggest, fattest books possible. Goal? To find reads that would keep me occupied for more than one afternoon. I read several hefty James Michener sagas that way (Hawaii, anyone?). I also snuck in some fantasy from the local library’s Teen section (now I’d call it a combo of YA & MG).

One of the books I checked out over and over was Patricia C. Wrede’s Dealing with Dragons. Eventually I bought myself a personal copy – my usual practice when I loved a library book enough. Re-reading: my impetus and/or excuse for book hoarding. What’s yours?

Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart…and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon…and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.

Princess Cimorene is unsatisfied with her life, and she’ll take matters into her own hands to change that. Being a princess doesn’t require being smart, curious and adventurous – all of her best traits. So, she takes some strange advice and finds a world of magic, dragons, wizards and treasure, and guarantees herself freedom from a lifetime of nothing-much.

In retrospect, what was most attractive to me about Dealing with Dragons and its sequels was the combination of humor and top-notch fantasy that Wrede employed. There was a hint of absurdity mixed in with some seriously cool magical hijinks that made these stories compulsively readable.

Well, and of course Cimorene and Kazul (and Morwen!) are fantastic characters. Cimorene is plucky, brave, and a hard-working problem-solver. Kazul is wise and has wonderful taste in princesses and friends. Morwen is witchy, strange, and all around cool. In college I used one of Morwen’s ‘sayings’ outside my dorm room, and made a couple of fantasy-loving friends. Getting to know the rest of the cast of characters never failed to take me out of my own world and on an uncommon adventure.

Recommended for: those who enjoy fantasy full-stop, but especially clever young adult and middle grade fantasy, and fans of Robin McKinley, Diana Wynne Jones and Jessica Day George.

**NOTE: If you're interested in quality middle grade fantasy, check back in March. I'm taking part in Jill at The O.W.L.'s Middle Grade March Madness event, and I'll feature some fabulous recent middle grade releases.

stupid fast

2012-02-13T22:09:00.005-05:00

Dear Geoff Herbach,

Two words: Thank you. Okay, more than two words (i'm greedy). You are a genius. You write hilarious inner monologue. I don’t know when I have laughed as loud or loved a character so much. I hope you will keep writing amazing, funny, honest characters with as much heart as you did in Stupid Fast. Again – thank you!

Your Newest Fan,

Cecelia

I AM NOT STUPID FUNNY.

I AM STUPID FAST.

My name is Felton Reinstein, which is not a fast name. But last November, my voice finally dropped and I grew all this hair and then I got stupid fast. Fast like a donkey. Zing!

Now they want me, the guy they used to call Squirrel Nut, to try out for the football team. With the jocks. But will that fix my mom? Make my brother stop dressing like a pirate? Most important, will it get me girls—especially Aleah?

So I train. And I run. And I sneak off to Aleah's house in the night. But deep down I know I can't run forever. And I wonder what will happen when I finally have to stop.

Felton Reinstein has been growing height and hair, his younger brother is driving him nuts, and his mother may have gone right off the deep end. Add in a new paper route, a best friend banished to Venezuela for the summer, and he might just decide to spend a couple of months on the couch. Luckily, a little bit of life and a world-class pianist show up to break him out of his rut – and he might be a jock?! This summer everything will change, whether Felton is ready or not.

Felton is the narrator. Despite his protestations, he’s insanely funny. He’s also weird. And normal. You know? Okay, that didn’t make sense. But I felt like I knew Felton, because his internal monologue was by turns neurotic, sweet, off-beat and annoying (and thus, as anyone who has experienced the teenage years knows, scarily accurate). His journey from average/weird to athletically talented/weird over the course of one summer is only one of his challenges – because through it all he has to deal with his family AND his hormones.

Stupid Fast is liquid laughter, teenage sweat, tears and angst, and the sweet innocence of summertime, all mixed up into something I’ll call pure genius. Geoff Herbach writes smart, sarcastic, and punchy prose. He writes quirky people who seem freakily real. And he does so with grace and style and… I’ve run out of words. Just, please, READ THIS BOOK.

Recommended for: teenage guys, anyone who has been searching for an extraordinary and distinctive ‘voice’ with generous helpings of humor, fans of young adult literature—in the best sense of the word, and those who admired Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin’s Notes from the Blender.

waiting on wednesday (21)

2012-02-08T00:02:00.000-05:00

I’m participating today in "Waiting On" Wednesday. It is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and its purpose is to spotlight eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

I go through reading phases. Or it may be more accurate to call them ‘periods,’ because they can last several years at a time. High school was my classics period, college & grad school were my fantasy and sci-fi years. For the past several it’s been young adult plus fantasy, but recently I’ve found some really great contemporary YA to throw in with that. Not to mention middle grade, which I count as my best decision in the past months. In any case, this week’s WoW pick is my attempt to keep the streak of great contemporary YA going. Meredith Zeitlin’s debut novel looks like fun, awkward, and cute all rolled into one awesome package, and I can’t wait to read it. Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters releases from G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin) on March 1, 2012.

Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…

What books are you waiting on?

teaser tuesday (75)

2012-02-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

It's Teaser Tuesday, a bookish blog meme hosted every week by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

Grab your current read and let it fall open to a random page (or if you're reading on an electronic device, pick a random number and scroll to that section). Post two or more sentences from that page, along with the book title and author. Share your find with others in the comments at Should Be Reading, and don't give anything vital away!

“She wrinkled her nose. It didn’t smell right. Didn’t smell like spring coming, as it had the day before. She rubbed at the goose bumps on her arms. ‘Grand-Jane – ’ she started to ask, all of her questions piling up in the back of her throat.”

p. 25 of Sarah Prineas’ Winterling

jenna & jonah’s fauxmance

2012-02-06T07:03:00.002-05:00

Last summer Brendan Halpin and Trish Cook's funny, self-aware characters made me fall in love with Notes from the Blender. I've been on the lookout for more of the same ever since. Enter a 99 cent Kindle ebook sale, Halpin teamed with Emily Franklin, and I found myself reading a book with a very PINK cover (something I wouldn't be caught dead with in real life) on my iPhone. Result? I spent a contented evening curled up on the couch with Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance. Totally worth my one dollar investment.

Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers-known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country.

The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on…Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance takes a cliché and makes something fun and funny out of it. Character development and relationship tension are the order of the day, though it is fairly obvious where the characters will end up. The book's plot is, in part, homage to Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, and the titular protagonists are meant to be Benedick & Beatrice. This injection of the Bard seemed to come out of left field, but in the end that part of it worked – and it should get the curious to at least look up the film version with a young Denzel, which would be a VERY GOOD LIFE CHOICE (in case you were wondering).

The dialogue and banter between Charlie and Fielding was strong throughout, but the plot seemed to lack substance, especially when it came to explaining Fielding's past, Charlie's anxiety, and the whole 'set-up' involved in creating a fauxmance. While this didn't detract from the book's compulsive readability, it did make for awkward segues in the text, and after finishing the novel I still had some questions unanswered (and not of the cliffhanger variety, mind you).

In all, Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance is a light-hearted read with enough charm to carry it safely past the shoals of mediocre YA contemporary.

Recommended for: those who enjoy YA contemporary with a generous helping of romance, fans of Claire LaZebnik's Epic Fail, Halpin and Cook's Notes from the Blender, and anyone in the mood for a romp set in Hollywood (genuine fun included).

NOTE: If you'd like to win a copy of Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance, enter the giveaway!

midwinter (book) love giveaway

2012-02-03T18:51:00.009-05:00

We're in middle of a very mild winter here in DC, and my week has been weird. On Monday I started a new job. It's at the same non-profit that I've worked for since 2010, but it's a new title, a new position, and they-don't-know-what-I'm-doing-yet-but-shhhh-don't-tell. On Tuesday I didn't wear a jacket. Wednesday: I stayed home sick (unrelated to going jacket-less on Tuesday). Thursday I survived, and then wrote a review in a coffee shop and had a Gruyere grilled cheese sandwich (YUM). And now it's Friday, and I have plans to read cute/fun and intense/dystopian books over the weekend. And maybe see a sappy movie with my girlfriends.

CLEARLY it is also time to host another giveaway. That's what this end of the week needs. So: giveaway. One entrant will receive their choice of the books listed below. Giveaway open internationally, will end February 16 at 11:59pm EST. All you have to do is fill out the FORM. Winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Brendan Halpin and Emily Franklin

Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers-known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on...
Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.

Ditched by Robin Mellom

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.
Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat, handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.
And then ditched her.
Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together -- stain by stain on her thrift-store dress -- exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car...
But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love.
Filled with humor, charm, and romance, Ditched: A Love Story by debut novelist Robin Mellom will have readers dreaming of love on their own prom nights.

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.
And then you're dead.
When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back. Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival.
As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. Because how will she go on if there isn't?
Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral

After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song "Chopsticks."

But nothing is what it seems, and Glory's reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it's up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along...

waiting on wednesday (20)

2012-02-01T00:01:00.003-05:00

I’m participating today in "Waiting On" Wednesday. It is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and its purpose is to spotlight eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

My love of Mercedes Lackey (and especially her Elemental Masters series) is well documented here on the blog. I adore fantasy (of course), but this series, with its historical Edwardian/WWI setting, is the best sort of comfort reading. Think of it like this: Downton Abbey, but in book form. Add in magic, and a loose framework of fairytales retold. Dead ringer for MYFAVORITEEVER. Glory of glories, Lackey is still writing in the series. Her next one comes out this summer! Home From the Sea will be released by DAW Hardcover on June 5, 2012.

This story combines East of the Sun and West of the Moon, as well as Tam Lin, with the Selkie of Sul Skerry. We'll see Nan and Sarah (from Wizard of London) as adults, coming into their own--and Grey and Neville, of course!

[excerpt from Mercedes Lackey’s website]

What books are you waiting on?

teaser tuesday (74)

2012-01-31T00:01:00.001-05:00

It's Teaser Tuesday, a bookish blog meme hosted every week by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

“On the third night after the day her father died, Liesl saw the ghost.

She was lying in bed in the uniform gray darkness of her small attic room when in one corner the shadows seemed to crimp, or flex, and suddenly standing next to her wobbly desk and three-legged chair was a person about her height.”

p. 5 of Lauren Oliver’s Liesl & Po

the bards of bone plain

2012-01-28T10:10:00.005-05:00

There are a couple of authors on my "auto-buy" list. Patricia McKillip is one of them. She writes marvelous high fantasy that is so painstakingly created and populated that I equate it in my head with delicate embroidery on an enormous, exquisite tapestry.

While McKillip has written middle grade in the past, her recent books have been adult fantasy (with definite YA crossover appeal). Her latest publication is The Bards of Bone Plain, which I requested for Christmas in 2010, received, and read in early of 2011. In fact, I was quite sure I'd reviewed it here. Well, there's no time like the present!

With "her exquisite grasp of the fantasist's craft" (Publishers Weekly) Patricia A. McKillip now invites readers to discover a place that may only exist in the mystical wisdom of poetry and music.

Scholar Phelan Cle is researching Bone Plain – which has been studied for the last 500 years, though no one has been able to locate it as a real place. Archaeologist Jonah Cle, Phelan's father, is also hunting through time, piecing history together from forgotten trinkets. His most eager disciple is Princess Beatrice, the king's youngest daughter. When they unearth a disk marked with ancient runes, Beatrice pursues the secrets of a lost language that she suddenly notices all around her, hidden in plain sight.

McKillip's strength is in her prose. Her intricate descriptions of places, knowledge, and human relationships with story sweep you into the tale, and from there it’s mystery, romance, history and a dash of danger. Her genius creeps up on you as you become enmeshed in the story, and her words take on lives of them own, so that you can see, hear, and understand magic.

However, even the strongest world-building must have some plot, and the story must make you love/hate/feel for its protagonists. While McKillip’s latest offering leads you on a merry chase of history, the ‘plot,’ such as it is, seems rather thin on the ground. The big reveal has been guessed at long before the last page is turned. And the characters themselves are secondary to their discoveries and music. What it comes down to is that McKillip has written other books about the magic of music, and I like them better.

One of the most interesting thematic threads in The Bards of Bone Plain is that of archaeology and history. While Phelan is searching through music, he’s also sifting through written records and historical anecdotes. At the same time, his father is engaged in digging up bits of history, and has taken on Princess Beatrice as his assistant. These practical, physical actions balance the music and folklore fairly well. If you’re a history nerd, this might be the book for you.

Recommended for: Patricia McKillip, Robin McKinley and Sharon Shinn devotees, those who revel in high fantasy, and anyone who has had the thought that music and magic must be one and the same.

a monster calls

2012-01-24T22:59:00.005-05:00

A couple of years ago, I went on a dystopian reading bender (snaps to Rhiannon for that craze), and I was most impressed by Patrick Ness’ The Knife of Never Letting Go. It was raw and amazing, and I resolved to keep an eye out for Ness’ books. Last summer I started hearing trickles of praise for his latest release, A Monster Calls. Then Kiersten White wrote about how much she loved and cried over it. I placed it on hold at my local library and that was that.

An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting – he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd – whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself – Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

Patrick Ness has a talent for pulling emotion out of the most reluctant reader. He writes stories that reach the hidden thoughts we all carry with us. It’s unsettling, it’s beautiful, and you end up wrecked and happy and feeling as though you SURVIVED. In A Monster Calls, Ness stays true to form (and delivers a masterpiece).

I’ve discovered that I enjoy Ness’ books when I go into them blind. You don’t need to know in advance what the main conflict is in order to enjoy it. So my usual summary is brief: Conor meets a monster, and it shows him true things. True, terrible, unthinkable things – about himself, and stories, and the sometimes unbearable road of life.

Of course, the beauty of the hardcover volume (delightful presentation might be my weakness) does not hurt. A Monster Calls is filled with fantastic illustrations by Jim Kay, all done in black and white and focused on texture and shadow. Add in the jacket and endpapers, along with the content, and it may be THE perfect gift book. I’d even put out on a coffee table for people to admire.

To recap, A Monster Calls is bitter, sweet, and lovely on the inside and out. It may (probably will) touch your soul.

Recommended for: anyone with a heartbeat. It is beyond excellent.

chicken soup for... you.

2012-01-20T20:53:00.005-05:00

It has finally started to feel like winter here in Washington, DC (complete with a weather advisory tonight…what?), and this means it is soup season! Soups are perfect for warming you up from the inside out, curing what ails you, and making your house smell like home. I’ll admit that I usually buy canned soup for convenience, but over Christmas I helped my mother make this tasty version of traditional chicken noodle, and I give it my highest recommendation!

Chicken Soup (from a cooks.com recipe)

INGREDIENTS

1-2 lbs. chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 turnip, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

3-4 parsnips, peeled and diced

1 large white or yellow onion

1 Tablespoon dill weed

1 lb. egg noodles

2-3 cartons chicken stock (64-96 ounces)

Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken in large pot. Sprinkle vegetables around chicken. Add chicken stock (make sure you have enough that it covers everything). Add salt and pepper to taste. Add dill. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for two hours. Do not cook for more than three hours.

In separate pot, boil egg noodles in salted water for 10-12 minutes, drain, and add to soup.

As you can probably tell, there’s some wiggle room with this recipe (or any soup recipe, really). Depending on how ‘soupy’ you want it, you can add more or less liquid, add more or less spice, and adjust the types and numbers of veggies. The way we made it, though? Pretty freaking good. We doubled the recipe and it was gone in two days. YUM.

Recommended for: a cold day, a delicious homemade soup staple, and anytime you feel under the weather (or as a preventative!).

waiting on wednesday (19)

2012-01-18T00:01:00.001-05:00

I’m participating today in "Waiting On" Wednesday. It is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and its purpose is to spotlight eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

None of you compulsively check an author’s website to see when their next book comes out, do you? 'Cause that would be weird. Oh wait, I do that. I mean, I MUST know when the next Robin McKinley, Neil Gaiman, and Garth Nix book will appear (not to mention about 30 other authors added on the the list). I’m a geek like that. So when I checked Garth Nix’s website for the eleventy-billionth time in the last 5 years and saw that he actually has a novel out THIS YEAR? I might have wallowed a bit in glee and expectation. Can’t. Freaking. Wait. A Confusion of Princes will be released by HarperCollins on May 15, 2012.

A grand adventure that spans galaxies and lifetimes, A Confusion of Princes is also a page-turning action adventure.

These are the three deaths of Prince Khemri. Told in his own words, we follow him as he trains to become a Prince of the Empire, an enhanced human being, equipped with biological and technological improvements that make him faster, stronger and smarter than any ordinary person. Not to mention the ultimate benefit: should he die, and be deemed worthy, he will be reborn…

Which is just as well, because no sooner has Prince Khemri graduated to full Princehood than he learns the terrible truth behind the Empire: there are ten million princes, and all of them want each other dead, because there can only be one Emperor…

What books are you waiting on?

best of 2011 (+ giveaway)

2012-01-16T18:11:00.018-05:00

For three Januaries now I’ve told myself that NEXT YEAR I’ll be proactive and write my ‘best of’ post before the calendar actually flips. And every time the holidays come around, I sabotage myself with poor time management. But if that’s the worst of my blog failings, I figure I’m doing well.

The following books weren’t necessarily published in 2011, but I picked them up and blogged about them during the year. Note: if you find yourself wanting to give one a try, please check out the giveaway at the end of this post. Without further ado, my ‘best of 2011’ list!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer – A sci-fi/fairytale mashup with a unique premise, fun characters, and a wonderful hook. I’ll be looking forward to Marissa Meyer books for years to come.

Down the Mysterly River by Bill Willingham – I’m a big Willingham fan, and this foray into middle grade adventure only solidified that affinity. Talking animals and a grand chase? Yes please!

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve – One of the things that has impressed me with YA authors taking on steampunk is that the books tend to be smart, epic, AND emotionally riveting. Can’t wait to read more in this series!

Pegasus by Robin McKinley – Robin can do no wrong (as far as I’m concerned), and in the best of her books, she sets the whole world right. Pegasus is the first portion of a longer story that already has a place on my ‘all time favorite’ shelf.

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry – An excellent meditation on human nature, this gritty novel explores what people can, and cannot, stand to witness. Also: zombies.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente – The most beautiful story I’ve read in years? Perhaps. Certainly the one with the loveliest language and sweetest imagination. +10 points and an extra happily ever after.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson – I finally read a Maureen Johnson book, and I liked her prose even more than I expected to. This is SUCH a good story, besides also being the perfect teen book. It’s well-written contemporary, with tiny splashes of horror.

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell – I have a thing for fairy tales retold. This middle grade fantasy set in Middle Ages Eastern Europe was especially good, and reminded me of Karen Cushman’s award-winning historicals.

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson – The lone non-fiction selection on my list, this book offered conversational fodder for six months and proved to be an unexpectedly good present for Mother’s Day.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater – One of the books that truly took me to another place and showed me its magic, history and heartbreak. An honest and beautiful story, especially as it was so unexpected.

Honorable Mentions:

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley – A strong debut fantasy with excellent world-building and an epic plotline.

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt – A sweet story about an slightly OCD girl dealing with family tragedy and finding new ways to cope.

And there you have it – my top ten of 2011, plus two honorable mentions. I’ll give away one book from this list to two lucky winners. To enter, simply fill out the FORM. Giveaway open internationally (books to be shipped from the Book Depository); it will end January 30^th at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be selected randomly and notified via email. For an extra entry, comment on this post telling me some of your favorite books of 2011 (and feel free to link your blog post, if you have one). Good luck!

the survival kit

2012-01-12T23:05:00.004-05:00

Unless you follow me on twitter (and even then), you may not know that I’ve become an intense hockey fan in the last year. Weird, huh? Here’s what happened: I moved to DC from Seattle, my hometown. I had years of indoctrination in Seattle sports fandom, and I wasn’t about to adopt my new city’s teams. HOWEVER. We don’t have NHL hockey in Seattle. And DC has a dynamic team, the Capitals. My friends are Caps fans. It took almost a year, but they converted me. *happy sigh*

What does this have to do with books? Well… Steph Su mentioned The Survival Kit on her blog last year, and I was caught by the mention of a hockey player. What?! Hockey never shows up in YA books. Neither does water polo (my own sport), for that matter. If you have a sports reference, it’s inevitably football/cheerleading, or at least that’s the way it seems. So, I decided that I’d read this book, come he-double-hockey-sticks or high water (see what i did there? i’m hilarious.).

When Rose’s mom dies, she leaves behind a brown paper bag labeled Rose’s Survival Kit. Inside the bag, Rose finds an iPod, with a to-be-determined playlist; a picture of peonies, for growing; a crystal heart, for loving; a paper star, for making a wish; and a paper kite, for letting go.

As Rose ponders the meaning of each item, she finds herself returning again and again to an unexpected source of comfort. Will is her family’s gardener, the school hockey star, and the only person who really understands what she’s going through. Can loss lead to love?

Rose, the recipient of the Survival Kit that gives this book its name, is dealing with grief and loss. She’s turned off emotions, she’s avoiding conflict, and she’s having trouble keeping it together. Enter a special kit, good friends, and a possible distraction in the form of schoolmate Will… and you have Rose’s perfect storm. Nothing is easy for Rose, and that, combined with descriptions of hope and struggling through pain, turn this from a clichéd ‘Mother dies’ novel into a complex rendering of an unthinkably sad situation.

What I liked: well, obviously the hockey. Unless you break out in hives at the mention of sport, this inclusion should be interesting to you. And yes, there are mentions of football and cheerleading to round things out. Freitas also does a great job of incorporating life (friends, guys, family dynamics) in with honest dialogue. The emotion was real. I teared up a time or two.

What I didn’t like: actually, the only thing I will mention here is the prose itself. And that was one chapter. The majority of the book worked, in other words. Just uneven in one, solitary place. I warned you.

Recommended for: fans of Sarah Dessen and Susane Colasanti (good YA contemporary romance, in other words), and those who find themselves even the tiniest bit curious about hockey.

teaser tuesday (73)

2012-01-10T01:02:00.004-05:00

It's Teaser Tuesday, a bookish blog meme hosted every week by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

“Conor sat up straight on the settee, breathing heavily again.

12:07, read the clock.

‘Dammit!’ Conor said. ‘Am I dreaming or not?'

He stood up angrily –

And immediately stubbed his toe.”

p. 64 of Patrick Ness & Siobhan Dowd’s A Monster Calls

plain kate

2012-01-07T23:54:00.004-05:00

It sometimes takes me a while to ‘catch on’ and read a fantastic book. It might get all of the accolades in the world, but if I haven’t been seduced by the cover art or simply think to myself, “that sounds good, I should read it” and immediately act on the impulse, it can take years to rise to the top of my To Be Read (TBR) pile.

As you may suppose from the title of this post, such was the case with Erin Bow’s Plain Kate. I heard nothing but good things about it, especially from Shelf Elf and bookshelves of doom (two blogs I trust implicitly for recommendations, and you should too. they know their books, yo. yes, i just said yo. i’m ashamed.). Thankfully, I remembered that I wanted to read it as I was perusing Kindle recommendations on the Metro platform. I frequently make impulsive reading decisions during my commute. Good ones, mostly. But let’s get back to Plain Kate!

A knife-sharp debut novel that leaves its mark.

Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. When Kate's village falls on hard times - crops fail, and even Kate's father falls victim to a deadly fever - the townspeople look for someone to blame, and their eyes fall on Kate.

Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he'll give Kate the means to escape the town that seems set to burn her, and what's more, he'll grant her heart's wish. It's a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes that she can't live shadowless forever – and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed.

Plain Kate is a woodcarver’s daughter from a tiny village somewhere in the middle of Russia. Her skill with a knife brings her mingled returns: when her father dies, it’s her living, but it is also her curse, for her fellow villagers believe her a witch. When life becomes too dangerous in her birthplace, Kate is forced to make a dark bargain, and sets out into the world, accompanied by her cat Taggle.

Most young adult and middle grade books address the theme of finding a place in the world. What the best of them do is show the reader that that process never ends. Erin Bow not only writes beautifully and evocatively of loss, friendship and choices made in desperation, but she has populated her story with characters who are brave, cowardly, reckless, mad and kind – all of the flavors of humanity.

Added to that, Plain Kate has a storyline that continuously builds tension, that seems both unbearably sad and incredibly hopeful, and that leaves room for both folly and redemption. It is quite simply a lovely book, and it is too good to miss.

Recommended for: fans of Patricia C. Wrede’s Lyra books and Eloise Jarvis McGraw’s The Moorchild, those with a penchant for outcasts, cats and/or gypsies, and anyone looking for a strong, affecting fantasy without a typical romance but imbued with heart.

teaser tuesday (72)

2011-12-27T16:14:00.003-05:00

It's Teaser Tuesday, a bookish blog meme hosted every week by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

“I closed my eyes tight. Someday I would be ready to open my Survival Kit, but not yet. It was too soon.

‘Rose? Where are you?’ Dad’s voice rang through the now empty house, causing me to jump, startled. I’d forgotten I wasn’t alone, that my father and brother – what was left of my family – were just down the hall.”

p. 7 of Donna Freitas’s The Survival Kit

happy boxing day

2011-12-26T14:20:00.004-05:00

I missed saying Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/I-hope-you're-all-still-alive-and-well yesterday. Sorry. Am feeling sheepish. So... Happy belated Christmas, Merry Boxing Day, and I hope you're enjoying cookies and other sweet things.

[image from Forbidden Planet]

I've been missing around the blog world for two weeks. No surprise, as this coincides almost exactly with the advent of an iPhone in my life AND a trip to Seattle for the holidays. You know how it is - real life is REAL sometimes. The family is going on a ferry ride and to a chowder house today. It's lovely to be home.

In bookish news, I received Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and gave many a book. I'll be back soon (tomorrow?) with more regularly scheduled programming, giveaway winners, and perhaps a Favorites of 2011 list. Happy Holidays!

cinder

2011-12-15T07:00:00.002-05:00

Cinder: it’s the book you didn’t know you needed. Given half a chance, it’ll charm you with a mixture of science fiction and fairy tale, the blending of an old story with new elements and a quirky cyperpunk sensibility. Cinder is a clever tale, and promises intrigue, adventure, depth, and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and can’t wait for the next in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl…

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Let’s get this out of the way to start: Cinder is not just the traditional Cinderella fairy tale dressed up and placed in the future – it is more. The author deftly balanced the epic and immediate storylines, elevating the complexity level near to that of a fine high fantasy. Add to that engaging characters and a worthy villain, and you’ve got it made.

Our immediate heroine, Cinder, is plucky, determined, and loyal. She’s also been modified – she’s part machine. She’s a mechanic with a bit of an attitude, and she has the luck (?) to fall right into adventure. What ensues is an entertaining, exciting, and slightly mad.

In Cinder, author Marissa Meyer pulls from many places: fascination with the far future, our present, and her characters confront the ‘big’ themes humanity faces: disease, loss, the sacrifice of few for the many, and the fate of empire. At the same time, it’s about the forbidden hope of one girl and boy.

The setting is lush, both strange and familiar, in a rebuilt Beijing of mystery, science, control, cyborgs, androids and more. One of the story’s strengths is its complexity – the play of interplanetary politics, a man made ruler too young, anti-cyborg discrimination, all mixed with the threat of imminent danger.

Of course, it’s not all deep AND immediate. There are a couple of story props to hurdle over – the knowing scientist, the trusted advisor who devises plots within plots, the ‘personality’ imbued in one special android (Star Wars, anyone?). And yet, with Cinder, these bits seem like tribute to the great science fiction of the past, and not tired replays. All in all, Cinder is a charming meld of sci-fi and fairy tale, as well as a satisfyingly complex young adult novel with aspirations to political intrigue and stardom (no pun intended). I shall eagerly recommend it to… everyone.

Recommended for: I said it already, didn’t I? Everyone. Cinder releases on January 3, 2012 from Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan).

Fine Print: I read an e-ARC of Cinder courtesy of NetGalley and Macmillan, and received no compensation for this review.

guest post on neil gaiman and a giveaway

2011-12-14T22:03:00.004-05:00

One of my most faithful blog followers is Alyce of At Home with Books. She seems to read in all genres, and her reading choices (and reviews) always make me reconsider my old standbys. So it was an honor to be asked to contribute to her one of her current weekly events, ‘Best and Worst.’ I chose to write about Neil Gaiman. I know what you’re thinking – does the man really do worst? Find out for yourself and read my thoughts over at Alyce’s blog!

And to make life a bit sweeter this holiday season, also enter to win any Neil Gaiman book (up to a $25 US value), shipped from the Book Depository. Entering this giveaway is simple – just fill out the FORM! Open internationally, will end December 31^st at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be selected randomly and notified via email.

Feel free to tell me in the comments which Neil Gaiman book you’d choose!

the bards of bone plain giveaway

2011-12-07T22:50:00.005-05:00

Patricia McKillip’s books are go-to reads for me. She writes elaborate fantasies that stretch the imagination and the boundaries of the heart. Her prose can be painfully lovely and evocative. In my eyes, her writing is on par with that of Robin McKinley and Neil Gaiman (high praise indeed!). Granted, there are some of her books I love more than others – favorite children, if you will.

I requested and received The Bards of Bone Plain for Christmas last year, and enjoyed the reading of it in the days just after the holiday. I’m honestly puzzled that I didn’t write a review for it right away. I’m going to rectify that soon. In the meantime, I’m giving away two copies of the book to celebrate its paperback release this week, and in hopes that one of you will soon fall as much in love with McKillip’s writing as I have.

To enter: fill out the FORM. Giveaway open internationally, will end December 17^th, 2011 at 11:59pm EST.

Scholar Phelan Cle is researching Bone Plain - which has been studied for the last 500 years, though no one has been able to locate it as a real place. Archaeologist Jonah Cle, Phelan's father, is also hunting through time, piecing history together from forgotten trinkets. His most eager disciple is Princess Beatrice, the king's youngest daughter. When they unearth a disk marked with ancient runes, Beatrice pursues the secrets of a lost language that she suddenly notices all around her, hidden in plain sight.

Fine print: one paperback copy of The Bards of Bone Plain was sent to me (and from thence donated to this contest) by Ace Books, and the other I’m donating personally.