Confluence of Crafts and Reading!

Penguin classics commissioned artist Jillian Tamaki to make three gorgeous embroidered covers for their Fall 2011 collection.  These are breathtaking!  I think my favorite one is the cover for The Secret Garden but they are all composed so intricately and beautifully.

All of the backs are also embroidered and each feature a little quote from the book.

I don't own any of these great titles so I may have to go out and purchase these beauties come fall!  To see Ms. Tamaki's process of creating the covers, check out her blog here.

Sarah Addison Allen Books

She's the queen of guilty pleasure books with a southern twist!  All of her books have a bit of whimsy or, um, magic.  Whether it be apple trees that tell your fortune, visits from ghosts, or mysteriously changing wallpaper...there's always a mystical element to Ms. Allen's novels.

This is not your typical chick-lit fare...she's wonderful at creating vibrant Southern landscapes with strong female characters and a bit of mysticism.  If I were to make a comparison it would be to the wonderful book (and movie) Practical Magic...SAA books are along the same lines.  My ultimate favorite is Garden Spells and from there it's a tie between The Sugar Queen and The Girl Who Chased the Moon.  I've read all of her books (great beach reads) and each are a delight!

Bookish Donation for Japan

It's so great to see all of the wonderful ways in which people can donate to benefit Japanese relief efforts.  Seeing all of the devastation and destruction is almost too much to bear.  When researching different means of donating I came across this awesome website called Writers for the Red Cross.  For every $25 donation, you receive a free book!  Thanks to the generosity of some really great authors...there a bunch of wonderful books to choose from.  If I didn't already own The Likeness I would pick that as my freebie (as I loved the author's previous book).

Lot's of folks really like Madame Tussaud so I may pick that book or perhaps I'll choose Revolution or I can donate $50 and get both!

What a great way to contribute to the cause...get on it peeps!

Latest Read: The Ask and the Answer

Wow...again.  The second book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy surprised me in a completely wonderful way.

Instead of maintaining the same level of depth as The Knife of Never Letting Go Patrick Ness delves further into the meaty themes of this story.  The Ask and the Answer is definitely a more complex novel than the first and tensions and twists abound.

As usual...no spoilers so I can't talk plot.  I can say that it's almost torturous to watch beloved characters get manipulated by the whims of others.  The reader wonders along with the characters who Todd and his friends can trust.  This book alternates between Todd's perspective and another character's (if you've read the first book you'll know who it is).  The dual perspective really assists the story in attaining some serious tension and revealing the gruesomeness of war.  Yet again, Ness ends the book with a cliffhanger; however, due to the dark and intense nature of The Ask and the Answer, I think that I'm going to soak it in a bit before moving on to the conclusion of the series.  I highly recommend this trilogy to all readers!

5/5 stars.

Lit Booty from the Library

Yesterday some gal pals and I got some delicious coffee from the local Soma cafe and then popped across the street to the Library where they were having a HUGE book sale.  Hardcovers were 50 cents and paperbacks were 25 cents...what a deal!  I scored three awesome books for only $1:

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb...I've heard so many great things about this book!

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell...loved her novel The Sparrow so I thought I'd check this out too!

And lastly, The Birth of Venus by the bestselling author Sarah Dunant

We also got a little backstage tour from one of the friendly librarians.  She showed us the bookstore where they sell novels, magazines and videos on the cheap three times a week.  I will definitely be checking out that lil' "Friends of the Library" bookstore on a regular basis from now on!

I Must Have a Thing for Men with Beards...

Happy Friday folks!  I just wanted to share the hubs and my newest obsession...Mr. Reggie Watts!  Perhaps you've seen him on Conan?  If not, you should definitely check out these video snippets of the master beat-boxer/comedian/imitator:

Punch 'em in the face song:

Big Ass Purse:


A mini interview and pancake song:


...by the way, most of his material is completely improvised - amazing.

Other clips I recommend: Conan's show during X-mas time (Kwanzaa juice song) and "Cultural song"

Latest Read: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Wow.
This is such a great book and unique concept for a story...

What a cliffhanger ending...jeebus!  I don't think I can avoid reading this whole series ASAP.

Summary from Booklist:
Chased by a madman preacher and possibly the rest of his townsfolk as well, young Todd Hewitt flees his settlement on a planet where war with the natives has killed all the women and infected the men with a germ that broadcasts their thoughts aloud for all to hear. This cacophanous thought-cloud is known as Noise and is rendered with startling effectiveness on the page. The first of many secrets is revealed when Todd discovers an unsettling hole in the Noise, and quickly realizes that he lives in a much different world than the one he thought he did. Some of the central conceits of the drama can be hard to swallow, but the pure inventiveness and excitement of the telling more than make up for it. Narrated in a sort of pidgin English with crack dramatic and comic timing by Todd and featuring one of the finest talking-dog characters anywhere, this troubling, unforgettable opener to the Chaos Walking trilogy is a penetrating look at the ways in which we reveal ourselves to one another, and what it takes to be a man in a society gone horribly wrong. The cliffhanger ending is as effective as a shot to the gut.

I've heard so many great things about this series (and the premise was so intriguing) that when trying to decide what to read next, this was the first book that popped into my mind.  The story is told from Todd's perspective and in his own voice - which is one of my favorite things about the book.  Todd is an incredibly endearing character and has such a colorful way of describing his world and the Noise.

You will feel deeply for Todd and his companions as they embark on this hair-raising adventure.  It'll make you laugh, raise your eyebrows, and if you don't get a little misty-eyed at least once...you may want to get your tear ducts checked out.  There are some great themes in this novel: hold onto hope in impossible situations, that prejudice is dangerous and can be used as a weapon, and that communication goes beyond what you can hear.  That's really all I want to say because I don't want to spoil any of the plot...it's best that readers discover things as Todd discovers them.  Oh, but please read this book - and then read the rest of The Chaos Walking Trilogy (as I plan to do).

**Sidenote: while this is a YA novel, be advised that - no matter the reading level of your youngin' - it should probably only be recommended to mature teens and up.  There is quite a bit of graphic violence and a smidgen of language (mostly Todd saying "effing" but the actual "f-word" does make an appearance along with a few other swears).

5/5 stars.

Latest Read: The Wise Man's Fear

I finally finished the chunkster The Wise Man's Fear and discovered that I could actually fall more in love with this story than I already had with the first novel.

It's amazing how much Rothfuss' books completely transport you into the world he's created.  These novels truly hold a little universe within their pages.  I sighed heavily when I saw that only 100 pages remained to be read...I didn't want my time with these characters and this world to end.

One of the aspects I love most about Rothfuss' books (and seems more pronounced in The Wise Man's Fear) is the stories-within-a-story.  There is much more tale-telling in the second book of The Kingkiller Chronicle and all of the stories were just delightful (my favorite is the one about the boy with the gold screw in his bellybutton).  I also loved that you got to explore more of the realm in Kvothe's world.  Rothfuss takes his hero to exciting and sometimes surprising new places and the reader finally gets to discover some more of the dramatic events behind the legendary tales of Kvothe.

This book also made me feel even sorrier for the elder Kvothe who seems to have lost his way.  I wonder how the last installment of this series can possibly explain all that must have transpired to lead him to become the innkeeper called Kote.  How does Bast come into Kvothe's life?  The shadow of war and unexplained evil looms over the story...what's going to happen??  So many questions to answer in the last book...I can't wait to read it!

Despite having technically already written the full Kingkiller Chronicle, I have a feeling it may take several years (as it did between The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear) for this last book to be released.  Although patience is one of the virtues I lack, I will gladly wait any number of years to see how Rothfuss will end Kvothe's story.  I can't recommend these books enough.  Seriously, go out and read them now!

5/5 stars

Judging a Book by its Cover: The Classics

Much hubbub has been made about the redesigned covers for several classic novels that seem to draw inspiration from the Twilight cover designs.

Pros:

• May encourage young people to read the classics

Cons:

• Misleading...these works are not imitations of Stephanie Meyers
• Shudder-inducing for some
• Insulting to teen readers...they'll only be enticed if it looks Twilight-esque??

My thoughts are that if it brings more readers to these wonderful books then it's worth it.  Something that I'm not so keen on are the extras included in these editions.  In Pride and Prejudice some of the extras are: "Quiz: Which Pride and Prejudice Girl Are You?" and "What If Darcy and Elizabeth Lived Now and Were on Facebook?" Ugh.

Latest Read: Skeletons at the Feast

While WWII is not a very new subject in fiction, the author sheds light on a relatively untold segment of persons affected by the war.  The story mainly follows the prosperous Emmerich family, a clan of Prussians who are largely ignorant to the atrocities being committed by their German army and society.  They decide to evacuate their farm in order to escape capture by the Russians in the last months of WWII.  The book follows their difficult journey and complex relationships with a Scottish POW, a Jewish man posing as an SS officer, and many others that they encounter.

The book is a bit difficult to get into at first because it flipped back and forth between three different storylines.  Yet, once the characters and stories became familiar, the novel was both engrossing and heartbreaking.  I really liked this book...it might be one of my favorites of the year.  I'm definitely going to be adding more of Mr. Bohjalian's novels to my TBR list.

This would be a really great historical fiction choice for a book club.  So many things to discuss: the historical aspects, the relationships between the characters, their secrets and deceptions, and their guilt and hope for the future.  If you are drawn to WWII books I really suggest picking up a copy of Skeletons at the Feast.

4/5 stars.

Weekend Bliss

Ahh...so it's currently sunny and in the upper 60s/low 70s, my favorite!  I can open the doors and let a fresh breeze through and anticipate the spring when listening to the songbirds sing in our backyard.

I had a wonderful ladies excursion with some friends down in Louisville.  We got beautified and then scarfed down some delicious grub at the BBC (a local brewery).  Of course, we had to bring back some souvenirs so I bought me and the hubs some brews for the tastin'.  Along with our newly acquired hops-filled booty, the hubs and I are currently enjoying the smells of a big ol' ham cooking in the oven that I plan on pairing with some green beans and mac and cheese...yum!

I'll be posting up a new review tomorrow and am currently reading the 900+ page tome The Wise Man's Fear...so far it's freakin' awesome.  Hopefully, I'll be posting a review on that sucker soonly.  Happy Sunday folks!

Latest Read: Fingersmith

This was my first foray into the lesbian Victoriana of Sarah Waters and I quite enjoyed it!

From Goodreads:

Growing up as a foster child among a family of thieves, orphan Sue Trinder hopes to pay back that kindness by playing a key role in a swindle scheme devised by their leader, Gentleman, who is planning to con a fortune out of the naive Maud Lily, but Sue's growing pity for their helpless victim could destroy the plot.

Twists and turns abound in this gothic novel!  Every time you think you have a grasp on the plot, the next chapter throws it on its head.  This compulsively readable story allows you to view the tale unfold from both the perspective of Sue and of Maud.  The book begins rather slowly at first but soon heats up as unknown plans and motivations are revealed.

I thought the novel was really good but I didn't love it as much as others do.  The plot surprises are fantastic...I think I actually gasped out loud a time or two.  Yet, I thought parts dragged a bit, especially in the beginning.  Despite a few slow moments at the start, I do recommend the novel.  If you like Victorian literature, strong female characters and a gripping story (and who doesn't?) then you will love this book!

3.5/5 stars.

Grammar Slut

I cannot express how much I love shopsaplingpress for creating this wondrous lil' letterpress card!

Hah...delicious!  I wish I could have sent this to all my undergraduate students when I was a TA  :)

March Madness

All of the NCAA fans out there are tingling with delight today because it marks the beginning of March Madness!  Meh, myself...I could really care less about college basketball (although I do loyally watch IU lose on a fairly regular basis).  What has caught my eye is The Morning News Tournament of Books which comes complete with brackets for people to predict the winning novels!  What an ingenious way to market some of the great books of the year!  Here's the matches that have occurred thus far (winners are in bold):

• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen vs. Kapitoil by Teddy Wayne
• Room by Emma Donoghue vs. Bad Marie by Marcy Dermansky
• Savages by Don Winslow vs. The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson
• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan vs. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
• Nox by Anne Carson vs. Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon
• Next by James Hynes vs. So Much for That by Lionel Shriver
• Super Sad True Love Story by James Hynes vs. Model Home by Lionel Shriver 
• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender vs. Bloodroot by Amy Greene

Now onward to the Quarterfinals!  Last year's champion was Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel which narrowly beat out The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver.  How fun!  I'll definitely be keeping up with this tournament...any guesses as to which books will be in the championship round?

Another Random TBR Snapshot

So much to read...so little time...