Angieville

It's that time of year again. Banned Books Week is upon us. This is one of my favorite and least favorite weeks of the year, because it reminds me of the importance of our freedom to read what we want in this country and it reminds me that a small, but vocal group of people who would like to take that freedom away. Makes me downright crabby is what it does. Here is the ALA's list of the top ten most challenged books of 2009 :     ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r  (series), by Lauren Myracle    Reasons: nudity, sexually explicit, offensive language, drugs,    and unsuited to age group     And Tango Makes Three , by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson     Reasons: homosexuality     The Perks of Being a Wallflower , by Stephen Chbosky    Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually    explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group     To...

A couple of weeks ago, Sabrina over at About Happy Books posted on her top "make me feel better" books . I am intimately familiar with the concept, as I'm sure most of you are. Though I usually refer to them as "comfort reads," this time I was struck by Sabrina's choice of wording. Because often it's not only comfort I go looking for. It's nothing quite that passive or soft or cozy. Often I'm in a more demanding, more, well, desperate frame of mind. And the sentiment I bring to the search is definitely of the make me feel better. Do it. Please?! I have this print hanging in my library because it reminds me of just this sort of situation. It came from DH 's grandma's house--one of those warm, happy places--and I was in love the moment I laid eyes on it. It's from the old Gibson Girl books and, in case you can't quite make out the text, it says: She looks for relief among some of the old ones. I love the pile of books spilling ...

Here it is! The cover of the third and final book in Maggie Stiefvater 's Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy . I'm so glad it's red. I think it fits the close of this series well, I love the subtle change in the leaves, and it makes me happy to see Sam on his very own cover as well. Forever is due out July 12th of next year and it promises to be just a doozy of a finale.

It's a little difficult to believe, but it's that time of year again. The Cybils are right around the corner and the panelists and judges have been announced. This will be my third outing working on a panel for the Cybils and I couldn't be more pleased to be a part of such a wonderful endeavor. This year I'll be happily serving on the first round panel for the young adult science fiction and fantasy category .  Here's our team this year--a very fine one I must say: Steve Berman,   Guys Lit Wire Tanita Davis,   Finding Wonderland Leila Roy,   Bookshelves of Doom Sheila Ruth,  Wands and Worlds Angie Thompson,   Angieville Hallie Tibbetts,   Undusty New Books Heather Zundel,   Secret Adventures of WriterGirl Nominations get going in a little less than a month now. What books will you be looking to nominate this year? For my part, I can't wait to get started. Let the deluge begin!

I've been hearing about this book for what seems like awhile now. I'd never run across it until Ari from Emily and Her Little Pink Notes started talking it up as a diamond in the rough. She has such similar taste to my own that I rather suspected at that point I would someday be seeking this one out. Then Lit Snit featured it on their BBAW Unexpected Treasure post  and those suspicions turned into beliefs. Finally I broke down and searched my library's catalog. They had it in! So I grabbed it on my way to work that day and settled into bed with it that night. I went in expecting chick lit with a splash of art history thrown in for good measure and I read it in one sitting that night. Jane Laine works for the most notorious art gallery owner in Manhattan. Possibly in the whole of the art world. She remembers a time when she loved and understood art and why it pushed her into pursuing a degree and a career in the field. But almost every ounce of joy in what she does has be...

And the winner is . . . ibeeeg ! Congratulations! ibeeeg's favorite literary couple is Claire and Jamie from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon --a book I have yet to read despite countless glowing reviews. Just shoot me an email with your mailing info and I'll try to get your book off quickly. Thanks again to April for so kindly participating in the interview. And thank you to all of you who entered the giveaway. I really loved this one so much and can't wait for it to be published and see what you all think. I had to laugh at the sheer number of you who declared Elizabeth and Darcy your favorite literary couple. I adore them as well and they are unquestionably much beloved by such a wide swath of the population. Amazing. Other top couples include Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe, Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, and Margaret Hale and Mr. Thornton.

I was absolutely delighted when I heard that Ilona Andrews had signed a contract for more Edge books. I was even more delighted when a review copy landed in my lap. I read On the Edge last year and was completely swallowed up by the world of the Weird, the Broken, and the Edge. I loved Rose and her rifle and her precocious and wild little brothers. Declan the blueblood grew on me and I finished it crossing my fingers for more from that world. When I learned that Bayou Moon would follow William--Declan's sometime brother-in-arms, and sometime enemy, I did my little dance of joy. I'd always like William. He was lethal and unrefined, where Declan was dripping with stiffness and honor. Just more my kind of guy, you know? I wondered who he would find and how they would get on. I'd liked Rose so much and I wanted William happy. There. I said it. I also like this cover better than the first one. William's not so "here I am in all my glory" as the dude on the cove...

I like the way these three play with your notion of perspective. From the back of the first girl looking forward into the snowy streets, to the second one looking down almost hopelessly with pictures of moments hanging above her, to the third one looking back over her shoulder at who knows what she's left behind back in "normal." They're all three lovely in both title and cover and I am eager to get my hands on them. Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick I'll just go ahead and say that this is my favorite of the three covers. I just looks like a street I used to live on and that, combined with the light blue glow of the umbrella, and the wonderful title and I want it on my shelf. The insides sound quite complicated and not a bit daunting. Alex's parents get divorced after her father's infidelity tears their marriage apart. Moving to a new town with her mother, Alex finds attention in spades from bizarre twins Fred and Adina. Due out October 5th. Fa...

I'm a bit behind on this one, but I didn't want to let Book Blogger Appreciation Week go by without highlighting three of the best blogs I discovered this year. They're each of them distinct and charming and they managed (within a very short time indeed) to get me coming back for more on a daily basis. First up-- Book Harbinger . Isn't that the best title? This one is a bit of a cheat, as I actually met Holly in person before she started her blog and I may have egged her on a bit when she brought it up as something she was thinking about starting. You see, I knew she'd be just fabulous at it and, after reading (and consistently loving) her reviews on GoodReads , I looked forward to enjoying them in a more extended and unlimited environment. Holly has such a developed sense of and appreciation for beauty and the aesthetics of books, their covers, and their language, and I look forward to each of her reviews and posts with great anticipation. Add her to your feed, g...

Made entirely of books!  Click over here to Recyclart to see the rest of the shots.

I've been looking forward to today ever since I got to meet and  swap interviews  with Jena from  Muse Book Reviews  last year during  Book Blogger Appreciation Week . This year I got paired up with another new-to-me blogger--Lisa from  Her Book Self . I've spent a fair bit of time browsing her blog now and it is excellent. She has both eclectic and discerning taste and I enjoy her take on books. I've already noted down several titles she recommends to add to my TBR. So please welcome Lisa to the 'Ville!  *** You ran a personal blog for quite awhile before starting up  Her Book Self . What prompted you to start a book blog and how has your approach to blogging changed, if at all? My personal blog started as a way to keep in touch with friends after college, but after connecting with so many of them on Facebook, my blog dwindled and posting updates was more of a chore than a source of enjoyment.  I started reading other people’s book blog...