Literary Houses - nostalgia, fantasy and magical places

I’ve been feeling nostalgic for the fiction of my childhood for a number of reasons over the past couple of months. I found out about the death of Jonathon Crombie, who played undeniable heartthrob Gilbert Blythe in the Anne of Green Gables. I mean yes, he left us nearly a year ago, but I only found out a few weeks ago. Silo cinema screened The Secret Garden, and then The Princess Bride. Plus, taking two postgraduate papers at Summer school alongside work left me exceedingly keen to ignore adult life and delve into something cosier and more magical. Valentine’s Day has probably also had something to do with it – I’ll never again find a love like Tom Sawyer or Samwise Gamgee, after all.

In typical me fashion, I’ve wanted to revisit the literature but I can’t decide. I can’t choose, and what if I find it’s just too junior now and it ruins it for me? I huffed and puffed and requested and returned. Until I found the perfect book. I could not have imagined a better one. I stumbled upon it on a goodreads wander, swooned, and located a copy in the central basement. It’s one of the best basement treasures I have found yet.

Children's Literary Houses is an illustrated guide to famous dwelling’s in children’s fiction. The dwellings’ are taken from such literary delights as The Secret Garden, Little Women, David Copperfield and Alice in Wonderland. The art is gorgeous, and the excerpts are superbly well-chosen. And as if it weren’t already perfect for my current dilemma, it just happens to be written by Lisa Tuttle – one of my favourite science fiction/fantasy/horror writers, prolific from the 1980’s onward – and Rosalind Ashe, who appears to be of the same oeuvre. I infuriatingly cannot credit the beautiful illustrations, which are simply credited as “Copyright Dragon’s World Ltd, 1984”.

Dragon’s World Ltd, though, appear to be an absolute goldmine of fantasy, science fiction and esoteric art publishing out of Surrey during the late 70’s and early 80’s. For fans of Chris Achilleos and Heavy Metal etc, it should be worth investigating. And an added Bonus: Rosalind Ashe, I discovered, published Literary Houses two years prior, and it is just as brilliant.

So if you're looking for a smorgasbord of nostalgia with some beautiful - have a look! 

Authors are our rock stars: Sarah J Maas at Central Library

Auckland Libraries recently had the pleasure of working alongside our friends at Allen & Unwin, to bring you what was the rock star author talk and book signing of the year!

More than 100 fans, and their friends and family, descended on the Central City Library to attend Sarah J. Maas’ only New Zealand appearance.  The 100 tickets that allowed fans to listen to the author talk and gain priority access to the book signing went like hot cakes, and for several weeks library staff were answering emails asking if people could be placed on the waiting list if people didn’t collect their tickets in time. Plus, we had people living in Wellington, Whangarei, and Cambridge book tickets! >THAT< was the level of excitement!

On the day, the event opened with a brief author talk, where Sarah had the audience enthralled with her completely relaxed self-admission that she was practically unrecognisable without her makeup, has loved Lord of the Rings since she was a teenager, and she had Legolas adorning her bedroom walls!  After charming everyone with how down-to-earth she was, Sarah then spent the next four hours signing books for her fans, chatting to them one-on-one, and posing for photographs – in other words, she totally set the bar way high for future author talks!

This event was a great example of collaboration between Auckland Libraries and a publisher to provide a (hopefully not) once in a lifetime opportunity to meet an author who has something of a cult following.  Auckland Libraries provided the location and managed the ticketing, while Allen & Unwin organised the arrival of Sarah and provided a complete set of her books as a prize for an online competition asking: what question would you ask Sarah if you could only ask her one question?

Jenna and the team from Time Out Bookstore were there to help fans fill any gaps in their collections, and helped fans buy treebooks - because it is really challenging for an author to sign an ebook.  It was a great afternoon, and Jenna obviously enjoyed interviewing Sarah in front of a very engaged audience – an interview which showed that Sarah is a thoroughly lovely person as well as a talented one!

This was seriously one of the best author talks we've ever held, not only because Sarah spent so much time with each of her fans, but also because of how amazing those fans were.  Two young fans had to leave the signing early, because of a job interview and a work meeting respectively, and they were upset that they were going to miss out on their chance to have their books signed.  A quick chat with the two lovely ladies at the front of the queue and they were able to get their books signed with no fuss, and a very special memory of the day.

After her marathon signing session Sarah was driven off into the night to start her two week vacation in New Zealand, and if you are on Instagram you can follow Sarah and see what an amazing New Zealand fangirl she is!

But don't just take our word for it: read Tearaway eMagazine's great article about Sarah’s visit to the Central City Library too.

Photos courtesy of Dan Liu.

Werewolves, walking trunks and magical dresses!

My 'second' update! The trouble with reading books you don't know about is that you're always going to come across one or two that didn't particularly float your boat. Fortunately, books aren't written to take everyone's fancy, so if a werewolf romance or shenanigans in love (or fantastical tourists) sound like a bit of you, then grab these books for what could be your idea of a good time.

A book by a female author - Bitten by Kelly Armstrong

Elena is your average everyday modern woman - except, she's also a werewolf. The only female werewolf in the world, in fact. After being transformed against her will by her lover, Clay, and finding she didn't fit in well, she left her 'pack' to try her hand at becoming a normal person again, living in cities and working your normal 9-5 job with an even normal-er fiancee. It's been years that her pack has tried to contact her, but now the Alpha is calling her back - the pack family is under siege and someone is murdering humans on their land.

A paranormal romance, this one was the first werewolf romance I've read since Twilight (if you could call it one). While not a huge fan of Elena herself, I could definitely see how Armstrong became the immensely popular author she is today if this was her first in what is now a HUGE series.

A book by an author you love that you haven't read - The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

I'm a fan of the hugely popular Discworld series, but I came in late to the books - starting with Going Postal. I had read a few of the older ones, but never bothered to read the first, as I'd already seen the movie. However, when this category came up, I thought I might as well. An earlier work and you can tell, it was still interesting to read of the 'beginning' of the Disc.

Rincewind is by far the most useless wizard in Ankh-Morpork. He only knows one spell, and even then he's never used it. When Ankh-Morpork's first ever tourist Twoflower turns up, with a sentient trunk and bundles of gold, it's Rincewind who gets stuck with him as a tour guide. All his life, Rincewind has tried to avoid trouble - but all Twoflower seems to want is trouble. Seeing dragons, meeting barbarians and getting in pub fights is all on his to-do list, and Rincewind is unfortunately dragged along.

A book with a love triangle - The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna van Praag

Cora is a scientist, with no time for love, or feelings of any heartfelt manner. Walter is the young man with a heartbreaking voice at the bookstore, who is hopelessly in love with her. And Etta is Cora's troublemaker of a grandmother, who sells dresses that are magic. Everyone is nursing a broken heart, and only Etta takes any steps to fix them. Not hers, of course, but definitely Cora's. When Etta's magic goes awry, nothing goes to plan as Walter finds 'love' elsewhere and Cora gets entangled in a strange crime regarding her parents death.

Van Pragg is a unique storyteller. Every chapter follows a different characters perspective and gives insight to how everyone reacts to Etta's well intentioned magic. The different perspectives did get me a bit confused at times, but it was a magical read with lots of twists and turns.

Crossing off my Reading Challenge! Part One (and a half)

As everyone might remember, in April I posted my Reading Challenge for ya'll to see. I've since made progress (as one should hope, seeing as we're halfway through the year now - scary!) and here it is - Update One-and-a-Half (having already shown my undying love for cat warriors in my 'first' update).

Alright! What have I read so far?

A book published this year - First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen (Published January 20th, 2015)

As we already know from a previous post before I thought to make my challenge public, First Frost is by my very favourite adult fiction author, Sarah Addison Allen.
The Waverly family is plodding along nicely, until suddenly everyone loses spirit. The first frost is coming, and everyone is uneasy. Claire doesn't know if her magic is working - or if she even had any to start with, and Bay, her niece, is trying to make her way through high school after her powers make a huge mess of her reputation with the one person who matters.

I cannot possibly explain how much I love her books, but just take my word for it. Apparently, they're similar in style to Diana Wynne Jones (says a well-read friend) which I haven't read (yet) so if you're a fan of hers, these books might be for you. When I finally could get my mitts on this latest one from SAA, I read it in one go - not hard, as this ones quite a bit shorter than her others - and loved it, as I expected.

A book with a number in the title - Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why is about a teenage girl who, before committing suicide, records 13 'reasons' of why she came to the conclusion to do so, and then sends them to the people 'responsible' for her death. The main character, Clay, receives them one morning in the mail, and slowly listens to why the girl he thought he was possibly in love with killed herself.

It's a morbid read that does well in showing how suicide and depression is still taboo and 'ignored' - despite how common it is and sheds some light on why that can't happen anymore. In that way, I respect it. I just didn't think it was for me - not because of content/themes, but because the main guy, Clay, got on my nerves a little.

A book with non-human characters - Black Wings by Christina Henry

Maddy is an Agent - someone who leads the dead to the after-life. She's also broke and in need of a flat-mate to help pay her rent. Enter Gabriel, a hunky guy who just happens to know about her past and her mother's death, and who inadvertently brings a whole bunch of demons knocking on Maddy's door. She has to fight or die, and with Gabe's help, she finds she is much more than just an Agent.

A paranormal/fantasy romance. Angels, demons, 'Agents', titan-like beings that like to mess stuff up. A fun read that was easy to get through, but not for if you're wanting some serious thinking to go on - so it's like most of the books I read, haha.

GNU Terry Pratchett

When I hear people mention things about fantasy, my knowledge is pretty much limited to fairy tales, those little ones with badass chicks on the front or Terry Pratchett. And even about those things, I hardly know much of outside of the books I've read. I don't really care much for the lives authors have outside of writing the books I love - except for if they're writing their next book and when can I have it.

However, just because I don't know jack about the world of authors and what they do, it didn't stop me from shedding a tear or two earlier this month when I found out that Terry Pratchett died.

I know nothing about him, except that he wears wide brimmed hats, appeared as cameos in film versions of his books and that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's (courtesy of one of my great reader friends who was devastated at the news). I know nothing about the guy personally and I know nothing about who he was as a person - but I did know that he wrote very, very amazing books.
So, I won't pretend I know him and write about how amazing he was and how he changed the world, whether he did or not. I'll write about the only thing I feel at liberty to write about.

His books have a magical kind of power. Discworld, his main series (which can also be read as stand alone novels) is a mess of hilarious illogical logic and such detailed and reasonable chaos that you either had to put the book down because it was too much to grasp, or fall directly down the rabbit hole into the most amazing, well put together world that you can actually imagine co-existing with ours in some kind of crazy parallel universe. Funny, stupid, wise, heartbreaking, all rolled into one.

The first Terry Pratchett book I ever read was Going Postal (the second word will link you to the film instead of the book, as the first does). As such, it holds a special place in my heart as my favourite book in the Discworld series. No, I haven't read all of them - I just checked Wikipedia and I've only read 11 out of the 41 listed there (did I mention I don't keep track of this stuff?). Anywho, Moist von Lipwig's adventures into being a Postmaster was my first adventure into Discworld, and I still haven't left.

Moist is a scruffian big-time crook, who likes to have money, and lots of it. He likes it especially if it comes out of others pockets - which he often dips into. When finally caught by Lord Vetenari, he has the choice of either dying or facing the ultimate punishment... Becoming the Postmaster of Ankh-Morporks run-down and shabby postal office.

His first in the Discworld series, The Colour of Magic (also a film), is literally about the very first tourist Ankh-Morpork has ever seen, Twoflower. As he wanders about in pursuit of fun and wonder (ie. dragons, barbarians, bar fights), his travel guide, the not-wizard Rincewind of Ankh-Morpork is driven around the bend by the constant shenanigans Twoflower gets them into, and he tries very hard not to let them get killed. That's it. No epic romance or spell-flinging swordfights (or not very many, at least) and yet it's everything that there is to love about the Discworld.

Which, by the way, is the (flat) world, on a disc, on the back of four giant elephants, on the back of an even bigger, great turtle flying through space.

I'm pretty sure Terry Pratchett is the only author who can think up the Discworld and still make a reader believe it, make them say, 'Okay, I get that. I see how that can work'.

The last in my favorite series in the Discworld of his (the Tiffany Aching series) was his last book he ever managed to write, and is planned to be published this year posthumously. If you ever feel the need to pick up one of his books, I suggest starting with The Wee Free Men, the first in that series. Its under Teen Fiction (and in some cases, Children's) but don't let that fool you. It's as amazing as any others of his. If you feel the need, order some of his books - read them for the first time, or the fifth time. Read all of them, or only one.

Why would a criminal taking over a post office be interesting? Why do you need to know what a tourist gets up to on his first OE? Why do I care what Death the Reaper is doing on a farm or dressed up as Santa the Hogfather (again, a film) or how a sports team made of incompetent wizards does? The answer is, I don't know. I don't know how it could pull me in as much as it did - it just did. That is the power, the magic of what Terry Pratchett did. And this is what I, and all of his fans all over the world, will miss.

'Certain things have to happen before other things. Gods play games with the fates of men. But first they have to get all the pieces on the board, and look all over the place for the dice.' - Soul Music

Shaking hands with Death - Sandara

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Christmas Is Over... Now What?

By now you've unwrapped the presents, eaten the food and are completely ready for the next stage: relaxation.

For me this is chipping away at my endless and every increasing To-Be-Read pile.  And trust me it's a pretty big pile.

I've been waiting for Visions by Kelley Armstrong the supernatural/crime sequel to Omens for what seems like ages.  Luckily I have finally got it and it's taking pride of place on top of my holiday reading pile.

Tucked underneath it is another sequel, this time Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop and yes it's a another supernatural/fantasy book.  Because yes I have a little weakest for them.  Okay maybe a big weakest.  Don't judge me.

And just to continue on with the theme also in the pile is Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne, a teen fantasy book that sounds like a cross between Graceling and Best Served Cold, two of my all-time favourite fantasy books, featuring kick-ass chicks.

Which leads me to Winterkill by Kate Boorman, whose cover reminds me of that movie The Village, which may or may not be a good thing.  It also sounds vaguely apocalyptic and if I have a big thing for supernatural/fantasy I have an even bigger weakest for dystopian/apocalyptic. Because angst and adventure is what it's all about.
 
The Rain by Virginia Bergin fits nicely into this theme and is another book I can't wait to read along with The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth which has been described as the new Giver and which has already begun appearing on Best 2014 lists.

Of course my To-Be-Read pile is not all supernatural or end of the world goings on, I do have some lighter reads such as The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern, a book that I keep putting on the top of the pile then dropping back down because having read all of her previous books it's one I want to save until last... or at least until it's due back date.

There's also I Will Marry George Cloony By Christmas by Tracy Bloom and Unleashed by Rachel Lacey which are light and romantic and utterly perfect to read on sunny day, accompanied by a bowl of cherries to eat your way through as you do so.

And finally for a SyFyGirl like me the absolutely best book to round out a reading feast; one with aliens and the ending of humanity, Firefall by Peter Watts

Reading But Not As You Know It...

Picking a best book of the year or even a selection of best books is actually kind of hard, partially because I read so much and partially because 2013 was the year I veered a little - okay make that a lot - from traditional books.

Instead I have been reading  fanfic. Lots and lots of fanfic.  Which I adore.  Still that doesn't mean that I haven given up reading more traditional and accepted stories.  But even these I have been doing in slightly less traditional means.

Because e-books and audio dramas ARE THE BEST.  Like REALLY.  I have become a major convert.

One, because with e-books I can store hundreds and hundreds of books on one little device.  No more lugging around bags bursting to the seams with books - well not as much.  Instead I can pop in all the stories, books, music and audios that I could possibly get through on a device the size of a paperback.

Two, multi tasker that I am, I can now do housework, exercise, even do my work all while getting my latest story fix courtesy of all the audio dramas I now have.

Bliss.  Utter bliss.

So instead of giving you my best of best books for 2013 here are my picks for best stories.  Because really they are all one and the same. 

A series of murders [compact disc] : a Charles Paris mystery / by Simon Brett.

I adore Bill Nighy.  But I really adore him in these series of audio dramas done by the BBC.  Wonderfully funny as well as being detective stories, Nighy is glorious as Charles Paris, a sometimes actor, a womaniser, a man who drinks and smokes too much who seems to have a knack for getting involved in solving murders.  If only they would turn these into a TV series with him starring in them my life would be complete (well almost...)

Cabin pressure. The complete series 4 [compact disc] / written by John Finnemore.

I love Benedict Cumberbatch but that's not the only reason that I choose this as one of my favourites of the year.  After all any audio that makes you laugh so hard that it causes you to shoot drink out of your nose has got to be a winner... Trust me you just have to give these a go.

  Dark Eyes: An 8th Doctor Who Adventure

Sadly we don't have these at Auckland Libraries (hint hint hint to any audio selectors) but don't let that put your off in trying to hunt them down because they are well worth it.  If you had any doubts about Paul McGann as the 8th Doctor Who then listening to all the Big Finish audio dramas will completely change your mind. 

Pines / Blake Crouch

Thrillerly, sci-fiing Pines is one of those books where you just didn't see it coming.  Even better the sequel is now out AND it's being turned into a TV series, though I'm not getting my hopes up as they'll probably ruin the book completely.  As they do...

 Sleepwalkers / Tom Grieves

Another thrillerly, sci-fiing story. I'm sensing a pattern here but that's okay I often find that I tend to go through trends with my story intakes.

Wool / Hugh Howey

An online sensation that resulted in a book deal and a movie deal, Wool is the first in a series and is just my kind of thing.  Science fiction rules (as it should) and 2013 was the year of some great science fiction books.

And there you have it. Six stories that stayed in my head.  Not necessarily the best books of the year but ones that I enjoyed along with a huge range of others.  So why not check the above out as well as these other titles that I enjoyed through 2013.

City of Bones / Cassandra Clare
The Maze Runner / James Dashner
Best Served Cold / Joe Abercrombie
The Fault In Our Stars / John Green

Fangirls (And Boys) Unite: Armageddon Is Here

Just say the word Armageddon to any science fiction fan in New Zealand and Australia and they will know exactly what you are talking about.

The Armageddon Expo is the event that fans of all ages look forward and the ongoing success is all down to creator, founder and god-like organiser Bill Geradts who started Armageddon 18 years ago because he was (and is) a Doctor Who fan.

Talk about an awesome job, doing something you love and sharing it with others.

As usual the Auckland event is being held this weekend, because what is Labour Weekend without a little Armageddon.

Personally I can't wait.

It's a chance to see some of my favourite actors from my favourite shows; Ben Browder, Ben Browder, Ben Browder.  And yes I have a thing and and yes I'm really looking forward to seeing him and you would too if you had ever watched Farscape or Stargate SG-1.  It is also a chance to met up with some of my twitter like-minded friends; some for the first time - which is kind of nerve wracking and awesome.

Even more awesome is that Auckland Libraries will be having a booth at this year's event.  So if you happen to be there why not pop on in and check us out.  You can even borrow a book or graphic novel while you're there and we will also be live-tweeting the event.  Now how is that for service.

For those who can't attend why not check out some if not all of the following.

The Hobbit : an unexpected journey : chronicles : creatures & characters

The second Hobbit movie is due for release just in time for Christmas but until then why not check out the above title which looks at each of the characters in detail and is filled with a array of behind-the-scenes photos.

Farscape. [7], The war for the uncharted territories. Part one [graphic novel]

Someone did a Farscape comic?

How did I not know this?

Somehow I feel like I am letting down the entire fangirl community by not knowing about this sooner.  Still never mind I know now and am off busy placing holds on the entire series.

As you do.

Doctor who : the doctor's lives and times.

November the 23rd is the 50th anniversary of the very first broadcast of Doctor Who.

So of course it is only natural that you just have to check out as many books and comics on Doctor Who that you can possibly find.

Well it is if your me.

The legend of Korra.

If you haven't heard of this show then you soon will.  The Legend of Korra has been getting rave reviews since it started screening in the United States last year with accolades calling it the "smartest cartoon on TV" and representing "some of the highest quality fantasy".

Intrigued?

Once upon a time.

Imagine if fairy tales and fairy tale characters were real.  And imagine again these characters living amongst us with no memory of who they really are.

If this sounds like your kind of thing, then Once Upon A Time is the show for you.

It also features the wonderful Robert Carlyle which is reason enough to watch it.

Review: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris [Jan]

“She’s not out to get me?  Your life was not right when you were actually surprised that someone didn't want to kill you."

Sookie is back in her final adventure!  Recovering from bringing Sam back to life, she takes time off to think.  Eric is remote as she chose to use the fairy wish granter for Sam, instead of for his benefit.  He also has an obligation to marry the Queen of Kansas as his maker arranged.  A new vampire has now shown up and after her great-grandfather and cousin returned to the realm of the fairies Sookie is lonely.

Jason is planning his marriage, Tara is driving a minivan, and Sookie's half-demon godfather has shown up with two witches, a demon, and a telepath.  He has learnt several things that make him fear for her safety.  Arlene has been released from prison on bail for trying to give Sookie to the Fellowship of the Sun to be crucified.  The men that arranged for her bail have only asked for her to do two things; ask for her job back at Merlotte’s and a scarf of Sookie’s.

Meanwhile someone has sold their soul to the devil and decided Sookie is responsible for the deal going sour. She must pay...

A fun, easy read for Sookie fans with has a busy plot that ties up loose ends while hinting at new beginnings.  You don’t need to have read the other books in the series to pick up what is going on but it’s such an addictive world you should.  You learn who to trust, some people die, and who Sookie chooses to love.

* the books bear no relation to the plot of True Blood
** but feel free to imagine Eric Northman as Alexander Skaarsgard


Title: Dead Ever After
Author: Charlaine Harris
Published: Gollancz, 2013
Series: Book 13 in Sookie Stackhouse
Reviewer: Jan

Marathons: A Pure Indulgence (Part 1): Paranormal Pandemonium

I love marathons.

And no I'm not talking about the kind of marathons you run. Because heaven forbid. Me? Run? Sorry not gonna happen.

What I am talking about are movie marathons, TV series marathons, book and author marathons.  The kind of thing where you indulge yourself completely in something.  Bingeing. At least according to a recent article that appeared in Canvas the NZ Herald weekend supplement.

It is, it seems, a relatively new phenomenon.  Who knew?

Well my partner and I  - apparently. Because we've been binge watching for several years now.  Or marathon watching as we call it. In fact marathon watching a TV show is the only way to watch a show.

Trust me you don't know what you're missing until you've tried it.

It's seriously addictive. And once you start you can't stop. And of course marathon works really well with other mediums too such as movies and books. 

Winter is a perfect marathony time of the year. When you can spend endless hours indoors and not have to feel even a little bit guilty about it.  And yes I know marathony isn't a word but if you can think of a better word let me know.  In the mean time there is nothing better than stretching out on the couch with a hot beverage, a king size bar of chocolate and the utter indulgence of a marathon session.

Supernatural

8 seasons and counting.

Supernatural as you may know is my god.  The show that I measure all other shows to.

It's brilliant and funny and sad and exciting and... well I could just go on.  But I won't.  Just check it out for yourselves.  You will soon be hooked.

The Vampire Diaries    

Hot vampires? Check. Badass werewolves? Check. Love Story. Double Check.  And of course it has some great indie music.

Vampire Diaries is a confusing, somewhat trashy mess and it's all the better for it.  This is not a show to take seriously, instead just sit back and root for your favourite vampire bad-boy Damon Salvatore and wallow in his misery.

It's awesome stuff

Buffy the vampire slayer

Buffy was my first love.  

It was a show that broke all boundaries combining horror with humour in a subtle and exciting way.  It took itself seriously without taking itself seriously - if that makes any sense.

Throwing out the dumb blonde who always got killed and spinning it all on it's head and turning her into a kick ass heroine who could be girly one minute and stab a vampire with a stake the next.

In a word it was bloody fantastic.

Being Human

Being Human was the British way of making a paranormal TV show and it had it's  own unique, dark touch to it, something the Brits do so well.

There were struggles with identity and acceptance... and creatures even badder than you wanting to kill you. Who knew that being a vampire, werewolf or ghost could be so hard.

Laurell K. Hamilton

Before there was Buffy there was Anita Blake.

The gutsy heroine struggling to live in a world of vampires, werewolves, zombies and other creatures of the night.  As well as having problems with her love life.

What's a girl to do
 
J. R. Ward

A society of vampire warriors who defend their race against those that would do them harm, the Black Dagger Brotherhood are the ultimate vampires.

The covers of this series also let you know that these guys are not only deadly but sexy too.  Featuring as they do, a variety of bare-chested men. Sex sells and the popularity of this series is a testament to this.

It's the perfect romance/paranormal series to indulge in.

Sherrilyn Kenyon    

More warriors.

More sexy, hot men who will do anything for the women they love.

The Dark Hunter series features immortal warriors dedicated to defending mankind from the forces of evil. It's heady, sexy stuff.

Christine Feehan

Of course you just knew they were going to be more sexy, hot men.  In the Carpathain series these men are a powerful and ancient race, skilled in the art of killing... and love.

Finding a suitable mate though is difficult, especially in the world of mortals.

And the men in our lives thought they had it hard.

This month I'm loving...

Well not the heat, that's for sure but even if the weather can sometimes be a bit much to handle there are plenty of things on offer at Auckland Libraries to take one's mind off it.

January is one of those lazy month's where we all ease ourselves slowly back into work after the madness of Christmas, eat bucket loads of cherries (well you do if you're me) and winter seems like a million days away.

For me there are always plenty of wonderful things coming across my desk.  At times it's hard to decide what to choose and what to start with first.

This month I've discovered new bands, new authors and indulged in a few fav's.  So what have you been enjoying this month?

The glorious dead / The Heavy.

I so love these guys but can't help wonder why I hadn't come across them before.  Still never mind, I've found them now and have been busy listening to all 3 of their cd's, courtesy of my bestest bud Youtube.

This, their latest album, is just brilliant.  It's bluesy and rocky and just a little bit indie with a touch of soul thrown in for good measure.

My favourite's are Same Ole' and What Makes A Good Man.

Best served cold / Joe Abercrombie.

"Monza Murcatto is one of the best mercenaries around but being the best can sometimes have a hefty price.  Only thing is Monza never thought that price would be her life..."

I've been meaning to read Joe Abercrombie for absolutely ages and I'm so glad that I finally did.

Bloody and violent and ruthless and that's just the female character, Murcatto could so kick Buffy's butt.

There's a lot to love. Betrayal and back-stabbing are so me. All I can say is... on with the sequel.

Pines : a novel / by Blake Crouch.

"FBI Ethan Burke wakes up near the town of Pines with virtually no memory of who he is.  Pines though is not the safe haven he would like it to be and there are things going on around him that make him wonder what exactly it is that the town is hiding."

The ending of this book will thrown you for a loop.  Trust me, you won't see it coming, or maybe you will and it was just me you went Oh My God.

Like the book above I'm now hanging out for the sequel.  Why do authors insist on teasing us so...

Wool / Hugh Howey.

"In a ruined and hostile landscape, a community exists in a giant underground silo. To live, you must follow the rules. But some don't. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside. Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last."

First published as an e-book Wool is now in print after the huge and I mean HUGE public demand.  Having recently read it myself, I can see why.

It's so good to see Sci-Fi books doing so well.  As with the others I am now waiting impatiently for the sequel Shift which is due this April and also for the film adaption, which rumour has it, Ridley Scott is interested in making.

Ghost planet / Sharon Lynn Fisher.

"Imagine an alien world where the alien's manifest themselves in the form of the dead.  What would it be like to be haunted by a loved one? Psychologist Elizabeth Cole is about to find out, only not in quite the way she'd imagined.  Living with a ghost should be relatively easy but what if you're the ghost..."

A book with a little bit of something for everyone, from romance to sci-fi to paranormal to adventure, Ghost Planet covers them all.  A genre mesh or should that be mess.  Either way it was enjoyable.

The essential Supernatural : on the road with Sam and Dean Winchester / Nicholas Knight

"Fill a flask with holy water and make sure your car is stocked with rock salt and shot guns, you're about to drive headfirst into the world of Sam and Dean Winchester, hunters of demons, ghouls, vampires, and all things supernatural."

Yeah, you just knew that I had to include something to do with Supernatural, but trust me, for fans of the show this book is a must.  Filled with glorious coloured photos, a history of the show and its characters plus interviews with the actors and behind-the-scenes-staff, this is the ultimate book.

In the words of the boys... Got salt?

Summer Reads Just For Us Chicks

There are times when I almost hate my job or, more accurately, regret my job.

Just when I think I've got my reading list under control I start browsing through web pages and book lists hunting for new titles to blog about and suddenly I find myself adding more and more titles to my own reading list.

It's a bit like the finger in the dyke story only the idea of being flooded with books actually sounds quite nice.  Though if they were to come all at once it could, I think, be quite painful.

Death by book avalanche anyone?

There is, I fear, no hope for me and my never ending reading list.

Even if I wasn't a librarian my reading list would still be out of control.  There's just something about their glossy covers and blurbs that tempt me with whispered words that I can't resist.

I'm an addict I know and it's an addiction that I hope never leaves me however much I sometimes regret my endlessly long reading list.

This year there seems to have been particularly busy year in the book world with a plethora of new titles streaming out or perhaps it's just that my reading has reached epic proportions, either way I know that I'm going to be having a very busy summer working my way through an increasingly large pile of books.

From fashion to murder to romance hopefully there is something here for everyone.

Summer Reads For The Man In Your Life

"It's not the men in your life that matters, it's the life in your men."
- Mae West

Men.

They say that we're mysterious but really it's them who are the confusing ones.

There's their unconditional love of sport for one thing.  Even when their team is losing they are there cheering them on and yelling at the TV all sorts of bad words about the ref.

Then there's their love of gadgets.  From cellphones to chainsaws to cars nothing seems to give them more pleasure than playing with whatever new toy that has caught their latest fixation.  It's kind of sweet really how their faces light up as if they have seen the holy grail or something.  Weird but sweet.

And don't get me started on the truly weird phenomenon of how they can never find things without our help even when said "missing item" is staring them right in the face.

Still we wouldn't want to be without them.  From father to son to brother, to lover and BFF, they are there for us providing their unique attitude to life and their unconditional support.

They take care of the scary monsters even if they are only tiny little daddy-long legs.  They tell us we're beautiful even when we are looking our worst and they're the strong shoulders we cry on when we've had a bad day.

One way we are the same is that like us they like to read. 

From sports books to science books to spy thrillers there is a wide selection to choose from so here are some picks for that man in your life.

Happy reading! 

Richie McCaw : the open side / Richie McCaw with Greg McGee.

Even I know who Richie McCaw is, non-sporty person that I am, and here in his own words is the story of his career so far.

Rockin' garages : featuring Billy Joel, Keith Urban, Brian Johnson, Nick Mason, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Sammy Hagar, and more/ by Tom Cotter and Ken Gross 

As a wanna-be rock chick this book appeals even to me featuring as it does interviews with some of the biggest names in rock music who talk about their passion for cars all highlighted with wonderful photos throughout.  One for any music fan or petrol head.

The last man / Vince Flynn

Joe Rickman, head of CIA clandestine operations in Afghanistan, has been kidnapped and his four bodyguards executed in cold blood. But Mitch Rapp’s experience makes him wonder if something even more sinister isn’t afoot when he is dispatched him to Afghanistan to find Rickman at all costs.

Newton's fire / Will Adams

A chance discovery in a dusty attic plunges academic Luke Hayward into a race to uncover the truth behind some seemingly random scribblings - a race which pits Luke against a fundamentalist madman with dangerously powerful friends.

50 years of James Bond.

What can we say except James Bond rocks.  The greatest spy ever created.  50 years after the first movie Dr No screened Bond is still going strong.

A little history of science / William Bynum.

A look at what some consider the greatest adventure of all - the quest of science discovery.


The Stig : the untold story / Simon du Beaumarche.

Who is The Stig? Where did he come from? Why does he never speak?  These questions and others are answered in this tell-all-book.

I suck at girls / Justin Halpern.

A humorous collection of stories about the author's relationships with the opposite sex told chronologically, from his first kiss to getting engaged.

Red country / Joe Abercrombie.

Joe Abercrombie is considered one of the fantasy authors to watch out for out.  His books have consistently appeared in top ten fantasy must reads and his latest book is proving to be just as popular.  A stand-alone book this time, it sees the return of one of the fans favourites.

 The devil in silver : a novel / Victor LaValle

Placed in a mental institution, Pepper discovers that the terrifying creature he sees might not be a delusion and with three other inmates plots to fight back against the the monster that is stalking them, but can the Devil ever really be killed?
 
Petrolheads in sheds : unique kiwi car collections / Steve Holmes.

A look at the the hidden and private world of kiwi car collectors.

The Kiwi man cave / Steve Hale with Matt Elliott.

Man caves?  Mmm I'm not sure what they are but this book is sure to tell me.  Sounds very blokey, which is exactly how our kiwi men are and we love them for it.

Summer Reading For The Kid In Us All

I love books.

Okay no surprise there.

I love them in all shapes and sizes.  Big books and little books. Hardback and paperback.  Kids books and adult books and everything in-between.

Books are amazing. and I love that my mum introduced me to the world of books and reading and imagination at a young age.

Thanks Mum!

Nothing is more wonderful than reading.

And yes I know I'm probably bias since I love books so much and I'm a librarian - but trust me, books are one of life's greatest pleasures and something that everyone should get into.


During the lazy days of summer, when you've had enough of swimming in the sea or building sandcastles on the beach, curly up in a hammock or on a deck lounger under a shady tree with sunlight sprinkling through and the sound of crickets chirping in the background while reading a good book is pure bliss...

Kids books in particular are a particular joy.  There is so much variety and so many to choose from.

There are books about cats and books about bears.  Books about robots and books about dinosaurs.  There are books about being brave and books about being scared.
 


There are books of adventures to far off places, to the past, present and future and books about your very own backyard.

 It's an amazing world and one that every kid can enjoy, whether their 5 or 105 so in the spirit of Christmas and lazy days of summer here are just a handful of picks of kids books for you to enjoy.

"I’ve travelled the world twice over,

Met the famous; saints and sinners

Poets and artists, kings and queens,

Old stars and hopeful beginners.

I’ve been where no one’s

been before,

learned secrets from writers

and cooks,

All on one library ticket

To the wonderful work of books."---Janice James