Ethel, I think you underestimated your transmitter!

The Seance
John Harwood

Can I just say how much I LOVE this time of year? True, the fall also coincides with a return to work which is, of course, full of UGH, but even a return to grading and poorly constructed sentences and forgotten homework can't make me entirely dislike autumn. AND, it's time for SPOOKY READS! Which are, of course, full of win.

So, you might remember John Harwood from The Ghost Writer, which was, as I recall, "a pretty good time." Now he's back with The Seance, an equally atmospheric Gothic mystery set in Victorian England.

Constance Langton has problems. Her father doesn't care about her, and her mother is too busy mourning her dead sister to care much about her, either. Constance begins to delve into the nascent spiritualist community in hopes of helping her mother move on from her grief.

Whoops. So much for THAT. The best of intentions, and all that. Before you know it, Constance learns she has inherited Wraxford Hall, a mouldering old mansion in the countryside, from a distant reputation. The lawyer who tells her of this inheritance warns her to sell the building without setting foot in it -- it has been the site of numerous apparitions, disappearances, and deaths. The Hall remains shrouded in mystery.

But this wouldn't be an entertaining novel if Constance were to listen. Soon she finds herself searching for the truth behind Wraxford Hall.

The Seance is a nice little novel that is both spooky and endearing. My only complaint is that I had a hard time envisioning some of the action (especially as the mystery was explained); however, this confusion is probably due to my unfamiliarity with the layout of such great homes. (Also, I was reading on my Kindle while walking on my treadmill. So I'm sure that didn't increase my comprehension. Oh well.)

In a nutshell: Charming, spooky, mysterious -- great fun.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal Kindle copy here

RIPV: Ghosts, seances, and a mystery? You're darn right The Seance counts toward this year's RIP challenge. BAM!

Want to cure an obsession? Get another one.

Dr. Haggard's Disease
Patrick McGrath

Oh, Mr. McGrath. You are so wonderful. So literary, yet so Gothic. You tax my brain at the same time you chill my spine. How I love you.

Anyway, not so long ago (or almost two years!? insert obligatory lament re: time flying, and all that), I read a wee little tale called Asylum, and my love for Patrick McGrath was born. Alas, I had not the time nor the insight to seek out more of his work -- until now. Now that I've read my second McGrath, it's nearly all I can do to stop myself from buying every single thing the man's ever written. SO. GOOD.

Ok, so - Dr. Haggard's Disease. Dr. Haggard, injured and alone, has retired to a gothic manor to obsess over his lost love. As a young doctor, he had a brief but torrid affair with Fanny, the wife of a senior staff member. Unfortunately THINGS HAPPEN, and now Dr. Haggard is, well, a bit haggard. Now Fanny-less, he pines for his lost life -- until he receives a visit from Fanny's young son. And then he gets REALLY WEIRD.

In a nutshell: Love. Obsession. Addiction. Haunting, rhythmic prose. A crumbling seaside mansion. What's not to love?

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: This one's all mine. And so shall every other McGrath out there. You've been warned.

RIPV: Thanks to its Gothic nature, Dr. Haggard's Disease most definitely counts toward this year's RIP challenge. I'm killing this challenge! KILLING IT!

The Summer of Sookie continues

Dead to the World
Charlaine Harris

Okay, y'all, you said Book 4 would be good, and it was. But it was sooo bad, too. Charlaine Harris, I'm shaking my fist at you.

Let's see. Sookie's just finished wrasslin with the werewolves in Book 3, so now it's on to another superbad baddy. This time, it's witches! (Highlight for small spoiler, I mean it's not gonna ruin the book or anything.)

So, anyway, Sookie's driving home and bam! Naked Eric everywhere. Clearly, this is headed in a good direction. And he's all memory-less (and therefore nice and sweet-like). OKAY!

Basically, Sookie's gotta make things right by going up against the aforementioned, not-really-spoilery baddy(ies). Which she does. While Eric hides in her house. So far, so good.

And it would have been absolutely perfect had it not been for the sheer laughability of it. Sookie is good at prompting second-hand embarrassment (even she admits she isn't the savviest of wits) and her awkwardness delayed me from finishing one particular scene. (We're talking a couple paragraphs. That took me two days. She's just so damn awkward, that Sookie. I mean, at one point Suckie [typo, but it stays] says -- in all seriousness -- "I could tell that flicked his Bic." Really? You really thought that? NO YOU DIDN'T.)



Damn you Charlaine Harris, laughing all the way to the mothereffing bank!

Bizarrely, however, I liked this book all the better in spite of -- or perhaps thanks to -- its absurdity. I just can't quit you, Sookie! See you in Book 5!

In a nutshell: ERIIIIIIIIIIIIICC

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal kindle download!

In case you're interested: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3

Spoiler free: Mockingjay!

Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins

So, the odds were ever in my favor when I learned that the kindle edition of Mockingjay was released at the same time as the "real" version. Woohoo! I could join in with the rest of the fangirls (and boys) and find out how this sitch would play out.

Don't worry, I won't spoil nothin.

So, spoiler free, eh? Okay, I can do this. Collins has achieved the nearly impossible: she has ended her trilogy satisfactorily, without weaseling out of anything painful, and yet somehow still giving her characters the ending they deserve.

At times, I was a little eye-rolley at the continued melodrama of Katniss' love triangle, but Collins anticipates such feelings, as one character snarkily remarks on Katniss' constant boy problems. Also, there are a few places where things get reaallll convenient, but that's part of the fun, too.

Still, the ending was perfect, and the final line? Absolute perfection. Erase any fears you may have that Mockingjay will disappoint. It won't.

What else needs to be said? If you're a fan of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, you simply must read Mockingjay. And if you're not a fan, well...what's wrong with you?

In a nutshell: Ultimately, the trilogy ends well -- but not too well -- for those we have come to love since reading The Hunger Games.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal Kindle edition...awwwww, yeah

Insert "Release the Kraken" joke here

Kraken
China Mieville

Dude.

Sometimes, when you finish a book like Kraken, that's all you can say.

Dude.

I've waited a bit to write this review in an effort to allow the effects of the novel to settle a bit. Still, "Dude" is all I can manage even now, days later.

Kraken was my first encounter with Mieville, despite The City and the City being on my TBR list for an eternity now. I had expected his work to be intelligent, weird, maybe even a little difficult to plow through, but I underestimated what was in store for me. Simply put, Kraken is awe-inspiring.

Although a simple summary is near impossible, let's see what I can manage: the novel begins as Billy Harrow leads a tour through the Darwin Center only to find the centerpiece of its exhibit, an eight-meter-long giant squid, has disappeared -- tank and all. Investigators are baffled.

Billy soon finds himself thrown into a world he never knew existed: one full of thugs, sorcerers, Londonmancers, strange cults (like the Krakenists who worship the giant squid, obviously), and more. It isn't long before Billy discovers the missing Kraken will bring about the apocalypse. Oh noes!

my bad

This fast-paced, labyrinthine novel will make you work (it's 500 pages and feels like it), but it's worth it. The large cast of characters might be unnecessary but I was so entertained and fascinated by them that I didn't care. (C'mon -- Tattoo? Hysterical. Goss and Subby? Mesmerizing. Wati? Genius.)

Besides, watching each group duke it out over a giant squid is ANYTHING but boring. And what will happen when the squid is found? Can the end of the world be avoided? Or will it all go up in flames? You'll want to find out -- and the answer will be anything but predictable.

In a nutshell: Awesome, awesome, awesome. Kraken grips readers from the onset and tears right through to the end. Once it gets its tentacles around you, escape is impossible.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal, hardcover copy over here. woot woot

The Classics Circuit: Alexandre Dumas

The Black Tulip
Alexandre Dumas

I must admit, I was a little daunted by Dumas. I chose The Black Tulip solely based on its length (it's the shortest of his novels), and when I read the book was about growing flowers, I didn't get my hopes up.

The novel begins as two prominent Dutchmen are unjustly executed, the victims of political intrigue. Their deaths, graphic and unsettling, are the first indication of the rollercoaster that is The Black Tulip.

We move from this violent scene to the quiet suburbs, to Cornelius Van Baerle, a rich man who loves nothing but tulips. Van Baerle is seeking to create the elusive "Black Tulip," which many believe is impossible.

Unfortunately for Corn, his neighbor Boxtel hates him. HATES. There's teeth gnashing and all. Boxtel is also in love with tulips, so of course he is envious of Corn's success with the ladies tulips.

Jeez. TWO men in love with tulips?

my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard

So Boxtel sets out to destroy Corn, and then MORE political intrigue happens and then before you know it Corn's in love with NOT ONLY tulips but now also Rosa, the daughter of his jailer. Escándalo!

Oh, and did I mention that the person to first create the Black Tulip will receive a Very Large Sum as a prize? The race to grow the tulip is on! Now throw in a few dazzling fight scenes and some hysterical dialogue, and you've got The Black Tulip.

This short novel was such fun to read. As I got wrapped up in the story, I even began to read a few chapters online while I was at work. The pacing is fast, and I often couldn't wait to read more. Many thanks to the Classics Circuit for the Dumas tour -- I'm not sure I ever would have read this without the tour, and that would have been a shame indeed!

In a nutshell: Fun, funny, and fantastical - a pleasant surprise!

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy; also online

Don't look now! (Ok, you can look now)

Don't Look Now: Selected Stories
Daphne duMaurier

I'm officially in love with Daphne duMaurier; it took me forever to read Rebecca, but once I did, I immediately needed more. Enter My Cousin Rachel. That was it. I'm hooked.

I'm glad I came across Don't Look Now, which compiles some of her best short stories into this lovely little collection. While some stories are more striking than others, this collection only served to further whet my appetite for this author. Those who dismiss her as simply a "writer of romances" are truly missing out.

Most stories hinge on a key moment in time (one that is often imperceptible to the protagonist until it's too late) that changes the protagonist forever -- and usually for the worse. In "Don't Look Now," a man and wife vacation in Venice after losing a child only to find that they probably should have stayed home. In "Kiss Me Again, Stranger," a young man finally finds love, although she isn't quite what she appears to be.

"The Blue Lenses" features a woman who, having undergone eye surgery, finds her sight has changed forever. In "Indiscretion," a chance conversation sees lives intersect, with serious -- and life-changing -- effects. In "Split Second," a woman takes a walk only to find life much different upon her return home.

Other stories are more difficult to categorize, and yet hint at a darkness just beyond our reach. In "Escort," a warship receives an unsettling escort home. "La Sainte Vierge" focuses on a young woman who prays for her husband's safety and receives a powerful vision in return. Of course, her most famous story, "The Birds," needs no summary, although it must be noted that the story brings more depth, and less hope, than the movie. Finally, the last work in the collection, "Monte Verita," focuses on those who live in a fortress atop Monte Verita. Who are they, and what do they do there?

As noted earlier, while every story isn't a stunner, I was able to enjoy them all in different ways. In fact, there isn't much to criticize about this collection, expect, perhaps for duMaurier's tendency toward ellipsis, which I found a bit annoying, lending as it did an unfinished quality to the prose. Thankfully, this didn't happen often, so no worries there.

In a nutshell: Bravo! I love you, Daphne.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one, of course...I seem to buy everything.

Deep water, deep trouble

Deep Storm
Lincoln Child

So here I was, feeling all smug that I had finished my February reviews well before the end of the month itself. Then I remembered Deep Storm.

Don't be fooled: my poor memory is not an indication of the novel's quality -- Deep Storm was a real "page" turner. My forgetting is due more to the fact that I had downloaded this one for my Kindle, and, as such, did not have a physical copy lying around as a visual reminder of the outstanding review.

Deep Storm is a bit outlandish, but this quality just adds to the fun. I wasn't expecting literature; I was expecting a fast-paced thriller, and I wasn't disappointed.

The novel begins as naval physician Peter Crane reaches an oil rig to help treat what he thinks is a run-of-the-mill problem. By the time he gets there, however, he learns that he won't be treating people on the rig itself, but rather miles and miles below it. You see, the oil rig is just a cover for a government-run research facility located many miles below the surface. What are they excavating down there? Why all the secrecy? And what is attacking the residents?

Deep Storm provides enough surprises to prevent the tale from feeling predictable, and readers won't have time to feel bored due to the fast pacing. This novel was a fun read perfect for the Kindle, as reading Deep Storm on the treadmill helped me walk through page after page.

In a nutshell: Thrilling, chilling, and just incredible enough, this one is a fun, fast read. I'm on the hunt for my next read by this author.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought the Kindle version; this book's perfect for the treadmill!

A guide to navigation in perilous times

The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England
Ian Mortimer

I don't read a lot of nonfiction, and when I do, it's almost never history. Still, Jen's review of The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England forced me to run out and grab this book immediately.

The tone is so conversational, the material so fascinating, that I blew through the book in a day or two. True, I skimmed some parts, but I was pleased overall. Mortimer takes us through Medieval England as though -- you might have guessed by the title -- we were a time traveler having landed in medieval England.

Mortimer very throughly covers the landscape, people, medieval character, basic essentials (such as dates, units of measurement, and manners and politeness), clothing, traveling, where to stay (an inn? what about a monastery?), food and drink, health and hygiene (now there's an eye-opening chapter!), the law, and what to do (which provides not only a discussion of the activities the medieval people enjoyed, but also gives an overview of the literary landscape).

At right: a leper ringing his bell -- stay away!

I began by thinking that this book would be an excellent resource for my classroom; little did I expect it to be such a page-turner. If you're even a little interested in medieval England, you'd do well to check out this very thorough guide. (In fact, despite a few slow parts, this book is nearly perfect.)

In a nutshell: Conversational, fascinating, and thorough, Mortimer's Guide is a must for teachers, students, and readers alike.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Yet another book I purchased for myself. Get off my back, feds!

Who wants to be my Daddy-Long-Legs?

Daddy-Long-Legs
Jean Webster

Imagine being told a mysterious benefactor is going to pay to send you to college -- and all you have to do is write him letters detailing your progress! It must be too good to be true, right? Or maybe some people are just good like that.

DUDE. What if someone was like, "Dear Bibliolatrist. Here is 5k a month. Just read books and hang out, and zip me the occasional email to keep me updated." I'd have to address my anonymous friend as "Dear Best-Human-Being-Ever-to-Live-on-the-Planet." Alas. Best not to think of what will never be.

Anyway, that's the idea behind Daddy-Long-Legs. Jerusha Abbot is a poor orphan who is one day sent to college by an anonymous benefactor. His only requirement? Write him letters. Which, of course, she does, because a) that would be a dick move if she didn't, and b) Webster needs a novel.

Daddy-Long-Legs (DLL being the nickname she calls him) is a delightful little novel that is truly a joy to read. It's a little too perfect, but that's part of the charm. Many thanks to Nymeth, who brought this book to my attention. In fact, she discusses the book in far more detail (I'm too obsessed by my own lack of anonymous benefactor), so head on over there for some excerpts and whatnot.

This edition also includes a "sequel" of sorts (called Dear Enemy), but I am saving it for a rainy day. Or a snowicane, which I'll apparently be experiencing tomorrow. JOY.

In a nutshell: A fast, light read that is truly delightful. Also included are Webster's original illustrations (see the cover), which are equally charming.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one myself, so my love has no strings attached.

The triffids will kill us all

The Day of the Triffids
John Wyndham

I must thank m'dear Biblibio for bringing The Day of the Triffids to my attention. I'd been woefully ignorant of this novel; what made it so good?

A short look online prompted me to nab the book -- it seemed like something I would love. And I did -- I read it all in one large gulp. The prose is simple and straight-forward, the plot compelling. The two combined created a novel that I couldn't stop reading until I had finished.

The novel begins as Bill Masen, in the hospital with a bandaged head and covered eyes, realizes something has gone horribly wrong outside. He soon comes to understand that nearly everyone has gone completely blind -- the result of staring at a celestial phenomenon the day before. Fortunately for Masen, his recent injury had prevented him from witnessing the phenomenon (something that had angered him at the time, but which later seems to be quite fortunate).

At right: some crazy triffids

Masen leaves his room and searches for survivors. There aren't many though -- and, what's worse, he's got the triffids to contend with. These mobile, carnivorous plants began appearing all over the world years before. Despite their dangerous nature, triffids became quite a lucrative enterprise and were thus cultivated in spades. Now, as the triffids begin killing the helpless blind, that decision doesn't seem too intelligent.

Are the triffids connected to this worldwide blindness? And can the survivors rebuild? How can they prevent the inevitable return to savagery? Will the triffids claim the earth?

In a nutshell: Spooky, thought-provoking, and prescient, The Day of the Triffids is a classic that shouldn't be missed.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one meself, suckers!

Memories are worse than bullets

The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Whew! My first read of 2010 was of the magical kind, the type of novel you don't ever want to put down and the kind that haunts you after you do.

Do you even need a summary of this book? Because I feel like the last person to have read it. Also, it seems as though it's the type of novel that defies easy summary, and I am feeling particularly lazy today. (Today, you're thinking? As opposed to how you feel everyday!?!?! Touche, reader, touche. And, ouch.)

Anyway, here's something via Amazon:

The time is the 1950s; the place, Barcelona. Daniel Sempere, the son of a widowed bookstore owner, is 10 when he discovers a novel, The Shadow of the Wind, by Julián Carax. The novel is rare, the author obscure, and rumors tell of a horribly disfigured man who has been burning every copy he can find of Carax's novels. The man calls himself Laín Coubert -- the name of the devil in one of Carax's novels. As he grows up, Daniel's fascination with the mysterious Carax links him to a blind femme fatale with a "porcelain gaze," Clara Barceló; another fan, a leftist jack-of-all-trades, Fermín Romero de Torres; his best friend's sister, the delectable Beatriz Aguilar; and, as he begins investigating the life and death of Carax, a cast of characters with secrets to hide. Officially, Carax's dead body was dumped in an alley in 1936. But discrepancies in this story surface. Meanwhile, Daniel and Fermín are being harried by a sadistic policeman, Carax's childhood friend. As Daniel's quest continues, frightening parallels between his own life and Carax's begin to emerge.

Ok so that was a lot better than I'm capable of doing right now. Suffice to say, I loved reading this novel; it was fun, it was engaging, it was about books, and -- this is key -- the ending was perfect, in a heart-wrenching kind of way.

For some reason, though, I can't give it a perfect score. Why? I'm not sure. At times it was too perfect; I also have beef over some points that seemed important at the time but then didn't come to much. But these are minor quibbles. And I'm giving it a nearly perfect score, anyway.

However, this book made me feel like A Really Stupid American. Spain had a civil war?? That happened when??? For real? Who knew? Clearly, not me. To wikipedia I go!

In a nutshell: Fun, magical, both highbrow and lowbrow -- what's not to love?

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Santa left this one at my mom's house, and she was kind enough to pass it along. Many thanks, mom!

It cannot have happened. It happened.

The Egyptologist
Arthur Phillips

I think this book is cursed.

I received this on Christmas morn, thanks to Santa. (Ok, it was my husband.) And I squee-ed with glee, because I loved Phillips' Angelica, and I love All Things Egypt, hence I knew I would love The Egyptologist. I began reading it the day after Christmas, and I was hooked from the opening pages.

And then the unthinkable happened. Shuffling across my living room in my cheap, shoddy slippers, I tripped -- I kid you not -- over what could only have been air. The pile of stuff in my hands -- The Egyptologist among the items -- went flying to the four corners of the room as I fell to the floor. I watched my prized novel tumble down slowly, turning over and over and over again (clearly, this happened in slow motion, mind you), and I watched as it landed a few feet away from me. To give you a visual of the event and how I went down like a ton of bricks (although stairs were not involved), I present Exhibit A:

Upon my recovery, I stood, dazed and slightly injured (have no fear, ducks, I am fine), and raced to my dear Phillips. Alas, he did not fare so well. The spine was cracked, the first third of the book lying at a painful angle. The cover was maimed, and a black Sharpie only partially masked the damage. My heart, however, fared far worse. Of all my new books, I prized this one most highly. AND IT LOOKS LIKE A TURD RIGHT NOW.

Anyway. I bring this up because The Egyptologist is GLORIOUS, it is breathtaking, it is heartbreaking -- oh Trilipush! Alas. AND THEN my dear Heather J. tells me that NEARLY NO ONE in the blogosphere likes The Egyptologist, save for us. SAY WHAT?!?!?! Error 404 Page not found. Does not compute. And so on.

Ok fine, let me tell you about the book. There's some Egypt. And some unreliability. (Done right, mind you, unlike, say, THIS.) And, there's a bit of a mystery. And while the great revelation concerning said mystery becomes clear to anyone with a brain about halfway through, that's not the point. The point is how different people totally misread the obvious signs that are right in front of them. It's about yearning, and about loss, and about wanting to be greater than we are. It's also gripping and the ending is INSANE. Trilipush!

So, you should read it. And, because my summary sucks and is mostly about me, here's the summary from Arthur Phillips' website:

Just as Howard Carter unveils the tomb of Tutankhamun, making the most dazzling find in the history of archaeology, Oxford-educated Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush is digging himself into trouble, having staked his professional reputation and his fiancée's fortune on a scrap of hieroglyphic pornography. Meanwhile, a relentless Australian detective sets off on the case of his career, spanning the globe in search of a murderer. And another murderer. And possibly another murderer. The confluence of these seemingly separate stories results in an explosive ending, at once inevitable and utterly unpredictable.

In a nutshell: Read this, dear friends. And don't ef your copy up like I did.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Dear Santa brought me this one. No strings attached here.

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now

Push
Sapphire

Woohoo -- I've finished reviews left over from October; now it's time for some tardy reviews from last month. No more tardy for the party!

So, I was doing a little Amazon shopping a few weeks ago, when I needed just a wee bit more for free shipping -- six buckies, to be exact. Amazon kindly made some recommendations, and I found Push for exactly six bucks. Six bucks?!?!? And it didn't even have the annoying movie tie-in cover? Sold!

Most of you are probably already aware that Push is the novel that has been made into the movie Precious, which has lately taken Hollywood by storm. While I haven't seen the movie, I have seen enough interviews with the actors in the film to know that I wanted to know more about this story.

Prose-wise, Push is a simple enough read, and I read it entirely over my Sunday-morning coffee. Prose aside, however, Push is not an easy book to read. Precious is badly abused by both her mother and her father, and her struggle to escape the cycle of violence is heartwrenching. Some passages are quite difficult to read, and -- I'm sure you could see this coming -- I cried more than once.

In a nutshell: Precious's story might disturb you, but her spirit will enchant you.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Dammit, I just said I bought this for myself from Amazon!

The real horror is next door to us

Contagious
Scott Sigler

Another day closer to 2010, another late review.

This time, I'm reviewing another of October's reads -- Contagious, the sequel to Infected, which I read in September. Contagious follows our intrepid hero and anti-hero as they seek to stop the impending invasion.

Contagious, like its predecessor, is relentless in its pacing; once you commit to the opening pages (actually, scratch that -- once you read Infected), you won't be able to put this book down until the last page.

Contagious picks up pretty much where Infected left off. Margaret Montoya and Dew Phillips have teamed up with badass Perry Dawsey to stave off the new wave of the invasion. Doing so won't be easy, however -- these aliens are feisty buggers with more than one trick up their sleeves.

The only thing that didn't polish my brass was a few overly-political scenes in which the President and his Cabinet debate how to handle the attack. I also hated how the female Secretary of State was a bleeding-heart liberal who felt that the loss of any innocent life was unconscionable. I consider myself a pretty liberal person, but in the event of any invasion -- alien, zombie, Canadian -- even I say shoot first, ask later. Sorry, Canada.

In a nutshell: Not as awesome as Infected (I actually felt a slight pang in ye olde heart after reading the ending, which was heart-wrenching, albeit utterly appropriate), but pretty awesome nonetheless. In fact, I'm looking up other Sigler titles as I type this. Hello, Ancestor. I'll be seeing you in 2010.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I purchased Contagious for the Kindle.

Strength does not come from physical capacity, but from an indomitable will

Infected
Scott Sigler

I don't remember how I heard about Scott Sigler's Infected, but whoever it is, I owe you a solid. Sigler combines an intelligent premise with fast-paced plot -- and he's got some serious writing chops to boot.

Alien seeds land on earth, most ineffectively falling to the ground or swept away by the weather. A lucky few, however, land on a couple of very unlucky individuals. In time, these seeds grow and evolve, probing deep into the human body. The infected, for their part, at first notice a rash which soon becomes an itchy, triangular growth that is an eerie blue color. Soon, these growths take on a life of their own...literally. It isn't long before the infected become violent, homicidal maniacs driven insane by the voices in their heads.

Thankfully, the CIA is on the case. Agent Dew Phillips seeks to find newly infected persons before they butcher both themselves and their families. CDC epidemiologist Margaret Montoya hopes to discover how to stop these triangles, which dissolve into a gooey mess not long after the host's death. Finally, former football player Perry Dawsey, who might be the best anti-hero ever created, finds himself infected -- and will stop at nothing to free himself from the triangles.

Sidenote: Dear Perry, please be real, and please come hang. We have lots of beer. You are teh awesome. xoxoxo

Anyway.

Infected explores the seeds burgeoning development, moving from mindless probes to sentient beings. There's a lot of science here, but it never feels that way. Infected is intelligent and believable. It's more than a little hair-raising. Equally pleasing, however, is the writing. This isn't a great story with bland writing -- Infected's got it all. As soon as I finished, I started Contagious, the sequel. I just can't get enough.

In a nutshell: Well written, perfectly paced, and a gripping premise -- what else could you ask for? Oh, yeah: no more triangles in the eyeball, please. I have a thing about eyeballs. Otherwise, we're cool.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

He who cannot lie does not know what the truth is

Company of Liars
Karen Maitland

It's 1348. Plague is tearing across Europe and has reached Britain's ports, slowly worming its way inward. Added to the mix is a bout of ye olde climate change, resulting in dead crops and starving people. Is anywhere safe in these pestilence-ridden times?

Nine travelers, each with a secret, has ignored a predilection for isolation in an attempt to survive in the company of others. This group -- including a relic seller, a story-teller, an expecting couple, and a pale, ghostly child who reads the runes -- attempt to flee the pestilence by reaching the north. As you might expect, it will be easier said than done.

As the title suggests, these individuals are not the most honest of souls. As their journey progresses, the truth slowly unravels. To be fair, quite a few secrets can be seen from miles away, but Maitland reserves a few, truly surprising aces up her sleeve for the very end. And the final page? Ohh shit!

I can't say anymore without ruining the fun, but I will say that Company of Liars features the best of historical fiction: Maitland has clearly done her research, but she doesn't allow the story to be bogged down by heavy-handed swaths of information. Company of Liars is seamless, flowing, and utterly un-put-down-able.

Has anyone read any of Maitland's previous novels? I'd love to know what you thought. Company of Liars was so good that I want to read more of her.

In a nutshell: I also want some runes. Like, for real.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

Warning: Ignoring this book will have sinister consequences

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins

So, for months upon months, all I've been hearing is people rave about The Hunger Games. I, being the snooty bitch I am, ignored such praise, since I, of course, do not read YA fiction. Sneered I, I'm sure it's good...to TEENAGERS! And lo, Bibliolatrist ignored the words of the great prophets, and her heart was hardened.

Fortunately, I couldn't ignore it any longer. This book was everywhere I turned. I would hear sinister laughter echoing behind me at odd times, only I'd turn around to find nothing there. I knew it was The Hunger Games. I'd often feel someone following me, but the culprit would vanish before I could catch it. I knew The Hunger Games was following me.

Every dark corner echoed with sinister steps;
this omnipresent novel will never give up!

So even though most (if not all) of you reading this have already devoured The Hunger Games, I'll nevertheless recap the plot for the 0.0001% of you who haven't yet enjoyed this most awesome of novels:

It's the future. The US no longer exists as we know it. Now, 12 districts surround the Capitol, which exacts a terrible price for the districts' submission. Each year, two tributes from each district -- one boy and one girl -- must fight to the death in a televised event known as the Hunger Games. The winner -- there can be only one! -- earns both fame and wealth, and the winning district receives food and other luxuries for the entire year.

Katniss, the girl tribute from District 12, is our protagonist, and we follow her as she leaves her home and prepares to enter the Hunger Games. She, along with Peeta (the other tribute from her district), are sent into a vast arena full of traps -- not to mention deadly foes. OMG, WILL KATNISS SURVIVE??? (Since this is the first book in a trilogy, this isn't the most difficult question to answer.)

Still, despite not truly fearing for Katniss' safety, I couldn't put the friggin thing down. I tore through that beast in a couple hours, barely stopping to eat. (And, trust me: that's saying something.) At night, I dreamed about The Hunger Games. I lovelovelovelove this book like the enchanted tree loves Schmendrick.



In a nutshell: OMG IT IS THAT GOOD ... I just wish Katniss had a different name. And Peeta too. I mean, Peeta? Really? UGH.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

a choice between truth and repose

Angelica
Arthur Phillips

Well, it's that time of year again, a time when quiet and relaxation are replaced with work and stress. That's right, summer's over, and I'm headed back to school. As a result, things have been pretty quiet around here. Progress on that stupid resolution is slow, and non-educational reading has been pretty nonexistent.

That said, I was able to read Angelica, and the fact that I was able to read it despite having so much "real" stuff to do is a testament to the novel's awesomeness. In fact, once I started it, I wasn't able to keep my mind on much else.

Angelica's one of those novels that gives readers the same story from several different perspectives, and even though I've read plenty of books that use this technique, I've never before encountered it done to such effect. The result is a twisting, serpentine version of what is true that illustrates how contradictory the truth can be.

Although the specifics differ with each version, the setup is always the same. Victorian England. A family torn apart by powerful forces. A mother fights for the survival of her daughter. But what, you're probably asking, is happening to the child. Well, now, that remains to be seen.

Angelica is part mystery, part ghost story, part psychological examination -- and no part disappoints. Each person's version of the truth is correct, even though it might differ from the account of another. I sympathized with each character, and I was fascinated by how each person's version of the truth was somehow correct, even as it totally differed from the other accounts.

In a nutshell: Saying more will ruin the fun; you'll just have to take my word for it. Angelica is a powerful, unforgettable novel that shows how totally different perceptions can be equally accurate.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

Much madness is divinest sense

Martian Time-Slip
Philip K. Dick

I don't know how I got on a Dick Kick, but somehow I bought the first Library of America edition (see my previous reviews here and here), so of course I was obligated to buy the second edition containing five of his novels from the 60s and 70s. Because each novel received its own entry in my reading resolution, I figured it was time to knock one of these bad boys down.

The first novel in this collection, Martian Time-Slip, blew me away. It was by far better than I remembered the previous novels being (even though, upon rereading my reviews, it seems I enjoyed those quite a bit). Martian Time-Slip is unlike previous Dick novels I've read: there were no drugs, no crazy technology -- in fact, the novel contained only one main hallmark of Dick's fiction: the male protagonist whose grip on reality is threatened by powerful forces, both external and internal. Will said protagonist defeat these forces and keep his sanity? (With the final scene still burning a hole in my brain, I must say I doubt it.)

Speaking of the brain, I loved how PKD dealt with the mind in this novel; it was different from my previous PKD experiences. Martian Time-Slip, in fact, seemed only nominally "science fiction-y" in that it took place on Mars. The real setting, however, is the human mind, especially the mind of the mentally ill.

PKD questions whether those who have a mental illness like schizophrenia or autism are truly mentally ill, proposing instead that they have astounding gifts simply unknown to the rest of us. In Dick's world, several characters locked in their own internal worlds actually see and know more than they should, including that which has not yet happened. Such a talent is easy for one with power and money (not to mention an unflappable will to exploit the less fortunate) to use for his own devices.

I haven't yet attempted to write a conventional summary because the plot is both too simple -- and yet somehow too complex -- to condense into a basic paragraph, but I'll try. There's a colony eking out an existence on Mars. Some people have gifts. Other people have power. The latter uses the former. The result is disturbing and utterly unforgettable. Clearly, this summary leaves something to be desired; there is too much I have neither the time nor the place to include.

In a nutshell: Martian Time-Slip transcends the traditional Dick-ian trope of paranoia and drug use to take a compassionate (and fascinating) look at those with debilitating mental illness.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars