In My Mailbox & Bookstore Buys

It was a pretty exciting mailbox week despite the fact that I only received two books. But see, the Kindle? Yeah, that kind of makes up for it. Especially since it was already loaded with four (free) books. A very, very early birthday present, my mother decided that I needed the Kindle now and so it arrived on my doorstep on Tuesday. I’ve had too much fun figuring out what it can do (and accidentally buying a book [which must happen a lot considering the "did you accidentally buy this book?" link is the first thing you see after hitting the buy now button.] My husband wondered what the “no, no, nooooo” commotion was all about, but try explaining that one!)

I finally went ahead and bought Laini Taylor’s Dreamdark: Blackbringer. Good things heard all around about this one. I ended up going with the paperback (left) and I really love the cool colors. The sequel has the same warm tones as the hardcover (right) and if I get that one, they’ll complement each other on the shelf nicely, I think.

Flipping through Blackbringer, there are a few fantastic illustrations done by the cover artist, Jim Di Bartolo. His site revealed all the stuff he’s done and I enjoyed spending time there, looking through the different galleries. He’s also responsible for the artwork in Taylor’s forthcoming release, Lips Touch, which looks to be fantastic. Can’t wait to read that one!

You already know all about The Forgotten Garden from previous posts, but I also picked up my own copy of Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine. (The one I read was a library copy, and, since I need to own the whole series, as soon as I found this on the shelf I snagged it.)

When I walked into Borders one of the staff handed me a bunch of coupons, one for $2 off any sci-fi title, so I used that as an excuse to buy Close Encounters by Katherine Allred. I’ve had my eye on it for a while and even though it’s getting mixed reviews I figured, why not?

So that was my haul for this week. Not too shabby. Did I mention the Kindle?

(Apologies if this post is all over the place. I wanted to get it done and posted before heading out to see Star Trek. Finally. Oh, and also, In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren so head over there for other posts like this.)

Well, That Did It

In the post just below this one I mentioned the possibility of saying the heck with it and buying Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden. Well, I pulled it down off the shelf and opened it up to this…

And that did it. I was sold. The cover is even more gorgeous in person, with little fairies flitting about the scroll that teases the edge along three sides. When the cashier took it from me she said that the book was wonderful, that she absolutely loved it, and that’s not the first glowing review I’ve heard.

In case you’re interested, here’s a sample. The first two paragraphs:

London, 1913

It was dark where she was crouched but the little girl did as she’d been told. The lady had said to wait, it wasn’t safe yet, they had to be as quiet as larder mice. It was a game, just like hide-and-seek.

From behind the wooden barrels the little girl listened. Made a picture in her mind the way Papa had taught her. Men, near and far, sailors she supposed, shouted to one another. Rough, loud voices, full of the sea and its salt. In the distance: bloated ships’ horns, tin whistles, splashing oars and, far above, grey gulls cawing, wings flattened to absorb the ripening sunlight.

Atmospheric, don’t you think? I hope to get lost in The Forgotten Garden soon.

What I Want to Be Reading Soon

A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book — a beautiful volume of fairy tales. She is taken in by the dockmaster and his wife and raised as their own. On her twenty-first birthday they tell her the truth, and with her sense of self shattered and with very little to go on, “Nell” sets out on a journey to England to try to trace her story, to fi nd her real identity. Her quest leads her to Blackhurst Manor on the Cornish coast and the secrets of the doomed Mountrachet family. But it is not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell’s death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled. At Cliff Cottage, on the grounds of Blackhurst Manor, Cassandra discovers the forgotten garden of the book’s title and is able to unlock the secrets of the beautiful book of fairy tales.

I read the first page and if the rest of the book follows suit, it’s going to be just beautiful and evocative. I’ve had The Forgotten Garden on reserve at the library for a while now, but I may just break down and buy it. (Isn’t the cover fantastic? I wouldn’t mind strolling through that garden, finding a bench, and settling in with a book.)

When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. But as he investigates, the evidence points to conspiracies far stranger and more deadly than anything he could have imagined. Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to the only metropolis on Earth as strange as his own. This is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a shift in perception, a seeing of the unseen. His destination is Beszel’s equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the rich and vibrant city of Ul Qoma. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, and struggling with his own transition, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of rabid nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them and those they care about more than their lives. What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.

I’ve struggled to get through a few of Mieville’s other novels, but this one sounds too tempting to even try to resist. Figured it can’t hurt to give it a go.

Welcome, all ye faithful—and otherwise—to a ghost story, a romance, and a reckoning unlike anything you’ve read before. Acclaimed YA author R. A. Nelson delivers a tantalizing tale set in the environs of the evangelical revival circuit and centered around Ronald Earl, who at ten became the electrifying “boy wonder” preacher known as Little Texas. Now sixteen, though the faithful still come and roar with praise and devotion, Ronald Earl is beginning to have doubts that he is worthy of and can continue his calling. Doubts that only intensify when his faith and life are tested by a mysterious girl who he was supposed to have healed, but who is now showing up at the fringe of every stop on the circuit. Is she merely devoted, or is she haunting him? Fascinating and original, this is an unusual story whose reverb will be deeply felt and which will inspire lively book discussion.

It might not actually be out until July, but I just read the synopsis again and thought, you know, I really want to read this. So that’s why I’m including it. (When I first read about it, what came to mind? Episode 12 – “Faith” – from the first season of Supernatural. That pretty much sealed the deal. )

Dinner and an Author

Yesterday, my co-worker and I had the pleasure of taking Maria V Snyder out to dinner before her author visit at our library. She was wonderful! (Always nice when an author you love lives up to expectations.)

She told us a bit about what she’s got coming up, including her story in the forthcoming YA vampire anthology The Eternal Kiss - and let’s just say her vampires aren’t going to be of the “lovesick, sparkly” variety. Oh, and if you love Yelena and Valek, if you want more of their story but have not signed up for Maria’s newsletter, do so. I also had the opportunity to put in a shameless plug for Ari and Janco to get their own series.

She stayed after her talk/reading for over an hour signing books for the people that came out to see her. And as you can see from the picture to the right, she didn’t just sign her name. I brought four books for her to sign and she wrote something different in each. (And the drawing? We were talking about Neil Gaiman and I mentioned that he’s kind of known for the little doodles he puts in books when he signs them and, not to be outdone, Maria drew the little butterfly on a chalice for me.) It was a really fantastic evening, one I won’t forget.

If you’ve not read Maria’s books, go out and get Poison Study as soon as possible.

The Bean Trees ~ Barbara Kingsolver

Clear-eyed and spirited, Taylor Greer grew up poor in rural Kentucky with the goals of avoiding pregnancy and getting away. But when she heads west with high hopes and a barely functional car, she meets the human condition head-on. By the time Taylor arrives in Tucson, Arizona, she has acquired a completely unexpected child, a three-year-old American Indian girl named Turtle, and must somehow come to terms with both motherhood and the necessity for putting down roots. Hers is a story about love and friendship, abandonment and belonging, and the discovery of surprising resources in apparently empty places.

On any given day, based on the synopsis, would I have taken this novel home with me? Honestly, no, but as it was required reading for work, take it home I did, and the weekend was rather interminable for reading because of it. There were so many other books I would have preferred to have sitting snug in my hands, but I procrastinated and needed to have this one done by today. So, all that said, I bet you can guess that though it may be considered a “benchmark” of literary fiction, The Bean Trees did very little for me.

The story of Taylor and Turtle just drifted along; the plot seemed secondary, at times even unimportant, though I can’t figure why considering Kingsolver had a lot to say about topics ranging from child abuse to immigration. All I know is that I stopped several times to say: “What is this book about again?” Mostly because my attention would wander or the pace was just so languid that I couldn’t rouse up the will to care much. It took me days to read this – days! – and that is so unlike me.

However I did find the tone of Taylor’s narration to be nicely done. Hers was a voice that immediately and firmly set me down in the American Southwest, and that sense of place was perhaps the best thing about this book; I could effortlessly picture the landscape, and see how Taylor felt she fit in to it. Conversely, it was her tough cookie attitude that made it nearly impossible for me to connect with her emotionally. That can also be said of various other characters: Their voices were strong, but there was no spark of connection, nothing that made me feel for them.

There were other things that bothered me, too. For instance…

***SPOILER*** About three quarters of the way through the book, when Turtle is abused? Molested? by someone who breaks into the neighbor’s house. It seemed like a heavy-handed way of getting a particular plot arc to move forward and so that event felt entirely random. They don’t try very hard to determine who did it, I’m still not sure what the motive of the break-in was, and it’s not brought up again except in passing. The only point seems to be that it got the social worker involved, forcing Taylor to realize that Turtle could be taken away from her, and bringing home the fact that Turtle had been abused previously. I didn’t like how the event itself seemed to just hang there otherwise. ***SPOILER***

I was told today at the round table that this title really resonanted with some readers, I just wasn’t one of them.

Music Munday

Chris saved me from having to scrape up what was sure to be a lame post today with his new feature, Music Mundays. Like the others taking part in Music Mundays, music is an integral part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are shaped around sound and voice and, had I the courage, I would have pursued singing as a career. But, that’s neither here nor there, so back to the music.

You may very well have heard of The Pierces. Allison and Catherine Pierce are sisters, gifted vocalists, and, according to their blog, riding around on a magic carpet.

Their album Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge is many things: moody, whimsical, lyrical, enchanting in a Grimm fashion, and definitely inspiring.

But let me fess up: The name of the album is what prompted me to buy it. I’d never heard their music, but I thought, there’s got to be a story here, in these songs, and there was.

First up is one of my absolute favorites: “Three Wishes” – It’s a live version, which is all I could find, but I think the melancholy beauty of the song comes through perfectly. (Can’t catch the lyrics? Check them out here.)

“Turn on Billie”

And, though it’s incredibly hard to limit myself, I’m including this song because it’s the one you might have possibly already heard: “Secret”

Carpe Corpus ~ Rachel Caine

In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace—until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He’s kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths. He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants—the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?

Since Carpe Corpus, the sixth installment in Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampire series, doesn’t officially release until June, I’m not going to say all that much. Except…

I seriously love this series. No, really. They may be short, they may always, always leave me wanting more, but I love them. And this one? This one is one of my favorites of the six. Seriously good stuff happening here.

Rachel Caine understands the importance of not dragging out a plot arc until it’s bruised and bloodied. And since there are so many arcs going on in this series, saying that isn’t giving anything away. But there was character development in this one that just tickled me pink. And I loved it. Did I say that already? Well, there you go. Oh, and one more thing…

Shaaaaaaaaaaaaannnne!

Sorry, had to get that off my chest.

The Hourglass Door ~ Lisa Mangum

His past. Her future. Can love bring them together in time? Abby’s senior year of high school is going according to plan: good friends, cute boyfriend, and college applications in the mail. But when Dante Alexander, foreign-exchange student from Italy, steps into her life, he turns it upside down. He’s mysterious, and interesting, and unlike anyone she’s ever met before. Abby can’t deny the growing attraction she feels for him. Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around. Soon Abby finds herself drawn into a mystery whose roots reach into sixteenth-century Florence, and she uncovers a dangerous truth that threatens not only her future but the lives of those she loves.

There was a lot to enjoy in The Hourglass Door, and enjoy it I did, but that’s not to say that it didn’t have its problems. So I’ll start there, but with a caveat: don’t let my cons distract from the pros that will be coming a little later on.

Problem one: superficial character development. I never felt like I truly knew the major players in the book, Dante especially. And while Abby’s first person narration offered drive-by peeks of a faceted personality, it wasn’t enough to say, wow, that was a complex character. Basically, I liked the ones I was supposed to well enough and disliked the ones with nefarious intent. The lack of character depth didn’t bother me as much as it usually would because 1) the characters came across as genuine despite that and 2) the story had enough to offer on its own.

I liked the conceit of the story, which, for fear of spoilers, I’m not going to go into beyond what the synopsis says. But…Was it as fleshed out as it could have been? I’m not sure. Did it require explanation? Yes, and the one that was given, well, it wasn’t exactly convoluted, but it felt complicated. And did I really need to suspend my disbelief? Kind of.  Again, though, the story moved me along a fast current, and, like I said, there was plenty to enjoy.

For instance, the first chapter: very compelling. It raised a ton of questions, which meant I not only had to keep reading, I wanted to. And, thinking about it now, the best example of character depth comes through in that first chapter. Huh. Also, simply, I liked Mangum’s writing style. It flowed, it was at times incredibly lyrical, and I found myself falling into her lovely descriptions.

He tasted like cinnamon – both bitter and sweet. He trembled like a flickering candle flame in my arms, his skin hot and sweaty under my fingers. Warmth filled my blood, my heart, my mind. A wild rushing sounded in my ears, like wind in the trees, like water falling into foam, like a note quivering on the edge of sound. It was the kiss I had dreamed of. A kiss that carried inside it all the words and emotions that could never be voiced.

A quick stop at Mangum’s website revealed that The Hourglass Door is the first in a trilogy. The Golden Spiral is set to be released next summer. And I have a feeling that some of my cons with this first book won’t be an issue in the second, which I’m actually really looking forward to getting my hands on. The story was compelling, I am rooting for Abby and Dante, and the idea behind the story set it apart from other YA fantasy being published now, which I think is a good thing. The Hourglass Door is definitely worth a shot.

You’ve all seen this? Right?

I am beyond thrilled that Irene Adler (played by Rachel McAdams) is going to be such a kick-a** woman! Can’t wait to see it in December.

Check it out…

Presenting Lenore has an amazing set of contests going on over at her blog. One is for the Penguin Fantasy Prize Pack and the other is for the Penguin Reality Prize Pack. The contests close June 3rd at noon CST, so go check them out.