Angieville

1. Finding out that Robin McKinley has a new book coming out in September (the 20th to be exact). It's been four long years since Sunshine came out and I realize I've developed a twitch, which I assume will not go away until I get my hands on this book. This Dragonhaven. *twitch* 2. Finding out that not only does Ellen Emerson White have a new book coming out in October (the 30th to be exact), but Susan McCallister (from Friends for Life ) is a major character in it. And , Beverly Johnson (from Life Without Friends ) makes an "off-screen" appearance. How much do I love it when authors cross over their characters? So. Much. 3. Finding out that Juliet Marillier's next book is going to be a Sevenwaters book. Yep, you heard me right Liza. It follows one of Sean and Aisling's daughters, Clodagh I believe. Too much to hope for glimpses of Liadan and Bran? I think not. And now a moment of silence for the awesomeness of a new Sevenwaters book. ----- The anticipati...

Best reads of the past month: Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier This is Marillier's first foray into YA lit and I will confess, I did smile knowingly to myself from time to time, thinking about what the book would be like if she'd written the same story for adults. She's just so good at tension and darkness and the otherworldly that this combination Frog Prince/Twelve Dancing Princesses/Vampire story would make a delicious non-YA. That said, it was a wonderful story and I found myself fascinated to see how she tied together the two familiar (though not necessarily similar) fairy tales, set it in Romania and added in a dollop of vampire lore for good measure. Very imaginative. The China Garden by Liz Berry This was part mystery, part fantasy and it kept reminding me of a YA-Mary Stewart novel. Particularly Touch Not the Cat . The rambly old English estate, the family inextricably tied to the land, the ESP. Add some exploration of ancient pagan rites meets early Christia...