Angieville

One of my favorite things about the boy-who-would-become-my-husband when we first met was that he was always reading and talking about what he'd read. He reads anything, though the scales usually tip in favor of poetry and nonfiction. Better yet, he was interested in what I was reading and he would listen to me go on and on about my most recent character/book/author obsession without any apparent fatigue. In fact, he wouldn't just listen. He'd ask questions. He'd remember what I said and why I loved it. And sometimes. Sometimes he would ask me to read them to him.  Another favorite thing about this particular boy is he loves road trips. He loves getting out of Dodge. And the ride itself is part of the pleasure. Since I feel the same exact way, it didn't take us long to put the two pastimes together and start reading aloud on our drives. We've gone thousands of miles now, with the landscape and the words flying by. And sometimes, if we just can't swing getti...

Retro Friday   is a weekly meme hosted here at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc. Everyone is welcome to join in at any time! I include roundups from participating bloggers in my post every week. I heard about Cold Comfort Farm for the first time while I was on study abroad in London my sophomore year of college. Some of the girls in my group were chatting about the film adaptation of it one night and I listened in as they laughed and laughed and quoted perfectly hilarious lines that had me itching to watch it myself, particularly given the wonderful cast, which includes Kate Beckinsale, Ian McKellen, Rufus Sewell, and Stephen Fry. One of the girls had actually read the book itself and told me I should make sure to start there before viewing the movie. So, when I ran across a lovely used copy on sale for a pound in an Oxford boo...

I was so excited to go to my local bookstore's midnight release party for Mockingjay . I hadn't been to a midnight release party for quite awhile and it's such a singular experience, wandering the aisles and just soaking up the high pitched excitement and general camaraderie in the air. And this time I got to do it all with my always-up-for-a-good-time sister Liza and the lovely Holly from Book Harbinger . Together the three of us admired the radical Capitol hairstyles, watched the archery contest, and stood slack-jawed as a couple of serious fans wowed the audience with their insane knowledge of Hunger Games trivia. And when we stopped in the cafe for some drinks and snacks and saw the special offerings (Creamsicles for Team Peeta vs. Root Beer Floats for Team Gale), I just went ahead and ordered that root beer float as a last toast to the guy I thought she'd be happiest with. When I walked out of the store that night with my shiny blue copy, I could not wait to get h...

And all I have to say (at this incredibly late hour) is Holy. Crap.   Oh, and Always.

I first heard about Star Gazing through Valerie's lovely review over at Life is a Patchwork Quilt . And I have to thank her for that review because I don't think I would otherwise have come across Linda Gillard 's work. Gillard is a British author who lived for several years on the Isle of Skye, where much of this book takes place. From what I can tell, her books tend to focus on women above the age of 35, who are dealing with the everyday, yet perilous issues of adulthood, aging, love, mental health, family, etc. As such, they sounded sort of awesome to me, and I immediately placed her most recent book on my wishlist. It seemed unique and appealed to me for several reasons, including the fact that the main character is a blind widow. The setting was also a draw. I have only been to Scotland once, but it made a lasting impression on me and I love reading books set there. So that's why I was so excited to receive a copy of Star Gazing for my birthday. I cracked it ope...

I'm about to walk out the door to go to my local Mockingjay release party and figured I'd go ahead and say it one last time before I go quiet: Happy reading!

Chilling, aren't they? With the staring eyes and the the expressions on their faces, ranging from the haunted to the haunting, I just keep coming back to look at them. And I'm anxious to be creeped out and entertained by each one of them. Red Glove by Holly Black I have to say this cover reminds me of poor Annie and the freaking Red Room in the second season of Twin Peaks . And for that I have to say, "Thanks a lot, cover gods!" The end of that excellent show still makes me shudder. Sequel to White Cat , this is the second book in Black's Curse Workers series. I'm a bit behind and need to catch up before it comes out. I've heard very good things. Fortunately, I've got a little time. Due out April 5th. The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle I would be reading this book for the title alone, awesome cover aside. And for the fact that it's by Clare Dunkle and I loved her Hollow Kingdom trilogy. What makes this even more attractive is the f...

Retro Friday  is a weekly meme hosted here at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc. Everyone is welcome to join in at any time! I include roundups from participating bloggers in my post every week. Just over six years ago I walked into this little bookstore called Books of Wonder for the first time in my life. And on the front end cap, directly facing the revolving door, on the middle shelf, was a thick book with a purple cover and a gold spine entitled The Claidi Journals . I had heard of Tanith Lee before, but never read any of her books, and I had her sorted in my mind as a dark fantasy/horror writer. As I picked up the hefty volume and examined it, it appeared it was actually an omnibus collection of three novels: Wolf Tower , Wolf Star , and Wolf Queen . A fourth and final installment-- Wolf Wing --was subsequently p...

I guess musing on the whole rock star aspect of Jane has put me in a listening mood. So here for your pleasure are a couple of the songs I can't stop playing lately. First up, Lissie 's fierce cover of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance." Thanks to DH for bringing this one to my attention and knowing I'd like it. He always brings me the good stuff. And second, the incomparable The National 's "So Far Around the Bend." Possibly my favorite musical discovery of the last five years, this band. Every song is good. This is just the one I'm crushing on the most at this moment. His voice, you guys. His voice.

I have had my eye on this book ever since I saw Chelle feature it over at  Tempting Persephone  a few months back. As you know, I am a sucker of the largest order for a good retelling. Retold fairy tales in particular are a weakness of mine, but when I saw that  April Lindner 's upcoming novel  Jane   was, in fact, a modern retelling of  Jane Eyre , I didn't know my heart could beat quite that fast. I got my masters in literature, specifically Victorian lit, and  Jane Eyre   has been a special favorite of mine ever since I first read it on a cross country road trip when I was 14. As I am also a huge fan of historical fiction and YA, I think we can safely say I am sitting just about dead center in this novel's target audience. But it should also be noted that quite a bit of that quickening heartbeat can be chalked up to this breathtaking cover. I want to marry this cover. I think it perfectly conveys what you are getting with this package--from the...