And the wind blows us along our way.

It is no surprise that I've abandoned this blog for so long. I like to think that it's what I do. If I posted on a regular basis, then the element of discovery would be lost...right? I logged back in today after reading the beautiful blog of a coworker and her husband-- you can find it at Dream of the Woods Productions. (Make sure to check out the whole site, not just the blog.) Anyway, it really spoke to me and made me want to check up on my little abandoned lot on the internet.
So many changes in three years. I realize that I can't catch up, and that whatever guilt I feel for not checking in on this blog and the other one I have with my sister is silly. The wind really does blow us along our way, sometimes on course and sometimes off. I feel that I'm on course now, but find myself not wanting to document it here as much as I once did. I am living my life, trying to go where the wind takes me and not overthink everything. That is easier said than done. I feel the need to know what will happen next and feel some sort of assurance. Nothing is assured.
I just had my birthday and it was very relaxing and, although there is one sneaky grey hair at the front of my hairline that is bugging me, I'm mostly okay with being thirty-five. I still have hopes and goals-- I always say this, but I really would like to get back to making things. However, I'm proud of what I've achieved insofar as I have a master's degree and (new!) job in my field, I am close with my family and my dog, and I'm on my way to a new place to live with a stopover with my folks in between. I have supportive friends and I'm just kind of content, which is a big deal for me since that feeling is rare. I guess the wind knows where we should go, and I'm going. To quote Friends, "I'm breezy!"
This feeling may be temporary, but right now, I'll take it.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Reclaiming spinsterhood

I'm turning thirty-two in less than a week. I am single, I live with my dog, and I work full-time. When I was growing up, I didn't envision being unmarried at thirty-two. I figured I'd be married and have children, and I'd probably stay home with them (a different full-time job). I've reached a level of okay-ness with where I am-- I'm not actively scrambling to find a husband. I honestly don't feel the tick of my biological clock. But does this make me a SPINSTER?

Kate Bolick's Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own tackles the idea of spinsterhood through her personal reflections on a handful of literary women. She explores the history of spinsters, what it means to be one, and her own feelings toward her life. In short, I loved it. I identified with it. And hell yeah, I'm a spinster.

I'm not the only one-- over 100 million American women are unmarried. Bolick cites definitions of the term spinster, most of which refer to being older than the usual age for marriage, whatever that is. I've read that Americans are getting married at older ages now, so what is the "usual" age now? In the grand scheme of things, does it matter? And why should there be a negative term for women who are unmarried-- "spinster"-- when unmarried men are considered "bachelors," a positive term for a man who cannot be "tamed?"

The extraordinary women Bolick writes about: Neith Boyce, Maeve Brennan, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Edith Wharton, all were unconventional for their time periods and tried to carve out their own identities. In so doing, they inspired Bolick to live authentically, although not without a few bumps along the way.

It was refreshing to find myself in these pages and know that I'm in good company. Bolick states, "What bothered me was the assumption that because I was a woman in her early thirties, I must be 'desperate' for marriage." You know what I'm desperate for? Being near my friends and family, spending time doing what I love (art and reading), and working at a good job that I like (librarian). I have all those things. If I met someone, that would be awesome, but right now, I like being responsible only to myself and my pup. I am desperate not to worry what other people think of me, which is a work in progress, but it was helped by this book.

I'll end with a quote from Neith Boyce that Bolick includes on page 82:
"I never shall be an old maid, because I have elected to be a Girl Bachelor. And as to regretting this choice, you know the saying of the philosopher, 'Whether you marry or not, you will regret it.'"

My take away from this book is to be true to yourself, and don't feel weird about the path you've chosen. It's your path, after all.

Ex libris,

Marissa

As Red As Blood

Since I love Scandinavian mysteries, I thought I would really like Salla Simukka's As Red As Blood. I thought, woo! Scandinavian mystery for teens! Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. It read more like a dry adult mystery than something that would appeal to teens. The main character, Lumikki, is a high school student who lives on her own. It is clear that she is very independent. She finds bloodstained euros in the school darkroom and is pulled into a mystery of who, what, and why...but it's also a mystery of who cares? Despite her independence, Lumikki gets drawn in by a group of kids who she finds inferior. She decides to help them, but for what reason? I wanted to finish (Finnish, lol) the story to see what happened, but I was disappointed. There is a sequel coming out where we learn more about Lumikki, I'm assuming. She is the real mystery. Maybe the tension and intrigue that I associate with Scandinavian noir was lost in the translation from Finnish to English. Whatever the reason, while I wanted to like this book, I was bored.

Speaking of Scandinavia, I am GOING TO ICELAND in October! I'm so very excited!!! I've wanted to go since reading Grettir's Saga in Medieval Literature, and starting off the winding path of Scandinavian noir with Henning Mankell's Sidetracked (which takes place in Sweden) in Global Detective Fiction in college. Hurrah!

Since As Red As Blood wasn't what I expected, here's a GREAT book that I really enjoyed: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. And since I'm not reviewing it here, check out this review written by one of my teen library patrons.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Where gaming meets the real world.

I just finished Steve Brezenoff's Guy in Real Life this weekend. I picked it up because I purchased it for the library, it got good reviews, and I love the cover. I can say I really liked the book. Not the best, but an enjoyable read.
Lesh Tungsten is trying to figure out where he fits in. After an evening of drinking and a concert, he collides with Svetlana Allegheny as she rides by on her bike. Lesh is grounded for his antics (he's a sophomore in high school) and his best friend, Greg, convinces him to try the MMORPG while he's incarcerated in his bedroom.
In the game, Lesh can be whoever he wants. He chooses an orc character to start, but then creates another, a beautiful elf priestess named Svvetlana. As he gets closer with the real Svetlana, lines blur between fantasy and reality. Svetlana, for her part, is creative and quirky, and also a Dungeon Master, responsible for planning elaborate campaigns for the high school's gaming club. Lesh and Svetlana are both separated from reality, but come together in real life. But what happens if Svetlana finds out about Lesh's alter ego online?
The book is told in alternating chapters so the reader can see both sides of the story. It's not clear if Lesh is confused about his gender or sexuality-- as I read it, he's not, he just wants to have a different persona online. I love Svetlana's character. She is always embroidering or drawing, avoiding awkward family outings and spending time with her friends in the gaming club. It is an engaging, realistic YA story.

Ex libris,

Marissa

New year!

Happy 2014! Once again, I disappeared for awhile. Nothing bad happening, just very busy at work. I'm running programs, reading for book groups, and rearranging collections. I am a busy bee.
I try not to make resolutions because I usually don't fulfill them and then feel bad. That being said, I would like to read more books and watch less TV this year. There are so many good reads and I feel like I could do better with reader's advisory if I read more (obviously).
Every year I write down in a notebook the books I read. I don't count books I leaf through when they arrive in shipments, and I don't count books I read at story time. If I did, my total would be more robust, but there you are. In 2013, I read fifty books. That is thirty-three fewer than 2012. My commute is much shorter now, so I don't get through as many audiobooks as I did before. I was briefly on a Nutmeg Award Committee, so I plowed through the first selection of books, but I had to resign when I moved to Massachusetts. Not making excuses, just reflecting on my year of reading.
So what were my favorite books I read in 2013? Here is a list to add to your personal reading list:

1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
3. Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety by Daniel Smith
4. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
5. Homeland by Cory Doctorow
6. If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
7. The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro
8. That's Not A Feeling by Dan Josefson
9. The Great Influenza by John M. Barry
10. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
11. The Fire Witness by Lars Kepler
12. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl (in progress)

Have a fabulous new year! Happy reading!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Suspension of disbelief

I hadn't read any of D.J. MacHale's books until his latest, Sylo. MacHale is probably best known for the Pendragon series, of which there are about ten, plus a set of prequels. He takes up a lot of library real estate. Sylo is first in a series too, and having purchased it for the library, I decided to give it a try.

Sylo, published by an imprint of Penguin Books, is a sci-fi thriller set on an island in Maine. Tucker Pierce is an average kid, having moved to the island from Connecticut with his parents. After witnessing the death of a classmate and seeing a strange explosion in the sky, Tucker and his friend Quinn are disconcerted that their safe haven of Pemberwick Island is no longer so safe. When a strange military outfit named SYLO invades the island and quarantines the place, effectively cutting off Pemberwick from the outside world, Tucker must accept that nothing is as it seems.

Running parallel to the military occupation plot line is that of a mysterious substance called the Ruby, which gives anyone who uses it superhuman speed and strength. It is unclear if this is why the island is quarantined, but a shady character named Mr. Feit gives it to residents prior to the military occupation.

Tucker, Quinn, and another classmate Tori are quickly in the crosshairs of SYLO's commander, Granger. They must try to escape the island and expose SYLO since they believe the quarantine is bogus and there is something fishy going on.

I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I liked it a lot-- I spent most of last night turning pages to see what would happen. It has gripping moments. On the other hand, it was farfetched and just ok. The drug pusher, Mr. Feit, is a poorly created character and is clearly a warning "Don't do drugs, kids!" The escape scenes are decent, as is the boating terminology, but it still seems contrived. Tucker's sort-of-infatuation with Tori is a convenient plot device, but there is no meat. Most of the characters are stock-- the brainy friend, the pretty tourist girl, the wealthy jock, the cold soldier. I came across two usage errors (taught instead of taut and mantle instead of mantel) which pulled me out of the story.

All that being said, I would skim the next two series installments to see what happens. Despite its flaws, I am curious as to what happens next. I classify this book as middle grade, so grades 5 and up. Not fabulous, certainly not flawless, but definitely intriguing.

Ex libris,

Marissa

So realistic, I cried while stuck in traffic.

So here is some old news: If I Stay by Gayle Forman is a stunner. This book was originally released in 2009 by Dutton Children's, an imprint of Penguin. I listened to the audio version and finished it while stuck in bridge traffic headed to Cape Cod. I was such a soupy face afterwards, tears dribbling all over. I glanced around and everyone was in their cars, probably half irritated by the traffic and half "YAY CAPE COD!" And I looked like I had just had a very sad experience. Well, I did.

SPOILER ALERT. You find out the gist of the story very early on, but if you want to be surprised, don't read further. Although I imagine this book has already been widely read, I just didn't get around to it until now.

Mia is a promising cello player, on the cusp of getting into Julliard. Her punk-rock-turned-teacher-dad, tough-but-sweet mom, and ebullient little brother are all excited at the idea of a rare snow day and after breakfast, they go for a drive.

They get in a horrific accident. Mia has an out-of-body experience and sees her parents, dead and broken, on the pavement. (There is a reference to Mia seeing "what looked like cauliflower" on the pavement and realizing it is parts of her father's brain. Really.) It is not immediately clear what happened to Mia's brother. Mia realizes she's out of her body and goes with herself to the hospital.

Interspersed in the story are bits of Mia looking back on her life. For example, her friend Kim comes to visit her in the hospital and we get to learn how they became friends. However, a huge focus of Mia's remembrances are that of her musician boyfriend, Adam. Their whole story is beautiful but not saccharine.

The point of the story is that Mia must decide if she will stay and live out a very different life, or if she will die. It is poignant and sad and she has to weigh some tough choices...Adam and her friends and extended family versus going gently into that good night.

I like this story because it is realistic and mostly plausible, and it shows a family that is together, a strong network of family members and friends, and characters you can root for. I am looking forward to listening to the sequel and reading more of Forman's work. If I Stay is also going to be made into a movie.

Highly recommended, but have some tissues nearby, even in the car.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Back to the bindery.

Before I left my job in Connecticut, I promised a colleague I'd make a guestbook for her daughter's wedding. Behold said book. It's been quite awhile since I pulled out my bookbinding stuff, but it felt really good to get back to the bindery. Huzzah! You like? I'm pretty pleased with how it came out, although it was a bit tricky with the humidity we were enduring. Anyway, now that I have all my tools out, I might as well keep going, right?

Ex libris,

Marissa

Infiltrated.

I received a galley for Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave from my library's book supplier. I was skeptical because I'm kind of tired of the "other" in YA books-- vampires, werewolves, and in this case, aliens. I just want to read about some actual humans, you know? However, I was pretty gripped by this book from the start because of the plausibility of the writing. If we were to be set upon by aliens, I think this is how it would go down. Also, Yancey assumes a very high level of alien intelligence, which I think is unique. I will try not to reveal any spoilers, so read on...
There have been four "waves" since the Others arrived-- loss of electricity, destruction of the coastal areas, plague, and the few remaining humans being hunted. Still alive in the fifth wave, Cassie Sullivan, a sixteen-year-old girl, carries an M-16 and shoots at anything. After being wounded by a "Silencer"-- basically an alien sniper-- she's discovered by dreamboat Evan and wakes up in his family's farmhouse. He says he'll help her find her young brother at the military base she assumes he's been taken to.
In a dual narrative, we learn what is going on at the military base through Ben, a former classmate of Cassie's. He's ended up at the base, being trained to take out the rest of the alien force. Descriptions of training and warfare are grim in this book since the "recruits" are about age 5 and up. It isn't clear how these kids will take out the aliens, but they're the last best hope for humanity.
Since I said I didn't want to spoil the ending, I will just say this-- I don't consider myself a sci-fi fan, but this was a gripping read. There are a lot of grey areas about who is good or bad, right or wrong. There are surprises. I bought this for the library but it immediately went out and is now on the New York Times bestseller list. It does require a sufficient suspension of disbelief, and I do have some qualms about some characterizations (specifically Evan, who is just too pretty), but I recommend it. Get it at your library if it's available.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Newness

Well. I have a ton of newness going on right now. First of all, I got a new job-- a librarian job. I moved to a new place-- Massachusetts. I got a new apartment. I have a new bed, new couch, and other new furniture. I received new business cards today. I got trained on new computer software today. I got a new haircut a few weeks ago. I am, in short, NEW.
The job is a youth services position in a public library. So far, so good-- great patrons, nice staff, all around good job. I have a lot going on right now getting ready for the summer, ordering and finishing out the fiscal year, planning a sleepover. It can be a lot all at once, but in a good way for the most part.
I'm an apartment-dweller now. My building is quiet except when the CSX train goes by in the early early morning (grrrr.) Soon, Ruby will join me and we will go on glorious walks in the sunshine. I had her for about a week already and soon she will come live with me full-time. Since I am back near where I went to college, I'm reconnecting with old friends (and hopefully I will make some new ones.)
So everything is really, really new. I am trying to keep up with reading galleys when I can. I had to recuse myself from the Nutmeg Committee since I am no longer in Connecticut. I feel like I'm playing perpetual catch-up, but I expect the newness wears off eventually and I will be settled.

What's new with you?

Ex libris,

Marissa

Literally the best thing ever!

A few months ago, the teen librarian where I work sent me a link to a TEDx Teen Talk featuring Tavi Gevinson. Right now, you might be like, "Who?" but watch the TEDx video. She is, in a word, rad. She started a fashion blog at age 12 and word spread. Now at 16 she runs an online magazine called Rookie which I wish was around when I was a teenager. I want to say it's the anti-teengirl magazine, but it's just much smarter and more well-rounded than the average magazine you pick up that's all "What flavor lip gloss represents your style?"

To celebrate a year of Rookie, Tavi edited and released Rookie Yearbook One via publisher Drawn & Quarterly. This circles back to my original point, the TEDx talk. After watching, Susan (my library's teen librarian) ordered Tavi's book. I checked it out and just finished it yesterday. In a word, LOVE. Just fresh and funny and informative and made me feel awesome-- and I'm not even the target audience! Some highlights: How to Be a Happy Homebody, An Actually Useful Article About Dressing for a Party, Midnight Snacks: A Taxonomy, How Not to Care What Other People Think About You, Confessions of a Fangirl (which happens to be about Hanson, a favorite band of mine), Thrifting: The Master Class, and all sorts of interviews with amazing people.

All these articles-- and more every day-- can be found on the Rookie website. I highly recommend the book, too! Tavi has been on Jimmy Fallon and some other shows. She's a rising star.

Enjoy.

Ex libris,

Marissa

January update

Last time, I wrote about New Year's resolutions. How have I done so far? Nothing added to LibraryThing, but still putting titles in my ratty notebook which I haven't rebound yet. First two, nada. Organizing my room? I got a new clothes hamper, so the floor is tidier. 1 point for #3. Finishing my quilt...I bought some more fabric for said quilt, and I pulled out the squares from their hiding place. I've also taken apart some old clothes to repurpose into squares or bits for the quilt. 1.5 points for #4. I have made more art in that I finished spinning all the merino wool I got for Christmas, plus started spinning alpaca, and the quilt is out of the dark. 2 points for #5. Finally, traveling...I did drive to Williamstown, MA on MLK Day weekend and visited Sweet Brook Farm where I bought the aforementioned alpaca fiber and met the alpacas. I drove to Norfolk, MA last week, which is tucked off the beaten path and is quite lovely. There is no exit for it on 495-- you have to drive through Franklin, MA to get there, so it's a sneaky little gem. :) No visiting people I know per se, so 1 point for #6. I'm satisfied with that. It's only been a month. February brings my first Nutmeg meeting. I am also hoping for a snow day somewhere so I can bust out all my crafts. Craft extravaganza.

In library-world news, ALA announced the Youth Media Awards, which are like the Oscars of the children's/YA book scene. I've read the Caldecott and Newbery winners already, but the Printz and Morris are now on my to-read list. If that sentence made no sense to you, go here for ALA's press release.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Resolutions

Another year! Man, they just fly by. A new year means resolutions. I think I have only ever really kept one resolution, and that was 2001 when I resolved to write down all the books I read like my grandmother did. I still do that with pen and paper. My LibraryThing is a small slice of the list. I read 83 books in 2012 (although I missed some because when I read a picture book on the fly or read to my Lego Club, I don't count those.) I will continue to keep that resolution, but here are a few things that I will try to do in 2013:

1. I will add all my books to LibraryThing.
2. I will take my old notebook I write my books in and rebind it.
3. I will organize my room to the point that I can get a new bed.
4. I will finish the quilt I started randomly some years ago.
5. I will make more art! Bookbinding, spinning (my new love), whatever. It has been awhile.
6. I will visit people and/or travel just for kicks. (Lookin' at you, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.)

I'm going to stop there because I like even numbers. So, in short, be more creative, be more social, and clean up. I don't want to make any reading-related resolutions because of the Nutmeg Committee. I have 2 left of the 8 books I have to read by February 13. The Nutmeg Committee is a resolution in and of itself, reading-wise and being more social. I did that on purpose.

A few recommendations while I have you:
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (before she wrote Gone Girl)
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Ex libris,

Marissa

The BEST books of 2012

Here is my list of the best books of 2012! To be fair, I clearly have not read every book published this year, so this is all my personal opinion based on what I read. That being said, I am in the book-suggesting business as part of my job, so I think I can say with confidence that you will like at least one of these books. Books labeled A are adult books, YA are for teens, and C are for children. That's not to say that there are rules-- you can read whatever you please. I'm just using the labels as a guideline so you know who the books are targeted toward.

The best book of 2012 was, without doubt, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (YA). After I read it, I was so stunned and overwhelmed that I said out loud to no one, "I never have to read another book again. This is it." I could not pick up another book for a little while afterward because everything else seemed so trivial. I was so thrilled to meet John Green at BEA, and he continues to amaze me. So you have to read this one-- it's not optional.
And now, for the rest of the list:
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley (YA) was actually published in the spring of 2011, but it won BOTH the Printz and Morris Award for 2012 and the paperback came out this summer, so I count it.
The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour (YA)
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker (C)
The Diviners by Libba Bray (YA)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (C)
Every Day by David Levithan (YA)
Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy (A)
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (A)
The Nightmare by Lars Kepler (A)
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (A)
Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow (YA)
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian (A)
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Extra Credit by Tommy Greenwald (C)
Erebos by Ursula Poznanski (YA)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (A)

Enjoy!
Ex libris,

Marissa

Putting the "m" and "e" in committee!

A few weeks ago, I applied to be on the Nutmeg nominating committee for 2015. (I KNOW-- already?) For those of you not in the fine Nutmeg State, the Nutmeg award goes like this: the nominating committee of librarians and reading teachers read a LOT of books to be considered for the nomination. Then those books are narrowed down to ten by the committee. The noms are kept TOP SECRET until their announcement. Then kids and teens across the state read the Nutmeg noms and they can choose their favorite. The award itself is given to the book that gets the most votes from kids across the state.
I grew up with the Nutmeg award, and now that I am finished with grad school, I thought I'd go for the committee. I applied for the teen committee (grades 7 and 8) and the high school committee (grades 9-12). I found out on Thursday that I got picked to be on the teen committee! (I got some disappointing news on Wednesday, so this was a welcome invitation).
I work with children and teens, so the age level I'm reading for is quite good for any reader's advisory I may do at work since I am the "bridge" between the children's and teen departments. I already got a list of eight books (of which I already finished one-- BAM!) to read before the first meeting in February. These books are not necessarily ones I'd read myself (I tend to read YA and adult books) so I will be exposed to something new, plus I'll get to meet librarians and reading teachers and other rad bookish folks from across the state. The downside is I have to read something like 80 books in several months (and I average 50-70 a year) and I will have to set aside all other books in order to get through the pile. I apologize in advance to you, dear reader...and Netgalley, where I have galleys waiting for me. I can't really review the books I'm reading since ten of them will be the TOP SECRET nominees, so I will have to figure something out for the blog.

I will post a list of my top books from 2012 soon, so stay tuned for that at least...and I will blog about awesome library programs or something while I do the Nutmeg thing.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Newtown

I grew up near and still live very close to Newtown, CT. I am so overwhelmed by the tragedy there, and last night I took a break from watching the news because I just couldn't see anymore. A friend of a friend of mine was killed during the shooting. I can't believe that a place I know well is on international news. I don't want to go into the debate of mental illness and gun control and whatnot, I just wanted to blog to say that we should all keep our loved ones close and remember what happened last week. Also, there are relief efforts and scholarship funds being set up, so check those out and determine their legitimacy before you donate. You may also go to the website of the Newtown Town Hall here and get the details of the fund set up by the United Way of Western Connecticut.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Do you remember September?

It is a universal truth that I'm not the best blogger. I am busy or I forget. Looking at the blog archive, I realize I didn't post in September this year. I could be tricky and backdate this post, but let's pretend it's September. What was I doing in September?
I visited my Aunt Marcy in early September. In addition to being all-around cool, she's an author and illustrator. Her story "Runaway Blue" was in Highlights magazine in 2010 (alas, they used a different illustrator). She's going to hit it crazy big one day with her art and writing, I know it. If you are a publisher and you have somehow found this blog, contact her immediately (just click on her name). You won't be sorry!
I went to the Goshen Fair in Goshen, CT with my friend Andrea. I love fairs, but mostly to see the animals. I'm not big on rides, although the occasional Ferris Wheel is ok. I like the sheep best of all (see the fourth book in the list below).
Finally, here are the books I read or listened to in September (that is, I finished them in September): 
  Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy
  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
  This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel
  No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting by Anne L. Macdonald
  Erebos by Ursula Poznanski
  Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz


There you have it! Our trip back to September is over. Now back to your regularly scheduled December.

Ex libris,

Marissa

La crème de la crème

"La crème de la crème" means "the best of the best." I learned that from Judy Blume's Just As Long As We're Together, one of my favorite books from elementary school. (When the phrase first appears in the book, I believe someone is commenting on brownies at a bake sale, so at first I thought it meant delicious and fudgy, but it was later explained.) But what is "the best of the best"? As Rachel says in Just As Long As We're Together, "Best is best." Although Rachel may be right when it comes to friendships, I think there can definitely be more than one "best" when it comes to books. Apparently, so do all sorts of publishers, book reviewers, and websites. The fine folks at Random House collected the multitudinous "Best Books of 2012" lists on their Tumblr so you can choose "la crème de la crème." I will post my own "best" list from this year in the near future, but for now, you can see what the other professionals have to say. ;)

That cute sweater showed up a lot when I did an image search for "la crème de la crème" and is designed by Zoe Karssen. If you want to purchase it, you may click here. Note that I have no affiliation with Ms. Karssen. I just want that sweater and if you like my blog you can get me one.

Finally, someone remind me not to blog when I'm tired because I solicit sweater gifts, use words like "multitudinous," and use Judy Blume books as a lens through which to see the world. And I write sentences like that.

Ex libris,

sleepy Marissa

My brilliant book reviewing career.

I read, on average, about 50-70 books a year. Reading has always been one of my favorite activities, in addition to binding my own books and any craft involving yarn (I just started spinning-- next step is sheep shearing school). I also enjoy the occasional bout of doing nothing, and I watch TV. So I'm quite pleased with my yearly book average. Then when I finished my Master's degree (huzzah!) I thought to myself, aha! Now I can continue working on the 1001 Books Project with my sister (she's in the C books, I'm still in the A books), and read more in general, and read galleys on Netgalley, and continue my TV-crafty-nothing-doing. I admit, I may have been overambitious in this quest. I know of several librarians who work at their day jobs, write reviews for major publications, serve on committees, present at conferences, and also seem to get their laundry done. And they usually have more familial obligations than I do (I have one dog). That being said, I am considering applying to be on the Nutmeg Book Award committee, which will kick my reading into super high gear. I think it will be quite cool to have a hand in the Nutmeg nominees. I may never be a professional book reviewer, but I can still be a good librarian.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Every Day was new.

I hope I mentioned somewhere in this blog that I love David Levithan. I finished his latest, Every Day, weeks ago but it was late and I didn't get to write about it until now. I made some notes immediately after reading it. Here they are: "Stunning and heartbreaking. Unfair. Mind existing without body. Time Traveler's Wife-ish. Cried. Cried after I already cried. Doomed to wander forever? Wanted to make it last. Read the last third of the ARC in one go."
Every Day is the story of A, who wakes up in a different body every day of his life. It's clear that (he? she?) is used to this as it has been happening since (he? she?) was born. I'll refer to A as "he" from now on because he's a he when we first meet him. A wakes up in the body of a guy named Justin and spends the day with his girlfriend Rihannon. A is connected to Rihannon but is never the same person twice, so how can he make it work? Levithan explores the idea of being connected on a cerebral level, no matter what. A wakes up in bodies of those similar in age to himself, but sometimes he's a girl or a boy, popular or a loner, pretty or ugly. He's able to "access" key information about who he is that day in order to make it through, but he has no home for his soul. After meeting Rihannon, though, A wants to get to know her. He does all he can to get back to her (he wakes up in roughly the same geographical area as long as the body he's in doesn't travel). He meets her in many of his different forms in hopes that their connection can transcend the physical. But will Rihannon feel the same?

It blew my mind. Go read it.

Ex libris,

Marissa