Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 88

Off the Bookshelf: SILVER WOVEN IN MY HAIR, by Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Kind of appropriate to start off the new year with a fantasy novel!

Thanks to Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke of Indie Book Magic, who discussed and recommended this book a number of episodes ago. Not sure which. I bought the book (Thanks, A Libris!) and it's been sitting and waiting for months to be read.

Thursey is a Cinderella, with the requisite mean, ugly stepmother and nasty stepsisters and being forced to do all the work while her sisters go man-hunting. BUT there are differences. They run an inn, her father is missing after a devastating war rocked their kingdom, and Thursey is a bookworm. Well, she loves to read, and she loves stories, and when she hears a wonderful story told by a traveler who comes to their inn, she writes it down and illustrates it. And she keeps her books hidden from the Uglies, because lowerclass people who can read could be accused of evil magic.

Yes, there's a handsome prince, and she is given a gorgeous gown and provided transportation to the ball, but .... well, her "faerie godmother" is actually a fat traveling monk, and the dress comes from her dear friend, the goatherd, and just like in the Disney version, the Uglies find the dress on the eve of the ball and shred it. But magic does prevail.

This is a fast read, a delightful way to pass a cold winter night. You might just see yourself in Thursey, and your heart will be touched by her friends and how she gets her father back, even as his death is finally confirmed. Lovely. Thanks, J and H, for the recommendation.

Off the Bookshelf: WISH YOU WEREN'T HERE, by Janeen Ippolito

Steel City Genie, Book 2

Allis and Cendric are back and in even deeper trouble than they were at the end of the previous book.

Gee, you'd think that finding your soul mate, the one that destiny has been trying to put you together with for 5 years, and breaking the curse that kept you apart would, y'know, kind of guarantee a happily-ever-after, right?

Not in this alternate version of Pittsburgh, where magical folk live alongside of ordinary mortals and there are different versions or dimensions of reality to deal with, and magically enhanced politics and sabotaged love spells to deal with. And oh, yeah, a really ticked off queen of the Jinn who was the worst possible future mother-in-law for our heroine. Thank goodness she broke up with sonny-boy -- but the jerk is back in her life and seems to be at the core of Allis and Cendric's new problems.

Along with trying to unravel the sabotaged love potions -- which are kinda illegal -- Allis keeps coming up against people trying to recruit her into different jobs and destinies and she's just not up for it. Don't newlyweds get a break? Not in this magical world, unfortunately.

Another fun romp in a world full of strong and detailed worldbuilding (the author's specialty -- check out her guidebooks!). Can't wait to see what they have to face next!

Off the Bookshelf: NEVERWHERE, by Neil Gaiman

Audiobook

This is the second audiobook by Neil Gaiman in my collection, and I can see spending the rest of my Audible credits just on MORE.

Read by the author. I really think you get a lot more out of a book when it's read by the author, because the author knows the rhythm, the pace, the way the different characters should sound. It adds so much to the experience. And yeah, part of it is the accent ...

NEVERWHERE takes place in London, and underneath London, and there's some slipping through dimensions, and magic, and legend and ... I am in awe, okay? I want to write like him when I grow up.

My first taste of Gaiman's writing was when people were talking about THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. It was essentially THE JUNGLE BOOK, but instead of wolves, the baby is saved and raised by ghosts. So when I saw STARDUST in the Audible listing, I was sure I was in for a listening treat. NEVERWHERE just seals that certainty.

Richard Mayhew is one of those nice guys who are succeeding, but not really happy with their comfortable, secure lives. He has a fiance who is trying to improve him, and a job that just doesn't feed his soul. Then one day Door, an injured girl, lands on the sidewalk in front of him. Instead of stepping around her, Richard stops to help. His life doesn't just crumble from that point, it is taken away. Richard becomes one of those people who falls through the cracks, becomes essentially invisible -- he is tossed without warning into the world of London Below. He travels and takes risks and makes stupid mistakes when he doesn't learn quickly enough, and nearly gets himself killed, in his quest to get his life back.

This is one of those books where I created excuses to get in the car or do chores, so I could keep listening! What happens next? I NEED to know! Even as I'm cringing for the characters in some and spots and cheering in others and groaning in others. NEED to know, even as I'm sure it's not going to be pleasant.

THAT is the mark of a master storyteller. Lovely experience. More, please?

Off the Bookshelf: WRITING ABOUT MAGIC, by Rayne Hall

Very useful research and resource book for those who are writing in the fantasy genre.

Organized into topics that need to be considered -- and sometimes I suspect that writers don't consider, don't plan out, they just figure they'll wing it and make up their magic system as they go.

Or what's worse, they don't realize they NEED a system, they need to establish rules, before they start writing. When they come up against a problem in the story, they just throw magic at it.

And as the author points out, what's more boring than being able to fix every single problem with magic?  So you have to have limitations and consequences and rules and conflicts and barriers and ... Yeah, writing is a lot of work, but it's also dang fun!

Chapter Titles: Magician Characters; Magic Systems; Training and Initiation; Ritual and Power-Raising; Location and Circle-Casting; Costuming and Equipment; Phrasing the Spell; Correspondences; Love Spells; Sex Magic; Magical Weapons and Warfare; Healing and Protection; Ethics, Conflicts and Secrecy; Illusionists and Charlatans; Magic in the Future.

Plus the author gives exercises to make you think, and assist you in using what you've just learned, and lists of books on the topics, for further reading and research. There's a LOT of useful information packed into the book. Well worth the money and time. I can predict going back to this one a LOT when I do worldbuilding.

Will I See YOU in STRONGSVILLE Tomorrow at the JINGLE MINGLE?

Here's the link for all the info: https://www.facebook.com/events/344253926234718/
Hope to see you there! 
This is your last chance to get a copy of the CHRISTMAS FICTION OFF THE BEATEN PATH anthology in paper directly from me.
Remember: BOOKS make GREAT Christmas Presents!!!

Off the Bookshelf: TWISTED TWENTY-SIX, by Janet Evanovich

The latest Stephanie Plum misadventure of suspense and humor and wackiness and near-misses.

This time, Grandma Mazur isn't just causing trouble on the sidelines -- she IS the center of the trouble that poor Stephanie has to untangle.

Grandma ran off with a retired mobster and eloped on a cruise -- and 45 minutes later he died of a heart attack. Now, his nutso-nasty sisters are after Grandma, determined to get his money -- his ex-wife is after the money -- and his pals think the dead groom handed off some very valuable keys (no one says to WHAT exactly) to Grandma before he died. Of course, Grandma doesn't know anything about keys -- she's just planning all the fun things she's going to do with the money, once the will is read.

If she ever survives to hear the reading of the will. Because everybody wants those keys, and everything thinks Grandma has them. And the mobsters, even the retired ones in Trenton, are pretty determined and nasty folks. We're talking windows broken, fire bombs thrown through front windows, house break-ins and searches, attempted kidnappings, Stephanie getting shot ... on and on.

Typical Stephanie Plum craziness. Along with a bunch of wacko bail jumpers she has to deal with, aided by Lula with her plus-sized sense of humor shoved into a size 8 eye-popping wardrobe. Poor Stephanie is ready to quit the whole thing -- only she still doesn't know what she wants to do when she grows up. If she lives long enough to grow up.

Christmas Craft Fair in WESTLAKE -- This SATURDAY!

Will I see you there?

Hope so!

This is another chance to get your copy of the CHRISTMAS FICTION OFF THE BEATEN PATH anthology -- 6  inspirational stories that aren't quite your Granny's Christmas tales.

If you let me know you're going to be there (in the comment section) I will have a copy gift-wrapped for you ahead of time.

Can't beat that kind of deal, can you?

Books make GREAT Christmas gifts.

And of course, you'll want one for yourself, too ...

Just saying ...

Off the Bookshelf: STOLEN MAGIC, by Gail Carson Levine

Sequel to  A TALE OF TWO CASTLES

Okay, let's start with a confession -- I picked this up from the library sale shelf because 1) I'm always looking for YA books to see what kids are reading so I can write what they want to read. and 2) the author's name is pretty close to mine!

That being said, I'm going to have to find the previous book to this one, because there is so much about the world of the story I need to know. The farmer girl Elodie left her island home, met a dragon and an ogre, and became assistant to one and friends with the other and the three apparently set off on adventures together. Not only that, but the dragon is a sleuth of some kind, and is apparently training Elodie in that skill.

The whole social structure of this world, with brunkas and bees and a replica of an island that keeps the volcanoes from erupting -- and endangers everyone when it goes missing -- feels like a real world, and that's a pretty nifty trick that a lot of writers out there need to learn.

Elodie and her dragon masteress and the ogre count come home to Elodie's island home and immediately run into trouble -- first in a killer snowstorm, and then with the people who give them shelter. The High Brunka who leads this community is keeper of the Replica of the island, and it has been stolen. Fortunately, the snowstorm keeps all the suspects within the massive building. When the three are separated on various errands to try to warn the inhabitants to evacuate, it might just fall on Elodie to untangle the clues and find the Replica before they're all doomed.

Fascinating world and characters. I should add that the author also produced ELLA ENCHANTED -- y'know, the book that is the basis of the Anne Hathaway movie? Yeah, that Ella. Major fun.

Black Friday Sale!

Is there a book at Mt. Zion Ridge Press you've been thinking about? Something that tempts you?

Now's your chance!Starting on Black Friday (that's the day after Thanksgiving, if you've forgotten) all ebooks on the Mt. Zion Ridge Press website will be 50% off the regular price.

Just use the code provided here when you check out.

You have until Cyber Monday to pick out your titles and add up your savings.

Ready?
Set?
Indulge!

Off the Bookshelf: SUPER POWEREDS, YEAR ONE, by Drew Hayes

Audiobook
Narrator: Kyle McCarley

People with special talents or powers are divided into Supers and Powereds. Supers can control their gifts and are the elites, the ones people admire, most of the time. Even when their gifts are kind of stupid, almost useless. Powereds are looked down on. They have gifts, the ability to fly or control energy or shift shape -- but no control. That makes them dangerous. They're looked down on by Supers and pretty much the rest of the world.

There are certification programs offered at universities for Supers to become licensed heroes. This means they're safe from being sued if, for example, in the course of saving the city from alien invasion, a few buildings get knocked over and people get hurt.

What happens when a few Powereds have a chance to "fix" their control problem, pass themselves off as Supers, and attend the certification program to become heroes? That's what this book, and the series, is about. Alice can fly, Vince absorbs energy, like fire and electricity, Herschel changes into his muscle-bound alter-ago Roy, Mary is the most powerful telepath ever born, and Nick can manipulate luck. Their first year of school, sharing a dorm and figuring out where they fit in, makes for some fun, sad, frustrating, even touching adventures.

Kudos to the narrator for managing to give individual voices to the cast of hundreds!