strange and random happenstance

Bookstore: Centuries and Sleuths Bookstore

Location: Forest Park, Illinois

The Official Patter: "Centuries and Sleuths is a warm, inviting and well organized store where a customer can sit in a rocking chair while looking through books. A bust of Sherlock Holmes exclusively commissioned by Centuries and Sleuths owner Augie Aleksy graces the bookstore. From the day its doors opened, Centuries and Sleuths has been a destination for the discriminating reader, a meeting place for authors and readers and a place for intellectual discussion. And that’s all been a part of Aleksy’s master plan."

Why I Love Them: I don't know why it is, but whenever I think of the best independent bookstores I know they are almost always stores that specialize in mysteries... This could be because I spent years trailing behind my mom, a devoted mystery fanatic, whenever she went to the bookstore, and especially when she went to Booked for Murder (now Mystery to Me.) Couple that with the fact that Murder By The Book is easily my favorite bookstore I've never been too... and well, you can easily see how my bias came to exist. Enter Centuries and Sleuths. One of my favorite authors was on tour and was stopping by the this Midwestern mystery bookstore I had never heard of... needless to say, they have since made my list of favorite stores I've never been to... and hopefully soon they will upgrade to stores I have been to!

Best Buy: In fact, my best buy from Centuries and Sleuths was initially going to be a best buy purchased in person. Lisa Lutz's Spellman series is hands down one of my favorite book series out there. They are witty and clever and know just when it's right to go dark and just when it's right to throw in a Doctor Who joke. In other words, you can see why I was drawn to them. Well for the book tour for the fifth installment the closest to Madison Lisa was coming was Forest Park Illinois. Not that far a journey, but at the same time, trudging down to the flatland in March is always hazardous, because you never know what the weather will be like. Will it be freakishly warm, or a blizzard? A few years back when I went down in April I was in a blizzard, it wasn't fun. At all. So I decided, as much as I love Lisa, I'd already met her three times at this point so I could sit this tour out, and luckily her tour for the final Spellman book the next year came to Madison! But what was great is Centuries and Sleuths. I called them up saying I could no longer make the event which I had RSVP'd to and instead could they get it signed to me and ship it up north? The sign of a truly great bookstore is when they are accommodating. When they instantly understand that you have had a change in plans and are willing to go the extra mile to help their customers. This, more than anything, is why I want to make the pilgrimage there. I want to go and throw lots of money at them in exchange for books as a big thank you for helping me out when I needed it. And trust me, I needed a signed first edition of The Trail of the Spellmans bad.  

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Blizzard, Booked for Murder, Centuries and Sleuths, Illinois, Lisa Lutz, Murder by the Book, Mysteries, Mystery to Me, Sherlock Holmes, Support Your Brick and Mortar, The Spellmans, The Trail of the Spellmans

The Passenger by Lisa Lutz
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: March 1st, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of the New York Times bestselling Spellman Files series, Lisa Lutz’s latest blistering thriller is about a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past: you’ll want to buckle up for the ride!

In case you were wondering, I didn’t do it. I didn’t have anything to do with Frank’s death. I don’t have an alibi, so you’ll have to take my word for it...

Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.

She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.

It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret…can she outrun her past?

With heart-stopping escapes and devious deceptions, The Passenger is an amazing psychological thriller about defining yourself while you pursue your path to survival. One thing is certain: the ride will leave you breathless."

New Lisa Lutz book, aka one of the must reads of the year! So go read it. Now. 

Hanging Mary by Susan Higginbotham
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: March 1st, 2016
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The untold story of Lincoln's Assassination.

1864, Washington City. One has to be careful with talk of secession, of Confederate whispers falling on Northern ears. Better to speak only when in the company of the trustworthy. Like Mrs. Surratt.

A widow who runs a small boardinghouse on H Street, Mary Surratt isn't half as committed to the cause as her son, Johnny. If he's not delivering messages or escorting veiled spies, he's invited home men like John Wilkes Booth, the actor who is even more charming in person than he is on the stage.

But when President Lincoln is killed, the question of what Mary knew becomes more important than anything else. Was she a cold-blooded accomplice? Just how far would she go to help her son?

Based on the true case of Mary Surratt, Hanging Mary reveals the untold story of those on the other side of the assassin's gun."

A fascinating new look at a defining moment in American history.

Fall of Poppers by Lauren Willig et al
Published by: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: March 1st, 2016
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Top voices in historical fiction deliver an unforgettable collection of short stories set in the aftermath of World War I—featuring bestselling authors such as Hazel Gaynor, Jennifer Robson, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig and edited by Heather Webb.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month...

November 11, 1918. After four long, dark years of fighting, the Great War ends at last, and the world is forever changed. For soldiers, loved ones, and survivors the years ahead stretch with new promise, even as their hearts are marked by all those who have been lost.

As families come back together, lovers reunite, and strangers take solace in each other, everyone has a story to tell.

In this moving anthology, nine authors share stories of love, strength, and renewal as hope takes root in a fall of poppies."

Speaking of history... yes, the main reason to read it is Lauren Willig, but it might also have given me a theme month this year...

M is for Monocle by Greg Paprocki
Published by: Gibbs Smith
Publication Date: March 1st, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 32 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the creators of BabyLit®: M Is for Monocle: A Victorian Alphabet is part of a unique new series that opens a window on history while teaching toddlers the ABCs. Different eras of history―including the nineteenth-century American West, medieval Europe, and Victorian England―are brought to life by Greg Paprocki’s fun and enticing illustrations in this new series of board books for brilliant babies.

Greg Paprocki works full-time as an illustrator and book designer. He’s illustrated several Curious George books, as well as The Big Book of Superheroes for Gibbs Smith. He began his career as an advertising art director after studying fine art and graphic design at the University of Nebraska. He currently lives in Lincoln, Nebraska."

While I have loved all the books in this series, seriously, they are adorable, this one is a MUST. It looks so vintage and cute and reminds me of The Wrong Box. Sigh.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Beatriz Williams, Fall of Poppies, Hanging Mary, Lauren Willig, Lisa Lutz, M is for Monocle, Susan Higginbotham, The Passenger, The Spellmans, The Wrong Box, Tuesday Tomorrow, Victorian, WWI

How to Start a Fire by Lisa Lutz
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: May 12th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From a bestselling writer, a story of unexpected friendship—three women thrown together in college who grow to adulthood united and divided by secrets, lies, and a single night that shaped all of them.

When UC Santa Cruz roommates Anna and Kate find passed-out Georgiana Leoni on a lawn one night, they wheel her to their dorm in a shopping cart. Twenty years later, they gather around a campfire on the lawn of a New England mansion. What happens in between—the web of wild adventures, unspoken jealousies, and sudden tragedies that alter the course of their lives—is charted with sharp wit and aching sadness in this meticulously constructed novel.

Anna, the de facto leader, is fearless and restless—moving fast to stay one step ahead of her demons. Quirky, contemplative Kate is a natural sidekick but a terrible wingman (“If you go home with him, might I suggest breathing through your mouth”). And then there’s George: the most desired woman in any room, and the one most likely to leave with the worst man.

Shot through with the crackling dialogue, irresistible characters, and propulsive narrative drive that make Lutz’s books so beloved, How to Start a Fire pulls us deep into Anna, Kate, and George’s complicated bond and pays homage to the abiding, irrational love we share with the family we choose."

Beyond excited for Lisa's foray into non-Spellman territory on her own.

Lost on Mars by Paul Magrs
Published by: Firefly Press
Publication Date: May 14th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"With the scale and scope of the great science fiction epics, Lost on Mars tells the story of Lora and her family, third generation human settlers on the red planet who are strugging to survive in incredible circumstances. The family clings to life on a smallholding in the desert landscape, surviving storms and sinister rumours of unexplained disappearances - until one night Lora sees the Dancers. When her father and grandmother disappear themselves, Lora's family is driven out to seek a new life across the plains. But none of them are ready for what they find - the beautiful, dangerous City Inside."

The last few months have been a veritable treasure trove of new books for fans of Paul. Can not wait for more!

The Storyteller: Witches by Jim Henson
Published by: Archaia
Publication Date: May 12th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jim Henson’s The Storyteller is a beloved celebration of fairy tales and folklore. After releasing a critically acclaimed graphic novel we’re thrilled to share more of The Storyteller’s magic. In the spirit of Henson’s inventive imagination, this hardcover collects four stories of witches and witchcraft from all over the world. Each story is told by different a different writer and artist, exploring classic witch stories and fairy tales through an incredible blend of art styles and storytelling techniques, and taking full advantage of the visual medium."

Seriously, no matter how much time has passed, my love of The Storyteller has never waned. NEVER!

Kisses and Curses by Fierce Reads Authors
Published by: Square Fish
Publication Date: May 12th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Beloved of readers and booksellers, our Fierce Reads program has garnered tons of enthusiastic fans since its inauguration in 2012. Now, the authors you know and love are coming together in one book! With standalone short stories from a handpicked set of FR authors, this fabulous collection will often feature characters or worlds from existing Fierce Reads titles. Extended, personal introductions from each author will make this a must-buy for fans as well as a fantastic portal for engaging new readers with the program. With a wide range of genres and subject matter, there will be something here for everyone!"

Seriously, I would have to buy this book if it was just Marissa Meyer or Leigh Bardugo or Ann Aguirre, and to have them and more? Heck yeah!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ann Aguirre, Fierce Reads, How to Start a Fire, Jim Henson, Kisses and Curses, Leigh Bardugo, Lisa Lutz, Lish McBride, Lost on Mars, Marissa Meyer, Paul Magrs, The Spellmans, The Storyteller

The Last Word (The Spellman Files Book 6) by Lisa Lutz
ARC Provided by the publisher
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: July 9th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Izzy thought that sweeping in and wresting control of her family's company would bring a new sense of purpose to her life and more control over her wayward parents. She just wanted a little respect. Instead everything is a thousand times worse. Her parents are acting out, spending more time thinking of ways to infuriate their new boss, aka their daughter, then actually investigating cases for their clients. Rae has suspiciously asked to return to work for the business, despite having sworn it off entirely in the past. Izzy's one reliable worker, D, is stressed out and up to something. And then Izzy is accused of embezzling money from her top client Mr. Slayter. How could she embezzle the money? She doesn't even know how to balance her company's accounts let alone do something so nefarious on such a large scale. Everything is in jeopardy, the business, their sanity, and quite possibly even their lives. It's just another day for the Spellmans.

If you follow a series long enough you hope that each installment will be better then the previous. Building on the characters and their foibles as the author's writing gains strength and assurance. I feel a personal connection to this series as I've been a reader since the beginning, even sending away for a signed book plate from Lutz's website prior to finally meeting her in 2009. As Lutz's writing has matured she has also become more assured at her author signings. From the sleep deprived writer asking high schoolers what their handout they were filling out for their class was back in 2010 at Boswell books to the witty and well dressed author describing how she would defend her home from burglars, even dealing with a brain hemorrhage to hilarious effect, at the event in Madison for this most recent book, see has matured along with her writing. And while I anticipate her newest non-Spellman novel, having previously enjoyed Heads You Lose, it's the Spellmans that will always hold my heart.

While this is actually not the final volume as many previously thought, the book's title did lend an ominous finality to the series, there does come a time when a series should end. We, as readers, don't want the Spellmans to overstay their welcome. We want them to end on a strong note and not degenerate into a shadow of themselves. Each book has evolved their story and their relationships and there comes a time when a happy medium will be reached and the end will be nigh. The Last Word handles the "big topics" more then previous volumes. Death, loyalty, and acceptance being high on the list. This is one of the many reasons I thought this might be "the end." And yes, I was sad, because I did think this was surely the end and I wasn't quite ready, but then I had a Rae (ha ha) of hope. If the next book goes with Rae and gives us another viewpoint it will enliven the series, but I still have to brace myself for a time when their stories will end. But I will hopefully be better prepared then I was for this ersatz ending.

The biggest topic the book handles is Albert's Cancer. This is the impetus to bring the waring family back together. To me it felt a little trite. Yes, your family, if they love each other, will certainly rally around in times of a health crisis, but it felt like Lutz had forced her characters so far apart that something cataclysmic was the only way to bring them back together. So, while Albert and his health have always been a source of comedy and concern throughout the series, using his health to effect a reunion just seemed too pat. Yes I was momentarily concerned Lutz would kill him, again thinking this was the last book, but the truth comes down to I don't like Cancer being used for reconciliation. Perhaps it's just having been raised in a house with my mother battling Cancer twice before I was even in Junior High, but to use the disease in this way and then not really handle the illness in more detail, well, just too trite.

Oddly enough the most painful part of the book for me was Henry, Izzy's on-again off-again boyfriend. I love Henry. I love Izzy. I love the idea of Henry and Izzy. But in reality they never quite worked and I was unwilling to truly let them go their separate ways. I felt like they belonged together in the true love that never dies way. Of course the happily ever after I wished for them was completely unrealistic given their personalities and their life goals. I give Lutz big props for being willing to break them up and keep them broken up. The ending she chose with Henry finally finding happiness, it was realistic. To have Izzy and Henry walk off into the sunset, that would have been just too trite, and we've already had one incidence of that in this book, so here's to something new and different. I just hope that they can remain friends because I love Henry too much to see him never grace the pages of a Spellman book again.

To me, while Izzy's growth is a barometer of how things have changed over time in the books, I look more to Rae. Rae started out wild and out of control and she has now found a maturity that I didn't think would ever be possible. I am actually quite sad about losing the old Rae. Rae, to me, was the most fully formed character I have ever read. At times I expected her to quite literally walk out of the book, sit down next to me and hustle me for money or candy or both. But she is no longer wild and out of control. She is reasonable, sensible, and actually helpful. I'm glad she's grown up, but it has made me wistful. Yes, her parent's behaviour did help bring back some of the feeling of the old Rae... but her maturity makes me realize that when the time comes I will be able to let go of this series. It will be a sad parting, but I am hopefully prepared.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: ARCs, Cancer, Heads You Lose, Henry Stone, Izzy, Lisa Lutz, Private Eyes, Rae, The Last Word, The Spellmans

Storm Front by Richard Castle
Published by: Hyperion
Publication Date: May 21st, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"There's a storm front coming!

Four years after he was presumed dead, Derrick Storm--the man who made Richard Castle a perennial bestseller--is back in this rip-roaring, full-length thriller.

From Tokyo, to London, to Johannesburg, high-level bankers are being gruesomely tortured and murdered. The killer, caught in a fleeting glimpse on a surveillance camera, has been described as a psychopath with an eye patch. And that means Gregor Volkov, Derrick Storm's old nemesis, has returned. Desperate to figure out who Volkov is working for and why, the CIA calls on the one man who can match Volkov's strength and cunning--Derrick Storm.

With the help of a beautiful and mysterious foreign agent--with whom Storm is becoming romantically and professionally entangled--he discovers that Volkov's treachery has embroiled a wealthy hedge-fund manager and a U.S. senator. In a heated race against time, Storm chases Volkov's shadow from Paris, to the lair of a computer genius in Iowa, to the streets of Manhattan, then through a bullet-riddled car chase on the New Jersey Turnpike. In the process, Storm uncovers a plot that could destroy the global economy--unleashing untold chaos--which only he can stop."

Derek Storm is ALIVE!?! I wonder how they will work this into Castle...

The Red Plague Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: May 21st, 2013
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The service of Britannia is not for the faint of heart--or conscience...

Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime in service to Queen Victrix, has a mission: to find the doctor who has created a powerful new weapon. Her friend, the mentath Archibald Clare, is only too happy to help. It will distract him from pursuing his nemesis, and besides, Clare is not as young as he used to be. A spot of Miss Bannon's excellent hospitality and her diverting company may be just what he needs.

Unfortunately, their quarry is a fanatic, and his poisonous discovery is just as dangerous to Britannia as to Her enemies. Now a single man has set Londinium ablaze, and Clare finds himself in the middle of distressing excitement, racing against time and theory to find a cure. Miss Bannon, of course, has troubles of her own, for the Queen's Consort Alberich is ill, and Her Majesty unhappy with Bannon's loyal service. And there is still no reliable way to find a hansom when one needs it most...

The game is afoot. And the Red Plague rises.

The fantastic follow-up to The Iron Wyrm Affair, set in an alternate Victorian world where magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head."

Steampunk yeah!

How to Negotiate Everything by David Spellman (Lisa Lutz)Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 21st, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 32 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"There’ll be no more hearing “no” after this clever picture book teaches you how to get everything you want.

Have you ever wanted something and been told “No”? Then this is the book for you. Through several simple steps, you will learn the best way to ask for what you want, how to ask for more of what you want, and the importance of not overreaching. With helpful illustrations and a complete glossary, there is no end to what these skills can get you.

Straight out of the pages of the New York Times bestselling Trail of the Spellmans, authors David Spellman and Lisa Lutz and illustrator Jaime Temairik show you that it is possible to negotiate for everything. Even an elephant!"

I love books in books! Meta yeah! Also, I can't wait to read how David fully messed up Rae with learning exactly what he taught her.

A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems
Published by: Hyperion Book CH
Publication Date: May 21st, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 64 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.

Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.

Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In A Big Guy Took My Ball! Piggie is devastated when a big guy takes her ball! Gerald is big, too...but is he big enough to help his best friend?"

If you don't adore Elephant and Piggie, I really don't think I can talk to you ever again.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: David Spellman, Derek Storm, Elephant and Piggie, How to Negotiate Everything, Lilith Saintcrow, Lisa Lutz, Mo Willems, Nathan Fillion, Rae, Richard Castle, Storm Front, The Red Plague Affair, The Spellmans

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

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

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

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

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah! More cute Chi. The perfect cat fix.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 1 comments  

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

As you probably all recall, I have a bit of a Lisa Lutz obsession. I just love her clean and witty writing style. Well, this month she finally branches into new territory, the Spellmans being shelved until next spring. But for her new foray into crime she has a partner, David Hayward. Writing in such ways as David Levithan and Rachel Cohn have been known to, it's as if those two writers decided to declare open warfare. Hilarious and entertaining, and yes, this applies to the authors as well. I hope you'll take the time to pick up this book (or win it, hint hint), or see them on tour! I've been eagerly anticipating seeing how they interact in a confined space for an allotted about of time since I read the book. After all, it's not often that you read a list of demands from an author before embarking on tour:

•In airports, let’s pretend we don’t know each other. Obviously, if I’m getting mugged or injure myself, break character. Otherwise, you’re some tall blond guy in a wrinkled shirt (and it will be wrinkled) who happens to be on the same airplane.

•I’ve noticed in the few signing sessions we’ve had that you’re getting fancy with your signature. Knock it off. It doesn’t change the fact that my name is bigger on the cover.

•Even though we’re pretending that we don’t know each other, sometimes bringing a stranger coffee makes you feel better. It’s like one of those pay-it-forward things, which I’m generally not all that big on, but there are some exceptions.

•If I ask you to bring me an apple, don’t then ask me if you can eat it later. Just get another apple.

•No more blue pens. And bring your own. I’m not your pen valet.

•Don’t deplane slowly just to prove you’re more zen than I am. Guess what? I give that to you, yoga boy. You are more zen. You win that one, I give it to you.

•Finally, if tensions still arise, I suggest we resort to Twitter for all communication. I believe we’re less likely to reveal our dark sides in front of the voting public.

So onto the giveaways "official rules"...

The Prize:
An ARC of Heads You Lose (curtesy of Lisa's awesome publishers at Putnam).

The Rules:
1. Open to EVERYONE (for clarification, this means international, but no shipping to space stations or TARDI), just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter, you just get more entries if you prove you love me by following.

2. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn, either your blogger profile or a link to your website/blog or you could even include your email address with your comment(s) or email me.

3. Contest ends Saturday, April 30th at 11:59PM CST

4. How to enter: Just comment in the space below!

5. And for those addicted to getting extra entries:

+1 for answering the question: Are you for or against cat based mysteries? I thought about asking what you'd do if a corpse showed up in your yard, but that a tad bit gruesome.

+2 for becoming a follower

+10 if you are already a follower

+10 for each time you advertise this contest - blog post, sidebar, twitter (please @MzLizard), etc. (but you only get credit for the first post, so tweet all you like, and I thank you for it, but you'll only get the +10 once). Also please leave a link!

Good luck!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 7 comments  

Labels: ARCs, Book Tour, David Hayward, David Levithan, Demands, Giveaway, Heads You Lose, Lisa Lutz, Rachel Cohn, The Spellmans

So, a week ago, I ventured forth from my book lined hovel to see Lisa Lutz in Milwaukee at Boswell Books. I was lucky enough to have seen her last year and was not going to miss the opportunity to see her again, she was on the tenth day of her extended tour promoting The Spellmans Strike Again. I, being me, and being over prepared in the extreme, arrived about an hour early. Logically that made me the first one there, because I don't think there is anyone else that desperate for prime seating and good access to the front of the signing line (damn them for switching it up, the table is near the front of the store, not this podium transformer thingy, so I was third in the signing line, drat!) Before the talk I had a bit of a palaver with the owner, Daniel Goldin, who was understandably a bit nervous that no one would show, understandable in that it was surprisingly frigid out (20 degrees) and at about 10 minutes to start time there where only four people there, but happy when I told him this was not the final Spellmans book. Luckily the crowd filled out, but I'm not sure if that was a good or a bad thing, for they were surprisingly lack luster and reserved, resulting in a short and mildly surreal experience.

Lisa appeared on time, tired and distracted, but with her wit razor sharp as ever, if not quite linear to follow. She expressed a sentiment that I often feel about public speaking, to avoid when possible, hence she originally wanted to be a scriptwriter, you're rarely asked to speak in front of other people. But first, before anything else, the big news must be made, and no, not my wonderful giveaway that's currently underway, no no. The amazing news is Lisa is finally a New York Times Bestselling Author! The list goes to 15, and she tied for 15th. So yeah for Lisa! So well deserved, which you'd know if you'd all listen to me and go read them (cough *win* cough *them*). She rather succinctly and humorously summed up the newest Spellman installment by saying it had "100% more undercover butlering than any previous Spellman book before." Then, with the help of Daniel Goldin, they did a reading in her preferred style of a scene of dialogue, first between Izzy and Morty, then stranded in Florida, and another between Izzy and a drunk lawyer (it will make so much more sense if you read the book, or if you go to Litidate.com).

Then the questions and answers followed, which was kind of a sad affair. People, as in all you people out there who go to book signings or talks, speak up! They're here for you! Ask your questions, get your answers, provoke talk and discussion! Though I did glean some interesting news. First, the movie is in between studios (the new studio being more interested in transformers) and Lisa has a feeling it would be far better if she rewrote it with transformers, or for the real money maker: a family of vampire PIs! She has written a stand alone with her ex that will hopefully see publication, currently titled Heads You Loose, written in the style of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with them switching off writing chapters. She heartily agreed with one questioner that Sarah Silverman would work wonderfully as Izzy. Then there was a back and forth with a few kids who, for schoolwork, come to talks and then report on it. Lisa said to give a good report on her. She then inquired what other types of questions they had to answer, one being, what are your views on writing and reading, to which she said, "I think they're good things, write that down, we'll wait." She also said she liked these easy questions and could she please have some more.

Then the signing began, she actually remembered me from last year, which I think is good right? I am very vocal in getting her books out there so I hope I help, cause really it's kind of a selfish obsession, she does good, I get another book sometime in the future. So books signed and booty bundled up, with a little extra for my giveaway from the owner, Daniel Goldin (aka a "Free Schimdt" t-shirt) I headed for home, ok, I headed to another bookstore to shop for some rare used books, but still... I did eventually make it home! So a fun evening, signed books, a chat with Lisa, my Dad got to talk to her about the The Innocence Project which is such an important cause and important to the books plot, undercover butlering aside.

So what else should I mention... well as you notice I'm nearing 200 followers, closer and closer everyday, especially if you count my networked blogs followers as well. So, thanks to my new bffs at Simon & Schuster who sent me 4 more copies of the newest Spellman book, along with the new shirt, I thought I'd extend the giveaway, try for that 200 and see how much booty I can bundle off to people. So ENTER! There's a very high chance you could win, there are 8 prizes currently! More to come...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Boswell Books, Free Schmidt, Giveaway, Heads You Loose, Izzy, Lisa Lutz, Milwaukee, Morty, Sarah Silverman, Simone and Schuster, The Innocence Project, The Spellmans, The Spellmans Strike Again

Want to show your love of the Spellmans AND help a good cause? How about getting your very own "Free Schmidt" t-shirt, just like Rae foists on the entire population of San Francisco... and a few octogenarians in Florida. Sure Schmidt isn't real, but there are many in his situation, so the sales of the Spellman shirts will help support The Innocence Project. So what are you waiting for? When you buy a shirt you get a cool receipt from PayPal saying Spellman Enterprises! Oh, and of course the shirt... Go, buy a shirt, and then wear it to one of Lisa's upcoming signings! Is there more fun to be had? Probably... but for a book loving Spellman dork like myself? Hardly. And remember, lovely contest to win swag... of which there might shortly be more thanks to Simon & Schuster... also, The Spellmans Strike Again, out Tuesday!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 1:22 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Free Schmidt, Rae, Simon and Schuster, The Innocence Project, The Spellmans, The Spellmans Strike Again

Hmmm... a new month, I wonder what I'll be giving away... oh, I kid! I've been hoarding away books for March (I don't jest, there's a pile!)You see, there's these books by Lisa Lutz, the Spellmans star, and I just can't get enough of them. The forth and NOT final (ignore the blurb, listen to the author) is being released this month and I've been dying to foist these lovely dysfunctional spies on you, my loyal readers... but I wanted to make it beyond special. So the prize... no wait, I mean prizes. Yes, that is a highlighted, italicized, emboldened "s," because I have not one, not two, but four prizes*! One for each book... in fact, one is each book... but they are so much more! They are all signed first editions. That's right! Signed Spellman books, what could be better? Really, for me personally, nothing could be better. In fact, I think after writing this post I might just dive right back into the family who spies together. Of course you might want more information before entering, so over the next two weeks I'll be posting my reviews for all four of the books leading up to the March 16th release of The Spellman's Strike Again. Plus Lisa will be touring to promote this book, so keep an eye out for her, I'll be there in Milwaukee covering her March 25th event... who knows, perhaps I'll see you there? Now onto the prizes!

*Now doubled thanks to my bffs at Simon & Schuster!


THIS GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!

The Prizes:
Prize 1: The Spellman Files *Signed* 1st Edition
Prize 2: Curse of the Spellmans *Signed* 1st Edition
Prize 3: Revenge of the Spellmans *Signed* 1st Edition
Prize 4: The Spellmans Strike Again *Signed* 1st Edition with a Free Schmidt T-shirt!
Prizes 5-8: The Spellmans Strike Again *unsigned* 1st Eiditon

The Rules:
1. Open to EVERYONE, just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter.
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 EXTENDED! Now ends Friday, April 30th at 11:59PM CST (and yes, I know I just like tacked on a whole month... but I'm so close to 200 followers I can feel it! Plus, I this is kind of the biggest giveaway I've ever run and I want it to be even bigger, insert evil laugh here!)
4. The 1st winner gets to choose which prize they want, then the 2nd, then on till the 4th name drawn gets whatever is left (which is still awesome no matter which book it is!)
5. How to enter:

Answer me this: Who is your favorite literary detective? Holmes? A Hammett creation? Are you a golden age gal or a noir lad?

6. 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 17 comments  

Labels: 200 Followers, Curse of the Spellmans, Giveaway, Lisa Lutz, Literary Detective, Milwaukee, Revenge of the Spellmans, The Spellman Files, The Spellmans, The Spellmans Strike Again

Well, hopefully by now you've encountered the Spellman Clan. They are one of my most favorite fictional families. If not... well, lets just say by mid March when their fourth book comes out you will have been inundated by me so that you'll feel they are your family. But this post, besides just showing the Spellman's some love, is mainly to pass along this little bit of news with regards to the rumors of this being the final Spellman book. Direct from the author herself, Lisa Lutz says:

"Word on the street is that the fourth Spellman book (out in March) will be the last. That's news to me. While it is true that I have been working on other projects, I have no official plans to end the series just yet. Although I won't be spelling the alphabet in Spellman books. That's for sure. Happy New Year!!!"

Enjoy the happy feeling that comes when your realize something you thought was over is indeed alive and well! Also look for several Spellman themed giveaways in the coming months... yes, I've been hoarding, but it's all for you!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 9:40 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Lisa Lutz, Sue Grafton, The Spellmans