Top Ten Tuesday: Best new authors of 2012

10 Comments

meme - top ten tuesdayThis week’s Top Ten Tuesday  asks for the top 10 new authors you discovered this year — “new” meaning new to you, not necessarily a debut author. Seems like a good time to make this list, since we’re approaching the end of 2012! I couldn’t come up with 10 (which is kind of sad, come to think of it), but here are eight new-to-me authors that I’m glad I discovered this year:

1. Poul Anderson — I read The High Crusade back in January, and now I’m hooked! (Aliens attack Earth in the year 1345? Come on, that’s awesome!) I have A Midsummer Tempest on deck for next year, which looks pretty cool too.

2. Susanna Kearsley — Sadly, I wasn’t as blown away by this author as I wanted to be. Historical fiction set in the British Isles is right up my alley, and I’d read a lot of rave reviews of her work, so I think my expectations were just too high. But she does write very well, and I’ll continue to read more of her books (I sampled The Winter Sea and Mariana this year).

3. Hester Browne — I like to kick back with funny, romantic chick lit, and Browne certainly fits that description. I tried the Little Lady Agency series and quite enjoyed it, so I’m looking forward to reading more of her work (Swept off Her Feet and The Runaway Princess look good!).

4. Maggie Stiefvater — A captivating setting, magical creatures, an exciting and breathtakingly romantic story…all of these are things I love, and Stiefvater provides them in her amazing The Scorpio Races. (Yes, I rave about this book all the time, and I don’t want to overhype it, but I really do think it’s that good!) I also read The Raven Boys this year and liked it. I may even pick up her werewolf trilogy now!

5. Kathryn Miller Haines — The War Against Miss Winter, a mystery set in New York during World War II, knocked my socks off! I’m collecting the rest of her series about Rosie Winter, and there’s also a young adult series that I want to try.

6. Kristan Higgins — I read several of her romances this year (Just One of the Guys was the first) and really enjoyed all of them! They’re generally light and funny, not very graphic but extremely romantic — just the way I like my contemporary romance. So far, Too Good to Be True is my favorite, but I’ve got several more lined up for next year!

7. Rainbow Rowell — This is entirely because of Attachments, which is an absolutely charming read! I’m looking forward to Eleanor and Park a lot, which will be released in the U.S. sometime next year.

8. Jessica Park — I wouldn’t say I fell in love with Park, but I was pleasantly surprised by her self-published novel, Flat-Out Love. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for anything else she might write!

I really seem to have gravitated toward the female writers this year, especially those who write good love stories. I don’t know whether to be ashamed that my tastes are so narrow or proud that I know what I like! 🙂 Any trends you’ve noticed in your reading this year?

Review: The Glass Menagerie

1 Comment

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee WilliamsTennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie

This classic American play centers around the Wingfields, a lower-middle-class family living in the Midwest. The mother, Amanda, is a former Southern belle who is desperate to prevent the family from sinking into poverty. The daughter, Laura, is a fragile young woman with a slight physical deformity that has made her morbidly self-conscious and shy. The son, Tom, works in a warehouse but dreams of being a poet and living a life of adventure. When a “gentleman caller” comes to dinner, Amanda pressures Laura to make a good impression on him, but the evening doesn’t go according to plan.

I haven’t had much prior experience of Tennessee Williams, but I quite liked this play and can see why it’s considered a classic. I was definitely invested in the story and felt particularly sympathetic toward Laura. Amanda, on the other hand, drove me crazy; she reminded me of Mrs. Bennet in her pushy eagerness for Laura to attract an eligible husband. And Tom was actually the least interesting character for me, because it seemed like he was nothing more than a spokesman for the author. Though he’s fairly artistic about it, Williams definitely uses this play to express his views on the flaws in his society. I would be interested in seeing the work performed, as there are a lot of very specific stage directions, but it also “reads” well. Overall, I’d say it’s worth reading, even if it’s not destined to become one of my favorite plays.

Review: Blackout / All Clear

1 Comment

Blackout by Connie WillisConnie Willis, Blackout and All Clear

In the year 2060, time travel is not only possible, but it’s the preferred method of historical research. Instead of digging through old records to get a sense of a particular time period, why not just go there in person and see for yourself? Mike, Polly, and Eileen are three such historians who have all been assigned to World War II. Mike is going to Dover, where he’ll pose as a journalist and interview the heroes of the evacuation of Dunkirk. Polly will be a London shopgirl in the midst of the Blitz, and Eileen will be observing evacuees in the English countryside. Soon after they arrive at their assignments, however, things begin to go wrong. Minor discrepancies in the historical record start showing up — which ought to be impossible, because everyone knows that historians can’t affect the outcome of events. Then all three of their “drops” (the portals through which they can return to their own time) mysteriously close, leaving them stranded in World War II. As Mike, Polly, and Eileen try every possible method of reopening the drops, they’re forced to conclude that they might be trapped in the wrong time forever.

All Clear by Connie WillisAlthough Blackout and All Clear were published in two volumes, they’re really just one novel, so I’m reviewing them together. My overall feeling about this book is one of awe. This was obviously a labor of love for Connie Willis, and it is truly epic in scope. The time period is meticulously researched, and I really felt like I was there in World War II, seeing how ordinary people reacted to the war and especially to the Blitz. That said, the book is extremely long (over 1,000 pages if you count both volumes), and it probably could have been trimmed substantially. Additionally, there were several confusing plot threads that jumped between different characters and different time periods. These were all resolved by the end of the book, but it made the reading experience a bit difficult at times. On the other hand, there were so many little diversions that I loved — the allusions to Shakespeare and Agatha Christie, for example, as well as the segment where every character was named after someone in The Importance of Being Earnest. So I have mixed feelings about this novel, but overall I have a lot of respect for what Willis accomplished here. Definitely recommended for people interested in  WWII!

Tune in Tuesday with Katelyn: I don’t give a damn ’bout my reputation

14 Comments

meme - tune in tuesday katelynLast week I observed that all my Tune in Tuesday picks thus far had been male artists. In fact, the vast majority of musicians I listen to are male. I’m not sure why that is, to be honest (my current theory is sexist social conditioning). But whatever the reason, today I’ve decided to honor a woman who rocks — and you know it’s true, because she’s a 2013 nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Here’s Joan Jett and the Blackhearts with “Bad Reputation”:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I want from Santa

6 Comments

meme - top ten tuesday

It’s definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas, at least where I live. The decorations are out, the sales are on, and there’s chocolate everywhere. So it’s entirely appropriate that this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is 10 books you’d like to receive from Santa. Here, in no particular order, is what I’d like to see under my Christmas tree:

1. Jasper Fforde, The Last Dragonslayer — I am a huge Fforde ffangirl (see what I did there?), and this is his only U.S.-published book that I don’t have yet. I must own it immediately!

2. Jude Morgan, A Little Folly — I adore historical fiction set in the Regency era if it’s done well. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of subpar stuff out there, but Jude Morgan is great!

3. Jennifer Echols, Such a Rush — As previous Top Ten Tuesday posts have established, I’m a big Echols fan, and I think this book is one of her best. The paperback comes out on the 18th — just in time for Christmas!

4. Charles Finch, A Death in the Small Hours — I really like the Charles Lenox series, and this is the latest installment. I’m looking forward to catching up with all the secondary characters, who barely appeared in A Burial at Sea.

5. Elizabeth Wein, Code Name Verity — I LOVED this book when I read it earlier this year, so I definitely need to have my own copy!

6. Amanda Grange, Henry Tilney’s Diary — Because it’s about Henry Tilney. Need I say more?

7. M.M. Kaye, Death in the Andamans — I really like the “Death in…” books, and this is the only one I don’t have yet!

8. Rainbow Rowell, Attachments — It’s such an adorable romantic comedy! I really liked it when I read it earlier this year, and I know I’d enjoy rereading it multiple times.

9. Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) — I think Mindy Kaling is funny, and I’d really like to read her book — but my library doesn’t have it! So it looks like I have no choice but to buy it. Funny how that works out…

10. Stella Gibbons, Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm — I need to have at least one Christmas-themed book on the list! Cold Comfort Farm is so funny and adorable, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy these short stories as well.

Review: Are Women Human?

Leave a comment

Are Women Human? by Dorothy L. SayersDorothy L. Sayers, Are Women Human?

Dorothy Sayers is best known for her mystery series featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, but she wrote on a lot of other topics too. This short volume contains two of her essays in which she explicitly talks about the role of women in society and the feminist movement as she perceived it in the early 20th century. Sayers’ central point in these essays is that people should spend less time thinking about “women” as a class and more about each particular woman as an individual. She notes that opinions, beliefs, intellect, and abilities vary among women just as they do among men. She also champions a woman’s right to work outside the home if she wants to; both women and men should be able to do work that they enjoy and at which they excel.

I really enjoyed both of these thoughtful, witty essays. Even though they were written many decades ago and the world has changed a lot since then, I think Sayers’ observations remain relevant and interesting. I especially liked what she says about the idea that a woman’s place is in the home. She points out that in the Middle Ages, a lot of the most interesting and important jobs were done in the home — weaving, dyeing, food production, brewing, estate management, etc. These all used to be women’s jobs, and they didn’t become men’s jobs until after the Industrial Revolution, when they moved into factories. I don’t tend to read a lot of feminist theory, but I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the feminist movement — or anyone looking for a quick, humorous, and thought-provoking read!

Tune in Tuesday with Katelyn: Some shrill sad cannonade

6 Comments

So I know I’m a bit late to jump on this bandwagon, but Pandora has really been rocking my world lately! I highly recommend the Mumford and Sons station, where I’ve discovered a lot of really good songs — and this week’s Tune in Tuesday pick is one of them. Here’s “Serpentine” by Chris Bathgate:


I like its melancholy, dreamlike quality.

Also, I’m realizing that all my Tune in Tuesday picks thus far have featured male artists. I’ll have to post about some ladies who rock one of these days!

Top Ten Tuesday: I want it all, and I want it now

16 Comments

I’m channeling Queen this week because the Top Ten Tuesday topic is your most anticipated books that will come out in 2013. I don’t know if I actually have 10, but there are definitely several books coming out next year that I can’t wait to read! Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Stephanie Perkins, Isla and the Happily Ever After — I absolutely fell in love with Perkins’ two previous novels, Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door. So obviously I have to get this book ASAP! According to Amazon, the release date is May 7.

2. Julie James, Love Irresistibly — Julie James is my autobuy author for contemporary romance. This latest book is part of her FBI/U.S. Attorney series, and the hero is Cade Morgan, Rylann’s colleague from About That Night. Release date is April 2.

3. Lauren Willig, The Ashford Affair — I’m a big fan of Willig’s Pink Carnation series, but her next book is either a standalone or the start of a new series. It will have parallel contemporary and historical storylines, and the historical parts will be set in WWI-era Kenya. Amazon describes it as a cross between Out of Africa and “Downton Abbey,” so I’m intrigued! Release date is April 9.

4. Seanan McGuire, Chimes at Midnight — The next Toby Daye book! I always snatch these up right away. Minimal googling has not revealed the release date, but I’m guessing it will be sometime in the fall.

5. Jennifer Echols, Dirty Little Secret — I love me some Jennifer Echols romantic dramas. This one is about “friends-turned-lovers as they navigate the passions, heartbreaks, and intrigue of country music fame.” I’m not particularly a country music fan, but I am a music fan, so bring on the concerts and rock-star drama! Release date is July 16. Echols is also coming out with a romance novel for adults in February, which could be interesting…

6. Jasper Fforde, The Song of the Quarkbeast — I have two caveats with this one:  (1) it’s already come out in the U.K., and (2) I haven’t read the first book in the series, The Last Dragonslayer, yet! But Fforde is one of my autobuy authors, so I’m sure I’ll pick this up as soon as the U.S. edition comes out.

7. Sarah Addison Allen, Lost Lake — Yes, SAA is finally coming out with another book! I love her warm, magical settings and romantic plots. Release date is TBA but should be sometime in 2013.

And that’s all I can think of for now. But I’m sure there will be other new releases in 2013 that will have me racing to the nearest bookstore!