Attachments

Attachments
Rainbow Rowell
Dutton, 2011

I love epistolary novels, and can remember the first novel I ever read written entirely in email format (Snail Mail No More, in case you're curious). So when I managed to snag an ARC of Attachments through a @DuttonBooks Monday giveaway on twitter? I was excited. I was very intrigued by the premise: boy "meets" girl by reading her emails, and wanted to see how Rainbow Rowell would make it work. I was not disappointed.

 Lincoln is our 'hero' - he works web security for the local paper, and as part of his job has to read the emails that get caught in the filter. Enter Beth and Jennifer - two friends whose very-personal-emails get caught in the filter on a regular (almost daily) basis. At first Lincoln's just reading their emails as his job, but soon he is reading them for their own merit - and getting to know these two funny, vivacious women. He's especially fond of Beth's emails. We get to know Beth and Jennifer the same way Lincoln does: only through their emails, and then, somehow, by a chance encounter or two. Lincoln's chapters however, are "normal" chapters, and are the bulk of the novel. Through these, we get to know Lincoln, to work through his past and fight to find his place in the world. As Lincoln becomes more and more drawn to Beth, he realizes that the reason he's discovered her is the very reason he can never truly meet her. And so, he finally makes a decision - and leaves.

But that's not the end of the novel. Oh no, there's much more to be discovered. Reading, I had no idea where the story was going to go - I found myself cheering for Lincoln, Beth and Jennifer as they worked through their own individual problems. I kept trying to guess what'd happen next, and never succeeded. And that's okay, because the ending was everything it needed to be. Everything I wanted it to be. I, for one, am definitely looking forward to seeing what else Rowell will write.

ARC provided by my personal library.

The Beast: The Quest for Beauty

Today's post is part of a blog tour among a handful of Janeites who also love Disney heroes and movies. We call ourselves the TangledJaneites, and enjoy watching movies together via twitter - who cares if we're spread from East to West coast, and points in between? Technology makes miracles happen, my friends. For more reading fun, make sure you check out their blogs: Jess is tackling Prince Phillip @ Narnia Mum, Kaydee's covering Naveen @ For the Love of Austen, and Nancy called dibs on Flynn Rider @ Austen Aspirations!

If you're a regular visitor to this (sometimes eclectic) blog, you may have picked up on two things: My not-so-secret love of fairy tales, and my fondness for the sometimes-unexpected Hero. (If you haven't noticed, or are brand new, then consider yourself forewarned: it's all true!) And today? Oh happiest of First-Day-of-Summers! I get to combine the two and talk to you about my favorite Disney hero: The Beast!

I've always been a fan of Beauty and the Beast, ever since I was a little girl and got to see it in theatres when it released. ((Random interjection: I feel really, really old as all these Disney movies are hitting big anniversaries, and I can remember seeing them when they came out...)) But I didn't realize how much the story meant to me - as a girl, as a dreamer, as a reader and writer - until a few years ago. There's a beauty to the story 'Beauty and the Beast' that transcends what Disney was able to do. That's not saying I don't absolutely love their version, because I do. When I realized it was coming back to DVD in November, I was counting the days until I could buy it. And I got the soundtrack with Christmas money. Shoot, sophomore year in college, I learned and performed 'Beauty and the Beast' as my jury piece for Piano. So I am definitely a fan of Disney's production. There's a reason the Beast was my hands-down-favorite Disney Hero for decades! He reigned supreme and unchallenged until I saw Tangled for the first time - and then, even though Flynn Rider gave him major competition, the Beast still ranks first. (Flynn's a close second, but history equals extra points).

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about why I like - no, love - the Beast. Trying to look at it from the beginning, when the Disney version was the only one I knew. Finding it a little trickier than you'd think - in the last two years, I've read several versions of 'Beauty and the Beast', as well as several versions of 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon' (Nordic fairy tale which is very, very similar - it's awesome, you should check it out!). So there are a lot of "Beasts" hanging out in my head. Er, that sounds stranger than it should. Back to the topic at hand ... I've come to the conclusion that I cannot fully separate Disney's Beast from the other Beasts - the Beast is who and what he is because of his place in the story, and the story isn't just one simple version: it's a greater entity. That's why it's a fairy tale, and is revisited and rediscovered so often. There's a truth to it, a quest for beauty - and belonging - and love, that we all can recognize. The Beast just happens to be the amazing hero in our story. And while all of this is in my head, and heart, and I know it's the story that makes the hero - I do want to look today at Disney's Beast exclusively. Well, as exclusively as I can, of course.

So who is the Beast? Why do I love him? He's big and rough and hairy. Not human, but not really animal either. He's got a horrible temper and got in his predicament by being selfish and shallow. He lives in the middle of nowhere in a creepy castle that's full of inanimate objects with personalities and voices. By all accounts, this should be the Crazy Character or Villain, right? Especially when juxtaposed with the "Perfect Specimen" of Gaston. But the Beast is more than his circumstances. Yes, he started out as a spoiled brat Prince, but when he became The Beast, he was forced to learn to be human. He had to learn to love, but he also had to learn to appreciate and value beauty. True Beauty.

I think the Beast started changing the moment Belle said she'd stay in place of her father - she was giving him a real-time lesson in how to live and love. It was like nothing else he knew, and he was intrigued. He still had a long journey before him - they both did - but it started that moment. You can see it in his eyes: if Love like that really was possible, then maybe - just maybe - he stood a chance. Maybe this crazy-brave slip of a girl was the key. Sure, she tried his patience and provoked his temper. But in Belle, he had an adversary worth fighting for - she stood up to him, and he wanted to earn her trust, her respect, her love. Here's where I started falling in love with him as a Hero.

 If I started falling for the Beast when Belle decided to stay, then I was head-over-heels by the time he appeared at her side in the snow, risking everything to defend her against the wolves. Why? Why did he do it, why did he follow her, why would he put his own life (enchanted though it be) on the line for a girl who'd run away from their agreement? Because he recognized in her someone he wanted to be. Because he was somehow repaying the debt, evening the score, restoring the balance - and following her example. Belle gave her "life" for her father - the Beast offered his for hers. At this point, he's not really aware of how he feels about her, but something deep inside knows this is right - and he is rewarded by Belle's return to the castle, and another chance.

From here, the story plays out as you'd expect: they learn to trust each other, learn to communicate, learn to love - even though it's not confessed mutually, you can see it. Especially when he lets her go -  for years, those wiser than me have said that True Love is letting someone go when that's what's best for them. Even though Belle's departure - before the words were spoken - spelled his 'doom,' the Beast let her go. When she reaches up and touches his cheek in parting - my heart breaks a little. You can see the love in his eyes, and the effort the sacrifice cost him. He's reached the turning point, and his whole future lies in the hands of Belle. I love that as big, strong and powerful as he is - he is dependent entirely on the power of Love.

But I keep coming back to the question: Why? And the closest I can come to fully answering is - because he is. He is imperfect and 'horrible' and has a host of issues. But he fights back, he refuses to let his past determine his future, and he recognizes that he must change. When he finds a Lady worthy of winning, he does try - awkwardly at first, but practice makes perfect. Underneath all the fur and teeth and snarling, he has a heart of gold, waiting patiently for the moment it can be revealed. And yet, he wins the heart of his lady before his human magnificence is restored. He wins her trust, her respect, her love - as a Beast. I guess it's the ultimate fairy tale, really, showing the power of love to see beyond the appearance, and finding your heart's answer in an unexpected place. This is a fairy tale anyone can relate to, with a Hero who just may be waiting for you around the next corner - probably not a hairy animal-ish thing, but surprising? Definitely.

Why do I love the Beast? Because he reminds me that sometimes Heroes are not riding white chargers or tromping around in big boots looking Princely. Sometimes Heroes are right there, hidden behind a 'disguise of enchantment', and maybe - just maybe - I need to open my eyes to see past what I see. Plus, let's be honest, how can you not love a Hero so big, strong and furry? He'd totally keep you warm in the winter. And, he's got a sweet castle - I want the library, and the room they waltz in, 'k?thanks! Ahem. Not that those reasons are superior to his heart or character, I'm just sayin'.

This post has gotten long, but exploring the idea of the Beast, and why I love him so, is an interesting one ... Don't forget to check out the other blogs! We're each covering a different Disney hero!

New Books!

Combining two weeks' worth of new books again, last week was a little insane at work and I was just happy to make it to the weekend and crash. But now, it's officially Summertime for this girl, and hopefully things will get a little more organized/regular.

Books Won:

Reunion by Therese Fowler, signed! Won through the Girlfriends Book Club

Race to Splendor by Ciji Ware. Won through Laura's Reviews

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby, signed + bookmark + Starbucks card!
Won through The Elevensies

Love on Assignment

Love on Assignment
Cara Lynn James
Thomas Nelson, 2011

After reading Love on a Dime, I was really excited to pick up the second in the 'Ladies of Summerhill' series by Cara Lynn James. The premise of Love on Assignment sounded like it'd be as much fun as the first: female reporter goes undercover as a nanny to find out what's going on with her new boss, and mayhem ensues. (My paraphrasing, by the way). But about a third of the way in, I just couldn't stay focused - I started flipping pages randomly, reading one here - one there, and even that wasn't enough to jar my interest back into the story. It felt too predictable, and the details about Gilded Age society that I loved so much from Love on a Dime were nonexistent here. Please don't misunderstand me: the story is a good one, it's just not what I wanted - or needed - it to be. Maybe I just went into the reading with the wrong set of expectations. So while I was disappointed at the time, I'm not going to give up on the Ladies of Summerhill - nor James - yet! And you shouldn't either - seriously, check it out. Just don't pick it up with a history geek's mindset, and you'll be fine.

Book provided by my local library.

Princess of Glass

Princess of Glass
Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury, 2010

A few summers ago, at a friend's suggestion, I read Princess of the Midnight Ball - the princess sisters I was introduced to therein were fun and lively, so I was happy to pick up Princess Poppy's story once more in Princess of Glass. Taking place a couple years after Midnight Ball concludes, Poppy (as well as all her unmarried sisters) has been enlisted in an "exchange student"-type program where the royal children of many nations swap places to strengthen and repair international relations. Poppy's not your average, everyday princess though (even among fairy tale princesses, Poppy stands out), and of course - with her background - her adventure is unique as well.

Princess of Glass revisits the traditional idea of 'Cinderella' - looking at it from a wholly different perspective that was both intriguing and a lot of fun. While the misadventures of 'Ellen' the maidservant are the heart of the Cinderella-story, it's woven intricately in with the lives and stories of Poppy and her new friends. Particularly handsome Prince Christian, whom Ellen's "godmother" has selected as the perfect match and about whom Poppy cannot quite define her feelings. I thoroughly enjoyed this read - and the fun of it is in the reading, in seeing how things work out (or don't), and wondering what-on-earth is going to come next. I find myself hoping that George picks up the story of another of the sisters and continues the fun.

Book provided by my local library.

The Healer's Apprentice

The Healer's Apprentice
Melanie Dickerson
Zondervan, 2010

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I love fairy tales - original fairy tales, retold fairy tales, contemporary fairy tales, I just love 'em! One of the reasons I decided to join the Once Upon a Time V challenge, and definitely a reason why I picked up this book. It also has the double-bonus of being historical fiction too! Um, double win!

The Healer's Apprentice is a new take on 'Sleeping Beauty' - the "cursed Princess" is hidden away somewhere, while her betrothed is searching for her would-be destroyer. But this is no ordinary 'Sleeping Beauty' story, dear readers! There's a twist: the Hero, seemingly a failure at finding the evil sorcerer threatening his future bride (whom he has never met, knowing only her name), meets a charming young lady - a peasant girl, the daughter of a woodcutter, working as an apprentice to the healer of his father's court. I think you can see where this is going ... Rose and Wilhelm are engaging main characters - their interactions and conversations are sweet and sincere. Rose knows her mind and is very well educated for a woman (let alone a woodcutter's daughter!) - something she's not afraid to demonstrate. She also reads the Bible, having a knowledge of Scripture that most men in the town do not. She is more careful about revealing this, but does take on Wilhelm in theological matters as their uneven, unexpected friendship develops. As a reader I loved her, she is a great leading lady: faithful, loyal, with a gentle heart and a passion for doing what she knows is right, Rose is admirable.

The true beauty of this story lays in the way it all plays out, so I'm going to try very hard not to divulge the twists and turns it takes. I will confess to having an inkling of a hunch somewhere around chapter 4, but I refused to give in and flip ahead to see if I was "right" or not. So very glad I refrained, because the development of the story was beautiful. Skipping ahead to the end would definitely not have given me any reading satisfaction. So if you pick this up: Read it straight through! Don't skip ahead! Your patience will be rewarded with a journey unlike any other. Definitely enjoyed this fairy tale retelling, and look forward to Melanie Dickerson's next novel The Merchant's Daughter (coming out in November), which is a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast"!

Book provided by my local library.

Goodnight, Tweetheart

Goodnight, Tweetheart
Teresa Medeiros
Gallery, 2010

I was so excited when my library's copy of this came in! I'd been hearing fun things about it, and absolutely love following Teresa Medeiros on twitter (you should check her out: @TeresaMedeiros), so I had a hankerin' to read this one (sorry, the Southern slips out sometimes). I was not disappointed.

Abby is one of those down-and-out characters who is in just such a bad place that you can't help but like her. She's struggling to write the Next Great American Novel and in a last ditch effort to help rejuvenate her career, Abby's agent sets up a twitter account to connect Abby with her adoring masses - er, you know, her fans. This is when things get interesting. During her first attempts to navigate and decipher twitter, Abby meets Mark Baynard - Literature professor on sabbatical, and Abby's personal twitter guru. Their 'lessons' turn into a friendship balancing deepest, darkest secrets and shameless flirting. I loved reading Abby and Mark's tweets - they're very believable, very real - and the friendship that develops between them is fun. I enjoyed watching them move from "tweet nothings" mixed in with the "here's how to use twitter" to actually talking to each other - it's a great look at the relationship-growing-aspect of twitter (and all social media, for that matter). The challenge of 140 characters or less is also a fun twist on communicating.

This was a fun read, a light read. I laughed out loud at times, and I was delighted to discover that Abby's cats are actually the same as Teresa's cats (which are way too adorable - she shares pictures on twitter!). That said, the twist at the end caught me wholly unawares. I almost got really mad and quit reading, to be honest. But I persevered, and my sticking-to-it was rewarded with an ending that made me smile and sigh. I do wonder what happens next - but isn't that what good books do: Leave you wanting more?

Book provided by my local library.

New Books!

Light, but happy, new books report ... Made happier by knowing I have two weeks left of work until summer break. Which means a LOT more reading time. Yay!

For Review:

Wings - from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program

Won:

Mermaid - thanks to Passages to the Past!
Signed + also came with some fun swag!

The Jane Austen Handbook

The Jane Austen Handbook
Margaret C. Sullivan
Quirk Books, 2011

When I was asked if I'd like to review this, I jumped at the chance! Not only am I a Janeite in general, but I thought it'd come in rather handy as I participate in the Jane Austen Twitter Project. (Because how can you write a convincing Austen-spinoff if you don't fully understand Regency behaviour? You can't. Thus: Time to be educated!).

As soon as it arrived, I started flipping through and reading pages at random, loving the wealth of knowledge right there at my fingertips. Then I settled down to actually read it straight through. The information is broken up into manageable nuggets and filed under 4 categories: Jane Austen's World; Everyday Activities; Making Love; and Social Gatherings (full 'titles' shortened). These delightfully informative (not to mention entertaining) chapters are interspersed with Austen references, and stand-alone pages of more detailed particulars (like 'entailment' and 'professions'). While the Handbook is primarily oriented towards Regency manners and living, there is a wonderful amount of insight that could (should?) be applied to our own day and age - what if we all were a little more conscious of our decisions? If we made words and experiences count more because they meant more? Something to think about for another post ...

In short, if you adore Jane Austen's world and characters, and would much rather be touring the Lake District or having balls, but aren't quite sure how to fit into that world without appearing painfully out of place? You should give the Jane Austen Handbook a read - it will clear things up considerably! (Including that delightful little tidbit of Mr. Darcy's 10,000 a year - what is he worth in current American money? Oh, just wait and see!) There's also a brief biography of Jane, synopsis of her novels and characters, a glossary (for those tricky words) and additional resources. A Janeite's reference-dream in one fun little package!

Book provided by publisher for review.

The Lonely Hearts Club

The Lonely Hearts Club
Elizabeth Eulberg
Point, 2009

Every now and then, I read a book I wish I'd read when I was younger. This is one of those books. Penny Lane Bloom is a character I can so relate to (even though I'm *ahem* a decade older?). Hers is a story that I recognize as my own - in parts - but also as the story of so many girls working their way through high school/those crazy mid-to-late teen years. Sometimes YA characters feel too 'character-y', and it's hard to imagine them - or their story - in a really-could-happen-omg-I-so-relate-to-that way. Not so with Penny and her friends. These kids are real, their parents are alternately cool and embarrassing. They've got realistic high school drama, and that zest for life and making drastic, dramatic changes that I remember all too well from my own high school years. Plus, it's just a fun read.

Penny has boy problems. As do most of her friends, and probably every girl in the school. Is Penny content to sit back and let "The Man" keep tromping over her slowly-healing heart? Nope, not by a long shot. And thus the "Lonely Hearts Club" is born - to help girls focus on building relationships with each other instead of boys, and to find what makes them happiest. Along the way, the girls discovery the true worth of friendship, and that maybe - just maybe - not all guys are created equal. I found myself chuckling at Penny's struggle to not like Ryan - or any guy. She was so stubbornly determined to maintain her "Just say no to guys (for high school)!" stance that she almost missed out on a lot of fun -- but that's real, it's what girls do. And it made the story that much better, to see her growing through this process.

A fun, light read that's actually got substance (as opposed to light reads that are enjoyable fluff), this is definitely one I will recommend to both the teen girls in my life and to my fellow "older" YA-loving readers.

Book provided by my personal library.

Blog Tour: A Place for Fish

Today's post is part of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" blog tour that Peachtree Publishers is sponsoring in honor of Earth Day. Every day between April 11th and Earth Day (April 22nd - Today!), there will be special blog tour posts around the blogsophere. For a collective listing, check out the Peachtree Pub blog!

A Place for Fish
Melissa Stewart & Higgins Bond (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers, 2011

I'm beginning to think that Peachtree Publishers specializes in beautiful books. Which isn't a bad thing, by any means, but I feel like I'm saying the same thing about them all, and I don't want anyone to think I'm just fan-girling it. These books really are beautiful. And informative, without seeming overly teachy or preachy. As with the other books featured during this blog tour, A Place for Fish is a great teaching tool that doesn't feel too educational. It's enjoyable. And did I mention beautiful? Oh, I did, didn't I. Forgive me, but sometimes truth bears repeating.

A Place for Fish is basically an introduction to fish habitats and the impact people have on them. The text on each page is a simple explanation of "this is what is done and this is what happens" - with very beautiful illustrations to accompany. In addition, on one side or the other, is a 'sidebar' of information about the specific fish and/or environment depicted in the illustration. It's nice, because you can either go through reading just the "story" or you can stop and read the additional information - it's not cluttery or confusing, very reader friendly. One thing I also really loved were the end papers: they're done up with maps showing the range(s) of the fish featured in the book! (I have a bit of a soft spot for maps). Basically, this is another informative, enjoyable, beautiful offering from Peachtree - and I highly recommend it!

Giveaway Alert:
Thanks to the generosity of the great folks at Peachtree Publishers, I am delighted to announce that I am going to be giving you the chance to win a copy not only of this book, but of the other three titles I'm reviewing as part of the blog tour also! That's four wonderful new books you could win! Entering is simple: Check back here, and leave a comment on one of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" posts - only comments on blog tour posts count, but you can comment on every one (that means you could get 5 entries total!). On April 30th, I will randomly select a winner, and contact you. So please, leave me an email or some way to get in touch with you! Contest only open to the US. Good luck!

For more blog tour fun, be sure to check out: Abby the Librarian!

Book provided by publisher for review.

The Bride's Farewell

The Bride's Farewell
Meg Rosoff
Viking, 2009

You know how "They" always tell you to not judge a book by its cover? I rarely follow that rule. For better or for worse, a cover will catch my attention and draw me in, often getting me to read a book I know nothing about. (Sometimes the reverse is true, and a cover will deter - or at least delay - me from reading something I end up enjoying). Choosing-by-cover sometimes has me deserting a book because it's just not going anywhere, but other times I discover a story that is so worth the reading. The Bride's Farewell was one of the latter: the cover caught my eye, as I was unpacking a book delivery at the high school, and I kept picking it up and looking at throughout the day. When it was time to go, the book went with me. (The librarian said she thought it was something I'd like when she saw it, so that helped me justify the 'cover love' a little).

I did not have any preconceived ideas going into this reading - basically, I knew it was historical fiction, and started when a girl ran away the wee hours of the morning before she was to marry her childhood sweetheart. (And, of course, that the cover was totally amazing). I was fascinated by the story of Pell Ridley, and her escape from the life she was expected to lead - jumping straight into the great, vast unknown. Pell was not like the other girls, and everyone knew it - except, perhaps, herself. She knew she could not settle down into the quiet, settled existence that should have been hers, but she did not seem to fully understand why. There's a wild freedom to Pell - something restless and wandering that I could recognize and identify with on some levels. So it's the story of Pell's search for freedom and belonging. But it's also a story of love, and family, and searching - not just for where you belong, but for simply searching. It's a short little novel, but it's got some very interesting thoughts and observations. It's not a sunshine-and-roses type of story, but it is one that I enjoyed, probably because it made me think a little, and - while being set so very far away from me - had traces of humanity I could recognize.

Also, an 'added bonus' for me was the prevalence of horses and horsetalk - once upon a time, almost everything I read was a horse story of some form or fashion. And to discover that there was a good deal of horseyness to this story? I had a happy moment of revisiting childhood reading ... Plus, there's talk about Gypsy horses! And I love Gypsy horses! (One day, I dearly hope to have a Gypsy Vanner gelding of my own).

Book provided by my local library.

Blog Tour: Q&A with Wendy Halperin

Today's post is part of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" blog tour that Peachtree Publishers is sponsoring in honor of Earth Day. Every day between April 11th and Earth Day (April 22nd), there will be special blog tour posts around the blogsophere. For a collective listing, check out the Peachtree Pub blog!

(Rebecca) Wendy, thanks so much for agreeing to do a Q&A session with me! I absolutely loved your illustrations for "Planting the Wild Garden" and wanted to find out more ...

... The illustrations are so naturalistic, I'm guessing you must be an nature-lover/outdoorsy type? How much do you draw from your own experiences or interests when illustrating something like "Planting the Wild Garden"? 

(Wendy) Typically I do not cartoon my work as I find the natural world so interesting. In order to draw something it helps to understand it. To draw people and animals it helps to understand their skeleton. To draw a bicycle it helps to see the engineering of the chain and 2 circles of different sizes. In drawing seeds it was an experience of looking closely at the plant, where it lives, what the winds are, what the rainfall is and what wildlife is that lives in it's area. The plants are masters of adaptation and I thoroughly enjoyed the research in creating "Planting the Wild Garden". There is a place in England where they have archived seeds from around the world. Seeds are a great place to kick start the WONDER of nature. Once you see a seed you start to wonder how it is designed to travel. It is also amazing to see the amount of seeds a plant makes, as they are quite productive. I love it that some seeds have little pockets of air to make them float down a stream or lake. The coconut is truly amazing seed as it can travel for over 5,000 miles , land on a sandy beach all set with water and food for the new tree to begin. I will be forever changed after illustrating this book as to my own personal curiosity. I found many wonderful books to work on this project and I would like to recommend 2 to those getting interested in seeds:  Karl Blossfeldt by Taschen (black and white photographs of plants) and "Seeds" by Kesseler and Stuppy by Firefly.

Do you have a favorite subject to illustrate? 

I love the human experience and relationships.I enjoy researching different cultures. I like to draw compassion, friendship, people helping each other, children picking up litter and through drawing describe what  "caring"  might look like. I love to draw different definitions of home, school, or the neighborhood  and be a little window to a bigger world so children might think "that's interesting" there are so many different ways to live. Since illustrating "Planting the Wild Garden" I would like to do more work about the natural world. 

I was looking at the prints and images on your website - and a lot of them have the same "layered details" that these illustrations have. They sort of remind me of art quilts. When you start to illustrate a book or page, do you see the finished product in terms of the central image with all the supporting details surrounding it, or does each one just evolve? 

They tend to evolve with editors, authors and art directors all playing a collective part. I like the flexibility of multiple images to tell a bigger story.

What made you decide to go into book illustration? 

Karla DeVito a high school friend called me one day with a book her father-in-law had written, so I got into illustrating quite accidentally. It was  then that my work got in front of a wonderful editor, Richard Jackson and we started working together. I majored in illustration at Pratt Institute so was familiar with illustration. I was painting still lifes and portraits at the time Karla called. 

Would you ever do anything different? 

I paint furniture for a "break" from illustrating.

I also have been helping teachers and children learn to draw our world from bugs to ballerinas to bulldozers. If you visit drawingchildrenintoreading.com you will see the drawing project.It is using drawing to strengthen fine motor skills and develop wonderful handwriting.

I am also starting to work with environmental educators and develop drawing instruction for drawing wildflowers, invasive species, fish, trees, ferns, SEEDS!, mosses, garden plants, etc.We are working together to "DRAW" children outdoors.

I would like to illustrate a book about skeletons , they call it comparative anatomy in the sciences. I find that subject fascinating and my goal would be a deeper understanding of the animals and an enhanced compassion. 

What was your favorite book to read growing up? 

"The Wind in the Willows " I fell in love with those characters.

Who was - or is - your favorite illustrator? 

I like so many for very different reasons. It would be very hard for me to pick one as I would leave so many out.  I particularly like to find old books with illustrators from the early 1900's also. I just picked up an old Raggedy Andy book last weekend, and another book about trucks with beautiful illustrations. 

In the spirit of the blog tour theme "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" - what is your favorite animal? And if you could have any one animal as a pet, what would it be? 

I particularly like chickens as they deserve a pleasant life after all they have done for us. I like to give chickens a pleasant surrounding and freedom. From my experience chickens prefer to sleep in trees and in the morning open their wings and glide to the ground.

Thanks so much for joining me, Wendy!
 

Giveaway Alert:
Thanks to the generosity of the great folks at Peachtree Publishers, I am delighted to announce that I am going to be giving you the chance to win a copy not only of this book, but of the other three titles I'm reviewing as part of the blog tour also! That's four wonderful new books you could win! Entering is simple: Check back here, and leave a comment on one of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" posts - only comments on blog tour posts count, but you can comment on every one (that means you could get 5 entries total!). On April 30th, I will randomly select a winner, and contact you. So please, leave me an email or some way to get in touch with you! Contest only open to the US. Good luck!

For more blog tour fun, be sure to check out another of today's stops: There's a Book!

Blog Tour: Planting the Wild Garden

Today's post is part of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" blog tour that Peachtree Publishers is sponsoring in honor of Earth Day. Every day between April 11th and Earth Day (April 22nd), there will be special blog tour posts around the blogsophere. For a collective listing, check out the Peachtree Pub blog!

Planting the Wild Garden
Kathryn O. Galbraith & Wendy Anderson Halperin (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers, 2011

This is one of those books you can look a half-dozen times and find something new each reading. I am a little bit in love with the illustrations, I'm not gonna lie. The text is good too, but the illustrations keep sucking me in and begging me to follow them on a journey. They're in-depth, 'layered' illustrations, reminding me a little of Jan Brett illustrations in that there's the central image on the page, and then so much more going on either along the borders or in the background itself. It's obvious that Wendy Halperin did her homework before illustrating Planting the Wild Garden - the details are incredible. You have seriously, simply, got to see them.

The book itself is a gentle look at the wild garden - the 'garden' of nature, where the wild things 'plant' more wild things and everything grows with carefree abandon. It begins with a farmer and her son planting their 'real' garden, and drifts along to looking at how Nature plants its own seeds for trees or weeds and grasses. Animals help plant seeds in the wild garden, as do people - unknowingly. The text rolls along like a light breeze, drifting and floating - giving a glimpse of the many, many different ways things are planted and grow. It would be a great introduction to a "seeds" unit in an elementary classroom, or just some quality storytime at home. A very pretty book with a little education slipped in for good measure.

Giveaway Alert:
Thanks to the generosity of the great folks at Peachtree Publishers, I am delighted to announce that I am going to be giving you the chance to win a copy not only of this book, but of the other three titles I'm reviewing as part of the blog tour also! That's four wonderful new books you could win! Entering is simple: Check back here, and leave a comment on one of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" posts - only comments on blog tour posts count, but you can comment on every one (that means you could get 5 entries total!). On April 30th, I will randomly select a winner, and contact you. So please, leave me an email or some way to get in touch with you! Contest only open to the US. Good luck!

For more blog tour fun, check out today's other stop: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

Book provided by publisher for review. 

New Books!

It was my intention to post a combined listing of my new books yesterday, per my normal Saturday = New Books idea ... Yeah, totally didn't happen. I ended up spending my Saturday resting and watching the storms move by outside and a dose of Jane Austen ((Sense and Sensibility -- I love Edward. That is all.)) instead. So how about a Sunday New Books post? I've got several weeks' worth of books, so let the fun begin!

Bought:

I also bought an exam guide for the Praxis 2 ... ugh.

Won:

Take a Chance on Me thanks to Amused By Books
the other 3, thanks to the British Babes Book Brigade!

For Review:

This Girl is Different - Peachtree Publishers
Galileo - BookSneeze

Blog Tour: Grasslands

Today's post is part of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" blog tour that Peachtree Publishers is sponsoring in honor of Earth Day. Every day between April 11th and Earth Day (April 22nd), there will be special blog tour posts around the blogsophere. For a collective listing, check out the Peachtree Pub blog!

About Habitats: Grasslands
Cathryn Sill & John Sill (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers, 2011

This is a book you can enjoy two ways: Just reading it straight through, "as is" sotospeak, or by reading it through and then making use of the expanded text in the back. Let me explain ...

... This is a beautiful book. The illustrations take up an entire page, and are faced by a white page with a simple line or two of easy-to-read text. The 'story' introduces readers to the different kinds of grasslands that are found around the world, and what a grassland is - how it works, the animals found there. The illustrations match the different statements, and are referred to as "Plate 1," "Plate 2," etc, with a caption briefly stating what kind of grassland and animals are pictured. It's simply beautiful. There is no other word that can describe this arrangement.

And then you turn the last page, and there are miniature versions of every plate/illustration in the book with an expanded definition of both the type of grassland and the animals pictured! How cool is that? The book itself gets you interested, and then it offers you a way to satisfy your emerging curiosity without having to track down more resources! Also, there's a glossary of terms. I am a big fan of the practice of having glossaries added to books - maybe because I'm a word nerd, but hey: vocabulary is awesome.

As with At the Sea Floor Cafe, this would be a great book to gently ease young readers into learning, by catching their attention and whetting their appetite.

Giveaway Alert:
Thanks to the generosity of the great folks at Peachtree Publishers, I am delighted to announce that I am going to be giving you the chance to win a copy not only of this book, but of the other three titles I'm reviewing as part of the blog tour also! That's four wonderful new books you could win! Entering is simple: Check back here, and leave a comment on one of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" posts - only comments on blog tour posts count, but you can comment on every one (that means you could get 5 entries total!). On April 30th, I will randomly select a winner, and contact you. So please, leave me an email or some way to get in touch with you! Contest only open to the US. Good luck!

 For more blog tour fun, check out the next stop: Abby the Librarian

Book provided by publisher for review.

The Grimm Legacy

The Grimm Legacy
Polly Shulman
Putnam, 2010

This is one that caught my eye several months ago, but I didn't get a chance to read until I snagged it from the New Books shelf at the high school. The blurb made me think it was going to be an adventure along the lines of The Librarian or Indiana Jones, but with only stuff from Grimm fairy tales. And that was a part of the story, but not all of it. Shulman actually seemed to focus more on the characters and their development throughout the story than on really fleshing out the 'magical' Grimm items. While that probably makes it a better story, I'd still have liked a little more detail -- I mean, come on! It's a library that has stuff. Really, really cool stuff. Like Seven-League Boots and Snow White's Stepmother's mirror and anything you could think of from one of Grimm's fairy tales. (Not to mention all kinds of other things, from history or literature). Call me a geek, but that would be the coolest library job EVER. (And yes, I am a leetle envious of Flynn Carson in The Librarian).

Now that you've got a glimpse of what caught my attention about this book, let me say it is definitely a fun read, even if it's not quite as "geeked out" as I might prefer. The characters are realistic - hanging out in a high school this year has helped me recognize better when high schoolers are portrayed realistically or not in the YA fiction I read. I could definitely see these kids showing up in a high school. Their adventures are a little surreal, but they're supposed to be - and, there's this nifty little thing called 'the willing suspension of disbelief': if you're going to read fiction (and enjoy what you read), you need to be friends with this idea. I would never expect this to happen in real life, but at the same time, The Grimm Legacy reads as if it might actually happen - if, you know, it could happen. The challenges are real, the motives ring true - people aren't perfect, and even the 'good guys' have an oops-moment or two. It's a fun read, a fast read though. I felt like I flew through the book. I'll be interested in seeing if Shulman returns to this idea and writes any more novels about the Repository ... There's so much stuff there to write about!

Book provided by my local library.

Blog Tour: At the Sea Floor Cafe!

Today's post is part of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" blog tour that Peachtree Publishers is sponsoring in honor of Earth Day. Every day between now and Earth Day (April 22nd), there will be special blog tour posts around the blogsophere. For a collective listing, check out the Peachtree Pub blog!

At the Sea Floor Cafe!
Leslie Bulion & Leslie Evans (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers, 2011

Not only is this a fun, quirky title to fit in with the blog tour theme, but April is also National Poetry Month - and this is a collection of poems! Double win! This book is fun, it's whimsical, it's colorful, and it's educational. Yes, educational. It's very science-y, with each poem focusing on one (or two) ocean creatures that may or may not be familiar. It's also a great resource for introducing young readers to different kinds of poetry, since every poem is in a different form. My inner lit-major was 'geeking out' a little, as I recognized some of the styles, but others were new to me - which was even more exciting! At the back of the book is a glossary of the science-y words that may be unfamiliar, as well as a breakdown of all the different poetry forms represented in the book. This is great resource that is a fun way to 'sneak in' learning.

The poems are fun and humorous, and the illustrations are just as fun. It's a pretty book, with a lot of visual elements. I would caution that very young readers (or older - my Mum saw it and picked it up one day, only to say her eyes were confused) may get a distracted or even a little lost in that on each page there is both the poem and other text - sometimes they are separated by a bit of space, other times they run close together due to illustrations or etc. The 'other text' is a brief description or explanation of the sea creature described in the poem, so it's very helpful, it just might be a bit much for some readers. Overall however, the book is simply fun. I feel like I'm using that word a lot, but sometimes there's only one word that really describes something, and in this case, that's the magic word: Fun!

Giveaway Alert:
Thanks to the generosity of the great folks at Peachtree Publishers, I am delighted to announce that I am going to be giving you the chance to win a copy not only of this book, but of the other three titles I'm reviewing as part of the blog tour also! That's four wonderful new books you could win! Entering is simple: Check back here, and leave a comment on one of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" posts - only comments on blog tour posts count, but you can comment on every one (that means you could get 5 entries total!). On April 30th, I will randomly select a winner, and contact you. So please, leave me an email or some way to get in touch with you! Contest only open to the US. Good luck!

For more blog tour fun, check out the next stop: Archimedes Notebook

Book provided by publisher for review. 

Hearts Aglow

Hearts Aglow
Tracie Peterson
Bethany House, 2011

I wasn't planning to review this one when I picked it up from the library - it's the second in a series, and I did not review the first one, so I figured I would just "read and enjoy". Once I got into it though (actually only a chapter or two in), I decided this was a book I did need to review on some level. I remember being impressed with the first book in the series - Embers of Love - finding it a slight change from the other Peterson titles I've read in the last year or so. A good change. I'm probably a harder critic of Christian fiction than 'secular' - or maybe just a pickier reader - and I was almost starting to feel like Peterson had sold out and lost the voice that caught me in the beginning. Needless worries! The Striking a Match series is an engrossing story that is actually carrying over with the same set of main characters in both books (so far)! I like! The trilogies she has written before, with the story picking up from another character's point-of-view from novel to novel are interesting, but I get attached to characters and want to follow their story through to the end. So that is a definite perk of this newest series. Plus the characters are fairly real, and the setting is one that offers any number of interesting potential (and adventures).

Since this is the second installment, and I didn't review the first, I won't comment too much on the storyline. You're going to have to take my word on this one, that it's worth picking up and reading from the beginning. I will say, however, that you should be prepared for a heavier read than you might think. Peterson is one of those Christian fiction authors who doesn't shy away from the fact that sometimes bad things happen to good people, and there is always the option of epic failure/mistake in life. It's part of what makes her books more realistic than some others. At the same time, I was not expecting the level of -- realism? exposure? raw human "mistake-hood"? -- that would meet me, early on and throughout Hearts Aglow. I was startled. Surprised. A little amazed that she went there. A little awed that she was able to - it ached my heart to read some of it (and may have turned my stomach a little too), so I can't imagine creating it. And yet - it was somehow right that those ugly elements of humanity were woven into the story. I'm not naive enough to believe the frontiers of history were romantic spreads of barely-tamed wilderness bathed in the warm western light of the setting sun. I know that the History which makes this country so amazing was created by deep cuts and still-healing scars. And I think, maybe-just-maybe, we need to realize this more often. Not in a way that reopens the wounds and revives the hatreds, but in a way that reminds us not to take for granted where we are - where we've come.

I've found myself personally involved with the story of Deborah Vandermark and her family, as well as all the other characters - locals and outsiders alike - who are populating the pages. I've got my favorites I cheer for, and those who I thought were good but now am rooting against. And I am definitely waiting on the third novel to come out later this year, to see what happens next! Care to join me on the ride?

Book provided by my local library.

Blog Tour: Scribbling Women

Scribbling Women
Marthe Jocelyn
Tundra Books, 2011

Welcome to Day 4 of Tundra Books' "Scribbling Women Blog Tour"! (In case you've missed the first few days, or want to see what's happening tomorrow, be sure to check out Tundra's main schedule!)

When I saw that Tundra Books needed bloggers to host spots for Scribbling Women, I knew I had to try. When I found out I was on the list? I did a little happy dance. Before I ever read a word of the book, I knew it was one of those things I had to read -- not like you "have" to read the latest release of a favorite author, but deep-down-inside-need-to-read. Couldn't explain it, just knew it. And I did get to read it, and now I get to share it with you ...

From reading the "blurb" online, I knew that Scribbling Women was going to spotlight forgotten women writers, including some I had never even heard of in passing. Since I was a Literature and History double-major in undergrad, I found this mesmerizing. Once I got the book and started reading - wow. I guess in some part of my mind, I was expecting to discover "authors", not fully realizing I would be discovering writers. These women? They're normal women whose writings were sometimes appreciated, sometimes only seen by themselves. In a sense, they are just voices lost in the wilderness of writing - but when you stop, and take the time to really look at their stories, at their scribblings, the picture is extraordinary.

These are women who could not just "sit down and write" - while a few made a profession of writing, the others were using their pens (or pencils) to record their experiences, their thoughts, their views of their world. It is this that is so special - after getting the tiniest glimpse into the inner lives of these scribbling women, I feel like I've stumbled upon a sisterhood of scribblers. I may never find myself stranded in the Arctic or racing the clock 'round the world, I may not be compiling a first-of-its-kind recipe book or recording the minutia of a royal court - those are not my stories, but I recognized the need to write it all down.

Marthe Jocelyn did an exemplary job of threading the stories of these individual women together - linking their unique experiences by the comparisons and contrasts between them. She liberally sprinkles their own voices in her narrative, explaining who these scribblers were and the contribution their suddenly-uncovered writings can offer. I came away from the reading feeling much more knowledgeable, and also intrigued. I'd suggest that anyone who ever feels that ceaseless itch to write to read this - to realize that the important part is not fame or fortune or recognition, but the writing. That is, ultimately, what I came away from the reading with: the renewed belief in the power of words, and that when the words must come - they must come.

I like to consider myself a part of the Sisterhood of Scribblers - I have a new appreciation of the ease in which I can write, and a revived sense of dedication to scribbling away. Oh Hawthorne, your scornful title, I embrace - I want to be one of those scribbling women you bemoaned, if it means I join the ranks of such writers I've been introduced to. Maybe I'm just a hopeless WordGeek, but this was truly a learning experience for me. I'm very glad I've been able to share with you, in some part, my reading journey.

Don't forget to check out the other blog tour stops today, starting with Cassandra's post over at Indie Reader Houston!

Also, Tundra's hosting an AMAZING giveaway: You could win Marthe Jocelyn's entire collection of books, simply by commenting on this post! And you can gain another entry by commenting on every post in the tour! Check out the details, and what you could win here! And good luck!

Book provided by publisher for review.

Polar Star

Polar Star
Sally Grindley & John Butler (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers,1997

Oh. My. Goodness. Have I mentioned that I love polar bears? Because I do. Forget waiting on a Frog Prince, I'll take a Polar Bear Prince! With that understanding, you'll see why this book initially caught my eye. Curled up reading the book, I was mesmerized - the illustrations are gorgeous. Realistic, but still ... not exactly fanciful or romanticized, but I definitely wanted to curl up with Polar Star, the momma polar bear, and her two cubs (Snowball and Snowflake). The bears have expression and personality, but they don't have that 'cartoon'-vibe if you know what I'm saying.

The story itself is straightforward: momma polar bear and her cubs emerge from their snow-den and the cubs get their first taste of the real world. It's a real story. It features blood and danger. It reflects the reality of polar bears in the wild - but in a way that is accessible for kiddies. I like that. I'm not a fan of 'dummying down' anything, but at the same time, you've got to keep in mind your audience: not many 4-7 year olds are going to be able to understand 'full scientific narration'. So I do like the way the 'science' of it is mixed and presented as 'story'. Also, at the end of the book is a "Polar Bear Facts" page which sort of help reinforce the idea that polar bears are real - and this story could be real.

Definitely a beautiful book that I look forward to using to share my polar bear love with kiddies in the future.

Book provided by publisher for review.

It Can't Be Done, Nellie Bly!

It Can't be Done, Nellie Bly!
Nancy Butcher
Peachtree, 2003

In the spirit of Women's History Month (yes, I realize it's actually almost over...), how about an introduction to one of the little known female journalists in American history? But Nellie Bly was not just another journalist - this young woman had an adventurous-streak that prompted her to embark on A Quest: To go 'round the world in less than 80 days, thus beating the record set in Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days. How does a real person break a record set by a fictional character? Especially in 1889! Nellie Bly had some ideas, and she managed to convince her employers - The New York World - to trust her and back the attempt.

It Can't be Done, is an easy-to-read brief biography of Nellie's experiences. Targeted for early-middle readers, it's broken down into short, accessible chapters and the information is presented in a relaxed story-style that is almost conversational. Butcher does a good job of explaining terms and what's going on, without completely spelling it out or watering it down. There are fun details and illustrations scattered throughout, and the reading experience is a satisfying one in terms of both information and entertainment. Having never heard of Nellie Bly before this read, I am now intrigued. As an older-than-intended-audience reader, I appreciated the story and it's "teaser"-aspect - which will make it a good one for the intended-audience, to introduce them to history and biography, without feeling too 'schoolish'.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Dreaming in English

Dreaming in English
Laura Fitzgerald
New American Library, 2011

I won this through LibraryThing's EarlyReviewers program, and was pretty excited - it sounded really good, and the cover is simply fascinating. When I got the book, I realized "Oops, it's a sequel? Um, okay - the library doesn't have the first one (Veil of Roses), but I'll be brave and go ahead..." For anyone else who may find themselves with Dreaming in English without having access to Veil of Roses, let me assure you: It'll be okay. There's enough 'remembering' that takes place during the story that I did not feel lost or confused. I will still track down and read Veil of Roses, but - right now anyway - I think the two novels can be read as stand-alone works, because of both the 'remembering' mentioned above, and the fact the story has a natural split in focus and theme.

Brief synopsis: Tami, a young Iranian woman, had to either marry an American or go back to Iran as her tourist visa expired. Dreaming in English picks up right after Tami and her true love Ike have eloped in Vegas with true knight-in-shining-armor-style. What follows is the battle for freedom that Tami must win to stay in America - not just battling her immigration issues, but also her own personal freedom. Growing up in the repressive state of Iran, Tami has only known the ideologies stating women are inferior, must be kept within certain boundaries, that expression of most kinds - male or female - is dangerous. She grew up knowing only how to live trapped by fear and unrealized, unchased dreams. She never tasted freedom until coming to America - and once here, she was entranced, fascinated, and addicted. But freedom isn't free - nor easy. You have to fight for it. And so this is the story of how Tami fought for her freedom. And it's a beautiful story - passionate, moving.

Reading America through Tami's eyes, I remembered all the good things I adore about my homeland. I realized all over again just how good I have it - to be an educated young woman with the freedom to do and be what I want. There are so many young women, all over the world, who haven't tasted these freedoms - or who may have stolen a sip, and now ache even more for the absence. And here I am. What am I doing with my freedom? What am I doing with the power to chase down my dreams and make them real? Am I fully realizing my American potential? Probably not. But I do know that I am proud of my country - of our willingness to fight for what we believe: that all people are worthy, and that freedom means more than electing your own officials and living by principles rather than dictation. Freedom means knowing your worth and believing that the impossible dream is maybe not so impossible after all. It's not often a book (particularly a novel), will turn my thoughts in that direction - but this one did, and I am thankful for the reminder.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Prisoners in the Palace

Prisoners in the Palace
Michaela MacColl
Chronicle Books, 2010

I discovered this during Chronicle Books Happy Haul-idays giveaway, and knew I had to read it somehow, someway, someday. While helping process an order of new books at the high school, I came across this one and literally squealed. The librarian kindly told me I could have it as soon as it was processed. And, allow me to comment on the cover: the picture does not do it justice, at all. It's shiny, shimmery, metallic. I love-love-love it! Okay, now on to the text itself ...

The story is concentrated mostly on Elizabeth 'Liza' Hastings - a gentleman's daughter who finds herself penniless and orphaned after an accident, and manages to snag a position as maid to Princess Victoria. Because Liza is fluent in German, she is hired to act as spy and 'protector' of sorts for Victoria - finding out what is going on in the palace, trying to keep the Princess's power intact. Along the way, Liza discovers just how much IS going on in the palace - and makes a host of new friends, from 'Inside Boy' living in the palace walls to Will - the handsome young entrepreneur running a newspaper. As well as finding a friend in Princess Victoria herself.

There is a lot going on in the novel - a lot of characters involved, and so much intrigue and mystery! I was fascinated from page one, and loved watching the characters develop. Liza has much to learn about herself and her new life - she has to confront societal norms and decide what is best for her. Likewise, Victoria grows and develops throughout the story - from a spoiled child to the girl who is young, but ready to be Queen. Reading, I was reminded a lot of when I watched The Young Victoria, and the way she grew and matured - and am even more fascinated by the person, the idea, of Queen Victoria. This is another one of those books that has triggered a want to hunt through some nonfiction, I think. Definitely a good read, easy and fun - but a story of quality and depth too.

Book provided by my local library.

Once Upon a Time Challenge V

I saw this challenge posted over at Stephanie's Written Word, and knew it was for me! Once I poked around at the host site, I knew - without a shadow of a doubt - that this was something I needed to do! I know, I know - add another challenge? Especially one with a short time-frame? But think about it: It's FAIRY TALES! (And folklore, mythology and general fantasy). And so, after a very wee bit of mental debate, I am going to join the fifth annual Once Upon a Time Challenge. The challenge runs only during Spring, so from March 21st to June 20th. I think this will be a lot of fun, and encourage you to join in if you're a fairy tale lover like me.

Honestly, the hard part for me was deciding which level to participate at ... I contemplated participating at Journey level - which is simply open-ended participation. It's the easy way, and would definitely be doable since you're only 'required' to read one title. However, I kind of view reading challenges as things to help push my reading - to take my normal reading direction and see if we can make it grow, see what can be discovered. All of this thinking led me to the decision to embark on ...

Quest the First means I will be reading at least five books that fit within the four categories: fairy tale, folklore, mythology, and fantasy.

I've not created a comprehensive list of prospective titles to read, but here are some off-the-top-of-my-head ideas which are all books I want to read and would work with the challenge criteria:
Spindle's End (Robin McKinley)
Beast (Donna Jo Napoli)
Princess and the Bear (Mette Ivie Harrison)
The Healer's Apprentice (Melanie Dickerson)
Princess of Glass (Jessica Day George)

There are more, I feel certain, especially since I'd like to try to have samples from multiple categories and not 'just' fairy tales. So we'll see where the journey takes us! Care to join me?

New Books!

Today is actually two weeks combined, because last week was a baby book week. And so, without further ado, the combined treasures:

Darcy's Temptation by Regina Jeffers
(Won in the February Giveaway over at Austen Authors!)

About Habitats: Grasslands by Cathryn Sill
(Be on the lookout for some exciting blog tour stuff in April!)

Scribbling Women by Marthe Jocelyn
(This is also for an exciting blog tour event in a few weeks!)

Beastly

Beastly
Alex Flinn
HarperTeen, 2007

In my ongoing quest to read 'Beauty and the Beast' variations, I picked up Alex Flinn's Beastly - which has also just released as a movie. I've seen this one on the library shelves for years, but for reasons unknown never picked it up - I may have passed on it this time, except when I was flipping through the pages I saw the line "It's hard to meet girls when you look like Chewbacca" and cracked up. At that moment, I knew I had to read this!

Beastly is a modern 'Beauty and the Beast' - a popular guy with a rotten attitude becomes the beast and must learn to love and be loved in his beastly state, all in New York City. Since my other 'Beauty and the Beast' reads have been set in a sort of timeless fantasy realm, this was a different sort of read - modern thoughts and conveniences, the whole urban setting and dealing with the beast-ness in that context. It was fun, different than I expected - but a good different. Flinn did a wonderful job of developing and growing Kyle from the annoyingly-snobbish kid at the beginning to a thoughtful, selfless hero at the end. I liked getting to see the transformation take place - the story is focused on Kyle's perspective, on his experience(s) - this is 'Beauty and the Beast' through the Beast's eyes.

It's a fast-read, I read it over 2 days' lunch, and finished up while making a gallon of sweet tea and thawing spaghetti sauce. And while it's not an engrossing read that sucks you in and won't let you go, it's not purely fluff either. It's one of those happy-balance books that you know where it's going -- because you know the story it's telling -- but it's fresh enough that you don't feel like you're rereading the same old story. The characters are well-developed, and there are subtle, interesting twists tossed into the mix here and there. Now that I've read Beastly, I'm wanting to see Beastly - find out what they change, how they make it work. And, of course, find my next 'Beauty and the Beast' read ...

Book provided by my local library.

Rose Daughter

Rose Daughter
Robin McKinley
Ace, 1998

Twenty years after she wrote Beauty, Robin McKinley revisited the story of 'Beauty and the Beast' in Rose Daughter. The basic premise is much the same as in Beauty: youngest sister must take her father's place as the fearsome Beast's "prisoner" and there are many mysterious enchantments and gardens and roses and 'adventures.' Standard Beauty and the Beast fare - but also So. Much. More. I loved both Beauty and Rose Daughter immensely - but in two wholly different ways.

Where Beauty is a sweet, simple retelling of the story, Rose Daughter reflects a more complex and detailed telling. It was engrossing, reminding me of the way I felt reading Pegasus - it was a story that got deep inside me, invading my dreams and making me think. There's more magic, more danger, more development of both characters and the story. It's a complicated story that tugs at the heart and gets into your head. It's a story that requires more of you, as reader, than Beauty did. And I like that. Actually, I love that - I want to get involved with the books I'm reading. (Though I will say I'm very glad I didn't end up crying my eyes out while reading this one like I did during Pegasus!) I was swept up in the story and carried along until the ending - which caught my entirely by surprise. And yet, even though I wasn't expecting it to end the way it did, I was pleased - delightfully happy - with the ending.

Two different tellings of one story, by one author. Two very different approaches and appreciations. Two very different loves, for one of the most beautiful fairy tales there is ...

Book provided by my personal library.

The Book of Tomorrow

The Book of Tomorrow
Cecelia Ahern
HarperCollins: 2010 (US edition 2011)

I've read a couple of Ahern's other novels, and liked them well enough during the reading, but they weren't "wowzer" reads. When I first saw the premise for this one last year, I was intrigued. Plus, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. Finally got to read the US edition, and I liked Book of Tomorrow much better than the other novels.

As several other readers have noted: it starts out a little slow. I had a hard time identifying with Tamara Goodwin in the beginning - not only did she come from a material world that is far, far removed from my personal experience, but as a character she's not exactly likeable. Once she found "her" journal - the Book of Tomorrow - I started getting more engaged with the story. I wanted to find out what this crazy girl would do with her glimpses into the future - would she change history before it had a chance to happen? Would she learn from the lessons found in the book - and in her real-time life? It wasn't one of those totally-engrossing reads, especially since it took some persistence to "get to the good stuff," but it was an enjoyable read once I got in to it. I did find myself wanting to know what all the hiding and unsaid things were about, and trying to figure out where all the various characters would fit into the final equation. I was glad I persevered and kept reading, and it's definitely the best Ahern novel I've read so far. If you're up to the challenge of wrestling with Tamara and working your way to the good part, then I'd definitely say "read it" - if you want a quick, chick lit read, I'd stay away from Book of Tomorrow.

Book provided by my local library.

New Books!

I got two happy surprises in the mail this week: Peachtree Publishers on Monday and Penguin Teen on Thursday! I love when books come in groups like that - it's so fun to have a sudden pile of books to do a Snoopy-style happy dance over. Er, not that I did that or anything ... Okay, so maybe I did. Just a little. But it was justified! See:

A Place for Fish - Melissa Stewart

At the Sea Floor Cafe - Leslie Bulion

Planting the Wild Garden - Kathryn Galbraith

So Much Closer (ARC) - Susane Colasanti
I put in a request for this one ages ago, and did a literal happy dance when I saw it! Eee! :oD

Chime (ARC) - Franny Billingsley
This ARC was also sent my way from Penguin - not what I normally read, I don't think, but looks interesting.

The Locket (ARC) - Stacey Jay
Another surprise ARC, definitely looks like an interesting read.

And there's my week of happy surprises! Keep your eyes open for some fun stuff in April, involving the Peachtree titles!