strange and random happenstance

The Basilisk's Lair: Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist Book 2 by R. L. LaFevers
Published by: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: June 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 150 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Nate Fludd, Beastologist, is back in the camel saddle in hot pursuit of a missing, deadly Basilisk—the King of Serpents. As if saving an entire Dhughani village from the Basilisk’s poisonous gaze isn’t difficult enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must begin to piece together the mystery of his parents’ disappearance and protect the lone copy of the Fludd Book of Beasts from a sinister man who always seem to be one step ahead of them. Pack your goggles, rue, and an extra pair of gloves and join Nate on another unbelievable adventure—there’s no rest for the world’s youngest beastologist-in-training!"

While not as close to my heart as the first book, the pace is still kept high and I can not wait for the next installment! My review of the ARC can be found here.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
Published by: Little Brown
Publication Date: June 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless."

I have been uber excited for this book! In fact I just recieved an ARC in the mail before I left on my vacation so a review should be forthcoming. But how can you not like it? Look at that simply gorgeous cover! Also, I have been noticing it in bookstores already, so if you can't wait till tomorrow... maybe just pop round and see if they're early shelvers!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: ARCs, Beastologist, Jackson Pearce, Kelly Murphy, Nathaniel Fludd, R. L. Lafevers, Sisters Red, The Baslilisk's Lair

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the lovely Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus ARC by R. L. LaFevers. As for mummies being cursed... it appears we are evenly split between those who do and those who don't believe. Though it is interesting that most who don't believe said that you never know... so wisely hedging your bets there if a mummy should come around, I fully embrace your cunning self preservationist attitudes. Now to the winner.... inthehammock! AKA Carrie!

Also, just because "Desert Sands Month" is over, doesn't mean the explorations to Egypt should or even could stop. It is really a rather big obsession of mine, I'm too fascinated to ever give it up. But Elizabeth Peters and R. L. LaFevers, while my current favorite authors also enamoured of the land of the pahroahs, there are many authors to come before and many authors that will come after. From Agatha Christie to Margaret George, Michelle Moran to Lawrence Durrell, Olivia Manning to Eloise Jarvis McGraw, from fiction to non, the stories are never ending and my Egyptian Shelf keeps expanding!

And as a final note, remember that this month, as in, today, the day that is the official start of "no more crap February" as I like to call it... sure there were wonderful Egyptian stories to drive away the cold, but I had a flu akin to a mummies curse that I hope will end with the briskness of March which will shortly bring little bunnies and happy flowers and wonderful SPRING! Also never forget Cadbury mini eggs, the reason Easter was created. But besides the choclatey goodness, there is also a giveaway that will be my biggest yet. There are multiple prizes, at least four winners, and as for the books... some of my favorite of all time and total amazing. So come back and see what you can win, if you weren't lucky enough this time around.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Agatha Christie, Cadbury Mini Eggs, Easter, Egypt, Giveaway, Lawrence Durrell, Michelle Moran, Olivia Manning, R. L. Lafevers, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus, Theodosia Throckmorton, Winner

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers
Published by: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: April 9th, 2007
Format: Hardcover, 344 Pages
Challenge: 1st in Series
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

In the Museum of Legends and Antiquities Theodosia is trying to control the forces of chaos that wish to harm others through the curses and hexes contained in the various items on display throughout the museum. She is beset with the forces of darkness and the feeling of beetles scurrying up and down her spine that doesn't seem to affect anyone else there... even her father who was injured by one such nasty curse with a tumble down the stairs. It doesn't help much that she spends every waking (and sleeping) hour within the museum. But with her trusty cat, Isis, by her side, and armed with ancient texts, she does what she can with cobbled together spells and wax, carnelian, linen, and other such supplies. But what is she to do when her galavanting mother comes home with the discovery of a lifetime from the tomb of Amenemhab, the Heart of Egypt, with a curse so strong it could bring down a nation. Not to mention there was a bit of a miscalculation with the purifying of a statue of Bastet and Isis is now more demon than cat, her annoying little brother is due back from boarding school any day, there's a sneaky little pick pocket named Will on the prowl, and Grandmother Throckmorton is insisting Theo gets a new governess.

But when the Heart of Egypt goes missing from a hidden vault within the museum things have never looked worse. It could be the end of Theo's parents' careers. Of course, it really is something far worse! After tailing shadowy men connected with the British Museum through the back alleys of London, Theo saves the life of a could be thief and stumbles upon a secret society run by Lord Wigmere who do what Theo does, but without her inborn curse breaking ability. The Heart of Egypt must be returned to it's final resting place in order to stop biblical plagues falling down on the British Empire... but how is Theo to get to Egypt? How did the Heart of Egypt even get stolen? Does she have a traitor amongst her compatriots at the museum? And can she ever get her cat back? Chaos seems inevitable.

Theodosia Throckmorton is just a sheer delight of precocious brains, without that saccharine touch that can be seen amongst others of her ilk. She's no nonsense and straight to the point. With wonderful detail and wit, R. L. LaFever's brings us this magical and wonderful Edwardian England on the brink of World War I where mysticism and magic from the land of the Pharaohs is just as real a threat as the Germans. From Theodosia's prepping of ingredients to back alley chases, the world that's created just sucks you in and you don't want to leave. I think the best way of describing Theo and her adventures is very much an Amelia Peabody mystery, but much more accessible to younger readers, or in fact all readers, who don't like their prose to be overly stylized. Of course, I'm a sucker for all things Egyptian, so when I first saw this book on the shelf it was a must read. I'm glad that I picked it up, because the gorgeous production value of the hardcovers, from turn of the century maps to deckled edges, just touches the surface of how wonderful the book is inside. When I picked up this book, little did I know that I'd find myself a new favorite author and a new favorite heroine. I wish that a girl like Theo was around when I was younger, but I'm glad to have found her at all!

Also make sure to enter my giveaway for an ARC of the 3rd book in the series, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus, thanks to Houghton Mifflin!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 4 comments  

Labels: Amelia Peabody, British Empire, Heart of Egypt, Isis, Museum of Legends and Antiquities, R. L. Lafevers, Reading Challenge, Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, Theodosia Throckmorton

Thank you to everyone who entered my author sponsored giveaway of Michael Palmer's newest book, The Last Surgeon. I hope that even if you didn't win you'll go out and pick up this great read and pay Michael Palmer a visit over on his site to celebrate the release of his newest book. I also hope that you won't be too downhearted if you didn't win, because I have one giveaway still going, for R. L. LaFever's Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus. Also, might I hint... March... oh yeah, there is going to be some major giveaway action next month, biggest yet... especially as a creep ever closer to 200 followers... I think there might be an extra something, something. Well enough about what's to come, what is? Well... the winner is... Alexa! Please check your inbox for an email, and good luck to everyone in the future!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:22 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Giveaway, Michael Palmer, R. L. Lafevers, The Last Surgeon, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
Published by: Grand Central
Publication Date: 1975
Format: Paperback, 262 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Crocodile on the Sandbank is the first in the beloved Amelia Peabody series. Literally for years every author I love and whose opinions I respect, from Charlaine Harris to Lauren Willig to Colleen Gleason to R.L. LaFevers, have said that these books are dear to their hearts. With so much to recommend it, along with the fact I love Egypt you'd think I'd have picked the series up sooner. Well you'd think that, but sometimes when everyone's on the bandwagon, I like to be over to the side, thinking, I'm sure I won't like it, the covers are so tacky, I'm sure everyone is wrong. Well those days of doubt are over. I love Amelia Peabody! While everyone says, it's basically a female Indiana Jones, I find the writing style is more reminiscent of Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone or The Woman in White, so moody and Victorian.

The book starts with our erstwhile heroine, Amelia, inheriting her fathers estate, which turned out to be quite significant. She's a no-nonsense, parasol wielding, intelligent woman of 32, which makes her think of herself as a spinster. She decides to embark on a grand voyage to see all that she and her father read about in books. From Rome to Egypt, she wants to see it all. She hires herself a companion, one who's a little frail because she likes to mother people, only to have her frailty leave Amelia sans companion by the time she's in Rome. She literally stumbles upon Evelyn, a once wealthy and beautiful girl brought to the verge of suicide by running away with an Italian drawing instructor. Well Amelia doesn't give a fig about the "ruined" label and takes Evelyn on as her companion as they travel to Egypt.

Once in Egypt they encounter the Emerson brothers. The sweet Walter and the gruff yet suspiciously Darcy-esque Radcliffe who are planning on excavating at Amarna on the banks of the Nile. Evelyn and Walter fall instantly and madly in love, though Evelyn vows to never burden Walter by marrying him, due to her despoiling. Before Amelia and Evelyn leave Cairo, Evelyn's cousin, Lucas, arrives to tell her of their Grandfather's death due to the shock of Evelyn leaving. Lucas declares that though he inherited the family fortune because of Evelyn's fall from grace, he would love her to become his wife and share the fortune that should have rightfully been hers. She rejects him but he vows to follow them down the Nile and convince her.

Amelia and Evelyn's journey down the Nile is brought to an abrupt halt when they reach Amarna. Walter meets them and tells them Emerson is deathly sick. Amelia, medical kit in hand saves his life and then saves his archeological discoveries. While Emerson convalesces Amelia is having the time of her life playing at archeologist and Evelyn is having the time of her life with Walter. But strange things start to happen when a mummy is discovered. First it disappears, then the hired locals desert the site saying it's cursed. Finally the mummy starts nighttime perambulations. But this spectre couldn't possibly be supernatural? Could it? And what does it want? Are they to abandon the dig site because it is possessive of it? Or does the mummy really want Evelyn? The strange happenings keep on coming, even after the arrival of Lucas. But despite injury and terror everything works out in the end for our protagonists.

While the plot was predictable to a certain extent and I was able to figure out what was happening long before the characters, this was by no means a flaw. The book is written in such an interesting first person narrative that despite being sure I knew what was going on I was still gripped to the edge of my seat. I found that Evelyn maybe fainted one too many times, but the women are by no means weak, especially if Amelia's parasol is nearby! (This has to be where Lady Gwen gets her parasol in Lauren Willig's books.) I also found it very helpful that I had studied Art History because I knew all about the dig at Amarna and the ruler who believed in the one true God, the Sun. Who knew that I could find such enjoyable entertainment from Ancient to Renaissance Art classes? I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Egyptology, even if your interest has only been The Mummy movies so far!

*Reposted to coincide with February's Desert Sands Month

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amarna, Amelia Peabody, Book Review, Charlaine Harris, Collen Gleason, Darcy, Egypt, Elizabeth Peters, Emerson, Lauren Willig, Mummy, Mystery, Nile, Parasol, R. L. Lafevers

The Basilisk's Lair: Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist Book 2 by R. L. LaFevers
Published by: Houghton Mifflin
ARC Provided by a Friend
Publication Date: June 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 150 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Preorder

The official patter:
"Nate Fludd, Beastologist, is back in the camel saddle in hot pursuit of a missing, deadly Basilisk—the King of Serpents. As if saving an entire Dhughani village from the Basilisk’s poisonous gaze isn’t difficult enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must begin to piece together the mystery of his parents’ disappearance and protect the lone copy of the Fludd Book of Beasts from a sinister man who always seem to be one step ahead of them. Pack your goggles, rue, and an extra pair of gloves and join Nate on another unbelievable adventure—there’s no rest for the world’s youngest beastologist-in-training!"

Nate can't believe it... they're lost. And it's all his fault. Aunt Phil relied on him to get them back to the plane with the compass she entrusted to him and he goes and gets them lost. But his navigation lessons are cut short by a band of men on the horizon. There is a telegram for Aunt Phil from Bamanko. The Basilisk has escaped! They are on the move again, but Nate feels not just the hesitation steaming from the fact he feels incompetent, but from the fact that the Basilisk, unlike the Phoenix, is very dangerous, or so he and Greasle learned from sneaking a look in the book. After a stop over in Egypt, where Nate attempts to jump ship, or plane, as it were, they are on their way to the Sudan. The villagers, as can be expected, are very afraid of the death and destruction that the Basilisk might bring... not only that, but if the creature gets to the river the water will be poisoned and all could die. Also, could the Basilisk's escape have anything to do with the mysterious red headed stranger who wishes to pilfer the Fludd's family secrets?

The second installment of R. L. LaFever's new Beastologist series picks up literally moments after the first book ended. Being more conventional than the first, I thought it was a wonderful bridge book, but lacked the originality of the previous installment, yet built up even greater expectations for the next. The first book set up Nate's past and the new journey and new friends he would make in this path his life was taking since the disappearance of his parents. He learned of the wonders of his family heritage and of the value of friends and relatives. He also learned of the dangers that his legacy contains and the threat from outsiders, particularity of red headed men. In this book, we don't get any further revelations, we don't learn any more about his mysterious nanny or about who the red haired man might be, but we do get a great adventure. While I'm a fan of the story arc, the greater movements of the pieces to come to the endgame, sometimes I know you need an interlude, a break from this, and that's what this book felt like.

Even though it is, or perhaps because of it being, only the second book, you can't have too much revelation, you can't have all the secrets revealed and the curtain lifted, because otherwise this would be a very short series, and that is something I don't want. Instead we have Nate learning that the Beasts can be not only very beautiful, but also very dangerous. Here we have a Basilisk, something slightly different, but still familiar to readers who loved Harry Potter. It's the immediate threat of the Basilisk that must be attended to, no matter how much I wanted them to be on their way back to England to get to the bottom of the Fludd's disappearance. I think that this book will really appeal to the younger age bracket for which it is written, versus, say, myself. I have my eyes on the end, where a younger reader will have their eyes on the immediate struggle. And while the way the Basilisk is handled is unique and original I still felt that perhaps this beast is a little overplayed... but then again the Phoenix worked... so perhaps it's just the lack of secondary and tertiary plots that made it fall a little flat for me. But you can count me in as a reader for the next installment, I can't wait to see where Nate goes and see how his friendship with Greasle grows. I just can't get enough of that morally ambiguous, oil eating gremlin, who is always there when you need her most.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 3 comments  

Labels: Aunt Phil, Bamanko, Basilisk, Beastologist, Book Review, Dhughani, Egypt, Greasle, Gremlin, Harry Potter, Nathaniel Fludd, Phoenix, R. L. Lafevers, The Baslilisk's Lair, The Sudan

Right about now, yes, right now, at precisely this hour and minute every year, winter becomes, not so much fun, as, unbearable. All the really great holidays and presents have passed leaving us with lots of snow and slush without the pretty lights and garlands hung to distract us. Plus, don't forget, vacation is over and school does exist once more. We only have Valentines, and for the single surrounded by smug couples, it's not a holiday worth embracing. So I figured, lets escape! Let's find a nice warm place to read ourselves into and just live there all February and pretend the snow and sleet don't exist on the lovely desert plain. That's right, to Egypt we will go! I have always been fascinated by Egypt. The history stretching out thousands of years before Christ. Plus, what's not to love about a culture that openly worships cats!?! Pyramids, Peabodys, Parasols... what's wrong with that. So for this month, only books that have some, if not most, of their story set in Egypt will be reviewed. I'd also love to hear what your favorite Egyptian getaways are... are you also an Amelia Peabody girl? Or perhaps Theodosia Throckmorton is more your style? So sit back on the Dahabeeyah, grab your parasol and relax... but of course it's not a true vacation without that little remembrance, that special book you picked up to treasure always... found at a mysterious stall, secreted away in a back ally, which you couldn't find again if you tried... which leads me to my giveaway.

THIS GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

The Prize:
An ARC of R. L. LaFever's most recent entry in the Theodosia Throckmorton cannon: Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus, not available till APRIL 12th, 2010! So be the envy of all your Egyptologically inclined friends and enter to win! PLUS a Carnelian Scarab Necklace... you will need some protection if you're venturing into the unknowns of Egyptian Mysticism.

The Rules:
1. Open to Followers, but just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter, just hit that handy little follow button and you are good to go.
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 February 28th, 2010 at 11:59PM CST
4. How to enter:

Answer me this: Do you believe that mummies are cursed?

5. And for those addicted to getting extra entries:

• +1 for answering the question above
• +2 for becoming a follower
• +5 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!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 21 comments  

Labels: Amelia Peabody, ARCs, Dahabeeyah, Desert Sands Month, February, Giveaway, Parasol, Pyramids, R. L. Lafevers, The Valley of the Kings, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus, Theodosia Throckmorton

Flight of the Phoenix: Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist Book 1 by R. L. LaFevers
Published by: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: September 16th, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Nathaniel Fludd's parents have disappeared. Presumed dead, his parents' lawyer summon him and Miss Lumpton to his office. A tidy sum makes Miss Lumpton disappear as well. Nathaniel is then shuffled off to a relative, a Phil A. Fludd, he's never heard of in Batting-At-The-Flies. The precocious youngster with a penchant for drawing and a feeling of being unwanted and left behind arrives at his destination with a heart full of trepidation. What he finds is beyond his wildest dreams...Phil is actually a she and a Beastologist too boot! Whatever a Beastologist is...but it might have something to do with the fact Cornelius, her pet, happens to be a talking Dodo. Aunt Phil says come morning she's off to do her Beastological work so Nate should get to bed nice and early. Nate shuffles off to bed knowing that he'll be left behind again, but this time with a crotchety Dodo and Miss Lumpton's suitcase full of letters and underwear...leave it to Nate to get the wrong suitcase. But come morning he realizes that he is to go with Aunt Phil, which fills him equally with joy and dread.

They hope aboard her little plane and off they go to Arabia, to see the birth of a Phoenix, the first in 500 years! Along the way Nate learns that his family is world renowned for being great adventurers, from map makers to Beastologists, they are without equal. The exploration bug bit the family hundreds of years ago when Sir Mungo Fludd had eight sons he sent to seek out every corner of the globe. Seven sons returned to Sir Mungo and the great family tome, The Geographica, A Map of the World was completed. The final son? They speak not of him...But Phil is worried that Nate was left behind, he should have started his training years ago...coupled with the fact that his parents never wrote (unheard of in a Fludd) and the fact that the book was lost with them is all very suspicious...But there are more immediate concerns. A gremlin is in the plane's gearbox and once they get to Arabia the Bedouin's take umbrage to Phil's presence and take her off to their camp, leaving Nate and his new friend, the Gremlin Greasle to rebirth this Phoenix and then free Aunt Phil, all without being discovered. And if that isn't enough, could the letters in Miss Lumpton's suitcase be the missing Fludd correspondence? And who was that mysterious red head who tried to steal the Fludd Book of Beasts? Could he be a descendant of the eighth son bent on revenge?

I picked up this book because I just adore R. L. LaFevers' Theodosia books. Nathaniel Fludd has a similar air of adventure and exploration akin to The Young Indiana Jones that is prevalent with Theodosia. But whereas Theodosia has the feel of the British Empire and a more Victorian Egypt obsessed society, you really feel the march of progress and the setting of this book being right after The Great War. It's an interesting clash of old and new. How the old ways of cartographers and explorers is giving way to the age of flight and steel and oil. But for this brief period both magic and technology exist side by side. I personally am in love with this trend in young adult and children's fiction wherein we have this distinct time period, be in World War I or Victorian times and then a little bit of magic is overlaid. Just addictive! I felt though this book was too short. Being written for younger readers this is a fairly short and quick read, so for those adult readers out there you will be desperate for the next volume. With all the foreshadowing and unanswered questions, you think you might know what will happen next, but you really need Robin to write it out for us. I really feel this is a great start to a cute new series, which I know I won't love as much as Theo...but it engenders the same feelings!

I also have to just say how beautifully this book is made. R. L. LaFevers must have one hell of a following (me among them) that Houghton Mifflin is willing to go the extra mile to make these books so...I don't really know how to say this...but you just want to admire them for hours and love how they look on your bookshelves. The Theodosia books have amazing cover and interior art, but couple that with the antique map of London under the dustjacket and the slightly deckled edging...heirloom books here. Nathaniel Fludd isn't an exception. The dustjacket is wonderfully done. That feel off an olde tyme journal with the pencil and the feather. But it's the drawing of the belt clasp that makes it just that extra bit special. The endpapers are a magnificent map of the journey in the book with the dotted line, just like Indiana Jones. At first the interior drawing style seemed a bit cartoonish, when compared with the finish of the cover, but I grew to like it. It's as if this were Nathaniel's own sketchbook. Kelly Murphy did a wonderful job and made me stop comparing her to Yoko Tanaka in the end.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:07 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Arabia, Beastologist, Book Review, Dodo, Greasle, Gremlin, Kelly Murphy, Miss Lumpton, Mungo Fludd, Nathaniel Fludd, Phil A. Fludd, R. L. Lafevers, Theodosia Throckmorton, Yoko Tanaka

So here I am prattling on yesterday about how excited I am for the new Theodosia book and what should arrive in my mailbox today? That's right! Thanks to felicitous serendipity I have the new Theo book in my hands. (Also felicitous serendipity goes by the name of Houghton Mifflin if you were interested). So many hard decisions now... should I abandon what I'm currently reading and go for Theo or should I wait, finish what I'm reading then do a quick re-read of all the previous Theo books and then crack open the new one... such a hard decision... how ever will I decide... as she reaches for Eyes of Horus...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:49 PM 2 comments  

Labels: ARCs, Houghton Mifflin, R. L. Lafevers, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus, Theodosia Throckmorton

Hopefully by now you all know of my love of Theodosia Throckmorton. If not, I love Theo! Was that good for you? She's smart, funny, has an awesome cat and is an Egyptian Curse breaker. She is easily a young adult's version of Amelia Peabody and everyone should read these books they are that awesome. Yes, kids to grannies, everyone! Anyways, the highly anticipated (certainly by me) 3rd book, Theo and the Eyes of Horus is coming out in April. To whet you appetite, Robin posted the cover up on her website today. I love it! All yellow and shiny and beautifully done by the talented Yoko Tanaka. Can't stand the wait now that you have the cover? Well lucky for you Robin's publishers have let her put the first two chapters up on Theo's website, so head on over and enjoy a little time with Theo. Plus if you haven't read any of the books yet, there's plenty of time before April!

Also she unveiled the cover for her second Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist book. The first was a really fun quick read (review to be posted soon!). So another book to look forward to from the pen of Robin... it's going to be a great 2010! This book is slated to drop in June.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:30 PM 2 comments  

Labels: Beastologist, Kelly Murphy, Nathaniel Fludd, R. L. Lafevers, The Baslilisk's Lair, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus, Theodosia Throckmorton

The Wyrm King: Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles Volume 3 by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
Published by: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Publication Date: September 8th, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the final installment of Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, Nick and Laurie had thought they solved their giant problems when they drove all the giants into the sea. But now, the Grace kids have come back to tell them they may have more trouble coming their way!

It turns out the giants control the population of Hydra, a dragon like creature that is creating sinkholes all over Florida. But with the mermaids refusing to return the giants to the shore, the nixie's still missing and the threat of a destroyed Florida drawing closer, the kids have to take matters in their own hands.

Will Nick and Laurie be able to stop the destruction they unwittingly caused? Can a new giant hunter help save the day? Can Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide help them out of this or are they on their own?

Find out in the final conclusion of the Spiderwick saga!"

Waiting for this book has been excruciating. Of course this is probably due to the fact I joined the Spiderwick bandwagon after the original five books were already out as well as The Nixie's Song, all of which I polished off in a day. So not having the instant gratification of how this series would end has been a long wait. And considering how quick a read they are, last fall when A Giant Problem came out, after an hour I was like "I have to wait a year now!?!" Of course you can see why it takes so long, the artwork by DiTerlizzi alone with his Rackham overtones, just gorgeous. But this is it, the end, and I can't wait to read it, literally, can I have it now?

They are also going to be touring to support this, their final Spiderwick book!

Wednesday, September 9 @ 7:00 PM
MYSTERIOUS GALAXY BOOKS 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. #302 San Diego, CA 92111

Thursday, September 10 @ 7:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE 7881 Edinger Avenue Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Saturday, September 12 @ 2:00 PM
POWELL’S BOOKS AT CEDAR HILLS CROSSING 3415 SW Cedar Hills Crossing Beaverton, OR 97005

Saturday, September 12 @ 7:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE 12000 SE 82nd Ave. Portland, OR 97266

Sunday, September 13 @ 12:30 PM
A Children’s Place 4807 NE Fremont St. Portland, OR 97213

Monday, September 14 @ 7:00 PM
Third Place Books 17171 Bothell Way NE Seattle, WA 98155

Tuesday, September 15 @ 7:00 PM
BORDERS 16549 NE 74th St. Redmond, WA 98052

Wednesday, September 16 @ 6:30 PM
WILD RUMPUS 2720 W. 43rd Minneapolis, MN 55410

Saturday, September 26
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL, WASHINGTON, DC http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/

Sunday, September 27 @ 1:00 PM
Politics & Prose 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008

Monday, September 28 @ 6:00 PM
BLUE MANATEE CHILDREN’S BOOKSTORE 3054 Madison Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45208

Tuesday, September 29 @ 7:00 PM
JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS CINCINNATI Rockwood Pavilion 2692 Madison Road Cincinnati, OH 45208

Wednesday, September 30 @ 6:30 PM
ANDERSON’S EVENT AT TIVOLI THEATER 5021 Highland Ave. Downers Grove, IL 60515

Thursday, October 1 @ 4:00 P
THE BOOKSTALL AT CHESTNUT COURT 811 Elm St. Winnetka, IL 60093

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo, Illustrated by Yoko Tanaka
Published by: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: September 8th, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"What if? Why not? Could it be?

When a fortuneteller's tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller's mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be narrated by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes — hope and belonging, desire and compassion — with the lightness of a magician’s touch."

This week also sees the release of a new book by Kate DiCamillo. You've probably heard of her because her books are so popular they have a tendency to be made into movies, Because of Winn-Dixie and Desperaux are two of hers. What makes this book extra exciting for me is that the artwork is by Yoko Tanaka who I've been keeping my fingers crossed she'd do more books after her fabulous work on R. L. LaFever's Theodosia Throckmorton books.

She will also be making appearances for this book, but don't worry if I can't go because Amazon is actually selling a Signed Special Edition.

Saturday, September 12, 2009
Barnes & Noble
Carle Place, New York

Sunday, September 13, 2009
Brooklyn Book Festival
Bank Street Bookstore
Brooklyn, New York

Sunday, September 13, 2009
Borders Books & Music
Columbus Circle
New York, New York

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Fitzgerald Theater
cosponsored by Red Balloon Bookshop
and Minnesota Public Radio
Saint Paul, Minnesota
(live interview and book signing)

Thur-Fri, October 1-2, 2009
Kidsbooks
Vancouver, British Columbia

Saturday, October 3, 2009
Elliott Bay Books
with Seattle Public Library
Seattle, Washington

Sunday, October 4, 2009
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Lynnewood, Washington

Fri-Sat, October 9-10, 2009
Southern Festival of Books
Nashville, Tennessee

Friday, October 16, 2009
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Round Rock, Texas

Saturday, October 17, 2009
BookPeople
Austin, Texas

Sunday, October 18, 2009
Cool Brains! InPrint series
with Brazos Bookstore
Houston, Texas

Friday, November 13, 2009
Children's Book World
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Saturday, November 14, 2009
Philadelphia Free Library
with Michael Fox Bookshop
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sunday, November 15, 2009
Borders Books & Music
Newark, Delaware

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:23 AM 1 comments  

Labels: Amazon, Because of Winn-Dixie, Desperaux, Holly Black, Kate DiCamillo, R. L. Lafevers, Spiderwick, Theodosia Throckmorton, Tony DiTerlizzi, Tuesday Tomorrow, Yoko Tanaka

Young Adult books, just by their name carry a stigma to some, but I say trash that, as my friend said over on her blog the other day, Ya for A! Young Adult books are no longer just for the teens, do not feel bad for looking at these books in the bookstore! With authors like Neil Gaiman stepping into this genre and winning the Newbury, you can see that these are books everyone should be reading (a note, a Newbury winner doesn't guarantee a good book, but pick up The Graveyard Book and you won't be let down). I personally believe that while Young Adult books have always been around and good it wasn't until Harry Potter came that J. K. Rowling was able to dent the preconceived notion of what defines childrens and what defines adult literature. She broke down the stereotypes to an extent, opening the flood gates to a whole new world of well written extremely successful Young Adult authors, from Shannon Hale, even to Stephenie Meyer.

Young Adult seems to be broken down into two categories. The first is the more true to life, or at least mildly realistic and more confessional books. These range from The Gossip Girl series, which can be over the top, some would say overly mature for their age bracket, to my favorite, the Georgie Nicholson books by Louise Rennison. I love the Georgie Nicholson books because they are quite literally if Bridget Jones had written books as a teenager. Georgie is very British, very funny and her, some would say, bastardization but I will say inventiveness, with the English language is priceless. (There is even a British to American, aka Hambuger-a-go-go-ese, dictionary.) Her tenth and final book is out this month in England, look for it stateside in the fall.

The second category is Science Fiction/Fantasy, where I usually dwell. In fact a lot of my favorite authors are considered part of this genre. I personally like Young Adult Sci Fi/Fantasy because unlike the adult books you don't get unnecessary graphic sex. I'm not a prude, but I think that the sex should be a part of the story and occur naturally, and not all be lesbian, I mean come on, not all women in this genre will go for other women if given the chance no matter what the typical fanfic and slash writers think. Even George R. R. Martin falls prey to this with some of his characters and I ask why? Young Adult writers are doing pretty good without it (aside from Stephenie Meyer) thank you!

So I suggest you go out to your local library or bookstore and spend some time in the Young Adult section. You might get some strange looks, but I guarantee you will find something you like, and maybe even something you love.

Authors I would strongly recommend:
Cornelia Funke - Her Inkworld series dealing with literally inhabiting books is wonderfully dark and very reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm. The first book, wrongly translated as Inkheart, it's real title is Inkblood, is the weakest, but the final two should not be missed.

Neil Gaiman - If you haven't read his teen books you are missing his best writing, check out Corlaine and The Graveyard Book.

Shannon Hale - Her books of Bayern, starting with a re-telling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl are wonderful. Also recommended is her Book of a Thousand Days.

R. L. LaFevers - Her Theodosia Throckmorton books encompassing the world of Egyptology are fabulous. I'd especially recommend her for fans of Arthur Conan Doyle, The Mummy, or what it reminds me most of, the best movie ever, Young Sherlock Holmes!

Christopher Paolini - I love him, though most people say his fantasy about Dragons is just a mish-mash of other writers, I still love them, and find them better written than most.

Terry Pratchett - His Tiffany Aching series about a young witch brings back all the Discworld witches we know and love and uses them as background for a young witch in training. And the Nac Mac Feegles! Och Eye!

Louise Rennison - Bridget Jones if she was a slightly funnier and loonier teen.

Authors I would avoid:
C.S. Lewis - Narnia, yeah it's good for awhile, but it goes all religious weird and then he kills everybody! Except Susan, cause she likes make-up...personally I'd be siding with Susan if it meant I lived.

Stephenie Meyer - What started out as a good series with a chance to be different ended up showing us that even in a world of Vampires you need to have a man and a child to be complete.

Authors I have not made my mind up on:
Melissa Marr - I just started her Wicked Lovely series, and I like the dark fairies and the different courts, but it does have a boy that can sparkle...so it might be headed the way of Stephenie Meyer...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:14 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Christopher Paolini, Cornelia Funke, Georgie Nicholson, Gossip Girl, Louise Rennison, Neil Gaiman, Newbury, R. L. Lafevers, Shannon Hale, Stephenie Meyer, Terry Pratchett