Thursday Quotables: “Virgins”/Dangerous Women

Posted in Thursday Quotables by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

“Virgins” by Diana Gabaldon
from the anthology Dangerous Women,
edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
Tor, 2013

“Ye dinna have to come in, man,” he said to Ian. “I can do it alone.”

Ian’s mouth twitched, but he shook his head and stepped up next to Jamie.

“On your right, man,” he said, simply. Jamie smiled. When he’d been five years old, Ian’s da, Auld John, had persuaded his own da to let Jamie handle a sword cack-handed, as he was wont to do. “And you, lad,” he’d said to Ian, very serious, “it’s your duty to stand on your laird’s right hand, and guard his weak side.”

“Aye,” Jamie said. “Right, then.” And rang the bell.

I’ve been walking on air all week, now that Dangerous Women is in my hands and I’ve been able to spend time once again with Jamie Fraser. “Virgins” is a story set prior to the events of Outlander, and it’s such a delight to see a younger version of Jamie and Ian — and the bonds of brotherhood and friendship between the two, rock solid since childhood.

And in case you’re wondering: “Cack-handed” means that Jamie is a leftie!

Click here if you’d like to see my initial thoughts on the Dangerous Women anthology.

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
Click below (next to the cute froggy face) to link up your post! And be sure to visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables too.
Have a quote to share but not a blog post? Leave your quote in the comments.
Have fun!

11Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

There’s nothing like a Wednesday for thinking about the books we want to read! My Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday post is linking up with two fabulous book memes, Wishlist Wednesday (hosted by Pen to Paper) and Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine).

This week’s pick:

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
(to be released February 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

For a change of pace, I thought I’d go with a contemporary YA romance this week. Earlier this year, I read Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg, and thought it was honest, funny, and touching as well. I was impressed with the nuanced writing and how the author dug beneath the surface to get at the characters’ conflicts and really explore deeper issues, even while keeping it bubbly and entertaining. I’m really looking forward to Better Off Friends. It sounds like the perfect read for the mid-winter blues!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

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Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

9Dec2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on my Winter TBR List

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR List.

I feel like I’ve written a bunch of lists lately focusing on upcoming new releases and sequels, and I don’t want to repeat myself, so I’ll take a slightly different approach this week. Breaking my list into two sections:

Top 5 Graphic Novels (or Series) On My Winter TBR List:

1) Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan: 11 volumes in all. I don’t know if I’ll read them straight through, but I intend to at least make a dent this winter.

2) The Unwritten by Mike Carey. I have the first four volumes, but I’ll be happy if I get through 1 or 2, for starters.

3) Fairest In All The Land by Bill Willingham: A new hardcover stand-alone volume that connects to the worlds of Fables and Fairest.

4) Locke & Key (volume 6): Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill: Dying to read the conclusion of this amazing series.

and then…

5) Buffy/Angel & Faith/Willow: I need to catch up on all of the most recent volumes! More on the way in early 2014!

Top 5 Books That I Own But Haven’t Read Yet… But I Vow To Read Them This Winter!

1) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

2) The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

3) Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

4) Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

5) Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

… and one more for good luck:

To Kill a Mockingbird Back in September, I set myself a “back to school” reading goal, stating that I wanted to reread three books that I haven’t read since my high school days at some point during the current school year. Guess how many I’ve read so far? That’s correct: zero. So it’s time to get cracking on my school “assignment” as well, and what better place to start than with To Kill A Mockingbird?

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So there you have it — my (fingers crossed) not-overly-ambitious Winter TBR List. Let’s see if I can finally polish off some of these! Because more and more and more books are on the way in 2014…

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday. Happy reading!

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9Dec2013

The Monday Agenda 12/9/2013

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Not a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Racing Savannah Hoot (Juvenile, #1)

Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally: Done! Light and romantic, this YA novel totally suited my mood at the beginning of the week. My review is here.

Dangerous Women, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois: This anthology is HUGE (784 pages), and I just don’t have the patience to read it all the way through, especially since I am notoriously bad at reading short stories in general. I wrote up my thoughts (here) on the first five stories that I’ve read. From here on out, I’ll be jumping in and reading stories in between other things — I just can’t read more than one or two stories in a row, no matter how good they are, without wanting to rip my hair out.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: Done! My son and I had such a great time with this book — and loved the movie too. My thoughts on both are here.

Fresh Catch:

I adore the world of Fables by Bill Willingham, so I had to get my hands on Fairest in All the Land! Here’s the synopsis (per Goodreads):

In the spirit of FABLES: 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL and FABLES: WEREWOLVES OF THE HEARTLAND comes the first ever original graphic novel from the pages of #1 New York Times bestselling writer Bill Willingham’s FAIREST.

FAIREST has explored the secret histories of the most stunning beauties in Fabletown: Cinderella, Snow White, Briar Rose, Rapunzel, and the list goes on and on. In FAIREST IN ALL THE LAND, the best names in comics take their turns fleshing out the pasts of the loveliest Fables in existence. For all those wanting to dive into FAIREST or FABLES, this original graphic novel is a fantastic entry point, as well as a great new chapter for those that have been following Bill Willingham’s fairy tale epic for years.

Awesome, right? And seriously, if you haven’t tried Fables… what are you waiting for? It’s brilliant. Period.

Also this week, I got a bunch of new ARCs, and they all look terrific!

Don't Call Me Baby

Fan Art After the End (After the End, #1) See Jane Run

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

Roomies Gathering Storm The Firebird (Slains, #2)

Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando: This young adult novel about getting ready for a fresh start in college seems really promising.

Gathering Storm by Maggie Craig: I was thrilled to receive a copy of this novel from the author. Historical fiction set in Scotland during the 1740s? Yes, please!

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley: If you want to see me beat my head into a wall, ask me about my habit of buying new releases the second they come out and then not finding time to read them! I’ve had The Firebird since its release in June, and I love this author… so I’m putting my foot down. This book WILL be read this coming week!

And finally:

My son and I have just started Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear, which was recommended to me by a friend who’s a true aficionado of science fiction and thought it might appeal to the kiddo. It’s actually an adult science fiction book, but so far seems more or less accessible so long as I pause to explain unfamiliar terms and concepts. It’s pretty cool so far… we shall see whether it works for the kiddo after we get a bit further in.

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

8Dec2013

Dangerous Women: First Thoughts

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Dangerous Women: Edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

Dangerous Women This brand new anthology is HUGE (784 pages) and weighs more than a small lapdog, but if you’re feeling strong and want a lot of choice in your reading, this hefty book may be the ticket.

Dangerous Women contains 20 stories from across many different genres, all with a focus — one way or another — on strong, fearless, and yes, dangerous women. Urban fantasy, traditional fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, and more are represented here. According to the table of contents, here’s what you’ll find in Dangerous Women:

INTRODUCTION, by Gardner Dozois
SOME DESPERADO, by Joe Abercrombie
MY HEART IS EITHER BROKEN, by Megan Abbott
NORA’S SONG, by Cecelia Holland
THE HANDS THAT ARE NOT THERE, by Melinda Snodgrass
BOMBSHELLS, by Jim Butcher
RAISA STEPANOVA, by Carrie Vaughn
WRESTLING JESUS, by Joe R. Lansdale
NEIGHBORS, by Megan Lindholm
I KNOW HOW TO PICK ‘EM, by Lawrence Block
SHADOWS FOR SILENCE IN THE FORESTS OF HELL, by Brandon Sanderson
A QUEEN IN EXILE, by Sharon Kay Penman
THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR, by Lev Grossman
SECOND ARABESQUE, VERY SLOWLY, by Nancy Kress
CITY LAZARUS, by Diana Rowland
VIRGINS, by Diana Gabaldon
HELL HATH NO FURY, by Sherilynn Kenyon
PRONOUNCING DOOM, by S.M. Stirling
NAME THE BEAST, by Sam Sykes
CARETAKERS, by Pat Cadigan
LIES MY MOTHER TOLD ME, by Caroline Spector
THE PRINCESS AND THE QUEEN, by George R.R. Martin

I can’t pretend to have read all or even most of these. For starters, I’m notoriously bad at reading short stories and can only take just so much before I want to run screaming for the hills — no matter how good the stories are. Second of all, as I mentioned, HUGENESS. No way I’ll be able to sit and read this baby all the way through. I can see myself picking and choosing, reading an occasional story here and there over the next month or so, until I’ve read everything that grabs me.

Meanwhile, I did sit right down and read the stories that most interested me, and I thought I’d share my initial thoughts on a handful:

“Virgins” by Diana Gabaldon. Yes, this is the reason I couldn’t wait for Dangerous Women! “Virgins” is a prequel to Outlander, set in 1740 and focusing on a young Jamie and Ian in an adventure as mercenaries in France. Fans of Outlander will love it (any Jamie is good Jamie), but I think it will have wider appeal as well. While the main characters’ stories and dilemmas may be less compelling to people not already familiar with them, there’s nothing here that would preclude anyone from enjoying it. The central storyline has a focus that surprised me, which I won’t divulge because I think it’s worth discovering on your own. I was not disappointed: Diana Gabaldon knows her characters and the historical setting, and has done her usual fabulous job of bringing a time and place to life. Highly recommended!

“The Princess and the Queen” by George R. R. Martin. Well, if you’re a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire, I’m sure you’ll be checking this one out. This long story (at what point do we call it a novella? 70+ pages? If so, this one qualifies!) is purportedly a report written by a Maester of Westeros relating the history of a war between different factions of Targaryens 200 years before the events that make up the ASoIaF series. And boy, was that some war! According to the story, this war is often referred to as the Dance of the Dragons, and was one of the bloodiest and most spectacular in the history of Westeros. Because dragons! I hesitate to be critical, because devout fans are already proclaiming this story to be brilliant — but for me, less isn’t necessarily more. There’s so much detail here, told in such a dry historical fashion, that I was just wishing throughout that GRRM had devoted an entire novel to these events instead. It’s simply a lot to wade through, filled with name after name, bannerman after bannerman, and I found the factions and alliances very difficult to track. In places, the storyline is breathtaking, with its aerial dragon battles and bloody betrayals and horrors. I’m glad to have read it, but I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it. The written history approach didn’t really work for me — but true GRRM fans will be all over “The Princess and the Queen”, and I’m sure most will absolutely love it.

“Bombshell” by Jim Butcher. This one is a goodie for fans of the Dresden Files series. Featuring Harry Dresden’s apprentice Molly as the main character, “Bombshell” takes place after the events of Changes. Harry is presumed dead, and Molly has to figure out a way to control her magic, follow in Harry’s footsteps, and live up to his legacy, all the while grieving with no real outlet to express her loss. Meanwhile, there are bad guys to confront, and it turns into a dangerous race against time, with evil dudes and magic spells and otherworldly creatures all in the mix. “Bombshell” is a lot of fun (and the title is a terrific pun, as you’ll see by the end of the story). It’s a great urban fantasy pick-me-up, and I don’t see why someone not familiar with the Dresden books couldn’t read and enjoy it, although I’d imagine some of the concepts would lead to serious puzzlement for newbies. As for me, as a fan of the series and of Jim Butcher’s writing in general, “Bombshell” was like getting a box of candy as a present. Yummy, unexpectedly enjoyable, and a real treat.

“Raisa Stepanova” by Carrie Vaughn. I’ve never read any of Carrie Vaughn’s books (although I’d like to), but that’s not an issue here. “Raisa Stepanova” is a stand-alone story that’s relatively brief but astoundingly good. Set towards the end of WWII, this historical fiction short story centers on Raisa, a Soviet woman fighter pilot. We go into battle with Raisa, and through her, get a glimpse of the unusual opportunity available to women fighter pilots in the USSR as well as the harshness of life under Stalin in wartime. I think I especially enjoyed this story because of having recently read the incredible Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein — but even without that, I truly enjoyed this portrait of a young woman in a historical setting that probably few of us know about. Just terrific — I really recommend this one!

“Name the Beast” by Sam Sykes. OK, I’ll admit it: I didn’t really get this story. Sam Sykes writes straight-up fantasy, and while I haven’t read his novels yet, I’d like to at some point. This story is interesting and has some pretty cool twists, with shifting perspectives and no reliable narrator, but either I was too tired when I read it (quite likely) or it just wasn’t for me. Still, the writing is quite good and the premise was different and intriguing, so if you’re a fantasy fan, give it a try! And then tell me what I missed.

That’s all I’ve read so far, and I think at this point, I’ll leave this massive book on my nightstand in easy reach. I imagine that I’ll keep it handy, and even if I don’t end up reading the whole thing, I’ll certainly return in between other books to dip back in for a fresh sampling of stories.

From what I can tell, the editors have really picked an eclectic and extraordinary mix of writers and genres. Overall, this is one impressive anthology.

In the words of a certain killer cyborg, I’ll be back.

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The details:

Title: Dangerous Women
Author: Anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication date: 2013
Genre: Fiction anthology, mixed genres
Source: Purchased

7Dec2013

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: A book & a movie with the kiddo

Posted in Book Reviews, Q&A With The Kiddo by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Hoot

Perhaps you’re familiar with Carl Hiaasen’s smart-ass, Florida-centric books for grown-ups — all 22 of them! — that include bestsellers such as Strip Tease, Nature Girl, Star Island, and Skinny Dip. But the way this author found his way into my heart was through his books for kids, now totaling four — and here’s hoping there are many more to come!

Hoot was Carl Hiaasen’s first book for kids, aimed at the middle school crowd and featuring some fun, fearless, and memorable characters with just enough gross-outs and goof-ball mischief to appeal to 10 to 13-year-olds. Hoot certainly appealed to my 11-year-old, who isn’t the easiest kid to please when it comes to books. (Video games are a different matter, but I digress.)

In his younger days — oh, say at age 10 — my kiddo would help me out on my blog from time to time with “Q&A with the Kiddo” posts, where I’d write about books that we’d read together, ask him questions, and then share some thoughts from each of us. Alas, now that he’s reached the ripe old age of 11, he’s no longer willing to indulge me. Luckily, though, he still enjoys a good book, and has not yet decided that he’s too old for a read-aloud at bed time. So for as long as he’ll let me, I continue reading him a chapter or two once he’s tucked in (knowing that our days of reading together are probably numbered, although I’ve told him more than once than I’ll come to college with him if he wants).

Hoot is our most recent reading adventure, and it was a big success. We’d thoroughly enjoyed the author’s most recent kids’ book, Chomp, last year (my review is here), and reading Hoot was actually the kiddo’s idea — he’d seen part of the movie at his after school program recently, and wanted to know the rest of the story.

So what’s it about? In a nutshell: Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida from Montana when his dad gets reassigned for work, and boy, is Roy unhappy about being the new kid all over again. After getting bullied by the meanest kid in school, he encounters a mysterious barefoot boy running down the street, and quickly becomes fascinated by figuring out who the kid is and why he’s running. Meanwhile, Mother Paula’s Pancake House is about to open a new franchise location in Roy’s small town… but someone keeps playing pranks and causing mischief at the construction site, and the Mother Paula’s people are not happy about it. The storylines come together as Roy and his new friends Beatrice Leep and Mullet Fingers try to find a way to save the rare burrowing owls who live at the construction site before the bulldozers start to roll. Hoot is filled with a host of amusing supporting characters, from the well-intentioned but bumbling Officer Delinko to construction manager Curly to the oozily nasty corporate tool Chuck E. Muckle. As the various plotlines and people converge, Carl Hiaasen doesn’t skimp on humor, pranks, or bizarre human behavior.

In both Hoot and Chomp, a dominant theme is the natural wonders of Florida and how greedy humans are encroaching on natural habitats. In both books, the author’s love for nature shines through, and the kids who are heroes are the ones who stand up and fight against the careless, thoughtless, or just plain mean grown-ups who value money over beauty. While the main characters in both books come from homes with supportive and loving parents, the author doesn’t shy away from showcasing kids who come from troubled homes or less wholesome environments. One of the things he does best is dig beneath the surface and show why a kid might be weird, or dressed funny, or be reluctant to trust or share secrets. At the same time, no mercy is shown to the bullies, whether kids or adults: The characters who mistreat others, who are mean and nasty, who like to hurt people for their own glory, or who just don’t care — well, they do tend to get what’s coming to them, and then some.

After reading the book, kiddo and I decided to watch the movie as well — and while I almost never, ever, ever say this, in this case I’ll admit to liking the movie just a smidge more than the book. The book was great, don’t get me wrong — but the movie just did a better job of showing the natural beauty of the Florida coastlines and waterways, as well as the vulnerability of the little owls (awwwww… baby owls!) being threatened by the big construction machinery. This is one instance where a picture really is worth a thousand words, because the one thing I really didn’t get from the book was enough description of the construction site and the landscape, and that made it harder to visualize the nature of the threat. The movie is mostly faithful to the book, up until the ending — where again, I have to admit that I found the movie ending a bit more exciting and dramatic than the final confrontation and big finale in the book.

The cast was very good, with a young Logan Lerman in the role of Roy, and a nice cameo by Jimmy Buffett as well. Plus, the geek in me and my kiddo (call us Mama Geek and Geek Junior, I suppose) did a little happy dance when Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson!) appeared in the sleazy role of corporate bad guy Chuck Muckle.

Should you read the book or watch the movie?

Yes to both! Why choose?

Meanwhile, I have no hesitation about recommending this author’s books for kids. Carl Hiaasen’s writing is funny and fast-paced, with strong messages about family connections, loyalty, and respect for the environment. I can pretty much guarantee that kids will love these books, and their parents will too.

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The details:

Title: Hoot
Author: Carl Hiaasen
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date: 2002
Genre: Middle grade
Source: Purchased

6Dec2013

Older Posts: Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em?

Posted in Blogging by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Remember ye olden days? Way, way back, in our early blogging days, when we were trying to figure it all out? It got kind of lonely out there, didn’t it? We’d sit, we’d write, we’d worry, we’d post… and then we’d hope and pray that someone, somewhere would bother to read those incredible pieces we just slaved over.

It seems like a long time ago — and yet, for me, it’s only been about a year and a half since my first baby steps into the wonderful world of blogging. It definitely took me a while to find my feet and start expanding my reach. Meanwhile, there were some days that felt kind of soul-crushing, to be honest. Who doesn’t remember the feeling of writing something and feeling really proud of it, putting it out there… and then seeing, day after day, that no one actually read it? Oh, the sadness of low stats!

While thinking about how to approach some year-end posts, I went back and looked at my “year in review” post from December 2012… and was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked it quite a bit (if I do say so myself). Which then led me to skimming through other post from my early blogging days — say July through September of last year — and finding that I had some other posts in there that were kind of fun or interesting or just in general a little bit smile-worthy.

Of course, I also found a few that made me itch for a rewrite, or that provoked a “what was I thinking?” reaction… but that’s part of the learning curve, I suppose.

But still, looking at some of the older posts that I felt good about also made me a little sad, because in my early days, visitors to my blog were few and far between. If I write a good post and nobody reads it, does it matter? Like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, my early posts just didn’t make any sound.

It got me wondering: What do you do with your older posts? Do you go back into your archives and re-run pieces that still feel relevant? Do you ever do nostalgia pieces, maybe highlighting an older post as an example of “hey, look how I approached this topic way back when” or “look how much I’ve changed”? Or do you just leave the past in the past?

I know I still occasionally refer back to some older posts, particularly the ones I especially like or which have sentimental value for me. An early post I wrote about the role books played in my romance with my husband is a special favorite, and I do tend to link up to it from time to time when it relates to my current topic. In a more obvious approach, if I’m reviewing a new book by an author I’ve discussed before, I’ll usually link back to my reviews of earlier works by the same author.

But I still fell bad sometimes for my orphaned posts — those poor, lonely pieces that maybe only 3 or 4 people ever took the time to read. Now that I’ve been blogging longer, would the same pieces generate more comments or discussion? Would they help me engage with other bloggers in different ways? I’ve toyed with the idea of doing a “From the Stacks” or “Old Post Love” type of post from time to time, maybe reviving something older that I’ve written and perhaps adding commentary to update it, but so far, it’s just an idea, not an action plan.

So what do you do with your older posts? Leave them in the past, because hey, that’s where they belong? Repost them every once in a while? Bring back an older piece and update it? None of the above? All of the above?

Older posts: Love ’em or leave ’em? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

5Dec2013

Flashback Friday: Seventeenth Summer

Posted in Flashback Friday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Flashback Friday is my own little weekly tradition, in which I pick a book from my reading past to highlight — and you’re invited to join in!

Here are the Flashback Friday book selection guidelines:

Has to be something you’ve read yourself
Has to still be available, preferably still in print
Must have been originally published 5 or more years ago

Other than that, the sky’s the limit! Join me, please, and let us all know: what are the books you’ve read that you always rave about? What books from your past do you wish EVERYONE would read? Pick something from five years ago, or go all the way back to the Canterbury Tales if you want. It’s Flashback Friday time!

My Flashback Friday for this week:

Seventeenth Summer
by Maureen Daly
(published 1945)

Synopsis (Amazon):

Until the summer before college, Angie Morrow didn’t really date. Her mother didn’t like her to go out much. But no one — not even Angie’s mother — can resist the charm of strikingly handsome Jack Duluth. His good looks grab Angie’s attention from the moment in June when Jack throws Angie a smile at McKnight’s drugstore. And on their first date sailing under the stars — when Jack leans in and whispers to Angie, “You look nice with the wind in your hair,” the strange new feelings begin. Tingles, prickles, warmth: the tell-tale signs of romance. It’s the beginning of an unforgettable summer for Angie, full of wonder, warmth, tears, challenge, and love.

Maureen Daly had created a love story so honest that it has withstood the test of time, winning new fans for more than six decades. Today, this classic is enjoyed by many who think of it as the quintessential love story, and as a glimpse of love in the 1940’s; a refreshing alternative to modern love stories, reflecting the beauty and innocence of new love.

Young adult fiction from before YA was a “thing”, Seventeenth Summer has an innocence to it that is both sweet and old-fashioned. I read this several years ago, at the urging of a colleague who has superb book taste. She remembered this book from her youth, and talked enthusiastically about how much of an impact it had on her at the time. Here’s what I said about it on Goodreads at that point:

I might not have given Seventeenth Summer a second glance, had not a book lover with almost impeccable taste recommended it to me. Written in 1942, Seventeenth Summer is a look into the heart and mind of a 17-year-old Wisconsin girl as she experiences first love over the course of the summer before she starts college. Seventeenth Summer in many ways is quite dated, yet the simplicity of the story in no way diminishes the lovely depiction of the elation, insecurity, and tumult of growing up, falling in love, and ultimately becoming a young woman itching for independence.

Main character Angie spends a lot of time worrying about her reputation, thinking about every nuance of her time with the boy she likes, reveling in the joys of summertime, and just living life on the cusp of adulthood. The author was herself still in her teens when she wrote this book, and there’s a freshness in the attitude that’s unusual when compared to today’s teen novels. It’s a bit jarring reading a book from the early 1940s that’s so totally immersed in the day to day, with no reference to the war consuming so much of the rest of the world at that time — but in a way, that just reinforces both the innocence of the narrative and the feeling that the story, while lovely in its own way, is also ever-so-slightly dated.

I don’t know that I’d recommend Seventeenth Summer to teen readers today. I suspect they’d find it rather bland and uneventful. And yet, it has certainly stayed with women readers of an earlier generation, so clearly it’s a book that was relevant and meaningful in its day. For readers today, I’d say it’s a lovely look back at a particular time, its culture, and its sensibilities. As a snapshot of a by-gone era, it works, with a nostalgic feel that really captures what it must have been like to be a teen at that time, falling in love, with the whole world open and full of wonder.

What older books are on your flashback radar this week? Link up and share!

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4Dec2013

Thursday Quotables: Racing Savannah

Posted in Thursday Quotables by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

Racing Savannah

Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally
Sourcebooks Fire, 2013

As main character Savannah observes a wealthy girl’s birthday party:

I salivate when I see the chocolate fountain. The other half of the tent — the side for adults — is elegant, with silk gold tablecloths, succulent flower arrangements, and a champagne fountain. Good god, how many food fountains do these people have? Is there a ranch dressing fountain? Where’s the Diet Coke fountain?

And later, encountering the hot boy she likes:

He looks yummier than a ranch dressing fountain.

And now I’m stuck with the image of a ranch dressing fountain in my head! Yum, pass the carrots!

If you want to know more about Racing Savannah, you can read my review here.

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
Click below (next to the cute froggy face) to link up your post! And be sure to visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables too.
Have a quote to share but not a blog post? Leave your quote in the comments.
Have fun!

4Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

The Vanishing by Wendy Webb
(to be released January 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired…and who the world believes is dead.

When she arrives at the Sinclairs’ enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her “too-good-to-be-true” position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.

Creepy and mysterious — my kind of book!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

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