Angieville

. . . for her " significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens ."  And all is right with the world.  YALSA specifically cited Pierce's Song of the Lioness and Protector of the Small series. My fingers were crossed she'd win this year, but tears still jumped to my eyes when the news came down the wire today. I've said it before, but it bears repeating. It kind of feels like Tamora Pierce saved us all (directly or indirectly) at one point or another. For me it was direct. And it was Alanna. And it continues to bring meaning and drive to my life years after that first contact. I can't think of a more deserving recipient of this award, and I'm just so very proud to have witnessed it.

This is both my first Jodi Lynn Anderson book and my first Peter Pan retelling! I know there are quite a few out there, but for whatever reason I just haven't dipped into that pool yet. I've seen and enjoyed multiple screen adaptations, but this was my first outing with a retelling on the page. The thing about Peter Pan is that I read it a couple of years ago with my oldest boy and it was . . . rather devastating, actually. In the very best way, of course. But the emotions were real and they cut deep. So I probably should have expected to be a bit wrung out upon finishing Tiger Lily . Because even though it's all about Tiger Lily (and is told from Tinker Bell's perspective), it's about Peter, too. And Neverland. And the Lost Boys. And Hook. And every other excruciating bit of that original story that so embodies the sense of wonder and loss endemic to childhood and growing up. All of which is to say that beyond this point there be emotions . Proceed with caution....

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted here @ 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! Honestly, it's like trying to articulate why you love your child reviewing some of these books. I don't know how anyone can be expected to do them justice. But I am going to press on foolhardily, if only because this is one of the ones I never stop talking about, never stop thinking about. Originally published in 2004, How I Live Now is Meg Rosoff 's debut novel and winner of the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. I've loved many a Printz Award winner, but this one is truly the best of the best. I remember it came in the mail, on loan from a friend who somehow knew how much it would mean to me. I slid it out of the envelope and wondered at how slim it was and at th...

Because I never run out of things to say when it comes to retellings, I accepted Melissa's gracious offer to contribute a guest post for her wonderful Retell Me a Story Week over @ One Librarian's Book Reviews . This time I'm talking purely classics. So if you're looking for a good retelling of anything from Hamlet to Holmes, take a minute to stop by and check it out. I'll be there !

We are on a Richard Armitage run over here. I make no apologies. But I would not be a true fan (of the Armitage or of Sarah Rees Brennan ) if I didn't direct you to her brilliantly nerdy parody of the film version of The Hobbit entitled Thorin Dreamboatshield: an Unexpected Hotness of Dwarves . It's good to be the dwarf king . . .

You're welcome.

It's time to look ahead to the pretties coming out this year. You all know my penchant for fairy tales retold. Having recently come off the high of Marissa Meyer 's Scarlet , I find myself eager to dive into a few more upcoming retellings. As luck would have it, there are several on the horizon. Here are three that look especially nice. Which one catches your fancy? Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson I have been waiting for a solid Bluebeard retelling for some time now. In fact, if you've read a good one, do let me know. This one has the look of one I'm gonna enjoy. Girl moves to a manor house in the deep south to live with her mysterious guardian. The usual terror ensues. My fingers are crossed. Due out March 12th Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay I enjoyed the liberties Ms. Jay took with the well-worn Romeo & Juliet tale. So I am perfectly willing to give her a chance with my beloved Beauty & the Beast. This one involves a blind princess, ...

I say the first review of the year should be a fun one. So here you have it! I wasn't sold on  Sarah MacLean 's young adult novel  The Season . I may have encountered it at the wrong time amid a slew of Cybils titles or some such, but it wasn't a standout for me. I think I wrote her off at that point, a fact of which I am not proud. But so many books, so little time and whatnot. The thing is, I just kept watching readers I know and love swoon their ever-loving minds out over her adult historicals (see reviews below). Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I took note. I didn't act, but I did take note of all these promising reviews and raves. Then I went and became a fan of all things  Courtney Milan , and suddenly I was in the market for some really well done Regency stuff while awaiting the next in Milan's Brothers Sinister series. And so Ms. MacLean came to my attention once more. I sifted through ecstatic Goodreads reviews, and finally decided to go ahead...

It's a new year, a clean slate. And I like to think of it as such, quietly absorbing the possibilities as I quietly restrain myself from attempting to make overly ambitious resolutions that I will only renege on or fail at miserably within a month's time. As I cast about for some possibility, some inspiration, I came across an unlikely source: literary break-up letters . This fascinating article in The Atlantic features excerpts and background information from eight different writers penning their parting words to lovers, spouses, more-than-friends. Luminaries include Simone de Beauvoir (whose line I used in my post title), Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton, Oscar Wilde, Mary Wollstonecraft, and more. They are wistful and so very real. Just the kind of real I needed at this time of cold, quiet beginnings. I hope your year is full of possibilities. And if there must be partings, let them be well-written.

It's New Year's Eve and I've got my list all ready. It contains 15 titles this year, one up from last year and one down from the year before if memory serves. Best of 2012 (in the order in which I read them) The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight   by  Jennifer E. Smith Scarlet   by  A.C. Gaughen For Darkness Shows the Stars   by  Diana Peterfreund The Fault in Our Stars   by  John Green I've Got Your Number   by  Sophie Kinsella Grave Mercy   by  Robin LaFevers Nightshifted   by  Cassie Alexander Bitterblue   by  Kristin Cashore Easy   by  Tammara Webber Magic Dreams   by  Ilona Andrews Her Best Worst Mistake   by  Sarah Mayberry Fair Game   by  Patricia Briggs The Raven Boys   by  Maggie Stiefvater The Governess Affair   by  Courtney Milan Moonshifted   by  Cassie Alexander FYI, th...