All Your Books Are Belong To Us

What happens when you give a book geek gift certificates to her favorite bookstore? Pure mania. It could have been too much coffee, but my heart was beating faster than little Despereaux's. Here's a peek at my loot:

1. Half World by Hiromi Goto with illustrations by Jillian Tamaki

Why I'm excited: Beautiful illustrations and a review describing it as "a dark fantasy"with "a complex heroine." Also, it had a "Staff Pick" sticker. I like it when Malaprop's tells me what to read.

2. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Why I'm excited: Rave review from my favorite librarian. Also, someone stuck in a sweet little note that tugged at my convulsing heart. Sidenote: I am forever loyal to David Levithan...he chose one of my stories to include in a PUSH anthology!

3. mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

Why I'm excited: Twitter chat from YAL book reviewers place this as a must-read. 1st person POV from a girl with Asperger's who is trying to process her brother's death and father's sadness. I expect tenderness paired with acute observations...should be interesting.

4. The Odyssey by Homer

Why I'm excited: It's The Odyssey published in Penguin Classic's line of b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l fabric bound, block printed books. Sigh.

5. My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales edited by Kate Bernheimer

Why I'm excited: This anthology includes "rewritten" fairy tales from writers such as Michael Cunningham, Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Martone, John Updike, and Neil Gaimon (doing his version of The Odyssey no less!). It doesn't hurt that the title is from one of my favorite twisted fairy tales, The Juniper Tree...and Cinderella thought she had problems.

6. Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci

Why I'm excited: This may not be common knowledge, but I'm a huge geek (take a breath to process that if you need to). This book makes me feel better about myself. Plus, it doesn't hurt that M.T. Anderson, John Green, and David Levithan (see above allegiance) profess their geekdom in pixelated banners (you know...as opposed to waving their flags...). Holly Black is my new favorite person. Bonus: comics called "How to Hook Up at the Science Fair" and "How to Cheat Like a Nerd."

And because I haven't updated in a while, here's a list of what I've been reading...

• The Sandman by Neil Gaimon
• The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
• The White Horse Trick by Kate Thompson
• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

I'm planning on a double-dip book review post with info on The White Horse Trick and When You Reach Me. I'm still working on the later, and noticing some similar themes....

Whew...ok...time to go read some more!