strange and random happenstance

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: November 6th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy."

My friend Jess has been begging me to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so hopefully by the time you're reading this I will have obeyed!

Curse of the Thirteenth Fey by Jane Yolen
Published by: Philomel
Publication Date: November 6th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A reimagining of Sleeping Beauty from a master storyteller

Gorse is the thirteenth and youngest in a family of fairies tied to the evil king's land and made to do his bidding. Because of an oath made to the king's great-great-ever-so-many-times-great-grandfather, if they try to leave or disobey the royals, they will burst into a thousand stars.

When accident-prone Gorse falls ill just as the family is bid to bless the new princess, a fairytale starts to unfold. Sick as she is, Gorse races to the castle with the last piece of magic the family has left--a piece of the Thread of Life. But that is when accident, mayhem, and magic combine to drive Gorse's story into the unthinkable, threatening the baby, the kingdom, and all.

With her trademark depth, grace, and humor, Jane Yolen tells readers the "true" story of the fairy who cursed Sleeping Beauty."

I always loved the story of Sleeping Beauty, even if, now older, I realize how freaking weird it is!

Still Life with Shape-shifter by Sharon Shinn
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: November 6th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Shinn returns to the alternate present-day setting of The Shape of Desire with a triumphant tale of love and loss. Melanie Landon has been protecting her half-sister, Ann, since they were children. When reporter Brody Westerbrook shows up at Melanie’s door asking whether Ann is a shape-shifter, Melanie is terrified of what might happen if Ann’s secret comes out. Carefree Ann can’t be bothered to worry about either the reporter or her deteriorating health, leaving Melanie with enough concerns for both of them. The everyday relationships—the love shared by siblings, friends, and romantic partners—shine with even more wonder than the magic. While Melanie and Brody’s romance is a touch unconvincing, Melanie’s relationship with Ann is utterly compelling, and the secondary story of a lonely young woman who pursues a cure for shape-shifting to save the man she loves becomes a delightful counterpoint to the primary story. This series is not to be missed."

For my friend Matt who is always going "When is there a new Sharon Shinn book out?" Here you go Matt!

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: November 6th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She may be thirty-fifth in line for the throne, but Lady Georgiana Rannoch cannot wait to ring in the new year—before a Christmas killer wrings another neck…

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me—well, actually, my true love, Darcy O’Mara, is spending a feliz navidad tramping around South America. Meanwhile, Mummy is holed up in a tiny village called Tiddleton-under-Lovey with that droll Noel Coward! And I’m snowed in at Castle Rannoch with my bumbling brother, Binky, and sourpuss sister-in-law, Fig.

So it’s a miracle when I contrive to land a position as hostess to a posh holiday party in Tiddleton. The village is like something out of A Christmas Carol! But no sooner have I arrived than a neighborhood nuisance, a fellow named Freddie falls out of a tree, dead…. Dickensian, indeed.

Freddie’s merely a stocking stuffer. On my second day in town, another so-called accident turns up another mincemeat pie—and yet another on my third. The village is buzzing that a recent prison break could have something to do with it… that, or a long-standing witch’s curse. I’m not so sure. But after Darcy shows up beneath the mistletoe, anything could be possible in this wicked wonderland."

I always like a little holiday cozy murder... cause nothing says Merry Christmas like a good murder!

Her Sky Cowboy by Beth Ciotta
Published by: Signet
Publication Date: November 6th, 2012
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Amelia Darcy has no interest in marrying well. Her heart belongs to the sky and the dirigibles of brass and steel that swoop over Victorian England. But when her father, an eccentric inventor, dies, the Darcy siblings are left with scrap metal—and not a penny to their names.

Their only hope to save the family reputation and fortune is to embark on a quest to discover an invention of historical importance in honor of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Armed with only her father’s stories of a forgotten da Vinci workshop, a mechanically enhanced falcon, and an Italian cook, Amelia takes flight for Florence, Italy.

But her quest is altered when her kitecycle crashes into the airship of ex–Air Marshal—and scandalous dime novel hero—Tucker Gentry. Tuck agrees to escort Amelia to her destination, but the two are challenged by political unrest, a devious sky pirate, and their own sizzling attraction. Soon the pair is dragged into an international conspiracy that could change the course of history...again."

Steampunk, Austen overtones, SOLD!

Fairy Tales from the Borthers Grimm by Philip Pullman
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: November 6th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two centuries ago, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of Children’s and Household Tales. Now Philip Pullman, one of the most accomplished authors of our time, makes us fall in love all over again with the immortal tales of the Brothers Grimm.

Pullman retells his fifty favorites, from much-loved stories like “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Rapunzel” and “Hansel and Gretel” to lesser-known treasures like “The Three Snake Leaves," "Godfather Death" and "The Girl with No Hands." At the end of each tale he offers a brief personal commentary, opening a window on the sources of the tales, the various forms they've taken over the centuries and their everlasting appeal.

Suffused with romance and villainy, danger and wit, the Grimms' fairy tales have inspired Pullman's unique creative vision—and his beguiling retellings will draw you back into a world that has long cast a spell on the Western imagination."

Hmmm, this could be very interesting or very weird...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Beth Ciotta, Brothers Grimm, Clorious Victorious Darcys, Curse of the Thirteenth Fey, Days of Blood and Starlight, Jane Yolen, Laini Taylor, Philip Pullman, Rhys Bowen, Sharon Shinn

Grave Mercy by Robin (RL) LaFevers
Published by: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?"

One of the best books I've read all year. Robin is one of my favorite authors and despite being very different than her other books, it was amazing. I can't wait a year for book two... I just can't. In fact, if you ever pay attention, I always list books in order of favorite to least on my Tuesday Tomorrow posts, and this is a busy week, so busy I omitted several books, and if you notice this is even before that literary titan, Alexander McCall Smith. Just go buy it k?

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Pantheon
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this latest episode in the beloved, best-selling series, the kindest and best detective in Botswana faces a tricky situation when her personal and professional lives become entangled.

Precious Ramotswe is haunted by a repeated dream: a vision of a tall, strange man who waits for her beneath an acacia tree. Odd as this is, she’s far too busy to worry about it. The best apprentice at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors is in trouble with the law and stuck with the worst lawyer in Gaborone. Grace Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are building the house of their dreams, but their builder is not completely on the up and up. And, most shockingly, Mma Potokwane, defender of Botswana’s weak and downtrodden, has been dismissed from her post as matron at the orphan farm. Can the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency help restore the beloved matron to her rightful position?

As wealthy and powerful influences at the orphan farm become allied against their friend, help arrives from an unexpected visitor: the tall stranger from Mma Ramotswe’s dreams, who turns out to be none other than the estimable Clovis Andersen, author of the No. 1 Ladies’ prized manual, The Principles of Private Detection. Together, Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and their teacher-turned-colleague help right this injustice and in the process discover something new about being a good detective."

Hmmm, a new Alexander McCall Smith book... will I be buying it? Do we need water to survive?

Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It is the color of the Virgin Mary's cloak, a dazzling pigment desired by artists, an exquisite hue infused with danger, adventure, and perhaps even the supernatural. It is . . . Sacre Bleu

In July 1890, Vincent van Gogh went into a cornfield and shot himself. Or did he? Why would an artist at the height of his creative powers attempt to take his own life . . . and then walk a mile to a doctor's house for help? Who was the crooked little "color man" Vincent had claimed was stalking him across France? And why had the painter recently become deathly afraid of a certain shade of blue?

These are just a few of the questions confronting Vincent's friends—baker-turned-painter Lucien Lessard and bon vivant Henri Toulouse-Lautrec—who vow to discover the truth about van Gogh's untimely death. Their quest will lead them on a surreal odyssey and brothel-crawl deep into the art world of late nineteenth-century Paris.

Oh la la, quelle surprise, and zut alors! A delectable confection of intrigue, passion, and art history—with cancan girls, baguettes, and fine French cognac thrown in for good measure—Sacre Bleu is another masterpiece of wit and wonder from the one, the only, Christopher Moore."

It's about Vincent Van Gogh and includes a bit about his "suicide." I'm sold. Ever since that one Doctor Who episode, Van Gogh somehow seems even more amazing and real to me.

Paris in Love by Eloisa James
Published by: Random House
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In 2009, New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James took a leap that many people dream about: she sold her house, took a sabbatical from her job as a Shakespeare professor, and moved her family to Paris. Paris in Love: A Memoir chronicles her joyful year in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

With no classes to teach, no committee meetings to attend, no lawn to mow or cars to park, Eloisa revels in the ordinary pleasures of life—discovering corner museums that tourists overlook, chronicling Frenchwomen’s sartorial triumphs, walking from one end of Paris to another. She copes with her Italian husband’s notions of quality time; her two hilarious children, ages eleven and fifteen, as they navigate schools—not to mention puberty—in a foreign language; and her mother-in-law Marina’s raised eyebrow in the kitchen (even as Marina overfeeds Milo, the family dog).

Paris in Love invites the reader into the life of a most enchanting family, framed by la ville de l’amour."

I wish a was a well known writer that could go to Paris for a year and then write a book about it that will become a best seller... sigh, my dreams.


The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows that Dante can never give all of himself back-at least not all the time.

Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. During those times, he wanders far and wide, leaving Maria alone. He can't choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing. But Maria, who loves him without hesitation, wouldn't trade their unusual relationship for anything.

Since the beginning, she has kept his secret, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she's been telling about her life have turned into lies she's telling herself..."

A perfect birthday present for my friend Matt... maybe I shouldn't have posted it then... ah, he nevers reads my blog much.


The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas
Published by: NAL
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rinette Leslie of Granmuir has the ancient gift of divining the future in flowers, but her gift cannot prepare her for the turmoil that comes when the dying queen regent entrusts her with a casket full of Scotland's darkest secrets. On the very day she means to deliver it to newly crowned Mary, Queen of Scots, Rinette's husband is brutally assassinated.

Devastated, Rinette demands justice before she will surrender the casket, but she is surrounded by ruthless men who will do anything to possess it. In the end, the flowers are all she can trust-and only the flowers will lead her safely home to Granmuir."

Elizabeth Loupas' first book got great acclaim last year, luckily she had another one up her sleeve.

Imperial Scandal by Teresa Grant
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Amid the treachery of war and the whirl of revelry, no one is what they seem. . .

Nights filled with lavish balls. . .lush, bucolic afternoons. . .. Removed to glamorous Brussels in the wake of Napoleon's escape from Elba, Intelligence Agent Malcolm Rannoch and his wife, Suzanne, warily partake in the country's pleasures. But with the Congress of Vienna in chaos and the Duke of Wellington preparing for battle, the festivities are cut short when Malcolm is sent on a perilous mission that unravels a murderous world of espionage. . .

No one knows what the demure and respectable Lady Julia Ashton was doing at the château where Malcolm and a fellow British spy were ambushed. But now her enigmatic life has been ended by an equally mysterious death. And as the conflict with Napoleon marches toward Waterloo, and Brussels surrenders to bedlam, Suzanne and Malcolm will be plunged into the search for the truth--revealing an intricate labyrinth of sinister secrets and betrayal within which no one can be trusted."

Tracy Grant, I mean Teresa Grant's, newest book, yeah Regency!

A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont
Published by: KTEEN
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A scholarship student at an exclusive prep school, Emma Townsend feels like an outsider. Her stepmother doesn't come close to filling the void left by her mother's death. And her only romantic prospect - apart from a crush on her English teacher - is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma's confusion. "Escape" comes in the old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre that Emma receives as a gift. Then a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane's body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma experiences a sense of belonging she's never felt before, and a growing attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane's story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own..."

I have been "patiently" waiting for this book to come out for awhile now... yes, "patiently." What?

Heads You Lose by Lisa Luta and David Hayward
Published by: Berkley Trade
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times-bestselling author Lisa Lutz conspires with-or should we say against?- coauthor David Hayward to write an original and hilarious tag-team crime novel.

Meet Paul and Lacey Hansen: orphaned, pot-growing twentysomething siblings eking out a living in rural Northern California. When a headless corpse appears on their property, they can't exactly dial 911, so they move the body and wait for the police to find it. Instead, the corpse reappears, a few days riper . . . and an amateur sleuth is born. Make that two.

When collaborators Lutz and Hayward (former romantic partners) start to disagree about how the story should unfold, the body count rises, victims and suspects alike develop surprising characteristics (meet Brandy Chester, the stripper with the Mensa IQ), and sibling rivalry reaches homicidal intensity. Think Adaptation crossed with Weeds. Will the authors solve the mystery without killing each other first?"

Hilarous book where what happens in the "real world" is just as funny as the book world. Check out my review from last year!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexander McCall Smith, Christopher Moore, Elizabeth Loupas, Eloisa James, Eve Marie Mont, Grave Mercy, Jane Eyre, Lisa Lutz, Robin LaFevers, Sharon Shinn, Teresa Grant, Vincent Van Gogh

The Wyvern's Treasure by R.L. LaFevers
Published by: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: October 5th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"After tangling with the deadly basilisk, Nathaniel Fludd is glad to return to England with his Aunt Phil. But someone has ransacked their home, and their best suspect is the sinister man who's been trying to steal the Book of Beasts.

Before Nate and Aunt Phil can find the culprit, they are called to Welsh countryside. The wyverns (giant dragons) are in an uproar. Could the same man who ransacked the Fludd house be behind the rift with the wyverns? And just what does he want with The Book of Beasts? But before Nate can solve that mystery, he must calm the dragons before it's too late. It's just another day at work for the world's youngest beastologist!"

I love Robin! I love everything she writes, and I'm really loving Nathaniel. I'm so excited for book three in this new series for younger kids.

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Published by: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 5th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead."

Yeah steampunky goodness!

Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: October 5th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The author of the Twelve Hours series welcomes readers to a new fantasy world, where the elements rule.

Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king's fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river.

It's there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood-and the secrets of the royal family-she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court."

This one's for Matt, cause you love you some Sharon Shinn!

Slayed by Amanda Marrone
Published by: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 5th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The Van Helsing family has been hunting vampires for over one hundred years, but sixteen-year-old Daphne wishes her parents would take up an occupation that doesn’t involve decapitating vamps for cash. All Daphne wants is to settle down in one place, attend an actual school, and finally find a BFF to go to the mall with. Instead, Daphne has resigned herself to a life of fast food, cheap motels and buying garlic in bulk.

But when the Van Helsings are called to a coastal town in Maine, Daphne’s world is turned upside down. Not only do the Van Helsings find themselves hunting a terrifying new kind of vampire (one without fangs but with a taste for kindergarten cuisine), Daphne meets her first potential BF! The hitch? Her new crush is none other than Tyler Harker, AKA, the son of the rival slayer family.
What's a teen vampire slayer to do?"

Enough with Vamps! Time for the slayers to reign!

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
Published by: Vertigo
Publication Date: October 5th, 2010
Format: Mass Market, 200 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Willig's imaginative debut is the story of Eloise Kelly, who is trying to uncover the identity of the Pink Carnation, a British spy a la the Scarlet Pimpernel who infiltrated Napoleonic France, for her Ph.D. dissertation. But it is also the story of Amy Balcourt, a young woman of French descent raised in England, whom Eloise learns about when she gains access to the papers kept by Arabella Selwick-Alderly, the descendant of another dashing spy, the Purple Gentian. Amy sets off to join her brother, Edouard, in France, with the hope of joining the league of the Purple Gentian. On her journey over she meets Lord Richard Selwick, the Purple Gentian himself, and though sparks fly between the two, he feels he can't reveal his secret identity to her. Eloise is engrossed in Amy's story, even as Arabella's infuriating but handsome nephew, Colin Selwick, tries to bar her access to the papers. Readers should expect more of the swashbuckling past than the scholarly present, but Willig's story is a decidedly delightful romp."

Really one of my favorite authors and she's popular enough to have made it to mass market! Shame about the cover being so trashy. But what's inside is awesome!

American Vampire by Stephen King
Published by: Vertigo
Publication Date: October 5th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 200 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"This volume follows two stories: one written by Snyder and one written by King. Snyder's story is set in 1920's LA, we follow Pearl, a young woman who is turned into a vampire and sets out on a path of righteous revenge against the European Vampires who tortured and abused her. This story is paired with King's story, a western about Skinner Sweet, the original American Vampire-- a stronger, faster creature than any vampire ever seen before with rattlesnake fangs and powered by the sun."

Stephen King + Comics + Vampires = Must Read!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amanda Marrone, American Vampire, Behemoth, Lauren Willig, R.L. LaFevers, Scott Westerfeld, Sharon Shinn, Slayed, Stephen King, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, The Wyvern's Treasure