Let me apologize in advance: I'm not the regular poster I used to be. I try to keep things interesting around here though, so check back from time to time.
Check the Contests page for info about our current giveaway!
The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book One) Written by Clay and Susan Griffith Release Date: November 18, 2010 Publisher: Pyr (an imprint of Prometheus Books) ARC provided for review by the publisher. Thank You!!!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Summary (Courtesy of Barnes and Noble):
In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once-great cities were shrouded by the gray empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.
It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming.
Princess Adele is heir to the Empire of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to a man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is the Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.
The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1) is the first book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, the Vampire Empire series brings epic political themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I really dug the dystopian-steampunk elements of the story, and the characters were memorable in every way. I found myself ready for the sequel before I even finished the story. Full review after the jump. WARNING: SPOILERS!!!
Another week, another set of picks for your viewing pleasure! Welcome back to Thursday's Picks, the weekly feature where I tell you what's the bees knees in books, films and DVD releases for the week! We'll call today's Thursday's Picks the Dental Edition, since I have to endure the dentist chair in a couple of hours. Eeek. You know how we do this: I give you the low down on my favorite book, film and DVD releases for this week, along with summaries, video trailers and pics to grab your attention. You can leave me comments about what books or movies you're more excited about as well! Do you hate my picks? Do you love them? Let me know! You could even make your own post and use the Thursday's Picks button from the sidebar.
Now it's time to get pickin'!
I'm on a horse.
This Week's Movie Pick: Season of the Witch Release Date: January 7, 2011 Rated PG-13 (Relativity Media) Starring Nicolas Cage, Ron Pearlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy, Robbie Sheehan
Summary (Courtesy of Moviefone):
Oscar winner Nicolas Cage ('National Treasure', 'Ghost Rider') and Ron Perlman ('Hellboy', 'Hellboy II') star in this supernatural action adventure about a heroic Crusader and his fellow soldier who must transport a woman accused of being a witch to a remote monastery. The arduous journey across perilous terrain tests their strength and courage as they discover the girl's secret and find themselves battling a terrifyingly powerful force that will determine the fate of the world.
This movie just kind of fell into the pick for this week by default. It was either Season of the Witch or strange foreign films that no one has heard of yet. I'm not particularly fond of Nicolas Cage's work, except when he just lets the crazy go. He's crazy, and if you don't know that yet, see the video "Nicolas Cage Losing His Sh*t" and try to argue the point again. The only movies I like him in are the ones where he's not trying to act, he's just being his crazy self. Like The Sorcerer's Apprentice...crazy Nic Cage teaches a nerdy kid to be a crazy sorcerer. Face/Off...crazy Nic Cage pretends he's John Travolta, making him act even more crazy than normal. I'm hopeful that Season of the Witch will offer a glimpse of crazy Nic Cage. Because, let's be honest. When he tries to actually act, he crashes and burns regularly. Here's the trailer. Oh, PS: It's got that monkey looking fellow Ron Pearlman in it!
This Week's Book Pick: Across the Universe Written By Beth Revis Release Date: January 11, 2011 Penguin Group
Summary (Courtesy of Barnes and Noble):
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.
This book has gotten rave reviews from my fellow bloggers, and the story description is stand-out among other YA novels. Futuristic dystopian literature is starting to gain a lot of momentum with the success of The Hunger Games series, and it's a trend I can dig. I've always been a little bit of a sci-fi nerd, so to see that secret love of mine get a voice in popular young adult literature is exciting for me. The cover is beautiful, the story sounds gripping, and the community gives it a thumbs-up...you can bet I'm picking this one up.
NOTE: Melissa Marr is also releasing a Wicked Lovely installment in ebook format, titled Old Habits, which follows the events between Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity. This is a biggie for me, since I'm publicly in love with everything Melissa Marr ever writes. Fangirl squee begins now.
This Week's DVD Pick: The Social Network Release Date: January 11, 2011 Rated PG-13 (Columbia Pictures) Starring Jesse Eisenberg,Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, Armie Hammer Jr., Max Minghella and Rooney Mara
Summary (Courtesy of Moviefone):
Director David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven) teams with screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) to explore the meaning of success in the early 21st century from the perspectives of the technological innovators who revolutionized the way we all communicate. The year was 2003. As prohibitively expensive technology became affordable to the masses and the Internet made it easy to stay in touch with people who were halfway across the world, Harvard undergrad and computer programming wizard Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) launched a website with the potential to alter the very fabric of our society. At the time, Zuckerberg was just six years away from making his first million. But his hearty payday would come at a high price, because despite all of Zuckerberg's wealth and success, his personal life began to suffer as he became mired in legal disputes, and discovered that many of the 500 million people he had friended during his rise to the top were eager to see him fall. Chief among that growing list of detractors was Zuckerberg's former college friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), whose generous financial contributions to Facebook served as the seed that helped the company to sprout. And some might argue that Zuckerberg's bold venture wouldn't have evolved into the cultural juggernaut that it ultimately became had Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) not spread the word about Facebook to the venture capitalists from Silicon Valley. Meanwhile, the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer and Josh Pence) engage Zuckerberg in a fierce courtroom battle for ownership of Facebook that left many suspecting the young entrepreneur might have let his greed eclipse his better judgment. The Social Network was based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich.
I've been waiting patiently for the DVD of The Social Network to come out. My husband has been bugging the crap out of me wanting to watch this movie. Why, I will never understand. He is completely computer illiterate and has never so much as touched a Facebook page in his life. Why he's so interested in the sensationalized version of how Facebook began is beyond me. That being said, it looks like a pretty good film. I like Jesse Eisenberg's work. He's like a funnier, slightly hotter version of Michael Cera. He really works socially awkward sexy in a way that few actors can. The new Spiderman, Andrew Garfield, and the new Lisbeth Salander, Rooney Mara, are also in this film. Add to this that the second love of my boy band life, Justin Timberlake, is in this one and you can't keep me away.
My obsession with all things Victorian and steampunk has been bubbling within since high school. I LOVE this stuff! The clothes, the elaborate technology, the magical feel of it all...it's amazing!
Lately I've been reading several books with steampunk themes embedded within the storyline. For example, the book I'll be reviewing at the end of the week, Vampire Empire Book 1: The Greyfriar is set in an alternate steampunk universe where vampires have taken over the majority of the northern hemisphere. It's pretty entertaining, losing yourself in a world of steam-powered airships and chemical-reactive swords. Other books I love have a steampunk element to them, as well. The Mortal Instruments series works Victorian style and technology into it's story well, with the roots of it's history all woven into the Victorian era. I can't wait to get into The Infernal Devices, who's name is just dripping with steampunky goodness.
I'm not the only one who's fallen in love with the steampunk trend. There are more and more steampunk adaptations of modern technology hitting the market everyday. Here's a few really cool ones I saw whilst scouring the intertubes.
Steampunk Guitar. Hello.
Steampunk laptop: making blogging more eloquent since 1883.
Steampunk Pac Man. There are no words.
Steampunk flash drive. Because a gentleman never loses his files.
Steampunk Bluetooth. Quite possibly my favorite find of the day.
Victorian style clothing is beyond beautiful. This is what started my love affair with steampunk and Victorian sundries. I saw a photograph in a wedding magazine that took my breath away: a satin cream corseted gown with a hooped skirt, black detailing and an expertly coordinated black feathered hat that draped perfectly over the model's face. I wanted to be that model in that dress that very second. I had quickly sketched it out and stowed the picture away because I loved it so much. I wish I could find it now to share with you guys, because it was the perfect embodiment of Victorian beauty in modern application.
These ladies know they look good.
What kind of Victorian or steampunk stuff tickles your fancy? Comments are appreciated!
Today we're joined by YA author Flynn Meaney, author of Bloodthirsty, which I reviewed here. Bloodthirsty, which follows high schooler Finbar Frame as he takes on an Edward-Cullen-esque persona in order to grab the attention of the fairer sex, was one of my favorite books of 2010. Flynn herself is a real treat to talk to, as well! She's super nice and funny, as you'll see in the interview, and cute to boot! Leave some comments for her, especially in regard to the questions she asks you guys!
Here's a little bit about Flynn from her Facebook page:
Flynn Meaney is an alumna of the University of Notre Dame and is currently a poetry student in the Hunter College MFA Creative Writing program. Bloodthirsty emerged out of Flynn's broad love of pop culture vampires and her friend Lucila's comment: "Now that vampires are so hot, we can stop tanning." Lucila's observation made Flynn think about how the paranormal craze would benefit the pale and thin teens who would have suffered during the Baywatch years.
Flynn is currently working on her second novel, coming Fall 2011.
My friend Lucila and I go the library all the time and for a while, Lucila was really into the vampire thing and kept taking out books from different series, like House of Night and Blue Bloods and such. I was never an intense as her, but I was a True Blood fan. And we started talking about how these vampire heartthrobs were so different from the Zach Morris from Saved by the Bell type hottie who was outgoing and tan and athletic. I’ve always been interested in what makes things trendy or makes people popular, and so I came up with the idea of a guy using this craze to his advantage.
2. As a woman, was it difficult to channel a teenage boy to write from Finbar's point of view? It’s funny, I read some review of my book that said something like, “I hate when adults try to write like teenagers.” I was actually twenty-one when I wrote Bloodthirsty, so I had been a teenager two years before. And, as a young author, I was really against “dumbing down” my writing just because it was a YA book. I have lots of faith in teenagers—I think they are very aware of the world around them, of pop culture, of politics.
Writing as a boy actually came pretty easily. I think because I’m able to observe the way guys act and talk from a sort of distance, in a more detached way. With Finbar, even though he’s not the stereotypical alpha male, I honed in on physical actions going on in scenes because I think guys are more action-oriented, and I streamlined his thought process so it was focused on his single, strongest emotion rather than several conflicting emotions (the way I usually feel!).
Right now, for my second book, I’m writing from one male perspective and one female perspective, and the female is actually harder, because I have trouble separating my character’s perceptions of the world from my own!
3. What surprised you the most about the publishing process? I guess how long the process is from selling a book to actually seeing the book in a store. A lot of my friends are reading the book now, and they’ll text me something they liked about it, and I won’t even remember writing that part. I spent so much time editing Bloodthirsty that I’m sick of it. I don’t want to look at the thing. It makes me cringe! 4. What is your favorite literary work of all time and why? I’m re-reading Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and it is just such an incredible novel. I purposely started reading it during winter because the beginning is so atmospheric and luxurious; it makes me feel like I’m lounging on the beaches of the French Riviera! The rest of it is somewhat of a downer, but beautiful, beautiful, beautiful language. Almost poetic.
5. Bloodthirsty gets optioned for a movie. Who is your dream cast?
Actually, on my Facebook, I made an album of pictures of “potential Finbars.” Just for fun. So check it out! I looked for a lot of English or Irish actors, because I think they have the right coloring. In my album, Skandar Keynes from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe got a lot of “votes” from my Facebook friends. He’s got a great Finbar face—he just needs contacts for blue eyes! I could also see Aaron Johnson from Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging as a handsome Finbar, or a Luke—although I always pictured Luke with blonde hair for some reason. Does he have blonde hair? I don’t remember how I described him.
For the girls, I think Martha MacIsaac and Aviva were both so funny in Superbad. I’d love to see one of them as Jenny. I’m not sure about Kate. Is there a younger Tina Fey out there? That’s how I picture Kate. Suggestions anyone?
6. How much of your characters is a reflection of yourself or someone you know?
I love creating characters waaaay too much to ever write a character lifted straight from real life. But sometimes I use a real person as a starting point, usually an acquaintance, someone I’ve met a few times, not a close friend. Something about their body language, their energy, attitude, or way of speaking will inspire me and I’ll borrow that to start making a character. But as soon as I take ownership of it, I get to create the motivations and backstory that go with it, and the character gets a life of his/her own.
I definitely borrow quirks from me and people I know, though, and throw them into the characters I’m creating. For Finbar’s mom, I used my own paranoia about germs. For a character in my next book, I’m using my paranoia about being killed by a serial killer. Wow, I’m quite neurotic!
7. What can we look forward to from you in the future?
I’m writing my second book right now for Little, Brown. It’s kind of a high school romantic comedy. After that, I’d love to branch out to something a little different. Maybe something with more action or suspense or mystery. I saw the trailer for the new movie Little Red Riding Hood and that started me thinking about retelling a myth or fairy tale in a modern way. Maybe a Celtic myth? Again, suggestions from YA readers would be great!!
Reader Questions: 1. From Stacy: I would be interested to know about your writing techniques - how extensively you outline/plan out your books and what your writing schedule is like.
This is a great question. I would actually like to sit down a lot of authors who write more plot-driven books and get some of their secrets! I’ve been re-reading the Harry Potter series, and I’m completely blown away by J.K. Rowling’s ability to create plots and to plant little clues books ahead of time. She has these characters that seem very minor, and then in a crucial moment they will become integral. Like—SPOILER ALERT—through six books, Draco Malfoy’s mom just seems like his mom. Then she turns out to play an integral role in the final battle. I love cool twists like that. Or how throughout the books everyone says things like, “Dumbledore must have a concrete reason for trusting Snape,” and you don’t find out what it is until the very end.
My books tend to be more character focused and less plot-driven, mostly because I’m still learning the art of plot. But I definitely have to plan. I’m writing my second book now, and I have an eleven-page outline for it consisting of thirty-eight chapters, each summarized in one paragraph. This book takes place over a year, so I have the chapters grouped by month.
Along with that, I’ve printed out a stack of monthly calendars to keep track of what events happen on which days, which make it easier to throw in things like, “We’d been dating for two weeks when…” because I can glance at the calendar and see when they started dating and how long it’s been. Keeping track of time is kind of difficult, but it’s important to use weather and elapsed time to orient your reader at the start of a new chapter, so I use my calendars for that.
Times like now, when I’ve got a deadline, I write every day. Usually three or four pages a day is all I can do before my creativity is maxed out.
2. From Cici: Do you feel any deep personal connection to any of your characters? If so, what connects you to the character?
I wrote Bloodthirsty pretty quickly—in about a month—so I didn’t have too much time to fall in love with those characters. But I’ve written characters before that I’ve become very attached to, and I think that’s because, as the author, you get to create the inside and the outside of the character. You can write someone who acts like an arrogant jerk to other characters, but who is insecure and sweet and vulnerable on the inside, so you feel protective of them. It’s just like in real life—the better you get to know someone, the better you understand what makes them act like they do, and the better you like them.
With the second book that I’m writing now, I wrote my first draft to feel my way into the book. One very minor character who I just threw in as background, he kind of took on a life of his own. He sort of jumped off the page and begged me for more attention. I sent my first draft to my editor with notes, one of which was: “I like this guy—should I do more of him?” and she agreed. So in the second draft, he’s played a bigger role.
3. From Vivien: Did you have to do any research for your book?
Not really. I literally went on Wikipedia (the worst place to research!) and typed in “books about vampires,” and got a big list to use for Finbar’s reading material. Finbar did more research than I did! I also looked a little bit into vampire traits like fear of garlic, etc, but obviously nothing too far beyond common sense.
Favorite place you've traveled to recently? Seattle
Best new food you've tried? Duck—in curry sauce. But I love anything in curry sauce.
Last thing you made with your hands? (besides the books you've written of course!) I knit a sweater as a baby gift.
Biggest risk you've taken this year? White-water rafting. My mom told me I would drown, but obviously I survived the rapids.
Favorite non-writing activity? Anything on the beach (in the summer), or ice-skating (in the winter).
You can check out Flynn on Facebook, the Bloodthirsty website and her author website, which is under construction. You can purchase Bloodthirsty from the Things Liz Loves Amazon Store link on the left.
There have been many excellent movies this year. And some major stinkers. These are the 3 best as I see it. (Note from Liz: A HUGE thank you to Steph for helping out on the blog and hooking us up with sweet movie goodness every week. She's a killer sister and a great friend.)
The beginning of the end of an epic story is told on the silver screen in this seventh installment in the Harry Potter film series. It features performances by a few of my favorite British actors, namely Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, and the ever wonderful Alan Rickman. As the Dark Lord comes to power, Harry, Ron and Hermoine find themselves on the run in a hunt for the fragments of Voldemort's soul so he can be defeated and peace can return to the wizarding world. While it is a shame that the 3D version of the film was not ready in time for the November 17th release, it hardly needed it. The special effects and performances speak for themselves. And this movie picked a wonderful stopping point in the book. Harry has just rescued Luna and suffered the tragic loss of his friend, the house elf Dobby, and Voldemort has found the Elder Wand. Cliff hangers rock. The audience was riveted by the action and are hungry for the climactic final battle.
Without a doubt, this was the best comedy of the year. The Other Guys stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as two cops bound to their desks, filling out the paperwork of the hot-shot cliches of their department (played brilliantly by Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson), and have their opportunity for stardom after our affore mentioned action guys die under hilarious circumstances. As I have said in the past, I wasn't particularly a fan of Will Ferrell, but he has earned my laughs this year. And, of course, I have to give props to Michael Keaton for his perfomance as the oblivious, TLC quoting captain of our main characters' department. Always remember to aim for the bushes, whether they exist or not.
This Universal Studios production is probably the most adorable film I've seen. Its message of the importance of family isn't overpowering and so the viewer gets to enjoy the movie without feeling you're being suckered. The movie features the vocal talents of Steve Carell (Gru), Jason Segel (Vector), and Russell Brand (Dr. Nefario). Gru wants to be a successful supervillain, but always seems to get it wrong. The minions are actually quite cute, in a weird sort of way. And I loved the scenes in the amusement park. "Its so fluffy!" Gru's plans eventually succeed and he gets the moon, only to realize he doesn't really want to be a villain anymore. *insert "awwww" here* The disco number at the end is a show-stopper.
Holly Schindler, TLL bloggy buddy and author of A Blue So Dark and Playing Hurt, did a really awesome virtual tour to check out the landmarks that are featured in her books. Get your traveling pants on and check it out!
The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book One)
, which follows the events between 
and 
. This is a biggie for me, since I'm publicly in love with everything Melissa Marr ever writes. Fangirl squee begins now.
, which I reviewed 
and 
by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and it is just such an incredible novel. I purposely started reading it during winter because the beginning is so atmospheric and luxurious; it makes me feel like I’m lounging on the beaches of the French Riviera! The rest of it is somewhat of a downer, but beautiful, beautiful, beautiful language. Almost poetic.
as a handsome Finbar, or a Luke—although I always pictured Luke with blonde hair for some reason. Does he have blonde hair? I don’t remember how I described him.
. I’d love to see one of them as Jenny. I’m not sure about Kate. Is there a younger Tina Fey out there? That’s how I picture Kate. Suggestions anyone?
by Mary S. Lovell
. Not very original, I know.
and 
, did a really awesome virtual tour to check out the landmarks that are featured in her books. Get your traveling pants on and check it out!