Upcoming Releases

So, a few new releases from preferred authors (authoresses, actually) are on the horizon...although some a bit far off. Can't wait for the latest in the Mistress of the Art of Death series, A Murderous Procession (Ariana Franklin, 4/1/10) - they're like a CSI, but in Ye Olde England, with a multi-culti female lead - ridiculous, but great.

Also ridiculous, albeit in a totally different way, Gail Carriger's Changeless, the second installment in a series called "The Parasol Protectorate." Following Soulless (on 3/30/10) it's about a soulless (yeah, okay, F for originality in titling) chick from Victorian England (hmm, theme to my books right now?) who runs around killing vampires who do unspeakable things like...ruin tea. Or her new dress. Yes! Number one was absolutely perfect for the first book I read after surgery, while I was still doped up, but I still think the next one should be fun...

Since even I, clearly, cannot escape the whole vampire thing - The Dead Travel Fast (Deanna Raybourn, coming soon, I think) looks similar, and...maybe a good plane read? We'll see - if the Harvard library system doesn't pick it up, I don't see myself buying it - at least not for full price!

Stephanie Barron is FINALLY coming out with a new Jane Austen mystery (Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron) - but not until 9/28/10 which blows. I just do adore those so much; more than any other contemp author, I think Barron (not sure if that is her real name?) knows Austen's works, world, and writing style better than anyone else - and then there's murders. SWEET. (ooh, off topic, but note to self, never again get cupcakes from Red Velvet in DC, even if you are trying to kick it to a bartender next door - neither one of you will want them. Even if you want eachother.  DO rock the jukebox though - that will go over much better).

Last but not least, there's a little bonus from Lauren Willig this October - she's releasing "The Mischief of the Mistletoe" which is hopefully not just a published version of the short story that was on her website (as much as I enjoyed it). Her last was not the awesomest, but still super fun, and let's face it, I kinda want to be Eloise Kelly.

Jasper FForde is F***ing Fantastic

Until I figure out how to make this private, if anyone should stumble upon it, please understand I intend this as a basic "log" of books I read, etc., so I can keep track...and stop getting books that I've already read, or not being able to recommend ones I loved, because I don't remember the info.
And on that note, Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (2009 or 2010) is a LOVE, although it's not the Thursday Next series - but it's got the same ridiculous sense of humor and terrible puns that had me cracking up last night even with crazy high blood sugar levels and a sore surgery site. Hooray for erduite cheesey fun!
I am also currently reading A Reliable Wife (or something like that - not a good sign if I can't remember the title and I started it yesterday) by some dude and The Great Stink by Clare Clark. I think I am going to really like the latter, but I when I got Shades from Widener it was already requested by someone else, so I had to abandon the Clark so I could finish the Fforde before it was due back.
Reliable Wife seemed pretty boring/predictable so far, but, to be fair, I picked it up on a whim at Barnes & Noble for a plane ride, and ended up starting it yesterday after a 3+ day debauch of Roman proportions in our nation's snow-bound capital, so being exhausted and hung-over and unshowered, the day AFTER I should have flown home, may have had something to do with my less than favorable impression. We'll see - the Globe called it a smart pot-boiler or something like that, which could be fun. May save it for a day when I am too hungover to concentrate on a real book, but not so hungover that over-wrought adjectives make me queasy.