The first goal of my blog was to increase my readership exponentially from one (my wonderful Garm) to five. This was a difficult goal, since 1 to the 5th power it still one, but we DID IT!
Damn. Now I feel obligated to actually post something. Hmmmmmm .....
some time (and some cookie-cake) later
I've just finished a most delightful book. It's a newer book by a lady who has been my favorite author since my freshman year of high school when a classmate first loaned me the book The Blue Sword (I chose to read it because it has a horse on the front. PONIES!) Robin McKinley writes in such a way that it simultaneously inspires me to write stories of my own, and discourages me from ever finishing anything because there is no way I'll ever be THAT GOOD. The Blue Sword has lived unchallenged at the top of my favorite books list since I read it that first time. And is re-read every year and every time I get sick. It's one of those books where I feel like I'm going back to visit old friends every time I pick it up. The prequel to The Blue Sword, The Hero and the Crown is a Newberry Award Winner (although I thought Sword was MUCH better). Over the years I've collected McKinley's books and devoured each and every one. Her book Beauty is an absolutely perfect re-telling of the story of Beauty and the Beast. She eventually followed that one with a longer telling called Rose Daughter which is a lovely story, but lacks a something that Beauty has.
A Door in the Hedge and A Knot in the Grain are both collections of shorter fairy tales. McKinley is more than an author, she is a storyteller. My senior year in college I was at a B&N with my roommate and we came across her book Sunshine. It was just out, so they only had hardbacks. I NEVER buy hardbacks, unless they're marked down to super-duper-red-dot-never-saw-the-bestseller-list clearance for under $5. I didn't have twenty dollars to spend on a book, (and I literally didn't, Amanda had to loan it to me) but I had to have that book. So glad. McKinley wrote the best vampire book most teenagers will never read. I remember not sleeping until I finished that book. I finished that book before I found time to get to the bank so I could pay my roommate back.
After Sunshine I learned to stalk her website so that I would never again be caught unawares. So when Chalice came out, I knew about it and had already steeled myself to wait until a paperback became available. I periodically checked back on Amazon's website, and finally there it was! When I needed to round an order up to $25 for the Free Super Saver Shipping! that was the first item on my wishlist I clicked on. Chalice is not a retelling of a well-known fairy tale, such as Spindle's End. As far as I know, it's not a retelling of an unknown fairy tale, such as Deerskin. Chalice is a new creation of McKinley's own imagination, and it was truly delightful.
Her next book, Pegasus, is due out in November. You can guess what I want for Christmas!
A Door in the Hedge and A Knot in the Grain are both collections of shorter fairy tales. McKinley is more than an author, she is a storyteller. My senior year in college I was at a B&N with my roommate and we came across her book Sunshine. It was just out, so they only had hardbacks. I NEVER buy hardbacks, unless they're marked down to super-duper-red-dot-never-saw-the-bestseller-list clearance for under $5. I didn't have twenty dollars to spend on a book, (and I literally didn't, Amanda had to loan it to me) but I had to have that book. So glad. McKinley wrote the best vampire book most teenagers will never read. I remember not sleeping until I finished that book. I finished that book before I found time to get to the bank so I could pay my roommate back.
After Sunshine I learned to stalk her website so that I would never again be caught unawares. So when Chalice came out, I knew about it and had already steeled myself to wait until a paperback became available. I periodically checked back on Amazon's website, and finally there it was! When I needed to round an order up to $25 for the Free Super Saver Shipping! that was the first item on my wishlist I clicked on. Chalice is not a retelling of a well-known fairy tale, such as Spindle's End. As far as I know, it's not a retelling of an unknown fairy tale, such as Deerskin. Chalice is a new creation of McKinley's own imagination, and it was truly delightful.
Her next book, Pegasus, is due out in November. You can guess what I want for Christmas!
Was I the one who loaned you The Blue Sword? It's been so long I can't remember!
ReplyDeleteI read Beauty and Deerskin years ago and remember enjoying them both. Will have to put some of these on my to-read list...
ReplyDelete