strange and random happenstance

Conjugal Rites (Brenda and Effie Book 3) by Paul MagrsPublished by: Headline Publishing
Publication Date: 2008
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
"You are mine. And I want to see you. All these years. Years and years. We've never really met. But you are mine. And I have rites. Conjugal rites. You are mine and I am coming to see you. I know where you are now. I have been looking. Now I know where you are. And I am on my way. Your husband is coming to get you."

So Brenda is warned at the end of Something Borrowed. Her husband is coming home. Though for the pragmatic Brenda, thinking about what might come in the future, sometimes torches and lynch mobs if history where to serve, are not as immediate as dealing with the overflow from the Masked Hero Convention up at the Christmas Hotel. The old age pensioners trying to relive the good-old-days means nothing when her nemesis, Mr. Danby reappears. While he claims to be hosting an innocent late night call in show, "Night Owls," Brenda is sure that something is afoot. After all, even Effie and Robert are calling in and revealing deep, dark secrets about themselves and others. They even almost reveal who, or what, Brenda is to everyone listening, which happens to be all of Witby. Mr. Danby is up to no good. How is he getting these people to spill their souls over the airwaves?

After a dust up with Danby, Brenda gets the surprise of her life. She knew one day HE would come for her, she had fair warning, but she didn't expect it to end with a scuffle and a fall over the Western cliff straight into hell. Effie and Robert are at a lose. Brenda was the glue between them and now everyone says she's dead. But Robert and Effie won't lose hope so easily. Effie has had first hand experience with the gateway to hell the resides in Witby. Perhaps Brenda is in hell and not gone forever. If Effie's ex Alucard could go in, perhaps they could too... only they plan on coming back. Headed to the old Abbey one night, with Shelia Manchu tagging alone, they ask the old Abbess to help them rescue their friend. Whether their plan will work is anyone's guess.

I have a feeling that my reviews for all the Brenda and Effie books will start "Yet another wonderful entry in Paul Magrs's Brenda and Effie series." Literally, there has not been a misstep! Granted, I've only finished the first three, but the teaser for book four almost made me abandon my organized reading list for the month and rush to pick up the next one. Each one is witty and fun and develops off the previous installment in a natural way but expands the story and the universe logically, so that each book is something more instead of just treading the same ground over and over again, like some series are wont to do, especially of the supernatural variety (*cough* Sookie Stackhouse *cough*).

Conjugal Rites deals with the big elephant in the room when it comes to Brenda. She is "The Bride of Frankenstein," emphasis on the "Bride." While she has mentioned in passing her creation and her mate that she was literally made for, the fact that her long-lived spouse hasn't come calling has always been hanging there in the corner. Now he has finally arrived. I liked that it acknowledged Frank and brought a bit of closure to this chapter of her life. If Frank never showed up, we would always be left wondering. I also loved that while he is a bit of a brute of a man, what with the neck bolts and strong Northern accent, there is something that draws Brenda to him. Not just the fate, but there is something else there. A kindred goodness deep down that makes it right for them to be together. I for one am excited to see how their relationship develops, I view it as a kind of supernatural Wuthering Heights.

Speaking of relationships... while I was sad that Brenda was off in the wings for a good portion of the book, what I loved was the bonding between Effie and Robert. Everyone has, at some point in their life, had someone they hung out with a lot, but aren't exactly friends with. It's not for any logical reason, it's just that they are a friend of a friend. For Effie and Robert, Brenda has always been the one that bonded their group. Effie and Robert always viewed Brenda as their friend and the other as Brenda's friend, not their own. Yet, because they had to come together in order to rescue Brenda, their relationship naturally changed, and they have started to form a friendship without Brenda. I was cheering on this fledgling friendship. Some of my strongest friendships have started in this round about manner, and I really have the highest hopes that Effie will no longer look slightly askance at Robert and Robert won't view Effie as the odd lady with the junk. Going to hell and back together, it's the best bonding there is, like a cross country road trip, you really get to know the other person and hopefully, at the end of the day, you're better friends than ever.

While these reasons for loving the book are more on the "deeper" side, dealing with love and life and the connections between disparate people on this earth we call home, it's the zaniness that balances it. The pensioners in superhero costumes, the fact that the first level of hell is 24/7 Christmas. The ingenious realization that our favorite clothes that we loved and lost really where just dragged to hell. Perhaps that's where missing socks go as well? Is the sock monster perhaps a being from a hell dimension? I think so. Also Paul's obvious love of the B-movie genre, with the very green Frank, the return of Dracula, oh, I mean Alucard, and a Monkey's Paw playing a crucial deus ex machina, not to mention Sheila's long gone husband, Mumu, a very hilarious reference to Fu Manchu, led to a B-movie extravaganza of fun! Also, back to the more serious side, I liked Sheila finally being confronted by the actuality of her husband Mumu, her "God," and realizing, that perhaps, she was idolizing him and romanticizing her past a little too much. Ok, back to the funny... an escalator to hell! Now I have to go read the next one, whose review will most likely start "Yet another wonderful entry in Paul Magrs's Brenda and Effie series."

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: B-Movies, Brenda and Effie, Bride of Frankenstien, Christmas, Conjugal Rites, Dracula, Frankenstein, Paul Magrs, Sookie Stackhouse, Witby

Something Borrowed (Brenda and Effie Book 2) by Paul Magrs
Published by: Headline Publishing
Publication Date: 2007
Format: Paperback, 280 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
Brenda wants a return to normalcy, while Effie is all for further fun. Brenda just wants to run her Bed and Breakfast and make it the cleanest and friendliest place in all of Whitby. Yet their adventures of the previous year has made Effie realize that there's so much more out there. Sure, growing up with a family of powerful witches, you know about "other" things, but dating Dracula and watching a hell mouth open change your priorities. Without consulting Brenda, Effie has got them a case investigating a string of poison pen letters. Sheila Manchu, who runs the decidedly low rent Hotel Miramar, is the latest victim. She has been shaken by the accusations and hopes that Brenda and Effie can help her.

Their first suspect is Mrs. Claus, with her mysterious ways and otherworldly air. She runs the upscale Christmas Hotel and is hoarding more secrets than perhaps even Brenda. Yet, she seems to be too classy to resort to poison pen letters. Lucky for Brenda and Effie, their now significantly transformed friend Jessie's nephew Robert works at both hotels and is will to help in their investigations when not tending to his womanzee aunt Jessie.

With a beer garden with evil undertones and a rampaging womanzee, sleep deprivation and things that scuttle in the night, surprisingly it's a man from Brenda's past that upsets the precious balance of life in Whitby. Henry Cleavis was a part of Brenda's life at one time, if only she could remember that time. Both of them are long past the time they should have left this earth, Brenda for more easily explainable, if unbelievable reasons... Henry though? What secrets does he hold? One things clear, he still hunts monsters, so where does that leave him and Brenda... Jessie is in danger, that's for sure. Yet if he's in town, there must be something more sinister that drew him here.

At first I was not sure if I would love this second book in Paul Magr's Brenda and Effie series as much as I did the first installment. There was a distinct structure shift. The narrative style changed from little vignettes to a more overall narrative arc. I loved the little "monster of the week" structure of Never the Bride, because it felt more Victorian in construct. Little sweets of stories that take place in Brenda and Effie's lives. Yet, there shouldn't have been a doubt in my mind. While the structure changed, my love for the characters didn't. Paul's style change perfectly fitted the story at hand. Instead of all these little individual tales, we have one tale that every little aspect of the narrative fed into. The story kept building on itself till we finally got the big reveal in Brenda's flashback that locked all the pieces down into place.

Also, learning more about Brenda's past, and her working as a housekeeper and maid back in 1946, makes sense with her continued love of a clean home. Her run in with Dracula way back in the day makes sense as to her prejudice against him when he previously was in Whitby and courting Effie. Secret societies comprised of academics, B Horror movie characters come to life and running amok. Creatures so dangerous that other evil creatures will inexplicably band together for "the greater good" all make this book a wonderfully fun read.

Still, the heart and soul of the book is Brenda. One doesn't really sit down and often think about if someone had an extremely long life, without the supernatural elements, Brenda after all is a creation of man, having been created by Doctor Frankenstein, what would happen to your brain after all these years. Obviously, there's only so much information that a human brain can retain, so amnesia or just plain having problems remembering your own past would be common. Not to mention, there might be a lot that you wish to forget! Brenda has "too many memories to fit inside one body." Memories return to her in flashes. Everything would be easy if she could quickly recall what happened the last time her and Henry where together, because it's obvious with his return, whatever was a danger to them in the past is a danger to them in the present. Yet, that is not how things work. Life is complicated and messy, and never simple, especially if you've had more than your fair share. You can quite literally be haunted by your past... who knows who or what might appear next. I know I can't wait to read about it!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Brenda and Effie, Dracula, Frankenstein, Fu Manchu, Mrs. Claus, Never the Bride, Paul Magrs, Something Borrowed, Whitby, Womanzee

Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond by Kim Harrison
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: October 9th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enter the woods . . . if you dare
Into the Woods

For centuries, the woods have been a pivotal part of the wonder and danger of fairy tales, for once you enter anything can happen. Elves, druids, fairies—who knows what you will find once you dare step into the forest?

And now, New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison ventures into these mysterious, hidden lands of magic and mystery in her first short-story collection. Into the Woods brings together an enchanting mix of brand-new, never-before-published stories and tales from Harrison's beloved, bestselling Hollows series.

The tales here include an original Hollows novella, Million-Dollar Baby, about Trent Kalamack's secret elven quest in Pale Demon; two original short stories, "Pet Shop Boys" and "Temson Woods," that explore just what happens when humanity and the supernatural collide; and two novelettes, "Spider Silk" and "Grace," set in new worlds of imagination and adventure. Into the Woods also contains all of the previously published Hollows short stories—together in one volume for the very first time.

Step into the woods and discover the magic for yourself. "

Kim Harrison, short stories, I'm in.

The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges
Published by: Delacorte
Publication Date: October 9th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lush and opulent, romantic and sinister, The Unfailing Light, Volume II in The Katerina Trilogy, reimagines the lives of Russia's aristocracy in a fabulously intoxicating and page-turning fantasy.

Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in."

Russia, I can't get enough of ya!

White Truffles in Winter by N. M. Kelby
Published by: W. W. Norton and Company
Publication Date: October 9th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Auguste Escoffier (1846–1935) was the unparalleled French chef whose impact on restaurants and high cuisine is still with us. He was also a complicated man—kind yet imperious, food obsessed yet rarely hungry, capable of great passion and inscrutable reserve. In this lushly imagined new novel, N. M. Kelby transports us into Escoffier’s private world, weaving a sensual story of food and longing, war and romance.

The novel opens near the end of Escoffier’s life, as he writes his memoirs. He has witnessed a tumultuous sweep of history from a unique position, and he recounts his days as a cook in the Franco-Prussian War, a chef for the beau monde in Paris and at the London’s Savoy, and a confidant of royalty and world leaders.

The heart of Escoffier’s story, however, lies in his love for two very different women: the famously beautiful and reckless actress Sarah Bernhardt, one of the most adored women of her day, and his wife, the independent and sublime poet Delphine Daffis, whose hand in marriage Escoffier gambled for, only to live apart from her for much of his career.

Now Escoffier has retired and returned to Delphine. She requests just one thing: that he produce a dish in her name as he has done for so many, including Bernhardt and Queen Victoria. Yet how does one re-create the complexity of love in a single recipe? The great chef has no idea. Aided by a headstrong young cook who looks remarkably like Bernhardt, Escoffier must rediscover food’s emotional capacity, its ability to communicate passion, regret, grief, forgiveness, and love."

I didn't really hear anything about this book when it was released in Hardcover, but than again, it had a crappy cover, so pretty cover means I sit up and take notice!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Into the Woods, Kim Harrison, N.M. Kelby, Robin Bridges, The Unfailing Light, White Truffles in Winter

So, as you've by now guessed, this month is dedicated to the writer Paul Magrs.There's a banner designed and a giveaway, this shouldn't be a surprise. Paul was more than generous with his time and willing to be submitted to my silly questions which I will post, along with his answers, every Sunday this month. To start us off, I figured some general questions about the life of a writer and his books was as good a place as any to start, so let's cede the blog to Paul!

 Question: I personally have this question asked about me a lot, but how do you find the time to do all you do? From writing and reading and reviewing and events, not to mention making sure Panda and Fester are happy, how do you do it all?

Answer: I think I developed a good relationship with time and its management from working and teaching in universities for all the years that I did. You get used to working on your own writing in the gaps and spaces of your days. That kind of training sticks with you! So, today, for example – as well as emails and a spot of writing practice and some contract and business stuff – I’ve worked on four different projects (two of them first draft and still top secret, with 1200 new words on each, and then in the afternoon – two more projects, both scripts, at a second draft stage.) It’s always a question of structured time management – and with that in place – you can spin off through time and space wherever you like. Usually.

Question: How important is having other writers as friends and part of your community to inspire and help out and commiserate with?

Answer: I’ve always had lots of writing friends, and I’ve been very lucky with that. I think it’s vital to have some kind of network of pals you can connect with. Not necessarily reading each other’s work and critiquing all the time – sometimes it’s just nice to know they’re out there, doing the same kind of thing. What’s great about lots of the writers I know is that they like to have a good, gossipy time when they actually manage to get out of the house and meet up – at festivals or writers’ retreats, or whatever. I’ve got some great friendships with people in the same world as the one I’m in.

*Paul pictured with fellow author George Mann

Question: You are that rare breed of author whose public readings not only connect the listener to your writing but also enhance subsequent readings of your books. Have you ever considered pulling a Neil Gaiman and doing your own audio books?

Answer: That’s very nice to hear, thank you! And, yes, I recorded my own unabridged audio for my 2010 YA novel, ‘The Diary of a Dr Who Addict.’ It was terrific fun to do and I learned a great deal from my producer while I was at the studios in Bath. We also got snowed in as all these blizzards in Jane Austen's town. It was just after New Years’ – and three of us were recording books that week in those studios – Nerys Hughes, Jacqueline Wilson and myself. We thought we were going to be snowed in for weeks!

Question: With many of your books having characters that jump from one book to the next, do you consider all your books as existing within the same universe?

Answer: Perhaps – or maybe universes that touch upon each other at oblique angles. A recurring motif throughout many of the books are the magic Pinking Shears that get passed along between characters such as Iris Wildthyme and Noel Coward. Whoever ends up with them generally causes chaos, cutting a swathe through the Very Fabric of Space and Time and stepping through…

I think it’s because I grew up loving Marvel and DC Comics that I ended up obsessed with the idea of crossovers and cameos and guest appearances. But I do like to make sure that each book is explicable on its own terms, with little or no prior knowledge of my many universes required…

Question: I was first made aware of you and your work by 666 Charing Cross Road, an obvious wink and nod to Helene Hanff and her book 64 Charing Cross Road. How much did Helene’s own writing affect how you handled the book?

Answer: I read all of her books in one go, a few years ago. I knew ’84 Charing Cross Road’ of old – both the book and the film – and I was delighted to follow her adventures further in these slim, erudite and irascible books. I loved her book about visiting London at last, and her book about rediscovering New York. I wish there was more of her in the world. I hope a little of her spirit and her tone went into the character of Eliza Bathory – the literary demon hunter – in my novel.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 666 Charing Cross Road, 84 Charing Cross Road, Doctor Who, Eliza Bathory, George Mann, Helene Hanff, Neil Gaiman, Paul Magrs

Never the Bride (Brenda and Effie Book 1) by Paul Magrs
Book Provided by Headline Publishing
Published by: Headline Publishing
Publication Date: 2006
Format: Paperback, 280 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
Brenda has decided that after her long long life it's time for some peace and quiet in the small northern seaside town of Witby, famed for Dracula's ship, the Demeter, crashing into its harbor. While the town does have many B and B's, Brenda sets out to make hers the friendliest and cleanliest for a few select guests. Settling down has always been the last thing on her mind in a life of tumult and late night escapes, but she has a nice routine and a best friend, Effie, her neighbor next door who runs a junk shop filled with centuries of family ephemera. Days are spent cleaning and making her home nice, going out for tea and dinners with Effie, and quietly getting on with life, something the bride of Frankenstein never thought possible. Yet Brenda realizes it is too good to last when during one of her and Effie's outings, their regular waitress at The Christmas Hotel, Jessie, is literally 20 years younger. She has gone to a new boutique in town and the years have just been taken away. Brenda's years of being surrounded by the strange and peculiar means she knows that this "Deadly Boutique" has to be up to something, and her feisty new friend Effie is all for investigating. The boutique though is only one of many strange occurrences. Aliens, vampires, every manner of supernatural goings on start to happen, and they all seem to have one thing in common, Brenda.

For quite awhile now I've had two books by Paul Magrs on my "to_get" shelf on goodreads (I've also oddly had one of them on the shelf nearest my computer tower that I just recently rediscovered). Never the Bride and 666 Charing Cross Road intrigued me, yet not being in print here I was at the whims of someone selling a copy to a used bookstore or biting the bullet and paying the shipping charges from overseas. I met Paul this past fall at TeslaCon and realized that these books needed to be bumped up the list. Paul is an engaging reader. Sometimes authors get up to read their work and it falls flat. You aren't drawn into the world. I was instantly drawn into the world of Brenda and Effie as the characters took him over. During the weekend I got to know Paul a little, attending his readings and Q and A's, hanging out at the hotel's bar. 

We're now facebook friends and he put me in touch with his publicist to wrangle me a few of his books for my blog here, yeah. I was instantly over the moon and filled with dread. Here is someone I had met who I genuinely liked but had yet to read his work. What if it was awful? What if he asked me how I liked it? What if I had to break it to him that I hated a book with characters so dear to his heart? It's a constant fear of reviewers, or at least a fear of this reviewer. What if you get too close to your subject? What if you form some alliance or tentative friendship that can't withstand the truth? Because I will always tell the truth. I can't lie. As an artist I have learned to take harsh criticism, and it has made me better at what I do, so therefore I'm not trying to be mean, I'm trying to make you better. Sadly it's easier to write about a bad book than a good one, but when it's someone you like and admire, you feel bad that you didn't like it. I've even once or twice hesitated to even publish my review because the book was so bad and the author someone I so admired, yet I still published my review for all to read. Because in the end, the truth will out. As you've probably surmised because this book is on my top ten reads for 2011 that all my fears where unjustified in this case. Whew.

The book combines so many of my favorite things into one book it's instantly a series I must now devour. Never the Bride is set up like an old fashioned chap book, with each chapter dealing with a different crisis that has arisen. Just like the different guests that stay at Brenda's B and B, each chapter is a cozy little mystery that while solved by chapters end, adds a little more to the books overall story arc. I like cozy little mysteries. There's something comforting about them, but then, sometimes they are formulaic. I think by adding in a few vampires, aliens and characters from Gothic literature, that Paul has smashed the formulae and made something new. It's like Mapp and Lucia for the supernatural set. Buffy for retirees. Being Human, but just a little more mature. In fact I can totally see this as a series with Geraldine James as Brenda and perhaps Annette Crosbie as Effie.

At different points in the book I was sad that the chapter was ending, because, the characters being guests, would leave, and leave me a little sad. The family of aliens that Brenda harbors where so sweet and so well developed they didn't devolve into the horror of cliche, Simon Pegg's atrocious Paul anyone? Because I'm sure the first time I said this book had aliens, you kind of cringed a little, as I myself did. Aliens and Neanderthals (Australopithecus to be exact) don't usually seamlessly fit into fantastical fiction, I'm sure the Neanderthal episode of Buffy wasn't your favorite, aside from adding "Beer foamy" to you quotes; and you sometimes end up with the mess that Jasper Fforde has gotten himself into with his Thursday Next books where you just don't care anymore. But here each character is created with such loving detail that no matter how much you think this might be too much or too far, it isn't. It's just perfect. I instantly felt that these fictional characters where in fact my friends and can't wait to visit them again and again. If only I could stay at Brenda's B and B sometime... and not just in my dreams.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 666 Charing Cross Road, Being Human, Brenda and Effie, Buffy, Dracula, Frankenstein, Geraldine James, Jasper Fforde, Mapp and Lucia, Neanderthal, Never the Bride, Paul Magrs, Simon Pegg

1) Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie - Because I adore this little short story that introduced the world to Peter Pan. Also, my copy is a tiny little paperback Penguin mini that hasn't aged very well, whereas this is a Facsimile Edition of the original with drawings by Arthur Rackham! Score! Bought at Frugal Muse.

2) Endgame by Ann Aguirre - The end of Sirantha Jax, weep, sob. Bought at Barnes and Noble.

3) Ghosts of Manhattan by George Mann - I have been wanting to get my hands on this book in George's Ghost series for awhile, and imagin my joy and finding both at once. There was almost a happy dance, I lie, there was a happy dance, once I had taken the books of the shelf and made sure no one would snag them from beneath my nose. Bought at Barnes and Noble.

4) Ghosts of War by George Mann - Ditto above, happy dance, yeah! Bought at Barnes and Noble.

5) The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron - I admit I know nothing about this book. But I had a 30% off one YA or Kids book and I saw this vaguely Steampunky cover and read the blurb and it said English Country Estate, so I was sold, if it's any good, only time will tell... Bought at Barnes and Noble.

6) The Curse of the Kings by Victoria Holt - So over on Lauren Willig's site, she was having a discussion/recommendation as the best "gateway" book for those who've never read Victoria Holt. I personally have never read her and when her recomendation was one about Egypt, I went straight to Amazon and bought it now. Bought at Amazon.

7) Parker Pyne Investigates by Agatha Christie - Another Christie facsimile I ordered with Mrs. Oliver, finally arrived from England! Bought at Amazon UK.

8) Third Girl by Agatha Christie - Ditto! Bought at Amazon UK.

9) The House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe - I've been waffling on buying this one for awhile, so the fact that she was doing a signing at Murder by the Book swayed me to the yes category. That and I could get my copy of her first book signed! Bought at Murder by the Book.

10) Seizures by Katy Reichs - Again, another book I was debating that swung to the yes category by a signing at Murder by the Book. Bought at Murder by the Book.

11) Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr - Yeah, a new Melissa Marr book which everyone has told me is awesome. Though it's still hard for me to type "carnival" and not want to but an "e" on the end. Damn, I miss that show. Bought at Murder by the Book.

12) Ruby Red by Kersin Gier - Has been on my "to get" list for a long time and to tie in with the new book they re-released the first book (aka, this one) in a snazzy new and elegant cover. Bought at Amazon.

13) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - Did I know that they had released the book in the Everyman's Children's Classics Library? Uh, duh, no I didn't otherwies I would have bought it long ago! I love this series from Everyman's Library! Bought at Amazon.

Ok, now here will be the, damn, she went to a Fierce Reads author event with Marissa Meyer, Ann Aguirre, Lish McBride and Elizabeth Fama, so I couldn't NOT buy all their books... right? Also, I know you're jealous I was there and just won't admit it...

14) Enclave by Ann Aguirre - I was kind of kicking myself for not getting this book in the spring at the RT Convention where I first met Ann, so luckily I got my chance again! Also, right when Outpost came out, which leads too... Bought at Books and Company.

15) Outpost by Ann Aguirre - See, I couldn't just buy Enclave, now could I? Bought at Books and Company.

16) Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride - Serious cover lust and after hearing more about the book, it made me want to stop reading my current book and pick this up. Bought at Books and Company

17) Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride - Perhaps even great cover lust, sigh. Bought at Books and Company.

18) Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama - Probably the book prior to the event I was least excited about, until I heard, evil mermaids, New England, and kind of like Frankenstein. Yeah, sold! Bought at Books and Company.

So, with all the work at school I've been stressed, and I tend to stress by books... it's weird, but it's like, I'm looking forward to when I have free time so I over buy books. Also, as a side note, perhaps it's unwise my doctor's office is like right near Barnes and Noble, so when I went in thinking I was breaking out in hives (I wasn't, just bug bites) to calm myself after, what better thing is there than books?

19) Foretold by Carrie Ryan - YA Anthology that I've been waiting for. Even better, it arrived at Frugal Muse so I got it for a quarter of the list price! Bought at Frugal Muse.

20) The High Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate by Scott Nash. Never heard of this book. Saw it and it looked awesome, so, yeah, I bought it. Bought at Frugal Muse.

21) The Twelve Rooms of the Nile by Enid Shomer - As I said on "Tuesday Tomorrow" it's about Egypt, so I'm sold, also, gorgeous cover! Bought at Barnes and Noble.

22) Dodger by Terry Pratchett - DUH! Terry Pratchett devote in the house! Bought at Barnes and Noble.

23) In a Witch's Wardrobe by Juliet Blackwell - Witchy fun, perfect for October! Bought at Barnes and Noble.

24) Alchemystic by Anton Strout - The proclaimed nemesis of Patrick Rothfuss, who donated money for every preorder... odd that I bought Pat's nemesis's book on Pat's recommendation... Bought at Amazon.

25) Death on a Silver Tray by Rosemary Stevens - The first in her Bean Brummell mystery series, highly recommended by Lauren Willig. Bought at Amazon.

26) The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King - I recommended the newest in this series about Sherlock Holmes recently and realized, I haven't read the first. So this is the first, fyi. Bought at Barnes and Noble.

27) Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans - I love Harriet Evans and have been wanting her newest book for quite some time but sadly every time I tried to get a copy it was damaged beyond belief, sometimes it astounds me what mailing a book does to it. But FINALLY I found a mint copy! Bought at Barnes and Noble.

Note on the bookstores:
Amazon.com - because sometimes, more often that not, your local Barnes and Noble didn't stock that ONE book you where looking for, and having prime means everything shows up so fast!

Barnes and Noble - the last big chain in the Midwest that everyone knows and loves or loathes accordingly.

Books and Company - Local bookstore, not local to Madison, but Oconomowoc, which isn't that far away. They have great signing events, I got to meet Erin Morgenstern through them last year!

Frugal Muse - local Madison, Wisconsin chain with two stores in town which sells both old and new books at wonderful prices (at a really steep discount for new books too) and is easily my favorite bookstore.

Murder by the Book - the best bookstore in the world! They're in Houston, Texas and have tons of amazing events and for every book you buy they'll let you send in three books to get signed. Love you all!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Agatha Christie, Ann Ag, Carrie Ryan, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Fama, George Mann, Harriet Evans, Katherine Howe, Katy Reichs, Lish McBride, Melissa Marr, Peter Pan, Steampunk, Terry Pratchett

Last year I was lucky enough to meet this unique and talented author. I had heard of Paul Magrs (pronounced Mars) in passing because I am a fan of Helene Hanff, of 84, Charing Cross Road fame, and Paul came out with 666 Charing Cross Road last year, and the title alone made me giggle and want to pick up the book. After hearing him do a reading from his books I knew that I just didn't want to read 666 Charing Cross Road but every book he'd written, in particular his stories about Brenda and Effie, where Brenda is the Bride of Frankenstein and she opens up and Bed and Breakfast in the North East of England.

On the last day of Teslacon, we got to talking and I mentioned I had a blog and shortly after that Paul sent me the info for his publicist and shortly after that I received some amazingly lovely books in the mail. I had been planning on reading them and reviewing them anyway, but to have Paul go out of his way so that I could read his books, well, that deserves a whole themed month says I! Oh, and a giveaway with one of the books! So this month is all Paul Magrs all the time! I'm reviewing all the Brenda and Effie books, as well as a few others. There will also be some fun questions and answers every weekend, including the importance of Pandas, as well as the giveaway previously mentioned. So prepare yourself for some spooktacular fun (sorry, I had to say that, not sure why, it just came out, it's October, these things are known to happen...)

Prizes:

1st Prize: Never the Bride, the first book in the Brenda and Effie series by Paul Magrs

2nd and 3rd Prize: A Lovely Victorian Christmas Card overflowing with so much Christmasy cheer that it could burn out your eyes. Mrs. Claus would approve.

A close up of the cards so they will haunt your nightmares... I mean, so you'll want to win them! Side note, I can't believe I just found these hanging out in my closet! Too perfect, they where waiting for Magrs Month!

The Rules:
1. Open to EVERYONE, just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter, you just get more entries if you prove you love me by following.
2. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn, either your blogger profile or a link to your website/blog or you could even include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Giveaway ends Wednesday, October 31st at 11:59PM CST Yes, that's Halloween!
4. How to enter:

Answer me this: What is your favorite B-Movie/Horror Film?

• +1 for answering the question above
• +2 for becoming a follower
• +10 if you are already a follower
• +10 for each time you advertise this contest - blog post, sidebar, twitter (please @eliza_lefebvre), 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! There's a handy code on the side for your sidebars!
• +25 if you comment on any of the posts this month, with something other than "I hope I win" or a variation thereof.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:01 AM 2 comments  

Labels: 64 Charing Cross Road, 666 Charing Cross Road, B-Movies, Brenda and Effie, Halloween, Helene Hanff, Horror, Magrs Month, Mrs. Claus, Pandas, Paul Magrs

The Woman Who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The newest tour de force starring Thursday Next in the New York Times bestselling series
The Bookworld’s leading enforcement officer, Thursday Next, has been forced into a semiretirement following an assassination attempt, returning home to Swindon and her family to recuperate.

But Thursday’s children have problems that demand she become a mother of invention: Friday’s career struggles in the Chronoguard, where he is relegated to a might-have-been; Tuesday’s trouble perfecting the Anti-Smote shield, needed in time to thwart an angry Deity’s promise to wipe Swindon off the face of the earth; and the issue of Thursday’s third child, Jenny, who doesn’t exist except as a confusing and disturbing memory.

With Goliath attempting to replace Thursday at every opportunity with synthetic Thursdays, and a call from the Bookworld to hunt down Pagerunners who have jumped into the Realworld, Thursday’s convalescence is going to be anything but restful as the week ahead promises to be one of the Next family’s oddest."

While, I personally think the first book in Fforde's Thursday Next ouevre is the best, the cover do keep getting better and better. Plus, he's finally coming back to the Midwest so I can finally meet him!

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
Published by: Harcourt Children
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 296 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic."

While this series has been out for awhile in his native land, we stateside have had a bit of a wait, which is finally over!

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
Published by: Hyperion
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery. . . .

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan."

Another in the endless Riordan spin offs... how does he have all these books? He must be a writing machine!

Fire Season by David Webber and Jane Lindskold
Published by: Baen
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Second entry in a new young adult series by New York Times best seller David Weber, and the prequel to the hugely popular Honor Harrington adult science fiction saga.

Fire in the forest–and a cry for help from a trapped and desperate alien mother! Unfortunately, this is one cry no human can hear. Stephanie Harrington, precocious fourteen-year-old Provisional Forest Ranger on the planet Sphinx, knows something is wrong from the uneasy emotion that is flooding into her from her treecat friend, Climbs Quickly. But though Stephanie’s alien comrade shares a tight bond with his two-legs, whom he knows as Death Fang’s Bane, he cannot communicate directly to her the anguished call from one of his people.

Still, their strong and direct bond of feeling may be enough. Stephanie and fellow ranger Karl Zivonik respond to Climbs Quickly’s rising waves of distress. Fire season on the pioneer world of Sphinx has begun. But there are those who want to use the natural cycle of the planet for personal gain –and to get rid of the one obstacle that stands in the way of acquiring even greater land and power on Spinx: the native treecats.

Now it’s up to Stephanie, Climbs Quickly along with their friends, family, and allies to prevent disaster and injustice from befalling a treecat clan. But in the process Stephanie must be certain to preserve the greatest secret all. It is the knowledge that the treecats of Sphinx are not merely pets or servants, but are highly intelligent in their own right–that they are a species fully deserving of rights, respect, and freedom. And keeping the secret that will allow the treecats time to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with humankind."

A land where cat like creatures are you bestest buddies, I've said it before, I'll say it again, I'm sold!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: David Webber, Fire Season, Jane Lindskold, Jasper Fforde, Rick Riordan, The Last Dragonslayer, The Mark of Athena, The Woman Who Died A Lot, Thursday Next