Author: Mari Mancusi
Publisher: NLA Digital
Date: March 8, 2012
Genre: YA- Fantasy/Dystopian
Source: Publisher

Four years after a devastating disease has wiped out the vast majority of mankind, Peyton Anderson emerges from her family’s fallout shelter to find a world that bears little resemblance to the one she left behind. Broken and slowly being reclaimed by nature, it’s a hostile, unwelcoming place that holds dangers out of a nightmare. For some, the plague was a slow and painful, but ultimately, clean death. For others, it was a horrible mutilation of their body and minds, leaving them little more than flesh eating zombies.
Peyton surfaced with one goal in mind- get to her father and the team of scientist that would hopefully have the means and technology to start rebuilding the world. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, but the walking dead number far more than she could have ever expected. In fact, Peyton soon learns that this new world is full of the unexpected, when the first person she encounters, minutes outside her shelter door, is the love she closed it on, four years ago.

There were a lot of good things happening in this story. First, it’s gruesome, which is the way the end of the world should be, if you think about it. It’s nice to think that a zombie plague would kill off most of mankind and we’d still get up and have an egg McMuffin the next day but that’s reaching. Mancusi, writes it, shows it to you, puts it RIGHT IN YOUR FACE and makes sure you get it. It isn’t pretty. She’s also fiercely unapologetic in her treatment of her characters. Peyton and her crew have to travel hundreds of miles over devastated, disease ravaged, zombie laden land and there is no easy mode. I’m a big fan of this.

Another win is the fact that this is a stand alone book. The ability to tell a story well and wrap it up completely in one novel is an art that seems to be missing in much of today’s YA. On top of that, the chapters constantly alternate between pre and post apocalypse, essentially giving us two stories in one. I was equally engrossed in Peyton’s past just as much as I was caught up in all the suspense of her present.

And I’m sorry, maybe it’s redneck in me, but I got the biggest kick out of the fact that her friends were surviving the after effects of a zombie apocalypse by living in a Walmart. Say what you will but that little tidbit is made up of all kinds of win. Though personally, I’d opt for a Super Target. Hell, I’d live in a Super Target now.

But for all it’s good, I wasn’t completely sold. Truth be told, I didn’t like any of the characters and I could only just tolerate Peyton. I was rather disappointed that even with all of her “enhancements” and her professed abilities, she never really blew me away with her skills and I had a hard time believing that this was the person who was going to save the world. Plus, the dialogue grew tedious in some places, especially where the children were concerned and the romance- I could take it or leave it. I wasn’t moved much either way.

All in all, I was impressed with Mancusi’s storytelling and if you’ve yet to reach the level of all-you-can-stand with dystopia, give it a go. There are zombies in a Walmart in it, people. What more do you need?

Author: Juliana Ross
Publisher: Carina Press
Date: April 23, 2012
Genre: Romance- Erotic
Source: Publisher

As the widowed companion to her late husband’s stodgy old aunt, Hannah has little excitement in her life. Left with nothing after her husband’s death, Hannah’s safety and security are entirely dependent on an employer who pays her only in room and board. Perhaps her job’s only perk is the rarely used library where Hannah spends what little free time she has. When a stolen reading hour is interrupted one afternoon by Leo, the rumored bad boy of the family, Hannah is witness to a romantic liaison that she didn’t even know was possible. Leo is well aware that he has an audience, and graciously inclines an offer of similar services to Hannah. A brief marriage lacking in affection and the hopelessly drear situation in her employer’s home, has Hannah longing to accept the invitation. But an affair with such a man, one so far above her station, could mean jeopardizing the only security Hannah knows.

I open the book, start reading and HELLO NAUGHTY BITS. And we didn’t even have dinner first! But rather than feeling cheap and used, I was instantly captivated. The story and each of Leo’s “lessons” with Hannah are told in such a matter of fact tone that the erotic elements of the story fit instantly into place. After all, they are driven entirely by education- right? Leo introduces our sheltered little heroine to vast array of experiences that aren’t usually mentioned in polite conversation. Rather than coming across as just a story full of cheap thrills, their encounters instead serve to highlight the bleakness of Hannah’s situation to such an extent that you can’t help but wish for it, if only for her sake.

The story fit perfectly within the space constraints of a novella (one doesn’t always need three entire novels worth of gratuitous sex to get the point across) and I liked that it stayed within a nice, neat, tidy little space in Hannah’s world. Inevitably, their naughty trysts led to an emotional attachment, albeit a risky one, where Hannah is concerned. And I do so love a good romance. Even more to its credit, it’s surprising well written, and brief enough to not be dampened by repetition.

This is my first experience with a title from Carina Press, an imprint of Harlequin that boasts more than a few saucy eBook titles.

The Books: I didn’t want to waste space bitching because I’m going to need the majority of the room in this post for THIS SECTION.

First, I’ve been on a search for Megan McCAfferty’s Fourth Comings with a particular cover now for awhile. Everywhere I’ve looked it’s been all about the edition with the green cover and that one DOES NOT MATCH MY OTHER ONES and things like that set off my OCD. So I found one, in Destin, in the Barnes and Noble. Lookie here:

Then, when I got home from Destin, there was a big box of awesome waiting for me at my door. In it were the wonders below:

This stack of beautiful comes from Miss Becky @ Stories and Sweeties who possesses a large share of the world’s awesome at the moment. I love her blog- it’s so happy and friendly and yummy.

For review, I snagged a copy of Improper Relations by Juliana Ross. It’s quite good and has NAUGHTY BITS IN IT. We’ll talk about it a little later on.

The Baking: NOTHING. I have to get into a wedding in dress in less than two weeks.

“I’m on this new diet. Well, I don’t eat anything and when I feel like I’m about to faint I eat a cube of cheese. I’m just one stomach flu away from my goal weight.”
-Emily, The Devil Wears Prada

That’s totally a joke. Don’t be stupid and starve yourself.

“Here is a story to believe,” she said. “Once we were blobs in the sea, and then fishes, and then lizards and rats, and then monkeys, and hundreds of things in between. This hand was once a fin, this hand once had claws! In my human mouth I have the pointy teeth of a wolf and the chisel teeth of a rabbit and the grinding teeth of a cow! Our blood is as salty as the sea we used to live in! When we’re frightened, the hair on our skin stands up, just like it did when we had fur. We ARE history! Everything we’ve ever been on the way to becoming us, we still are. Would you like the rest of the story?”
“I’m made up of the memories of my parents and my grandparents, all my ancestors. They’re in the way I look, in the color of my hair. And I’m made up of everyone I’ve ever met who’s changed the way I think. ”

From The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitch hiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitch hiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have “lost”. What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

Douglas Adams left Earth to start out on his own tour of the galaxy on May 11, 2001. His leaving was the first time that I ever realized that my heart could break from the lose of someone I never even knew. This book was my first introduction to that dry, sarcastic English wit that I so love today. Honestly, I don’t think I would love books nearly as much as I do now if it weren’t for him. There are several books in his famous “trilogy” as well as others penned by him, and you need to read them all. So be sure to remember him today by locating and loving your trusty towel.

And while you’re sporting your towel, don’t forget to Wear the Lilac today. We wear the lilac in remembrance of those brave members of the Night Watch and The People’s Republic of Treacle Mine Road.

If you’re a fan of the Discworld series by Sir Terry Pratchett, you’ll understand the importance of the revolution in the books. But in the real world, for those of you not in the know, Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2007, and we wear the lilac on May 25th in tribute to Terry and to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s.

I can’t say much here that I haven’t already said about Pratchett in the past. He is my favorite author. I have learned more about life (how to live it better, how to see it from different angles and how to accept the fact that I do not believe in certain things the same way the people around me do) from his books than I could ever have learned on my own. They are that important to me. He spends a great deal of time on belief, the power of words and the undeniable ability a story has to change the past, present and future of just about anything. I get a little choked up when I think that one day he will leave us for that marvelous flat world that rides through space on the back of a great turtle and deny me any more of his life lessons. In him I have a god anchor.

So do it. Grab your towel, wear the lilac and celebrate. If not for Adams and Pratchett, than for the fact that there are dedicated silly days for the things readers love most of all- books.

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Date: June 5, 2012
Pages: 368
Series: The Grisha Trilogy
Genre: YA- Fantasy
From Goodreads: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

You’ll have to pardon me whilst I go all fangirl for a second:

It was impossible to read it slowly. I wanted to take my time with it, what with it still about a month until the release date, (meaning I’d have to wait even longer for a sequel) but I totally lacked the willpower to do it. It’s like when you bake a cake or cookies and you know it says “Let cool for X number of minutes.” You don’t. You eat it while it’s hot and dripping with gooey, chocolatey, melty goodness.

It would be easy to spend the next few paragraphs gushing about what a gem Alina is, and how unique and extraordinary her powers are. Several lines could also be spent in praise of Mal, who would go to great lengths in the name of friendship- even if it might never turn into anything more. Entire tomes could be penned about the world Bardugo so expertly crafted, with its brilliant, vibrant colors that constantly reflect the contrast between dark and light, the good and the evil that rules the world the Grisha live in. Yeah, all that was great but for me, nothing mattered much beyond the Darkling. Really. What a fabulous character. His quiet, unassuming presence was so intensely powerful that I swear he just ATE every scene he was in. The author could have left off all the other details because for me, NOTHING was more important than the Darkling. And oh, so many ohs, how I wanted the story to play out differently than it did.

There’s an ever so brief whiff of a love triangle that’s its own subtle sexy. It’s both unexpected and expected and very much wished for but ultimately not at all what I wanted it to be. I can’t even cite that as a reason to dislike it because what I was wishing for actually wasn’t the right thing. I kept waiting for the catch, for the say-it-isn’t-so, which that would have been the easy way out- and one thing Bardugo doesn’t do in this story is give anyone an inch until she absolutely has to.

We had a nicely inconspicuous fairytale undertone in Alina’s hunt for the stag, what with the whole sacrifice-in-exchange-for-power thing. I liked this little inclusion. It softened things a bit- the subtle reminder that while the world is wrecked by the changes brought about by man’s magic, this magic is what the world is made of, and even the Darkling can’t escape his need for it.

Love.

The Books: As mentioned above, I used the cover photo from Chachic’s Facebook page as inspiration for a mass reorganization of my bookshelves. Chachic put all of her books in order of color and I took it one step further and made sure mine where IN COLOR and BY SIZE. You have NO idea how happy my OCD is right now. Observe:

This was actually hard to do. Some books simply DO NOT fit in. Another problem in the foreseeable future is that nothing else will fit on these two shelves. My special book shelf is full and the overflow has moved to the living room shelf which is approaching unhappiness as well:

For review, I received Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas which I predict will be awesome. I downloaded the free preview of I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, which includes the first ten chapters. I will finish the preview because this books is one The YAckers are reading and I MUST PARTICIPATE IN MY OWN BOOKCLUB *note to self* but I don’t think I’ll be buying the rest of the book. It’s a dark, dark read and I am a big chicken wuss. I ran out and bought an actual copy of Gravey Mercy by Robin LaFevers. I read it as an ARC on my kindle and I want to reread it (probably everyday) so I needed it. One day I’ll get my head out of the book long enough to write some book thoughts on it but I’m just not ready yet.

The Baking: Man…I totally fucked up this week. That’s all I have to say about that.

The Books: I got up bright and early Tuesday morning (which is the name of a store, so by all means let me give credit) and drove up to Lemuria Books, where I met with the fabulous children’s manager, Emily and picked up my very own copies of Bitterblue and Divergent. I have of course, already devoured Bitterblue- the light is lovelier in Cashore’s world.

For review, I received Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan. Spark is the second book in the Sky Chasers series and I’ve really been looking forward to it.

The Baking: Not much this week as I was moody and disagreeable and didn’t feel like going to the grocery store, so we just ate a lot of take out. But I did get off my butt and make one thing:

Silence

Author: Michelle Sagara
Publisher: DAW Books (Penguin)
Date: May 1, 2012
Pages: 256
Series: The Queen of the Dead
Genre: YA- Paranormal Fantasy

Death has surrounded Emma for most of her relatively short existence. Having suffered the loss of a family member and her boyfriend, she is no stranger to the pain and loneliness that follows the death of a loved one. Every evening she seeks what little comfort and closeness the solitude of the cemetery can afford her. When her nightly visit is interrupted by the new boy from school and his elderly companion, Emma finds herself in the middle of a meeting she wasn’t meant to encounter. Something about the old woman isn’t quite right, as if she doesn’t really belong…as if she isn’t really there. Before Emma can even begin to imagine the danger she might have stumbled into, the old woman greets her with a frighteningly icy kiss.

From the start, this book pulled me in. You can’t resist the draw of that creepily gorgeous cover and the very first paragraph just sealed it further. I just knew I had stumbled upon something brilliant here.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT NIGHT.
     The world changes, the shadows grow, there’s secrecy and privacy
in dark places. First kiss, at night, by the monkey bars and the old
swings that the children and their parents have vacated; second, longer,
kiss, by the bike stands, swirl of dust around feet in the dry summer air.
Awkward words, like secrets just waiting to be broken, the struggle to
find the right ones, the heady fear of exposure— what if, what if— the
joy when the words are returned. Love, in the parkette, while the moon
waxes and the clouds pass.
    Promises, at night. Not first promises— those are so old they can’t be
remembered— but new promises, sharp and biting; they almost hurt to
say, but it’s a good hurt. Dreams, at night, before sleep, and dreams during
sleep.
    Everything, always, happens at night.

And we went along like this for nearly a quarter of the book. The graveyard scenes were wonderfully eery and Emma’s melancholy life just screamed for something great and sinister to enter into it. It was a go up until that point but then, quite suddenly, the tone of the story changed direction entirely. Instead of beautifully descriptive paragraphs graced with a subtle overlay of magic, I found myself wading through 95% dialogue in an effort to hold on to the slippery 5% of remaining story. It was an exercise in futility as at this point there really wasn’t much story left.

Some of it was just silly. I lost count of how many times Eric threatened to kill Chase (be it jokingly, half-jokingly or seriously). I was frustrated at the lack of explanation for Emma, her gifts, WHAT WAS GOING ON, and everyone’s blind acceptance of the circumstances. Say you suddenly see dead people, and you share this with everyone and they say “Hey! We see the dead people too!”….no one is questioning this? And Emma, dear girl, not every boy that threatens to kill you turns out to be an Ash. Sometimes he’s just a guy threatening to kill you.

I have a small sad because of this.

The underlying Nancy Drew factor is still rather intriguing and if we can thin out the dialogue a bit then we really have something to work with here. Liberating lingering spooks with necromancy could be an impressive twist if future installments of the series end up leaning more toward mystery. The whole gang loading up into the car to go hunt ghosts? So very Scooby Doo and everyone loves Scooby Doo.

*Quote taken from Miz Sagara’s website. Go and visit! You can read the first few chapters now! Thank you to DAW books for sending this one my way.

In regards to the above mentioned “recent unpleasantness” (which is also an expression used in reference to the Civil War), I’m going to say this and then let that be that: DON’T FUCKING STEAL. It is an affront to the written word, something any reader should hold dear, and it shouldn’t be tolerated by anyone. Plus it makes you look like an asshole.

The Books: So I did indeed storm the library on Monday morning and rescued:

This is the best series I’ve had my hands on in quite a long time. It has EVERYTHING you could ever want in an urban fantasy and then some. If you happen to pick up the first book, Magic Bites, don’t repeat my mistake- GET THE ENTIRE SERIES. Look for reviews from the rest of the series in days to come.

I behaved myself rather well and only purchased one book this week. A very nice second hand copy of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead crossed my path in a bookstore and I brought it home to love. Something in me has been wanting to read this and far be it for me to deny my inner self.

For review, I snagged an ebook of Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein from Netgalley. Disney-Hyperion was awesome enough to open this up for a short time.

And from Penguin, I got this little surprise:

The Baking: Speaking of GUILT, Pinterest is the devil. Seriously. HAVE YOU SEEN THE HEAVENLY ASSORTMENT OF DESSERT RECIPES AVAILABLE ON PINTEREST!?!? It’s impossible to resist! And since I have absolutely no willpower, and regardless of the fact that I have to fit into a wedding dress in just over a month, I BAKED THE EVIL. GUILT.

M&M Cookie Pie. Recipe can be found HERE.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes. Recipe can be found HERE. They are suppose to be refrigerated for at least four hours. Screw that.

This past month my book club (minus me because I was bad) read and chatted about Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. I read this book last year and I’ve read the sequel, Demonglass and found both to be a jolly good time. My friend Melissa @ The Book Nut was the Keeper of the Book for this round and you’ll find her review along with a few tidbits from the YAckers over HERE.

Now for a little shameless self-promotion:

I love everything there is to love about Goodreads. As a book lover, it’s quite possibly the most extraordinary tool for keeping track of everything bookish. I’ve found so many books to love because of it. The app is invaluable when you are in a bookstore and need a quick reminder of what is on your wishlist.

And of course, since this is a WordPress site and is therefore not GFC friendly, please feel free to grab my FEED

I like to leave mine extra soupy and use both a FORK and a SPOON to capture the full effect. It’s very inexpensive and it’s heart-healthy in that all that sodium raises your blood pressure and your heart has to WORK HARDER TO ENSURE CIRCULATION. Work=exercise=healthy. Nursing school taught me that.

But I’m going to live off of it instead of going to work tomorrow so that I can stay home and read book #3. I’m willing to sacrifice balanced nutrition for a good read. Priorities. I have them.

So this morning for brunch, I had a tasty (T-A-S-T-E-Y if you’re a Fergie fan) meal of Kate Daniels #2, Magic Burns. It was in fact, highly flammable, but left no unpleasant aftertaste, nor did it give me heartburn. Anyway, read this quickly, children, in order to capture the hasten speed at which it was typed because I have a book to go and read.

Magic Burns

Author: Ilona Andrews
Publisher: Ace
Date: April 1, 2008
Pages: 260
Series: Kate Daniels
Genre: Fantasy- Urban/Paranormal

When we last left Kate (you know, YESTERDAY) she had just teamed up with the Beast Lord and his subjects to solve the mystery of her murdered guardian. His death in and of itself was a hard to accomplish feat so going into her investigation Kate knew it wouldn’t be easy. Having to toe the line with the Order (knight police group), placate the People (necromancers) and keep from becoming one seriously angry lion’s dinner (the Pack) only added to the stress of it. Plus there was the life or death need to keep her phenomenal cosmic powers a secret. It went relatively well for Kate who managed to stay alive and she solved the mystery despite having so many people underfoot.

Now, back at work for the Order and filling in for the mercenary guild here and there, Kate stumbles upon a witch coven that has quite possibly managed to summon up more than just a simple case of bad juju. Magic waves are hitting the city at a much faster rate than usual and all evidence points to an upcoming flare up of magic, an event that has historically guaranteed a bad time. Ancient gods and goddesses are stirring, existing just under the surface of reality, only needing a bit of heighten belief and a break in the veil between the worlds to come to life. If all the pieces of the coven’s plan fall into place, it will take an extremely ancient, extremely powerful magician to stop. Not a good thing when one needs to keep her powers a secret…

I have a serious case of series addiction happening here and I freakin’ love it. It doesn’t happen often but sometimes, SOMETIMES, you stubble upon a series SO GOOD you have to read the WHOLE THING in one bite. I know you understand. I know you’ve been there and I know you didn’t fight it either. I dedicated my entire day to both procuring and reading this book.

So much happens in this installment. There’s a GREAT BIG EVENT of XMEN proportion and it was ooooh so good. With only 260 pages it’s a pretty impressive juggling act to fit it all in. We get a lot more background information on Kate and she loosens up a bit, bringing a great deal more humor into the mix. We get to hang out some more with Ghastek, one of the People’s necromancers and his dry wit, coupled with Kate’s “Kill first.” attitude makes a very deadly undertaking surprisingly funny.

Your fan girl moment for this book: OMFGTHESOUPTHESOUPTHESOUP!!

     ”Curran? He isn’t exactly Mr. Smooth. He handed me a bowl of soup, that’s as far as we got.”
     “He fed you?” Raphael stopped rubbing Andrea.
     “How did this happen?” Aunt B stares at me. “Be very precise, this is important.”
     “He didn’t actually feed me. I was injured and he handed me a bowl of chicken soup. Actually I think he handed me two or three. And he called me an idiot.”
     “Did you accept?” Aunt B asked.
     “Yes. I was starving. Why are the three of you looking at me like that?”
     “For crying out loud.” Andrea set her cup down, spilling some tea. “The Beast Lord’s feeding you soup. Think about that for a second.”

Yes, let’s think about that for a second…or two….or three….ok, for a good five minutes. HE FED HER SOUP! See fangirl moment above.

I HAVE TO GO NOW.

Enchanted

Author: Alethea Kontis
Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books
Date: May 8, 2012
Pages: 305
Genre: YA- Fantasy

Sunday is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter and her mere existence is its own, special kind of magic. Sunday loves a good story. She lives for the tall tales told to her by her father, and the myriad of stories about her infamous older siblings. Sunday also likes to write stories and she writes true stories of her family, but only the ones that have already come to pass. Stories from the past are safe, because her writing can’t hurt what has already happened. Sunday’s stories, once written, become true.

She begins to read her stories to Grumble, an enchanted frog that she meets in the woods. This is nothing out of the ordinary. It happens from time to time when a human angers a fairy and pays the price for it with his form. It’s also widely known that the only cure for such an enchantment is true love’s kiss. Sunday does indeed come to care greatly for her friend and at his request she gives him a kiss in hopes that it will set him free. At the end of every story she gives Grumble a kiss but still he remains a frog. Wanting only to help him, Sunday does the one thing she can think of to save him and writes her love in a story.

     Sunday was nothing until she met Grumble-a beautiful man, with the soul of a poet. He was her best friend in the whole wide world, and she loved him with all her heart.

And as Sunday’s stories are truth, so is her love and Grumble will be released from the spell. But the form he returns to isn’t one that Sunday could ever allow herself to love.

Stories can be intensely powerful things. A good story, once told, wriggles its way inside you, settles in and begins to work away, taking what it needs to become a living, breathing thing. Stories are greedy, and they feed off of belief. Oh how I love books that focus on the power of stories! There’s nothing that can pull me into a book like the suggestion that words can indeed create something that didn’t even exist until it was believed. Terry Pratchett has told me time and time again that, “You need to believe in things that aren’t true. How else can they become?” Books are so powerful and stories are so meaningful! Just think about the things you believe (or really really want to) because of a book.

Enchanted is a true fairy tale, of the old sort where not everything is pretty and more stories end badly than not. Nothing is ever as it seems in fairy and it’s always good advice to be careful what you wish for. Kontis takes all of the places you’ve ever visited in fairy tales and weaves together a richly imaginative world where all the make believe is truth. I was loath to give it up in the end because having caught glimpses of such places throughout my reading life, it rather felt like home. It’s a hodgepodge of many stories but the characters are entirely original creations, intermixed with classic heroes to such an expert extent that it was easy to believe that all those stories, written oh so long ago, were only ever about the characters in this book. It takes a highly advanced magic to completely alter the way you’ve envisioned something you’ve held fast to since childhood. I have so much love for Sunday, who embodies everything you could ever want in a fairy tale heroine.

This is one of those “happy sigh” books, because you feel quite content after reading it. I had a great deal to think on after the last page. It’s always interesting when an author seems uncomfortable with the idea of having a “bad guy” in a story. No, I’m not talking about redeeming a bad guy. I’m never a fan of that. If you’re going to write evil, let evil be evil just for the sake of being evil and refrain from the urge to save everyone. I’m talking about evil in terms of the end justifying the means, so to speak. I won’t go into too much detail here because it will spoil it but the king and Sorrow’s story is a perfect example and an oh so very sad one.

Five points for use of a variation of the word susurrus.

*Quote taken from an ARC of Enchanted and may differ in the finished copy. Thanks to the publisher for this truly amazing gift.

I stumbled upon these two book covers, both coming to us this fall/winter from Penguin. After spending a good five minutes staring at these things of beauty I thought I’d pass them on for you to gawk over as well. Yes, it’s OK to be a shallow cover covet-er. I like pretty things, you like pretty things- the world likes pretty things. I feel no shame for wanting to read a book based on its cover. These just so happen to come with the extra added bonus of sounding intensely amazing.

Falling Kingdoms

Author: Morgan Rhodes aka Michelle Rowen
Publisher: Razorbill
Date: December 11, 2012
Pages: 412
Genre: YA- Fantasy
From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Cleo has grown up in luxury, the royal heiress to a prosperous kingdom. But beneath her nation’s seemingly peaceful surface lies dangerous unrest. Whispers of war are growing ever louder–intensified by a murderous incident for which Cleo’s betrothed, Aron, is accused.

Amidst the ongoing intrigue, Cleo has a more desperate mission. She defies her father’s orders and sets off on a secret and perilous journey into a neighboring country, seeking a magic long thought to be mythical. If it’s real, it could be the cure that heals her ailing sister. If it’s only legend, Cleo will be stranded in a kingdom that has just declared war on her own.

Venom

Author: Fiona Paul
Publisher: Philomel
Date: October 30, 2012
Pages: 432
Genre: YA- Historical Fiction
From Goodreads: Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin… and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

OK. I know the answer to this question, but I’m going to put it out there anyway. Just know Universe, that much scorn, sarcasm and exasperation is conveyed in the following aforementioned question: Why the hell is my library closed on Sunday? I am personally of the mindset that the library is needed more on Sunday than just about any other day.

So why am I and the fictitious angry mob that lives only in my head going to be storming the library Monday morning? Why we’re doing it in the name of FREEDOM, silly. The library is holding the ENTIRE rest of the Kate Daniels series hostage and we aim to rescue it. Monday morning me and the horde…which in my head is actual made of Feegles, will charge in, library cards waving and DEMAND that they LOAN me the entire series…for a specified period of time…else be subject to fines.

Magic Bites

Author: Ilona Andrews
Publisher: Ace
Date: March 27, 2007
Pages: 260
Genre: Fantasy- Urban/Paranormal

Ok gushingfangirlnonsensicalmoment before we revert back to the use of cohort sentences: THIS BOOK IS FANTABULOUSNESS! Yeah, buddy.

Kate Daniels is a something-or-another, (we never really find out just what she is, only that she is something really creepy, secret and badass) that sells her sword to the Mercenary Guild who hires her out as a killer of the paranormal. It’s nearly modern day Atlanta and the world has been wreaked by magic. Technology still flourishes but life and the way it carries on is constantly at the mercy of odd magical breakthroughs. Let me clarify:

Fancy that. Living in thinly veiled distrust and strained harmony are the different sects of magical beings- vampires, the undead and the necromancers who control them, shape-changers and the Mercs, Knights and Paranormal Policemen who fight daily to maintain some sort of order so that the rest of the mundane can drink coffee and go to work. When a gruesome multi-being murder results in the loss of Kate’s mentor and one remaining family member, Kate must delve further into the depths of the nonhuman world than she has ever been, or has ever wanted to go.

Things that are hot about this book: Curran- the Beast Lord. Yeah, I had you at “Beast Lord” didn’t I? He becomes Kate’s unwitting accomplice in an investigation that is turning more deadly by the minute. His mid-transformation and animal form descriptions win Team Andrews (Ilona Andrews is two people) some major points with me.

     Next to him rose something huge, almost eight feet tall. Vaguely humanoid in shape, it stood on two columnar furry legs. Hard muscle corded its frame, and a shaggy, grayish mane crowned the head and the back of the massive neck. Long stripes crisscrossed its chest, faint like the smoke marks on the pelt of a panther.
     I glanced at its face, and the power in its gold eyes rooted me to the floor. Goose flesh marked my limbs. I couldn’t move. It could have pounced on me and I couldn’t have done anything to stop it. The mammoth muscles of its neck bugled as it rolled its head one way, then another, stretching. The twin pads of its upper lip split, revealing three-inch-long canines. The monster licked his lips, long lines of whiskers twitching, and spoke in a deep growl. “Pretty, aren’t I?”

That and her portrayal of vampires as grotesque, mindless creatures, in a state of ever unquenchable blood lust, resembling almost nothing of the humans they once were. Win.

Kate as a main character possesses only mild hotness. Think Mercy Thompson but with much, much less personality. For the most part she’s rather bland (unless she’s hurting someone), and we don’t get much in the way of insight into her life, likes and history. I imagine some of that has been addressed in future installments in the series. I also have high hopes for some naughty bits but if not, the book’s awesomeness is such that it can keep my interest without it.

Overall, it’s an excellent paranormal fantasy from authors who keep the edges of their world jagged and sharp and aren’t afraid to bring the pain on the main character. People who fight bad guys and yet never seem to get hurt are extremely unrealistic whereas a mercenary vampire slayer with hidden powers and a flaming sword IS ENTIRELY BELIEVABLE.

Must. Have. Next. Book. NOW.

The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James
Publisher: Avon
Date: August 28, 2012

From Goodreads:

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke’s passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime…until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry. Society was shocked by their wedding; it’s scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his lifetime, convincing Theo that he loved the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that for a man with the soul of a pirate, All’s Fair in Love—or War.

Love! This is the fourth book in Miz Eloisa’s Fairy Tales series, each of which is a very funny, romantic spin on a classic fairytale. I just finished The Duke is Mine and can’t wait for this one!

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I do this a lot, this book-molesting, which sounds dirty but book shopping for book junkies is a sensual, spiritual experience. It’s even worse when it’s an actual print copy of a book you’ve read as an ARC and twice as bad if that ARC was on an eReader. I love all over these books when I stumble upon them. It’s an “OMG! I know you!” moment and it’s best if I just go with it else that pent-up book love might lead me down a path of self-destruction and you’ll find me somewhere engaging in something awful- like watching daytime television.

My little habit is particularly hard for my very accepting and accommodating Beloved to take sometimes. He’s wonderfully understanding and despite having to pry me off of books and out of bookstores, he still takes me back. He doesn’t subscribe to my crazy but he puts up with it which is really saying something because I’m bonkers. But…but…We were in a bookstore a few weeks back and I stumbled upon a copy of Wuthering Heights. I like this story, it’s not my favorite but I swear the book called out to me. It said, “Laura, I’m a shiny, new edition with fabulous cover art. You are mesmerized by my bookish beauty and you want to hold me.” Damn talking books. Yeah, I totally pet the book. But OMG people, the cover was amazing! It’s a trade paper back and soooo velvety soft and kinda smushy. And then the book said “I have friends. Don’t you want to meet my friends? Don’t you need to meet my friends?” Yes, talking book! I do! And I’ll be damned if there weren’t three other books of equal awesomeness that I had to put my hands on.

So there I was, in the bookstore, molesting books, trying to decide which two of the four I was going to get because I was trying to be good. I have ten other copies of Pride and Prejudice but you never know WHAT COULD HAPPEN (it’s a crazy, crazy world) and I wouldn’t want to be caught one copy short. Anyway, there I was petting the books, whispering sweet nothings to them and carrying them around the store like infants, trying to make an impossible choice, when Beloved had all the crazy he could stand and made the decision for me by purchasing the other two. Apparently my drooling on the books was making him uncomfortable and he thought it best if I wasn’t forcibly removed from the store by security. I choose to see it as an act of love.

Then, a few weeks later, I molested a copy of American Gods/Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman because it was SHINY:

These lovely ladies will be at Lemuria Books today at 4pm, signing away and spreading general bookish cheer. If you’d like to follow along and feel jealous from afar, keep an eye on Emily’s blog, where she will no doubt be posting pictures to tease you.