Welcome to another ARC Roundup! For those unfamiliar with our format, an “ARC” (sometimes known as an ARE) is an Advanced Reading Copy (or Edition, respectively). What does this all mean to you? FREE BOOKS! Read on to find out what’s available straight from the publishers this week.

And don’t forget to look for Literophilia’s Picks, which are the books we think look especially worth checking into — they’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them.

• The Holy Bullet by Luis Miguel Rocha

“No bullet can kill if that is not His will.

- Sister Lucia in a letter to Karol Wojtyla, April, 1981

I am writing a book right now in which I will tell the whole truth. I have told fifty different stories so far, but they are all fake.

- Ali Agca, the Turk who shot Pope John Paul II

A woman journalist, a Portuguese Army veteran, a Muslim who sees the Holy Mary, a very unconventional priest who works under the direct guidance of the Supreme Pontiff, several agents from the most influential secret services in the world as well as many other characters from the four corners of the globe get involved in a quest for the truth, just to find out this isn’t always useful. It wasn’t to Pope John Paul II. Who was behind his assassination attempt? Come and meet him.” On Sale: 8.20.09.

From Publishers Weekly:
“Ponderous prose weighs down Rocha’s sequel to 2008’s The Last Pope, which centered on a conspiracy to murder Pope John Paul I. This follow-up treads similar ground, but a plausible premise—that the truth behind the 1981 attempt on the life of John Paul II was never revealed—is undercut by a muddled story line and such winks to the reader as naming a British agent Simon Templar (the hero of a popular 1960s TV series starring Roger Moore) and one character telling another that the previous book (i.e., The Last Pope) is available “for sale in the bookstores.” Long-winded descriptive passages, like the opening set at an expensive restaurant in an unnamed city, dampen the tension in a novel alleging dark doings at the heart of the Vatican. Still, those with a limitless appetite for stories about evildoing involving the Catholic Church may be satisfied by The Holy Bullet.”

To request a copy: Fill out the form found here on the Penguin Group’s website.

• The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall

“Meet Vish Puri, India’s most private investigator. Portly, persistent, and unmistakably Punjabi, he cuts a determined swath through modern India’s swindlers, cheats, and murderers.

The Case of the Missing Servant takes place in hot and dusty Delhi, where call centers and malls are changing the ancient fabric of Indian life, Puri’s main work comes from screening prospective marriage partners, a job once the preserve of aunties and family priests. But when an honest public litigator is accused of murdering his maidservant, it takes all of Puri’s resources to investigate. How will he trace the fate of the girl, known only as Mary, in a population of more than one billion? Who is taking potshots at him and his prize chili plants? And why is his widowed “Mummy-ji” attempting to play sleuth when everyone knows mummies are not detectives?

With his team of undercover operatives — Tubelight, Flush, and Facecream — Puri ingeniously combines modern techniques with principles of detection established in India more than two thousand years ago — long before “that Johnny-come-lately” Sherlock Holmes donned his deerstalker.” On Sale: 6.02.09.

From Publishers Weekly:
“Vish Puri, the head of Delhi’s Most Private Investigators Ltd., tackles a rather prosaic domestic case in this first of a projected series, the fiction debut of British author Hall (Salaam Brick Lane). Ajay Kasliwal, a lawyer who has brought cases against corrupt government officials, retains Puri to find a maid, Mary, who has gone missing from his household. Rumor has it that Kasliwal killed Mary because he got her pregnant, and when Mary turns up dead, the authorities arrest Puri’s client. While the 51-year-old married detective, who could lose some weight and is affectionately called “Chubby,” has a certain quirky charm, the resolution of the mystery of Mary’s murder is less than satisfying. Hopefully, a future installment will go into what sounds like a more unusual matter, “the Case of the Missing Polo Elephant,” for which Puri won the fictional “Super Sleuth” award in 1999.”

To request a copy: Send an e-mail to Marketing@simonandschuster.com with the title of the book in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your name and mailing address!

• Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie
  

“The third novel in the acclaimed Gaius Petreius Ruso series by the New York Times bestselling Ruth Downie—this time set in ancient Gaul. At long last, Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, are headed home—to Gaul. Having received a note consisting only of the words “COME HOME!” Ruso has (reluctantly, of course) pulled up stakes and brought Tilla to meet his family. But the reception there is not what Ruso has hoped for: no one will admit to sending for him, and his brother Lucius is hoping he’ll leave. With Tilla getting icy greetings from his relatives, Lucius’s brother-in-law mysteriously drowned at sea, and the whole Ruso family teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, it’s hard to imagine an unhappier reunion. That is, until Severus, the family’s chief creditor, winds up dead, and the real trouble begins… Engrossing, intricate, and—as always—wonderfully comic, Ruth Downie’s latest is a brilliant new installment in this irresistible series. This is everything we’ve come to expect from our charming, luckless hero.” On Sale: 7.07.09.

About the author:
Ruth Downie is the author of the New York Times bestseller Medicus and Terra Incognita. She is married with two sons and lives in Milton Keynes, England.

To request a copy: Send an e-mail to marketing@bloomsburyusa.com with the title of the book in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your name and mailing address!

• The Rapture by Liz Jensen
  

“An electrifying story of science, faith, love, and self-destruction in a world on the brink.

It is a June unlike any other before, with temperatures soaring to asphyxiating heights. All across the world, freak weather patterns—and the life-shattering catastrophes they entail—have become the norm. The twenty-first century has entered a new phase. But Gabrielle Fox’s main concern is a personal one: to rebuild her life after a devastating car accident that has left her disconnected from the world, a prisoner of her own guilt and grief. Determined to make a fresh start, and shake off memories of her wrecked past, she leaves London for a temporary posting as an art therapist at Oxsmith Adolescent Secure Psychiatric Hospital, home to one hundred of the most dangerous children in the country. Among them: the teenage killer Bethany Krall.

Despite two years of therapy, Bethany is in no way rehabilitated and remains militantly nonchalant about the bloody, brutal death she inflicted on her mother. Raised in evangelistic hellfire, the teenager is violent, caustic, unruly, and cruelly intuitive. She is also insistent that her electroshock treatments enable her to foresee natural disasters—a claim which Gabrielle interprets as a symptom of doomsday delusion. But as Gabrielle delves further into Bethany’s psyche, she begins to note alarming parallels between her patient’s paranoid disaster fantasies and actual incidents of geological and meteorological upheaval—coincidences her professionalism tells her to ignore but that her heart cannot. When a brilliant physicist enters the equation, the disruptive tension mounts—and the stakes multiply. Is the self-proclaimed Nostradamus of the psych ward the ultimate manipulator or a harbinger of global disaster on a scale never seen before? Where does science end and faith begin? And what can love mean in “interesting times”?

With gothic intensity, Liz Jensen’s The Rapture conjures the increasingly unnerving relationship between the traumatized therapist and her fascinating, deeply calculating patient. As Bethany’s warnings continue to prove accurate beyond fluke and she begins to offer scientifically precise hints of a final, world-altering cataclysm, Gabrielle is confronted with a series of devastating choices in a world in which belief has become as precious—and as murderous—as life itself.” On Sale: 8.11.09.

Advanced Praise for The Rapture:
“A first-class apocalyptic thriller of futuristic science, geophysics, and religion.  It’s clever, intelligent, and—most terrifying of all—plausible.”
—Kate Mosse, author of Labryinth and Sepulchre

To request a copy: Fill out this form on Doubleday’s website.

• South of Broad by Pat Conroy
  

“Against the sumptuous backdrop of Charleston, South Carolina, South of Broad gathers a unique cast of sinners and saints. Leopold Bloom King, our narrator, is the son of an amiable, loving father who teaches science at the local high school. His mother, an ex-nun, is the high school principal and a well-known Joyce scholar. After Leo’s older brother commits suicide at the age of thirteen, the family struggles with the shattering effects of his death, and Leo, lonely and isolated, searches for something to sustain him. Eventually, he finds his answer when he becomes part of a tightly knit group of high school seniors that includes friends Sheba and Trevor Poe, glamorous twins with an alcoholic mother and a prison-escapee father; hardscrabble mountain runaways Niles and Starla Whitehead; socialite Molly Huger and her boyfriend, Chadworth Rutledge X; and an ever-widening circle whose liaisons will ripple across two decades-from 1960s counterculture through the dawn of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

The ties among them endure for years, surviving marriages happy and troubled, unrequited loves and unspoken longings, hard-won successes and devastating breakdowns, and Charleston’s dark legacy of racism and class divisions. But the final test of friendship that brings them to San Francisco is something no one is prepared for South of Broad is Pat Conroy at his finest; a long-awaited work from a great American writer whose passion for life and language knows no bounds.” On Sale: 8.11.09.

From Publishers Weekly:
“Charleston, S.C., gossip columnist Leopold Bloom King narrates a paean to his hometown and friends in Conroy’s first novel in 14 years. In the late ’60s and after his brother commits suicide, then 18-year-old Leo befriends a cross-section of the city’s inhabitants: scions of Charleston aristocracy; Appalachian orphans; a black football coach’s son; and an astonishingly beautiful pair of twins, Sheba and Trevor Poe, who are evading their psychotic father. The story alternates between 1969, the glorious year Leo’s coterie stormed Charleston’s social, sexual and racial barricades, and 1989, when Sheba, now a movie star, enlists them to find her missing gay brother in AIDS-ravaged San Francisco. Too often the not-so-witty repartee and the narrator’s awed voice (he is very fond of superlatives) overwhelm the stories surrounding the group’s love affairs and their struggles to protect one another from dangerous pasts. Some characters are tragically lost to the riptides of love and obsession, while others emerge from the frothy waters of sentimentality and nostalgia as exhausted as most readers are likely to be. Fans of Conroy’s florid prose and earnest melodramas are in for a treat.”

To request a copy: Fill out the form here on Doubleday’s website.

• The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt
  

“From the moment Louisa first catches sight of the strange man who occupies a forbidden room on the thirty-third floor, she is determined to befriend him. Unbeknownst to Louisa, he is Nikola Tesla—inventor of AC electricity and wireless communication—and he is living out his last days at the Hotel New Yorker.Winning his attention through a shared love of pigeons, she eventually uncovers the story of Tesla’s life as a Serbian immigrant and a visionary genius: as a boy he built engines powered by June bugs, as a man he dreamed of pulling electricity from the sky.The mystery deepens when Louisa reunites with an enigmatic former classmate and faces the loss of her father as he attempts to travel to the past to meet up with his beloved late wife. Before the week is out, Louisa must come to terms with her own understanding of love, death, and the power of invention.

The Invention of Everything Else immerses the reader in a magical mid-twentieth-century New York City thrumming with energy, wonder, and possibility.”

From Publishers Weekly:
“In Hunt’s (The Seas) overstuffed and uneven novel set in New York, circa 1943, an aging Nikola Tesla lives at the Hotel New Yorker and cares for (and chats with) pigeons while planning what could be his boldest invention yet. He forges an unlikely friendship with Louisa Dewell, a 24-year-old chambermaid at the hotel who also keeps a pigeon coop. The book alternates between Niko’s reminisces of turn-of-the century Manhattan and Louisa’s current domestic dramas; Niko revisits old grievances concerning the usurpation or dismissal of his many inventions, and Louisa gets ensnared in her zany father’s mission to travel back in time and reconnect with his dead wife via a time machine built by his lifelong friend Azor Carter. Assisting in the scheme is Louisa’s mysterious beau, Arthur Vaughn, who may or may not be from the future. Although many events are drawn from Tesla’s life, he and his peers, including Thomas Edison and John Muir, are cartoonish. Likewise, the city backdrop is drenched in rosy nostalgia (even Hell’s Kitchen is a quaint neighborhood). Each individual plot thread has potential, but the cumulative effect is dulled by an unwieldy structure.”

To request a copy: Fill out the form found on this page of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s website, after pressing the button labeled “Request a Copy.” They ran out of books this morning. Fortunately, if you’re still interested, you can read a copy of the book online here.

• The Book of William by Paul Collins
  

“The first popular narrative history of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the world’s most obsessively pursued book. One book above all others has transfixed connoisseurs for four centuries—a book sold for shillings in the streets of London, whisked to Manhattan for millions, and stored deep within the vaults of Tokyo. The book: William Shakespeare’s First Folio of 1623. Paul Collins, lover of odd books and author of the national bestseller Sixpence House, takes up the strange quest for this white whale of precious books. Broken down into five acts, each tied to a different location and century, The Book of William’s travelogue follows the trail of the Folio’s curious rise: a dizzying Sotheby’s auction on a pristine copy preserved since the seventeenth century, the Fleet Street machinations of the eighteenth century, the nineteenth century quests for lost Folios, obsessive acquisitions by twentieth century oilmen, and the high-tech hoards of twenty-first century Japan. Finally, Collins speculates on Shakespeare’s cross-cultural future as Asian buyers enter their Folios into the electronic ether, and recounts the book’s remarkable journey as it is found in attics, gets lost in oceans and fires, is bought and sold, and ultimately becomes immortal.” On Sale: 7.7.09.

From Publishers Weekly:
“Undoubtedly, the Bard himself would be amused to learn all about the fate of the book compiled after his death by fellow actors and colleagues John Heminge and Henry Condell. It was, a collector said recently, “the most important secular work of all time.” Collins (Sixpence House), an English professor and NPR regular, is passionate, knowledgeable and sassy in bringing this story to glorious life. Collins divides his work into five acts, leading his reader on a whirlwind trip through the Four Folios eventually printed, into feuds between Alexander Pope and Lewis Theobald and to the opportunistic reach of a financially desperate Dr. Johnson. Over the next 200 years, there are the stories of Henry Clay Folger as well as an ingenious collating machine and related technologies for today’s textual scholars. Collins’s remarkable voyage through time and across the globe leads to Japan, where the most obsessive collectors of “Sheikusupia” reside. This is for anyone with an interest in how Shakespeare has come down to us, the nature of the book business, the art of editing and the evolution of copyright law. A 20-page “Further Readings” section is by itself a sheer delight.”

To request a copy: Send an e-mail to marketing@bloomsburyusa.com with the title of the book in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your name and mailing address!

So what do we think of this week’s selections? What are you looking forward to reading this week? I’m bouncing back in forth between the first Lord of the Rings book and a book recently sent to me by author Sam Moffie called No Mad. The plot involves the main character taking a road trip across the Northeast, including parts of Pennsylvania. I’ll be making a road trip through Pa. myself next week, so it seems oddly appropriate! As always, make sure to keep those physical symptoms of Literophilia at ease while I’m away — read 2 chapters and leave me a comment in the morning.

Literophilia: What inspired you to write about murder?

Kevin Krohn: I think the first thing that inspired me is the fact that I am a fan of murder mysteries, both books and movies.  There needs to be a point in the story where your protagonist faces adversity or a dilemma, and using murder as that device is exciting because of all the different ways a story can unfold from that point. Different characters can react differently, and the chain reaction a jarring event like murder can create makes it something that will continue to be a major part of television, movies, and literature.

That’s my generic answer… the real reason is that my dad took me to the drive-in to see Robocop when I was 10 years-old in 1987.  I don’t think he realized it was going to be so graphically violent.  I was definitely too young, and it definitely warped my brain a little.

L: What (or who?) was your inspiration for Nyne’s character?

KK: I wanted to put a person who, for the most part, lived a fairly normal life into circumstances usually reserved for stereotypical characters. A character protecting their family in such a physical sense is usually a strong male.  I was interested in the idea of not only making the main character a female, but a regular college-age girl dealing with the same issues most teenage/twenty-somethings face.  I watch a lot of old kung-fu movies, and the female assassins are always the coolest… never fails.

KK: It has to be Nyne.  She was the character I came up with before I really knew where I wanted the story to go, so it really starts and ends with her.  She is someone I would think would be fun to hang out with in real life.

KK: Eric is back in Volume II.  He plays a bigger part in Volume II, although I can’t remember if he is still around come the end of it….

KK: Volume II picks up right where Volume I left off.  Nyne is determined to get answers, and many of the loose ends from Volume I are explained.  There are some new characters introduced to the story as well.

KK: It is hard to give up on some of the things you spent a long time writing. There is a big chunk of Volume II that I had to remove.  It didn’t fit with the tone of Volume I and was a little too dark. It is hard to part with 20-30 pages of writing that you worked so hard on. It also can get a little tough if you are writing and questioning what people will think of it before the finished product.

KK: I probably would have been a lot better off had I had a specific routine. I wrote pieces of it sporadically, and that is when I ran into trouble with having parts of Volume II that I couldn’t use. The storyline was fairly easy because I already had the entire story in my head; I just had to find a way to get it out articulately and get the characters to their final destinations in an entertaining way for the reader.

KK: I noticed you had Invisible Monsters in your Top 5.  Chuck Palahniuk is my favorite author.  He is probably the only author that I would buy his book without hearing what the story is about. My favorite book is Where the Sidewalk Ends [by Shel Silverstein].

KK: With Volume II due out June 30th, I always like to hear what people think will happen after Volume I. It is fun to hear people that have such different expectations of where the story is going. Some people have threatened me if I allow anything bad to happen to Nyne or Eric, so… we shall see.

Banned Books Bracelet; $20|Fight Club Soap; $6 | Jane Eyre Bag; $45 |
Librarian Action Figure; $10 | Peter Pan Bookends; $40 | Edgar Allen Poe Shoes; $45 |
Pride & Prejudice Mug; $14 | The One Ring; $25 | Twilight Bookends; $35

Literophilia is proud to announce that we’re hosting our very first giveaway. If this goes well, I’m strongly considering seeking out the means to do more of them in the future. So tell all your friends and enter away!

Kevin Krohn has generously offered up his latest book to satisfy your literary addictions. Literophilia is giving away 5 copies of Severed Ties (Volume 1)! If you haven’t read my review on this book yet, you can check it out here. We’ll also be posting an interview with the author later on in the week so you can get better acquainted with him.

To enter, leave a comment telling us why you want to win. Don’t forget to leave your e-mail — otherwise, we won’t be able to notify you if you win! You can increase your chances of winning by earning extra entries. Do one (or more) of the following and post a comment to let us know. Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry or it won’t count.

Twitter this phrase: “Want a free copy of an awesome book? Literophilia is giving away 5 copies of *Severed Ties (Volume 1)* by Kevin Krohn! http://is.gd/LD6w“. Then leave a comment here linking back to the tweet (the actual post, not just your Twitter page).

Mention this giveaway on your blog and link back to us. Then leave a comment here linking to the post.

Sign up to receive e-mail updates from Literophilia (using the link in the sidebar) and comment here with your e-mail to let me know that you’ve done so.

All entries must be submitted by June 10th, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. 5 winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail. This contest is open to all readers as per your local state/country’s laws.

Book: Severed Ties (Volume I) by Kevin Krohn

Publisher: Spiralbound Publishing

Furnished by: The author himself!

Publisher’s Description: “Severed Ties tells the story of Nyne Harper, a college freshman living with her widowed father. At the tender age of two, she lost her mother tragically in a house fire, believed to have been retaliation against her father for blowing the whistle on a large corporate cover-up. The two have been on the run since, trying to piece together some semblance of a normal life while constantly looking over their shoulders. Now an adult, Nyne is ready to quench her thirst for revenge and protect the only family she has left. The question will be, is she prepared for what her life is about to become? A hip, non-stop thrill-ride, Severed Ties is a story of family, friendship, and revenge.”

Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

Review: Severed Ties is a series by new author Kevin Krohn that follows Nyne Harper; a cute girl who’s just trying to deal with her overprotective dad, boys and college. As if growing up isn’t hard enough on its own, Nyne’s life has a bit of a twist to it: her father, Lesane, is so overprotective because the Harpers are on the run from a dark past that includes murder, mayhem and mystery.

When she was just two years old, Nyne’s mother was murdered in connection with her father’s work at Rytax Pharmecuticals — a corrupt company that will do anything to cover their secrets. From then on, Nyne spent her entire adolescence training to become a stealth killer. And at the age of 20, she decided that it was time to stop running and put her training to the test. The Harpers moved back to their original home in Portland, Oregon to begin a killing spree that would take out an entire family as revenge for what had been done to their own family.

But that’s not the end of the craziness. As Nyne takes out the Stanfield family one by one, things begin to change. Nyne starts to find that her life may not be quite what she thought it was. That, perhaps, these murders aren’t justified; that an eye for an eye doesn’t always make things equal; that maybe the word “family” could have a completely different meaning to her. Her dark past becomes even darker, and suddenly Nyne isn’t sure who she is anymore — or if she’ll ever get the chance to find out.

Severed Ties is a thrill ride for sure, and I’m ecstatic that it’s a series so that we’ll be able get to know Nyne better in the future. She’s a fantastic character — and honestly, even though my life is quite different than hers, I was able to connect. I love that Krohn lets her attempt to live a normal life filled with mundane college lectures and cute, nerdy boys that provide first dates and first kisses. Somehow, to me, it makes all her mood swings and reactions to killing make a little more sense.

Ready to read it? As always, you can click the link at the top of the page to pick it up from Amazon.com. However, if you’re like me and your wallet is a little empty these days, keep checking back to Literophilia: we’ll soon be hosting a giveaway of Volume I!

Volume 2 of the series will be released on June 30th. Until then, you can visit Kevin’s MySpace for more details.

I’ve never much been one to play favorites with anyone or anything — my tastes are pretty varied, so it’s hard for me to just pick one thing and have it represent everything I like. But recently, it struck me: As a loud and proud Literophiliac, shouldn’t I have some sort of favorites list when it comes to books?

I sat down and really thought about it, and I decided to take a cue from one of Nick Hornby‘s more well-known characters, Rob Gordon. So here we are: my desert island, all-time top 5 favorite books. For now.

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1. The Shining by Stephen King:; Everyone is familiar with the movie: Kubrik directed, Nichloson starred — does it get any better? In my opinion, YES, it most certainly does. I admit; I ruined the movie for myself. I watched it immediately after finishing the book, and the inconsistencies just destroyed it for me. But the book… oh, the book. I’m not Stephen King’s biggest fan, but this is definitely one of the best-written books I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning. The imagery is astounding: you can easily get wrapped up and picture yourself there at The Outlook Hotel, surrounded by nothing but snow and silence for miles and miles in every direction. You feel yourself roaming the halls with Jack — seeing what he sees, feeling what he feels: the terror, the insanity, the rage. It’s like going to the best haunted house ever without leaving the comfort of your own bed. Can it get much better than that? If you haven’t read this book, or even if you haven’t read it lately, definitely pick up a copy: because after all, All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy.

2. 1984 by George Orwell:; I first read 1984 over the summer of 2006 with my boyfriend and best friend. We had all decided that we wanted to read the same books over the summer so we could, for once, have someone to discuss books with. We went through some fantastic works over those scorching hot months: Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, my boyfriend even tackled a Dostoevsky or two. But absolutely nothing compared to Orwell’s haunting tale of Big Brother. Our shared and never-ending enthusiasm for the book eventually got some of our friends curious, and by the end of the summer we’d lent our copies out to at least half a dozen others — many of whom insist that they “don’t normally read.” To me, getting one of those people to read you love a book is like getting extra sprinkles on your ice cream cone.

3. The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide (which contains all 5 novels in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series) by Douglas Adams:; OK.. so you might call this cheating, since it’s 5 books in 1. That’s how I read it, though, so it counts to me! I first read this book when I was in middle school. My mom had this big, shiny, leather-bound copy, and I carried it around with me for weeks. Like most people who have read The Guide, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the insanely quirky characters. Douglas Adams was simply a geek genius. Since middle school, I’ve reread the book once or twice, but it’s always been a part of my life somehow: every computer I’ve ever owned has been named Trillian, for one of the characters in the book; “DON’T PANIC” has definitely become one of my mantras; I’m proud to know that the ultimate answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is indeed 42; and you may find me quietly carrying around a towel on May 25th of every year, which is National Towel Day. I’ve also seen the movie (meh) and the old TV show which was broadcast on BBC (so awful and kitsch that it’s actually wonderful), but nothing can ever compare to the books. If you’re going to read just one book from my Top 5, this is it.

4. Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland & Through The Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll:; I had to take my own picture of this book, as I’ve never been able to find a picture of this specific cover on the Internet. This is the oldest book in my collection — at least, it’s the one I’ve owned the longest. On the first page where it says, “This book belongs to,” my name and the phone number of the first house I ever lived in are scrawled in very young handwriting. The title page says that it was printed in London by the Chancellor Press in 1987, when I would have been 2 years old. That alone should tell you how much I love this book — it has survived being packed up and moved 9 times, and it continues to travel with me wherever I go. Alice’s adventures have always been a huge inspiration to me, and I’ll never get tired of reading this book (especially with the gorgeous color illustration pages tucked inside my print).

5. Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk:; Number five, with a bullet (and quite appropriately so), welcome. Chuck Palahniuk has been a favorite author  of mine for quite a while. His books just absolutely grab me like nothing else has ever been able to. Even the books that he’s written that I would say I hate; I still, somehow, kind of love them. Invisible Monsters, however, is a book that I  truly love. The main characters are of the usual caliber you can expect from Palahniuk: tragic, despicable, warped — enthralling. Then, pepper in a disfiguring accident or two; some vapid, vanity-obsessed models; a transsexual grifter and his gaggle of Fairy God Gays; makeup; pills; a final shoot-out inside a mansion that is rapidly burning to the ground… and, of course, Palahniuk’s other trademark: the Shyamalan-esque twist ending that leaves you floored. I don’t think I could really ask for much more from a book. And if that’s really not enough, scene queens Panic! At The Disco made a disgustingly catchy song about the book called “Time To Dance.”

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…And one runner-up, because I couldn’t leave this one out:

Alternate: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis:; Another book from my childhood that has stayed with me (although, I’m not sure my actual physical copy has — it may or may not be buried somewhere at my mother’s house across the state). I first read the entire series when I was very young and learning to read at night with my mother. I can remember vividly that the day I learned to tie my shoes, my imaginary friend Lucy was there — named for the youngest daughter in the Pevensie family (creepy, huh?). But the first book in the series (technically the second, if you’re going in chronological order) seemed to stay with me the most, as it was re-read far more than the others. I couldn’t really tell you why, but I think I just liked the kids in the book as kids. And while I’m not completely thrilled with Hollywood’s interpretation of the series, it’s nice to see the stories being offered up to a new generation.

Now it’s your turn, my little Literophiliacs — what are your Top 5? Who are your favorite authors? What are your guilty pleasures? Let me know in the comments!

Book: The Man’s Book: The Essential Guide for the Modern Man by Thomas Fink

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Furnished by: ARC from Hachette Book Group

On Sale Date: May 6, 2009

Publisher’s Description: “Being modern and manly in today’s world isn’t always easy.

Do you know how to tie a bow-tie, mix a martini, or make a potato gun?

Do you know when to get married and how to break up, or the difference between a bock beer and a bitter?

Do you know which urinal to choose or how to start a fire with a Coke can?

The answers to every man’s burning questions are within these pages, from the morning wet shave to the whiskey night-cap, from hunting deer with a .30-06 to wooing women like 007. At a time when the sexes are muddled and masculinity is marginalized, The Man’s Book unabashedly celebrates maleness. Organized by subject in a man-logical way, it’s the go-to guide for anyone with a Y chromosome.”

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Review: So I admit, I originally picked up this book on a lark — the publisher’s description makes the book sound like it’s filled with pick-up lines, bar jokes and how to burp the alphabet. I was intrigued at this rare look into the male psyche and figured that, if nothing else, it’d be amusing.

What the publisher’s description doesn’t tell you is that Thomas Fink, the author of The Man’s Book, is a theoretical physicist at the Curie Institute/CNRS and the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, and he wrote this book in his spare time (although, amusingly enough, Fink took his own author photo to be displayed on the back of the book, and it’s a total MySpace picture… and it looks like it was taken in an airplane bathroom mirror). Check out the author’s website and you’ll get an idea of the tone and style of Fink’s writing.

Instead of cheesy pick-up lines, I found an entire 13-page chapter devoted to women, including sections on to chivalry (apparently it’s not dead), first date etiquette and marriage. Instead of bar jokes, I found a very sophisticated section on drinking that explained nearly every type of wine, beer, spirit or liqueur and its application with or without food. And instead of teaching the reader how to burp the alphabet, Fink has included an entire section on urinal etiquette and, to make sure the rules hit home, a 67-question quiz on where to stand at the urinal to ensure optimal privacy.

Some of my favorite sections include: “Underwear,” where the eternal question of boxers versus briefs is looked at scientifically to find out whom the ultimate victor shall be; a section explaining how to properly brew coffee, which includes a chart showing the caffeine content of popular beverages (did you know that Coca-Cola has the least caffeine content of the major pop brands, including its no-calorie counterpart, Diet Coke?); a page full of men’s superlatives (including Best Advice: “Never apologize,” and Best Beer: Westvleteren 12); and even a list of the 50 most essential books for men.

Overall, this book was just really cool. I learned a lot — not necessarily about men, but just random little facts. And I love learning random things. What really struck me about the book, though, was how sincere and sound most of the advice was. It kind of struck me as a book you’d give to a young man who is just coming of age and will need to know these things growing up (Bar Mitzvah gift, anyone?), or to a boy who’s going to college. But really, it’s just a fun book for any man (or woman) to read. Maybe you’ll pick up some new trivia to show off next time you’re at the bar, who knows?

Those visiting Literophilia from another country may be wondering why I’m writing about this book now, since it isn’t new. But it’s new to us Yankees! Expanded, revised and retypeset, this is the first time that The Man’s Book will be available in America. According to the author himself, “New features include 16 more sections, 35 more figures and numerically indexed sections and subsections.”

Welcome to another ARC Roundup! It’s a little late this time, but there are a ton of books available, so it all balances out. For those unfamiliar with our weekly roundup, an “ARC” (sometimes known as an ARE) is an Advanced Reading Copy (or Edition, respectively). What does this all mean to you? FREE BOOKS! Read on to find out what’s available straight from the publisher this week.

And don’t forget to check out Literophilia’s Picks — they’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them.

• The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha
  

“Irene and Nate Stanley are living a quiet and contented life with their two children, Bliss and Shep, on their family farm in southern Illinois when Nate suddenly announces he’s been offered a job as a deputy sheriff in Oregon. Irene fights her husband. She does not want to uproot her family and has deep misgivings about the move. Nevertheless, the family leaves, and they are just settling into their life in Oregon’s high desert when the unthinkable happens. Fifteen-year-old Shep is shot and killed during an apparent robbery in their home. The murderer, a young mechanic with a history of assault, robbery, and drug-related offenses, is caught and sentenced to death. Shep’s murder sends the Stanley family into a tailspin, with each member attempting to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way.

Dramatic, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting, The Crying Tree is an unforgettable story of love and redemption, the unbreakable bonds of family, and the transformative power of forgiveness.” On Sale: 7.07.09.

From the author:
“The Crying Tree was drawn from my experience as a reporter covering two executions, as well as subsequent interviews with Sister Helen Prejean (author of Dead Man Walking), exonerated death row inmates, as well as victims that have learned to forgive the unforgivable.”

To request a copy: Fill out the form found here on the Broadway Books website.

• The Last Ember by Daniel Levin
  

“Jonathan Marcus was a promising young archeologist studying at the American Academy in Rome when a terrible accident during an illegal excavation resulted in a friend’s death and Jonathan’s expulsion from the academy. Jonathan abandoned archaeology for the law, developing a reputation as a skillful advocate for some of the art world’s less scrupulous antiquities dealers.

When his firm sends Jonathan to Rome to discredit the testimony of a prominent U.N. antiquities official, he’s stunned to discover that the expert is Dr. Emili Travia, a friend and fellow student at the academy who was also at the excavation. This chance reunion prompts Jonathan, against his better judgment, to help Emili as she searches for the fabled Tabernacle Menorah, a priceless historical artifact seized by Roman invaders in the first century A.D. and brought to Rome where it disappeared.

By turns a riveting page-turner and a compelling character study, set in the high-stakes arenas of art, politics, and terrorism, The Last Ember is a provocative and fast-paced glimpse into history, religion, and international law.” On Sale: 8.06.09.

From Matthew Pearl, author of The Dante Club:
“In his fast-paced, erudite, and original debut, Daniel Levin reveals a vivid world where archaeological, legal, and religious secrets swirl together into a thrilling nexus. Its rich texture and global cast of characters ignite genuine suspense and intrigue. Readers will savor this novel and await more blockbuster Daniel Levin adventures.”

To request a copy: Fill out the form found here on the Penguin Group’s website.

• The Wet Nurse’s Tale by Erica Eisdorfer
  

“Bright and clever with a sharp-tongued, adventurous heroine who offers a candid and often funny look at the business of nursing babies in Victorian England, this is a debut novel that will have everyone talking.

Susan Rose isn’t the average protagonist: she’s scheming, promiscuous, plump, and she is also smart, funny, tender, and entirely lovable. Like many lower-class women of Victorian England, she was born into a world that offered very few opportunities for the poor and unlovely. But Susan is the kind of plucky heroine who seeks her fortune, and finds it… with some help from, well, her breasts. Susan, you see, is a professional wet nurse; she breast-feeds the children of wealthy women who can’t or won’t nurse their own babies.

But when her own child is sold by her father and sent to a London lady who had recently lost a baby, Susan manages to convince his new foster mother, Mrs. Norbert, to hire her as a wet nurse. Once reunited with her son, Susan discovers the Norbert home to be a much more sinister place than she’d ever expected. Dark and full of secrets, its master is in India, and the first baby who died there did so under very mysterious circumstances. Susan embarks on a terrifying journey to rescue her son before he meets the same fate.” On Sale: 8.06.09.

About the author:
Erica Eisdorfer was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, and graduated from Duke University. She was the book reviewer for WUNC, an NPR affiliate, for eight years. Eisdorfer has managed the Bull’s Head Bookshop, the trade bookstore on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for twenty years. Her novel, The Wet Nurse’s Tale, was nominated one of the top 10 finalists in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Awards in 2008.

To request a copy: Fill out the form found here on the Penguin Group’s website.

• Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
  

“Sweeping in scope and mesmerizing in its evocation of time and place, Burnt Shadows is an epic narrative of disasters elided and confronted, loyalties offered and repaid, and loves rewarded and betrayed.

August 9, 1945, Nagasaki. Hiroko Tanaka steps out onto her veranda, taking in the view of the terraced slopes leading up to the sky. Wrapped in a kimono with three black cranes swooping across the back, she is twenty-one, in love with the man she is to marry, Konrad Weiss. In a split second, the world turns white. In the next, it explodes with the sound of fire and the horror of realization.

In search of new beginnings, Hiroko travels to Delhi two years later. There she walks into the lives of Konrad’s half-sister and her family. As the years unravel, new homes replace those left behind and old wars are seamlessly usurped by new conflicts. But the shadows of history – personal, political – are cast over their entwined worlds as they are transported from Pakistan to New York, and in the novel’s astonishing climax, to Afghanistan in the immediate wake of 9/11. The ties that have bound them together over decades and generations are tested to the extreme, with unforeseeable consequences.” On Sale: May 2009.

From Publishers Weekly:
“Shamsie takes readers on a tour de force in this examination of the impact of war, following a trajectory from the devastation of Nagasaki in WWII through the conflict-ridden formation of Pakistan in the late 1940s to post-9/11 Manhattan and war-torn Afghanistan. Konrad Weiss, living in Nagasaki in the summer of 1945, hires a local woman, Hiroko Tanaka, to help him write a book about the city. The romance that blossoms is cut short when the atom bomb falls, killing Konrad, and after a while, Hiroko, feeling she can no longer stay in her country, travels to India to find Konrad’s sister, Ilse, the wife of a British lawyer enjoying the privileges of the British raj’s final days. From there, Shamsie brilliantly interweaves the lives of an array of characters as she brings the story forward to the 1980s, then to the beginning of the 21st century, exploring the clashes between loyalty to family, homeland and cause. Shamsie’s unsparing look at how individuals respond when war affects their world makes for an intriguing, heartrending tale of human connection.”

To request a copy: Send an e-mail including your name and mailing address to marketing@picadorusa.com. Don’t forget to include the title of the book in your subject line!

BONUS! Follow Kamila Shamsie on her US book tour by following her new Twitter account!

• Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
  

“After bursting onto the fantasy scene with his acclaimed debut novel, Elantris. and following up with his blockbuster Mistborn trilogy, Brandon Sanderson proves again that he is today’s leading master of what Tolkien called ‘secondary creation,’ the invention of whole worlds, complete with magics and myths all their own.

Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn’t like his job, and the immortal who’s still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago.

Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren’s capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.

By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of  bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.” On Sale: 6.09.09.

From Publishers Weekly:
“Epic fantasy heavyweight Sanderson (the Mistborn series) pens a powerful stand-alone tale of unpredictable loyalties, dark intrigue and dangerous magic. To keep a treaty made long ago, the king of Idris must send his daughter to marry Susebron, the God King of Hallandren. Loath to part with his eldest daughter, Vivenna, King Dedelin instead sends his youngest daughter, tomboyish 17-year-old Siri, who struggles to make sense of the schemers and spies in Susebron’s court. Hoping to rescue her sister, Vivenna joins a group of Idrian operatives with questionable motives. As Vivenna comes to terms with her magical abilities, resurrected hero Lightsong questions the role of the undead Returned Gods, who command Hallandren’s mighty army of zombie soldiers. Sanderson melds complex, believable characters, a marvelous world and thoughtful, ironic humor into an extraordinary and highly entertaining story.”

To request a copy: Fill out this form on Tor and Forge’s website to be entered to win a copy of the book, or read it online here at the author’s website!

• The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
  

“A very different kind of fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale.

What if you were to meet the number-one person on your laminated list—you know, that list you joke about with your significant other about which five celebrities you’d be allowed to run off with if ever given the chance? And of course since it’ll never happen it doesn’t matter…

Mormon housewife Becky Jack is seven months pregnant with her fourth child when she meets celebrity heartthrob Felix Callahan. Twelve hours, one elevator ride, and one alcohol-free dinner later, something has happened…though nothing has happened. It isn’t sexual. It isn’t even quite love. But a month later Felix shows up in Salt Lake City to visit and before they know what’s hit them, Felix and Becky are best friends. Really. Becky’s husband is pretty cool about it. Her children roll their eyes. Her neighbors gossip endlessly. But Felix and Becky have something special… something unusual, something completely impossible to sustain. Or is it? A magical story, The Actor and the Housewife explores what could happen when your not-so-secret celebrity crush walks right into real life and changes everything.” On Sale: 6.09.09.

From Publishers Weekly:
“This successful sophomore turn at chick lit (after Austenland) from YA and graphic novelist Hale sets up a platonic relationship between a dashing movie star and a Mormon housewife. While in Los Angeles to ink a deal for a script she’s written, pregnant Becky Jack holds her own against her big screen crush, Felix Callahan, known the world over for charming his way through romantic comedies. Witty banter draws them together, and though they debate what their fascination with one another could mean, an improbable friendship is born. Their alliance weathers the occasional break, Felix’s disinterest in children and his indifference toward Becky’s Mormon faith; spousal jealousy and the chasm separating their lifestyles also throw an occasional curveball. Hale keeps the prose crackling with humor and has a sure hand in creating nuanced, believable characters, so when otherwise unlikely plot turns creep up—Becky getting cast opposite Felix—they’re, well, likely enough. Though Becky just wants to keep her best friend and her normal life, readers will hope she gets nothing less than a fairy tale ending.”

To request a copy: Send an e-mail to marketing@bloomburyusa.com with your name and mailing address — and be sure to include the title of the book in your subject line!

• Rules of Vengeance by Christopher Reich
  

“A riveting sequel to the New York Times bestseller Rules of Deception that confirms Christopher Reich as the master of the espionage thriller.

Months after foiling an attack on a commercial jetliner, Doctors Without Borders physician Jonathan Ransom is working under an assumed name in a remote corner of Africa while his wife, Emma, desperate to escape the wrath of Division, the secret American intelligence agency she betrayed, has vanished into the netherworld of international espionage. Both look forward to sharing a stolen weekend in London—until an ambush on a convoy of limousines turns their romantic rendezvous into a terrorist bloodbath.

Rules of Vengeance follows the aftermath, as Emma disappears and Jonathan is apprehended by the police and threatened with life imprisonment unless he helps secure his wife’s capture. Faced with an impossible decision, Jonathan makes a daring escape. On the run, he realizes that his only option is to become a spy himself in order to track down Emma and discover the true nature of the conspiracy she appears to be masterminding. In the process, Jonathan begins to realize that all along he’s been a pawn in a high-stakes game of international intrigue and one-upsmanship far beyond his imagining.” On Sale: 8.04.09.

From Publishers Weekly:
“The un-put-downable sixth spy novel from bestseller Reich (The Patriots Club, which won an International Thrillers Award in 2006) shows he’s the equal of such masters of suspense as Ken Follett and Frederick Forsyth. The twisting story line revolves around Jonathan Ransom, a 37-year-old surgeon for Doctors Without Borders, whose wife is killed while mountain climbing in the Swiss Alps. As Ransom struggles to come to grips with this tragedy, he receives two mysterious baggage claim tickets addressed in her name. Ransom tracks the luggage to a remote train station, where two Swiss police officers attack him shortly after he picks up the baggage. Once safely away, he examines the contents only to realize that his wife was an undercover agent involved in ‘the blackest of black ops’—a plot that includes unmanned airborne vehicles, secret uranium enrichment facilities in Iran and the destruction of Israel. This first-class adrenaline fest will leave readers guessing until the last page.”

To request a copy: Fill out this form on DoubleDay’s website.
BONUS!: Check out the author’s website here!

So what do you guys think? What are you looking forward to reading this week? I’m right in the middle of an ARC that I received last week called The Man’s Book: The Essential Guide for the Modern Man. I requested it thinking that it’d just be an amusing time-waster, but it’s actually turning out to be a really intelligent, informative read (go figure; it’s actually written by a theoretical physicist)! My review will be posted later on this week. Until then, help keep the physical symptoms of Literophilia at bay — read 2 chapters and leave me a comment in the morning.

Book: The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers by Angie Fox

Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Co. Inc.

Furnished by: ARC from the publishers

On Sale Date: April 28, 2009

Publisher’s Description: “Seriously. Why does a new hair dryer have a twelve-page how-to manual, but when it comes to ancient demon-fighting hocus-pocus, my biker witch granny gives me just half a dozen switch stars and a rah-rah speech? Oh, and a talking terrier, but that’s another story. It’s not like my job as a preschool teacher prepared me for this kind of thing.

So I’ve decided to write my own manual, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, because no one tells me anything. Dimitri, my ‘protector,’ may be one stud of a shape-shifting griffin, but he always thinks he can handle everything by himself. Only he’s no match for the soul-stealing succubi taking over Las Vegas. If I can’t figure out how to save him—and Sin City—there’ll be hell to pay.”

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Review: After posting about this book in last week’s ARC Roundup, I thought it sounded interesting enough to put in my first ARC request since December. As it turns out, that was a great idea because I really enjoyed this book. (Also, big ups to Dorchester Publications for quick turnaround — this book landed in my mailbox only a week after I put in my request, which is probably the fastest I’ve ever gotten an ARC!)

The follow-up to Angie Fox’s first book in the demon slayer series, The Accidental Demon Slayer, The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers is narrated by the accidental demon slayer herself, Lizzie Brown. As an ex-preschool teacher, Lizzie is a complete outsider to the world of rule-breaking (so much so, she claims, that she’s never even received a speeding ticket). But on her 30th birthday, she suddenly became part of a supernatural world that was previously unknown to her and includes a biker gang of witches, shape-shifting griffins, grouchy fairies, gargoyles, succubi and a whole hell of a lot more. To make matters worse, she’s not only expected to be a part of this world — she’s expected to take on the role of the extremely rare demon slayer, saving the world from things you haven’t even seen in your worst nightmares.

In this book we get to know the magical world right along with Lizzie and her loyal Jack Russell terrier, Pirate (whom she is now able to hear “speak,” which I adore). As loyal readers of Literophilia found out in one of my previous posts (Chloe Parker’s Library), I have a sweet spot for the supernatural thriller/romance genre. This series will definitely find a home next to my Laurell K. Hamilton books. It satisfies my craving for a quick, exciting read (I flew through the book in two days) and allows the reader to get to know tons of unique, interesting creatures while still throwing in a bit of romance along the way (the quick, fiery, passionate kind — not the kind that makes you gag from its sappiness). I also like that, similar to Hamiton’s vampire hunter, Anita Blake, Lizzie has to deal with learning about herself along the way. While it’s wonderful to lose oneself in a good supernatural thriller, I think that when the author gives her characters a wealth of human flaws, it gives the book that little something extra to make her reader truly connect with the story.

| “Smart Women” Journal; $15 | “Banned Books” Necklace; $16 | Kindle 2 Cover; $42 |
| Bookmark Dictionary; $36 | Shakespeare Book Bag; $35 | Bookmark Notepad; $3.50 |
| Harry Potter Lamp; $58 | Mad Hatter Bag; $18 | Nancy Drew Stationary; $10 |

And don’t forget to check out Literophilia’s Picks — they’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them.

• An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage
  

“The bestselling author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses brilliantly charts how foods have transformed human culture through the ages. Throughout history, food has acted as a catalyst of social change, political organization, geopolitical competition, industrial development, military conflict, and economic expansion. An Edible History of Humanity is a pithy, entertaining account of how a series of changes — caused, enabled, or influenced by food — has helped to shape and transform societies around the world.” On Sale: 5.12.09.

From the Library Journal:
“Standage’s previous book, A History of the World in 6 Glasses, theorized that the titular six drinks were reflections of the eras in which they were created. In this new work, he instead shows how one of humanity’s most vital needs (hunger) didn’t simply reflect but served as the driving force behind transformative and key events in history. Dividing the vast subject into six general sections (such as food’s role in the development of societies and social hierarchies, its impact on population and industrialization, and its uses as a weapon both on the battlefield and off), Standage illustrates each section with historical examples and observations.”

To request a copy: E-mail marketing@bloomsburyusa.com with the title of the book in your subject.

BONUS!: Read about the book straight from the source on the author’s blog, TomStandage.com (also housed here on WordPress)! He’s posted about the book a couple of times now (like this entry) and he’s posted some professional reviews of the book here.

Double Bonus!: Follow Tom on Twitter!

• Valeria’s Last Stand by Marc Fitten

“Marc Fitten, the editor of the Chattahoochee Review, makes his debut as a novelist with Valeria’s Last Stand. Publishers Weekly says ‘Life in an isolated Hungarian village is turned upside down by an unusual love affair in Fitten’s promising debut. In the small hamlet of Zivatar, 68-year-old Valeria is known by all as a cantankerous woman, quick to criticize everything from the produce at the market to the mayor’s lofty ambitions to lure foreign investors to the town. But a chance encounter one day with the elderly local potter-a man Valeria has known for years but never noticed-changes everything.’” On Sale: 4.28.09.

From the Library Journal:
“In this warmly amusing first novel, true love overtakes a grumpy old woman in Hungary, and her remote village is thrown into an uproar. Feared harridan Valeria falls for the local potter, a hapless widower content to make plates for his local customers. The potter has been seeing the woman who runs the bar where all the local men hang out, and she soon becomes jealous of Valeria… Throughout, the other villagers and bar patrons form a kind of Greek chorus. In the end, true love will conquer all, even though it might be injured a little by a broken beer bottle. Enjoyable and poignant, this work is recommended.”

To request a copy: E-mail marketing@bloomsburyusa.com with the title of the book in your subject.

• Strength In What Remains by Tracy Kidder

“From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Mountains Beyond Mountains comes the extraordinary true story of a young man and his will to survive. In this remarkable book, New York Times bestselling author Tracy Kidder once again delivers the masterful story of a hero for these modern times.

Deo grew up in the mountains of Burundi, and survived a civil war and genocide before seeking a new life in America. In New York City he lived homeless in Central Park before finding his way to Columbia University. But Deo’s story really begins with his will to turn his life into something truly remarkable; he returns to his native country to help people there, as well as people in the United States.

An extraordinary writer, Kidder has the remarkable ability to show us what it means to be fully human, and to tell the unadorned story of a life based on hope. Riveting and inspiring, this may be his most magnificent work to date. Strength in What Remains is a testament to the power of will and friendship, and of the endurance of the soul.” On sale 8.25.09.

To request a copy: Fill out this form on Random House’s website.

• The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers by Angie Fox

“Seriously. Why does a new hair dryer have a twelve-page how-to manual, but when it comes to ancient demon-fighting hocus-pocus, my biker witch granny gives me just half a dozen switch stars and a rah-rah speech? Oh, and a talking terrier, but that’s another story. It’s not like my job as a preschool teacher prepared me for this kind of thing.

So I’ve decided to write my own manual, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, because no one tells me anything. Dimitri, my ‘protector,’ may be one stud of a shape-shifting griffin, but he always thinks he can handle everything by himself. Only he’s no match for the soul-stealing succubi taking over Las Vegas. If I can’t figure out how to save him — and Sin City — there’ll be hell to pay.” On sale 4.28.09.

To request a copy: Send an e-mail to egalloway@dorchesterpub.com with the title of the book as your subject and your mailing address in the body.

BONUS!: Check out Angie’s blog (another one housed here at wordpress.com) for more info on the book, giveaways and more! She’s also on Twitter, but she seems kind of quiet.

Chloe’s Personal Library

One of the many ‘symptoms’ of Literophilia is an over-abundance of books. Being the child of a Literophiliac, I know this symptom very well — nearly every room in my mom’s house holds a bookshelf that is literally packed to the brim with books.

Since I’m only 23 and I move to a different apartment nearly every year, I haven’t been able to get my collection looking how I’d like. Recently, I bought a couple of bookcases ($20 at Ikea!) and I’ve been happily staring at my beautifully organized bookcase for the past week or so.

Come take a look with me!

I’ve only really been able to ‘collect’ my books properly for the past 4 years, so my collection isn’t very big yet. It’s a nice size, though, finally. I like the fact that I have room to display my more visually-focused books now, too, since books filled with photographs are kind of useless being shoved among a pile of other books.

As you can tell, I’ve got quite an affinity for three certain types of books: the horror genre – especially vampire books – to which I have two shelves dedicated; teenage runaway stories; and books about drug culture.

I’ve been into vampires my entire life and have been reading books dedicated to the subject even when I was still getting most of my material from the YA section. The teenage runaways have been a newer interest of mine, though I’m not sure why. And the books about drug culture are, again, something I’ve been into most of my life. I never really understood why these stories intreigue me so much, but I especially like the ones that are either true stories, or based on true stories. I think that it has something to do with the people who use drugs — there’s no real ‘type’ of person or life story/event that makes someone turn to drugs. When they do, however, the story is always different, interesting and ultimately an incredibly good learning experience.

Beyond those genres, however, my taste in reading material is very broad. I have some YA/kids books in my library still, chick-lit, non-fiction, historical accounts, classics, biographies, essays by comedians — you name it, I’ve probably got at least one book for you. I’ve even got a copy of the Koran and the Bhagavad Gita (while I had to read these for a college course, I decided to keep them and add them to my library since I find studying religions very interesting sometimes).

So, Literophiliacs – now that you’ve seen my library, how about yours? Share the affliction in the comments!

What are your favorite types of books to read? Favorite characters? Favorite genres? Or just show me a picture or two of your library!

Yours,
“Chloe Parker”

Check out last week’s post, too!

| Wreck This Journal; $10 | Wonderland necklace; $28 | Book of Monsters Plush; $15 |
| Betty Boop Bookends; $28 | Damask Book Cover; $12 | Nancy Drew Handbook; $17 |
| Big Skull Bookends; $21 | How to Make Books; $17 | Twilight “Be Safe” Necklace; $20 |

And don’t forget to check out Literophilia’s Picks! They’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them.

• The Long Fall by Walter Mosley

“A brand-new mystery series from one of the country’s best-known, best-loved writers. A new character. A new series. A new era. A new Walter Mosley. The Long Fall – the first Leonid McGill story.” On Sale: 3.24.09.

From Amazon:
“His name is etched on the door of his Manhattan office: LEONID McGILL, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR. It’s a name that takes a little explaining, but he’s used to it. “Daddy was a communist and great-great-Granddaddy was a slave master from Scotland. You know, the black man’s family tree is mostly root. Whatever you see above-ground is only a hint at the real story.”

Ex-boxer, hard drinker, in a business that trades mostly in cash and favors: McGill’s an old-school P.I. working a city that’s gotten fancy all around him. Fancy or not, he has always managed to get by—keep a roof over the head of his wife and kids, and still manage a little fun on the side—mostly because he’s never been above taking a shady job for a quick buck. But like the city itself, McGill is turning over a new leaf, “decided to go from crooked to slightly bent.”

New York City in the twenty-first century is a city full of secrets—and still a place that reacts when you know where to poke and which string to pull. That’s exactly the kind of thing Leonid McGill knows how to do. As soon as The Long Fall begins, with McGill calling in old markers and greasing NYPD palms to unearth some seemingly harmless information for a high-paying client, he learns that even in this cleaned-up city, his commitment to the straight and narrow is going to be constantly tested.

And we learn that with this protagonist, this city, this time, Mosley has tapped a rich new vein that’s inspiring his best work since the classic Devil in a Blue Dress.”

To request a copy: Fill out this form on the Penguin Group’s website with your name and address.

• Land of Marvels by Barry Unsworth

“Land of Marvels is up to Unsworth’s highest standard, featuring a cast of fascinating characters thrown together in the desert of Mesopotamia just before the Great War, all furiously digging for the past and turning up the future. American readers will recognize the landscape and learn some surprising facts about how we got exactly where we are right now. As well as a great read, Land of Marvels is an important book.” On Sale: 1.06.09.

From Publishers Weekly: “Booker Prize-winning Unsworth (The Ruby in Her Navel) sets his intelligent and timely new book in Mesopotamia during the spring of 1914, just before the chaos of WWI. John Somerville, a British archeologist desperate for fame, worries that his new discovery, an ancient tomb, will be compromised by the construction–funded by Germany–of a new railway line. At the excavation site, Somerville’s wife, Edith, wonders if her marriage has fizzled, especially after the arrival of Alex Elliott, a handsome American posing as a geologist but secretly searching for new sources of oil. Meanwhile, Jehar, an Arab confidence man, brings often fabricated messages to Somerville, warning him that the Germans are quickly approaching. The tension between the players–all eager to claim rights to what the land provides–builds toward a violent, unexpected finale. In elegantly modulated prose, Unsworth creates a tapestry of ambition and greed while, at the same time, foreshadowing the current conflict in the region.”

To request a copy: Fill out this form at Random House’s website with your name and address.

• The Horse Boy: A Father’s Quest to Heal His Son by Ruper Isaacson

“How far would you go to heal your child? To the ends of the earth? This is a story everyone needs to hear.” On Sale: 4.14.09.

From Amazon: “When his son Rowan was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson was devastated, afraid he might never be able to communicate with his child. But when Isaacson, a lifelong horseman, rode their neighbor’s horse with Rowan, Rowan improved immeasurably. He was struck with a crazy idea: why not take Rowan to Mongolia, the one place in the world where horses and shamanic healing intersected?

The Horse Boy is the dramatic and heartwarming story of that impossible adventure. In Mongolia, the family found undreamed of landscapes and people, unbearable setbacks, and advances beyond their wildest dreams. This is a deeply moving, truly one-of-a-kind story–of a family willing to go to the ends of the earth to help their son, and of a boy learning to connect with the world for the first time.”

To request a copy: Send an e-mail to marketing@hbgusa.com with “The Horse Boy ARC” as the subject. Don’t forget to include your name and shipping address!

• The World in Half by Cristina Henríquez

“‘A beautifully told story set against a lush and dazzling backdrop, a celebration of hope and forgiveness, a delicate examination of the power of memory, and an all-out great read.’ says Arin Kyle, author of The God of Animals. From the prize-winning author of Come Together, Fall Apart comes a mesmerizingly beautiful first novel about family, home, loss and forgiveness.” On Sale: 4.09.09.

From Amazon: “Miraflores has never known her father, and until now, she’s never thought that he wanted to know her. She’s long been aware that her mother had an affair with him while she was stationed with her then husband in Panama, and she’s always assumed that her pregnant mother came back to the United States alone with his consent. But when Miraflores returns to the Chicago suburb where she grew up, to care for her mother at a time of illness, she discovers that her mother and father had a greater love than she ever thought possible, and that her father had wanted her more than she could have ever imagined.

In secret, Miraflores plots a trip to Panama, in search of the man whose love she hopes can heal her mother—and whose presence she believes can help her find the pieces of her own identity that she thought were irretrievably lost. What she finds is unexpected, exhilarating, and holds the power to change the course of her life completely.

In gorgeous, shimmering prose, Cristina Henríquez delivers a triumphant and heartbreaking first novel: The World in Half, the story of a young woman reconciling an existence between two cultures and confronting a life of hardship with an endless capacity to learn, love, and forgive.”

To request a copy: Fill out this form on the Penguin Group’s website with your name and address.

• The Age of Orphans by Laleh Khadivi

“The Age of Orphans is the story of a Kurdish boy forced to betray his people in service of the new Iranian nation, and the tragic consequences as he grows into manhood.” On sale: 3.03.09.

From Publishers Weekly: “Ironic, beautifully written, brutal and ugly, Khadivi’s ambitious debut novel follows a Kurdish boy who is tragically and violently conscripted into the shah’s army after his own people are slaughtered in battle. Assigned the name Reza Pejman Khourdi-Reza after the first shah of Iran, Pejman meaning heartbroken and Khourdi to denote he’s an ethnic Kurd-the boy suppresses all things Kurdish within him, fueled by a sense of self-preservation and self-loathing. Channeling fear and hate into brutal acts against the Kurds, Reza makes a quick climb up the military career ladder, eventually gaining an appointment to Kermanshah, a Kurdish region in the north of Iran. There, as overseer of his own people, Reza promotes Kurdish assimilation and the budding nation of Iran while mercilessly silencing voices of Kurdish independence. As he grows old with his Iranian wife, Meena, Reza’s internal conflicts simmer, then boil over, with unexpected and terrible results. This difficult but powerful novel, the first of a trilogy, introduces a writer with a strong, unflinching voice and a penetrating vision.”

To request a copy: Send an e-mail to marketing@bloomsburyusa.com with “The Age of Orphans” as the subject. Don’t forget to include your name and shipping address!

• A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr

“Philip Kerr returns with his best-loved character, Bernie Gunther, in A Quiet Flame; the fifth novel in what is now a series: a tight, twisting, compelling thriller that is firmly rooted in history.” On Sale: 3.19.09.

From Publishers Weekly: “At the start of Kerr’s stellar fifth Bernie Gunther novel (after The One from the Other), the former Berlin homicide detective seeks exile in Argentina in 1950, along with others connected to the Nazi past (one of his fellow ship passengers is Adolf Eichmann). A few weeks after Gunther arrives in Buenos Aires, a local policeman, Colonel Montalbán, asks his help in solving the savage murder of 15-year-old Grete Wohlauf. Montalbán has noticed similarities between this crime and two unsolved murders Gunther investigated in 1932 Germany. Another teenage girl’s disappearance heightens the urgency of the inquiry. In exchange for free medical treatment for his just diagnosed thyroid cancer, Gunther agrees to subtly grill members of the large German community. A secret he stumbles on soon places his life in jeopardy. Kerr, who’s demonstrated his versatility with high-quality entries in other genres, cleverly and plausibly grafts history onto a fast-paced thriller plot.”

To request a copy: Fill out this form on the Penguin Group’s website with your name and address.

Welcome to another week in book-related happenings here at Literophilia. In this post, we bring you news of your favorite familiar literary characters who will soon be returning to life, losing their minds, nurturing their split-personalities, and committing suicide. All without one mention of the decline in the economy! Anyway, on to the news:

The Associated Press reports (via Salon.com) that the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh is finally returning from hibernation. Return to Hundred Acre Wood will be the first authorized sequel to A. A. Milne’s original Pooh stories which were published in the 1920s. The new book comes out on October 5th — are you ready? Excited? Or are you feeling a bit cynical that this is just going to be yet another in a series of Hollywood’s failed remakes (see also: “TMNT“, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)?

I love this — it’s exactly the type of story I hope for <i>Literophilia</i> to exemplify. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a Stephen King fan has published an 80-page version of the book that the novelist Jack Torrance obsessively writes during King’s The Shining. The writing of this book occurs mostly during Torrance’s descent into madness, and is revealed when his wife discovers that his work consists of just one phrase, endlessly repeated: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. The book is available on bookmaking website Blurb.com for $8.95 in softcover.

The book blog over at AbeBooks.com highlights 1001 Books for Every Mood: A Bibliophile’s Guide to Unwinding, Misbehaving, Forgiving, Celebrating, Commiserating. While I’m not usually a fan of list books, this one seems particularly intriguing. I’m definitely the type of person who will, from time to time, end up reading several novels at once so that I can have one to suit each of my moods. Perhaps this will help me get my To-Be-Read pile straightened out!

Once again, BBNN brings you another story of literature winning out over violence. Sort of? Fox12 in Oregon is reporting that Central Linn High School’s library has refused to ban Bunny Suicides from its shelves. (And no, that’s not the latest book by The Girls Next Door).

President-elect Barack Obama has gained notoriety in these past few months for much more than his opinions on the current state of affairs in our country. One of my favorite things about him is the fact that he’s very outspoken about his love for good books. Check out this article which attempts to cover every book that Obama has publicly discussed including Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which has been championed as his favorite.

Most people – whether they intend to or not – let their favorite hobbies and the things they enjoy the most spill over into other areas of their lives. Here at Literophilia, we recognize that, and we don’t mind being the enablers that fulfill your addictions.

This feature will be a weekly sampling of bargains on book-related items from around the internet that we think are particularly note-worthy. Happy window-shopping!

| Librarian Pin; $10 |Deadly Knights Bookends; $10 | “Alice” Moleskine Journal; $11 |
| Indie Publishing; $15 | Steampunk Bookmark; $15 | Pin-Up Librarian Poster; $18 |
| Secret Camera Book; $15 | Banned Books Necklace; $15 | Personal Library Kit; $17 |

Welcome to another new feature here on Literophilia, Big Book News Now (or, henceforth, BBNN). This will be a sporadic feature that sums up what we think are some of the most interesting goings-on in the literary world.

While we all love to discuss literature and its deeper meanings and why books make us feel like we’re in a different world… well, let’s be serious: some of us need a break from that crap sometimes and would prefer that ‘different world’ be one where a burly, shirtless man is feeding us grapes.

If you’re a trashy romance novel junkie, then perhaps Tell Harlequin is for you. The leader in women’s novels is asking their readers for their opinions. And of course, there’s something in it for you, too.

And you say that your secret love of trashy romance novels is your only true bond with your kid sis? Well, I’ve got something for her, too: Harlequin Ambassadors is the YA version of ‘Tell Harlequin’ — and don’t worry, they won’t be sending her the adult novels. Think Twilight, with less vampires and teenage pregnancy.

A town in California is using library cards to stop violence (and they’re not even Kevlar-coated cards!). KSBW News in Salinas, CA is reporting that ‘The mayor of Salinas is pushing a literacy campaign that would make the city the first in the country to require every student to have a library card.’ In Literophilia’s humble opinion, anyone who encourages the younger generation to pick up some actual ink-and-paper literature is OK in our book.

Have an impossibly high to-be-read stack? Taking a class with an over-zealous professor and a mile-long book list? Or did you set your New Years Resolution at midnight when you were drunk and vow to read almost 500 books this year? Self-described “freelance writer, editor, book critic and wastrel-ette,” Sarah Weinman spoke to the LA Times Blogs about how she was able to read 462 books in a year.

Another Obama first: the Wall Street Journal reports that President-elect Barack Obama will be the first US president to have a starring role in a Marvel comic when he appears in an upcoming issue of Spiderman.

Video: Borders Book Club chats with Gregory Maguire; author of Wicked (one of my favorite books) and Son of a Witch, volume two in the Wicked Years. Get the scoop on his latest book, A Lion Among Men (The Wicked Years, Book 3)!

“967 Total Books Received.” That says it all. Check out the Chasing Ray’s post about the sheer volume of ARCs that they received in 2008 – 775 of which were not requested.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, an ARC (also sometimes referred to an ARE) is an Advanced Reading Copy (or Edition). This means that it’s an unpublished proof of the work that is fairly close to the final draft. They release ARC’s to the public to get feedback on the book and generate a buzz among the industry for the book’s release.

The purpose of the weekly ARC Roundup is to let you guys know just what’s out there this week — what books are available, what they’re about and how to get them. And as a special little bonus, Literophilia’s Picks (while we think all of the books we list sound interesting, these ones strike us the most!) will be highlighted in hot pink so you can’t miss them.

So, without further ado, here is the very first ARC Roundup for the week of January 9th, 2009. Enjoy!

• The Kiss Murder by Mehet Morat Somer

“As if being the beautiful, witty, expert kickboxing transvestite hostess of Istanbul’s most notorious nightclub doesn’t make a girl busy enough… Now I have to solve crimes, too.” The first novel in the Turkish Delight mystery series, The Kiss Murder is now available in paperback from The Penguin Group. On Sale: 12.30.08.

From Publishers Weekly:
Istanbul provides an intriguing backdrop for Somer’s highly entertaining and occasionally over-the-top tale, the first in a six-volume series to be made available in the U.S., in which a nameless transvestite nightclub owner turns detective after the murder of one of the clubs drag queens, a crime linked to a blackmail scheme involving letters and photos received from a powerful and conservative businessman. While the clubs performers fear their secret lives being made public and are outcasts to their families, the protagonist, who by night dresses like that boyish beauty Audrey Hepburn, fears no one. When the blackmailers target the nightclub owner, she turns for help to contacts in the gay and transvestite community, plus a gossipy bouncer and an adoring cab driver who fancies himself the Istanbul version of Brad Pitt. Melding broad humor with a sensitive look at gay life in Turkey, Somer has fashioned a complex protagonist who’s likable, intelligent, arrogant and, above all, a survivor.

To request a copy: Email promotions@us.penguingroup.com with the subject “The Kiss Murder” – and be sure to include your name and shipping address!

• The Angel Maker by Stefan Brijs

“‘He grew up in an asylum.’

‘His mother died of insanity.’

‘His father… you know… from the tree next to his house.’

‘He can perform miracles.’

The Word is out: The good doctor of Wolfheim isn’t quite what he seems. The chilling story that explores the ethical reaches of science and religion.” On Sale: 12.30.08.

From Amazon.com: “A literary page-turner about one man’s macabre ambition to create life—and secure immortality.

The village of Wolfheim is a quiet little place until the geneticist Dr. Victor Hoppe returns after an absence of nearly twenty years. The doctor brings with him his infant children—three identical boys all sharing a disturbing disfigurement. He keeps them hidden away until Charlotte, the woman who is hired to care for them, begins to suspect that the triplets—and the good doctor— aren’t quite what they seem. As the villagers become increasingly suspicious, the story of Dr. Hoppe’s past begins to unfold, and the shocking secrets that he has been keeping are revealed. A chilling story that explores the ethical limits of science and religion, The Angel Maker is a haunting tale in the tradition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein. Brought to life by internationally bestselling author Stefan Brijs, this eerie tale promises to get under readers’ skin.”

To Request A Copy: Email promotions@us.penguingroup.com with the subject “The Angel Maker” – and be sure to include your name and shipping address!

• The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World’s Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrich Boser

“The story of the 1990 Gardner Museum robbery, the largest unsolved art theft in history.” On Sale: 2.24.2009.

From Amazon.com:

One museum, two thieves, and the Boston underworld—the story behind the lost Gardner masterpieces and the art detective who swore to get them back.

Shortly after midnight on March 18, 1990, two men broke into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and committed the largest art heist in history. They stole a dozen masterpieces, including one Vermeer, three Rembrandts, and five Degas. But after thousands of leads, hundreds of interviews, and a $5-million reward, not a single painting has been recovered. Worth a total of $500 million, the missing masterpieces have become the Holy Grail of the art world and one of the nation’s most extraordinary unsolved mysteries.

Art detective Harold Smith worked on the theft for years, and after his death, reporter Ulrich Boser inherited his case files. Traveling deep into the art underworld, Boser explores Smith’s unfinished leads and comes across a remarkable cast of characters, including the brilliant rock ‘n’ roll art thief; the golden-boy gangster who professes his innocence in rhyming verse; the deadly mobster James “Whitey” Bulger; and the Boston heiress Isabella Stewart Gardner, who stipulated in her will that nothing should ever be changed in her museum, a provision followed so closely that the empty frames of the stolen works still hang on the walls. Boser eventually cracks one of the biggest mysteries of the case and uncovers the identities of the men who robbed the museum nearly two decades ago. A tale of art and greed, of obsession and loss, The Gardner Heist is as compelling as the stolen masterpieces themselves.”

To Request A Copy: Check out the book’s page on the Harper-Collins website and sign up through the First Look program sign-up page.

• The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James

“I often believe there are two types of readers: Austen girls and Bronte girls. This is for all you Bronte girls out there!

Syrie James, author of the bestselling The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen has created a new novel as powerful and as creative as Jane. Here, we learn of the passionate and uniquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte.” On Sale 6.30.09.

From Harper-Collins: “Poor, plain and unconnected, Charlotte and her sisters live in the wilds of Yorkshire. Their eccentric father allows no curtains on the windows and no rugs on the floors. Their brother is a drunkard and a drug addict. But these three sisters write some of the most beloved books ever created.

Many don’t know that Charlotte’s life held hidden passions. And while many remember her novel Jane Eyre, few know about her romance with Arthur Bell Nichols. After her death, he destroyed so much of the personal writing of her adulthood, but now, through The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte, Charlotte’s secrets are about to be told.”

To Request A Copy: Check out the book’s page on the Harper-Collins website and sign up through the First Look program sign-up page.

Book: Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers

Publisher: Harper Teen

Furnished by: ARC from Harper-Collins Publishers

On Sale Date: February 10, 2009

Publisher’s Description: “The itch starts when things get too heavy for Lil J. Skin popping or stealing pain pills from his mom help him relax. But Lil J’s focus is wandering because money is short, and his man Rico knows a way to make some quick cash. It’s supposed to be an easy deal, but it isn’t so simple when the buyer is an undercover cop.

With a gunshot wound to the arm, Rico in jail, and a police officer clinging to life, Lil J is starting to get dope sick. He’d do anything to change the last twenty-four hours, and when he stumbles into an abandoned crack house, it actually might be possible…

Walter Dean Myers weaves elements of magical realism into a harrowing story about drug use, violence, alternate perceptions of reality, and second chances.”

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

Review: A quick, enjoyable read; Dope Sick is the story of how one boy in the ‘hood gets a second chance to take a close look at his life and find a way out of the hustle and grind that so many young black men succumb to.

After a drug deal gone wrong, Lil J is on the run and ends up hiding out in an abandoned building with a spooky squatter known only as Kelly. Kelly may not have much, but he does have one thing — a television which has the ability to help Lil J run back through his memories and his life (and at times, go to the possible future) so that he can really decipher just where his life had gone wrong. Lil J is on a precipice, teetering between the life he leads now, a good life, or instantaneous death. And he must answer one question to decide his fate — “If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?”

Book: The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli by Ginnetta Correli

Publisher: Marshmallow Press

Furnished by: Library Thing’s Early Reviewers Program

On Sale Date: 2008

Publisher’s Description: “The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli is an experimental novel written as a touching hybrid of a bizarre television script. With prose and lyrics resulting in quick, readable, deftly crafted scenes. What starts off innocently told through the voice of a 12 year old girl (Beatie Scareli) is the story of how the young girl tries to make sense of her life through a nickelodeon view of the world.

At the same time a woman watches the young girl’s difficult past on her television. The story soon turns and twists until everything about the girl and her family becomes darkly connected to what becomes reality and fiction in the girl or woman’s mind.

The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli challenges the reader to look at human beings in a different way and to accept that given the right circumstances anyone even the reader can fall into a painful abyss of pop culture and get lost in their own reality.”

Rating: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

Review: The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli reads like the screenplay of a young girl’s life. It shows, realistically, how life for a child can go from picture-perfect to a chaotic whirlwind in the blink of an eye. The book begins with Beatie and her idiosyncratic family on a trip to the beach; her parents in love, the water warm — perfect. Yet in the time it takes to get back to the car from the beach, things already begin to fall apart for Beatie’s parents. From there, Beatie’s mother goes crazy, her father becomes violent, and Beatie is bounced around from home to home, never in an ideal or safe situation, yet attempting to find herself and grow up amidst the insanity of the adults in her life. As the novel continues, Beatie becomes more confused, as do the circumstances of her life, and accordingly, so does her dialogue. At the end, the reader is left feeling as though they’d like to reach through the page and pull Beatie into their own world, if only just to give her a hug for a minute.

I’m usually a fan of these tumultuous coming of age novels like Go Ask Alice, Girl Bomb, Pretty Little Dirty, etc. The Lost Episodes… falls into this category, but it falls a bit short of the aforementioned works. It reads like a first novel, and I get the impression that it is, so I give Correli kudos for that, at least. However, like most first novels, the plot isn’t fleshed out enough, it’s a bit scattered at times and you don’t get to know the characters quite as well as you’d like. I believe there’s a basis for a great novel here, but it just needs to be taken further.