strange and random happenstance

The Silver Tracks by Cornelia Funke
Published by: Pushkin Children's Books
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The thrilling fourth instalment in Cornelia Funke's internationally bestselling Reckless series.

The fourth adventure through the Mirror leads to the Far East, where Jacob and Fox finally track down Will, who is travelling with rival hunter Nerron. In spite of his misgivings, Jacob agrees to go with them to the Island of the Foxes, in quest of another magical Mirror.

But their search quickly leads them into more peril, and as Jacob seeks security for himself and Fox, he is reminded of a disturbing promise he once made that now threatens everything.

Full of fairy tales and legends, old friends and new enemies, The Silver Tracks is the long-awaited fourth volume in the thrilling Reckless series."

Ever since the announcement of a forth book in the Inkworld series I have been doing a deep dive on reading Cornelia Funke and this book comes at just the right time. 

Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld by Shannon and Dean Hale 
Published by: DC Comics
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Amaya, princess of House Amethyst in Gemworld, is something of a troublemaker. She and her brother have great fun together until a magical prank goes much too far and her parents ground her...to Earth! They hope a whole week in the mundane world will teach her that magic is a privilege...and maybe washing dishes by hand will help her realize the palace servants should be respected.

Three years later, Amy has settled into middle school and ordinary life. She doesn't remember any other home. So when a prince of the realm brings her home and restores her magical destiny, how will she cope?

Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld introduces a new generation to a fantastical place and a truly fantastic princess."

I SO didn't realize that this was a reboot of an old comic series, I just went, oh the Hales! And for me that's enough, for others, who knows, perhaps the revoot angle is what you're here for.

The Undertakers by Nicole Glover
Published by: Mariner Books
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nicole Glover delivers the second book in her exciting Murder and Magic series of historical fantasy novels featuring Hetty Rhodes and her husband, Benjy, magic practitioners and detectives living in post - Civil War Philadelphia.

Nothing bothers Hetty and Benjy Rhodes more than a case where the answers, motives, and the murder itself feel a bit too neat. Raimond Duval, a victim of one of the many fires that have erupted recently in Philadelphia, is officially declared dead after the accident, but Hetty and Benjy’s investigation points to a powerful Fire Company known to let homes in the Black community burn to the ground. Before long, another death breathes new life into the Duval investigation: Raimond’s son, Valentine, is also found dead.

Finding themselves with the dubious honor of taking on Valentine Duval as their first major funeral, it becomes clear that his passing was intentional. Valentine and his father’s deaths are connected, and the recent fires plaguing the city might be more linked to recent community events than Hetty and Benji originally thought.

The Undertakers continues the adventures of murder and magic, where even the most powerful enchantments can’t always protect you from the ghosts of the past..."

I love history reinterpreted with magic!

The Return of the Pharaoh by Nicholas Meyer
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Nicholas Meyer's The Return of the Pharaoh, Sherlock Holmes returns in an adventure that takes him to Egypt in search of a missing nobleman, a previously undiscovered pharaoh's tomb, and a conspiracy that threatens his very life.

With his international bestseller, The Seven Per Cent Solution, Nicholas Meyer brought to light a previously unpublished case of Sherlock Holmes that reinvigorated the world's interest in the first consulting detective. Now, many years later, Meyer is given exclusive access to Dr. Watson's unpublished journal, wherein he details a previously unknown case.

In 1910, Dr. John Watson travels to Egypt with his wife Juliet. Her tuberculosis has returned and her doctor recommends a stay at a sanitarium in a dry climate. But while his wife undergoes treatment, Dr. Watson bumps into an old friend--Sherlock Holmes, in disguise and on a case. An English Duke with a penchant for egyptology has disappeared, leading to enquiries from his wife and the Home Office.

Holmes has discovered that the missing duke has indeed vanished from his lavish rooms in Cairo and that he was on the trail of a previous undiscovered and unopened tomb. And that he's only the latest Egyptologist to die or disappear under odd circumstances. With the help of Howard Carter, Holmes and Watson are on the trail of something much bigger, more important, and more sinister than an errant lord."

It's Sherlock Holmes and Egypt, I'm sold.

The Corpse in the Waxworks by John Dickson Carr
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
""The purpose, the illusion, the spirit of a waxworks. It is an atmosphere of death. It is soundless and motionless... Do you see?"

Last night Mademoiselle Duchêne was seen heading into the Gallery of Horrors at the Musée Augustin waxworks, alive. Today she was found in the Seine, murdered. The museum's proprietor, long perturbed by the unnatural vitality of his figures, claims that he saw one of them following the victim into the dark - a lead that Henri Bencolin, head of the Paris police and expert of 'impossible' crimes, cannot possibly resist.

Surrounded by the eerie noises of the night, Bencolin prepares to enter the ill-fated waxworks, his associate Jeff Marle and the victim's fiancé in tow. Waiting within, beneath the glass-eyed gaze of a leering waxen satyr, is a gruesome discovery and the first clues of a twisted and ingenious mystery.

First published in 1932 at the height of crime fiction's Golden Age, this macabre and atmospheric dive into the murky underground of Parisian society presents an intelligent puzzle delivered at a stunning pace. This new edition also includes the rare Inspector Bencolin short story "The Murder in Number Four" by John Dickson Carr, and an Introduction by CWA Diamond Dagger-Award winning author Martin Edwards."

I'm feeling Poe and Collins overtones, yes please!

A Haunting at Holkham by Anne Glenconner
Published by: Mobius
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The thrilling new mystery from the bestselling author of Lady in Waiting and Murder on Mustique. Set during WWII in Holkham, think Downton Abbey meets Knives Out...

It's Christmas 1943 and Lady Anne Coke has returned to Holkham Hall from Scotland. But her home is now an army base, with large sections out of bounds. And 11-year-old Anne is in the care of a new governess, whom she hates and believes to be hiding something. At least her beloved grandfather is there with her, to share stories and keep her entertained.

But even though she's been told to stay away from certain parts of the house, Anne knows secrets about the hall that others do not; the passageways and the cellars that allow her to move around unnoticed, watching. And when mysterious events lead to a murder and disappearance, Anne is determined to uncover the truth."

It's that Knives Out comparison that had me sit up and take notice!

Psycho by the Sea by Lynne Truss
Published by: Raven Books
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the latest installment of this charming and quirky series, a trio of detectives are faced with the arrival of an escaped criminal with an unlikely penchant for boiling the heads of policemen.

It's September in the British beach town of Brighton, and the city is playing host to weeks of endless rain and some brand new villains.

A trusted member of a local gang has disappeared part way through planning a huge heist; a violent criminal obsessed with boiling the heads of policemen has escaped a local prison, and at Gosling's department store an American researcher has been found dead in the music section.

Inspector Steine has other things on his mind - since the triumphant conclusion to his last case, Steine has so many awards and invitations coming his way that he has had to take on a secretary - but Sergeant Brunswick and Constable 'Clever Clogs' Twitten are both on the case. If only they could work out just who is behind these dastardly acts..."

I am ALL about crime in Brighton right now!

The Cottage by Lisa Stone
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The gripping new thriller with a difference from internationally bestselling author Lisa Stone.

An isolated cottage...
After losing her job and boyfriend, Jan Hamlin is in desperate need of a fresh start. So she jumps at the chance to rent a secluded cottage on the edge of Coleshaw Woods.

A tap at the window...
Very quickly though, things take a dark turn. At night, Jan hears strange noises, and faint taps at the window. Something, or someone, is out there.

A forest that hides many secrets...
Jan refuses to be scared off. But whoever is outside isn't going away, and it soon becomes clear that the nightmare is only just beginning."

What is in the woods!?!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Anne Glenconner, Brighton, Cornelia Funke, Dean Hale, Egypt, Golden Age, Inkworld, John Dickson Carr, Knives Out, Lisa Stone, Lynne Truss, Nicholas Meyer, Nicole Glover, Paris, Reckless, Shannon Hale, Sherlock Holmes

Beautiful on the Outside by Adam Rippon
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 15th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Former Olympic figure skater and self-professed America's Sweetheart Adam Rippon shares his underdog journey from beautiful mess to outrageous success in this hilarious, big-hearted memoir.

Your mom probably told you it's what on the inside that counts. Well, then she was never a competitive figure skater. Olympic medalist Adam Rippon has been making it pretty for the judges even when, just below the surface, everything was an absolute mess. From traveling to practices on the Greyhound bus next to ex convicts to being so poor he could only afford to eat the free apples at his gym, Rippon got through the toughest times with a smile on his face, a glint in his eye, and quip ready for anyone listening. Beautiful on the Outside looks at his journey from a homeschooled kid in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to a self-professed American sweetheart on the world stage and all the disasters and self-delusions it took to get him there. Yeah, it may be what's on the inside that counts, but life is so much better when it's beautiful on the outside."

Adam is one of the authors coming to the Wisconsin Book Festival this year and for me is not only it's highlight, but the entire reason there's a festival this year!

Dear Girls by Ali Wong
Published by: Random House
Publication Date: October 15th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ali Wong’s heartfelt and hilarious letters to her daughters (the two she put to work while they were still in utero) cover everything they need to know in life, like the unpleasant details of dating, how to be a working mom in a male-dominated profession, and how she trapped their dad.

In her hit Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra, an eight-month pregnant Ali Wong resonated so strongly that she even became a popular Halloween costume. Wong told the world her remarkably unfiltered thoughts on marriage, sex, Asian culture, working women, and why you never see new mom comics on stage but you sure see plenty of new dads.

The sharp insights and humor are even more personal in this completely original collection. She shares the wisdom she’s learned from a life in comedy and reveals stories from her life off stage, including the brutal single life in New York (i.e. the inevitable confrontation with erectile dysfunction), reconnecting with her roots (and drinking snake blood) in Vietnam, tales of being a wild child growing up in San Francisco, and parenting war stories. Though addressed to her daughters, Ali Wong’s letters are absurdly funny, surprisingly moving, and enlightening (and gross) for all."

Hopefully all those ignorant of Ali Wong's genius have come on board since Always Be My Maybe and will have their love of her confirmed by this book, which she is sadly not touring for! Two stops!?! What about the Midwest!?!

The Man That Got Away by Lynne Truss
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: October 15th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A wryly entertaining new crime caper from Lynne Truss, author of “the funniest crime novel of 2018” (Wall Street Journal) and the New York Times bestseller Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

1957: In the beach town of Brighton, music is playing and guests are sunning themselves, when a young man is found dead, dripping blood, in a deck chair.

Constable Twitten of the Brighton Police Force has a hunch that the fiendish murder may be connected to a notorious nightspot, but his captain and his colleagues are-as ever-busy with other more important issues. Inspector Steine is being conned into paying for the honor of being featured at the Museum of Wax, and Sergeant Brunswick is trying (and failing) to get the attention of the distraught Brighton Belles who found the body. As the case twists and turns, Constable Twitten must find the murderer and convince his colleagues that there's an evil mastermind behind Brighton's climbing crime rate.

Our incomparable team of detectives are back for another outing in the second installment of Lynne Truss's joyfully quirky crime series."

I am SO glad Lynne Truss is putting her prodigious talent to use writing these comic capers. Also, you can be sure they're grammatically correct, a rarity with the scarcity of good editors out there.

The Absinthe Earl by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: October 15th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"They crossed centuries to find each other. Their love will shatter worlds.

Miss Ada Quicksilver, a student of London's Lovelace Academy for Promising Young Women, is spending her holiday in Ireland to pursue her anthropological study of fairies. She visits Dublin's absinthe bars to investigate a supposed association between the bittersweet spirit and fairy sightings.

One night a handsome Irishman approaches her, introducing himself as Edward Donoghue. Edward takes absinthe to relieve his sleepwalking, and she is eager to hear whether he has experience with fairies. Instead, she discovers that he's the earl of Meath, and that he will soon visit a mysterious ruin at Newgrange on the orders of his cousin, the beautiful, half-mad Queen Isolde. On learning about Ada's area of study, he invites her to accompany him.

Ada is torn between a sensible fear of becoming entangled with the clearly troubled gentleman and her compelling desire to ease his suffering. Finally she accepts his invitation, and they arrive in time for the winter solstice. That night, the secret of Edward's affliction is revealed: he is, in fact, a lord in two worlds and can no longer suppress his shadow self.

Little does either of them realize that their blossoming friendship and slowly kindling passion will lead to discoveries that wrench open a door sealed for centuries, throwing them into a war that will change Ireland forever."

I love how reality and folklore are so entwined in Ireland, and this book makes a good case for that to continue.

Ivory Apples by Lisa Goldstein
Published by: Tachyon Publications
Publication Date: October 15th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ivy and her sisters have a secret: their reclusive Great-Aunt is actually Adela Martin, inspired author of the fantasy classic, Ivory Apples. Generations of obsessive fans have searched for Adela, poring over her letters, sharing their theories online, and gathering at book conventions. It is just a matter of time before one fan gets too close.

So when the seemingly-perfect Kate Burden appears at the local park, Ivy knows that something isn’t right. Kate has charmed the entire family, but she is suspiciously curious about Ivory Apples. And Ivy must protect what she and her Great-Aunt share: magic that is real, untamable, and - despite anyone’s desire - always prefers choosing its own vessel."

Books within books and the passion that drives fans are favorite tropes of mine!

Salvaged by Madeleine Roux
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: October 15th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A WOMAN ON THE RUN. A CAPTAIN ADRIFT IN SPACE. ONE OF THEM IS INFECTED WITH AN ALIEN PARASITE.

In this dark science fiction thriller, a young woman must confront her past so the human race will have a future.

Rosalyn Devar is on the run from her famous family, the bioengineering job she's come to hate, and her messed-up life. She's run all the way to outer space, where she's taken a position as a "space janitor," cleaning up ill-fated research expeditions. But no matter how far she goes, Rosalyn can't escape herself. After too many mistakes on the job, she's given one last chance: take care of salvaging the Brigantine, a research vessel that has gone dark, with all crew aboard thought dead.

But the Brigantine's crew are very much alive - if not entirely human. Now Rosalyn is trapped on board, alone with a crew infected by a mysterious parasitic alien. The captain, Edison Aries, seems to still maintain some control over himself and the crew, but he won't be able to keep fighting much longer. Rosalyn and Edison must find a way to stop the parasite's onslaught...or it may take over the entire human race."

I like the Alien of it all...

Critical Role Vox Machina: Origins by Matthew Mercer, Matthew Colville, Olivia Samson, and Chris Northrop
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: October 15th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 168 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the creators of the hit show "Critical Role" comes Vox Machina's origin story! Writers Matthew Mercer and Matthew Colville team with artist extraordinaire Olivia Samson and colorist Chris Northrop to bring you the story of where the heroes' journey began.

The band of adventurers known as Vox Machina will save the world. Eventually. But even they have to start somewhere.

Six would-be heroes on seemingly different jobs find their paths intertwined as they investigate shady business in the swamp town of Stilben. They'll need to put their heads-- and weapons--together to figure out what's going on...and keep from being killed in the process. Even then, whether or not they can overcome what truly lurks at the bottom of the town's travails remains to be seen!

Collects Critical Role Vox Machina: Origins comics issues #1-6, one of the best selling digital comics ever!"

For my friends Janice and Aaron, the biggest fans of "Critical Role" out there!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adam Rippon, Ali Wong, Beautiful on the Outside, Critical Role, Dear Girls, Ivory Apples, Lisa Goldstein, Lynne Truss, Madeleine Roux, Salvaged, Sharon Lynn Fisher, The Absinthe Earl, Wisconsin Book Festival

A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A wryly entertaining new crime novel from Lynne Truss, New York Times bestselling author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

It's 1957, and the famed theater critic A. S. Crystal has come to the British seaside resort of Brighton with something other than the local production of A Shilling in the Meter on his mind. Sitting in the Brighton Royal Theater with Constable Twitten, Crystal intends to tell the detective the secret he knows about the still-unsolved Aldersgate Stick-Up case of 1945. And yet, just before Crystal names the criminal mastermind involved, he's shot dead in his seat.

With a new murder case on his hands and a lazy captain at the helm of the police department, the keen and clever Constable Twitten and his colleague Sargent Jim Brunswick set out to solve the decade-old mystery of the Aldersgate Stick-Up. As the partners venture deep into the criminal underworld that lies beneath Brighton's holiday-happy veneer, they begin to discover a criminal conspiracy that dates back decades. But will Brunswick and Twitten be able to foil the mastermind, or will Crystal's death become just another unsolved crime in this seemingly peaceful seaside city?

With her characteristic wit, New York Times bestselling author Lynne Truss introduces readers to a cast of eccentric policeman and scheming criminals in a drolly delightful mystery you won't want to miss."

While stateside Lynne is mainly know for grammar, you'd be missing a great writer if you never checked out her fiction!

The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Pantheon
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe finds herself running for office - much to her dismay.

When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the Gaborone City Council, Mma Ramotswe is at first reluctant. But when she learns that developers plan to build the flashy Big Fun Hotel next to a graveyard, she allows herself to be persuaded. Her opponent is none other than Mma Makutsi’s old nemesis, Violet Sephotho, who is in the pocket of the hotel developers. Although Violet is intent on using every trick in the book to secure her election, Mma Ramotswe refuses to guarantee anything beyond what she can deliver; hence her slogan: “I can’t promise anything—but I shall do my best.”

Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe has acquired a new client: one of her late father’s old friends, who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Charlie volunteers to be the lead investigator in the case to prove he’s ready to be more than an apprentice, as well as to impress a new girlfriend. With Charlie’s inquiries landing him in hot water and Election Day fast approaching, Mma Ramotswe will have to call upon her good humor and gen­erosity of spirit to help the community navigate these thorny issues, and to prove that honesty and compassion will always carry the day."

The obligatory push for you to start reading Alexander McCall Smith.

An Unexplained Death by Mikita Brottman
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An Unexplained Death is an obsessive investigation into a mysterious death at the Belvedere - a once-grand hotel - and a poignant, gripping meditation on suicide and voyeurism.

“The poster is new. I notice it right away, taped to a utility pole. Beneath the word ‘Missing,’ printed in a bold, high-impact font, are two sepia-toned photographs of a man dressed in a bow tie and tux.”

Most people would keep walking. Maybe they’d pay a bit closer attention to the local news that evening. Mikita Brottman spent ten years sifting through the details of the missing man’s life and disappearance, and his purported suicide by jumping from the roof of her own apartment building, the Belvedere.

As Brottman delves into the murky circumstances surrounding Rey Rivera’s death - which begins to look more and more like a murder - she contemplates the nature of and motives behind suicide, and uncovers a haunting pattern of guests at the Belvedere, when it was still a historic hotel, taking their own lives on the premises. Finally, she fearlessly takes us to the edge of her own morbid curiosity and asks us to consider our own darker impulses and obsessions."

Your latest true crime obsession.

The Splendor Before the Dark by Margaret George
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 592 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ascending to the throne was only the beginning... Now Margaret George, the author of The Confessions of Young Nero, weaves a web of politics and passion, as ancient Rome's most infamous emperor cements his place in history.

With the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero Augustus commands the Roman empire, ushering in an unprecedented era of artistic and cultural splendor. Although he has yet to produce an heir, his power is unquestioned.

But in the tenth year of his reign, a terrifying prophecy comes to pass and a fire engulfs Rome, reducing entire swaths of the city to rubble. Rumors of Nero's complicity in the blaze start to sow unrest among the populace - and the politicians...

For better or worse, Nero knows that his fate is now tied to Rome's - and he vows to rebuild it as a city that will stun the world. But there are those who find his rampant quest for glory dangerous. Throughout the empire, false friends and spies conspire against him, not understanding what drives him to undertake the impossible.

Nero will either survive and be the first in his family to escape the web of betrayals that is the Roman court, or be ensnared and remembered as the last radiance of the greatest dynasty the world had ever known."

Is this the first Margaret George sequel ever? I have a feeling it technically is!

Unholy Land by Lavie Tidhar
Published by: Tachyon Publications
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lior Tirosh is a semi-successful author of pulp fiction, an inadvertent time traveler, and an ongoing source of disappointment to his father.

Tirosh has returned to his homeland in East Africa. But Palestina - a Jewish state founded in the early 20th century - has grown dangerous. The government is building a vast border wall to keep out African refugees. Unrest in Ararat City is growing. And Tirosh’s childhood friend, trying to deliver a warning, has turned up dead in his hotel room.

A state security officer has now identified Tirosh as a suspect in a string of murders. A rogue agent is stalking Tirosh through transdimensional rifts - possible futures that can only be prevented by avoiding the mistakes of the past.

From the bestselling author of Central Station comes an extraordinary new novel recalling China Miéville and Michael Chabon, entertaining and subversive in equal measures."

Sounds like Thursday Next mixed with Historical Fiction, otherwise known as my kind of book!

The Omega Objection by Gail Carriger
Published by: GAIL CARRIGER LLC
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 315 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Every night Isaac wonders if the next shifter in his bar will be the werewolf sent to kill him.

The supernatural creatures of San Francisco love to visit Isaac the bartender. They never ask why they're drawn to him or why he has no scent. Until Tank.

Tank is always subservient to his pack and its needs, so when asked to take a side job as a bouncer, he's there. Then he meets Isaac. The man is an enigma - odorless, ridiculously sexy, and terrified.

Can Tank prove to Isaac that sometimes there are monsters worth running toward?

New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger, writing as G. L. Carriger, brings you this charming gay romance featuring a gentle giant with a trampled heart and a man desperate to escape his past. Be warned, the San Andreas Shifter stories contain bad language, dirty deeds, and outright admiration for the Bay Area. Not for the faint of heart or tongue."

I am WAY behind in my Gail reading... time to catch up!

The Wellspring Trilogy: The Crystal Key by Robert Gronewold
Published by: Chapterhouse Publishing
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 350 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The sun has not shone in over a thousand years. Sixteen year old Felicity lives in a world where the Dark rules. Humanity stays to the Wellsprings, illuminated swathes of land where the light of eternal fountains keeps the skies bright all day long. But beyond that, the world is wrapped in eternal shadows, filled with monstrous Horrors who pray on the unsuspecting. When Felicity discovers that she is a Turnkey, a guardian selected to protect the Wellsprings, her life unexpectedly changes. Not only is she gifted with a magical Key with amazing abilities, but her fate soon takes her deep into the Dark, where with the help of a mysterious boy named Tobin she must survive astonishing odds. For it is soon that the Horrors begin hunting her, and a race to get home is only the beginning of her worries."

Like an extra magical Dark City.

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen
Published by: Tachyon Publications
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fantasy icon Jane Yolen (The Devil’s Arithmetic, Briar Rose, Sister Emily’s Lightship) is adored by generations of readers of all ages. Now she triumphantly returns with this inspired gathering of fractured fairy tales and legends. Yolen breaks open the classics to reveal their crystalline secrets: a philosophical bridge that misses its troll, a spinner of straw as a falsely accused moneylender, the villainous wolf adjusting poorly to retirement. Each of these offerings features a new author note and original poem, illuminating tales that are old, new, and brilliantly refined."

Because everyone likes fairy tales reinterpreted right?

The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
Published by: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Silke has always been good at spinning the truth and storytelling. So good that, just years after arriving in the kingdom as a penniless orphan, she has found her way to working for the most splendid chocolate makers in the city as a master promoter. Although Silke loves her work at the Chocolate Heart, she's certain it's not going to last, and what Silke wants more than anything is somewhere to call home--somewhere safe. But when your best friend is a dragon-turned-hot-tempered-girl, trouble is always right around the corner.

Then Silke gets the opportunity she's been waiting for: the Crown Princess personally asks her to spy on the Elfenwald royal family during their first visit to the kingdom. In return, Silke will have the home she's always wanted in the secure palace. But Silke has her own dark, secret reasons for not trusting fairies...and her mission isn't as simple as she hoped. Soon, she discovers that her city is in danger--and that maybe it's more her home than she ever realized.

Can Silke find out the truth about the fairies while keeping her own secrets hidden?"

I first read and loved Stephanie's work for Regency Magic and I look forward to each new release!

Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken? by Kelly Jones
Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This laugh-out-loud sequel to Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer has EVEN MORE MAGIC CHICKENS!

Twelve-year-old Sophie Brown is finally settling into her new home and her new role as keeper of some highly unusual chickens - chickens with secret superpowers!

But the arrival of two new magical chickens for her flock and some unusual eggs to be incubated and hatched (what will their superpowers be?), plus an impending inspection from the Unusual Poultry Committee (who even knew this existed?) has Sophie feeling pretty stressed out. Her older cousin, Lupe, is coming to stay with her family, which is great - but will Lupe like chickens too? And on top of it all, Sophie's first day at her new school is rapidly approaching!

In this wildly funny and quirky novel told in letters and lists and quizzes, Sophie learns that even an exceptional poultry farmer can use some help."

Another fabulous author I found due to my love of Regency Magic. PS I also love chickens.

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Time is running out.
Together, they can save the world.
But they each other’s worst nightmare.
Nova’s double life is about to get a lot more complicated:

As Insomnia, she is a full-fledged member of the Renegades, a syndicate of powerful and beloved superheroes. She works with Adrian’s patrol unit to protect the weak and maintain order in Gatlon City.

As Nightmare, she is an Anarchist - a group of of villains who are determined to destroy the Renegades. Nova wants vengeance against the so-called heroes who once failed her when she needed them most.

But as Nova, her feelings for Adrian are deepening, despite the fact that he is the son of her sworn enemies and, unbeknownst to Nova, he has some dangerous secrets of his own.

In this second installment of the Renegades trilogy, Nova, Adrian, and the rest of their crew - Ruby, Oscar, and Danna - are faced with escalating crime in Gatlon City, while covert weapons and conflicting missions have Nova and Adrian questioning not only their beliefs about justice, but also the feelings they have for each other.

The line between good and evil has been blurred, but what's clear to them both is that too much power could mean the end of their city - and the world - as they know it."

I might have been looking so forward to this book that I thought it came out last week as was really confused at the bookstore...

Born to be Posthumous by Mark Dery
Published by: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The definitive biography of Edward Gorey, the eccentric master of macabre nonsense.

From The Gashlycrumb Tinies to The Doubtful Guest, Edward Gorey's wickedly funny and deliciously sinister little books have influenced our culture in innumerable ways, from the works of Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman to Lemony Snicket. Some even call him the Grandfather of Goth.

But who was this man, who lived with over twenty thousand books and six cats, who roomed with Frank O'Hara at Harvard, and was known--in the late 1940s, no less--to traipse around in full-length fur coats, clanking bracelets, and an Edwardian beard? An eccentric, a gregarious recluse, an enigmatic auteur of whimsically morbid masterpieces, yes--but who was the real Edward Gorey behind the Oscar Wildean pose?

He published over a hundred books and illustrated works by Samuel Beckett, T.S. Eliot, Edward Lear, John Updike, Charles Dickens, Hilaire Belloc, Muriel Spark, Bram Stoker, Gilbert & Sullivan, and others. At the same time, he was a deeply complicated and conflicted individual, a man whose art reflected his obsessions with the disquieting and the darkly hilarious.

Based on newly uncovered correspondence and interviews with personalities as diverse as John Ashbery, Donald Hall, Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, and Anna Sui, Born to be Posthumous draws back the curtain on the eccentric genius and mysterious life of Edward Gorey."

I know you're like me and need more Edward Gorey in your life. ALWAYS.

Hedy Lamarr: An Incredible Life by William Roy and Sylvain Dorange
Published by: Humanoids
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Hollywood icon by day, unsung science genius by night, Hedy Lamarr, the biography of "the Most Beautiful Woman in the World." From a childhood filled with curiosity and ambition despite the stereotypes imposed on her, to an abusive marriage that she ingeniously escaped from, to finding her way to stardom in the City of Angels in the face of rampant sexism and harassment, Hedy Lamarr would not only become a glamorous star of the Golden Age of Hollywood, alongside icons like Judy Garland and Clark Gable, but also an unparalleled inventor. She would fashion designs to revolutionize the planes built by Howard Hughes, and come up with a secret communication system that helped the Allies against the Nazis, a technology that would become the blueprint for what we know today as Wi-Fi. A visionary that never feared going after her goals and defied convention at every turn, Hedy Lamarr was a true woman of wonder."

Hedy is everywhere this days, even here!

Whose Boat Is This Boat? by Donald J. Trump (by Accident)
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: November 6th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 24 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"100% of The Late Show’s proceeds from this book go to hurricane relief.

Whose Boat Is This Boat? Comments That Don’t Help in the Aftermath of a Hurricane is a picture book made entirely of quotations from President Donald Trump in the wake of Hurricane Florence. It is the first children’s book that demonstrates what not to say after a natural disaster.

On September 19, 2018, Donald Trump paid a visit to New Bern, North Carolina, one of the towns ravaged by Hurricane Florence. It was there he showed deep concern for a boat that washed ashore. “At least you got a nice boat out of the deal,” said President Trump to hurricane victims. “Have a good time!” he told them. The only way his comments would be appropriate is in the context of a children’s book—and now you can experience them that way, thanks to the staff of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Whose Boat Is This Boat? is an excellent teaching tool for readers of all ages who enjoy learning about empathy by process of elimination. Have a good time!"

I'm all for helping people while our present hurts them, but the graphic designer in me just wants to say how awesome a parody of a Mo Willems book this is! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexander McCall Smith, Edward Gorey, G.L. Carriger, Hedy Lamarr, Jane Yolen, Kelly Jones, Lavie Tidhar, Lynne Truss, Margaret George, Marissa Meyer, Stephanie Burgis, Stephen Colbert, The Wellspring Trilogy