Waiting on Wednesday...

Ooh, just saw it on Netgalley and am now agog. How does Brenna Yovanoff get such amazing covers? They're just exactly my cup of tea. I've loved her first two, no hesitation to snatch this one up as well. I was sold before I even read the synopsis, but here you go - it sounds great, no shock!

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record.  The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one.  Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders?  Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets.  She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life—and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

Paper Valentine comes out January 8, 2013!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

A question of cool...

What, exactly, is cool? It's been my personal philosophy that cool is nothing to aspire to - too often it seems that cool comes at the price of mockery. Declaring cool requires something else to be inherently UNcool, and I've never liked that. It is the same as my philosophy with sports - cheer FOR your team, don't cheer AGAINST the other team. Turns out the other team consists of human beings too, not demons. Except maybe for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they test my resolve on that.

So yes, I've been all hippie about it - like what you like, but don't disdain other people for liking something else. I thought I had it down!

But recently, my husband has been applying and interviewing for jobs across the country, and after analyzing the ball of stress in my stomach, I've realized my concern.

I feel like we're not cool enough.

I know, it seems ridiculous. But having lived in KY all my life, the thought of moving to a city like Portland or Seattle had my stomach in knots. I'd have to make NEW friends. I wouldn't have 5 sisters within 100 miles to lean on. I have a southern accent and slightly crooked teeth and I feel guilty at the thought of spending more than $30 on a pair of jeans. How would all this translate to the people we'd be meeting?

Thank heaven my husband would never dream of moving to California - clearly L.A. would eat me alive.

But as the process has wound on, I've started to settle down a bit. Thank goodness for unlimited calling, so at least the sisters will still be in contact a lot. And maybe having to make new friends would get me out of my shell a bit - I've definitely been a bit lazy on the friendship front for, oh, the last 5 or 6 years.

Nothing is certain yet. But even though I have never once in my life been cool, I know I'm brave enough to handle whatever comes our way.

Halloweeeeeeeen!

I am super excited about Halloween this year. My kiddos are 3 1/2 and almost 2, so that means that they are old enough to know fun times are going down, but young enough that a) they don't demand difficult/expensive costumes and b) they don't notice when 2/3 of their candy disappears. Mmmm, mini-snickers...

And I get to dress up too! Last year I only dressed up for work (Annabeth from the Percy Jackson series), but this year I had a real, live, grown-up party to go to, so I needed a costume that wasn't from a children's book. Pictures are still pending, but my husband and I rocked a cheap and easy Amy and Rory Pond costume, and I karaoked basically all night. Awesome times.

For my work costume this year, and also for the kiddos' trunk or treat at daycare, I'm pulling out a Mary Poppins costume! I'm really thrilled about it as well, it started out as a long black skirt and black blazer, and I think it really came together well. It was clearly fated, because I found an $8 umbrella at Walmart with a bird head handle. CLEARLY. FATED.

I really adore having a job where I can dress up and play. Yet another reason to love being a children's librarian in October! (Another is the ability to wear Halloween socks without judgement.)

Anyone out there with costumes they're excited about? I know a lot of people have adult, boring jobs that don't encourage costumes, but if you have one I'd love to hear about it!

Jinxed myself...

When I posted about my top books of the year, I mentioned I was on track to meet my goal, as long as I didn't get in a rut. When will I learn? Cue a big ol' reading rut, right on schedule. Curses! I haven't completed a book in a week, which is a SERIOUS rut for me. I was ahead of pace for my goal, and now I'm just "on track" which really means "GET ON IT!!" Because soon it'll be Thanksgiving and Christmas, and you know what all that family togetherness means? Less time for reading.

Ah well. But when I got into work today, look what was waiting for me!

Ooh, goodbye reading rut. Can't wait to get to it!

Glimpses...

To some, this might just be a pile of scraps, but to me it is a gorgeous sign of progress. Can't wait to show you more of this quilt!

Best books of 2012, so far

Barely 2 1/2 months to go until the end of the year, and I've got 50 books to go to reach my goal of 250 for the year. It seems like a lot, but Shelfari tells me I'm ahead of pace. Fingers crossed I don't get into a reading funk! 

I've had a fairly good reading year, very few books I actively disliked and several that blew me away. Now that we're reaching the end (and I'm so behind on official reviewing that I'll never catch up) I wanted to share my favorites so far. These are books I rated 5 stars on Shelfari, which translates to a 10 on my blog rating scale.

 The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour:

A smart, bittersweet look at the summer after high school for a boy and the girl he loves, and her terrible band. I was not expecting how much I would love this, not being a fan of bands or tattoos particularly, but the characters really got under my skin and I was completely rooting for them by the end.

 Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein:

Well, everyone and their brother has posted a glowing review of this book, and for good reason. Powerful, amazing writing and characters that will break your heart combine to wonderful effect. Hard to push on the teens at the library, but worth it.

 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green:

Again, not suffering from a lack of press on this one, but I do try not to let the fact that others are saying something keep me quiet. I can sometimes be contrary but the smart, funny characters in this book made me fall head over heels for them, even though I knew from the start someone would cause me pain. Amazing.

 My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick:

This was a bit of a surprise! I was expecting a cute romance, fluffy and forgettable, and instead got hit in the gut with a moral quandary and a first love that knocked my socks off.







Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas:

Ah, it's like it was written with me in mind, I tell you. A smart, powerful assassin? A competition to the death? Unlikely love interests? Difficult decisions about whom to trust? Oh, I loved it all, even if one angle of the love triangle was much more perfect to my mind. I can't believe this was Maas's debut, I'll definitely pick up future books from her.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater:

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up. I adored Ballad and Lament, was utterly meh on the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, and while I liked The Scorio Races, I wasn't as captivated as other reviews I read. 

It took me about half a chapter to start bouncing and grinning. This was the Stiefvater of Ballad and Lament, powerful and beautifully written, mysterious and charming without being overbearing. I loved loved loved this book and can't wait to return to the magical quest with Blue and the Raven Boys.

So, those are the best of the best so far! I'll try and post occasional reviews for the rest of the year, although as I mentioned the blog will be broadening its view as we go. 

Wandering thoughts...

1. It drives my husband bonkers when people use 4 periods instead of 3 for an ellipse. I almost did, up in my title, but my love for my husband forced me to go back and change it.
2. I've been an inconsistent blogger!
3. I considered just abandoning this poor sad blog, and starting over fresh, but a) quitting is lame and b) a lot of work, so consider this a reboot!
4. I participated in my first 5k last weekend! It was the color run, so not timed, but tons and tons of fun.
5. I started running after my miscarriage in May. My strongest memory of that terrible day is sitting, waiting for my ultrasound (already knowing what it would tell me) and watching the Today Show people do a terrible 'Call Me Maybe' dance on the tv.
6. Last Saturday, as the cheerful groups around me danced and sang as the DJ played 'Call Me Maybe', I teared up just a little.
7. But nobody could stay sad at a Color Run. I shook myself and had a blast, and ran, twirled and bounced through clouds of color dust, emerging a creature you wouldn't quite recognize (mostly due to an accidentally dash of blue right in the face! Glad they tell you to wear sunglasses, and I know it was an accident, Color Run volunteer! No worries!)
8. This rebooted blog will feature personal posts, craft posts, and books about Adult, Teen, Juvenile and Picture books as well as random geekery. Basically, whee!
9. I'm kind of losing steam. But... how can I live with myself if I don't get to 10! Incomplete list, just drifting to a close without a proper conclusion... too sad. I must soldier on!
10. PHEW. Made it. Will edit at home to add a color run pic!

ETA: Here it is!