Angieville

Have you ever been reading a book, moving along quite nicely, and then-- bam --a character whips out a particular term of endearment that just yanks you right out of the story? It happened to me recently, and I'm sad to say I couldn't recover. I did try. But she just kept using that term and I . . . I had to get the hell out of Dodge. Buh-bye, story. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. I'm not saying this is the norm (thank goodness). I can put up with a certain amount of treacly back and forth when it comes to the exchange of terms of endearment, especially if they fit the characters, their background, culture, the tenor of their relationship, etc. And the history of these terms  at home and from around the world is often fascinating (at times hilarious). But there comes a point where I can't see past the cheese and/or weird anymore and I do not want to be with these people any longer . Shallow? Perhaps. But it's a very individual thing, isn't it?...

It's a new year, a clean slate. And I like to think of it as such, quietly absorbing the possibilities as I quietly restrain myself from attempting to make overly ambitious resolutions that I will only renege on or fail at miserably within a month's time. As I cast about for some possibility, some inspiration, I came across an unlikely source: literary break-up letters . This fascinating article in The Atlantic features excerpts and background information from eight different writers penning their parting words to lovers, spouses, more-than-friends. Luminaries include Simone de Beauvoir (whose line I used in my post title), Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton, Oscar Wilde, Mary Wollstonecraft, and more. They are wistful and so very real. Just the kind of real I needed at this time of cold, quiet beginnings. I hope your year is full of possibilities. And if there must be partings, let them be well-written.

Hey there! Today I'm guest blogging over at See Michelle Read . As part of her extremely fun Literary Love event, I'm spotlighting one of my very favorite couples from contemporary fiction. Can you guess which couple I chose? Stop by and tell us if you're a fan of the slow burn , too.

It's not even February yet and love is in the air around the blogosphere. Feeling a little cabin fever, are we people? A few of these posts caught my eye and are worth a mention here. *sigh* A week or so ago the wicked funny  Sarah Rees Brennan  put together a post entitled  The Best Couples in Books Ever!  Lol. In this post she outlines the six literary couples she deems the best ever, given the rules that the series they're in (if there is one) is finished and that at the end of it they are, in fact, together. I've read four of the six books/series and would put two of those four on my list,  no question . Take a look at  the list  and see if you can guess which two! And while you're there, make sure you scroll down to the hysterical summaries of each relationship Sarah kindly put together. Though beware spoilers if you haven't read the books yet. I'm still breaking into giggles over them days later. Next, my friend Michelle over at  See ...