I expect to be away

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I'm back from my vacation, and let me tell you, I needed it! :-)

I expect to be away for the next few weeks. I graduate college in two weeks (what? That's it? That's all there is? AHHHHHH!) and I'm still busy with the Cybils nominations. I might have time to throw a few posts up, but if you don't hear from me, that's where I am.

So until then, happy reading everyone!

Waiting On Wednesday: 11.26.08

The Trouble with Kings by Sherwood Smith

From Amazon.com: "Princess Flian finds herself the unwilling object of desire of three royals. Is the one she wants a villainor a hero? Waking up in a strange place, Flian Elandersi at first doesnt know who she is. One wicked prince tells her she is secretly engaged to an even more wicked king who wants to marry her right away. But before that happens, yet another wicked prince crashes through a window on horseback to sweep her off her feet. Memory returns, and Flian realizes that all any of them seem to want is her considerable wealth, not her pleasant-but-ordinary self. She longs to escape the barracks-like, military atmosphere and return to civilization and her musical studies. Flian endures another abduction, this time in the middle of a poetry reading. Who is the villain? Prince Garian Herlesterlanguid, elegant, sarcastic? Prince Jaimhe of the dashing horsemanship? Or King Jason Szinzar, whose ambiguous warning might be a threat? Flian decides its time to throw off civilization and take action. The problem with action is that duels of wit turn into duels of steeland love can't be grabbed and galloped away."

The Trouble with Kingswill be released on December 29, and is available for preorder on Amazon.com:

Review: The Rumpelstiltskin Problem

The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde

Have you ever read the story Rumpelstiltskin and decided that it just didn’t make sense? When you think about it, there’s so many things that are just not rational. For example, why would a father claim his daughter could spin straw into gold. I mean, of all the things to spin, why straw? And why would a funny little man agree to spin a room full of gold in exchange for a tiny gold ring? Didn’t he have enough gold as it is? And what would he want with the Queen’s first born child?

This book attempts to answer this and many more questions by providing six different versions of what Rumpelstiltskin might have been. While staying true to the original, the author changes just one or two different elements of the story to see how it could affect the outcome. For example, what if Rumpelstiltskin was a woman? Or what if the miller’s daughter was really a fanatic trying her hardest to press a kind king into marriage? And what if the miller’s daughter fell in love with Rumpelstiltskin, who was really a generous and handsome elf?

While all of the stories are great, I think my favorite was “The Domovoi.” In this version, set in Russia, Rumpelstiltskin is a domovoi; a small, teddy-bear-like, magical creature responsible for keeping the people in the house it inhabits happy and safe. Rumpelstiltskin is the domovoi that lives in the king’s palace, so naturally he finds out when the miller’s daughter has been locked up with the order to spin straw into gold. I just love the writing here, and this is a prime example. Just remember that as a domovoi, it is Rumpelstiltskin’s responsibility to make sure everyone in the palace is happy and safe:

“ ‘The king wants me to spin this straw into gold,’ the girl said, gesturing to that whole big roomful of straw. She was crying so hard she began to hiccup.

‘Ooooh,’ Rumpelstiltskin said, impressed. ‘Such a clever pretty lady to know how to spin straw into gold.’ It had taken Rumpelstiltskin a good fifty years to learn how to spin straw into gold.

The girl stamped her foot, coming close to stamping on Rumpelstiltskin. ‘But I don’t know how to do it,’ she told him. ‘That’s the whole point. And the king is going to burn me at the stake in the morning.’

That didn’t sound happy or safe.”

I absolutely love retold fairy tales, and this one didn’t disappoint me at all. I loved the fun and often humorous writing style, and it takes a fair amount of talent to come up with six different versions of the same story. If you’re looking a fun and quick read, a collection of short stories, or just a book about one of your favorite fairytales, this is sure to please.

Shady Glade Rating: 9/10

Waiting On Wednesday: 11.19.08

Belle: A Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" by Cameron Dokey

I love the Once Upon a Time Series. So it's natural that I would be looking forward to this one.

From Amazon.com: "Belle is convinced she has the wrong name, as she lacks her sisters' awe-inspiring beauty. So she withdraws from society, devoting her time to wood carving. Secretly, Belle longs to find the fabled Heartwood Tree. If carved by the right hands, the Heartwood will reveal the face of one's true love.

During a fierce storm, Belle's father stumbles upon the mysterious Heartwood -- and encounters a terrifying and lonely Beast. Now Belle must carve the Heartwood to save her father, and learn to see not with the eyes of her mind, but with the eyes of her heart. "

Belle: A Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" will be released on November 25th, and is available for preorder on Amazon.com:

Review: Montmorency

Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman by Eleanor Updale

Grievously injured after falling through a skylight while fleeing police, a man known simply a Prisoner 493 has gained a second chance at life. A young and ambitious doctor named Doctor Farcett is eager to try and repair 493’s body, using surgical methods that are revolutionary in Victorian medicine. Farcett succeeds in saving his life, and uses Prisoner 493 as his promotion to the other learned gentlemen of The Scientific Society.

It is there that 493 learns about Victorian London’s new sewer system, an organization that hatches a brilliant plan. Once he is finally released from jail, 493 sheds his life of petty thievery, determined to use the sewers to help him escape his formally dismal existence.

After a few extremely successful jewelry thefts, 493 takes up residence as Montmorency, a highly refined gentleman who has taken rooms at the Meriman hotel in downtown London. By nights he still acts as Scarper, his manservant and accomplice in crime, still using the sewers to brilliantly execute his plan. But Montmorency’s new life is proving to be filled with it’s own set of difficulties, and it will only take one mistake for both of his lives to come crashing down around him.

Although it seems to have a simple appearance on the surface, Montmorency was nevertheless an enjoyable book. The narration is provided by alternatively following Scarper and Montmorency, a fact that I enjoyed, but may confuse younger readers. The plot manages to drop several surprises throughout the context of the book, enough to keep it moving at a pace that is still interesting while still exploring the setting fully. I enjoyed the thief-turned-gentleman idea, and I will definitely be picking up the sequels (when I get time anyway!).

Shady Glade Rating: 8/10

Waiting On Wednesday: 11.12.08

I've seen this feature on a few blogs, although Teen Book Review was the first I noticed it on. The idea is to feature a book that is scheduled to be released in the coming months every Wednesday. And since I seem to be a helpless bibliophile, this is an exercise right up my alley. Here's my first pick, and you can expect more of these as time goes on. :-)

The Tales of Beedle the Bard
by J. K. Rowling

Might as well start this feature off with a bang. I don't think I really have to explain what this book is; it's pretty much pervaded the internet already. Even if it isn't strictly a Harry Potter book, I am eager to return to the world of one of my favorite series.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard
is available for pre-order from Amazon.com:

Blogger Secret Santa

How cool is this? You can sign up to do a Secret Santa swap for Christmas with other book bloggers. The Hidden Side of a Leaf is helping to coordinate the 2nd annual Book Bloggers Christmas Swap, and you can sign up to participate. It's as simple as sending an email in and saying you'll participate. The gifts don't have to be expensive either, which is great for my poor college student budget. Full details can be found at the original post.

I think this sounds like fun. I'm participating! What a good way to spread Christmas cheer to our online friends. And doesn't the banner just make you want to run out and start buying Christmas presents? I think it's time for a little holiday shopping...

Weekly Geeks: Author Spotlight

So I've been seeing this things called Weekly Geeks around the net (Becky introduced me to it) for awhile now, but I've never brought myself to particpate. When I saw how easy this week's post was, though, I really didn't have an excuse to not particpate. So I'm jumping in! We'll see how much of a habit this becomes... Weekly Geeks is hosted by The Hidden Side of a Leaf, where you can find this week's other participants.

Weekly Geeks #24: Author Spotlight
Directions: 1. Choose a writer you like. 2. Using resources such as Wikipedia, the author’s website, whatever you can find, make a list of interesting facts about the author.

So here goes. I've decided to spotlight Clare B. Dunkle, since her book The Hollow Kingdom
is one of my absolute favorites.

• Her first four books were written as letters to her daughters who were (at that time) attending a German boarding school.
• She studied Russian literature in college and graduated in three years!
• Her newest book, The Sky Inside
  , has a sequel due out next year, and is a nominated title for this year's Cybils awards.
• Read my review of The Hollow Kingdom here

And here's a slideshow of all her books currently in print:

Crummy Weather

We've having ugly weather today. It seems to be spitting. Yes, you read that right, the sky is spitting. It's not rainging, it's not snowing, but it's kinda misting, but not really. It's spitting.

So I'm going to go curl up on the couch with a book and some homework. I want to post a Cybils update soon, so keep an eye out for that. But right now, it's time to hide from the weather...

Don't Forget to Vote!

As we hit (about) the mid-way point of the day, please don't forget to vote. This is the one opportunity to participate in the process of democracy. If you haven't registered, show up to your local polling place anyway. Many times they can get you registered on the spot if you've been a resident for 30 days.

It doesn't matter if you are in the minority of an issue. Even if you don't expect to win, you can make a mark for what you support. I know it can be intimidating to run into others who don't agree with you. I can testify that most of my online friends strongly disagree with me in all things political. But that's okay, because I can agree to disagree. We're still friends.

So make your voice be heard. Vote. It will be the best thing you do today.

Poetry Friday: The Raven

Since today is Halloween, I thought this was appropriate. And we just covered Poe last week in my American Lit class, so it was on my mind. I wouldn't be surprised if several people turn this one in, but there you go. This is a great one to read aloud, I love the alliteration. Happy Halloween everyone!

"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.`
'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what threat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?
'Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Poetry Friday: Excelsior

Believe it or not, I'm spending most of the day today grading papers. So I came across a paper on this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Excelsior is Latin for "ever upward." So as I move ever upward through the stack of papers and grades, I hope you enjoy this poem.

"Excelsior" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

His brow was sad; his eye beneath,
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue,
Excelsior!

In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright;
Above, the spectral glaciers shone,
And from his lips escaped a groan,
Excelsior!

"Try not the Pass!" the old man said:
"Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
The roaring torrent is deep and wide!
And loud that clarion voice replied,
Excelsior!

"Oh stay," the maiden said, "and rest
Thy weary head upon this breast!"
A tear stood in his bright blue eye, B
ut still he answered, with a sigh,
Excelsior!

"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch!
Beware the awful avalanche!"
This was the peasant's last Good-night,
A voice replied, far up the height,
Excelsior!

At break of day, as heavenward
The pious monks of Saint Bernard
Uttered the oft-repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air,
Excelsior!

A traveller, by the faithful hound,
Half-buried in the snow was found,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

There in the twilight cold and gray,
Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay,
And from the sky, serene and far,
A voice fell, like a falling star,
Excelsior!

I'm Gone

Hey everyone!

Just a quick note to let you know I'll be away from my blog (and the internet) for a few days. I'm going on an internship expedition with my school so I hopefully actually get a job when I graduate....

Anyway, don't forget, Cybils nominations end soon!

Slight Political Diversion

I try to avoid discussing politics on this blog, but I am going to make an exception in this case. For those of you who don't want to go into this, you are welcome to come back later.

For everyone who is a California resident, chances are that you have heard of Proposition 8. Some of you may have noticed the link in my sidebar, www.protectmarriage.com, that deals with this very issue. I believe in the divine inspiration that marraige is meant to be between a man and a woman, and that changing this definition will have serious consquences on the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of association.

Please understand that I do not support this measure as a means of discriminating against same-sex couples. What every person chooses to believe is thier own right, even if I myself do not believe in it. I completely support these couple having full econmic benefits of a married couple. But I do not support the change of the definition of marriage.

For those of you who would like to understand more about my feelings on this matter, you can see a video put out to members of my church that describes it much more eloquently than I. I will be voting Yes on Proposition 8, because I feel it is the morally right action to take. This is a matter in which I believe strongly. The important thing is that you vote, that you make your voice be heard.

Please feel free to comment, but I want to post this reminder. I do not tolerate swearing or name calling on in any comments on any of my posts. If you disagree and wish to post about it, that is fine, but do it in a respectful manner. I will delete comments with inappropriate material if I have to. Please keep it respectful folks. That's all I ask.

You Know I Have To Post This...

I can't believe that I'm the first person to post this, so my blog reader must be having issues again. Anyway, in the rare chance you haven't seen the Twilight trailer that came out today yet, here's your chance. This one will load much faster than the one on the offical site.



*EDIT* Okay, I fixed the link now. Enjoy

Reflections on Cybils Nominations

As you may know, the Cybils nominations are now open until October 15th. Since I'm on the panel this year, I pay a little more attention to the process than most people. It's been interesting to watch the process, although granted I'm paying more attention to the Fantasy panel, since that's the one I'm on.

In the past days I have noticed few things I'm surprised to see. First of all, we've gotten way more nominations for ineligible books this time around than previous year. I've noticed a lot more self-published titles too, though this is good since I like seeing every book get its chance.

That being said, there are a few books that I'm surprised haven't been nominated. Based on some of the reviews I've read around, I expected a few titles to be on there that aren't there yet. These include Cybele's Secret, The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin", The 39 Clues (The Maze of Bones, Book 1), and The Quest Begins (Seekers, Book 1) as well some others. It will be interesting to see if any of those end up on the list by October 15th...

Speaking of Nominations...

Thanks to TadMack over at Finding Wonderland for the laugh. And you know, Einstein has great advice. You should listen to him...

Don't Forget to Nominate!

If you haven't already, head over to the Cybils to nominate your favorite books. There's just a few rules you need to keep in mind:

1. One nomination per person per category
2. Books must be first published in 2008
3. Bilingual books are okay, as long as one of the languages is English
4. A book only needs to be nominated once

Nominations are only open until October 15th, so make sure you head over there and get it done right away. Remember, the number of nominations for one book doesn't matter. So if you're favorite book has been nominated already, choose something else. You can get more of your favorites nominated that way. :-)

I made it!

Yay! I'm on the Cybils Science Fiction and Fantasy panel. I'll be honest, I was afraid I might not make it this year. There's a lot more writers and librarians and "experts" out there now, and I'm still just little old me. :-) But I am truly excited, I get to work with some excellent bloggers, a lot of who's blogs I read quite frequently already! I'm so excited to work with all of you! Here's the complete panel:

Laini Taylor Growing Wings
Charlotte Taylor Charlotte's Library
Alyssa Feller The Shady Glade (YAY!)
Em Em's Bookshelf
Lynette The Puck in the Midden
Tizrah Price The Compulsive Reader
Amanda Blau Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Judges:
Tasha Saecker Kids Lit
Anne Boles Levy The Cybils
Erin Miss Erin
Eisha Prather Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Tanita Davis Finding Wonderland, Readers' Rants

Reminder: Watch tonight!

Sorry I didn't post this earlier! Don't forget to watch the Shadow in the North on Masterpiece Mystery! tonight. I'll be posting a recap later, and I want someone to know what I'm talking about. :-)