Coming Soon (And Very Soon!)

Title:  The Last Unicorn Graphic Novel

Author:  Peter S. Beagle

Art by:  Renae Del Liz and Ray Dillon

Summary:  Whimsical. Lyrical. Poignant. Adapted for the first time from the acclaimed and beloved novel by Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn is a tale for any age about the wonders of magic, the power of love, and the tragedy of loss. The unicorn, alone in her enchanted wood, discovers that she may be the last of her kind. Reluctant at first, she sets out on a journey to find her fellow unicorns, even if it means facing the terrifying anger of the Red Bull and malignant evil of the king who wields his power. -Amazon.com

I cannot wait to read this comic in its entirety!  It's due to be released on January 26th, but in order to benefit Peter Beagle more, I recommend getting it from Conlan Press which is where I'll be getting my copy from soon.  Although I already own the first few issues of the comic, I still want to have a complete graphic novel of the story on hand, especially since it's in hardback format.  There will be a future review here, and I'm looking forward to reviewing this artistic rendition of one of my favorite books.

Graphic Friday: Beasts of Burden

Title:  Beasts of Burden Animal Rites

Author:  Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson

Summary:  Welcome to Burden Hill--a peaceful suburb like any other with white picket fences and vibrant green grass--home to an unlikely team of paranormal investigators.  Black magic, demonic frogs, and zombie roadkill are just a few of the problems plaguing this seemingly sleepy little town.  With the human residents unaware of the danger, it's up to a determined crew of dogs (and one cat) to keep their community safe.

The Dish:  I came across Beasts of Burden when doing a random search on Amazon for a different graphic novel title for my library's collection.  Being a doglover and a catlover, the cover immediately caught my attention with the six members of the Burden Hill section of paranormal investigators, particularly their leading figure of Ace, the Siberian husky.  When the title was on our next collection development list, I immediately requested it for the collection.  The book itself is told through stories, or rather events, revolving around supernatural beings that the group of six encouter.  Although the stories are connected overall, I actually favor the episodic format which allows for readers to pause easily, and with this type of material, sometimes readers need to pause.  If you are an animal lover, particularly of the dog and cat variety, some of the stories will tug at your heart. 

What really drew me into the story were the main characters: Ace-the brave Siberian Husky, Rex-the Doberman Pincher with a bark worse than his bite, Pugsley-the sarcastic Pug, Whitey-the eager Jack Russell Terrier, Jack-the stand-up Beagle, and Orphan (AKA the Orphan)-the Ginger Tabby and sole ownerless member of the group.  Each character has their own unique personality that makes them stand off from the others, though I will admit I sometimes got Whitey and Jack confused by their similar coloring.  The introductory story revolves around Jack's doghouse being haunted by the restless spirit of a dog, and it is here that readers also meet the Wise Dog, one of a society that practices and trains in means of dealing with the occult.  It isn't until a later story that the Wise Dog offers to train the group into becoming other Wise Dogs (and a Wise Cat, in Orphan's case).  And apparently their home of Burden Hill is ripe with paranormal activity, thus the Wise Dog's interest in bringing the group within the society.  

I was a little puzzled by the lack of human interaction with the group especially with their owners.  In fact, we do not even see the human owners at all throughout the book.  The only humans that are shown are those usually involved in a case that the Burden Hill group is investigating.  True, the focus is on Ace and the others as they are doing this all to protect their neighborhood, but I am curious to see who they are protecting aside from the neighborhood animal inhabitants.  Hopefully, their owners will be shown further into the story, and I am looking forward to the next book of Beasts of Burden.

Edit: Who knew Gene Ambaum of Unshelved fame would review the same title on the same day? :)

Sometimes It Takes the Unexpected to Find What You Really Need

Title:  The Accidental Werewolf

Author:  Dakota Cassidy

Summary:  Marty Andrews sure is having a bad week.  First, she’s bitten by a mangy mutt while walking her teacup poodle.  As a result, her salon-perfect blonde hair begins darkening by the day to something that’s sooo not in her color wheel.  Her moodswings have turned her into The Hormonal Hulk.  Worse yet, the hair on her legs is growing at a rate even a body slam into an entire vat of wax couldn’t cure.  Last, and most important, her dream job as a sales rep for Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics is going to hell in a handbasket…

The only high point is Keegan Flaherty, the drool-worthy man who shows up at her door.  Of course, he’s clearly insane.  Keegan claims that he accidentally bit Marty, and since he’s a werewolf, she is now, too.  Red meat cravings aside, Marty refuses to believe a word until a kidnapping makes her realize there’s more at stake than her highlights.  And she must put her out-of-control life in the hands of the man who makes her blood run wild in more ways than one…

The Dish:  Okay, I have a confession to make.  My guilty reading choice is paranormal romance novels.  Regular romance just doesn’t do much for me, there has to be the added element of the paranormal or supernatural to make a title in the Romance genre seem intriguing to me.  And I have been eying The Accidental Werewolf for quite some time now just because the summary roused my curiosity.  And the cover is quite eye-catching as well in a nice almost metallic purple.  If you sell or know someone who sells Mary Kay or Avon products, I’d recommend this little romp to them just for a lark. 

Marty is adorable in her own bizarre way, though she is quite obsessed with the color wheels of Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics.  With a company name like “Bobbie-Sue”, I’d almost expect her to be selling door-to-door in Georgia, Alabama, or another of the southern states.  But you have to admire a woman who knows what she wants and is determined to get it, and in Marty’s case, that desire is to obtain Sky Blue status as well as a sky-blue convertible that goes along with the rank.  Perhaps her goals are a bit material, but Marty is willing to put in the work hours, and beyond, in order to achieve that goal. 

It is when Keegan Flaherty enters the picture that the path to achievement becomes rather bumpy for Marty.  Being one to take responsibility for his actions, Keegan is determined to assist Marty’s transition into the life of a werewolf.  Even if he has to constantly lock horns with her to get her to focus.  As one would guess, he is the drop-dead, most gorgeous hunk you ever did see, but then again what main male character in a Romance novel isn’t?  I’ll admit it would be a nice change to have a bit of variety in the way of males, but Keegan has his merits.  And while Marty does get under his skin, he manages to get to her in ways that just make her ask a bunch of questions, which in turn drives him crazy.  It’s nice to see a couple with a healthy dose of mutual nuttiness. 

Overall the story is cute as Keegan takes Marty from New York City out to the Poughkeepsie area after someone attempts to kidnap her.  This is not only for her protection but also to introduce her to the life of the werewolf pack that has yet to have a human changed into a werewolf within the past few centuries.  I thought this was an intriguing idea of Cassidy’s since most other werewolf novels, whether romance or urban fantasy, usually have the werewolf gene transferred at least half the time through attacks on humans.  It seems as though while Keegan’s immediate family accepts Marty readily, the rest of the pack as well as the overseeing Lunar Council is slow to accept a virtual outsider within their midst.  I won’t spoil the story further, but I definitely enjoyed The Accidental Werewolf.

Talk is Cheap to a Werewolf

Title:  Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Author:  Carrie Vaughn

Summary:  Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station—and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour," a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success. But it’s Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew…

The Dish:  The overall story was likable for the most part until the very end when the "big reveal" occurred and Kitty had to face down those that were supposed to be her protectors.  Vaughn has a unique writing style as well as a different take on the overall structure of the werewolf pack dynamic.  While I do not fault her for this, I have to say I prefer a more positive structure that has less...potential negative effects on the lower-ranking members. 

The alphas were perhaps the least likable characters, if you could find any reason to like them at all.  I realize that in normal wolf packs, alphas must show and reinstate their dominance over the other members of the pack on a regular basis, but I would not call it "bullying" as Kitty even points out in the story.  When I think of the alpha male and female of a werewolf pack, I would like to believe they are more fair judges than "it's my way or the highway" because of the air of humanity that is still present within them.  In Kitty and the Midnight Hour, the alphas are pretty much all bullies, especially the alpha male, Carl, who likes to throw his weight around as well as have any of the females in the pack whenever he wants.  Meg, the alpha female, is probably the biggest witch you will meet when it comes to werewolf packs with the exception of Reina, the original alpha of the St. Louis pack  in Laurel K. Hamilton's Vampire Huntress series. 

Kitty is an excellent character to watch grow from the omega of the pack to something more and able to depend on herself more than the pack.  Given her circumstances, I can understand her choice in doing so, but somehow I don't feel it's easy to live as a solitary wolf.  However, due to the disappointment of the ending of Midnight Hour I don't think I'll continue on with the rest of the books in the series.  I had hoped to find a werewolf series I could really sink my teeth into, pardon the pun, but I'd rather stick with Vaughn's short stories instead of the novels. 

Have you ever read a book with a good start only to be disappointed by the ending?

Random Thoughts: New Year, New Post, New Resolutions!

Time to say goodbye to the old year and hello to the new!  2010 was a very good year for me as I finally found my home library and a new home as well.  It has been an exciting run so far, and I look forward to what we have on hand for 2011.  I have to say I am so very excited about this year mostly because of the prospective projects for my section of the library.  However, that is only one part of the excitement. 

It's time again for New Year's Resolutions to be made, and I plan on keeping them this year.  Last year, my resolutions had to do with 1) obtaining a full-time library job and 2) doing well for all of my coworkers.  This year, the resolutions are more personal and have less to do with work (though I still plan on doing my best to help make the library looks fabulous). 

Resolution 1:  I plan on making time every week to start and finish at least 1 book on my To-Be-Read List. 
Reason:  Last year, I started actually making a list of books that I have either read or want to read, also making note of which ones are available in the library.  I want to make a point of checking off more books from that list this year, and if I can make that possible I will be thrilled.  That also means I can start adding MORE books to the list for next year.

Resolution 2:  I plan on walking on a regular basis.
Reason:  During library school, I was able to take Aikido on a regular basis and it made me feel excellent and just more productive throughout the week.  Since there is no dojo for Aikido within a reasonable driving distance, I must have some form of exercise until I can locate a different style of martial arts.  Walking should be a reasonable exercise to do, and if I want to have a higher impact, I could always use some handweights while walking.

Resolution 3:  I plan to write at least once a week for 2 hours.
Reason:  Writing has been a part of my life ever since middle school, and I feel I've grown as a writer since starting out.  College and library school really helped my writing style mature, but I know there is still a lot of room for growth.  Keeping the mind of a student always willing to learn and listen is one of the best ways to both grow and gain experience alongside knowledge.  I miss being able to obtain the state of mind in which I feel am almost in a trancelike state where it is just me and my computer.  It is my hope that I'll be able to do so in disciplining myself to write each week. 

What are your New Year's Resolutions if you care to share?

Dramatic, Delightful and Dorky Dialogue

Title:  Dork Diaries-Tales from a NOT-SO-Fabulous Life

Author:  Rachel Renée Russell

The Dish:  Middle School.  Sometimes it can be just as bad as high school, if not worse.  And if you’re the new kid in town, it can be disastrous if you make the wrong first moves.  Meet Nikki Maxwell, and this is her life.  The daughter of a pest exterminator, Nikki has been given an opportunity to attend Westchester Country Day Middle School thanks to a scholarship through her father’s bug business.  It’s not that she isn’t thrilled with the prospect of going to a new school, but there are standards that she must maintain as a fourteen-year-old girl.  Her first week doesn’t go so well and she has already attracted the annoyance of the most popular girl in school, MacKenzie Hollister.  What’s a new girl to do?  Write and draw about her days in school in her diary.

After reading not one but two reviews about Rachel Renée Russell’s Dork Diaries on Unshelved.com, I was intrigued by the story and had to check out the first book.  It was the cover that really jumped out at me because it almost has the look of a graphic novel.  Nikki is just like the average middle school girl, wanting to fit in with the CCP (that’s Cute, Cool & Popular) crowd while also catching the eye of that secret crush.  And the readers are able to see just what every day is like for her through her diary.  Unlike other “diary novels”, Russell takes Dork Diaries further than merely a story told through a diary: 1) it appears as though Nikki has actually handwritten the entirety of the story, adding a more realistic feel to the story and 2) as she is an artist, Nikki also draws little scenes from her daily experiences just to illustrate (pardon the pun) the points she tries to make regarding her thoughts. 

Nikki’s life is full of what nearly every fourteen-year-old has.  There is the ultra-popular girl who everyone caters to just so they might be included with the popular crowd.  There are the “dorky” friends who make life much more bearable in an otherwise annoying existence, even though they can sometimes make it unbearable at times.  And there is, of course, that one guy that just makes the day even better just from talking with him.  All of the pieces add to the puzzle that is the life of a young teenager, and without any of those elements, life just wouldn’t be “normal.”  

Random Thoughts: Holiday Biz and Books

Title:  Holiday Biz and Books
Author:  DJL

The Dish:  It's that time again.  The time of year when chinook winds blow down upon the US from Canada and when the leaves are turning brown and leaving behind their sturdy trees to form crunchy piles just perfect for jumping.  Or raking, depending on how you view it.  Winter is upon us and already Christmas carols are playing through certain radio stations 24/7, and you just have to smile and think, 'Wow...where did the year go?' 

As hard as it seems, with the Thanksgiving holidays over and December already begun, Christmas, Chanukah/Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever winter holiday you celebrate will be here soon.  You know what this means, right?  Preparation.  When it comes to any major holiday, the key word is always preparation.  For some, this means preparing your house for out-of-town visitors and for others it means preparing to go on vacation.  There is an awful lot of planning that goes on around this time of year, and even I get swamped with getting things ready (which is also my excuse for not having a post in awhile). 

Take this week.  I have been working every day this week on a different set of truffles for a Holiday Bazaar this weekend and also for mailing out to family and friends.  So far, I've made 3 batches of about 30 truffles each, so I have 90+ truffles so far.  This evening will be devoted to the last batch of truffles and also mixing up rolled sugar cookie dough for tomorrow's decorating time following work.  Luckily, I'll have some assistance in that department so it should be fun to see how each of us decorate the cookies. 

Despite the busy-ness and the potential stress that comes from planning and purchasing and mailing and wrapping and decorating, this is still my favorite time of year.  Seeing the culmination of the planning take place whether it's on Christmas Eve or a chosen weekend to celebrate the holidays in December (or even November or January) makes all of the work worthwhile.  It always thrills me to see my friends and family enjoying any of the homemade goodies I gave them for the holidays.  And I look forward to getting a Cookie Swap started either this year or the next year. 

What I also really love about this time of year are all of the holiday-related books and television specials published or shown for the season.  Some of my favorites include Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, an anthology of werewolf stories that take place around the winter holidays, Christmas Poems, an anthology of poems centered around Advent, Christmas, and winter by various poets, and of course A Christmas Carol, both in book and several film formats.  I will say that one of my preferred renditions of A Christmas Carol is with Kelsey Grammer as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol: The Musical mostly because of the musical factor and also seeing other actors that you don't normally see in holiday films.  Nostalgia is key when it comes to holiday specials because no matter how many times I watch the same specials in December, I never get tired of them.  There is a reason why television specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas, Mickey's Christmas Carol, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas have withstood the tests of time.  It's because they are wholesome and heartwarming holiday animated specials that both young and old can appreciate.

Favorite Holiday Reads:

Title:  Wolfsbane and Mistletoe

Editors:  Charlaine Harris and Toni P. Kelner

Summary:  Let's Face it - the holidays can bring out the beast in anyone. They are particularly hard if you're a lycanthrope. Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner have harvested the scariest, funniest, saddest werewolf tales, by an outstanding pack of authors, best read by the light of a full moon and with a silver bullet close at hand. -Amazon.com

Title:  Christmas Poems (Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets)

Editors:  John Hollander and J.D. McClatchy

Summary:  An anthology of Christmas poetry, from Milton to Schnackenberg, that gives an appealing twinkle to many familiar ornaments by hanging them with a tasteful selection of contemporary pieces and older, often neglected works that deserve the fresh polish they receive here. -Amazon.com

Title:  A Christmas Carol

Author:  Charles Dickens

Summary:  Cruel miser Ebeneezer Scrooge has never met a shilling he doesn't like. . .and hardly a man he does. And he hates Christmas most of all. When Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, he learns eternal lessons of charity, kindness, and goodwill. -Amazon.com

Favorite Holiday Films and Specials:

Title:  A Charlie Brown Christmas

Summary:  This television classic features the Peanuts characters in the story of Charlie Brown's problematic efforts to mount a school Christmas pageant. Everybody's on board: Lucy, Snoopy, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, but the biggest impression is surely made by Linus, who stops the show with his recitation from the gospels of the story of Christ's birth. -Amazon.com

Title:  Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Summary:  The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, hates Who-ville's holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers the true meaning of the holiday. -Amazon.com (regarding the book, but same basic premise)

Title:  Beauty and the Beast The Enchanted Christmas

Summary:  This film takes place before the Beast’s great transformation at the end of Beauty and the Beast.  It was on Christmas Day that the heartless prince was transformed from his human self into his beastly state, and so Christmas has been a forbidden holiday among the castle servants.  Belle, who loves Christmas, chooses to bring it back into the castle against the Beast’s wishes as well as threatening the plans of Forte, the musical maestro who believes things are better with the servants as objects. - DJL

Title:  A Christmas Carol - The Musical

Summary:  A musical setting for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a natural, and this holiday TV-movie (based on the Broadway version) generously crams music into its quick spin through the venerable story. Kelsey Grammer uses his musical pipes (and some of his "master thespian" style of acting) as Ebenezer Scrooge, the man whose miserliness needs no introduction here. -Amazon.com

Title:  The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause

Summary:  A wizardly fairy named Ak helps the young Nicholas understand human misery and charges him with the task of serving mankind. Nicholas's talent for charming little children and brightening the lives of the poor--and poor at heart--soon turns into a lifelong career. -Amazon.com

What holiday books and specials are traditions in your household?