strange and random happenstance

Treasure Green Knowe (Green Knowe Book 2) by L.M. Boston
Published by: Odyssey
Publication Date: 1954
Format: Paperback, 192 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
Tolly is back at Green Knowe. After a truly magical Christmas he has been counting the days till he would go back and once again play with his ghostly ancestors. Yet this time things are different. Toby, Alexander and Linnet are nowhere to be found. Their painting is also gone, on display at a famous museum. The painting might not ever return... there has been an offer to buy it and the house is sadly in need of money if they are to keep it. One hope exists... treasure! Back in the 1800s the house had a very extravagant mistress, draped in jewels and finery. All the jewels disappeared the night of a fire which brought down the new wing of the house. Slowly Granny Oldknow weaves the story for Tolly about the evil manservant Caxton and the lovely Susan who was tragically blind but had the companionship of a young ex-slave Jacob, who was her eyes for her. Before long Tolly meets all these shades and starts to realize the house still has secrets held within her walls, and maybe in her chimneys.

Awhile back when I was having severe Downton Abbey withdrawals I learned that about a year before Downton Julian Fellowes, and a fair amount of the actors from the show, where in a movie he did called From Time to Time. I saw that it was part World War II, part Regency and all Hugh Bonneville, so I was sold. Maggie Smith was just an added bonus. The movie was adapted from the book The Chimneys of Green Knowe, or as it was released in the US, Treasure of Green Knowe, because apparently treasure appeals more to us money mad Americans than chimneys... also, the chimneys does give up a bit too much of the plot. Why the movie then went with the generic From Time to Time will never be known. Or why it wasn't released here, what with America's Dowton obsession. Needless to say, the movie was enjoyable, it pulled on the heartstrings and had lots of Empire waists. Maggie Smith was awesome, as per usual, Branson from Downton was NOT annoying, but my Branson issues could take up a full weeks worth of posts. Yet, me being me, I can't just watch a movie, I have to read the book... or in this case books, because I wasn't about to start with the second book in a series, The Children of Green Knowe being the first!

Firstly, using only the movie as my introduction to Green Knowe, I was happy to see that some of the more obvious ploys to tear out my heart and jump gleefully on it was all Julian Fellowes' doing. The book also had more layers and nuance that made it come alive. The way Granny Oldknow tells the story by the curtains in the house that have been mended for generations by the fabric of those who came before is magical. To think of having the opportunity of having your heritage hung on the wall like the coolest of crazy quilts appeals to the romantic in me. Also the friendship and bond between Susan and Jacob is explored more. We see the trust develop over time, not just the handy movie trick of "fast friends." L.M. Boston also dwelt in great detail on what it would be like to be blind and how this gave Susan an entirely different world to that which people with all their senses experience. Also it led more naturally to Tolly and Susan being able to communicate to each other, being ghosts in each others times. Needless to say, the next book in the series will shortly be picked up because these are wonderful children's classics indeed.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Blindness, Branson, Downton Abbey, Hugh Bonneville, Jullian Fellowes, L.M. Boston, Regency, The Children of Green Knowe, Treasure of Green Knowe

Trail of the Spellmans (The Spellmans Book 5) by Lisa Lutz
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
Challenge: Mystery and Suspense 2011
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
Izzy Spellman's life is for the first time ever on an even keel. She's living with her boyfriend, Henry Stone, and is even drinking buddies with his mother Gertrude. Work is even steady at Spellman Investigations, with the added benefit of having a new co-worker, the wrongfully convicted Demetrius Merryweather whose freedom is down to Izzy and her family. He even is an awesome cook, so there's more reasons to swing by Clay Street than ever before. Yet while Izzy is more normal, her family is behaving stranger than ever. Her mother has every second of every day accounted for with as many "enrichment" classes as she can get... one of them is learning Russian, yet she's not getting any better. David and Rae have started some sort of blood feud and it maybe has to deal with the fact that David's new daughter Sydney hates bananas, yet is always saying that word. Her father is also being belligerent about their caseload dealing with a married couple when it turns out that Izzy was hired by the wife and her father by the husband. They reach an impasse and the fact that her father is withholding evidence that could clear everything up drives Izzy a little crazy. Yet the arrival of Grandma Spellman may just up the crazy to the point of unbearable.

If you haven't noticed by now I'll fill you in on a secret. When naming her books Lisa was looking for a good naming convention and she figured you couldn't go very wrong with going for a tried and true system. Otherwise known as the Pink Panther oeuvre. Therefore I feel safe in the knowledge that we'll get a few more books still, she has more titles to choose from. Also, she was lucky enough to pick a naming convention unlike Charlaine Harris, who is stuck with "dead" or Deanna Raybourn who is stuck with "silent" or some equally ludicrous naming convention like letters of the alphabet or numbers with a qualifier before it. But back to the book. So, Trail of the Spellmans is named after the sixth Pink Panther film, the one notable for the fact that it was a Peter Sellers film made after the star had been dead two years, so was therefore made up of bits and pieces that where cut from the previous films. This lead to a very uneven film.

Taking this analogy to the book, it started out very uneven, you are uncertain if a plot will ever coalesce, with lots of different cases, a daughter being followed, a husband and wife who are trailing each other. All very disparate cases, much like the disparate plot points of  the likewise titled movie. Only Lisa easily succeeded when the movie was unable (ie, their star is dead), in placing the parts into a whole. It's the slow connections, the little cogs all fitting together to form this machine that kept the plot moving more than one specific intrigue.

I was very happy that the mystery part was well thought out and executed because otherwise the book might have let me down. While the Spellmans as a whole are just as kooky as ever, the maturing of Rae and Izzy has led to a hole I feel in me. They have both grown up and in the past it has been their behaviour, or lack of proper behavior I should say, that has driven the plot. Gone are the days where Izzy is sneaky into David's downstairs apartment. Rae is busy with school and actually starting a life independent of her family versus blackmailing them. And Henry and Izzy... well, I won't go there, it's still to raw. This series seems to be in transition. Will it strike out and become more traditional crime solving, or will it adhere to the slightly bizarre and humorous dynamic that drew me to it in the first place? Only the future will tell... but I must pose the question, is growing up sometimes not a good thing?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 1799 Clay Street, Demitrius Merryweather, Henry Stone, Izzy, Lisa Lutz, Peter Sellers, Pink Panther, Rae, The Spellmans, Trail of the Spellmans

Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"FOR THE FIRST TIME in Spellman history, Isabel Spellman, PI, might be the most normal member of her family. Mom has taken on an outrageous assortment of extracurricular activities—with no apparent motive. Dad has a secret. Izzy’s brother and sister are at war—for no apparent reason. And her niece keeps saying “banana” even though she hates bananas.
That’s not to say that Izzy isn’t without her own troubles. Her boyfriend, Henry Stone, keeps wanting “to talk,” a prospect Isabel evades by going out with her new drinking buddy, none other than Gertrude Stone, Henry’s mother.

Things aren’t any simpler on the business side of Spellman Investigations. First, Rae is hired to follow a girl, only to fake the surveillance reports. Then a math professor hires Izzy to watch his immaculate apartment while he unravels like a bad formula. And as the questions pile up, Izzy won’t stop hunting for the answers—even when they threaten to shatter both the business and the family."

It seems longer than two years since the latest in the wonderfully funny Spellman series... but once you start reading it's like they haven't been gone at all.

Timless by Gail Carriger
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell's acting troupe's latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a damper on Alexia's enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.

Until, that is, she receives a summons from Alexandria that cannot be ignored. With husband, child, and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire?"

I am so excited about the newest Parasol Protectorate book, but at the same time I don't want it to end! I know we'll have the two spin off series, but still!


Soulless Manga Volume 1 by Gail Carriger
Published by: Yen
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.
Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Or will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?"

So, at least with the end happening we can now go back to the beginning in Manga form!


Girl Genius Omnibus Volume 1: Agatha Awakens by Phil and Kaja Foglio
Published by: Tor
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Girl Genius, the multiple Hugo Award–winning steampunk webcomic by Phil and Kaja Foglio, now collected in hardcover!

The Industrial Revolution has become all-out war! Mad Scientists, gifted with the Spark of genius, unleash insane inventions on an unprepared Europe. For centuries, the Heterodyne family of inventors kept the peace, but the last Heterodyne disappeared twenty years ago, leaving their ally Baron Klaus Wulfenbach to maintain order with his fleet of airships and army of unstoppable, if not very bright, Jaeger Monsters.

At Transylvania Polygnostic University, Agatha Clay dreams of being a scientist herself, but her trouble concentrating dooms her to be a lowly minion at best. When her locket, a family heirloom, is stolen, Agatha shows signs of having the Spark in a spectacular, destructive fashion and captures the attention of the Baron—and the Baron’s handsome young son, Gilgamesh.

Swept up to the Baron's Airship City, Agatha finds herself in the midst of the greatest minds of her generation, as well as palace intrigue, dashing heroes, and an imperial cat. Agatha may be the most brilliant mind of her generation and the key to control of the continent, but first, she just has to survive."

People have been trying to get me into Agatha and Girl Genius for some time... perhaps this is the incentive I needed!

Jane Vows Vengeance by M.C. Beaton
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"How will Jane Austen break the news to her fiancé that she’s not only undead, but also a two-hundred-plus-year-old literary icon?

In sleepy upstate New York, Jane’s wedding preparations have taken on a bloodsucking intensity. So when Walter suggests they ditch it all and combine their marriage and honeymoon with a house tour of Europe, Jane jumps at the chance to flee Lord Byron and the lingering threat of Charlotte Brontë. But to Jane’s chagrin, more than one secret from her past is about to resurface.

From an Agatha Christie–style murder mystery to a wedding interrupted by the ghosts of the Princes in the Tower to a shocking revelation about Walter’s mother, nothing about this trip is less than pure mayhem. And when a chance encounter puts Jane on the trail of a legendary device reputed to restore a vampire’s human soul, will our beloved heroine finally be able to vow her love and devotion—or will a vampire hunter’s vengeance drive a stake through her eternal life?"

The phrase that sold me was "Jane jumps at the chance to flee Lord Byron and the lingering threat of Charlotte Brontë!"

The Agency: The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee
Published by: Candlewick
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Get steeped in suspense, romance, and high Victorian intrigue as Mary goes undercover at Buckingham Palace - and learns a startling secret at the Tower of London.

Queen Victoria has a little problem: there's a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Charged with discretion, the Agency puts quickwitted Mary Quinn on the case, where she must pose as a domestic while fending off the attentions of a feckless Prince of Wales. But when the prince witnesses the murder of one of his friends in an opium den, the potential for scandal looms large. And Mary faces an even more unsettling possibility: the accused killer, a Chinese sailor imprisoned in the Tower of London, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, engineer James Easton, Mary's onetime paramour, is at work shoring up the sewers beneath the palace, where an unexpected tunnel seems to be very much in use. Can Mary and James trust each other (and put their simmering feelings aside) long enough to solve the mystery and protect the Royal Family? Hoist on your waders for Mary's most personal case yet, where the stakes couldn't be higher - and she has everything to lose."

Another series that has been on my tbr pile for a long time. Sigh, too many books I want to read. I can stop time, catch up and then start time again?

Chi's Sweet Home Volume 8 by Konami Kanata
Published by: Vertical
Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages
To Buy

Yeah! More cute Chi. The perfect cat fix.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 1 comments  

Labels: Chi, Gail Carriger, Girl Genius, Jane Austen, Lisa Lutz, Manga, Soulless, Steampunk, The Agency, The Parasol Protectorate, The Spellmans, Timeless, Trail of the Spellmans, Y.S. Lee

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
Published by: Tor
Publication Date: June 7th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
Jane and Melody Ellsworth are as different as two sisters can be. Jane is starting to accept the inevitability of her spinsterhood. At 28, there is no hope of finding a husband, particularly when Mr. Dunkirk, the man who holds a special place in her heart, is also the object of Melody's affections. Jane knows her beauty is no match to Melody's. Even if Jane is adept in the magical arts and can make the most fabulous glamours and illusions, she herself knows that men prefer beauty over brains. But more importantly, she would never stand in the way of Melody's happiness. Soon the small group of friends in Dorchester receives a few additions to their ranks. Mr. Dunkirk's younger sister Beth arrives, but the withdrawn and sallow young girl with a mysterious past is nothing to what is happening at the Viscountess'. Not only is her favorite, and need it be said, dashing, nephew, Captain Livingston, is arriving after years away, but she has also hired the famous Glamourist Mr. Vincent to make a wooded wonderland of her dining hall.

Soon everyone is coming and going between the homes with dinners and strawberry picnics, and all manner of enjoyments. Jane starts to hope that perhaps her sisters affections for Mr. Dunkirk is waning, as she befriends his sister and starts to realize that he might indeed have feelings for her, not Melody. The course of love never runs smooth though, neither does felicity between sisters. Melody and Jane have a falling out because Melody is willing to do anything to ensnare her man, even fain injury. Can talent and brains when out over conniving beauty? Or will the answer to true happiness be something and someone different than Jane ever thought.

This is like the best possible Jane Austen mash-up. It's like if Elinor and Marianne had a major falling out with secret engagements to multiple parties. Then on top of everything, throw in some magic! The book is very much a slow burn. For a long time you just enjoy the routine of characters very much pulled from the pages of Austen. Instead of painting or working on embroidery, they are using magic to enhance the world around them, but that is a very quibbling difference. There are the dances, the dinning and the arguments over fabrics at the modiste. Yet under this Mary Robinette Kowal is not only building an ending that packs a punch with the sheer number of Austenian endings happening simultaneously, but a deeper story. The love and passion of art and the character of Mr. Vincent is what pulls you into the story. It's as if Darcy and Elizabeth where dueling artists where their passion was expounded upon more. The revelation that happens through Mr. Vincent's art literally took my breath away with it's beauty, simplicity and passion. It also doesn't hurt if, like me, you keep picture Mr. Vincent as Tony Curran as Vincent Van Gogh from Doctor Who.

The magical element has this book being categorized as in the vein of  Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. While I can see the connections, one couldn't with two books both set in Regency England and employing the use of magic, but I think they are truly very different. Jonathan Strange has a far more faerie aspect, which the excerpt from the second book in this series indicates that Mary Robinette Kowal may start to take that direction as well, but you still don't have that feeling in this first book. Also, for all the Jane Austen vibe in Jonathan Strange, it is a far more masculine book. There are woman, but not really of key character narration variety as here. This is far more a book derived from Austen, versus the entire new world that Susanna Clarke created, but that isn't to dismiss the world building here. The "Glamour" and folds and magic is such an intriguing and fascinating aspect to this world that it binds the book into a cohesive and compelling whole more so than the narrative. Jane and Mr. Vincent are rightfully the heart of this book and I can not wait till I get to read more of their adventures... I only wish I could pick up the next volume right this minute. If you are a fan of Austen, I really think that this book needs to move to your "to be read" pile right now, and yes, I assume, like mine, it's a pile... maybe even two or three. Also, if you need further convincing, I picked up this book because Patrick Rothfuss told me to, or at least the next one in the series.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Glamour, Glamoural, Jane Austen, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Mary Robinette Kowal, Mr. Vincent, Patrick Rothfuss, Shades of Milk and Honey, Tony Curran

Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: December 6th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
Rating: ★★
To Buy

Elizabeth and Darcy have been married for some time. Theirs is a happy life. Despite any reservations Darcy had about his wife, she rose to each and every challenge. She runs the household and Pemberley with the love and respect of her staff and family, which already has two healthy little boys. Her sister, Jane, lives a short distance away and comes to Pemberley often with her husband Bingley. The household is in a massive upheaval in preparation for their annual ball which was a tradition of Darcy's mother, and which the family still upholds. The night before the ball has the family gathered together, Jane and Bingley have arrived early to help Elizabeth and Georgiana with the preparations, as well as Georgiana's two suitors, her cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and an up-and-coming barrister, Alveston. What happens that night as they go to bed will change the lives of everyone present. Lydia arrives unexpectedly saying that Wickham and Denny are wandering in the woods and one of them is possibly dead, her and the coachman having heard gunshots. This being Lydia, she isn't that concise, or coherent, but the gist is understood.

Going into the depths of the forest, Wickham is found alive and crouching over the lifeless form of Denny. Wickham, despite initial incoherence, declares his innocence. But it's not that easy claiming innocence above the corpse of your friend who you've just argued with. The following days and months are spent in endless waiting. What will happen to Wickham? What really happened in those woods? Are they cursed? Will the shades of Permberley be thus polluted?

PD James is the mistress of mystery, the dame of death, the final word in her genre. Therefore I was expecting a lot more. I don't know why I should let myself get these high expectations, they are almost always crushed... but there you go, one of my many character flaws. Though I suspect PD of a greater character flaw, a Wickham sympathiser. I could not get ride of this nagging feeling the entire book that she didn't much care for Darcy and Elizabeth (who where woefully underused and also felt guilt towards Wickham) and really liked Wickham, who was given a lifestyle in youth that his true station in life could never support. Boo freakin' hoo. I bought this book for one purpose only, to see Wickham get what he deserves. A creeping leech who worms his way into peoples hearts and has been unrepentant in his ways all these many years. Yes, I know he's a fictional character, but unlike Willoughby, he had NO REMORSE!

Die Wickham, die! Which sadly, did not happen. But the whole mystery itself, aside from my Wickham issues was lackluster. I'm pretty decent at figuring mysteries out. Sometimes I don't try and I let myself enjoy the ride of reading the book, but not here. Here I was beat over the head with the clues so I couldn't avoid them. Heavy-handed foreshadowing indeed! I won't spoil it, but when PD went into a bit too much detail about certain "new" characters as well as a certain canines resting place, you should be able to put two and two together. If there had been some little twist, some little something, more fear, more gore, perhaps it would have taken this book beyond a cosy to something more enjoyable. Instead it seemed PD was more interested in the court proceedings of the day than actually creating suspense.

Of course I must handle the elephant in the room. There is a certain pressure of writing Austen. Books fall into two camps, the homage and the direct continuation. I personally like the homage. There's more fun to be hand, there's more you can do and there's less chance that you will attract the ire of Janites. Authors like Lauren Willig have successfully written with the flavor and time period of Austen without desecrating the hallowed six. Death Comes to Pemberley is of the second more dangerous camp and she creates a major fly in the ointment before the first page ends, with mistakenly referring to the odious Mr. Collins as Mr. Bennet's nephew. Um, no. Check your facts. He is a cousin. So step one, get your facts right, totally out the window. Then PD tries to jokingly/cleverly put in allusions to two other books in Austen's cannon. The first joke, about Wickham working for the Elliot's was very funny and you could see it as a possibility in some weird literature mash-up. But the second joke bringing in Emma, fell totally flat and seemed too much of a contrivance versus some little bit of fun on the side. True Janites should avoid this book like the plague. But if you're more of a causal Austen fan and aren't very good with the foreshadowing, go for it, it does have a pretty cover and the supporting characters that weren't in Pride and Prejudice are fun.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Darcy, Death Comes to Pemberley, Jane Austen, P.D. James, Pride and Prejudice, Wickham

Death of a Kingfisher by M.C. Beaton
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: February 21st, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Scotland is hit by the recession, Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices that the Highland people are forced to come up with inventive ways to lure tourists to their sleepy towns. The quaint village of Braikie doesn't have much to offer, other than a place of rare beauty called Buchan's Wood, which was bequeathed to the town. The savvy local tourist director renames the woods "The Fairy Glen," and has brochures printed with a beautiful photograph of a kingfisher rising from a pond on the cover.

It isn't long before coach tours begin to arrive. But just as the town's luck starts to turn, a kingfisher is found hanging from a branch in the woods with a noose around its neck. As a wave of vandalism threatens to ruin Braikie forever, the town turns to Hamish Macbeth. And when violence strikes again,the lawman's investigation quickly turns from animal cruelty to murder."

My mom's favorite series ever, hands down!

A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: February 21st, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison returns to the Hollows with the electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed Pale Demon!

Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the I.S. and the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: a human hate group is trying to create its own demons to destroy all Inderlanders, and to do so, it needs her blood.

She’s faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more, but humanity itself might be her toughest challenge yet."

I really need to get on this series. I ahve friends who say they think it's going down a bit, but I'll be the judge of that... one day!

Fairy Tales and Nightmares by Melissa Marr
Published by: Harper Collins
Publication Date: February 21st, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments, dark and light, by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from under the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.

From the gentle tones of a story-teller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with . . . or to fear.

Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it."

Short story fun from the writer of the Wicked Lovely series.

Fever by Lauren DeStefano
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: February 21st, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The second book in The Chemical Garden Trilogy reveals a world as captivating—and as dangerous—as the one Rhine left behind in Wither. Rhine and Gabriel may have escaped the beautiful prison of Wither’s mansion, but they are far from escaping danger. First they’re chased for stealing a getaway boat, and then the fleeing pair ends up in the eerie den of Madame, an old woman who collects girls and sells them to the highest bidders. Worst of all, Vaughn, Rhine’s sinister father-in-law, seems to be on her trail every step of the way. Rhine remains determined to get to her brother in Manhattan—but the road they are on is long and perilous.

Now that Rhine has finally regained her freedom, what lengths will she need to go to in order to keep it?"

People have been feverish (haha) with anticipation for the second book in the Chemical Garden Trilogy.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: February 21st, 2012
Format: Paperback, 672 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the concluding volume of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, Lisbeth Salander lies in critical condition in a Swedish hospital, a bullet in her head.

But she's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll stand trial for three murders. With the help of Mikael Blomkvist, she'll need to identify those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she'll seek revenge--against the man who tried to killer her and against the corrupt government institutions that nearly destroyed her life."

It's finally out in paperback if you where actually patient enough to wait...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Chemical Garden Trilogy, Hamish Macbeth, Kim Harrison, Lauren DeStefano, M.C. Beaton, Melissa Marr, Stieg Larsson, The Girl who Kicked a Hornet's Nest, The Hollows, Wicked Lovely

Sweet Revenge (A Lady Arianna Regency Mystery Book 1) by Andrea Penrose
Published by: Obsidian
Publication Date: April 6th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
Lady Arianna Hadley has returned to England from a life of poverty and strife in the West Indies where she has been fending for herself ever since her father was murdered years earlier. Yet she returns to England, not to reclaim her place in the ton, but to seek revenge on those who are responsible for her father's death. Posing as a male French Chef in a dubious yet aristocratic household, she is able to spy on those she plans to take down. Her plans go wildly awry when, upon eating one of her chocolaty confections, the Prince Regent ends up poisoned. Suspected of attempted regicide, she is soon under scrutiny by the Earl of Saybrook, Alessandro De Quincy, who has been assigned the case of the poisoning due to his knowledge of chocolate. Sandro quickly notices that "he" is a she, but an attempt on their lives and a murder soon throws them together.

Trying to work with each other, while not quite understanding or trusting the other, and therefore not believing in full disclosure, they slowly start to ferret out the truth. The lovely smells of cacao seem to be hiding a labyrinthine financial swindle, the likes of which have not been seen in years, the likes of which Arianna's father was involved in. Constructing an elaborate undercover operation, Arianna enters society as a wealthy widow and soon starts to put the puzzle together. But rakes and rogues are everywhere, and soon there are even more dead bodies. Will Arianna be able to sink to the depths she needs to in order to get her revenge? Or will she succumb to the lures offered to her in the pantomime she is living out?

This Regency romp by Andrea Penrose is sweet and frothy with a little bit o'spice, just like delicious hot cocoa done right. We have somewhat typical protagonists, with Sandro and Arianna, him being a grizzled war veteran addicted to opiates and her being the orphan girl trying to reclaim a semblance of life. Yet together they make each other better people, aw, Regency Romance indeed. The tropes aren't stale though because of the added lure of chocolaty confections and the two leads fierce intelligences. You don't get many mathematical geniuses who are female in Jane Austen now do you? Though, I think this book also demonstrates why you don't get mathematical geniuses in books too often, the jargon and the financial swindle where so confusing and detailed that it leaves you a little confused and feeling more than a little stupid, but that's just an aside. The spice here is the overused Hell Fire Club... ah, what I wouldn't give for Dashwood's Medmenham Abbey and their depravities, or offshoots thereof, to just take a break from literature. Why does it always go to Medmenham? It has become on of the most stale tropes. Luckily it was in the first book in this new series, so hopefully it won't return. Got that Andrea? No more Hell Fire. This goes for anyone else planing on writing about the Monks of Medmenham. Don't.

While the book is a quick fun read, it did have one major flaw, which is a cute gimmick, but at the beginning was a real hindrance and led to me struggling to get into the book. At the beginning of each chapter there is a little journal entry from Sandro's grandmother and a recipe. Now, the journal entry is fun and reflects the tone of the story, the recipe, not so much. This isn't because I don't want chocolate recipes, good God, I want as many as I can get, and many of these looked really tasty. The fact is, that they take you out of the story because of modern terminology. Having to read about setting an oven to 350 degrees makes the Regency feel a little less real. While I think it would be cool if the recipes could be written more Mrs. Beeton like, I think the olde tyme would drive people around the bend trying to update to modern cooking terms. SO how about just a nice selection of recipes at the back? They wouldn't pull you out of the story or distract you, and you'd still get all that chocolaty goodness. Mmm... chocolate.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Andrea Penrose, Arianna Hadley, Chocolate, Hellfire Club, Jane Austen, Medmenham, Mrs. Beeton, Prince Regent, Regency Mystery, Sweet Revenge

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
ARC Provided by Dutton
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: February 16th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
There's only so many times you can throw yourself at someones feet till you start to fall for the owner of said feet. Augustus has been throwing himself at the feet of the Pink Carnation for some time now. Working with her as an undercover agent in Paris and using his horrible poetry to foil the French has made him invaluable to the British, but really, he only wants to be invaluable to one person; Jane, the Pink Carnation. Despite his flowery poetry that goes beyond the ridiculous, his sentiments of love are becoming more and more true. Jane though does not share these sentiments. She would gladly play matchmaker though.

Emma Delagardie is an American living in Paris. She spent most of her life in France, going to school with Napoleon's stepdaughter, then marrying a man whom she didn't quite get. Widowed young, she flung herself back into life, even making a few mistakes along the way in the form of Georges Marston. Yet her new favorite pastime is heckling Augustus. She is ever by the side of Jane and Augustus is ever by Jane's feet... he makes a very logical target. Jane thinks though that perhaps Emma's taunting is a deflection of her true feelings for Augustus. Throwing the two of them together to write a masque for Napoleon's house party seems the perfect way to see if these two crazy kids might not find a way to work things out and hopefully foil whatever that wacky emperor is doing next... because declaring himself emperor seems a pretty big step onto the crazy train.

Augustus is perhaps the most beloved character we have been waiting to get his happily ever after. That is after Turnip. I'm sorry Augustus lovers, but Turnip will always be my man, on the plus side, Turnip got his happily ever after so now it's time to spread the love. Ever since this absurd poet flung himself at the feet of the Pink Carnation speculation has been running wild as to whether this would be the man to win the heart of the elusive spy. As is the case in fiction as reality, the course of love never runs smooth. While busy admiring "The Princess of the Pulchritudinous Toes", the Princess's short little American companion heckling him has never left a good impression. She's American, for a start, a little too gaudy, a little too sultry, and a little too much "the Grand Inquisitor for Poetical Excellence, Greater Paris Branch." Emma Delagardie is the perfect foil for Augustus.

Until this book I have always pictured Augustus as one of those over the top, Byronic poets, like Shelley, Byron and Coleridge, but as depicted in Blackadder, laying about prostate in Mrs. Miggins' Coffee Shop half dead of consumption, but with a very puffy shirt on. Never discount the puffy shirt! Aka, a stereotypical poet, which for Augustus is the perfect disguise. Lauren does a wonderful job though of showing what playing this stereotype for so long might do to ones mind. Like all deep undercover agents, sometimes it can be too much, and sometimes you just can't get away from the bad rhymes, even in your head. I felt an empathy towards August and his muddled mind. Are his feelings for Jane even real, or has the job just fully taken over control of his senses. He is far more tragic and dark than one might expect... a true romantic poet, not just some parody.

The bubbly Emma as Augustus' counterpoint was perfect. She too has inside turmoil, but there's an exuberance about her that is undeniable. I kept trying to think of petite blond Americans who could due her justice, seeing as I always cast books in my head for my dream miniseries. I thought Kristen Bell would be good, but for some reason that wouldn't stick. The initial spark in my mind was Bernadette from The Big Bang Theory, and you know what, I think Melissa Rauch is Emma. The way she has that bubbly way of speaking, but then her happy smile can freeze and all of a sudden there is menace and you are very afraid. I think she is Emma. The facade and the interior, the whole shebang if you will. I got a "Bang" joke in, yeah!

The only flaw this book has, which can be said of all the books in this series, is once the couples are paired off, they rarely make a return performance. They are forever relegated to supporting or cameo roles. I think perhaps a sequel or two might one day be in order... the love I have for these characters just can't be contained to one book and then a shout out. Even when the wicked Georges Marston makes a come back, having been MIA since book once, it gives me a thrill. Ah Lauren, you have created a world I love to visit, and a new book once a year is never enough.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Blackadder, Byronic, Lauren Willig, Melissa Rauch, Napoleon, Pink Carnation, Poetry, The Big Bang Theory, The Garden Intrique, Turnip Fitzhugh

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I know what you're thinking... but Downton Abbey is Edwardian, not Regency... but I ask you, who cares? Downton is good any time, day or night. Also, the very talented Chad Thomas has made a lovely series of Downton inspired Valentine's Day cards (it was hard to choose my favorite, I even liked that one with Branson, and I do not like him), so how could I not use one of them? I couldn't. Be sure to check out the rest of the cards here. Also have a wonderful chocolate and romance filled day, even if it's only with a good book or miniseries, make it yours!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Downton Abbey, Valentine's Day

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: February 14th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the ninth installment of Lauren Willig's bestselling Pink Carnation series, an atrocious poet teams up with an American widow to prevent Napoleon's invasion of England.

Secret agent Augustus Whittlesby has spent a decade undercover in France, posing as an insufferably bad poet. The French surveillance officers can't bear to read his work closely enough to recognize the information drowned in a sea of verbiage.

New York-born Emma Morris Delagardie is a thorn in Augustus's side. An old school friend of Napoleon's stepdaughter, she came to France with her uncle, the American envoy; eloped with a Frenchman; and has been rattling around the salons of Paris ever since. Widowed for four years, she entertains herself by drinking too much champagne, holding a weekly salon, and loudly critiquing Augustus's poetry.

As Napoleon pursues his plans for the invasion of England, Whittlesby hears of a top-secret device to be demonstrated at a house party at Malmaison. The catch? The only way in is with Emma, who has been asked to write a masque for the weekend's entertainment.

Emma is at a crossroads: Should she return to the States or remain in France? She'll do anything to postpone the decision-even if it means teaming up with that silly poet Whittlesby to write a masque for Bonaparte's house party. But each soon learns that surface appearances are misleading. In this complicated masque within a masque, nothing goes quite as scripted- especially Augustus's feelings for Emma."

New Lauren, dance of joy time! Can't wait to see her next week! Also, this books rocks by the way (see Wednesday's review).

Mrs. God by Peter Straub
Published by: Pegasus
Publication Date: February 14th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A tale of an inspired literary sojourn that turns into something far more sinister.

Esswood House. Home and estate of the Seneschal family, aristocratic patrons of the literary arts for well over a hundred years. D. H. Lawrence, T. S. Eliot, Ford Madox Ford, and Henry James were privileged to call themselves guests and Esswood Fellows. Even minor poets such as Isobel Standish found in Esswood a respite from the outer world and its refined atmosphere an inspiration for her work. There was always talk of a hidden secret in Esswood’s past, and the Seneschal children were often so pale and sickly, but don’t all English manor houses have a few ghost stories to call their own?

When Professor William Standish receives the rare honor of an Esswood Fellowship, and the chance to study Isobel’s private manuscripts at close hand, he is thrilled beyond his wildest ambitions. But something seems slightly off at Esswood House. He hears faint laughter in the halls, the pitter-pattering of small feet in the night; strange faces appear in the windows of the library, and there are those giant dollhouses in the basement . . .

Never before published as a separate volume, Mrs. God is a very different kind of ghost story from one of America’s most celebrated authors."

I get goosebumps just reading the discription! I can't wait.

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: The Dial Press
Publication Date: February 14th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"I’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life."

I keep holding out hope for Sophie Kinsella... I mean, I NEED some good chick-lit... it's not like Helen Fielding has written anything in years... sigh.

Henri's Walk to Paris by Saul Bass
Published by: Universe
Publication Date: February 14th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 48 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Henri’s Walk to Paris is the story of a young boy who lives in Reboul, France, who dreams of going to Paris. One day, after reading a book about Paris, he decides to pack a lunch and head for the city.

“Like many of us Henri wants to see Paris.

In Paris, there are thousands of buses. In Reboul, where Henri lives, there is only one bus.

In Paris there are many parks and rows and rows of trees. The park in Reboul has only five trees. In Paris there are many zoos full of animals for the people to see.
So one fine day Henri packs up some lunch and starts off to see all the things he had read about.”

Along the way, Henri gets tired and falls asleep under a tree. And this is when the story gets really charming. What Henri sees, we see, in a flowing panorama of pictures conceived by the eminent graphic designer Saul Bass. "

Saul Bass, the master of graphics and opening movie credits did a book! I'm sold.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Dutton, Herni's Walk to Paris, I've Got Your Number, Lauren Willig, Mrs. God, Peter Straub, Pink Carnation, Saul Bass, Sophie Kinsella, The Garden Intrique

Away in a Manger: A Very Turnip Wedding Night by Lauren Willig
Published by: Amazon
Publication Date: July 25th, 2011
Format: Kindle
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
The books in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation oeuvre have never shied away from having a little sexy sexy in them. In fact, Lauren herself has said that when writing her first book, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, she was under the delusion she was writing a romance, not historical fiction. So there's a little steamy, a little sexy sexy, in boats no less! As each of the succeeding volumes came out there where varying degrees of steam, some, like last years The Mischief of the Mistletoe, nary a naked body in sight. There was some steamy kissing, but fully clothed, drat those clothes, and a desk, and everything else that got in their way, including puddings. The Mischief of the Mistletoe with Turnip Fitzhugh has become my favorite book Lauren has written to date (though she would keep getting better and better, so who knows if Turnip will remain the champion, better start practicing your boxing moves, Arabella likes you fit) and it has easily made itself mandatory Christmas reading. Some people might say though we where denied the wedding night, being only given the "happily ever after." Well, at the RITA awards, which Lauren won at (yeah), she stuck a bargain to write Turnip's "Amorous Addendum."

The short afterward picks up as Turnip has hastily married Arabella before even leaving Girdings, he doesn't want her coming to her senses, and he valiantly heads forth into the oncoming blizzard. The blizzard that makes them lost and snowbound, but luckily there's a barn. And nice warm hay... and of course, pudding. You can imagine there's much sexy sexy, but Turnip being Turnip, there's prevarication and talking and finally, she doth stop his mouth with a kiss. Despite the steam, this was nothing but sweet.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Arabella Dempsey, Lauren Willig, Pink Carnation, RITA Awards, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, Turnip Fitzhugh

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
Published by: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: January 31st, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Charlotte Kinder is still wondering how it went wrong. She dedicated her life to her family. Now she's single again and her husband James will soon be married the a woman named Justice. How is that just? To be single again at her age is something she never thought would or could happen. Thankfully due to her brains, and her Internet start-up company, she's not exactly hurting for money. But what does that matter. She doesn't know who she is without James. Finding an old bucket list from when she was a teenager she realizes how many dreams she had that where abandoned by an early marriage and pregnancy. The list is unrealistic, Kilimanjaro, really? But what about the part about reading all Jane Austen's books? That was something that she didn't even have to leave the house to do.

Reading the works of Jane Austen is the first time she has truly felt anything in a long time. Realizing that she has the money and the time to take a vacation, Charlotte thinks she would like to go to England and walk in the steps of this great author to hopefully recapture some of those feelings Austen has reawakened. Then she hears about Pembrook Park... an immersive Austen experience. She wouldn't be walking in Jane's footsteps, she would be living in her world! Arriving at the park she meets a motley crew, from the strict proprietress, Mrs. Wattlesbrook, to the Englsih songstress Alisha, ill and in disguise as Miss Gardenside, with her ever present nurse, Mrs. Hatchett, as well as the guest in permanent residence, Miss Charming. But what about the men? There's the exuberant Colonel Andrews, the Rochester like Mr. Mallery, and the actor who is to play her brother, Eddie. Because Charlotte has left her life behind and is now Mrs. Cordial, the widowed bell of Regency England. Even if Charlotte just learned what Regency means...

A relaxing stay doesn't seem in the cards. The drunken and decidedly modern dressed husband of Mrs. Wattlesbrook makes an appearance. But an interruption into the verisimilitude isn't so troubling as the ghost stories and mysteries that start to weave through the house. Dead nuns and ghosts and secret rooms and fire. Charlotte stumbles on a corpse, but was it really there, was it Bloody Murder? Could Charlotte be next?

For those familiar with Pembrook Park from Hale's previous jaunt into Austenland, you are in for a complete 180. Instead of the romance and comedy of manners, much like Austen's Pride and Prejudice, her we have the Austen of Northanger Abbey. The laundry list that might be a plaintive cry for help. The tone is set quite early by Charlotte, who, upon first seeing Pembrook Park, thinks "this is the sort of house were murders happen." She isn't far off. With a far more Bronte-esque man set aside for her, this isn't going to be all longing gazes and secret rendezvous. Instead Charlotte will be sizing everyone up in the drawing room and making lists of suspects.

Quite a suspect list it is, with some familiar faces returning, in fact, after her last stay, Miss Charming has never left, instead moving into the park full time. Also, Mrs. Wattlesbrook's husband, who was booted out of the house because of an incident in Austenland, shows he's even more of a villain than previously thought. Also, the new characters are interesting, though I think with Miss Gardenside is badly timed. She is very much of the Amy Winehouse/Lily Allen persuasion... and, well... things didn't really turn out well there. Not that Hale was to know writing this book way in advance of Winehouse's death.

While I found the change of tone and the recurrence of characters fun, feeling at times like my favorite movie, Clue, there was one problem I had. A problem that often happens in murder mysteries. Why does the heroine always have to be in danger? Not just once, but repeatedly. The same scenario played out over and over and over. The inner monologue trying to justify what was really going on and always second guessing herself. I did like how the red herrings Hale laid out did lead me down a few dead ends, but once it was all solved... there was not enough rapidity in the conclusion. A drawn out ending can be the killer of a book and this ending did bring it down a full star rating. If I where Charlotte I wouldn't have second guessed, I would have called the police immediately and had done with it. Why do people have to figure things out for themselves before calling the proper authorities... I mean, I'm sure I might make the same mistake, but I'm hoping that after all the horror films and mysteries I've been exposed to I wouldn't be so dumb.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amy Winehouse, Austenland, Bloody Murder, Bronte, Clue, Jane Austen, Kilimanjaro, Midnight in Austenland, Northanger Abbey, Pembrook Park, Pride and Prejudice, Rochester, Shannon Hale

Buried in a Book by Lucy Arlington
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: February 7th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After losing her job as a journalist at the age of forty-five, Lila Wilkins accepts an internship at A Novel Idea, a thriving literary agency in North Carolina. Being paid to read seems perfect to Lila, although it's difficult with the cast of quirky co-workers and piles of query letters. But when a penniless aspiring author drops dead in the agency's waiting room-and Lila discovers a series of threatening letters-she's determined to find out who wrote him off."

A book with a lead with a dream job that just happens to stumble on a murder, seems like a fun cozy to start February off with!

Pistols for Two by Georgette Heyer
Published by: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: February 7th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Intrigue,elegance,and glittering romance... In eleven charming short stories, the Queen of Regency romance presents an exquisite romp through affairs of honor and affairs of the heart. Featuring rakes and rascals, orphans and heirs, beauties and their beaus, the legendary Georgette Heyer's signature wit and inimitable style bring the Regency world dazzlingly alive."

You can never have enough Georgette Heyer. Also, these editions by Sourcebooks are just beautiful.


Knit Your Own Cat by Sally Muir
Published by: Black Dog and Leventhal
Publication Date: February 7th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cat lovers, rejoice! It's the highly anticipated follow-up book to Knit Your Own Dog. With easy-to-follow instructions for 16 distinct felines, Knit Your Own Cat is the irresistible guide to knitting the pet you've always wanted.

Cats and knitters are perfect companions. What's better together than a kitten curled up in a basket of wool or a frisky feline chasing a skein of yarn down a hallway? Since the instant success of Knit Your Own Dog, cat lovers have been clamoring for a book of their own. That time has come. Knit Your Own Cat is packed with knitting patterns for 16 different fanciful felines, from a pretty Persian to a sleek Siamese, from a cuddly kitten to a traditional tabby. The cats are surprisingly easy to make: With a few evenings of work, you can have a covetable companion for life. Each cat includes clear, step-by-step instructions for both knitting and assembling the parts. The cats can be knit into various positions such as standing, sitting, crouching, and curled up for a nap. You can add details like collars, bells, and bows. Photographs throughout show the finished cat from various angles, and each cat is accompanied by a description of its real-life temperament and physical characteristics. Cats include: Abyssinian, Bengal, Black Cat, Black & White, British Shorthair, Burmese, Devon Rex, Kitten, Maine Coon, Orange, Persian, Ragdoll, Siamese, Tabby, Tortoiseshell, and Turkish Van."

SO much better than knit you own dog, and perfect for people whose housemates won't let her have a cat (grumble, grumble).

Mr. Funny Pants by Michael Showalter
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: February 7th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"I was at my wit's end. I'd had enough of this job, this life, and my relationship had broken up. Should I eat chocolate, or go to India, or fall in love? Then I had a revelation: Why not do all three, in that order? And so it was that I embarked on a journey that was segmented into three parts and was then made into a major motion picture. Later, I woke up on an airplane with a hole in my face and a really bad hangover. I was ushered brusquely off the plane by my parents who took me to a rehab where I tested positive for coke, classic coke, special k (the drug), Special K (the cereal), mushrooms, pepperoni, and Restless Leg Syndrome. It was there that I first began painting with my feet.

But rewind...the year was 1914. I was just a young German soldier serving in the trenches while simultaneously trying to destroy an evil ring with some help from an elf, a troll, and a giant sorcerer, all while cooking every recipe out of a Julia Child cookbook. What I'm trying to say is that there was a secret code hidden in a painting and I was looking for it with this girl who had a tattoo of a dragon! Let me clarify, it was the 1930s and a bunch of us were migrating out of Oklahoma, and I was this teenage wizard/CIA operative, okay? And, um then I floated off into the meta-verse as a ball of invisible energy that had no outer edge...

Ugh, okay. None of this is true. I'm just kind of a normal guy from New Jersey who moved to New York, got into comedy, wrote this book about trying to write this book, and then moved to Alaska, became the mayor of a small town, spent $30,000 on underwear, and now I'm going to rule the world!!!"

If you don't yet know who Michael Showalter is, you must lead a sad sad life, so go pick up this book and watch all season of The State.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Buried in a Book, Georgette Heyer, Knit Your Own Cat, Lucy Arlington, Michael Showalter, Mr. Funny Pants, Pistols for Two

Austenland by Shannon Hale
Published by: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: May 29th, 2007
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Jane Hayes has boy problems. She's had a string of boyfriends and as each one has successively let her down she's lost herself more and more to the world of Jane Austen. Mr. Darcy is her dark dirty secret, hiding him away in her apartment where no one will look. But then her astute Great Aunt notices the DVD set amongst the dying foliage of her house plants and confronts her niece. Jane needs to grasp tightly to reality and leave the dream men behind. Don't let it wait till it's too late. When her Great Aunt dies she leaves Jane a legacy. An all expense paid trip to Austenland, the premiere holiday destination for Janites with cash to spare, as in enough to pay for a new car and a month in Italy. Jane feels silly dressing up in Regency garb and pretending to be "Miss Jane Erstwhile." The men are gorgeous, the house is wonderful, but it makes her secret not so secret. All these actors paid to fulfil her fantasies are now aware of her "issues."

At first she decides to eschew the world Austenland has opened to her and seeks comfort with Martin, who happens to be a gardener on the estate. She soon realizes that while making out with Martin is nice, there's no way he can help her get over her Darcy dreams. This is the best place in the world to do immersion therapy to get over Darcy once and for all. Jane throws herself into the world and soon has feelings for the Darcyesque Mr. Nobley. Are her feelings real, are his feelings real, or is he being paid to help her get over her addiction? If she can say no to Mr. Nobley then she'll get over Darcy.

I remember back in 2007 how excited I was for this book. Shannon Hale's first foray into adult literature. I also remember the glee (there was squealing) when Barnes & Noble put it out the Friday before it was supposed to be released so I got to read it over the holiday weekend. I didn't exactly like it, in fact, hate might be more the right phrase... here's what I wrote at the time: "Supposedly humorous book on Jane Austen addiction, but the author obviously has a disdain for those obsessed with Austen and views it as a problem to be hidden away, like the leads hiding of her double dvd set. Not very funny and to a true Janeite somewhat insulting. Plus the naming of the male actors is dumb, really the Darcy/Knightly Character is really called Nobley? I mean could it be stupider? The whole book is kind of degrading." As you might have guessed, time changes many things, including how I feel about this book.

So why has my opinion on this book changed so drastically? It's still the same book. It's not like it magically became something else like a caterpillar to a butterfly. In fact, many of the issues I had on my first reading are still present. What I think it comes down to is I knew what the book was and didn't have any expectations so I was actually able to enjoy the ride. The characters names are so absurd it's like they're named to be bad puns in a Restoration Comedy. The shame she feels for loving Austen insults me. The fact that the people at Austenland are like hookers who can't go all the way is mildly disturbing. If you just remember that this is a very broad over the top comedy I think it's more enjoyable than if you view it in any kind of serious light. I think over the years I've realized to not take things so seriously and also be able to embrace characters that I don't really like (hello Shopaholic's Becky Bloomwood) and that made me able to enjoy this book the second time around.

Also learning it's going to be a movie with J.J. Feild didn't hurt either. At least Jane Hayes reaches the correct frame of mind and embraces Austen as she is, the opiate of women, not a dirty secret to be hidden away, but to be proudly placed on your shelf next to Arrested Development Season 1.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Arrested Development, Austenland, Becky Bloomwood, J.J. Feild, Jane Austen, Mr. Darcy, Restoration Comedy, Shannon Hale, Shopaholic

Now, I'm not just talking about a love for books that are Regency romances, that would limit the field of all those yummy books out there that you love to curl up with on a cold winters day as the season of love and hot cocoa descends on us. I'm talking about a love, a romance, with all things Regency. A love of the time period from the end of the 18th century till the beginning of the 19th century, of course embodied by the works of Jane Austen. The Empire waist line on dresses making you giddy. Knowing the differences between a barouche and chaise (four versus two wheels). Understanding the horrors of an entail. Having an unending love of knee breeches. And being giddy when you hear any quote from Blackadder season 3 and ALWAYS picturing Duke Wellington as Stephen Fry. HURRAH FOR THE REGENCY! A mad king and dachshund named Colin.

And of course, a themed month can't be complete without a giveaway!

Prize: A signed arc of Lauren Willig's the new book, The Garden Intrigue (direct from Lauren).

The Rules:1. Open to EVERYONE, just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter, you just get more entries if you prove you love me by following.
2. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn, either your blogger profile or a link to your website/blog or you could even include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Contest ends Wednesday, February 29th at 11:59PM CST (yes folks, it IS a leap year!)
4. How to enter:

Answer me this: Who is your favorite regency author? Now, they don't have to have been writing during the Regency, but they have to be writing about the Regency.

• +1 for answering the question above
• +2 for becoming a follower
• +10 if you are already a follower
• +10 for each time you advertise this contest - blog post, sidebar, twitter (please @MzLizard), etc. (but you only get credit for the first post, so tweet all you like, and I thank you for it, but you'll only get the +10 once). Also please leave a link!
• +25 if you comment on any of the posts this month (aka February), with something other than "I hope I win" or a variation thereof.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 6 comments  

Labels: Blackadder, Colin Firth, Duke Wellington, Giveaway, Knee Breeches, Lauren Willig, Regency, Regency Romance, Stephen Fry, The Garden Intrique