Bookcase of the Week - Starring... Josephine Angelini

In today's Bookcase of the Week feature, it is with great pleasure that I bring you author Josie Angelini's bookshelves. I was ecstatic when my dear friend Danny and one of the founders of Kismet Book Touring asked me to participate in Josie's book tour... like if I could pass up on that (duh!).  I was even more excited to learn that Josie agreed to show us her bookcases as part of the Bookcase of the Week - eeeek!!  Aren't you excited?!  I know I was.  So without further ado my peeps, here is Josie...  Josie the mic is all yours:

At first, I thought I was going to do the safe thing with this essay and take a wide shot of my big book case, write a few lines about what books in general have meant to me over the years, and be done with it. Then I started looking at the books I have all jumbled up together and I realized that the safe route wasn’t going to cut it. My bookcase was talking to me. What is was saying was, “You’re an odd duck, Angelini.”

I’ve never had a system for how my books appear on the shelf. I usually try to lump all the works of one author or an entire series together, but only because it looks better that way. Mostly, my books go up on the shelf the way they come out of the box when I move. I’ve never been afraid of randomness; in fact, I’m a fan of trying to find patterns in chaos. I don’t know if there is any code to all this, but I do know that I found some things that I thought were worth pointing out as if to say to the
world… WTF?

Ah, Douglas Adams. How do I love thee? And right next to “The Guide” is Chabon’s awesome “The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay”. Not too weird to have those next to each other. But look to the left. Just beyond “The Red Tent” (a book about the beginnings of Judaism and women’s place in it) is “The Eternal Now” a book written by Socialist Christian thinker Paul Tillich who taught at the Harvard Divinity School. And next to that is a book about particle physics written by the Nobel Laureate and funny man Leon Lederman. Next to that is “Monkey”, a collection of Eastern folk tales about a monkey who meets a bunch of gods and ogres and causes a lot of mischief.

So we’ve got a Christian Socialist, Judaism, particle physics, and a monkey all hanging out on a shelf together. That reminds me of a joke….

Mythology, The Bible, a collection of some of the greatest plays ever written, Eastern religion, the dictionary, and a book called Art and Physics.

Art, god(s), and Physics all stacked up together. Oh, and a dictionary in case I don’t know what a word means (which happens a lot more than I should probably admit).

I’m starting to see a pattern here…wait for it… nope. I lost it.

Okay, now that’s just weird. I don’t remember buying “The Power of Myth”. Must have been a present. The rest of the books are fantastic and I’d recommend them in a heartbeat, although the one about Heisenberg (a physicist and contemporary of Einstein’s) might be a little dry for most people’s taste. Pablo Neruda *sigh*. Man, I love a good poet. I wonder if Neruda and Heisenberg would hit it off over cocktails?

I am not getting any clearer to myself. But “Catcher in the Rye” is one of my favorite books ever, whatever that means.

A lot more about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam on one side-- then as we travel through M. John Harrison’s fantastic books, through “The Last Temptation of Christ” and “Doctor Faustus” (our moral compass swinging wildly as we go), we end up in a godless, post apocalyptic hellscape with Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road”. That book still gives me nightmares and makes me think. Amazing book.

And now I’m lost again.

I have no idea what my bookcase says about me. I studied a lot of religion and philosophy, art history, and a smattering of physics in college, not to prepare myself for the future (whatever that means) but because these subjects interest me. Heck, I was getting a BFA, why not study what I want? Nothing you can do with a BFA in the real world except maybe have a lot of interesting things to talk about at a dinner party. I figured, why  not go all in and study every non-career oriented subject they teach at NYU and see if I can’t make myself the most un-employable, but hopefully interesting, person I can be? And for years, outside of bartending, I was unemployable-- but I sure did get invited to a lot of dinner parties! So, mission accomplished, I guess.

I’m so lucky I got published. Maybe that’s what I’ve learned by going through my bookcase-- that I should feel fortunate I got to read all these books and think all these thoughts and I can still support myself by doing what I love.

Yeah. I’m very lucky. And very, very grateful.

For those of you who don't know, Josephine Angelini is the author of Starcrossed. She is a Massachusetts native and the youngest of eight siblings. A real-live farmer's daughter, Josie graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in theater, with a focus on the classics. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband. Starcrossed is her first novel.

Thanks so much Josie for playing along with us and giving such a wonderful tour of your bookcase.

Stay tuned for my review of the awesomeness that is STARCROSSED and for your chance to win a Kindle 3!

If you would like to learn more about hottie author Josephine Angelini and/or her debut novel Starcrossed, you can stalk find Josie here:  Facebook  //  Twitter   // Blog

The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Title:  The Fall
Authors: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Pages:  320
Genre:  Horror
Source:  Harper Collins

From the authors of the instant New York Times bestseller The Strain comes the next volume in one of the most imaginative and frightening thriller series in many, many years Last week they invaded Manhattan. This week they will destroy the world.

The vampiric virus unleashed in The Strain has taken over New York City. It is spreading and soon will envelop the globe. Amid the chaos, Eph Goodweather—head of the Centers for Disease Control's team—leads a band out to stop these bloodthirsty monsters. But it may be too late.

Ignited by the Master's horrific plan, a war erupts between Old and New World vampires, each vying for control. At the center of the conflict lies a book, an ancient text that contains the vampires' entire history . . . and their darkest secrets. Whoever finds the book can control the outcome of the war and, ultimately, the fate of us all. And it is between these warring forces that humans—powerless and vulnerable—find themselves no longer the consumers but the consumed. Though Eph understands the vampiric plague better than anyone, even he cannot protect those he loves. His ex-wife, Kelly, has been transformed into a bloodcrazed creature of the night, and now she stalks the city looking for her chance to reclaim her Dear One: Zack, Eph's young son.

With the future of humankind in the balance, Eph and his team, guided by the brilliant former professor and Holocaust survivor Abraham Setrakian and exterminator Vasiliy Fet and joined by a crew of ragtag gangsters, must combat a terror whose ultimate plan is more terrible than anyone has imagined—a fate worse than annihilation. [via GoodReads]

The Fall is the second installment in Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan's The Strain trilogy.  In The Strain an airplane full of dead passengers is found on the tarmac of JFK and shortly thereafter chaos ensues.  Vampires... and not of the teen heartthrob nor sparkly variety.  These are more animalistic in nature and have one goal in particular... total world domination.

This book reads almost like a movie... it's actually detailed and vivid enough that you have a clear picture of exactly what is going on.  Told in the same style as The Strain, you have various viewpoints and resulting vignettes.  Sometimes these different points-of-view can be a little disorienting, but once you get the gist of the storytelling, you see how clever it all is as it comes together.

Although I found The Strain to be more of a scientific thriller than a horror story... The Fall was definitely more horror.  Very dark, action-packed and with the perfect mix of sci-fi and fantasy you'll find it to be quite the page-turner.  While I personally enjoyed The Strain better than I did this second installment, I still would not pass up on the chance of reading this series in its entirety.  Eternal Night the third in the trilogy is scheduled to release in late 2011 - I cannot wait!

My Rating:

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Title:  A Reliable Wife

Author:  Robert Goolrick
Pages:  291

Genre:  Fiction

Source:  Purchased

He placed a notice in a Chicago paper, an advertisement for "a reliable wife." She responded, saying that she was "a simple, honest woman." She was, of course, anything but honest, and the only simple thing about her was her single-minded determination to marry this man and then kill him, slowly and carefully, leaving her a wealthy widow, able to take care of the one she truly loved.

What Catherine Land did not realize was that the enigmatic and lonely Ralph Truitt had a plan of his own. And what neither anticipated was that they would fall so completely in love.

Filled with unforgettable characters, and shimmering with color and atmosphere, A Reliable Wife is an enthralling tale of love and madness, of longing and murder. [via GoodReads]

I must admit that the synopsis for this book was what intrigued me.  I'm quite fascinated by the time period it's set in (early 1900s). but at the same time I was never quite sure whether or not I would actually like the story.  Well let me say, that I was quite surprised.  I actually enjoyed this story much more than I thought I would.

While the story itself revolves around characters whose pasts have left them all miserable, struggling with their present lives and looking for ways to atone for their sins - quite frankly, none of them (Catherine, Ralph nor Antonio) were likeable.  Yet I found myself rooting for them... hoping that they would find some hope in this cold and dark, gothic tale.

When Ralph places an advertisement for "a reliable wife" - Catherine responds that she is "a simple, honest woman."  Exactly what he's looking for - yet she's nothing like what he expected.  Catherine has her own agenda... marry Ralph and then kill him.  Simple, tidy and no one would be the wiser... but she didn't expect Ralph to marry her and quickly ship her off in search of his long lost son Antonio.  

Mr. Goolrick's writing is compelling from the first page.  I found that the descriptions of the bitter cold and desolate Wisconsin countryside gave this dark story the perfect atmosphere. The story itself was tense and engaging with a few surprising twists that I did not see coming.  

Full of betrayal, bitterness and the hope of love and forgiveness - I simply could not put this one down.

My Rating:

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Title:  Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Pages:  344
Genre:  YA/ Paranormal
Source:  Netgalley

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love? [via GoodReads]

I found Die For Me to be a fun, fresh and wonderfully captivating debut novel.  Amy Plum introduces us to Revenants... Revenants were once humans who died selflessly saving another's life and who return to their dead bodies to live again.  They use these born-again lives to continue saving more lives. I have a thing for zombies and I really liked this version of a more romanticized nature.  Revenants sleep for three days each month which regenerates them and should they be killed they easily return to their bodies.

After the loss of her parents, Kate and her sister move to Paris to live with her grandparents.  There she meets Vincent, a mysterious young man who has one heck of a secret.  There were so many aspects of this novel that captivated me.  The first few chapters where you get to meet Kate and learn how the loss of her parents has affected her really rang true for me.  I found myself choking back on tears on more than one occasion.  I enjoyed reading of her relationship with her sister (they were more like BFF's), and her getting used to her new guardians, her grandparents (whom quite frankly, were just lovely).  I also loved reading of her relationship with Vincent.  I liked that their relationship wasn't rushed... instead they took their time to get to know each other, which in turn made you like them even more.  I truly hate when characters are rushing into those "I Love You" moments.  I personally like the more realistic version of relationships and considering Die For Me is a paranormal fiction, I found this aspect of the story to be true to life.

Oh and did I mention it's set in Paris.... oh le Pareees.  Ms. Plum gives you pure mind candy with her stunning and very vivid descriptions of Paris.  I loved taking a stroll with Kate or sipping a latte along with her while enjoying a good book at the local cafe.  I found the setting to really give the story a lot of character.

Aside from our main characters and wonderful setting - I really enjoyed the storyline.  The introduction of the Revenants and, of course, their more evil counterparts.  I also enjoyed meeting the supporting cast - Vincent's roommates (also Revenants), Kate's sister, her grandparents.  Altogether I was very pleased with this story.  I actually read the whole thing in one sitting - I could not put it down.

All in all, Die For Me, is a fabulous debut.  With so many new paranormal stories written every day, it was a breath of fresh air to find such a unique storyline.  Although Die For Me has a definite ending (one, I might add, that left me with a big goofy smile on my face), it certainly is not the end of our story. I, for one, can honestly say that I loved this story and cannot wait to get my hands on its sequel.  Fans of paranormal, young adult will rejoice in this one.

My Rating:

Manic Monday Recaps (Week 5/23/11)

Hello friends!  I'm a little depressed knowing I was supposed to meet many of you live this week at BEA, but with my new job, new routine, and new schedule I had to settle for once again cancelling my plans and pronouncing that next year (2012 now) would be the year that I finally made my appearance at BEA.  It was a tough decision to make, but one that I decided would be the best.  So now I'm sulking... bleh

For those of you who most likely aren't at BEA and have the chance to visit your daily blogs... .well hello there. It's been a while hasn't it? 

I've been off my "reading" game in the past several weeks.  I thank you all for your well wishes and good luck mojo.  Luckily I really like my new job and I've somewhat accustomed myself to the drive and new routine.

Here's what I plan on reading this week:

I plan on squeezing a few others in there.  I'm hoping to get back on track this week and especially catch up with the long weekend up ahead.

I hope you are all doing well. 

Happy Reading!

Well hello there!! or Manic Monday Recaps (Week 5/02/11)

Hi friends!  I have missed you all.  As some of you may have noticed, I've been MIA.  I recently started a new job and decided to take a week off from blogging to focus and get a new routine.  My previous job was not overly busy so it allowed me to work on my blog, surf the net, facebook, tweet and hang out on goodreads all day long.  This new job... yea, not that cool.  Here I actually have to work.. not that I'm complaining.  At least I got a job, ya know.  I also had a 5 minute drive from my house to my previous job.  Now I have a longer drive... meaning getting up at the crack of dawn, getting home about an hour later than I used to and passing out by 10pm - there goes my late night reading time.  So last week was a "break" week.  I did nothing other than find a routine - no reading, no blogging, barely any internet time.  I was suffering, I admit it.  But I'm more confident this week.  Yes, this post is coming at a later time than usual, but I plan on starting up a new blogging routine that I hope will get me back up to date and back to early morning posts.  Bear with me dear friends - I promise we'll be back to normal in no time and I'll post giveaway winners soon. (keeps fingers crossed)

Here's what I plan on reading this week:

I'm keeping it simple this week.  I promise reviews, giveaways and winners will be posted this week.

Happy Reading!