Polish Outlander

Been a bit quiet here on my end, so here’s what I’ve been reading recently, aside from the books that I’m working on that we’re publishing in Fall, Winter, and yes…Spring 2011! ::thud:: Oh, and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! Aaaaaaalmost done with that. Book club is tomorrow….but anyway, back to other books:

Cinderella–whose real name is Danielle Whiteshore (nee Danielle de Glas)–does marry Prince Armand.  And if you can ignore the pigeon incident, their wedding is a dream come true. But not long after the “happily ever after,” Danielle is attacked by her stepsister Charlotte, who suddenly has all sorts of magic to call upon.  And though Talia–otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty–comes to the rescue (she’s a martial arts master, and all those fairy blessings make her almost unbeatable), Charlotte gets away. That’s when Danielle discovers a number of disturbing facts: Armand has been kidnapped and taken to the realm of the Fairies; Danielle is pregnant with his child; and the Queen has her own very secret service that consists of Talia and Snow (White, of course).  Snow is an expert at mirror magic and heavy duty flirting. Can the three princesses track down Armand and extract both the prince and themselves from the clutches of some of fantasyland’s most nefarious villains?

This book was more fun to read than I expected. I had previously bought The Mermaid’s Madness not knowing there was a book before it. I read this back in May from the library, and to be honest, I don’t think I would have read this type of book a few years ago. I’ve been trying to branch out in different genres and I am particular about my fantasy books. But this one was a hoot! Never a dull moment with these three gals. There was romance! There was danger! There was a troll! There was intrigue! There was kick-ass chicks running the show! I am always open to fairy tale retellings, but this one had sass! Well done Mr. Hines, well done! I love the cover too and if there were a tv movie or series, I would totally watch it. Mermaid’s Madness here I come…..once I get through some other books.

Bess Southerns, an impoverished widow living in Pendle Forest, is haunted by visions and gains a reputation as a cunning woman. Drawing on the Catholic folk magic of her youth, Bess heals the sick and foretells the future. As she ages, she instructs her granddaughter, Alizon, in her craft, as well as her best friend, who ultimately turns to dark magic. When a peddler suffers a stroke after exchanging harsh words with Alizon, a local magistrate, eager to make his name as a witch finder, plays neighbors and family members against one another until suspicion and paranoia reach frenzied heights.  Sharratt interweaves well-researched historical details of the 1612 Pendle witch-hunt with a beautifully imagined story of strong women, family, and betrayal.

I’ve always been fascinated by witch-hunt books. And it was interesting to read about one that was not about the Salem Witch Trials. You need some variety sometimes! I hadn’t read the author’s previous book. This one was a bit slow at times, but it was understandable. It was like reading a study of a community and a family, and to see how much influence a person can have and how quickly that influence can be taken away with just a few stray words. People are always looking for someone to blame for their troubles and this incident was no different. However, part of me did think, “Well, what if Bess truly does have some special gift?” At the end, I guess you had to figure that out yourself.

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High – from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.  Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death – and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

I normally don’t review or comment on children’s or YA books, since it would be a conflict of interest for me, unless it was a much, much older book from a while back. But I will make an exception this time. Because you know what? I’m a reader darn it! I was weary of this book. I’m always weary of hyped-up books. But then sometimes I do cave and read to see what all the hubbub is about. So what made me finally pick this up? Well, that would be Misty’s review. I took this with me when I went to ALA, and when I met Misty, I did confess that I was enjoying it thus far. And then I booktalked it at one of my staff meetings recently. And yes, I did enjoy it. At first, Samantha was just one annoying little brat, but by the end, the story was heartbreaking, but in a good way. So there you have it. I liked it!

SPOILER ALERT! DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON! SPOILER ALERT!

Elena Gilbert is alive – again. When Elena sacrificed herself to save the two vampire brothers who love her – the handsome, brooding Stefan and the sleek and dangerous Damon – she was consigned to a fate beyond death. Until a powerful supernatural force pulled her back. Now Elena is not just human. She has powers and gifts that were bestowed on her in the afterlife. What’s more, her blood pulses with an overwhelming and unique force that makes her irresistible to any vampire. Stefan wants to find a way to keep Elena safe so that they can make a life together. Damon, however, is driven by an insatiable desire for power, and wants Elena to rule as his princess. When Stefan is lured away from Fell’s Church, Damon seizes his chance to convince her that he is the brother she is meant to be with. . . .  But a darkness is infiltrating the town, and Damon, always the hunter, is now the hunted; he becomes the prey of a malevolent creature that can possess him at will, and who desires not just Elena’s blood but her death.

You know what? I didn’t even finish this one. I gave up around page 150. I just couldn’t take it. I felt like I was reading something different; I truly enjoyed the original four books. The story was just not jiving with me. And Stefan constantly calling Elena “Love” drove me nuts! I didn’t think this book series needed another set of stories. Granted, there is the opportunity for it, seeing as how the original four ended. Just let laying dogs lie (is that the proper use of those words? Lie, Lay, Lied, Laid…). So sadly, I think this marks my journey’s end in the reading challenge. Well at least this first phase. I’m happy to continue reading Ms. Smith’s other works in the upcoming challenges.  I’ve read the first Nightworld omnibus and have the other two waiting to be read. In the meantime, I’ll just keep watching this:

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for this week is:

Available October 2010 from Crown

From the author’s blog: In January 1611 one of the highest-born members of the Hungarian nobility, Countess Erzsebet Bathory, was walled inside her castle tower and imprisoned for the rest of her life. Her servants were taken away, tortured, put on trial, and then executed as accomplices to the countess’s crimes: the torture and murder of at least 35 women and girls, mostly servants in the countess’s employ. Erzsebet Bathory herself spent the next three and a half years in her tiny prison, denied every comfort, forbidden even to look at the world outside her windows.

THE COUNTESS re-creates Bathory’s story in her own words: how this daughter of a noble family was betrothed at age ten but rebelled by bearing an illegitimate child; how she was forced to give that child away and marry Count Nadasdy, a man more interested in the battlefield than the bedroom; how she resorted to spells and potions to give him a child after ten years of marriage; how after the count’s death she loved the man who would eventually imprison her; and how she eventually turned to the torture and murder of her servants after he rejected her. THE COUNTESS is an intimate, sympathetic, and ultimately disturbing portrait of one of the most reviled women in history.

Wow. Wow. Never heard of the lady but I am so intrigued by her story! Sounds intense.

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Thanks Kristi!

So last weekend, we went to see Inception. But we had lots of time to kill because two movie times were sold out. So we bought our tickets and then had over two hours to kill. Josh was worried that we would have a hard time figuring out what to do for two hours while waiting. I told him that would be no problem. The movie theater was actually one block away from the Strand Bookstore. He heavily sighed and we went in. While Josh went inside to read some comic books, I browsed through the outside stacks of books, where they have their $1 and 0.48 cent books. I made out like a bandit:

Three fates intertwine in this moving and passionate love story set in Victorian London. Mary Finn: country girl, maid to a lord in London. Caden Tucker: liar, scoundrel, and heart’s delight. James Nelligan: age six, tossed into a herd of boys. When Mary Finn falls into the arms of handsome Caden Tucker, their frolic changes the course of her life. What possesses her? She’s been a girl of common sense until now. Mary’s tale alternates with that of young James Nelligan, a new boy in an enormous foundling home. (This was a WoW pick for me awhile back. I know the author and have read all her books. This was a surprise to find in the stacks since it is so new.)

Magic and Columbus clash in the New World. In 1492, as the flames of the Inquisition scorch the soul, and three ships set sail under the Spanish flag, a boatload of nuns transported by an unruly genie discover a new world unlike any other: the magical kingdom of Prestor John. (I’ve come to really enjoy this author’s work. And to find an out-of-print title just laying there, score!)

L’Engle at her best, this novel features Stella, who marries into the aristocratic Renier family and discovers a frightening world of intrigue, greed, prejudice, and superstition. Soon drawn into a raging battle between good and evil, Stella must fight her way through to find the other side of the sun. (This is clearly one of her more adult titles. Another one out-of-print.)

The Bull from the Sea reconstructs the legend of Theseus, the valiant youth who slew the Minotaur, became king, and brought prosperity to Attica. Chief among his heroic exploits is the seduction of Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons, who irrevocably brought about both his greatest joy and his tragic destiny. (I had gotten the author’s The King Must Die last year at a book sale, so I think I might have to read these together. I’ve never read any of her books. I clearly need to catch up.)

When she was thirteen, Lionors first saw Arthur. Little did she know the consequences of that meeting. The handsome young knight would be declared King of Britain, marry the beautiful Guinevere, and fall to the treachery of his court while Lionors, secretly married to him, would bear his child and wait for him to leave his palace to be at her side in fulfillment of the old prophecy: “You will be a queen, but you will die uncrowned and unknown….” (Never heard of this one before, so I’m curious to know how heavily romance-novel-ish it is. But I’ll pick up anything having to do with King Arthur.)

At a time of mystery and cruelty … in an ancient land of breathtaking beauty and exotic surprise … a courageous woman triumphs over her world’s ultimate tragedy. Behind the garden walls of the House of Chang, pampered daughter Spring Moon is born into luxury and privilege. But the tempests of change sweep her into a new world — one of hardship, turmoil, and heartbreak, one that threatens to destroy her husband, her family, and her darkest secret love. Through a tumultuous lifetime, Spring Moon must cling to her honor, to the memory of a time gone by, and to a destiny, foretold at her birth, that has yet to be fulfilled. (It just so happened that like the day before getting this, Josh and I were talking about the books we had to read during summer reading in high school. And this happened to be one of the ones he read. And it’s billed as a Chinese Gone with the Wind. And then there it was in the stacks outside the Strand.)

So that’s what I had gotten at the Strand. But the day before, after Josh and I had eaten some dinner in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn and were strolling the streets, we stopped in a bookstore. And they had a small stash of used mass market paperbacks for sale. So I browsed, and got these two:

When Deenie sees the brace for the first time, she wants to scream, Forget it… I’m never going to wear that thing. Everyone will know. Everyone! But the words won’t come out. And Deenie, beautiful Deenie, who everyone says should be a model, is stuck wearing a brace from her neck to her hips. For four years-or longer. How will she ever face the hard times ahead? (I read a bunch of Judy Blume when I was younger, but I never heard of this one. Maybe because my library didn’t have it because it had been challenged so much. I was very excited to see this!)

Fleeing from the monotony of his life, Hugh Rogers finds his way to “the beginning place”–a gateway to Tembreabrezi, an idyllic, unchanging world of eternal twilight. Irena Pannis was thirteen when she first found the beginning place. Now, seven years later, she has grown to know and love the gentle inhabitants of Tembreabrezi, or Mountaintown, and she sees Hugh as a trespasser. But then a monstrous shadow threatens to destroy Mountaintown, and Hugh and Irena join forces to seek it out. Along the way, they begin to fall in love. Are they on their way to a new beginning…or a fateful end? (The summary sounded interesting. But I’ve only read one book by the author, and that was Lavinia.)

So for a whopping $7, I got all those books. Not too shabby for the month of July. Josh actually has a monthly book budget for me. And I think this is the first month where I’ve gone waaaaaay below the budget he set me. I feel quite pleased. Now I need to just find some time to read….

On our way to our friends in Boston for the Fourth of July weekend, we stopped by this place. It is right of exit 74 on I-84 on Connecticut. Now here’s the thing, I’ve driven that way to-and-from Boston many times during the later years of college. I never saw the sign for it. No one ever told me. So a week before the long weekend, one of Josh’s friends at work mentioned it and where it was. And I knew right away that we were going to be stopping there.

Why? What’s so special about this place. Well, they have food, yes. But they also have books. And each person gets three free books. THREE FREE BOOKS!

So while waiting for our food to come along, Josh and I browsed the shelves. There was no real organization to it. There were books, and more books, and then there was a bookcase devoted to children’s and YA books. And I think 90% of the books they had there I had never heard of. And these were old editions. The store also had a “bestseller section” downstairs, where the books had to be paid for. Because we were trying to get to Boston in a decent amount of time and not hit traffic, I didn’t explore that section.

I only walked away with my three books. Josh couldn’t find anything, and I couldn’t find anything else I would have taken immediately. But I have a feeling we will be coming back again. I like finding books that no one’s ever heard of or has forgotten about.

This is what you see when you first walk in:

I patiently waited for those folks to leave so that I could go and browse those shelves:

Boxes of books that still have to be opened:

So if your travels ever find you in Connecticut, stop by!

Earlier, I had posted about the Old Spice Guy celebrating libraries. Well, a library has taken matters into its own hands, and well….this was the result:

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for this week is:

Available October 2010 from Small Beer Press

From a wartime brothel to the intricate high society of 1870s Brussels, Under the Poppy is a breakout novel of childhood friends, a love triangle, puppetmasters, and reluctant spies. Under the Poppy is a brothel owned by Decca and Rupert. Decca is in love with Rupert but he in turn is in love with her brother, Istvan. When Istvan comes to town, louche puppet troupe in tow, the lines of their age-old desires intersect against a backdrop of approaching war. Hearts are broken when old betrayals and new alliances – not just their own – take shape, as the townsmen seek refuge from the onslaught of history by watching the girls of the Poppy cavort onstage with Istvan’s naughty puppets . . .

This sounds like such a unique book! Love the simplicity of the cover too. Count me in for this one. It’s already on my wish list. Oh, and check out the cool trailer here.

The Old Spice guy (come on, you know you love those commercials) is part of a new campaign where he answers people’s questions posted on Twitter and YouTube. And apparently, a librarian asked what he thinks of libraries. This is what he had to say:

There are more fun answers on their channel and more info on this interesting campaign.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for this week is:

Available October 2010 from Berkley Trade

With her father Odysseus gone for twenty years, Xanthe barricades herself in her royal chambers to escape the rapacious suitors who would abduct her to gain the throne. Xanthe turns to her loom to weave the adventures of her life, from her upbringing among servants and slaves, to the years spent in hiding with her mother’s cousin, Helen of Troy, to the passion of her sexual awakening in the arms of the man she loves.  And when a stranger dressed as a beggar appears at the palace, Xanthe wonders who will be the one to decide her future-a suitor she loathes, a brother she cannot respect, or a father who doesn’t know she exists…

Another take on The Odyssey? Count me in! Plus, the cover art is from a John William Waterhouse painting, so that makes it even better.

*I had to add word verification on the comments section. I’ve been getting spam comment up the wazoo so I hope this helps*

Iceland, AD 1000
Freya knows that her people are doomed. Warned by the Fates of an impending disaster, she must embark on a journey to find a magnificent gold necklace, one said to possess the power to alter the course of history. But even as Freya travels deep into the mountains of Iceland, the country is on the brink of war. The new world order of Christianity is threatening the old ways of Iceland’s people, and tangled amidst it all are two star-crossed lovers who destiny draws them together-even as their families are determined to tear them apart.

The comparison to The Mists of Avalon and the blurbs from Diana Gabaldon and Kristen Britain sort of swayed me to read this book.

But, this was a hard book for me to get through. Part of it might be my fault since my knowledge on Norse mythology is a bit shaky. I found myself referring to my copy of D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths to get some background on these characters. Plus, my image of these gods are influenced by Xena and Hercules.

The other part might have been that I just couldn’t get a sense of where it was going, and ultimately where the characters were going either. I felt no connection to Freya; she didn’t seem three-dimensional to me. It was as if you were watching an actor on the screen just go through the motions of his/her character. But I did sense something from Fulla, one of those star-crossed lovers mentioned in the summary. I wanted more of her story, and upon reaching the end of the book, I know more can be told.

The idea of Norse gods and goddeses walking the earth did appeal to me. It made them more human, and not just beings who sat upon their thrones high up in the sky overlooking mankind. But it also made you wonder if the gods do have control over what happens on earth or does it happen due to the natural order of time and change? Since clearly Freya was attempting to stop the twilight of the gods and the rest of her people.

But even if you’re still interested, you can read the first two chapters on the author’s website.

I think I might have to go back watch the Xena and Hercules episodes just for the fun of now though.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone. Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own. Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

This book is probably one of those “Who hasn’t read this by now anyway?” types of books at this point. And what else can I say that hasn’t been said already? Well, I hadn’t read it…until my vacation to Florida. I read it in the afternoons when we were in Key West, on a hammock, waiting for the sun to go down so that we could breathe easier and walk down the street without having to run back and shower again. I think it was the perfect setting because I was able to really, really enjoy the book in long chunks, and not short spurts on the subway.

Way back in early 2009, I got a galley of this book in the mail at work. I have no idea if I had requested it through an ad or if I just got on a list somehow and managed to get it. Well, it sat in my cube for quite some time. It was a monster of a book so I thought it would be a while before I would ever get to it. Flash forward to November of 2009 and my mom had told me that she was collecting anything for a fundraiser that was being held in her school. So I went through my stuff at work and found some books and galleys that I knew I would not be getting to in awhile so I wouldn’t miss them if I gave them away. Which mean that my galley copy of The Help went to my mom. Then about a month or so later, I noticed the galley downstairs in my parents’ place, on my mom’s desk. Apparently, she knew the book was a bestseller and she wanted to read it. So, then in February of this year during my mom’s winter break from school, she started to read it. But she didn’t get to finish it, and she thought it would be awhile before she would since school started. But….right after she went back to work in school, there was a snow day. My mom was thrilled. She got to stay home and finish the book. And then started to hound me to read it. On a regular basis. I got strict orders to buy the book anyway. So I did. And finally….

What a read. The Help was one of those books that you could almost see play out in front of your eyes. Everytime I would near the end of a chapter, or to the end of one person’s narration, I thought I would stop. But no. I kept going, cause I kept thinking, “Well, now that this has happened, I need to know what the other person’s viewpoint is.” And there were constant turning points in the book so it was really hard to put down. With some books, I can randomly just stop reading in the middle of of a chapter, even a page, heck even in the middle of a sentence.

Not with this one. The pages kept turning.

I really have nothing profound to add about this book. It was such a satisfying read. I can name a few titles that have left me feeling that way: just an all-around good story. I’m glad it lived up to the hype (from book reviews and my mom). So in that case, here’s the author with some insight on her book: