City of Glass Celebration

Cassie Clare's new book, City of Glass comes out this Tuesday. I adored the first two books in this series, so I'm pretty excited about it. I'm not the only one. There's a week long celebration of all things COG over at Tales of A Ravenous Reader. They even have a contest! How cool is that?

Party Favors by Nicole Sexton and Susan Johnston

Tee is a fundraiser for the Republican Party in Washington D.C. She’s the original Southern girl, softhearted and eager to please; who struggles to survive in a world of scandal producing senators, backstabbing co-workers, and glittering parties. The story is the fictionalized account of Nicole Sexton’s career as a director of finance for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, so naturally all resemblance to actual politicians is completely unintended. Ha. These guys are hilariously, unbelievably hypocritical, and the sad thing is that it‘s probably a spot-on characterization. The whole thing reads like The Nanny Diaries for politics.

This is a cute little book, as bubbly and as easily read as its heroine.





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A Princess of Roumania by Paul Park

Miranda Popescu, adopted from Romania in infancy, feels foreign and strange even though she‘s lived in the same college town almost all of her life. Of course, most people feel dislocated during the teenage years, but Miranda has more reason than most. Though at first she isn’t aware of the fact, she’s actually a princess from an alternate world. As political and diplomatic forces reach into our world from “Roumania,” she must decide who to trust and which reality she ought to believe.

On a blurb on the inside of the book, Terry Bisson (no idea who that is) says, “I once told Paul Park to write a tale filled with…the dark complexity of Phillip Pullman….Sooner or late, Paul always does what I tell him.” Apparently, he did. I agree that this book is very reminiscent of the His Dark Materials series. The problem is that I didn’t like that series at all. Though Pullman's concept of an animate soul is neat, I just couldn’t make myself care about the characters enough to keep them straight as they meandered through the plot. A Princess of Roumania is similar. Though the world building concept behind the story is really cool, as soon as the characters journeyed to that other world, I stopped caring what happened to them. No one there was interesting enough to draw me into the plot (which has the same ponderous rhythm as “His Dark Materials“, by the way), so I had to keep turning back to look up the characters anytime something new happened.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the Dark Materials series. Whatever it was that made you like it is probably present in this book, as well. Otherwise, don’t bother.




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A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

When I was a little girl, I wanted to go to an English boarding school just like Sara Crewe in A Little Princess; so when I went to the bookstore to look for things to read for the YA challenge, it wasn’t surprising that I was attracted to Libba Bray‘s book. Like Sara Crewe, Gemma Doyle grows up in India and is sent to an English boarding school. Though the similarities in their stories stop there--Gemma is a young lady with a mystical connection to a secret magical society, not a little girl with a riches to rags to riches story--A Great and Terrible Beauty possesses that same Victorian English voice that enchanted me so much as a girl.

Despite the old fashioned feel, this is a deeply feminist book. Don’t cringe. It’s quietly subversive, definitely not one of those stories where a modern character seems to be dropped fully formed into a historical setting. Gemma is a product of her times; there are no anachronisms in her dealings with women’s issues. No, what’s so great about this book is that you barely notice the feminism for the story. Gemma struggles with her mother’s death, with making friends at school, and with learning about the magic of the Realms; and she does it all firmly within the Victorian setting. It’s only when the plot doesn’t turn out quite how you’d expect that you notice the message. Quite frankly, it astounded me.

It made me think about the what society expects of our girls. In the time period of the book, girls were not supposed to want anything but to make a good marriage and have babies. We’ve come quite a long way from that time, but what this book made me realize is that our modern society is still hanging on to more of those ideas than I thought. No, we don’t shun a girl who wants a career or wants to stay single; we don’t say that she can’t do something because she’s female. We do, however, send girls a completely different message with the stories that we tell them. It’s this: girls are not supposed to want. When girls get what they want, they ought to be punished for it, because what they want is never, ever what they ought to have. That message is in almost every story we tell to our girls.

Think about it. In any story, the heroine may want to be normal, to be special, to go out with the bad boy, to be smarter, to be beautiful, or to be popular. If she gets what she wants, it always ends in disaster. She learns her lesson. At the end of the story, she has learned that she shouldn‘t have wanted any of those things. Being normal, special, smarter, or beautiful didn‘t make her life better. It made it worse. She finds that she’s better off without being popular, and that she really ought to go out with the geek next door. Undoubtedly, learning to value yourself for who you are is an important lesson, but it’s rather sad that we never tell our girls stories in which the heroine wants something and gets it without being punished. It’s like we’re telling girls not to bother to reach for what they want. They’re learning that wanting things is wrong.

A Great and Terrible Beauty turns those assumptions upside down. I won’t give away the plot here, but I will say that Gemma Doyle doesn’t get away with having everything she wants in this book; Libba Bray tells a much more complex story than that. Like I said, it’s subtly subversive. It’s a powerful, well-written story, and what’s more, it’s humorous, exciting, and fun. I highly recommend this book.



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The Best Urban Fantasy

Reading Tinker by Wen Spencer reminded me why I fell in love with Urban Fantasy long ago. While wondering what to say in my review of the book, I found myself thinking rather nostalgically of the Urban Fantasy novels I read back in college. They were so much fun. It’s been a long time since the genre produced anything like them, something that isn’t either vampire based or written for the young adult market. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as fond of blood suckers as the next gal, and I adore some of the recent YA novels like Holly Black’s Modern Fairie Tales and The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare; it’s just that I wish more authors would write true Urban Fantasy for grown-ups. You know, like something that takes longer than an hour to read and isn’t yet another girl meets vampire story.

Oh, Charles DeLint is still writing his Newford stories. Those are great, but they’re getting mighty repetitive after all these years. Yeah, and Neil Gaiman is still awesome even though he’s playing in the YA market at the moment. I’m sure someday he’ll produce another UF novel for adults, something as different from Neverwhere and Ananzi Boys as they are from each other. Emma Bull is still writing. Terri Windling is still editing. I’m certain there are tons of unpublished authors out there writing the kind of thing I want to read, I just wonder if they’ll ever get published if they don’t give in to the “girl kicks some butt then falls for a vampire” plot. Remember when Urban Fantasy meant something besides an excuse for hot vampire sex? I miss those days.

Way back when, the setting wasn’t just a backdrop to a love story; it was a metaphor for living on the edges of things. Magic came to the city and produced an atmosphere of uncertainty. It was a half-way place, neither one thing nor the other. The characters were always people who didn’t fit into mainstream society, neither one thing nor the other themselves; and that atmosphere gave them a place to grow and change. The stories were almost always about exploring individuality and finding a place to fit without sacrificing that individuality.

These novels caught me at a time in my life when I was struggling to do the same, so they really spoke to me. These days, I’ve pretty much got the individuality vs. fitting into society thing down to a sort of wobbly tightrope walk; I hardly ever plunge screaming to the ground anymore. Still, it’s fun to voluntarily muck around down there with my favorite characters every once in a while. When I do, the books below are the ones that take me back:

War for the Oaks by Emma Bull--This is the quintessential, genre defining Urban Fantasy novel. The novel may not have been the first, but it was the first that mattered. Eddi the rock musician gets dragged into a war fought in Minneapolis between the light and dark fairie courts. As she’s drawn deeper into their world, she realizes her creative potential, finds herself, and incidentally finds someone to love. War for the Oaks might seem dated to anyone who wasn’t a teenager in the eighties, but the power of the story transcends the intervening decades. A must read for any UF fan.

Bordertown--If War for the Oaks is the birthplace of Urban Fantasy, Bordertown is the genre’s beloved childhood home. Seriously, B-town rocks like an heirloom cradle covered with purple glitter paint. Terri Windling invented a world where magic and technology meet in the borderlands of Earth and Elfland, then invited all the best voices in SFF to come play there. It spawned quite a few short story collections and a couple of novels. I haven’t read them all, but everything I’ve read has been delightful. “Mockery” by Ellen Kushner and Bellamy Bach is an enduring favorite of mine.

Knights of Ghosts and Shadows by Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Guon--I’m never quite sure how I feel about Mercedes Lackey’s books. I can’t stop reading them, but I’m a little embarrassed to admit they still remain favorites. The things don’t even have a nodding acquaintance with literature. Nevertheless, this book deserves a place on the list, if only because it was the first Urban Fantasy book I ever read. Elves at the renaissance fair…on motorcycles no less! How can you not love this book? (If you want to read a novel by Ellen Guon set in the same universe, try Bedlam Boyz over at Baen Free Library. You can’t go wrong with something free.)

Memory and Dream by Charles DeLint--Charles DeLint always writes interesting Urban Fantasy when he visits Newford, but this particular book is the best of the best. It explores the nature of art, creation, and reality. Over the years, the characters have become like old friends. I’ll never tire of reading about Isabelle’s friendship with Kathy, her love story with a man from one of her paintings, or her love/hate relationship with her mentor. Good times.

Wraeththu by Storm Constantine--There’s never been anything remotely like this book. Ever. That makes it sort of hard to explain. You could describe the magical hermaphrodites in an apocalyptic world, or say that its an urban fantasy with pagan elements; you could rave about the beautiful language, point out the genius of the concept, or even describe how the basic naivety of the world building lends it an innocence that‘s almost heartbreaking. None of that would really do it justice. It’s a cult classic for a reason. Just read it. You’ll see. (And probably become obsessed.)


Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman--When I read American Gods, I knew Neil Gaiman would be important, not just to the urban fantasy genre but to literature as a whole. This was a book that you could call an “instant classic” without having to cross your fingers behind your back. His writing reminded me of Ray Bradbury, an author I absolutely adore. The only problem was that I hated American Gods. Violently. It gave me nightmares. The imagery made me so sick to my stomach, so full of dread, that I barely even took in the story. After that, I shied away from his books. It wasn’t until his publisher offered Neverwhere as a free e-book that I even glanced at any more of his words. I’m so glad I finally did, because Neverwhere is just about perfect. I’d even go so far as to call it the best of the new Urban Fantasy.

And there you have it, my guide to the best in Urban Fantasy. I hope it encourages you to read a whole bunch of good books.

Another Fanfiction Friday

I'm in the mood for a bit of slashy reading tonight. If you don't know the meaning of the word slash in this context, check out the wikipedia definition here before reading any of the stories below. I'd say the stuff I'm recommending is PG 13 at the most, but I thought I'd better warn you just in case. Not everybody likes to read about male/male relationships, after all.

The Wraeththu Fandom (The Wraeththu books are by Storm Constantine.)

Love the One You're With by Oshun--a Pell/Vaysh songfic that is truly lovely.

The Mortal Instruments Fandom (The Mortal Instruments series is by Cassandra Clare.)

Trying to Burn Bridges of Stone by Marcyjo--A sweet little Alec/Magnus fic. This one is so cute and funny and honest, it made me a bit teary eyed.

Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart

This was one of the e-books given away by Harlequin in honor of their sixtieth anniversary. I never expect much from romance novels, so I wasn’t too disappointed by this one. The heroine, blinded by a carriage accident, is rescued from a runaway horse by a cowboy who loved her long ago. They get a second chance at love. Yawn.

Besides the main character’s blindness, which made for a pretty interesting point of view, this was a novel like hundreds of thousands of others. It was, however, free and grammatically correct.



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Midnight on Julia Street by Ciji Ware

This is another book borrowed from my grandma’s bookshelf. I suspect she only kept it on the shelf because her name is Julia, not because she thought it was wonderful literature. She usually gets rid of this type of light reading a few years after it’s been published. (Where else did you think I learned the art of collecting good books? Or of getting rid of the mediocre ones?)

Midnight on Julia Street isn’t bad, but it’s not all that great either. It’s a love story that spans generations. Go-getter TV reporter Corlis meets rich Southern guy King, her rival from her militant feminist days in college. She’s all feminine looking now, he has unexpected depths, yadda, yadda, yadda. He’s a leading figure in the movement to restore old houses, she’s covering the movement for TV; thereby providing the main tension in their relationship, “Oh no, we can’t give in to our lurve! It wouldn’t be professional!” None of this is very original or exciting, but at least it’s written well enough not to be annoying.


Their love story is juxtaposed with the stories of their ancestors in New Orleans. It’s done through the psychic experiences of the heroine, psychic experiences that leave her drained and disoriented so that King can come to the rescue in a manly way. Despite this cliched aftermath, Corlis’ psychic episodes are really the best thing about this story. The author clearly adores historical New Orleans. While telling about the characters who used to live and work in the building that King is trying to rescue, Ciji Ware shows her love for New Orleans’ old houses, for its history, and for its diversity. The backstory ties in nicely with the modern love story, redeeming the mistakes of the past in a happily ever after sort of way. It’s a satisfying, light read for anyone who loves New Orleans.




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100+ Reading Challenge

Since I'm already reading and reviewing so many books here, I thought it would be a good idea to join the 100+ Reading Challenge hosted over at J. Kaye's Book Blog. It seems like an easy one. The Challenge runs from 1-1-09 to 12-31-09, and any kind of book is eligible. I'm pretty sure I already read at least a hundred new books a year, but I've never tried to count them before. We'll see how it goes.

Here's my list:

1. Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio by Jeffrey Kluger review
2. Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig review
3. Thank You for All Things by Sandra Kring review
4. Tinker by Wen Spencer review
5. Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer
6. Midnight on Julia Street by Ciji Ware review
7. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
8. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray review
9. A Princess of Roumania by Paul Park review
10. Ananzi Boys by Neil Gaiman
11. Sex, Lies and Wedding Bells by E.M. Linley
12. Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart review
13. Party Favors by Nicole Sexton review
14. Angels Come to Visit by Diane Fox
15. Dancing in the Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne
16. Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
17. Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson
18. Speed Dating by Nancy Warren
19. His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls
20. Elsewhere by Will Shetterly
21. Finder by Emma Bull