Angieville

Best reads of the past month: Undine by Penni Russon My lovely friend, who shall hereafter be known in this blog as The Editor, sent me an ARC of this book and the first thing I noticed was the cover. So pretty and sinister. Not far in I realize it's a modern twist on "The Tempest," set in Australia, and focused on a girl named Undine who can whistle up a storm like nobody's business. The names in this book are truly great: Undine, her prickly mom Lou, her best friend Trout, her mom's friend Mim, and her mysterious, absent father Prospero. These peripheral characters are well developed and compelling. In fact, I found myself gravitating more toward Trout and Grunt (and Jasper!) than Undine as the story progressed. Gifted with that much power and self-absorption at the same time, she's a little hard to like at times. But I did like her and her storm-drenched world and I'm looking forward to the sequel Breathe. I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak I followed...

Until The Book Thief came out almost exactly a year ago, I had never heard of Markus Zusak. By the time it reached maximum hype, I was in full resist mode. Upon further pressure, I bent and decided to read Zusak's earlier I am the Messenger. If I love it, then I'll tote The Book Thief home. One night of intense sitting-on-the-bathroom-floor-reading later, I go on a Zusak binge. Today I happily usher him into the A List. Not only is he the long-awaited 2nd male author on the list (I'm certain others qualify for induction, I just haven't read everything they've written yet), but his addition makes the list an actual A to Z List. Mr. Alexander to Mr. Zusak. And all those lovely ladies in between. Lloyd Alexander Jane Austen Madeleine L'Engle Juliet Marillier Robin McKinley Stephenie Meyer Meg Rosoff Sharon Shinn Mary Stewart Ellen Emerson White Markus Zusak

1. Finding out that Robin McKinley has a new book coming out in September (the 20th to be exact). It's been four long years since Sunshine came out and I realize I've developed a twitch, which I assume will not go away until I get my hands on this book. This Dragonhaven. *twitch* 2. Finding out that not only does Ellen Emerson White have a new book coming out in October (the 30th to be exact), but Susan McCallister (from Friends for Life ) is a major character in it. And , Beverly Johnson (from Life Without Friends ) makes an "off-screen" appearance. How much do I love it when authors cross over their characters? So. Much. 3. Finding out that Juliet Marillier's next book is going to be a Sevenwaters book. Yep, you heard me right Liza. It follows one of Sean and Aisling's daughters, Clodagh I believe. Too much to hope for glimpses of Liadan and Bran? I think not. And now a moment of silence for the awesomeness of a new Sevenwaters book. ----- The anticipati...

Best reads of the past month: Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier This is Marillier's first foray into YA lit and I will confess, I did smile knowingly to myself from time to time, thinking about what the book would be like if she'd written the same story for adults. She's just so good at tension and darkness and the otherworldly that this combination Frog Prince/Twelve Dancing Princesses/Vampire story would make a delicious non-YA. That said, it was a wonderful story and I found myself fascinated to see how she tied together the two familiar (though not necessarily similar) fairy tales, set it in Romania and added in a dollop of vampire lore for good measure. Very imaginative. The China Garden by Liz Berry This was part mystery, part fantasy and it kept reminding me of a YA-Mary Stewart novel. Particularly Touch Not the Cat . The rambly old English estate, the family inextricably tied to the land, the ESP. Add some exploration of ancient pagan rites meets early Christia...

Best reads of the past month: Eva Underground by Dandi Daley Mackall Until I read this book, I knew next to nothing about the modern-day Communist occupation of Poland. Mackall's book takes place the year I was born and it follows a young woman named Eva who leaves her home and friends in Chicago to follow her father to Poland where he joins the underground movement. Sharing a tiny room with her father in a house full of rebels, Eva learns that sometimes life takes you by the throat and hurls you bodily into the middle of a war zone. She learns there are things in that war zone worth fighting for, that her life can be bigger than it was, that the seed of a plum can hold the spirit of a nation. A wonderful read about a harrowing and fascinating period in history. Star of the Morning by Lynn Kurland I came across Kurland in a collection of short stories including a favorite of mine--Sharon Shinn. Up till now, she's written mostly romance novels ( not my cup of tea) so I approac...

Best reads of the past month: Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler This fun little book was like a sweet summer's day in the dead of winter. Mara Valentine reminds me of myself in high school. Socially backward and uninterested in being otherwise. Single-minded when it comes to being valedictorian. Hopelessly in love with a really cool guy. One of my favorite things about Mara is that, rather than letting herself be consumed by her ex-boyfriend's lameness, she opts for a healthier obsession and becomes a vegan. Awesome. Best rereads of the past month: In the Hand of the Goddess , The Woman Who Rides Like a Man , and Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce Read the first one last month, so I had to follow up with the rest of the series. What fun books. They got me through being 13. Somehow I'm not surprised they can get me through being 28, too. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling The anticipation for Book 7 is rising fast. I figured I'd go back and g...