The 21st Kate Shugak book has a release date!
From Dana Stabenow’s newsletter:
Can you hear me shouting with glee?
The Kate Shugak series is one of my all-time favorites, and I can’t wait to get my hands on #21!
Excuse me while I go do a happy dance…
At least in the world of books, 2017 is definitely going to be a good year!
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
(first published 1986)
How is it possible that I’ve never read this middle grade magical tale before now? Howl’s Moving Castle has some very clever, quippy use of words that makes it extra enjoyable, even for an adult reader. Here’s a bit of dialogue that’s given me my favorite new insult:
For a moment it seemed as if he he [Howl] was going to lose his temper too. His strange, pale eyes all but glared at Sophie. But he controlled himself and said, “Now trot along indoors, you overactive old thing, and find something else to play with before I get angry. I hate getting angry.”
Sophie folded her skinny arms. She did not like being glared at by eyes like glass marbles. “Of course you hate getting angry!” she retorted. “You don’t like anything unpleasant, do you? You’re a slitherer-outer, that’s what you are! You slither away from anything you don’t like!”
Ha! Take that, you slitherer-outer!
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:
Spending time inside the mind of Carrie Fisher is never dull.
In her newly published memoir, the author takes us back to a galaxy long, long ago… to share her experiences portraying the unforgettable Princess Leia — she of the cinnamon bun hairstyle and metal bikini — in a little indie movie called Star Wars.
Prompted by her recently unearthed journals, Fisher revisits her experiences as a 19-year-old actress — one of several unknowns or relative unknowns cast in this strange movie, created by a guy from Modesto, filming on a shoestring budget in London.
As the headlines proclaimed when this book came out in October, in The Princess Diarist, Fisher confirms what many suspected for years — that she and Harrison Ford had an affair during the filming of Star Wars. At the time, she was a teen with one previous relationship in her recent past, and Ford was in his mid-30s, married, and a father. Their relationship lasted a few months only… but apparently was a huge part of Fisher’s overall experience as she entered the world of movie stardom.
The Princess Diarist has transcribed pages from her diaries at its center, and is framed by chapters before and after describing her introduction to acting, the experience of filming Star Wars, and the fan frenzy that has defined her life ever since.
Fisher’s writing is both funny and weird, as she creates the oddest descriptions and twists her sentences around in all sorts of unexpected ways that made me pause, re-read, and laugh. Here are some prime tidbits from among the many, many Post-It flags I used to mark amazing passages from the diary section of the book:
So he assumes his apathetic poker face and I sit practicing wry knowing looks somewhere in his periphery. I don’t dare pick a topic for fear that it won’t be funny enough or interesting enough for his awe-inspiring judgment. With his silence he establishes himself as a sort of trapped audience and so you break your ass to meet the enormous challenge of entertaining him, frantic with worry that his teeth might suffocate.
I’ve got to learn something from my mistakes instead of establishing a new record to break. Maybe stop fooling around with all these human beings and fall in love with a chair. It would have everything that the immediate situation has to offer, and less, which is obviously what I need. Less emotional and intellectual feedback, less warmth, less approval, less patience and less response. The less the merrier.
Chairs. They’re always there when you need them and, while their staying implies total devotion, they still manage to remain aloof, noncommittal and insensitive. Immovable and loyal. Reliable and unconsoling. Chairs it is. I must furnish my heart with feelings for furniture.
If anyone reads this when I have passed to the big bad beyond I shall be posthumorously embarrassed. I shall spend my afterlife blushing.
And a few more, from the non-diary portions:
My hope aren’t high, and neither, as it happens, am I.
I think boys may have been attracted to my accessibility. Even if I did have some princessy qualities, I wasn’t conventionally beautiful and sexy, and as such was less likely to put them down or think I was too good for them. I wouldn’t humiliate them in any way. Even if I teased them in the context of running around with laser guns dodging bullets, I wouldn’t do it in a way that would hurt them.
It was one movie. It wasn’t supposed to do what it did — nothing was supposed to do that. Nothing ever had. Movies were meant to stay on the screen, flat and large and colorful, gathering you up into their sweep of story, carrying you rollicking along to the end, then releasing you back into your unchanged life. But this movie misbehaved. It leaked out of the theater, poured off the screen, affected a lot of people so deeply that they required endless talismans and artifacts to stay connected to it.
Honestly, I wish she’d spent a little more time on behind-the-scenes, making-of type reminiscences — but I suppose there are plenty of those around for the true Star Wars fans. The beauty of The Princess Diarist is seeing an unvarnished picture of a woman who was unprepared for stardom and for the impact of her “little” film, who at the same time was trying to make sense of a bizarre, strained relationship with a taciturn man who was sexy as hell.
I can’t help but wonder how Harrison Ford feels about Fisher’s revelations (and I haven’t looked that hard, but I don’t recall seeing any reactions from him). I guess after 40 years, it’s not exactly earth-shattering, especially as Ford is no longer married to the woman he was married to at the time. I suppose too that they’ve been sharing each others’ orbits on the Star Wars circuit for so long that it all must feel like ancient history by now.
Carrie Fisher is a funny, open writer who isn’t afraid to show her true, flawed face. I had a great time reading The Princess Diarist. It’s a quick read, and maybe isn’t exactly deep, but it kept me entertained and gave me yet another way to think about the Star Wars cultural phenomenon and what it might have meant to be a part of it all from the beginning.
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The details:
Title: The Princess Diarist
Author: Carrie Fisher
Publisher: Blue Rider Press
Publication date: October 18, 2016
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Memoir
Source: Library
Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.
Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! Fore more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.
Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guideline sat the bottom of the post, and jump on board!
My Shelf Control pick this week is:
Title: Conversion
Author: Katherine Howe
Published: 2014
Length: 402 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane comes a chilling mystery—Prep meets The Crucible.
It’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, and school is a pressure cooker. College applications, the battle for valedictorian, deciphering boys’ texts: Through it all, Colleen Rowley and her friends are expected to keep it together. Until they can’t.
First it’s the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, who suddenly falls into uncontrollable tics in the middle of class. Her mystery illness quickly spreads to her closest clique of friends, then more students and symptoms follow: seizures, hair loss, violent coughing fits. St. Joan’s buzzes with rumor; rumor blossoms into full-blown panic.
Soon the media descends on Danvers, Massachusetts, as everyone scrambles to find something, or someone, to blame. Pollution? Stress? Or are the girls faking? Only Colleen—who’s been reading The Crucible for extra credit—comes to realize what nobody else has: Danvers was once Salem Village, where another group of girls suffered from a similarly bizarre epidemic three centuries ago . . .
Inspired by true events—from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school—Conversion casts a spell. With her signature wit and passion, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe delivers an exciting and suspenseful novel, a chilling mystery that raises the question, what’s really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?
How I got it:
I bought it.
When I got it:
Last year.
Why I want to read it:
I’d had my eye on this book since I first heard about it as an upcoming new release. I thought Katherine Howe’s earlier novel, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, was pretty terrific! Conversion is another witchy book, and I love the sound of The Crucible being incorporated into a contemporary YA story.
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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:
Have fun!
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 I’m Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017.
In no particular order, here are the books I can’t wait to read during the next six months:
1) The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian: This author’s books never disappoint!
2) Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs: It’s Mercy! The Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorite things ever. Simply cannot wait for the newest installment.
3) The Mother’s Promise by Sally Hepworth: Her previous novel, The Things We Keep (review) was heartbreaking and beautiful. I’m really looking forward to her newest.
4) Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire: Even the title of this novella gives me the chills.
5) A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn: The 2nd Veronica Speedwell mystery! I really enjoyed the first (review), and I’m delighted to have won this one in a Goodreads giveaway.
6) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Wow, can this author write a love story! This new book seems like it’ll be very different from her previous works, and sounds amazing.
7) Martians Abroad by Carrie Vaughn: Who doesn’t love a good Martian adventure? I’ve really enjoyed the pieces I’ve read so far by this author, and this book’s synopsis sounds right up my alley.
8) The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: I love the sound of this Russian-flavored fairy tale.
9) Almost Missed You by Jessica Strawser: Something about the description of this contemporary mystery really grabbed my attention.
10) Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon: It goes without saying — last but not least! I can’t wait for this story collection, even though I’ve already read five of the seven stories. If it takes place within the Outlander-verse, I want it.
What books are you most eager to read in 2017? Please share your links!
If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Shelf Control and Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!
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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!
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
What did I read last week?
I went a little crazy with Gail Carriger’s short fiction this week. I’d intended just to read her newest novella, Poison or Protect (which was terrific), but couldn’t stop myself, and ended up reading all of her short stories and novellas. I wrote a wrap-up post, here.
The Black Moon by Winston Graham: Book #5 in the Poldark series. This was a longer one (500+ pages), and parts dragged a bit, especially in the middle. Still, it ended on an intense note, and I’m dying to know what happens next (although I think I’m going to wait a bit before moving on with #6 — so much else to read, you know.)
Pop culture goodness:
Between staying home with a sick kid for a couple of days and then a rainy weekend, there was plenty of time to appreciate some pop culture-ish moments.
First, have you ever cried happy tears over a comic strip? Or am I the only soppy marshmallow-hearted softie? If this week’s Luann wedding doesn’t give you at least a hint of a tear, then your heart must be made of stone.
Beyond that, I watched season three of Transparent on Amazon… and thought it was just meh. There didn’t seem to be much of a story or character arc this season, just scattered moments that didn’t really hang together. Still, I’ll keep watching, and hope for better when season 4 roles around (assuming there will be a season 4).
My son and I watched Keanu, which was maybe a little inappopriate for him — but still, it was just the perfect mix of silly and dumb for a grey, wet day. And listen, if you’re a Key & Peele fan, this is a must-watch.
I’m really excited for the 3rd season of Mozart in the Jungle, which is now streaming on Amazon. I loved seasons 1 & 2, and season 3 is getting stellar reviews!
And speaking of Amazon originals, The Man in the High Castle returns at the end of this week! Season 1 was terrific — can’t wait!
Elsewhere on the blog:
I realized that I hadn’t written an Outlander post in quite a while… so an update was in order! Check out my post about the latest in the world of Outlander books and TV.
Fresh Catch:
I won a Goodreads giveaway! There’s nothing like waking up to a “you won” email to start the day off right. Thank you, Goodreads!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher: Just starting!
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones: One of those books that falls into the “I can’t believe I still haven’t read this” category. I’ve listened to about half so far, and it’s really clever and fun.
My ongoing reads with my book group (2 chapters per week of each):
So many books, so little time…
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So I’ve been thinking…
I’ve been blogging for over four years now. Hard to believe! My interest and energy levels have gone up and down over time, and right now I find myself in a phase where I’m not as willing to devote dedicated time to blogging, especially when it comes to blogging on a schedule.
I still enjoy writing book reviews, random other pieces, and participating in some regular, ongoing features. Where I’m having difficulty right now is with the “have to” parts of my weekly schedule. Because I host two memes, I feel obligated to get my posts up every week, on time, no matter what. And frankly, lately it’s been feeling like a chore.
The thing is, I really like my memes and the concepts — and when I’m in the mood, it’s a lot of fun.
My two active memes at the moment are:
Shelf Control: Every Wednesday, highlighting books on the shelf — basically a chance to feature books that we already own but haven’t read yet.
Thursday Quotables: Highlighting a great quote or passage from the current week’s reading.
And, gone but not forgotten:
Flashback Friday (which needs a better icon): This one has been on hiatus since last year, but I may bring it back from time to time. The point of Flashback Friday is to feature a book from our reading pasts, something published at least 5 years ago, and talk about why it’s special and why people should still read it. I really had fun doing this one, but eventually got a bit burned out and decided to put it on pause for a while.
My problem at the moment is that sticking to a weekly posting obligation — coming up with a Shelf Control post every Wednesday and a Thursday Quotables post every Thursday — has lately started to feel like work, not fun. Which makes me want to reconsider how, when, and why I do all of these.
I don’t particularly want to give them up — but I’m not sure I want to continue feeling like these posts are a chore than I must complete no matter what.
Maybe one solution is to take them out of “meme” world and just continue doing these type of posts when the spirit moves me — so if I do them as a feature on my own blog, rather than setting them up with linky sign-ups and encouraging others to post, then I have no obligation to stick to a schedule.
Or I suppose I could make one or more a monthly meme, rather than weekly.
I’ve also considered putting one or more of these memes/features up for “adoption” — seeing if anyone else would like to host, instead of me.
Basically, I’m back to the complaint that most bloggers have at one time or another. When blogging feels like work rather than play, for me at least, it means something isn’t working.
I don’t blog for money or fame or glory — good thing, since I’m not getting any of those! I just blog because I enjoy it — the creativity, the writing process, the sharing, and the community. When it stops being fun, I need to change my ways.
Which brings me back to the main issue of this post — what to do about my memes. I’m riding out my inclination to stop for now. I’m going to stick with things as is for at least a few more weeks, to see if I’m just in a temporary rut or if I really want to change things up.
But I’m looking for input too. Do you have regular features on your blog, and if so, what do you do when you start to lose interest?
Any suggestions for me and the future of my memes?
I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts!
So maybe you’ve noticed that I’m a bit of an Outlander fan.
Oops, wrong fandom.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted about Outlander, so I thought — on this rainy Saturday morning — I’d gather up the bits and pieces of Outlander-world news that have come up in the last few months.
First, from the world of books:
Sadly, it would appear that we’re not getting the 9th book in the main series in 2017. I know. I know. It’s hard. Diana Herself has made it clear that it takes as long as it takes, and it’s going to take a while. At least we have a title: Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.
What does the title mean? From Diana Gabaldon’s website:
Talking to your bees is a very old Celtic custom (known in other parts of Europe, too) that made it to the Appalachians. You always tell the bees when someone is born, dies, comes or goes—because if you don’t keep them informed, they’ll fly away.
What does this imply for our beloved characters? Discuss amongst yourselves.
In other book news, there are a couple of new releases to report.
First, there’s a new hardcover edition of the story Virgins now available! Virgins was originally released as part of an anthology (Dangerous Women, edited by George R. R. Martin, published 2013). Early this year, Virgins was released as a stand-alone e-story. And now, finally, I have my very own, very shiny new copy to place on my shelves!
Chronologically, Virgins takes place prior to the events of Outlander, telling the story of Jamie and Ian as young mercenaries (and virgins) in France. It’s a wonderful piece of storytelling, and I encourage fans of the series to check it out.
Unfortunately, the hardcover isn’t available directly from US sellers, but I got mine from Book Depository — and since they ship worldwide, it really wasn’t a problem. (And shipping is free, so the price was reasonable too.)
Second, especially for those who write, or those who want to write, or simply for fans, Diana released an e-book entitled “I Give You My Body…”: How I Write Sex Scenes, which is pretty much just what the title says. It’s Diana’s explanation of her approach to writing sex scenes, with tips and excerpts. The book is also available as an audiobook, narrated by Herself — always loads of fun.
Finally, here’s yet another reason to cheer! While we’re not getting a Big Enormous Book (as DG calls them) in 2017, we will have a new release to gobble up. Coming in June, Diana is releasing a collection of stories from the Outlander world.
Seven Stones To Stand or Fall is now available for pre-order from Amazon and other online sources, with a projected release date of June 27, 2017. The collection includes seven stories, some new and some previously published. The stories are…
Previously released:
New (!!!)
From the world of the Starz TV production of Outlander…
Season 3 filming is underway! No word yet on the air date, other than sometime in 2017. There are endless number of fan sites dedicated to the show, with countless behind-the-scenes tidbits and photos, so I won’t bother tracking them down here.
I do want to share the major casting updates of season 3, for those who haven’t seen them yet. New additions to the cast include:
Cesar Domboy as Fergus (all grown up):
Lauren Lyle as Marsali:
David Berry as Lord John:
John Bell as Young Ian:
Wil Johnson as Joe Abernathy:
Hannah James as Geneva Dunsany:
Tanya Reynolds as Isobel Dunsany:
Who else is excited for season 3???
Here’s hoping our long and painful Droughtlander ends soon!
I don’t know exactly how or why, but for whatever reason, I ended up bingeing on Gail Carriger’s short fiction this week, and had a simply splendid time doing it.
I’m a big fan of the Parasol Protectorate series. (What? You haven’t read them? Stop right now and go get a copy of Soulless! Emergency reading intervention required!). I mean, steampunk plus supernatural plus Victorian society… with dirigibles, werewolves, and highly dangerous parasols… what’s not to love?
Still, I haven’t read much of Carriger’s shorter fictions — until now. This week, I started with a new novella, then went back and read some earlier short stories, and finished up with another novella.
So, here’s what I read. First, the short stories:
The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn’t (32 pages, published 2014): This tale centers on Alessandro Tarabotti, father of Alexia of the Parasol Protectorate. In the series, Alessandro is a shadowy figure, already deceased, leaving all sorts of mysteries as his legacy. In The Curious Case, we see Alessandro on an adventure in Egypt. It’s classic Carriger, with spies, action, waistcoats, and proper (and improper) behavior. I enjoyed the story, but still wish we had an entire novel about Alessandro’s life and deeds. The story doesn’t really shed further light on him, but it is quite fun.
Fairy Debt (18 pages, published 2007): Light and fluffy, this is a stand-alone unrelated to Carriger’s steampunk worlds. It’s a straight-up fairy tale, but cute and with a decidedly feminist world view.
My Sister’s Song (17 pages, published 1999): A brief tale of a warrior woman who defeats a Roman squadron thanks to her sister’s skill at charming bees.
I should note here that Gail Carriger has another published short piece, Marine Biology (43 pages, published 2010). Because I read it several years ago, I wasn’t going to include it in my reading wrap-up post… but what the heck — if you’re interested in the author’s short fiction, then it’s worth mentioning! Here’s what I wrote about Marine Biology in my Goodreads review way back when:
“Marine Biology” was originally published in a paranormal romance collection, and has just been released as an ebook single. This is the first story of Gail Carriger’s that I’ve read that’s set in the modern world, rather than the Victorian era. It’s also – shocker! – set in the US. Not a single cup of tea throughout!
“Marine Biology” is a cute, light love story involving a reluctant werewolf hiding his sexuality and a few other key points from his he-man pack. When he and a gorgeous merman are thrown together to investigate some stolen money, sparks fly — and precipate a few important moments of truth.
The mystery is rather beside the point. The fun is in meeting and appreciating the main characters, reading about pack dynamics (and barbeque social mores), and encountering a few interesting marine animals along the way.
Gail Carriger’s humor and way with words shine through, as usual. Of course, if you really want to have fun, I’d highly recommend her Parasol Protectorate series. “Marine Biology” is a quick, diverting read, and would make a great dessert after a night of “serious” reading.
Moving on…
I also read the two newest novellas, both set in the universe of the author’s novels:
Poison or Protect (143 pages, published 2016):
(Goodreads synopsis)
Can one gentle Highland soldier woo Victorian London’s most scandalous lady assassin, or will they both be destroyed in the attempt?
New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger presents a stand-alone romance novella set in her popular steampunk universe full of manners, spies, and dainty sandwiches.
Lady Preshea Villentia, the Mourning Star, has four dead husbands and a nasty reputation. Fortunately, she looks fabulous in black. What society doesn’t know is that all her husbands were marked for death by Preshea’s employer. And Preshea has one final assignment.
It was supposed to be easy, a house party with minimal bloodshed. Preshea hadn’t anticipated Captain Gavin Ruthven – massive, Scottish, quietly irresistible, and… working for the enemy. In a battle of wits, Preshea may risk her own heart – a terrifying prospect, as she never knew she had one.
Buy Poison or Protect today to find out whether it’s heartbreak or haggis at this high tea.
Warning: Contains men pleasing women, and ladies who know what they want and ask for it, sometimes in detail. May also contain plaid, appearances from favorite characters, and the strategic application of leather gloves.
Ha. Gotta love that warning, right? Poison or Protect is fairly explicit, leading to great steaminess in the boudoir scenes. The plot itself is quite fun and engaging, so it’s not JUST about the sex (although there’s plenty of that). I loved Preshea and Gavin, and loved their dynamic together. I understand that Preshea appears as a young girl in the Finishing School series (which I haven’t finished yet — my bad), but not being familiar with her doesn’t have any impact on enjoyment of Poison or Protect. The novella can definitely be read as a stand-alone, and is loads of sexy fun.
Next:
Romancing the Inventor (149 pages, published 2016):
(Goodreads synopsis)
Imogene Hale is a lowly parlourmaid with a soul-crushing secret. Seeking solace, she takes work at a local hive, only to fall desperately in love with the amazing lady inventor the vampires are keeping in the potting shed. Genevieve Lefoux is heartsick, lonely, and French. With culture, class, and the lady herself set against the match, can Imogene and her duster overcome all odds and win Genevieve’s heart, or will the vampires suck both of them dry?
This is a stand-alone LBGTQ sweet romance set in Gail Carriger’s Parasolverse, full of class prejudice, elusive equations, and paranormal creatures taking tea.
Delicate Sensibilities? This story contains women pleasing women and ladies who know what they want and pursue it, sometimes in exquisite detail.
Supernatural Society novellas can be read in any order.
Well, that was certainly different! Romancing the Inventor is set a few years after the events of the Parasol Protectorate books, and reading that series provides the context and backstory for this novella, although I suppose it could work as a stand-alone pretty well too.
Familiar faces from PP show up, some in lead roles (Madame Lefoux), and others in more of a support status (Alexia, Conall, Major Channing, Countess Nadasdy, etc).
Imogene’s journey and pursuit of love is sweet, romantic, and yes, sexy too. There are some steamy sexual encounters, but nothing overly graphic (in my opinion — I suppose it’s a matter of individual sensitivity, after all.) Carriger’s writing is wry and funny and spot-on, as always:
For a full two months, Imogene resumed the established daily pattern — potting shed, sums, dimples, tea, lab, dimples, luncheon, equations, more dimples, supper, and if she was luck, one last set of dimples before bed.
Wrapping it all up…
I’d say that fans of any of Gail Carriger’s novels or series really must read the novellas too. They have everything we fans love about her writing — the settings, the characters, the sense of playful fun, the Victorian manners and social expectations, the fashions — and the naughtiness too.
As for the short stories, well, I’d consider them nonessential, fluffy fun. There’s no reason not to take the short time needed to enjoy them. Of the four, I consider Marine Biology the best, and would make that one a priority over the other three.
Whew! It’s been a Carriger week for me, and I had lots of fun in my deep dive into her shorter works. And now, I’m thinking I really do need to give the Finishing School series another chance.
Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger
(published 2016)
A steamy, definitely-for-adults novella from Gail Carriger’s supernatural/steampunk world — great fun!
She was like opiates — expensive, intoxicating, and deadly in large doses.
And another little sample:
She had acquired female friends before, but in the manner by which she acquired pierced ears (necessary for her image and to prove to the world that she could).
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:
Bookshelf Fantasies 