unspoken

I worry about stories like this.  I worry that they’ll fill up my heart and mind and ruin me for any other books ever.  Holly Black’s Curse Worker books felt this way – like an ache in your chest and a glitter explosion in your brain.  Intellectually I know it is not true, but it feels like Sarah Rees Brennan’s got my heart and soul tied up in knots.  I’m beginning to think she LIKES it.

Kami Glass is in love with someone she's never met—a boy she's talked to in her head since she was born. This has made her an outsider in the sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, but she has learned ways to turn that to her advantage. Her life seems to be in order, until disturbing events begin to occur. There has been screaming in the woods and the manor overlooking the town has lit up for the first time in 10 years…

The Lynburn family, who ruled the town a generation ago and who all left without warning, have returned. Now Kami can see that the town she has known and loved all her life is hiding a multitude of secrets—and a murderer. The key to it all just might be the boy in her head. The boy she thought was imaginary is real, and definitely and deliciously dangerous.

Unspoken is about Kami.  And Jared.  Jared is Kami’s imaginary friend, and has been since she was a little girl.  Except he just became real.  And it turns out that he’s got a crazy family with issues.  Well that’s alright then, because Kami’s whole TOWN has issues, including but not limited to: sinister secrets, attempted murder, and, oh yeah, ritual animal killings in the woods behind Kami’s back garden. 

The story has all the makings of crazy, but it doesn’t go there (quite).  Instead, it’s wise-cracking, smart, emotional (oh lord, don’t get me started!), and has a gothic mystery at its heart that will take more than one book to unravel (see what i did there?  i warned you, like the good reading citizen that i am).  In the process, Kami, Jared and all of their friends and enemies have taken up residence within me.  You know, like good characters do. 

If I had to pick a ‘best part’ of the book, I’d point to the entire thing.  There’s Kami, who is determined to be a journalist and unafraid of looking silly.  Jared, who is in her head and may have dodgy motives.  Angela, Kami’s prickly best friend.  Ash, who is new and beautiful but confusing.  Rusty, Angela’s trusty brother.  Holly, a new friend.  The entire cast of characters in the village, PLUS Jared’s family and Kami’s family.  It should feel crowded, but instead it is just right.

Can I describe a book as painfully good and make you understand it in the best possible light?  Because Brennan has put me through something delicious and hilarious and dark, and I am not sure I’m ever going to be the same (also not sure i’m going to make it until the release date of Lynburn Legacy #2).  In fact, I am very sure that I’ll spend the next few weeks imagining what happens next, and urgently wishing for more of Sorry-in-the-Vale and magic and murders and epic soulmates.

Unspoken is marvelously entertaining, and I can’t recommend it enough.  It’ll definitely make an appearance on my ‘Best of 2012’ list.  Also a consideration: that lovely paper art cover.  It’ll look spiffy on your shelf.  Go get this book!

Recommended for: fans of fun, life and reading.  Maybe especially to those who like YA fantasy, but definitely not limited to them.   

Fine print: I received an e-ARC of this book for review (via NetGalley) from Random House, and I intend to buy an enormous box of Unspoken hardcovers for my friends for Christmas.  Friends: get excited.  Random House: you are genius for publishing this book.  The end.

enchanted glass

I should know by now not to mind the terrible covers on Diana Wynne Jones books.  That said, if there’s one thing I know about my bookish self, it’s that I’m incredibly snobby about cover art.  So, even though I trust her storytelling implicitly (and explicitly, for that matter), I was put off by this ugly cover and didn't read Enchanted Glass right away.  I now wish I had, because in this middle grade fantasy Diana has created a marvelous story, characters and place, and I can see that I’ll be returning to visit its magic again and again.

Something is rotten in the village of Melstone.

Aidan Cain has had the worst week of his life. Creepy, sinister beings want him dead. What's a boy to do? With danger nipping at his heels, Aidan flees to Melstone, a village teeming with magic of its own. There he is taken in by Andrew Hope, the new master of Melstone House, who has some supernatural troubles too. Someone is stealing power from the area—mingling magics—and chaos is swiftly rising. Are Aidan's and Andrew's magical dilemmas connected somehow? And will they be able to unite their powers and unlock the secrets of Melstone before the countryside comes apart at the seams?

Have you read Diana Wynne Jones?  She’s famous (and rightfully so) for writing fantastical stories about worlds tilted just enough off the reality axis to make strange happenings normal, and to make off-kilter responses to those happenings absolutely necessary.  Did that make sense?  Let me try again.  DWJ is a genius, and she’ll show you magic in a way that is completely new, and sideways, and just-as-it-should-be, all at the same time.  Stumbling into one of her worlds only becomes, as Alice said of Wonderland, ‘curioser and curiouser.’

Is it quite clear that I loved this book?  I’ll tell you why, then.  Enchanted Glass is a double story: it follows thirty year-old professor Andrew Hope and a quite young (12? 13?) Aidan Cain.  Andrew has been given a task, but isn’t quite sure what it entails.  Aidan is being chased by dangerous not-humans.  They each have magic, and they are each drawn to Melstone House… But what are they to do about Aidan’s predicament, and what is Andrew’s inheritance that he can’t find or remember?  Unraveling these mysteries will take all of the courage, concentration and luck that both Andrew and Aidan can muster.  It is a challenge that will change Melstone, and their lives, forever.

What that summary doesn’t convey is the charm and wit and rightness of Jones’ writing.  While there’s always a ‘something large and potentially world threatening’ going on in the background, the characters live very much in the moment, and their actions feel real and justified.  Those characters are also authentic: if they’re smart, they’re often blind to a particular problem.  If they seem simple, there is something hiding beneath the surface.  And even the side characters are never, ever extraneous to the story.  That is why a story about a small, magical village feels important and true and beautiful, and why I love Diana Wynne Jones’ writing.

If I must find something to pick over, it’s that there aren’t any female main characters in this story.  But there is generational diversity (old, young, in-between!) and species diversity, and most importantly, the end result is a magical tale masterfully told.

Recommended for: all ages, fans of fantasy, fans of Diana Wynne Jones, and anyone who liked J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

cosmic

Outer space.  The universe.  The final frontier.  No, this isn’t a review of Star Trek (though I did watch the new film for the sixth time this weekend).  I mean real, void-filled-with-stars-and-planets space – when’s the last time you thought about it?  It’s been in my mind quite a lot lately, what with the Mars rover landing and occasional sci-fi reads.  Turns out that my latest read plunged me right into an astronaut adventure.  Frank Cottrell Boyce’s middle grade novel Cosmic is by far the funniest and best book set (partially) in space that I’ve read in ages.

Liam has always felt a bit like he's stuck between two worlds. This is primarily because he's a twelve-year-old kid who looks like he's about thirty. Sometimes it's not so bad, like when his new principal mistakes him for a teacher on the first day of school or when he convinces a car dealer to let him take a Porsche out on a test drive. But mostly it's just frustrating, being a kid trapped in an adult world. And so he decides to flip things around. Liam cons his way onto the first spaceship to take civilians into space, a special flight for a group of kids and an adult chaperone, and he is going as the adult chaperone. It's not long before Liam, along with his friends, is stuck between two worlds again—only this time he's 239,000 miles from home. 

Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of Millions and Framed, brings us a funny and touching story of the many ways in which grown-upness is truly wasted on grown-ups.

Liam is about to start high school, and this is a problem.  Why?  Oh, because he’s freakishly tall, doesn’t have friends to speak of, and his best skills lie in the realm of computer games.  Also, grown-up people seem to mistake him for an adult quite a lot.  But to be honest, that particular problem does lead to some interesting adventures.  It is Liam’s insatiable curiosity, enthusiasm for games, and outsize height that eventually land him in a…spaceship?  Cosmic is Liam’s story, and it’s about growing up, figuring life out, and keeping your family and friends in your heart, even if you head on a universe-sized adventure.

The story isn’t just Liam, though – it’s his family (a mum who worries and a dad who drives a taxi).  It’s the drama troupe he’s been enrolled in to help him develop his social IQ.  It’s his obsession with World of Warcraft and gaming and seeing the world in terms of quests and adventures.  Then there’s Florida, a celebrity-obsessed fellow drama enrollee who lets Liam pretend to be her dad to get free things at the mall.  And let’s not forget the other characters who make it into space and the reader’s heart.  This is a book with charm and intelligence and accessibility.  In other words?  It has no downside.

Cosmic is witty, smart, silly and endearing.  It’s full of bits of wisdom and whimsy that will make you laugh and sigh and ponder the awkward reality of the growing up years – and force you to relive those moments when you wondered why parents act that way.  It’s golden-hearted and beautiful.

Recommended for: children of all ages, shapes and sizes (young at heart counts!), and those looking for books about family, about space, about being gifted and not fitting in, about feeling alone in the midst of the universe, and about finding something good on earth to make coming home worthwhile. 

Fine print: I received a paperback copy of Cosmic for review from the folks at Walden Pond Press (HarperCollins).  And then I went and bought a copy for my brother’s 26th birthday present.  It’s really that good.  Trust me.

a monster calls

A couple of years ago, I went on a dystopian reading bender (snaps to Rhiannon for that craze), and I was most impressed by Patrick Ness’ The Knife of Never Letting Go. It was raw and amazing, and I resolved to keep an eye out for Ness’ books. Last summer I started hearing trickles of praise for his latest release, A Monster Calls. Then Kiersten White wrote about how much she loved and cried over it. I placed it on hold at my local library and that was that.

An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting – he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd – whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself – Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

Patrick Ness has a talent for pulling emotion out of the most reluctant reader. He writes stories that reach the hidden thoughts we all carry with us. It’s unsettling, it’s beautiful, and you end up wrecked and happy and feeling as though you SURVIVED. In A Monster Calls, Ness stays true to form (and delivers a masterpiece).

I’ve discovered that I enjoy Ness’ books when I go into them blind. You don’t need to know in advance what the main conflict is in order to enjoy it. So my usual summary is brief: Conor meets a monster, and it shows him true things. True, terrible, unthinkable things – about himself, and stories, and the sometimes unbearable road of life.

Of course, the beauty of the hardcover volume (delightful presentation might be my weakness) does not hurt. A Monster Calls is filled with fantastic illustrations by Jim Kay, all done in black and white and focused on texture and shadow. Add in the jacket and endpapers, along with the content, and it may be THE perfect gift book. I’d even put out on a coffee table for people to admire.

To recap, A Monster Calls is bitter, sweet, and lovely on the inside and out. It may (probably will) touch your soul.

Recommended for: anyone with a heartbeat. It is beyond excellent.

book blogger appreciation week 2011 - community

Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2011 is here! During this week the book blogging world acknowledges the wonderful community we have online. We do this by handing out awards (congratulations to all those nominated!), and by following daily blogging prompts. Today the focus is community.

My contribution for the day will be to shout out to a few blogs that have enriched my blogging experience. These people are lovely – genuinely nice people. And they love books. Go visit, and tell them I sent you!

Rhiannon Hart at Dangers Untold and Hardships Unnumbered

Rhiannon is the first blogger I actually wanted to be. She’s a talented writer (she’s just been published! her book is on its way to me from Australia as we speak!), and she has impeccable taste in books. Also: I think she probably knows everything EVER about dystopian lit.

Juju at Tales of Whimsy

My most faithful commenter award goes to Juju. I don’t know how this lady does it, but she juggles real life, keeps up a beautiful blog, and comments (almost) instantaneously whenever I publish a post. She’s fantastic.

Alyce at At Home with Books

Alyce ran one of my all-time favorite features – My Favorite Reads (now retired), and is very sweet in person. She also has fantastic taste in science fiction, and her picks challenge me to read beyond my comfort zone.

Ryan at Wordsmithonia

Ryan is proof that sometimes you don’t have to share tastes beyond for a love of reading to become great friends and supporters. Luckily, we’ve discovered that both have a thing for Mercedes Lackey’s books. Ryan is consistently encouraging – and a great part of my blogging experience.

Kristen M. at We Be Reading

Kristen and I have been lucky enough to meet in person a couple of times, and each time I’ve been impressed by her kindness and humor. She’s smart, she reviews fun kid lit – what’s not to love?

Velvet at vvb32reads

Velvet is an active blogger year-round – she shares awesome steampunk and zombie events (check out September Zombies!). She’s engaged and engaging, and her programming has provided much-needed structure in my reading world.

Of course, these aren’t the only bloggers I appreciate. I find myself grateful and humbled when I think of all the help and fun that I’ve had with you over the years. Thank you, and please, keep it up!

600 followers strong (+ giveaway)

If there’s anything that will make me smile after a tumultuous day, it’s finding out that new people are finding and following my blog. This isn’t a pride thing (okay, it IS, a little bit) so much as a “AHHHH!!! look how many people I get to share awesome books with!” thing. It’s silly, but I used to think I was the only book nerd alive (aside from our local librarians. they were rad. but i was still scared of them.). Affirming that there are more bibliophiles in the world each day? Beyond great.

I get a thrill out of recommending a special title and finding out later that a friend connected with a book. I love finding that out about internet acquaintances, too! And there’s a place in my heart for those who share my taste in books. THIS is why I like holding giveaways. I want all of you to love the books I love, and the first step towards that is getting them in your hands.

[art from FauxKiss' etsy shop]

THUS, the 600 follower (and thank you for being freaking wonderful) giveaway. One winner will receive $30 US to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or the Book Depository. Giveaway open internationally, will close on September 5, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be selected randomly and notified via email. To enter, simply fill out the FORM.

If I didn’t say it clearly enough before, THANK YOU for reading along and letting me know when I’ve got it right/wrong/upside down. You’re all lovely.

headed west

[art from poppyandpinecone's etsy shop]

I'm going home to the Seattle area today. One week of awesome with the family, coming right up!

kitchen exploits lead to delicious success

This post’s alternate title is ‘How to make a lot of people happy and Cecelia a little crazy, volume 43: Soufflés.’ However, I liked the first one better. And with the final result it was much more accurate, so we’ll stick with it. What an adventure, folks, what an adventure.*

A couple of people asked me how/why I attempted this recipe. It was like this: ricotta was on sale. I bought some, even though I’d never used it before (that’s right. EVER.). Blackberries were also on sale. I googled “blackberry ricotta recipe.” This epicurious gem came up on the first page of results, and the accompanying picture looked delicious. Also: my friend Katie gave me ramekins for my birthday in December, and I hadn’t used them yet. Yes, that highly scientific process is how I usually make baking decisions, thanks for asking. Brace yourselves for awesome.

[the pastry cream before the addition of milk. it started so innocently...]

Ricotta Soufflés with Blackberry Compote

INGREDIENTS

1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour

4 large egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

1 cup whole milk

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

2 cups frozen blackberries (or 12 oz. fresh)

1/4 cup sweet vermouth (I substituted apple juice, as I didn’t have any vermouth)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 large egg whites

[egg whites on their way to stiff peaks. just ten...ten more minutes?]

DIRECTIONS

Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and flour in large bowl. Add egg yolks and lemon peel; whisk to blend.

Bring milk just to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly (pastry cream will be thick). Spread pastry cream out to 1/3-inch thickness on small rimmed baking sheet. Cover completely with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature. Transfer pastry cream to medium bowl. Whisk in ricotta. Cover and chill until cold, about 1 hour.

Bring blackberries, vermouth (apple juice!), lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar to boil in small saucepan, crushing some berries and stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until mixture thickens, about 8 (10-12 with apple juice) minutes. Transfer blackberry compote to small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill.

[it's a tough job, but somebody had to do it. and actually, i volunteered - silly me!]

Butter six 1/2-cup ramekins; coat with sugar, tapping out any excess. Using electric mixer**, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 6 tablespoons sugar; continue beating until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into ricotta mixture. Spoon batter into ramekins; smooth tops. Run thumb 1/4 inch deep around inside edge of each soufflé dish to wipe clean. Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake soufflés until puffed and golden at edges, about 28 minutes (about 32 minutes if chilled). Serve immediately with blackberry compote.

NOTE #1: I used four 1/2-cup ramekins and three 1-cup ramekins, all filled generously – so if you follow the directions you may end up with superfluous soufflé mixture.

NOTE #2: Don’t jostle or set the soufflé dishes down hard – it will make them fall. Gentle touches for your lovely desserts. I learned that the hard way.

[the blackberry compote reducing. that wooden spoon had to be thrown out - ruined in the best way possible!]

I had never attempted soufflés before. I also did not own a hand mixer OR a stand mixer. I had my own two hands and a rather feeble whisk. It was…rather torturous. First mistake: I did not understand what the recipe meant when it referred to ‘stiff peaks,’ so I image searched the term. When I saw photos, then looked back to my little bowl of egg whites, I almost had a heart attack.

After THIRTY MINUTES of whisking, my hands had nearly given out. Luckily my roommate stepped in for a couple of minutes for key relief whisking. My advice for all time: DO NOT ATTEMPT without an electric mixer. Just…don’t. Later that evening I had trouble holding a fork. I am completely serious.

[all the ramekins arranged on a cookie sheet and ready to go in the oven]

With all that said, this recipe is easily the most delicious thing I have ever baked. I was very, very proud of all that work, and it paid off. Those soufflés were delicious and gorgeous, and afforded me the chance to throw a party to celebrate the process. They were light and fluffy, and the sweet fruit compote contrasted beautifully with the texture. I will definitely make them again. Especially now that I own a nifty immersion blender. I see my baking future becoming much more enjoyable.

[this fabulous photo courtesy of thelastgoodnite, a lucky dinner and dessert invitee]

Recommended for: an afternoon when you are feeling adventurous and have time to kill, an impressive dessert that will awe your guests, and a delicious and complex sweet to add to your baking repertoire.

*To say the very LEAST. My hands hurt just thinking about it. Also, I failed to secure the egg whites in between steps, so I had an egg white disaster area in my refrigerator in the middle of the whole experience. Cusses may have been said. Unavoidable, really.

**When they say electric mixer, they mean it. See story above for clarification. Do not be foolhardy!

2010: best of

Before you even voice that question – yes, I know we’re a month into 2011. I’m running late. Oh, you’re not? Funny, that. I thought everyone was. I also thought about ditching this post altogether given its tardiness, but I like the idea of summarizing my year’s reading too much to give it up.

In my Best of 2009 post I listed 19 books. This year’s list is more modest, in keeping with my reduced reading pace (thanks much, full-time job). Also, there are a couple of AWESOME books that I read in late 2010 and haven’t gotten around to reviewing. Those will have to go on the 2011 list, I suppose.

Disclaimer: not all of the books on my list were necessarily published in 2010. Not all are wonderful literature (gasp!), but all ARE: moving, or entertaining, or thought-provoking or simply un-put-downable. And I read and reviewed them in the calendar year.

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal – This was a case of love at first sight. Shades was wonderful – an Austenish novel with magic (and therefore my ideal book). It was an absolute gem, and packaged beautifully as well. Best recommendation? I bought it for my sister the very next day.

Cold Magic by Kate Elliott – A guilty pleasure read to start (or so I thought), which turned into genuine love and a bit of old-fashioned awe at the world-building. For fun, and absolutely for fantasy fans.

White Cat by Holly Black – Most unexpected success of the year award goes to this novel. Engrossing, clever, and fast-paced mystery with con men pitted against school kids. Definitely the start of something amazing. I made my brother buy it, and fangirled at a Holly Black signing at ALA.

The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel – Start with emotionally honest writing, add in a quirky and self-aware heroine, and a dash of family zaniness for good measure. The recipe? A perfect reading choice before any family event and a great reminder that everyone really is as dysfunctional as they seem (or even more so).

The Beastly Bride edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling – All that an anthology should be.With stories inspired by myth and by turns humorous, weird, frightening and wondrous, this collection kept me glued to the page with tale after tale.

Princess Hyacinth by Florence Parry Heide, Illustrated by Lane Smith – Equal parts sweet, laugh-out-loud funny and poignant, this picture book is one to treasure for many years. Life lessons, uncommon artistic composition and unforgettable text combine to make for a wonderful reading experience.

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak – Zusak starts us off with a protagonist unraveling a mystery, and along the way finding instincts and strength to survive. Readers along for the ride watch him discovering himself and unexpected bits of life and joy and pain. This novel is a raw journey. It tapped my emotions, and the entire trip surprised the heck out of me.

The Moorchild by Eloise Jarvis McGraw – I found this novel through a blog commenter, right here at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia. McGraw has been a long-time favorite, and to find a new-to-me novel at the same standard of excellence I was always used to from her caused much rejoicing. This book in three words: haunting, lyrical, melancholic.

Fire by Kristin Cashore – A companion novel to Cashore’s outstanding debut novel, Graceling, and a brilliant, colorful, wise and difficult book in its own right. And I mean difficult in the way that emotionally challenging things are hard (character building, in other words). Fire is an unforgettable heroine, and the Dells she lives in are a richly imagined fantasy landscape.

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern – One of the best contemporary young adult novels I’ve come across, and not least because I myself am a nerd (no, REALLY?). I could identify with the plucky girl starring in this story, and was unreasonably pleased that she also had a ‘normal’ nuclear family – something of a rarity in YA lit.

Archangel by Sharon Shinn – When I committed to the Horns and Halos challenge (wrap-up post coming shortly) I hadn’t read a single thing by Sharon Shinn. This novel is an introduction ot one of the best in the trade, and the atmospheric writing and descriptions of choral music spoke to my soul – and made me a fan for life.

What were some of your favorite books in 2010?

happy halloween

I’m not really a Halloween person. I don’t do scary, and I’m not a huge fan of dressing up, so it makes sense. Now Christmas – give me Christmas any day (yes, even in July). BUT! Over the last year and a half my tolerance for zombies has grown into something fairly substantial. And some of my friends have dubbed me the ‘zombie girl.’ What better night to actually try out my zombie face than Halloween? So, for your viewing pleasure, a step-by-step transformation…

The blank page. I usually don't wear my hear pulled back like this, but the YouTube 'how to' videos strongly suggested it. LOVE that there are tutorials on how to do zombie makeup. I mean, seriously awesome.

The tools (thank you, generic party store).

After applying the white base coat. I already look pretty crazy, but there's plenty of ground to cover. Err...brains to eat!

The finished product. I smudged black and grey around my eyes, and used the 'vampire blood' to create a realistic look on my shirt. Because I didn't really want blood on my face.

Pretty freaky, huh? It was FUN. And kind of perfect. Because when we went out, everyone thought it was cool, but no one got too close. Just the way I like it…

wonderful news!

And on a MONDAY, no less. That hardly ever happens. Okay, NEWS: I got a job! I start Wednesday! I can continue to buy books and pay for the interwebs for blogging purposes and have a roof over my head and other awesome things. So happy today! And I don't even care that I used a super run-on sentence back there. DON'T CARE. I'm grinning.

[graphic found in dazeychic etsy shop]

sometimes i compose letters in my head

To random people I’ve silently judged. Not that I’m like, eaten up with judgment or obsessive or anything (much). I just sometimes send these things in a mass email to people who know the real me (and will still laugh at my jokes). Side note: I am snarky, silly, weird, and absurd. Mostly on the inside, but you know, that’s how I roll. These people requested that I make my letters public. I apologize in advance. Or something. Enjoy!

Dear Petite Lady in Jogging Suit,

I saw you judging me (yeah, those dark glasses don’t hide everything, do they?), but I still gave you a real smile in case it was just a bad day. Making eye contact and then frowning? Not cool. Plus, it’ll give you even more wrinkles. Ta!

Love,

Me

Dear Guy Clipping His Fingernails on the Bus,

Oh hey. I understand your commitment to personal hygiene, I really do. You're a handsome dude, and you want to take care of yourself. PUT. DOWN. THE NAIL CLIPPERS. That stuff is just not acceptable in a public setting. Ever. Yeah, that's right. Pull out your sci-fi novel and keep your dead skin cells to yourself.

Kthanksbye!

Love,

Me

Dear Self,

You know you are a nerd when…you figure out a way to download a book to your crackberry and then read so intently that you miss your Metro stop. And have to circle back. Try to pay attention. Also? You already have too many books. And you don’t have any room to judge the tourists when you’re freaking missing your stop. Geez.

Love,

Me

blindingly cute

While I was living in the Seattle area last year I met up with Kam from street fashion blog needle + thread for a tour of the Theo chocolate factory, an organic and fair-trade chocolatier. I talked about it in this post. Ever since, I’ve been following Kam on Twitter. She takes lovely photos and I like to live vicariously. But…the other day she tweeted about where she gets her business cards, which I remember admiring back when we met. Turns out she uses a company called MOO, and that they do something called ‘mini cards.’

Behold my latest online shopping folly:

Packaging? Is everything. I do not kid.

You can choose from many designs or make your own, upload your own photos or use designer graphics, and enter whatever information you like. I chose to make some blog business cards, because they seem like the kind of thing to hand out when you go to a book signing, convention, or conference. I’m hoping to make it for a day of ALA later this month, and I want to be prepared!

Also? They’re just SO. EFFING. CUTE.

I chose designs to match my blog background and a couple that just screamed ‘FUN!’ to me. Do you all have blog business cards? I heart mine pretty hard, but then I’m a nerd like that. If you do, where did you get them? Photos or it didn’t happen!

I bought these with my hard-earned, real-job cash. I didn't get paid to post this, either. But that would be cool, too. Hey MOO, hit me up!

200 followers? contest!

image by k. barteski at [i] love life

OH. MY. WORD. I have 200 followers?! You people are amazing. No, seriously. If I could give each of you a chai tea latte and a hug, I would. Alas, I cannot: some of you do not drink tea. Some of you do not drink dairy. Some of you live out in the wilds where I cannot come and hug you (at least not at the moment…). But I do want to give you something…memorable. How about this…

If you are a follower, I heart you. I am going to give you the best thing ever: BOOKS. Two followers who comment on this post will win a book of their choice. Within reason, of course. Two people, one book each. Order whatever tome you’d like on The Book Depository, but keep it under $25 US. Contest is open internationally. Just leave me an email address or another way to get in touch. This contest ends January 23. Enter now!

**If you were a follower when I hit 200 (today, January 12), leave me a +1 note in your comment. I’ll give you an extra entry. ‘Cause I love you like that.

Good luck!

red-letter days (+ contest)

It WAS my birthday. It IS the New Year. I HAVE a new job…started Tuesday, actually. Also, Christmas was only a bit ago, and I moved across the country last week (AGAIN). It seems like my life’s been ‘all shook up’ for a while now, and the flakes might just start to settle to the bottom of the snowglobe if I don’t do anything crazy. Cross your fingers...

photo courtesy of Bakerella

So, just the facts, ma’am. New location: Washington, DC. New job: at an international non-profit. New home: moved into an apartment with college girlfriends when my college roommate moved out into her own place. New favorite bookstore: unknown. If you know of any super places in the DC metro area, help me out!

Silly anecdote: on the first day of my new job, the lights in my office went out. Good news, though. I have a window, and we were fine on light until around 5pm. Also good news? I have a Greek co-worker (his voice…!). Like, wow. I got laughs out of my roommates with my meager impression skillz. But he really does have a hot accent. Oh, and yeah? I cleaned the coffeemaker. Nice.

Second day of my new job (today): lights get fixed. I make many trips to the dumpster and start organizing the heck out of my desk. The lights go OUT. Greek co-worker with delicious voice offers to make coffee. I say ‘yes, please!’ It's a shame he’s leaving in two weeks…

In honor of all this craziness (new job! new town! new home!), I’d like to hold a contest. For…NEW BOOKS! Of your choice. Yep, $25 to The Book Depository.

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If you’d like to win $25 US to The Book Depository website, make sure to post a comment. I’ll give away one (1) prize to a lucky entrant.

To enter:

Leave a comment on this post answering the question, “What’s your drink of choice while working or reading?”

Please include your email address or another method of contact. Giveaway is open internationally. It will close on January 20 at 11:59pm EST, and I will notify the randomly selected winner via email.

Winner will select titles from the website, the sum of which may total no more than $25 US. I will then place the order, to be delivered to the address provided. Any unused money will revert to me (celi.a, owner of adventures of cecelia bedelia).

Good luck!

best of 2009

I know everyone does these lists - the ones where you record your 'best' or 'favorite' reads of 2009. I had great plans before the holidays to do gift guides and so on. I got busy. So...just my Best of 2009 reading list. Not all of these were necessarily published in 2009, but I read them this year. Not all are wonderful literature (gasp!), but all ARE: moving, or entertaining, or thought-provoking or simply un-put-downable. What were your best books from the last year? Feel free to link in the comments!

Best of 2009 (in no particular order)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – You’ve probably heard all the hype by now. I thought it was completely warranted. This book made me cry in public. Yep. Couldn’t stop, and I didn’t care.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness – A gripping, rattling, non-stop action read. It ripped me up inside, and I was amazed again by the strength of dystopian YA lit as a genre.

Angels’ Blood by Nalini Singh – I love paranormal romance with a strong heroine and unique world-building. This one sucked me in with a dark story and characters I loved/hated/thought were really hot.

Wake by Lisa McMann – Up-front one of the most engaging and mysterious YA novels of the year. Really gripping storyline, and a couple of completely unforgettable teenage protagonists.

The Mysterious Benedict Society – I’m a sucker for clever films. Turns out I’m a sucker for clever children’s books, too. This was so SMART, and fun, and I loved it to pieces. I gobbled it up and was absolutely enthralled by the plotting and pacing of this delightful mystery.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – My first foray into proper ‘steampunk.’ A delightful action adventure that ran across Europe and introduced the reader to characters as inventive and courageous as anyone could wish for. Left me DYING for Behemoth, the sequel.

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede – Wrede is one of my all-time favorite fantasy authors, and she doesn’t disappoint in this first entry in an alternate American West. Eff and her multitude of brothers and sisters are a joy to hang with, and I’m all set for the next installment.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones – A follow-up of sorts to Howl’s Moving Castle, and another quirky, funny, and sometimes bizarre fantasy tale. All sorts of fun. Really.

Peter & Max by Bill Willingham – Bloodthirsty. Fairy. Story. Adventure, murder, mayhem, magic, Happily Ever After. “What?” you say? Just plain awesome. Go read it.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith – A rollicking good mash-up of zombies and a fiction classic. Both the writing and the illustrations made me laugh aloud at various points, and I gained a reputation as a zombie-lover by recommending this to friends.

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev – Theater/fairy story with a surplus of charm and energy and verve. Really wonderful writing to boot. What’s not to like?

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – The man can WRITE. Like, whoa. I read an excerpt from his recent War Dances, and that led me to this one. Full of laughter, tears, life lessons and again, ridiculously good writing.

Soulless by Gail Carriger – You know how I mentioned love of paranormal romance and steampunk? This one marries the two with the wittiest and most entertaining dialogue I can remember reading. A jolly good time.

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis – I read theological books, but don’t often “enjoy” them. This one…it makes you think about heaven and hell and what the divide between the two really is (if there is one). Lewis is a classical scholar and writer who can couch these deep spiritual truths in simple language and metaphors.

Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link – Take bizarre to outer reaches. Make me laugh at alien abduction stories. Do the dark in a light fantastic sort of way. You end up with this stellar short story anthology. I wasn’t a fan of the form before, but I sure am now.

Troll’s-Eye View by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling – A children’s short story anthology, with contributions by the masters of fantasy. Fairy stories told from the villain’s point of view. Another volume that made me re-think my aversion to short stories. Super awesome.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card – An absolute classic in sci-fi – the only mystery is why it took me so long to read this one. Because it blew me out of the water. Isolation and genius so well-portrayed. Was beyond impressed.

The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan – Hottest teenage hero of the year award goes to Nick. He’s not good for you, but he’s compelling and you have to love him. I can’t wait for more of Brennan’s writing – and swords kept under the sink.

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund – Space school, mystery, touching romance. Put in pot, stir, add a dash of betrayal, uncertainty and distrust. Produces an amazing book that you’ll want to re-read.

What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – This author guarantees multiple laughs, teary eyes and a happy ending. Truly wonderful romance/women’s fiction. I can’t get enough of Ms. Phillips – some of my favorite standby comfort fiction, and this one will join the stable, no problem.

And that's all for now, barring any intense, amazing reads in the next couple of days. *smile*