strange and random happenstance

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Published by: Scholastic
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
"Ground control to major Tom, your circuits dead,
there's something wrong
Can you hear me, major Tom?
Can you hear me, major Tom?
Can you hear me, major Tom?
Can you... "

1977: Ben has always been a unique kid. Deaf in one ear, he never let anything deter him. His mother filled his head with books and stars and curiosities. But now his mother is dead and he's living with his Aunt and Uncle in Gunflint Lake Minnesota left with more questions than he can count, while his true home lies empty next door. His mother never told him about his father, but he always connected him to the David Bowie song Space Oddity. His mother never told him a lot of things. Now that she is gone it seems wrong to go poking about in her past... but it might be the key to his father. A second tragedy leads Ben to run away to New York and hide out in the American Museum of Natural History, where hopefully he will find answers.

1927: Rose is held a prisoner. Rose is held a prisoner for her own safety. She is deaf. But that doesn't mean the world should be shut away from her. She loves the movies. They're still silent... but that will sadly change soon. She often risks everything to venture into the wilds of New York City. The American Museum of Natural History offers her solace, safety and family.

1977: These two lives are intertwined in ways some suspected, and some never dared to be true.

Brian Selznick has done it again. His previous story, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, told the story of early cinema in the streets of Paris through prose and pictures which instantly captivated the publishing world. Here we have yet another little urchin in Ben hiding out in a very famous landmark. All children must have at one time or another fantasized about living in a museum, I know I did, even if Ben's experience is out of necessity, versus determination, like the children in E.L. Konigsburg's book or even the youngest Tennenbaums. The museum is just part of the whole. It's the interweaving stories of Rose and Ben that build the suspense and mystery and drive this story forward. Little clues scattered like stars through the book. Rose's obsession with a film star having real world reasons. Ben's nightmares about wolves being a key to his past, not just a haunting nightmare.

Every little thing builds like an electric charge before a storm making you read and read and immerse yourself in this wonderful world so that when you look up at the clock at 5AM you are literally shocked at how time has flown. The book struck me, just as lightning struck on July 13th, 1977 causing New York City to be plunged into darkness. I can't tell you how I connected to this book. It's something deep in me. My love of collecting, of museums, of books, of mysteries, of the time I was born, of David Bowie, of history. The book is aptly named, I was Wonderstruck.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 1 comments  

Labels: American Museum of Natural History, Brian Selznick, David Bowie, E.L. Konigsburg, Hugo Cabret, Lightning, New York, Space Oddity, The Royal Tennenbaums, Wonderstruck

Look at the wonders that awaited me when I heard the doorbell yesterday! Luckily the UPS man had already scurried back to his truck, otherwise he may have been hugged. I have been anxiously waiting the new Lauren Willig book (insert montage of anxiety, looking longingly out windows, jumping when I hear the doorbell, biting of nails, etc etc.). So sorry homework, sorry school, sorry friends, you will not see me again, I am disappearing between the leaves of this book and not emerging again till you hear a satisfied sigh at the conclusion of my reading frenzy. Also, getting this book is so full of win (my expression doesn't capture it, because there's only so many times you can try to get the reflection from your computer off your glasses using photobooth before you start to get tetchy)... back to, this is so full of win, that it deserves two thumbs up... but in order to do this I'd need three arms, like this:

Also, thanks for Lauren for pointing out this little snaffu long ago, it never gets old! She has three arms!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 5 comments  

Labels: ARCs, Castles in the Air, Christina Dodd, Lauren Willig, Pink Carnation, The Garden Intrique

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Published by: Little Brown
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Karou is a seventeen-year-old art student with a most unusual family. From his desk in a dusty, otherworldly shop, her mysterious, monstrous father sends her on errands across the globe, collecting teeth for a shadowy purpose. On one such errand, Karou encounters an angel, and soon the mysteries of her life and her family are unraveled--with consequences both beautiful and dreadful. National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor has created a lushly imaginative, fully realized world in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Taylor’s writing is as sumptuous as poetry, and the story overflows with dark and delightful magic, star-crossed love, and difficult choices with heartbreaking repercussions. Readers of all ages will be utterly enchanted."

I've recently been recommended by my friend Jess to read Laini Taylor, and here she has a new book coming out with the wonderful quote from Patrick Rothfuss: "Wow. I wish I had written this book." So I guess that's settled, out to the bookstore I go!

The Immorality Engine by George Mann
Published by: Tor
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the surface, life is going well for Victorian special agent Sir Maurice Newbury, who has brilliantly solved several nigh-impossible cases for Queen Victoria with his indomitable assistant, Miss Veronica Hobbes, by his side. But these facts haven’t stopped Newbury from succumbing increasingly frequently to his dire flirtation with the lure of opium. His addiction is fueled in part by his ill-gotten knowledge of Veronica’s secret relationship with the queen, which Newbury fears must be some kind of betrayal. Veronica, consumed by worry and care for her prophetic but physically fragile sister Amelia, has no idea that she is a catalyst for Newbury’s steadily worsening condition.
Veronica and Newbury’s dear friend Bainbridge, the Chief Investigator at Scotland Yard, tries to cover for him as much as possible, but when the body of a well known criminal turns up, Bainbridge and Veronica track Newbury down in an opium den and drag him out to help them with the case. The body is clearly, irrefutably, that of the man in question, but shortly after his body is brought to the morgue, a crime is discovered that bears all the dead man’s hallmarks. Bainbridge and Veronica fear someone is committing copycat crimes, but Newbury is not sure. Somehow, the details are too perfect for it to be the work of a copycat. But how can a dead man commit a crime?"

The newest Newbury and Hobbes book which I really need to read because Mann is going to be at Telsa Con, the big steampunk convention in Madison in November. Can't wait!

Ganymede by Cherie Priest
Published by: Tor
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Format: Paperback,  352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The air pirate Andan Cly is going straight. Well, straighter. Although he’s happy to run alcohol guns wherever the money’s good, he doesn’t think the world needs more sap, or its increasingly ugly side-effects. But becoming legit is easier said than done, and Cly’s first legal gig—a supply run for the Seattle Underground—will be paid for by sap money.
New Orleans is not Cly’s first pick for a shopping run. He loved the Big Easy once, back when he also loved a beautiful mixed-race prostitute named Josephine Early—but that was a decade ago, and he hasn’t looked back since. Jo’s still thinking about him, though, or so he learns when he gets a telegram about a peculiar piloting job. It’s a chance to complete two lucrative jobs at once, one he can’t refuse. He sends his old paramour a note and heads for New Orleans, with no idea of what he’s in for—or what she wants him to fly.

But he won’t be flying. Not exactly. Hidden at the bottom of Lake Pontchartrain lurks an astonishing war machine, an immense submersible called the Ganymede. This prototype could end the war, if only anyone had the faintest idea of how to operate it…. If only they could sneak it past the Southern forces at the mouth of the Mississippi River… If only it hadn’t killed most of the men who’d ever set foot inside it.

But it’s those “if onlys” that will decide whether Cly and his crew will end up in the history books, or at the bottom of the ocean."
It really must be steampunk week over at Tor. Yeah more steampunk!

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
Published by: Harper Collins
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Pratchett returns to the terra firma of his popular, sprawling Discworld series, the young-reader corner of which centers around teen witch Tiffany Aching. Being a good witch mostly means tending to the locals’ minor aches, pains, and kerfuffles—which she does with as much aplomb as anyone could be expected to muster—but to become a great witch, she’ll have to contend with the malevolent ghost of an ancient witch-burner. Yet even that might not be as terrifying as trying to keep the peace between the humans and the wee Nac Mac Feegles (whose primary skills are drinking, brawling, having Scottish brogues, brawling a bit more, and stealing every scene they’re in) and, shudder, getting wrapped up in the wedding of her childhood friend, who is suddenly a very myopic baron. The action never picks up much more momentum than a determined amble, but readers won’t care a whit because in terms of pure humor per square word, Pratchett may be the cheeriest writer around. Now that Tiffany Aching’s adventures are concluded, readers can explore the nearly three decade’s worth of other Discworld books. "

So, I love this book so much I have a US and UK hardcover 1st editions, the UK one signed. I have the limited edition Amazon exclusive, signed and stamped by Terry. I have the US ARC, the British black paperback and I'm STILL going to buy this one. That's how awesome this book is!

Deadly Storm by Richard Castle
Published by: Marvel
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 112Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"CASTLE fans rejoice! For the first time anywhere, CASTLE's titular hero Derrick Storm comes to life in the pages of this all-new graphic novel. This "adaptation" of Derrick Storm's first novel adventure takes our hero from the gritty world of the private eye all the way to the globe-hopping intrigue of the CIA. Eisner Award-winning Marvel Architect Brian Bendis and red hot Osborn writer Kelly Sue DeConnick worked closely with CASTLE creator Andrew Marlowe to create the one thing millions of CASTLE fans have been asking for: Their first real Derrick Storm adventure. A wall-to-wall, gritty, witty, globe-hopping detective thrill ride for fans of the hit TV show starring Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, as well as fans of darn good comic books."

Finally! Derek Storm is brought to life, why does Nikki Heat get all the love? Storm made Castle who he is! (Yes, I know he's fictional, but let me have my delusions, you're welcome to join me).

Hark a Vagrant by Kate Beaton
Published by: Drawn and Quarterly
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:"A NEW COLLECTION BY THE WEB SENSATION AND NEW YORKER CARTOONIST. Hark! A Vagrant takes readers on a romp through history and literature—with dignity for few and cookies for all—with comic strips about famous authors, their characters, and political and historical figures, all drawn in Kate Beaton’s pared-down, excitable style. This collection features favorite stories as well as new, previously unpublished content. Whether she’s writing about Nikola Tesla, Napoleon, or Nancy Drew, Beaton brings a refined sense of the absurd to every situation.

In just four years, Beaton has taken the comics world by storm with her non sequiturs, cheeky comebacks, and irreverent punch lines. With 1.2 million monthly hits on her site—500,000 of them unique—and comics appearing in Harper’s Magazine, the National Post, and The New Yorker, her caricatures of historical and fictional figures filtered through a contemporary lens display a sharp, quick wit that knows no bounds."

Ok, if you're a fan of my blog, then surely you love Historical Romances and therefore making fun of people like Napoleon. So I'm sure you've heard of this wonderful web comic. If not, now's you chance!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Cherie Priest, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Derek Storm, Ganymede, George Mann, Hark a Vagrant, I Shall Wear Midnight, Laini Taylor, Patrick Rothfuss, Richard Castle, Terry Pratchett

Heartless, The Parasol Protectorate Book 4 by Gail Carriger
Published by: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: June 28th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
After the to-do with the Templars, Alexia is back with her husband in the land of connubial bliss. She has even reached an entente with the vampires so that they'll stop trying to kill her and her unborn child. The plus side of the arrangement is that she gets to see a lot more of Lord Akeldama, the downside is that technically she's living in his second best closet while claiming to be residing next door. Which does get a mite complicated when her sister shows up and demands to stay with them. Apparently Alexia's family can't take their daughter being a suffragette... even if the other one is eight months pregnant by a werewolf and living with vampires they must maintain their middle class standards. Exceptions cannot be allowed. But Alexia can't have her sister residing with a pack of werewolves while she's snoozing next door! She must also maintain propriety. Plus, the wolves aren't liking living in town and then there's poor Biffy. Biffy isn't taking to his new life being a wolf. He lacks control, which can only be restrained by the touch of Alexia. Between the tea, the witty repartee and the ashamed Biffy, there is something afoot in London. The ghosts have started threatening the Queen. Or warning of a threat... the ghosts aren't really being very specific about the threat or where the threat originates from or if there's some evil invention involved. Wouldn't it be nice to get a simply worded warning with no vagaries and no zombie porcupines thank you very much. But even if all these problems are resolved before the birth, what exactly is being born? The Vampires and the Templars where both scared, and that can't be a good sign.

I have had much too and fro with my friends about this book. Some are all happy, others are dissatisfied. Personally, I'm of the camp where I was personally satisfied, with one caveat, but I am willing to see why there are those dissatisfied. There really wasn't much action or plot to this story. It was more a comedy of manners with more dirigibles than ever before. There was a lot of witty banter, a lot of Lord Akeldama (which was seriously lacking in the previous volume), not enough of the Madame Lefoux I know and love and a poor Biffy. Which I think was enough. But the ghosts and their dire warnings seemed to hint about some big conspiracy, some huge world altering emergency, and there plot seemed to just fade like the vabors they resemble. There was follow through, and what they did warn of did occur, but by the time it came it fell flat. If something is set up so wonderfully and has the feeling of a good Victorian mystery in the vein of Wilkie Collins, please don't let that urgency fade. This for me was a small aside, something I could live with because I was so engrossed in the book. Let's get to my problem though...

I will not say why, how or who but I will say what. The Octomaton. This creation just about jumped the shark for me. Picture a Victorian Man in stripy swimsuit and a mechanical shark instead of the Foz please. It was too over the top. A giant metal octopus killing machine of steel and fire set to destroy vampires. Ok, cool idea, kind of, it's just there was another loony who had the same idea... and yes, I'm talking about Dr. Arliss Loveless in the misguided reboot of Wild Wild West, I apologize in advance for getting the Will Smith song in your head, it just can't be avoided.

So, yeah, in his evilness with the mutton chops and spidery goatee, I will admit, I find Kenneth Branagh kind of sexy. That's my issue. The book's issue is that the Octomaton is his freakin' spider death machine. There is no other way to view it. This tacky kitsch movie kept intruding onto my lovely little world of the Parasol Protectorate. I cannot forgive this bizarre breach of a world I love. Yes it's not EXACTLY the same, but it's not EXACTLY different either.

This Octomaton destroyed the climax of the book and if it wasn't for my enjoyment up until then and a sweet denouement, then I might be one of my friends saying that this series is over for me. I won't say that. I love this series, and Wild Wild West intrusion and all, I'll keep on loving it. Plus, the hint of what Alexia's baby is... tantalizing in the extreme. Timeless can't come soon enough for me.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexia Tarabotti, Biffy, Dr. Arliss Loveless, Gail Carriger, Heartless, Kenneth Branagh, Lord Akeldama, Lord Maccon, Octomaton, Templars, Timeless, Wild Wild West, Will Smith

Mockingjay: The Final Book of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Published by: Scholastic
Publication Date: August 24th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
"Fire is cathing. And If we burn, you burn with us." Katniss may be out of the area and in the medical ward of District 13, but she is not out of the games. The inhabitants of 13 lead a very ordered life with everything planned and regimented, from your schedule printed on your arm when you wake, to how much food you need to survive. All of which Katniss ignores, choosing to sleep and hide. But President Coin has plans for how they will destroy the current government and the Capital. Plans that hinge on Katniss being the Mockingjay. After much to and fro Katniss acquiesces. But President Coin's use of Katniss is very similar to her use in the hunger games... Katniss will be the face of the rebellion with staged skirmishes and perfectly disarrayed hair. In other words, the rebellion will be just as fake as the government it is trying to destroy. The problem is Katniss rings false, she can't act, so in the end she gets just what she wanted, action. She's thrown into situations with her own film crew who then create the rebellion's propaganda. The capital retaliates with Peeta and a few bombs, the rebels counterattack with harsh truths of prostitution and poisonings. One thing is clear, having any of the victors at the mercy of the Capital is now unacceptable and a jail break is planned. They succeed, but maybe they were meant to. Peeta has been turned against them with all his memories distorted so that he no longer trusts Katniss and attempts to kill her. Having the one thing she was sure of yanked out from under her she realizes that it's time to step it up and take on the Capitol on their home turf. A home turf that has been rigged and bobby trapped more elaborately than any arena ever. As the death toll rapidly rises and mutts are at their heals, it is clear that Katniss doesn't plan to survive if she can win. But can you trust anyone? President Snow may be evil, but he has never hidden the fact. A new regime that is built on false promises and hidden cruelty could be a greater sin than letting the current leaders stay. But the real question is, will there be another Hunger Games?

The final book lived up to my expectations, true or not true? Not true, sadly. While I think, in the end, everyone ended up where I wanted them to be, there were some people left missing. Suzanne Collins killed some characters I can never forgive her for. Yes, I know it's a rebellion, yes, I know casualties are inevitable, but still, there are some people who shouldn't die. There are some people who should be safe. This is fiction, you can have the good live and the bad punished. Despite it being a chilling depiction of war, let some innocents live please! I think that's where this book failed me, it's just a long war. Katniss is a pawn at the mercy of this giant war machine where we don't get the minute to minute struggles, we get the greater picture while Katniss spends a lot of her time in a drug induced haze. This book is so contemporary while being a distopian future that it's jarring. The human race has fought and will always fight, maybe even to the brink of extinction. But it's the battle scared, drug addicted, pained wrecks that are left to re-create the world, when all they want to do is retreat. The characters seemed to have lost themselves and we are left with shells. It's a PTSD lineup of who's the most damaged. It's almost as if everyone has become Haymitch. They all have a crutch but have all lost their sense of humor. I am glad it's over, I'm glad they won, but I'm still sad because I feel like it could have been so much more than a post apocalyptic version of The Hurt Locker.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Katniss, Mockingjay, Peeta, President Coin, President Snow, PTSD, Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games, The Hurt Locker

Heat Rises by Richard Castle
Published by: Hyperion
Publication Date: September 20th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fast-paced and full of intrigue, Heat Rises pairs the tough and sexy NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat with hotshot reporter Jameson Rook in New York Times bestselling author Richard Castle's most thrilling mystery yet.

The bizarre murder of a parish priest at a New York bondage club opens Nikki Heat's most thrilling and dangerous case so far, pitting her against New York's most vicious drug lord, an arrogant CIA contractor, and a shadowy death squad out to gun her down. And that is just the tip of an iceberg that leads to a dark conspiracy reaching all the way to the highest level of the NYPD.

But when she gets too close to the truth, Nikki finds herself disgraced, stripped of her badge, and out on her own as a target for killers with nobody she can trust. Except maybe the one man in her life who's not a cop. Reporter Jameson Rook.

In the midst of New York's coldest winter in a hundred years, there's one thing Nikki is determined to prove: Heat Rises."

Yeah! New Castle book! Have I mentioned a) how much I love Castle b) how much I love Nathan Fillion or c) how much I love the blending of fiction and reality lately? If not, now I have!

Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen
Published by: Harper Collins
Publication Date: September 20th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For the bright young things of 1929, the beautiful days seem endless, filled with romance and heartbreak, adventure and intrigue, friendship and rivalry.

After a month in New York, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur are small-town girls no longer. They spend their afternoons with Astrid Donal at the Greys’ lush Long Island estate and their nights in Manhattan’s bustling metropolis. But Letty’s not content to be a mere socialite. She is ready at last to chase her Broadway dreams—no matter the cost.

Cordelia is still reeling from the death of her father at the hands of Thom Hale, the man she thought she loved. Now she is set to honor Darius Grey’s legacy . . . and take her revenge.

Promised to Cordelia’s half brother, Astrid is caught up in a world of dazzling jewels and glittering nights—and the sparkle is blinding. Charlie Grey is a gangster playing a dangerous game; and for Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty, the stakes could be deadly.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes the second book in an epic series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age."

So, I still haven't gotten around to reading any of Godbersen's books, but this is a time period I love... ah, to live back then if only for awhile.

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Published by: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: September 20th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.

The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy."

Last installment of the Scott Westerfeld Leviathan Steampunk Trilogy? Yes please!

Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara
Published by: Luna
Publication Date: September 20th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Seven corpses are discovered in the streets of a Dragon's fief. All identical, down to their clothing.

Kaylin Neya is assigned to discover who they were, who killed them—and why. Is the evil lurking at the borders of Elantra preparing to cross over?

At least the investigation delays her meeting with the Dragon Emperor. And as the shadows grow longer over the fiefs, Kaylin must use every skill she's ever learned to save the people she's sworn to protect. Sword in hand, dragons in the sky, this time there's no retreat and no surrender…"

I just picked up the first in the series of Elantra, of which this is the seventh. Here's hoping they're good books!

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions by Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong et al
Published by: Harper Collins
Publication Date: September 20th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A journey may take hundreds of miles, or it may cover the distance between duty and desire.

Sixteen of today’s hottest writers of paranormal tales weave stories on a common theme of journeying. Authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and Melissa Marr return to the beloved worlds of their bestselling series, while others, like Claudia Gray, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohl, create new landscapes and characters. But whether they’re writing about vampires, faeries, angels, or other magical beings, each author explores the strength and resilience of the human heart.

Suspenseful, funny, or romantic, the stories in Enthralled will leave you moved."

New anthology by TONS of writers I love (ok, 16 isn't quite a ton, but it's a lot and I was already sold once I heard Melissa Marr).

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Anna Godbersen, Beautiful Days, Bright Young Things, Enthralled, Goliath, Heat Rises, Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, Michelle Sagara, Nathan Fillion, Nikki Heat, Richard Castle, Scott Westerfeld

A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson
Published by: Speak
Publication Date: May 10th, 1981
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
Anna and what is left of her family have fled Russia. The Royal family is dead, as are countless friends and relatives. They have lost everything. The opulent lifestyle of St. Petersburg has been replaced by the drudgery of London. Not that Anna has ever let that deter her! In order to hide their need from her mother she takes a job in a country house as a maid, telling her family that she is a guest, not a housemaid. Mersham is getting ready for the return of Rupert, the heir and Count of Westerholme, not that he ever expected to be heir, but a war does tend to upset the natural order of things, just ask Anna. He is going to be married to Muriel, who espouses the beliefs of Dr. Lightbody for a master race. Not that Rupert actually knows this or much else about Muriel except that she nursed him back to health after he was wounded in the war. The staff are quickly won over by Anna despite her lack of experience. Anna's willingness to learn and her ability to placate Rupert's handsy uncle, Sebastian Frayne, go a long way, as does her sunny disposition. Soon she is the darling of the household and even the butler Proom's elderly and often hostile mother is won over.

But once Muriel is in residence, with her very "progressive" thinking, will she bring all the goodwill and happiness of the community and the staff to a standstill? Viewing everyone as beneath her expectations, she cuts the Herring family out of Rupert's circle for being Jewish, and Rupert's best friend Tom and his little sister Ollie are soon devastated by Muriel. Not only is Tom in love with the Herring's daughter, but his sister Ollie, who was over the moon about being a bridesmaid has been told that cripples aren't allowed to be bridesmaids for Miss Muriel. All of these horrors she commits with a smile and a secret, making sure that Rupert never knows just what has happened. If only the staff could find some way for Muriel to break with Rupert. Rupert is such an upstanding man, he would never do anything to hurt Muriel. He would marry Muriel because of a promise... despite his growing love for Anna everyday.

I've had this book sitting on my shelf for many a year waiting to find the time to pick it up. Well, I have been suffering from severe Downton Abbey withdrawal. I mean, really severe, plotting in my sleep ways for Matthew Crawley and Mary to work things out severe. One of my favorite authors, Lauren Willig, has started a new weekly blog post called "If You Like." She usually gives a book (or sometimes a TV Show) saying if you like this, then you'll also like this. She has always been spot on in her book recommendations, so when she said, if I like Downton Abbey you'll like The Countess Below Stairs, I went into the other room and immediately began to read it. Yes, the withdrawals where soon going to be in the shakes stage, this was a timely intervention. But more than that, it was "like" Downton. It's not just a love story with the fiance who's in the way. It's not just a simplified tale of masters versus servants. Downton and it's predecessor, Upstairs Downstairs dealt with issues of the day and politics, as does The Countess Below Stairs. Here we have race issues and budding Nazism. Physical deformities and cultural pride, even if I could have done with a little less untranslated Russian. Not to mention insanity. This book does not shy away from the issues, instead it confronts them and sometimes uses them to comedic effect while never being derogatory. Well, except for the Nazi nut, I think Nazis are fair game right? This elevated the book into something more real and poignant. Not only capturing a bygone day but also capturing a bit of what life must have been like for Eva Ibbotson, having to flee before the Nazis. Plus, if you've read any of the autobiographies of the Mitfords, the Nazis and those who held similar beliefs, where into inveigling themselves with the upper classes of England. Hitler would love Miss Muriel, I can say that for certain. She is just someone, as a reader, you love to hate.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Downton Abbey, Eva Ibbotson, Lauren Willig, Nazis, The Countess Below Stairs, Upstairs Downstairs

The Girl from the Candle-Lit Bath by Dodie Smith
Published by: H.W. Allen
Publication Date: 1978
Format: Hardcover, 155 Pages
Rating: ★
Out of Print

Nan Mansfield used to be something of a name on stage and screen. She used to be happy and not full of ennui. This was all before Roy. Roy, the love of her life, the man she is now tailing in a taxi cab where she sees him suspiciously exchanging a package with an odd man. Well, she doesn't actually see the exchange, and she thought that the man was really a woman, but lucky for her Tim the Taxi driver saw it all. Luckily he is also a writer on the side who has specialized in spy fiction so he fills her head to brimming with ideas of what could be happening. Roy is after all a member of Parliament and therefore has governmental secrets, hence his insistence that his wife give up her unseemly career. But what could be more unseemly than meeting nefarious people in the park in the dead of night? But Nan insists that he can't be involved with the Russians, as he doesn't like them. She'd far rather it was an affair, because it's such a lesser crime than treason. In order to keep a hold of her sanity Tim suggests she records her thoughts. Nan, having an old tape recorder starts this process and finds that not only is it a good record of events, should something happen, but it helps her work things out. All of which leads to more and more questions.

Then things take a rather odd turn. Roy seems more his normal self and his old patrons, Cyprian and his sister Celina Slepe, odd siblings, possibly incestuous, possibly asexual, invite them to their ancestral pile for the weekend. It truly is a pile. A stately house not even worthy of the word house. There Nan meets a mysterious count and learns that Cyprian hates her, viewing she is too low class for Roy because her one claim to fame is a commercial where she baths by candlelight, where they insinuate but never show too much. The whole weekend is cut short and Roy encourages Nan to return to her career. But if the man chasing her through the theatre or the gunman in the alley have anything to say, it will be that Nan shall act or live no more.

Reading I Capture the Castle I instantly went on a hunt for more books by Dodie Smith that didn't have Dalmatians in them. I was surprised to find that the majority of them are out of print. After reading this book, I can see why, The Girl from the Candle-Lit Bath is very understandably out of print. Returning to themes utilized in I Capture the Castle, the lost illusory fame, the diary-like format, the moldering pile of a home in the country, Dodie fails miserably to recreate the magic of her previous book. The heroine is so unlikable, dumb and sycophantically devoted to a husband who shows her no love and has her sleeping in a tiny closet of a room. Yet she instantly starts to trust a taxi driver whom she doesn't even know? She'll suspect her true love but believe devotion from a stranger? She is too dumb for words. The supporting characters aren't able to make up for the failings of the lead because they aren't fleshed out. We have two creepy siblings, which could have gone somewhere, but they are quickly relegated to hasty caricatures and then left alone. I should also mention the mess of an ending. There is no way that you would have been able to figure out what is going on because everything is seen through the eyes of the dimwitted Nan; therefore we have to have not one, but two lengthy explanations as to what really happened. A book should tell the story throughout, not have to rely on a afterword to make it make sense! The only thing I found remotely appealing, aside from the fact I can return this to the library at once, where the actors hired to pretend to be country house servants, now there's something that was funny and I'd like to see explored more... maybe one day I should get around to writing a book, I couldn't do one this bad even if I tried.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle, Parliament, Spies, The Girl from the Candle-Lit Bath

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Published by: Doubleday
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Erin Morgenstern’s dark, enchanting debut takes us to the black and white tents of Le Cirque des Reves, a circus that arrives without warning, simply appearing when yesterday it was not there. Young Celia and Marco have been cast into a rivalry at The Night Circus, one arranged long ago by powers they do not fully understand. Over time, their lives become more intricately enmeshed in a dance of love, joy, deceit, heartbreak, and magic. Author Morgenstern knows her world inside and out, and she guides the reader with a confident hand. The setting and tone are never less than mesmerizing. The characters are well-realized and memorable. But it is the Night Circus itself that might be the most memorable of all."

I believe that this might literally be THE book of fall. Everyone I know is eagerly awaiting it and I can't wait to go to Erin Morgenstern's signing near me! Plus, that cover is just beautiful!

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"All Beatrice Shakespeare Smith has ever wanted is a true family of her own. And she’s close to reuniting her parents when her father disappears. Now Bertie must deal with a vengeful sea goddess and a mysterious queen as she tries to keep her family – and the Theatre Illuminata – from crumbling. To complicate it all, Bertie is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate. "

More from the Theatre Illuminata... which I have been planning on visiting for years (well, since the first book came out... damn, I have the backlog of tbrs!)

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Published by: Scholastic
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In a return to the eye-popping style of his Caldecott-award winner, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick’s latest masterpiece, Wonderstruck, is a vision of imagination and storytelling . In the first of two alternating stories, Ben is struck deaf moments after discovering a clue to his father’s identity, but undaunted, he follows the clue’s trail to the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City. Flash to Rose’s story, told simultaneously through pictures, who has also followed the trail of a loved one to the museum--only 50 years before Ben. Selnick’s beautifully detailed illustrations draw the reader inside the museum’s myriad curiosities and wonders, following Ben and Rose in their search for connection. Ultimately, their lives collide in a surprising and inspired twist that is breathtaking and life-affirming."

If this is anywhere near as good as Hugo Cabret it will be a fabulous book indeed!

Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
Published by: Overlook
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 960 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Enter the world of Gormenghast. The vast crumbling castle to which the seventy-seventh Earl, Titus Groan, is Lord and heir. Titus is expected to rule this Gothic labyrinth of turrets and dungeons, cloisters and corridors as well as his eccentric and wayward subjects. Over the course of these three novels-Titus Groan, Gormenghast, and Titus Alone--Titus must contend with a kingdom about to implode beneath the weight of centuries of intrigue, treachery, manipulation, and murder.

Peake has been compared to Dickens and Tolkien, but the Gormenghast trilogy is unique. This true classic is a feast of words unlike anything else in the world of fantasy, and those who explore Gormenghast castle will be richly rewarded. Overlook is publishing this definitive volume to mark the centenary of the author's birth."

Not only is Gormenghast a book everyone should own, but to have a new illustrated edition for Peake's centenary is a true treat. I'm also sure that they are his drawings, seeing as that man loved to draw!

Happy Accidents by Jane Lynch
Published by: Voice
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In the summer of 1974, a fourteen-year-old girl in Dolton, Illinois, had a dream. A dream to become an actress, like her idols Ron Howard and Vicki Lawrence. But it was a long way from the South Side of Chicago to Hollywood, and it didn't help that she'd recently dropped out of the school play, The Ugly Duckling. Or that the Hollywood casting directors she wrote to replied that "professional training was a requirement."

But the funny thing is, it all came true. Through a series of Happy Accidents, Jane Lynch created an improbable--and hilarious--path to success. In those early years, despite her dreams, she was also consumed with anxiety, feeling out of place in both her body and her family. To deal with her worries about her sexuality, she escaped in positive ways--such as joining a high school chorus not unlike the one in Glee--but also found destructive outlets. She started drinking almost every night her freshman year of high school and developed a mean and judgmental streak that turned her into a real-life Sue Sylvester.

Then, at thirty-one, she started to get her life together. She was finally able to embrace her sexuality, come out to her parents, and quit drinking for good. Soon after, a Frosted Flakes commercial and a chance meeting in a coffee shop led to a role in the Christopher Guest movie Best in Show, which helped her get cast in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Similar coincidences and chance meetings led to roles in movies starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and even Meryl Streep in 2009's Julie & Julia. Then, of course, came the two lucky accidents that truly changed her life. Getting lost in a hotel led to an introduction to her future wife, Lara. Then, a series she'd signed up for abruptly got canceled, making it possible for her to take the role of Sue Sylvester in Glee, which made her a megastar.

Today, Jane Lynch has finally found the contentment she thought she'd never have. Part comic memoir and part inspirational narrative, this is a book equally for the rabid Glee fan and for anyone who needs a new perspective on life, love, and success."

Whether you're a Gleek or not, Jane Lynch is an amazing and hilarious arctress who has amazed me in everything from Party Down to the pleathora of Christopher Guest movies to even guest stints on Veronica Mars. Go get this book!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Brian Selznick, Erin Morgenstern, Gleek, Gormenghast, Happy Accidents, Hugo Cabret, Jane Lynch, Lisa Mantchev, Mervyn Peake, Party Down, So Silver Bright, The Night Circus, Wodnerstruck

Apple of My Eye by Helene Hanff
Published by: Moyer Bell
Publication Date: 1978
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
Helene Hanff is such a quintessential New Yorker that when the BBC wanted someone to present a little five minute piece on New York once a month on the Woman's Hour they looked to Helene. In the minds of the British, Helene IS New York. Plus, they have taken her to heart ever since 84, Charing Cross Road. So logically, when a publishing house in New York was looking for someone to write captions to accompany pictures taken of New York they too looked to Helene to provide her sharp wit to their venture. Whatever happened of the original venture is not mentioned in the book. There may or may not have been a book that resulted from her three months of writing. But instead we get the play by play diary of Helene and her best friend Patsy, a born New Yorker, who both quickly realize that, while living almost their whole lives in New York, they aren't in touch with the New York tourists who'd be buying this book would be. So the two of them set out to "write that down."

From the Statue of Liberty to the newly opened Ellis Island. From the Cloisters to the newly constructed World Trade Center, they troll through the island of Manhattan to see what the tourists would go to see, even if they are both terrified of heights and 107 stories is really up there. Intermingled with their experiences are little bits of history that Helene has picked up over the years, such as the fact that Wall Street really did have a wall, and that the cathedral of St. John the Divine is a combination of American know-how and European elegance, and every neighborhood thinks their deli is the best. It's also an interesting glimpse into Helene's opinions, her views on corrupt early industrialists who left gorgeous houses from the Morgan Library to The Frick. Also, Helene really dislikes anything happening to central park and her rage against The Met's expansions is a big theme.

This book is so interesting in that, for someone who has spent time in New York, you can see how much remains, but, especially with September 11th now 10 years in our past, something that is such a big feature of this book and of New York is now gone. I can't help but wonder what Helene would make of the changes that have happened to New York in the 15 years since her death. I'm sure her pride in New York would never waiver and she would have been in the forefront of commentators. I can't really see this book appealing to tourists though. It's such an intimate portrait. She goes to the great sites and attractions, but her writing style is of one who lives there and knows the terrain. Constantly referencing streets or subway stops, while repetitive at times, won't help a tourist, it was more confusing than anything, with the map at the back a kind of joke. It is the perfect gift for someone who loves the city and wants a kindred spirit to go on a journey with.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 1799 Clay Street, 84 Charing Cross Road, Apple of My Eye, Helene Hanff, New York, St. John the Divine, The Cloisters, The Frick, World Trade Center

Q's Legacy by Helene Hanff
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: 1985
Format: Paperback, 177 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
Helene Hanff holds a special place in the heart of book lovers for her love affair with the Marks and Co bookstore at 84 Charing Cross Road which she chronicled in the book of the same name. That slim volume is possibly one of the most popular books about books ever written. So popular there was even a movie adaptation with Anthony Hopkins. You bring Anthony Hopkins in and you know it will be a classic. In the book she passingly mentions getting her education through a man she nicknames "Q." Q is known to others as the Cambridge professor, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, and doesn't have anything to do with James Bond. I wondered a bit about how a poor girl from Philly was educated by this elusive Q. Well, lucky for us 84, Charing Cross Road was only one of a few autobiographies Helene wrote. Q's Legacy starts with that first day she realized that she couldn't afford college anymore and found his books on a shelf at the public library. She instantly found a kinship with this man an ocean away and knew that he would teach her all she ever wanted to learn. Through him she became a writer, after a failed attempt at acting and play writing.

Helene was always living hand to mouth, writing whatever she could to make a buck. When 84, Charing Cross Road unexpectedly became a huge hit she didn't know what to do with herself. She wasn't such a celebrity that she couldn't answer her own fan mail, but still, it opened doors she never thought would open. While she doesn't repeat herself with ground covered in 84, Charing Cross Road or her triumphant trip to London as a result of the book which she documented in the sublime sequel, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, she adds so many more stories that where possible because of her book. Helene talks about the joy of going to England to see her book become a movie for the BBC and how she got to go to television center and watch her life come alive. She also recounts her trip to England for the opening of the stage adaptation that was a hit in England and a bomb in America. But it's not just the trips, it's the characters that people her life, the way she sees the world. Every time she said that she had a book that she hated writing so badly and chucked it down the incinerator my heart skipped a beat. If only the world had more of her books not less! She was too harsh a critique and because of that we are left with only a few slim volumes of a writer who has the most distinct and original voice I've ever read. So go out a buy this book before it becomes out of print, like so many of her wonderful books ironically are.

I'll leave off with recounting an interesting story of how I found out our lives intersect. On August 13th, 1978, she finally got to pay her regards to Q. She was invited by the widow of his biographer to come to Cambridge while she was there for the opening of the play and to visit Q's study. It was still as it always had been, preserved in memoriam. This was the day where she walked where her mentor walked. The whole book, perhaps her whole life had been building to afternoon tea in Q's study. Half a world away I was born. I say that makes August the 13th 1978 a rather significant date for the two of us.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 84 Charing Cross Road, Anthony Hopkins, Helene Hanff, Marks and Co, Q, Q's Legacy, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street

Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: September 6th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The national bestselling author of Royal Blood whisks her heroine away to the French Riviera for fun-and danger.

Lady Georgiana Rannoch has once again been called into service by Her Majesty the Queen. This time she's sent to Nice on a secret assignment that's nothing to sneeze at-recover the Queen's stolen snuff box.

As much of an honor as it is to be trusted by Her Majesty, an even greater honor awaits Georgie in Nice-as Coco Chanel herself asks Georgie to model her latest fashion. But when a necklace belonging to the Queen is stolen on the catwalk, Georgie has to find two priceless items-and solve a murder. How's a girl to find any time to go to the casino?"

More fun in Her Royal Spyness series! Plus, who can resist the French Riviera, I know I haven't been able to ever since I saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels!

Legacy of Kings by C.S. Friedman
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: September 6th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The young peasant woman Kamala has proven strong and determined enough to claim the most powerful Magister sorcery for herself-but now the Magisters hunt her for killing one of their own. Her only hope of survival lies in the northern Protectorates, where spells are warped by a curse called the Wrath that even the Magisters fear. Originally intended to protect the lands of men from creatures known only as souleaters, the Wrath appears to be weakening-and the threat of this ancient enemy is once more falling across the land."

I recently picked up the first of this trilogy and set in on my tbr pile. Glad to see I won't have long once I get to it to finish the series, love it when trilogies end. Also, love the covers by John Jude Palencar.

Heir to the Empire: 20th Anniversary Edition by Timothy Zhan
Published by: LucasBooks
Publication Date: September 6th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Here is a special 20th anniversary edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel that reignited the entire Star Wars publishing phenomenon—featuring an Introduction and annotations from award-winning author Timothy Zahn, exclusive commentary from Lucasfilm and Del Rey Books, and a brand-new novella starring the ever-popular Grand Admiral Thrawn. The biggest event in the history of Star Wars books, Heir to the Empire follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia after they led the Rebel Alliance to victory in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

Five years after the Death Star was destroyed and Darth Vader and the Emperor were defeated, the galaxy is struggling to heal the wounds of war, Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins, and Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of new Jedi Knights.

But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor’s warlords—the brilliant and deadly Grand Admiral Thrawn—has taken command of the shattered Imperial fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to create.

The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale—in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars."

As I've said before, if not for this book getting me into reading, this blog would not even exist. Go out and buy it now!

One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: September 6th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"October "Toby" Daye is settling into her new role as Countess of Goldengreen. She's actually dating again, and she's taken on Quentin as her squire. So, of course, it's time for things to take a turn for the worse.

Someone has kidnapped the sons of the regent of the Undersea Duchy of Saltmist. To prevent a war between land and sea, Toby must find the missing boys and prove the Queen of the Mists was not behind their abduction. Toby's search will take her from the streets of San Francisco to the lands beneath the waves, and her deadline is firm: she must find the boys in three days' time, or all of the Mists will pay the price. But someone is determined to stop her-and whoever it is isn't playing by Oberon's Laws..."

I just picked up this series at WisCon this year when Seanan was a guest, and I know many of you have been waiting for this book from the posts I've seen.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: C.S. Friedman, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Heir to the Empire, Legacy of Kings, Naughty in Nice, One Salt Sea, Rhys Bowen, Seanan McGuire, Timothy Zhan