tapestry100's Books in 2011 - Part the First

Books Read 2011 23/120

1. Icons: The DC Comics and Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee by Jim Lee & Bill Baker
2. The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Mehendra Singh
3. Skellig by David Almond
4. Pibgorn: The Girl in the Coffee Cup by Brooke McEldowney
5. Pibgorn and the Poltergeist in the Piano by Brooke McEldowney
6. Pibgorn and the Borgia Cantus by Brooke McEldowney
7. Grandville by Bryan Talbot
8. Doctor Grordbort Presents: Victory by Greg Broadmore
9. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
10. X-Men: Deadly Genesis
11. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
12. The Quest for the Spark, Book 1 by Jeff Smith & Tom Sniegoski
13. Complete Bloom County, Book 2 by Berkeley Breathed
14. P.T. Barnum by Anne Edwards, illustrated by Marylin Hafner
15. Edie Ernst, USO Singer - Allied Spy by Brooke McEldowney
16. Winters Passage by Julie Kagawa
17. Wither: The Chemical Garden Trilogy, Book 1 by Lauren Destefano
18. Will Supervillains be on the Final?: Liberty Vocational, Vol 1 by Naomi Novik, illustrated by Yishan Li
19. Iron Manual
20. The Barracks Thief by Tobias Wolff
21. Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1 by Kevin Hearne
22. House of M Prelude: Excalibur
23. House of M
24. The Giver by Lois Lowry
25. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
26. Steampunk Quartet: A Tor.com Original by Eileen Gunn
27. X-Men: Inferno
28. The Four Ms. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton
29. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

A new year and a fresh start. Or, at least it will be in approximately a week's time. I'm getting a little ahead of myself this year, but as usual, I already feel like I'm behind the times! Everyone already has their 2011 threads started!!

2010 was a great year in reading for me, but I feel like I bogged myself down in Challenges, so I think a part of my New Year's Reading Resolution is going to be: No More Challenges!! I think I just want to read what I want to read, and if I find a Challenge or a Group Read that will fit in with what I'm looking forward to reading at that particular time, I'll join in, but otherwise I think I want to keep my reading options completely open. Also, I think I'm going to up the ante a little bit and try setting my goal at 120 books for the year.

Another part of my New Year's Reading Resolution is to try to read more of what's on my shelf. I was talking with Sarah and bemoaning the fact that I have so many great books on my shelf that I want to read, but I always forget about them because I'm too busy buying new books... Well, laugh all you want, but I'm going to try to keep from purchasing any new books for the first half of the year. Realistically, I know this isn't going to happen, but I'm going to try. The only genre that this isn't going to apply to is my graphic novels. Too often, I've waited to buy something when it was released, and because of small press runs on some of these titles, they become too hard to find too quickly, so those I'm picking up as they are released. (See how I'm making loopholes for myself already? I'm a lost cause.)

OK - so my friend Gail (some of you may know her - Irisheyz77) totally called me out on this and you know what? She's right. I can't go cold turkey like that. So... In lieu of not buying any new books for the first half of the year, she and a few friends (me included) are putting ourselves on a book budget - no more than $30 per month. She's set us up a spreadsheet and everything to hold ourselves accountable. We'll see how this works out! =)

Happy reading in 2011!

Glad to see you back with us again, David!

(I love your loopholes, BTW)

Good luck with your goals!

Which challenges were you doing this year?

Hi, David! Right there with you on reading only what you feel like reading and not getting bogged down by challenges. I'll even go one further and say I'm going to stop requesting Early Review copies (unless something I REALLY NEED to read is on the list of offerings) (okay, see, you're not the only one who can create loopholes!). :) Anyway, enjoy your 2011 reading!

Welcome back!

I have the same problem with challenges; they make me feel like I ought to be reading something in particular, when in reality, I'm a grown-up and I should feel free to wander where I like among my bookcases and the library stacks!

Good luck with your 75 in 2011!

Thanks for stopping by, everybody! I sure do love this group. =)

Happy New Year, David! I'm happy to be sharing another year of reading with you.

Happy New Year David - I will try and post more on your threads in 2011.

Hooray for loopholes! Howdy, dear. :)

>9 ronincats: Hi Roni! Here's to another great reading year!

>10 souloftherose: Thanks for stopping by, Heather. I'm going to try to be better about visiting threads this year too, yours included! =)

>11 beserene: Loopholes are the bestest, aren't they, darling? ;-)

First book of the year! Woohoo!! Some may argue that this really shouldn't count as a book in my counting, but there were words on every page, so I'm counting it. So There!

#1



Title: Icons: The DC Comics and Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee
Authors: Jim Lee & Bill Baker
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 296
ISBN: 9781845765194
Publisher: Titan Books
Author Website: www.jimlee00.deviantart.com
Twitter: @jimlee00
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5 stars
Finished: 1-1-11

A fantastic retrospective on arguably my favorite artist out there, Jim Lee, Icons is a beautifully presented volume covering Lee's time with Wildstorm and DC Comics. Including artwork that spans his entire career with both companies including sketches and art that I've never seen before, this really is the perfect book for any Jim Lee fan. The physical look of the book, too, from the shear size of the volume to the layout of the interior pages does nothing but add to the beauty of the book. I think that this is a volume that can truly show that comics are not just a form of entertainment but can also be viewed as a true work of art. Bill Baker's running commentary on the art and background information on Lee and his studio makes for a nice finishing touch.

Naturally, the only thing that would make this volume perfect would be the inclusion of Lee's art and time with Marvel, but since he is now DC Comics' co-publisher, this may be the best book that we'll get for the foreseeable future.

Highly recommended to anyone who is a fan of Jim Lee's artwork or to anyone who enjoys a beautifully presented book of art.

It is so good to see posts from you! All good wishes for a wonderful year of reading!

It's good to be back and posting! Thank you so much for stopping by and good wishes for a wonderful year of reading and a healthy year for you! *hugs*

A book budget! That sounds like an excellent idea. That way you're not depriving yourself, but it means you'll be very choosy about getting only the best books you want to read. I like it. And I'm with you on the challenges thing... I think I took on too much and by the end of the year I was challenge-jaded. Being more selective with challenges will hopefully make them enjoyable again!

Happy New Year, David! Good luck with your book budget. I think perhaps that will be more successful than a book-buying moratorium. There's a little room, at least, for book emergencies and other urgent events. Having said that, though, I am pleased to say that recently I visited two bookstores, including the sublime Tattered Cover in Denver, and did not buy! I can't explain it -- it was like some kind of warp in the universe. Or perhaps it could help justify some major splurge in the future.

Wow - leaving a bookstore without a purchase - and you didn't feel any physical pain? Nausea? Shifting of earth under your feet? I'm impressed.

David, I'm glad the Jim Lee book met your expectations. So, do I get to look at it next? :)

#13: A terrific start to your reading year, David! Congratulations!

>16 dk_phoenix: Hi, Faith! Yeah, I'm challenged-out this year. No more!!

>17 AMQS: Anne, I'm impressed! Especially going into Tattered Cover. I think I would have to buy something, just so I could tell people, "I bought this at the Tattered Cover!" =)

>18 beserene: Yes, you can take a peek at the book. Seriously, it's beautiful! You'll love it.

>19 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! It was a great start to the year.

What a great book to start out the year on, David!

>18 beserene: if not physical pain, then perhaps like an out-of-body experience. "Hmmm, there's me, and I'm not buying anything. Huh." Perhaps it was remnants of the end-of-term stupor I was in :)

>20 tapestry100: I know! I do live in Denver, though, so I know I'll be going back (and certainly not leaving empty-handed)!

#2



Title: The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits
Authors: Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Mahendra Singh
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 96
ISBN: 9781935554240
Publisher: Melville House Publishing
Twitter: melvillehouse
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4/5 stars
Finished: 1-5-11

“To seek it with thimbles, to seek it with care;
To pursue it with forks and hope,
To threaten its life with a railway-share;
To charm it with smiles and soap!”

What does it all mean? No one seems to know. Not even Lewis Carroll, apparently. He claimed to have no more idea on what the poem was about than anybody else, although he did mention at one point, "...the whole book is an allegory on the search for happiness." Carroll's acme of Nonsense poetry, The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits is an experience to read. Does it make any sense? Not at all. Did I enjoy it all the same? Absolutely.

This was a Christmas gift from Sarah as I'm a huge fan of Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. However, I'll admit that my reading experience with Carroll stops there, so this was a real treat to receive as I had not even heard of this book before!

The poem opens with the captain of the hunt gathering his traveling companions for the voyage that will take them to the Snark, so that they may hunt it. As the poem progresses, I was left in mind of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, as we get to hear tales from most of the traveling companions. Each tale leads on to the continuing hunt for the Snark, which leaves its mark on several of the traveling companions. There are several plays on words in the poem, and we even meet a couple of familiar faces from Carroll's earlier works, such as the Bandersnatch and the Jubjub Bird.

Mahendra Singh's illustrations are simply amazing. In his afterword, he explains how he used a Surrealist technique to illustrate this version of The Hunting of the Snark, a technique which I think fits the theme and tone of the poem perfectly. Singh hides jokes and visual puns in his illustrations that go along with the poems stanzas, just as Carroll hides puns, plays on words and puzzles in his poem. As I read through the poem, I would become equally involved looking at the illustrations as I was trying to figure out what it all means. I eventually gave up, and enjoyed the entire book exactly for what it is: Nonsense!

Even though it took me a couple nights to read, The Hunting of the Snark is a very fast read. In fact, I read through the entire poem a second time in one sitting, making sure I was able to follow what was happening. Even though there really isn't much rhyme (no pun intended!) or reason to the flow of the story, it still makes some sort of absurd sense and follows a natural progression to its ending. What you'll get out that ending, however, will differ from person to person. Personally, I think Carroll had it right about his poem: it has something to do with the elusiveness of that one thing in life that will make you perfectly happy. You search and hunt and may never quite find it, but it's the searching and hunting that turns the journey into an adventure.

Highly recommended.

"You search and hunt and may never quite find it, but it's the searching and hunting that turns the journey into an adventure."

How true..How very true.

#23: Great review, David! I will have to see if I can locate a copy of that one.

You are going to have to be extra nice to Sarah from now on, you know?

Now that sounds like one I need to rush out and find right now.

>24 Whisper1: - =)

>25 alcottacre: - *sigh* I suppose so.

>26 dk_phoenix: - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I also received an email from the artist (Mahendra Singh) thanking me for my review of the book!

And can anybody guess what I did this weekend? I'll give you 2 hints.
Hint #1) It's playing in Chicago right now.
Hint #2)

And... I'm a little behind on reviews, and so early in the year!

Books read, with reviews coming soon (possibly as soon as tonight!):

#3 Skellig by David Almond
#4 Pibgorn: The Girl in the Coffee Cup by Brooke McEldowney
#5 Pibgorn and The Poltergeist in The Piano by Brooke McEldowney
#6 Pibgorn and the Borgia Cantus by Brooke McEldowney
#7 Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Ooh, I love Wicked! I've seen it twice and and definitely planning to see it again someday.

Count me in as one who thoroughly enjoyed Wicked, the musical, even though I saw it while sitting in the nosebleed section. I'd love to see it closer up. Maybe someday...

Wicked is delightfully wicked! I saw the play in NY twice.

David, I'm anxious to learn what you think of Skellig. It was my #1 book in 2008.

I saw Wicked last year for the first time. I loved it and can't wait till I can see it again.

I thoroughly enjoyed Skellig, David. I hope you liked it too.

Where does the time go??

>29 _Zoe_: - 32 Not to brag, but I've seen Wicked probably 10 times now. It ranks as my top favorite Broadway show, ever! I do have a friend who has seen the show over 80 times, though, so I think she might outrank me as the #1 fan!

>33 alcottacre: Stasia, I did enjoy Skellig. It was a very unusual book and one that I think each reader will get something different from.

Well, I'm heading out the door to go see the doctor. I've been fighting the same cold for about month now, I swear, and quite frankly, I'm sick of being sick. I plan on writing reviews when I get back home. I swear! lol

Glad you liked Skellig. I would hate to have lent you a book that you hated. :)

No more plague! Bad plague! Go away plague!

Did my yelling help? Is it gone?

Sorry to hear that your cold is sticking around, David. I hope Sarah's banishment worked :)

Well, between Sarah's banishment and the new meds the doc put me on, I think I'm on track to being a healthy me again! #happydance

And what's this? It can't be... A review??? lol

#3



Title: Skellig
Author: David Almond
Copyright: 1998
Pages: 182
ISBN: 9780440416029
Publisher: Yearling Books
Author Website: www.davidalmond.com
Format: Paperback (borrowed)
Rating: 4/5 stars
Finished: 1-8-11
Awards: Printz Honor, 2000

Skellig is one of those books that each reader will take something distinctly different from it. I'm not even sure I know what I took away from it. Was it a book about hope and faith? The mysteries of the great beyond? I'm not really sure, but given that I'm still thinking about it a couple of weeks after I read the book is a good sign that it did make me think.

Michael's life has been turned upside down. He's moved to a what was promising to be a shiny, new home but instead has found himself in a rundown house that is in need of severe renovations. He has moved away from his usual school, but has elected to take the bus across town to be able to still attend so he can be with his friends. Add to all this his little sister being born prematurely, and Michael finds that his mother and father may be a little too preoccupied to be able to pay much attention to him and he's forced to "understand" a lot when things aren't going as he thought they were going to. One day while exploring the ramshackle garage behind the house, Michael discovers what may or may not be a person under the spiderwebs and dead flies.

The only person that Michael feels confident in disclosing his secret to is his new friend Mina. Mina seems to understand what the man in the garage is and what he means, and together Michael and Mina help to bring him out into the open again.

I'm going to stop there. What makes the book so powerful is the discovery and journey you take with Michael and Mina as their lives begin to change as a result of the being in the garage. This is a reasonably fast read, so it won't take anyone long to finish it, but the story lingers far after you've finished reading it. David Almond gives you just enough of the pieces of the puzzle so that you can almost understand what's happening, but leaves everything just ambiguous enough so that you can reach your own conclusion without being weighed down by a finite answer. I don't usually like ambiguous storytelling; I generally like my story spelled out in black and white for me, but in this case, I'm happy to have my own thoughts on what the book means to me.

Recommended.

Nicely said. :)

Great review of Skellig! Thumbs up from me.

I agree with Linda. Great review, David!

Glad to see that you are feeling better :)

Thanks Sarah, Linda & Stasia! For a quick minute, I had a Hot Review!!

#4-6



Title: Pibgorn: the Girl in the Coffee Cup, Pibgorn and the Poltergeist in the Piano & Pibgorn and the Borgia Cantus
Series: Pibgorn
Author: Brooke McEldowney
Copyright: 2006, 2009
Pages: 58, 94, 72
ISBN: 0978831500, 9780978831523, 9780978831530
Publisher: Pib Press
Author Website: officialpibgorn.livejournal.com
Twitter: @9chickweedlane
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4/5 stars
Finished: 1-10-11, 1-11-11

Brooke McEldowney may be one of the funniest cartoonists out there. His razor-sharp wit and his character's equally razor-sharp dialogue combined with his fluid, organic art style makes for one the freshest, most clever, most visually appealing reading experiences one can have with a daily comic strip. His stories can be at turns touching, laugh out loud funny and cuttingly sarcastic. In so few words, I love it.

I originally discovered McEldowney's work through his strip, 9 Chickweed Lane. What caught my eye immediately was the art. I don't even know how to describe it except that it seems to literally flow. I've seen his rough sketches and it's like one continuous swirl that comes to life and creates his characters for him. I lost track of his strip for a couple of years, but thanks to the wonder that is the internet, I re-discovered not only 9 Chickweed Lane, but found that he had started another online strip called Pibgorn. Pibgorn is a fairy who is in love with a human and whose best friend is a homicidal succubus. I found my way into the Pibgorn world a little late, so was already behind-the-times when I started reading but quickly got caught up in the story and was loving every minute of it. You can imagine my pleasure when I also discovered that the Pibgorn strips were going to be reprinted as collected editions!

It's been fun watching the characters grow and take shape and come into themselves. The Girl in the Coffee Cup introduces us to our three main characters, Pibgorn, Drusilla and Geoff and sets up their relationships with each other. The Poltergeist in the Piano sends Pib and Dru on a time traveling murder mystery involving a vampire. In The Borgia Cantus, Dru has been keeping the demons that she's been vanquishing hidden, that is until Pib unknowingly unleashes their forces on NYC. The characters aren't entirely themselves yet, but you can definitely see the potential of these characters. I'm really hoping that further editions of Pib and Co's adventures are released.

For more information on these and potential future Pibgorn editions, visit Pib Press.

I have enjoyed the characters of Pigborn on the GoComics widget of my iGoogle page for a couple of years now. "Visually appealing" is so right!

#43: I have never heard of the Pigborn series. Thanks for the mention, David. I will see if I can locate them at my local library.

Another great review! I'll have to look for those.

44> They are great, aren't they?

45, 46> If your library doesn't have them, you can read the series online starting here. =)

I'm hoping everybody who was hit by the SNOWPOCALYPSE blizzard has made it through safe and warm! I can't believe how much snow we got, and we didn't even get hit as hard as we were planning on here.

Love your review of Skellig, David. I definitely agree... we'll each come away from it with something different.

We didn't get hit with as much snow as everyone thought either, though we had 70km/h winds gusting through last night. Today was the final blast, and tomorrow they're calling for sunny skies... thank goodness.

Good to know that you made it through OK. I did experience thundersnow last night, though. I was awake about 2am, listening to the wind howl when there was a sudden flash and then thunder! So bizarre to have experienced thunder during a blizzard.

I keep forgetting to mention it, but I went to see The King's Speech last weekend, and it was amazing! If it doesn't sweep the Oscars, there is no justice in the world. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter are all just stunning in this movie. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, I HIGHLY recommend it!

I loved The King's Speech, and I'm cheering for it, too. It is, however, the only film I've seen in a long time, so that may skew my opinion of the field somewhat...

We've had two snow days with very little snow, but bitterly cold temperatures. I'll take them!

Thanks for the link to the Pibgorn series!

I really want to see The King's Speech. I will probably wait until it is available on video though.

Thanks for the Pigborn link. I will check it out!

Anne & Stasia, you're welcome for the Pibgorn link.

Stasia, you'll have to let me know what you think of The King's Speech when you see it.

#7



Title: Grandville
Series: A Detective-Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard Scientific-Romance Thriller
Author: Bryan Talbot
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 108
ISBN: 9781595823977
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Author Website: www.bryan-talbot.com
Twitter: DarkHorseComics, @Bryan_Talbot
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4/5 stars
Finished: 1-18-11

In a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals and where France wins the Napoleonic War, Britain falls under French rule until after decades of civil unrest, Britain frees itself from France and becomes the Socialist Republic of Britain. After the murder of a British diplomat that is made to look like a suicide, Detective-Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard and his assistant Detective Ratzi go on a mission to discover the real culprit and uncover a conspiracy that lies far deeper in the French government than anyone could believe.

Detective-Inspector LeBrock (a badger) is quite clearly modeled at least partially after Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Ratzi (a rat) after Watson. In this alternate history, the world is not only inhabited by animals (and a very few humans, referred to as "doughfaces") but steam technology has progressed to an advanced degree, clearly making this graphic novel Steampunk inspired.

Bryan Talbot's art is dark and gritty and his writing is at turns clever and witty. There has been a second volume released featuring DI LeBrock and I think I would like to check that out at some point. While this is a graphic novel, it can be very violent and adult in nature, so I wouldn't recommend it to a younger audience, but for adults who enjoy a good mystery and aren't turned off by too much violence, I'd say give this a chance.

#8



Title: Dr. Grordbort Presents: Victory
Author: Greg Broadmore
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 64
ISBN: 9781595824639
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Author Website: gregbroadmore.blogspot.com
Twitter: DarkHorseComics
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4/5 stars
Finished: 1-22-11

What mysteries and marvels will he uncover? Golly, it's so exciting thinking about it that I've just peed myself a little. Read on!

Dr. Grordbort Presents: Victory - Scientific Adventure Violence for Young Men and Literate Women reads like a scientific journal of a time long passed that hasn't happened yet. In this retro-futuristic world, we have traveled to Mars, Venus & the Moon and have discovered the varied and sometimes dangerous inhabitants of these planets. The hero of our tale, Lord Cockswain, basically blunders his way through one adventure after another, always seeming the hero even though it is the circumstances surrounding him and his ignorance that proves otherwise.

The entire thing is entirely told tongue-in-cheek. There are advertisements for Dr. Grordbort's latest ray guns, advertisements for the latest military weapons, advertisements to encourage young men to join the military and explore the solar system, tales of the adventures of Lord Cockswain. I found myself giggling several times throughout the book.

In direct contrast to the over the top writing is Greg Broadmore's gorgeous art. Broadmore works at the Weta Workshop (you know, the people behind the Lord of the Rings films) and has worked on such films as District 9, King Kong and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. His artwork throughout ranges from the slightly silly to downright engaging. It's this contrast of such striking art and comical writing that makes Dr. Grordbort Presents: Victory such a fun book to read.

I am jealous of all your graphic novel reading, David! My local library is sadly lacking in its stock of GNs.

Where did you get those last two, David? I am intrigued by both, might want to borrow or otherwise obtain them. (Notice I included borrow in that -- not running out to buy them -- check out that self-control, baby!)

I just saw the King's Speech last night and it was wonderful. I agree it should sweep the oscars.

>57 alcottacre: - I give up on any libraries around here carrying any of the graphic novels that I'm looking for, so I stalk Amazon until I find a used copy for less than $5 and pick them up then.

>58 beserene: - I got both of those of off Amazon, and I'll gladly lend them out. Or provide you with product links on Amazon, your choice. ;-)

>59 bbellthom: - Wasn't it great? I can't wait to see how it does at the Oscars.

And, believe it or not, I'm reading. Slowly but surely.

I believe you! :)

Ok, so the goal today? At least get SOMETHING written down about my thoughts for the last couple of books that I've read. Beyond that - hunker down for the impending snow/ice/winter storm that we're due to be getting any time now. Florida can't get here quick enough. Seriously.

In other news, I got to meet Courtney Allison Moulton, author of Angelfire, which I was able to read last year as an egalley. It was her book launch party and I think everybody had a really great time. Here's a pic of me and Courtney:

David
Your smile lights up the room.

Happy Sunday to you!

Great picture, David!

Love the photo...

How fun that you were able to meet her!

Thanks for the comments on the photo. It made for a really fun afternoon. =)

I've been neglectful of my thread lately, but I've had good reason. I've been suffering from recurring sinus infections since October of last year, and finally my doctor threw up his hands and sent me to get a CT scan and to see an ENT. Apparently, I have a deviated septum and am suffering from some sort of newly developed allergies, which has caused a Catch-22 in not letting me fight off the sinus infection. I know compared to what some of us have been going through this past year (I'm looking at you, Linda!) I know this is minor, but it's taken a lot out of me. I've been having trouble breathing and sleeping because of my constant congestion/sinus pain. The Thursday after I get back from vacation, I got in for allergy testing to find out what's causing the reactions and then I'll probably be having surgery to fix my septum. Fun.

OK, enough of my whining. In other bookish news, I just read a short biography about P.T. Barnum by Anne Edwards that Sarah picked up for me. It is geared toward a younger crowd, and it got me to wondering if anybody knows of a good, comprehensive biography of P.T. Barnum. So, my fellow LTers, anybody out there have a good biography they'd recommend of P.T. Barnum? There are quite a few that come up as a general search here on LT, but I'd like to hear from somebody who's actually read a really good one.

Gentle Hugs to you!

Sorry you are having a rough time of it.

Sinus infections are not "minor".

Surgery -- no fun.

I hope you are able to enjoy your vacation in March! I know you are looking forward to your trip.

Thanks honey. Hugs back at you!

And I can't wait for vacation! We're even arriving right in the middle of Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival, and allergies be damned, I'm going to have a great time!! I've been nothing but giddy all this week getting ready for the trip. =)

Hope you feel better soon. Sorry can't help you out with the P.T. Barnum search but can't wait to see people's suggestions. I have a request though. I have never read a graphic novel and I think it's about time I did. Can you suggest a really good one as a first read?

Thanks

Hi bbellthom! I'll admit up front that my favorite series of graphic novels are the X-Men series, but those have 40+ years of history behind them, so can be very daunting about knowing where to begin with. A few of my standalone favorites have been: Jeff Smith's Bone series. I've seen this described as what could have happened if Disney and Tolkien ever collaborated. It's a larger series (10 collected editions, I think) or one big collected edition, with a couple of prequels and sequels, but it's amazing. I'd recommend starting out with the smaller volumes that have been printed by Scholastic, starting with Vol 1: Out from Boneville. There is even an illustrated prose trilogy sequel out, the first volume just being released. I think for a first time out on GNs, this would be a good place to start.

However, if you're looking for something a little more adult, I've enjoyed: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol 1 & 2, also by Alan Moore (I'm going to say that I didn't enjoy the latest LoEG: Century 1910). Alan Moore's Watchmen is good, but may feel a little dated these days. (Alan Moore has obviously written several good GNs!). I have never read his From Hell, but have heard good things about it. Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is really good, too. The first in that series is Preludes and Nocturnes. There is also Bill Willingham's Fables series, the first of which is Legends in Exile.

You may also want to pop over to the What We Are Reading: Graphic Novels thread. There are some really good suggestions over there.

Long answer, but I hope it gives you some good ideas.

Ugh. Health problems are never good. At least the docs are starting to figure out what's wrong, which hopefully means healing in the near-ish future? Then you can get back to feeling like yourself again :) It just sounds awful in the meantime.

I commiserate with you and your sinus infection. I had one about 18 years ago. I coughed so badly I think I cracked a rib. It lasted for so long and I was so desperate that I quit smoking (for the third and last time)! Every time I get a head cold I am afraid it will result in another infection. They are terrible!

Every time I get a cold, I remember how blessed it is simply to be able to breathe without struggling for it. It is tremendously debilitating. I have had sinus infections. Most notably, my freshman year in college, I had 5 that completely impacted my sinuses--i.e., no drainage, complete blockage, and terrible headache. Fortunately, in those ancient days, they put some acrid liquid on gauze, packed my nose, and put me under a heat lamp. 15 minutes, complete drainage!! Oh, and why I was getting them? Thought I'd be cool and try to smoke like my boyfriend. Decided I'd rather be able to breathe, although it made me highly sensitive to any trace of cigarette smoke--instant sinus irritation and swelling.

Thanks for the Graphic novel recommendations I ordered both Out from Boneville and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen from my library.

Hope you are able to breathe easily soon! Oh, and have a great vacation...

Thanks for stopping by, everybody! And I'm seeing that sinus problems/infections are equally hated across the board!I'm hoping that the combination of my vacation to warmer climates and the allergy testing following directly after will get mine under control!

>75 bbellthom: I can't wait to hear what you think of them. =)

I'm excited! I get to meet Nancy Atherton (of Aunt Dimity fame) at one of my local bookstores tonight. She'll be discussing her newest book, Aunt Dimity & the Family Tree. =)

Back from vacation and back to reading!! =)

Back from vacation and back to reading!! =)

Title: Wither
Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy, Book 1
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 358
ISBN: 9781442409057
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Author Website: Simon & Schuster Chemical Garden website
Twitter: @LaurenDeStefano, simonschuster
Format: ARC paperback from publisher for review
Available: 3-22-11 (available now in some locations)
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

In an attempt to eliminate disease and create a perfect person, science has doomed the human race. The first generation of this new miracle are healthy and live normal lives. However, it's their children and all following children who are doomed. All men now die at 25, women at 20. It's a genetic virus that scientists and geneticists are scrambling to find a cure for, but in the meantime society is slowly unraveling at the seems. Orphans will try anything to find home and shelter, even selling themselves to science; girls are kidnapped and sold to polygamous marriages in order to bear children. Rhine is one such girl who is kidnapped. At sixteen, she still has 4 years left to bear children for her new husband, Linden Vaughn, before she succumbs to the virus. At first all she can think about is escaping the Vaughn mansion and fleeing home to her twin brother, Rowan. Eventually Rhine begins to think that Linden is just as much a captive in the mansion as are her other two sister wives, all prisoners of Linden's father, Housemaster Vaughn, who seems to be willing to go to any means to keep his son happy and find a cure for the virus.

The premise of the book was really good, but there just seemed to be a whole lot of nothing going on here. We're thrown very quickly into the story with Rhine being kidnapped and chosen to be a bride, and then the rest of the book takes on a significantly slower pace. I also couldn't help thinking from the very beginning that Wither was the lovechild of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games. I can't pinpoint exactly what made me think of this so early on in the book, but I couldn't help shake this thought as soon as it popped into my head.

The main part of the story deals with Rhine and her adjusting, with her two new sister wives, to their new life at the Vaughn mansion. Jenna, the oldest, at first refuses to let Linden touch her but eventually seems to soften toward him. Cecily, the youngest, is all to willing to escape her life as an orphan and fervently vies for Linden's attention and is all too willing to bear a child for him. Rhine seems to fluctuate somewhere in the middle, and Linden obviously bears the most affection for her, especially due to her resemblance to the love of his life, Rose. The problem here, I found, is that while we are given bits and pieces to the puzzle surrounding Housemaster Vaughn and his interference in everyone's lives, including his own son, there isn't a whole lot that happens that moves the story forward. Quite a bit seems to happen in the background, without much presented in the way to show it happening. For instance, the seemingly out of the blue (at least to me) love connection between Rhine and one of the household assistants, Gabriel. They only meet a handful of times and suddenly they seem to be completely infatuated with each other. AS the story progresses, their relationship is then given time to grow, but their relationship growing so close, so quickly, at the beginning of the story seemed too convenient a plot point for me.

Another problem that I had with the story was one portion of the worldbuilding, and that had to due with the orphans. It's mentioned frequently that there are numerous orphans who live on the streets, and it makes sense since the parents are dying so young. Yet, it would seem to me that if the whole idea in this world is to try to keep the human race alive, there would be contingencies in place for these orphans, to try to find a way to help them live and not let them die on the streets. Maybe I'm missing something here, but it just seemed that this entire idea seemed a little off to me.

Given the problems I had with the story, I'm still impressed with the premise behind the idea. While this first volume ended in a way that I would have been willing to accept as the type of vague ending where the reader can take their own ideas on where the characters will be going next and leave it at that, I'm also interested to see where DeStefano is going to take these characters, and to me that's what really makes for a good book. So, problems aside, DeStefano sucked me into her world and I want to know what happens next.

Wither will be released on March 22, 2011 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (some stores may have it on shelves now).

Hi There Friend

I'm sending this early birthday message because next week is going to be a crazy time and thus I don't want to miss telling you how very great you are!

I hope the 29th is as special as you are!

Thank you, darling!! =)

So excited!!! Getting ready for a reading by Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters and the recently released The Four Ms. Bradwells. She is DELIGHTFUL!!!

I'll anxiously await your comments regarding the reading. Harmonic convergence is in the air. I went to the library earlier this afternoon and The Wednesday Sisters is one of the books I brought home!

Sorry Wither was such a mixed bag. Turns out I do have a copy of it here at home. Do you think I should bother?

>85 Whisper1: - Meg is a delight. This is the second time that I've been able to meet her for a reading, and she's one of the kindest, most gracious authors I've come across. Both times, she has invited me out for dinner after the reading with her family and friends (she has family here in Michigan and went to law school at the University of Michigan). If you ever have the opportunity to meet her, I'd highly recommend it!

>86 beserene: - Maybe wait on it for awhile, until you're absolutely desperate for something to read. I don't think you'll necessarily not like it, but the comparisons that you'll be drawing from other books will probably drive you to distraction. =)

Forgot to mention, Sarah and I went to see Jacqueline Winspear (of Maisie Dobbs fame) last night, and she is delightful, too! And so well educated on the time frame that her stories take place (the UK in the time around the Great War). It was an absolutely fascinating reading last night, as she discussed what Britain was like during the war and how she used that mentality of the time to directly create Maisie Dobbs. I had never read anything by her before, but I was so taken with her after the reading, I had to buy the first book in the series!

Oh, look! A review!! Such a rarity here, these days. I'm going to try to take this weekend and get caught up on my reviews. I'm several behind... #embarrassed



Title: Boneshaker
Series: The Clockwork Century, Book 1
Author: Cherie Priest
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9780765318411
Publisher: Tor Books
Author Website: www.cheriepriest.com
Twitter: @cmpriest, torbooks, @torSteampunk
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4/5 stars

Zeke wants to know the truth about his family. He's heard the stories, how his father, Leviticus Blue, built the Boneshaker, a machine that would mine through the ice of the Klondike to read gold for the Russians. He's heard the stories about how something went terribly wrong with the Boneshaker and how Blue lost control of it and it powered its way through the financial district of 1890s Seattle, smashing through several bank vaults before it reversed course and made its way back to the Blue mansion. He's heard the stories of how the Blight gas started to seep out, killing anyone who came into contact with it and turning them into zombies. He's heard all these stories, and doesn't want to believe them because his mother, Briar, who was there, won't tell him anything. And he's suspicious. And he plans on breaching the wall that has been built around Seattle to keep the Blight and rotters inside and finding out the truth and help rewrite his family's history. What he finds on the inside, however, may not be exactly what he is looking for.

Boneshaker is just as much a book about family and the ties that bind as it is a Steampunk extravaganza. Yes, it has the requisite dirigibles, goggles, mechanical goodness and other necessities that are obligatory in making a story Steampunk, but it is also the story of the love a mother has for her child and the lengths that she will go to to protect that child. Briar will stop at nothing to make sure that Zeke is safe, and this is what helps this book stand out in the Steampunk crowd. There's more to it than just Steampunk. And, just to make sure that her story stands out from other Steampunk stories, Cherie Priest also throws in a (un)healthy dose of zombies, just for good measure. It's also full of great characters who are each unique and engaging, and the world-building is topnotch.

Boneshaker is a great read. It's a great Steampunk novel. And it's a shame that it took me this long to finally getting around to reading it. Whether you're a fan of Steampunk or just enjoy a romping good book that is solidly written, Boneshaker is for you. Now, it's time for me to move on to Clementine and Dreadnought, the continuing stories of The Clockwork Century!

Yay, Boneshaker! I'm glad you finally got to it. And equally delighted that you liked it. I am hoping for good things from Dreadnought too, when I get down to reading it. :)

We'll have to compare notes on Dreadnought when we both get around to it. =)

Title: The Iron King
Series: The Iron Fey, Book 1
Author: Julie Kagawa
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 363
ISBN: 9780373210084
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Author Website: www.juliekagawa.com
Twitter: @harlequinteen, @jkagawa
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5/5 stars

I'll admit right up front that I was skeptical about this book. My friend Gail had been bullying me for awhile to pick up the series and give it a try, but honestly, the whole Harlequin thing kind of turned me off of the entire idea (even if it is being published through Harlequin Teen). It kept getting great reviews, as did the subsequent books, but it really wasn't until the third book was released and it was dedicated partly to Gail that I figured I should give it a try. If one of my best book friends was willing to promote the series so much that the author dedicated the book to her... well, I figured it was time to read at least the first one, The Iron King.

Wow. Wow wow wow!

I loved it! Julie Kagawa has such a natural story-telling ability that I was completely sucked into the story, immediately. Her characters are believable and her landscapes are tangible. I was thoroughly enjoying the book when she added in such a compelling and new idea, I was practically jumping up and down from the excitement I had. Her ideas about the new breed of Fey is genius. It seems so obvious, I'm surprised nobody has come up with it before (and maybe they have, and I just don't know about it), but she took the idea and ran with it. I don't really want to give too much away because it really is in the realization of what the new Fey are that makes it so interesting, but needless to say, these are Fey for the 21st century.

The story centers around Meghan Chase, your typical teenager trying to make her way through high school and life. She has all the typical high school problems: family, boys, school. But it isn't until a dark stranger starts following her and her best friend, Robbie Goodfell, starts to act overly protective of her that things start to get really strange. It all culminates in Meghan discovering that she is the child of a faery king and that she is being used as a pawn of war. Add in the mysterious Prince Ash, and you have all the elements you need to for one great story. Oh, and don't worry, for those curious there isn't too much romance, if any. For a Harlequin book, they really were light on the romance and heavy on the action for this book.

If you're looking for an original story set in a at turns familiar and yet strange land, I'd highly recommend The Iron King. I'm sorry it took me so long to getting around to it, and I'll admit that maybe, this once, Gail was right. But don't tell her I said that. She'll never let me live it down.

Hello Dear One!

So glad you had such a great vacation.

I already have The Iron King in the BlackHole. I wish my local library would get a copy of it!

Great review of The Iron King! Anything that earns 4 wows from you is worthy of attention -- I'll be adding it to my wish list.

I've been hearing good things about The Iron King for a long time too. I turned against it a bit when they denied my NetGalley request, but I think it's past time to just get over that and read the book already!

I've been meaning to read Boneshaker for a long time too. I even went so far as to pick it up off the library shelf yesterday and take it to be checked out, but then it turned out that someone else had a hold on it. Bah.

>93 Whisper1: - We had a marvelous vacation! I'm going to try to get some pics up here sometime this week.

>94 alcottacre:-96 - I hope you all enjoy The Iron King as much as I did! And Zoe, when they get Boneshaker back in, it's worth checking out.

Title: Bone: Quest for the Spark, Book 1
Series: Bone
Author(s): Tom Sniegoski, illustrated by Jeff Smith
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 224
ISBN: 9780545141024
Publisher: Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic
Author Website: www.boneville.com
Twitter: scholastic
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4/5 stars

Bone: Quest for the Spark, Book 1 is a great followup to the Bone series. Thorn is queen and there has been peace in the Valley since the events of Bone. However, that is until people in the village start falling asleep and never waking up, including Queen Thorn.

Enter 12-year-old Tom Elm, turnip farmer. There isn't much about Tom that is extraordinary, except for his belief that he is destined for something greater. The destiny becomes apparent when the Dreaming chooses Tom to be their champion against the Nacht, the evil that is corrupting the Waking World. Tom it directed by the Dreaming to bring together a band of heroes to help him in defeating the Nacht.

Book 1 of Quest for the Spark is your general introductory trilogy book; we meet the main cast of characters, both good and bad, and are introduced to the danger at hand. Not much else happens here, but it is a great addition to the Bone mythology. It's different from previous Bone stories in that it is a prose story, but it it illustrated in full color throughout by Jeff Smith (the creator of Bone) and the illustrations are fantastic. I've always been a fan of Jeff Smith's artistic style; it's very simplistic and minimal but he packs quite a bit of emotion into each art panel. I prefer to see his artwork in black and white (as it was originally presented) but the colored version of these illustrations are still gorgeous. Tom Sniegoski does a great job in keeping the light and whimsical yet serious and epic feel of Smith's writing from the original series. Overall, a great book and I can't wait for the next volume!

Title: Bloom County: The Complete Library, Vol. 2: 1982-1984
Series: Bloom County
Author: Berkeley Breathed
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9781600105838
Publisher: The Library of American Comics, IDW Publishing
Website: www.berkeleybreathed.com
Twitter: @IDWPublishing
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5 stars

The second volume of the collected editions of Berkeley Breathed's Bloom County is just as good as the first, if not a little better. Breathed's wit is becoming a little sharper; his characters a little more defined, both artistically and literarily; he's beginning to find his way with the characters and the direction that he wants to take his strip in. His social commentary is starting to really solidify into what made this strip what it was: a commentary on us in the 80s. And what rings true then seems to still ring true in some cases today.

The reproduction quality of the strips could be a little better, but to be able to have all of the strips collected like this in such great editions, I'm willing to overlook that.

Stopping by to thank you for your recommendation of A Single Man. It is a wonderful book!

Many thanks!

I just saw your message about that. I'm glad you liked it so much. There is also a film version with Colin Firth that came out last year, and it is excellent, but it does make some drastic changes to the story.

#98: I enjoyed the Bone series so much that I bought the one-volume anthology. I hope you continue to like the books, David!

>102 alcottacre: I think if you enjoyed Bone, you'd like this story too. Of course, I have no idea when the next book in the trilogy is coming out, so you may want to wait until they are all released to read them so you're not left hanging like me. =)

Title: P.T. Barnum
Authors: Anne Edwards, illustrated by Marylin Hafner
Copyright: 1977
Pages: 63
ISBN: 9780399610837
Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 3/5 stars

Sarah found this book at a library sale awhile back. This is a charming little volume that is definitely geared toward a younger audience but is still a good, if simplified, biography of P.T. Barnum. Edwards follows his life from childhood right up to his death, highlighting all the major accomplishments in his life. The accompanying illustration by Marylin Hafner are cute, if not a little dated, but it's part of the charm of the book.

Title: Hounded
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1
Author: Kevin Hearne
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780345522474
Publisher: Del Rey
Author Website: www.kevinhearne.com
Twitter: KevinHearne, DelReySpectra
Format: Paperback from publisher for review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Holy crap, but did I love this book! Druids! Witches! Gods! Werewolves! Vampires! Irish hounds! Widows! All of these things make for a fantastic reading experience.

Atticus O'Sullivan may look 21, but in reality he's 21 centuries old and the last Druid. And when you're that old, you're bound to make some enemies along the way. You see, Atticus is in possession of a sword that he "stole" from the Tuatha Dé Danann almost 2000 years ago, and some of those gods want the sword back. Unfortunately for Atticus, one of these ancient gods has made it his personal vendetta against Atticus and has chased him for centuries. And Atticus has run for centuries. But maybe it's time for Atticus to stop running and face his pursuer. However, even Atticus knows it's not a good idea to take on a god by yourself, so he calls in help from some other gods, his vampire/werewolf tag team of attorneys, a bartender who is possessed by a centuries old witch and his faithful Irish wolfhound, Oberon. But even this mixed bag of heroes may not be enough to take down a Celtic love god who has allied himself with Hell and a coven of witches.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the moment I picked it up. Hearne's writing is so natural that it picks you right up in the story and sweeps you along. The world building in Hounded isn't too challenging - the entire story takes place in Tempe, AZ - but it's the way that Hearne utilizes gods from several pantheons to create a varied way that religion works in his world. I think this is a really unique approach to gods and Hearne uses it well. Don't let this intimidate you, though. Hearne explains who everybody is and doesn't leave you hanging on trying to figure out who is who.

The writing is fast-paced but doesn't seem to want to try to get ahead of itself. I've noticed this in books I've read before like this, that the story tries to move itself along almost too quickly, not giving you a chance to keep up with it. That's not the case here; Hearne keeps his story moving but without rushing you through it. His characters are funny and witty, but not too much so. I found myself laughing out loud through several portions of the book, and especially at Oberon, Atticus' Irish wolfhound. I think that Oberon may be my favorite character in the book. His take on the world and what is happening around him from a smarter-than-average dog point of view is often hysterical.

Fans of Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files will definitely want to pick this series up, but anybody who enjoys a funny, clever urban fantasy will really enjoy this book. Highly recommended!

Hounded is available May 3, 2011, from Del Rey, and Hexed: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 2 will be available on June 7, 2011, and Hammered: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 3 will be available on July 5, 2011, so you won't have to wait long for the rest of the series!

Look, more books with "iron" as part of their titles!

Seriously, though, this sounds like something I'd like. Interesting that the series is so carefully scheduled.

Should we call this urban Irish Neil Gaiman lite?

Okay, I have to add Hounded to the wishlist.

Me too!

>106 beserene: - Yeah, there seems to be a plethora of "Iron" books lately. Luckily, most of the ones that I've read, I've really enjoyed. And I was going to recommend this book to you actually. The scheduling reminds me of Gail Carriger's books, actually. Hers may have been spread out a little more, but they still seemed to come out it rather quick succession. I know there was another series by Orbit that did the same thing last year, all three books released in as many months. I'm not sure how I feel about that kind of release schedule. On the one hand, you don't have to wait too long for the next one. On the other, give us a little break between books!

And I think "urban Irish Neil Gaiman by way of Jim Butcher lite" may actually be better suited to it.

>107 ronincats:, 108 - I'd recommend it. It's just a lot of fun to read. =)

Title: Will Supervillains Be on the Final?
Series: Liberty Vocational Volume 1
Authors: Naomi Novik, illustrated Yishan Li
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 192
ISBN: 9780345516565
Publisher: Del Rey
Author Website: www.temeraire.org
Twitter: DelReySpectra, naominovik
Format: Paperback
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Liberty Vocational is not your typical college. Why, you ask? Because it is where young superheroes go to learn how to use their powers to the best of their abilities. Leah Taymore has just started at Liberty Vocational, but her biggest challenge isn't learning how to use her extraordinary atom manipulation powers without causing a catastrophe, it's learning how to get through the day without causing a catastrophe just on her own. Add in to the mix cute boys, an adviser who may not want to advise her and a dean who may be out to get her, and Leah doesn't always have the best days. Then there's Bane. A supervillain of some notoriety who has infiltrated Liberty Vocational with some secret agenda all his own...

Will Supervillains Be on the Final? is cute. Compared to Novik's Termeraire series, it seems to fall a little short for me, but that may be more of the fact that I don't think I'm entirely the _target audience, but I can appreciate it for what it is. You can tell that Novik was having fun with her characters and their situations. Leah's goofiness fits her well as she tries to navigate through a life that is entirely new to her. The supporting cast can sometimes be a little over the top, but that's really the point. The book is done in a manga fashion (which lends itself very well to this story), so in my limited manga-reading experience this seems to be true to how they are written, so manga fans should really enjoy this. Yishan Li's art is crisp and clean, and easy to follow throughout most of the book. Novik's Temeraire fans (more the girls than the guys, although the questions of the morality of superheroics might prove to be interesting to the male set, too) should probably give this a try as well, just to see how Novik can stretch her writing muscles.

Nothing challenging here, but something fun all the same.

I'm getting caught up on the threads here, but looks like I had a similar reaction to Wither. Maybe I should just link back here when it's time to write my review... heh. As much as it seems like nothing really happens for the majority of the book, I was surprised how engaged the story kept me. I blame the characters. :)

>111 dk_phoenix: Yeah, I agree. I think all the strength in Wither did come from the characters. I'm sure I'll at least check out the next book when it's released

I know it's been quiet around here lately. I've been housesitting for my mom, which takes a lot out of me, and I'm still trying to deal with my allergies and whatnot. I've been reading, just not spending too much time online.

So, here's what I've read in April, with a few thoughts on the books:

The Barracks Thief by Tobias Wolff - Purchased on recommendation from David Sedaris at one of his readings... did not live up to the hype he was giving it.

Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles Book 1 by Kevin Hearne - Holy crap, but did I love this book! You can read my review of it a couple of posts up there^^.

The Giver by Lois Lowry - Somehow this one slipped by me over the years, and I'm sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it. What an amazing, thought provoking story!

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney - A new voice in the YA paranormal romance world, and one that I think could stick around for awhile.

Steampunk Quartet: A Tor.com Original by Eileen Gunn - A collection of four short pieces that are based on previous Steampunk works and include main characters based on real people who donated to the Clarion West program, who Eileen Gunn worked into these stories. Clever idea, but not much in the way of substance to any of the stories.

The Four Ms. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton - Meg Waite Clayton proves once again (just as she did with The Wednesday Sisters) that she has a keen grasp of the power of friendship between women, even amidst decades old secrets.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver - The first in a new YA dystopian trilogy where love is discovered to be a disease (the amor deliria nervosa) and the US government has discovered a "cure". I ended up enjoying this a lot more than I thought I was going to. Oliver has done a really successful job of world building and created a fully realized backstory and history so that her characters are (un)comfortable in their surroundings. I'm anxious to see where she'll take the story from here.

There was also a handful of graphic novels that I read this month that I won't go into reviewing. I think I'm going to skip the reviews on the graphic novels from now on, unless it is something that reallys stands out for me.

Hi Friend

I hope you had a lovely Sunday. Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors. I highly recommend The Silent Boy.

Hugs

>113 Whisper1: I thoroughly enjoyed The Giver and the The Willoughbys. I'm definitely going to have to readmore of Lois Lowry. Thanks for the recommendation on The Silent Boy. I'll have to check the library for it. =)

Hi buddy!

While you are at it, you might want to check for Crow Call and Looking Back: A Book of Memories. Both are excellent!

Happy Monday to you!

Title: The Four Ms. Bradwells
Author: Meg Waite Clayton
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780345517081
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Author Website: www.megwaiteclayton.com
Twitter: @MegWClayton
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5 stars

In Meg Waite Clayton's latest, we are again introduced to a group of friends, but instead of watching their friendship grow like we did in The Wednesday Sisters, we find ourselves in the midst of a friendship already decades in the making. Mia, Laney, Betts, and Ginger have been friends since their days in law school, when they were all dubbed "the Ms. Bradwells" by their professor in their very first class at the University of Michigan Law School. We first meet the Four Ms. Bradwells during Senate hearings to appoint Betts to the Supreme Court, except a skeleton in their closet is uncovered from early on in their friendship that may hinder Betts' appointment. This skeleton always raises questions about their friendship and who has kept secrets from who over the years.

Clayton also raises other issues in her book, including those of women's rights, but I'll leave the main issue that she brings to her story a secret, because it is this issue that ties everything together in the book, and I don't want to give it away. Needless to say, the secret has to do with a death, and this is the crux of the skeleton in the friends' closet that they need to overcome. The secret is brought up in the very first chapter so you're not kept waiting, and it's presented it in a completely intriguing and compelling manner, making you want to find out what happened.

One of the aspects that I enjoyed most about The Wednesday Sisters that is carried over into The Four Ms. Bradwells is that I felt like I had gotten to know the friends by the end of the book, that they were my friends too. Clayton has a knack for making her characters completely believable and tangible, with all the quirks and imperfections that would make them real people. They have real faults, real problems, aren't perfect, and in this imperfection, she has created honest and true characters.

Do yourself a favor and pick up The Four Ms. Bradwells. It's a refreshing read for early summer and while it does deal with some heavy subjects, it does so in a manner that is easy to read and relatable to the characters. And while you're at it, if you haven't read The Wednesday Sisters, pick that up at the same time. Both books are excellent stories on the power of friendship and what that power can help friends overcome.

Highly recommended.

Added to my Wishlist along with The Wednesday Sisters.

Me, too -- great review! I also picked up Delirium today after reserving it a few weeks ago.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Delirium as well, despite not buying the premise at all... I don't think she explained it well enough to really sell it to me, but beyond that, her writing just sucked me in.

>118 AMQS: - Thanks, Anne. I'll be interested to see what you think of Delirium.

>119 dk_phoenix: - Faith, I agree, there has to be some serious suspension of disbelief going on with Delirium, but I was still sucked in, too!

I have a copy of The Wednesday Sisters. Your review of The Four Ms. Bradwells prompts me to read the first book.

All the best!

I read The Wednesday Sisters a couple of years back and liked it, so The Four Ms. Bradwells goes into the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, David!

**dusts the cobwebs from the corners, sweeps the dust bunnies under the rug**

I really don't know what's been going this last month, that I haven't found any time to visit LT. Nothing bad, just in a sort of lull I guess. I've had a really slow time of it reading lately, too. I am excited to report that my cousin has written a book, which she asked me to read for her. She doesn't really want me to talk about it too much until it's published, but needless to say I'm excited that we're going to have an honest-to-goodness author in the family!!

I have had the extraordinary luck of meeting a wide range of authors over the last 10 days, however. Who I've met:

Courtney Allison Moulton - Author of Angelfire, her debut book and part of a YA paranormal trilogy.

Leah Clifford - Author of A Touch Mortal, her debut book and part of a YA paranormal trilogy.

Aimée Carter - Author of The Goddess Test, her debut book and part of a YA paranormal/mythology trilogy.

Lisa Desrochers - Author of Personal Demons, her debut book and part of a YA paranormal trilogy. (Seeing a running theme yet? These four authors were all part of a single YA tour.)

Colm Toibin - Author of Brooklyn, amongst many others.

Meg Waite Clayton - Author of The Language of Light, The Wednesday Sisters and The Four Ms. Bradwells, which are all favorites of mine.

Kelly O'Connor McNees - Author of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, her debut book, which just came out in paperback. (I attended the Printer's Row Lit Fest in Chicago last weekend, where I sat in on a discussion with Colm Toibin and ran into Meg and Kelly, who were also attending the discussion.)

Mary Doria Russell - Discussing her new book, Doc, at one of my local indie bookstores. I actually didn't pick Doc up, but got a copy of The Sparrow and Dreamers of the Day instead.

Veronica Roth - Author of Divergent, her debut book and part of a new YA dystopian trilogy.

Josephine Angelini - Author of Starcrossed, her debut book and part of a new YA paranormal trilogy.

Aprilynne Pike - Author of the Wings series.

Ellen Schreiber - Author of the Vampire Kisses series. (Again, these last four were all part of another YA tour.

Needless to say, my bookshelves are beginning to groan under all the new acquisitions. This also leaves me hard pressed to decide on what to read next, as I've picked up so many good books over the last couple of weeks. However, there is one that really stood out, and I've set everything aside to read it: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. I'd heard about this book quite some time ago and it really caught my eye, but then the book trailer was released for it, and I knew that this was a book that I was going the need to own. If you want to watch the trailer, click here. Well, I found it at the bookstore yesterday and started to read it last night, and within two chapters, I was hard-pressed to want to put it down to go to sleep last night. As soon as I finish up this post, I'm picking it up and I know I won't be putting it down until I finish it!

I really really want to get back in on what's going on here on LT, so I'm going to try to catch up on threads over the next week! Hope everyone has been doing well!

Hey, David, thanks for visiting my thread. Sounds like an exciting couple of weeks, author-wise! I want to read the Riggs book too.

I requested Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children I am 5 of 5 at the moment, but since it is a new book it may take me a while. I'm very far behind on my reading along with the posts here on LT. I'm hoping to catch up soon.

You were right -- that book trailer is awesome. I want that book even MORE now. :)

And I'm reading it right now, and LOVING it!

Love that book trailer, David. Thanks for posting the link!

Congrats on getting to meet so many authors. I am very jealous of you getting to talk to Mary Doria Russell. Enjoy The Sparrow! I love that book.

Hi David -- what a month you've had! Nice to "see" you around again. Take care, and congrats to your cousin!

Hey, kids! Check it out - it's a book review!! =)


Title: Centerpieces
Author: Penelope Przekop
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 179
ISBN: 9780615464732
Publisher: Hallway Press
Author Website: www.penelopeprzekop.com
Twitter: @PenelopePrzekop
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4/5 stars

Penelope Przekop's latest book, Centerpieces, is first and foremost a study about art, and the importance that art can have in a person's life. History tells us that Vincent van Gogh shot himself in 1890, but what if he faked his death? What if he was still alive today? What if his brother, Theo, was still alive, too? What has been keeping them alive and what has been their driving force all these years?

I'm not going to lie, I found Centerpieces completely intriguing and compelling, but I don't even know how to describe it. I'm not really sure I've ever read anything like it before. I felt there were just as many questions at the end of the book as there were at the beginning (what exactly are Theo and Vincent, what has kept them alive for so long, what part does the drug taperaquin play in their extended lives), but somehow these questions didn't really need answering at the end. If you just accept the fact that van Gogh is alive 100+ years after his death, that there may be more to his existence and what he has become that what is said, then you will have no problem making your way through this story.

Przekop has said that she wrote this book as an answer to questions she had raised in her own life while working for a pharmaceutical company and wanting to lead a more artistic life. I can see a lot of this conundrum in both Ellis and Holly, as they try to find their way in the regimented world of pharmaceuticals while their actual calling in life is art. Przekop masterfully weaves their lives together, with elements from both the past and present, to help them reach their ultimate potential, as both people and as artists.

Like her book, Aberrations, Przekop takes people with everyday problems and makes their story into something that needs to be told. With Aberrations, it was accepting yourself for who you are regardless of what others think about you. With Centerpieces, it's about finally accepting the parts of your life that may not fit in with the path that you thought you planned for yourself, and deciding that sometimes you need to strike out on that unfamiliar path, even if it means walking away from what you think your life is all about.

Obviously extensively researched, Przekop weaves van Gogh's art, his life, his family and actual historic events together to create a story that is both about humanity and art. What exactly are Vincent and Theo in this modern world? We may never know for sure, but their story is one of brotherly love and of art, and one that I enjoyed reading. I hope to see more of Przekop's stories published in the future. Hers is a unique voice in the literary world that needs to be heard.

Great review, David--very thoughtful and intriguing.

Hi There Friend!

Thumbs up from me on your excellent review. The book is now on the tbr pile.

What a delight for you to have met so many wonderful authors.

That was a brilliant review and deserves another thumb from me.

Thanks for helping make my review a HOT review, everybody!! =)

And I don't know if this is strictly allowed on LT or not, but Penelope provided my blog a copy of CENTERPIECES to give away, and I had an extra coy of ABERRATIONS floating around the house, so I thought I'd let anybody here know in case they wanted to enter into the drawing. You can click here for the drawing form.

Thanks!

Great review, David! What a thought provoking book, and very detailed review.

One thing I forgot to mention, I know it says that I'll only ship the books to the US for the CENTERPIECES giveaway, but I'll ship to any LT'er who enters, regardless of where you live. Just mention in the address field that you're from LT if you're out of the US, and I'll enter you in. =)

Why? Because LT'ers are AWESOME!

Just found your thread today. Reading through this has been a lark! So many books that are not on my radar screen. Beautifully presented, too! I'll be lurking with pleasure here.

Ok, so I'm not a big one for spilling my personal problems onto the internet, but there are some great people here on LT and especially in the 75 group and I need some good thoughts for my sister. She was recently diagnosed with endometrial cancer and has an appointment with an oncologist tomorrow to start discussions on treatment possibilities. They are starting with a hysterectomy and if that doesn't clear everything up then they are going to start talking chemotherapy.

I don't know that I necessarily believe in the power of prayer, but if you read this, could you send some happy thoughts her way? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks everybody! You're the best.

My thoughts are with you and your famiy at this time. Good Luck and please keep us posted.

Sending positive thoughts to your sister and your family, David!

I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. I'll keep her in my prayers.

Thanks everybody. Her hysterectomy is going to be scheduled sometime the end of this month, and fingers crossed! that will take care of everything.

Not that I've really been around here much lately, but I'm going to be taking a break from LT for a while. I haven't really read anything the last couple of months. I'm even taking a break from my blog. It's just all been too much going on, and I'm beginning to feel like trying to keep up on here and the blog is more of a chore, and that can't happen. This is supposed to be fun. I'll check in every once in a while, and hopefully after she's all recovered from surgery and whatnot, I'll be back.

(((hugs))) to everybody!

Best wishes for you and your family, David. We'll be happy to see you when you feel like coming around. {{{{hugs}}}}

I read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and I loved it. Individually, the vintage photos and the narrative are each great, but they work together to create a story that is so much more haunting. It's a delightful YA read and I hope that Ransom Riggs will tell more of this story someday. Recommended.

#144: I just got that one out of the library. I have seen nothing but good reviews of it here in the group so I am really looking forward to reading it.

Glad to see you back visiting with us! ((Hugs))

Our library doesn't have it, drat!

Hi gang! An update on my sister. She had her hysterectomy this past Monday and everything went smoothly. The doc feels confident that the cancer was contained and that everything was removed, but of course biopsies are being run and we'll have more definitive answers then. They were able to use a "robot" to do the surgery and as she was the first patient of the day, she was able yo go home that night. The miracles of modern science! Or the cheap insurance companies who kick patients out of the hospital before they're ready. You decide. Either way, she's doing remarkably well and it's been a good break for me to be out here these last 2 weeks to be with her.

While I've been here I've re-read Soulless, Changeless and Blameless in preparation to read Heartless.

Thanks again for all the kind thoughts sent her way. We all appreciate them here!! =)

And holy cow, this thread is getting long! When I get home on Sunday, I'll be starting a new one. Promise!

And stupid touchstones keep screwing up on me. I give up!

Hello David, I've been away from LT and out of town, so I've missed you. I'm so sorry to hear about your sister, and I will keep her -- and you -- in my thoughts. I'm glad her surgery went well. Hopefully you'll hear more good news. I'll withhold comment on the insurance issue so my ears don't start to smoke. Grrrrrrrrr. All good thoughts and wishes to you. XO

Thanks for the update, David. Glad to know the surgery went well for your sister.

I am so glad to hear the good news about your sister, David. I hope her recovery is a speedy one!

Safe travels.

I am glad you had good news about your sister. It's gotta be tough to come home the same day.

Thanks again everybody!!

And as promised, new thread started here!