Under the Hawthorn Tree, by Ai Mi, translated by Anna Holmwood- Review

From Goodreads:
Yichang municipality, Hubei province, China, early 1970s. High-school student Jingqiu is one of many educated urban youth sent to the countryside to be "re-educated" under a dictate from Chairman Mao. Jing's father is a political prisoner somewhere in China, and her mother, a former teacher branded as a "capitalist," is now reduced to menial work to support Jing and her two younger siblings.

When Jing arrives with a group at Xiping village in the Yangtze River's Three Gorges region, she meets geology student Jianxin, nicknamed "Old Three," who is the son of a high-ranking military officer, but whose mother committed suicide after being branded a "rightist." Despite their disparate social backgrounds and a political atmosphere that forbids the relationship, Jingqiu and Jianxin fall desperately in love. But their budding romance is cut short by fate...

In Anna Holmwoods introduction she talks about how
"Under the Hawthorn Tree has been a publishing sensation in China since it first appeared on her website in 2007...It has sold millions of copies, which is particularly remarkable considering that Ai Mi (a pseudonym) makes it available for free on her blog so we can reasonably assume that the number of people who have read the story is even larger than the staggering sales figures suggest.".
 She goes on to talk a tiny bit about the cultural background to the story, one very foreign to most westerners, and to explain how Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution shaped far more than just the day to day lives of the Chinese.  It's a brief but intriguing intro to a book which crosses a staggering cultural divide from my comparatively safe and rich life in Canada.  And I'm not sure it would have been an adequate background if I hadn't gone on a binge of Chinese historical non-fiction a couple of years ago.

A haunting tale of star crossed lovers, Under the Hawthorn Tree is a beautiful story.  The translation seems to be very accurate, by which I mean it does not seem to have been westernized at all and keeps an unusual cadence and rhythm which I would assume is more in keeping with how it would be told in Chinese.  Although this might throw some readers, I found it part of the poetry to the story, and also helped with the more unusual moments.  If the story was told in a more north American way I think some of Jingqiu's naiveté would have been harder to believe, and it would have ruined the flavour of the love story.

For me, Under the Hawthorn Tree is not just a story about ill fated lovers, but also a tale to remind us of how free our lives are in our amazingly liberated countries.  It's stories like these that make me appreciate, on a whole new level, the freedoms I take for granted every day.  To be able to go out to the grocery store, buy whatever I can afford and feel like, with the husband I picked with no influence from others, to go to work tomorrow and know I'm protected by laws and unions, that nothing is dictated by what my mother or father has previously done or said, is an amazing thing.  And nothing will make you appreciate it more than reading a story, fictional or not, where everything is a struggle in day to day life.

If you're not familiar with Chairman Mao's China, and are looking for some amazing reads to bring you up to speed I would highly recommend Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang, and Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday.  Wild Swans was lent to me by a neighbour and both the hubby and I have shared it far and wide since then.  It follows three generations of Chinese women starting with the authors grandmother (who was a concubine), through her mother and herself who, between the two of them, lived through the entire Mao regime, ending with Jung's escape from China to the US.  It's riveting and shows a very earnest perspective of the changes over three generations in Chinese culture.  Mao: The Unknown Story is a dryer read, though no less fascinating, and between the two you'll be amazed by what life was like in China.

Also fascinating and pertinent to the background of Under the Hawthorn Tree, is a documentary from a few years ago, on CBC's Doc Zone about China's Sexual Revolution.  If you don't buy Jing's naiveté then you really need to watch this documentary.  It's eye opening.

Of course none of these things are necessary to enjoy Ai Mi's story as a simple piece of literature, so don't feel daunted.  However, when you finish Under the Hawthorn Tree and find yourself dying for more information, make sure to check my suggestions out.

Under the Hawthorn Tree, by Ai Mi, translated by Anna Holmwood
Published by House of Anansi Press, February 14th 2012
My copy kindly provided by the publisher
Buy Under the Hawthorn Tree on Amazon 
Buy Wild Swans on Amazon
Buy Mao on Amazon
Download CBC's documentary from DocZone

The Thorn and The Blossom, by Theodora Goss- Review

From Goodreads:
One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets.
When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself . . .

The Thorn and the Blossom is one of those books you can't help but share with others. The story is delightful, and the gimmick makes it unique and fun. The gimmick you ask? That's right, this is no average novel, The Thorn and the Blossom is a unique accordion fold novella with Evelyn's story on one side and Brendan's story on the other.

Way back when, on my 16th birthday, my dad presented me with a box set of the first three Griffin and Sabine books by Nick Bantock. At the time I had never read anything quite like them. Mysterious, intriguing, and a unique experience, Griffin and Sabine was full of beautiful art, hand written letters that you pulled out of envelopes and post cards. It was like finding a collection of stunning love letters in the attic, you never knew existed. They've remained one of my favourite series of books all of these years later. So when I caught a tweeted line from a review comparing The Thorn and Blossom to the Griffin and Sabine stories I knew I had to read it.

Sadly I didn't make note of who it was, but the reviewer was right, like Griffin and Sabine, The Thorn and the Blossom was and experience as much as it was a story. The careful way you read it, due to it's lack of a spine, the way it's contained in a cardboard slip cover, and the mysterious two sided love story, all of these things make it so much more than just a story about star crossed lovers. It's an absolutely enchanting reading experience.

I particularly liked how Goss used ancient Celtic folklore to intertwine the stories. The story of the Green Knight and Elowen adds the extra dimension of intensity and mystery to the story, taking it from love story to mythical tale of star crossed lovers. I also liked the openness of the ending, Goss suggests a possibility but doesn't actually wrap it out for the reader, which I appreciated.

All in all it was a delightful read I expect I'll be gifting to family and friends alike for the next year or two.

The Thorn and The Blossom, by Theodora Goss
Published by Quirk Books, January 17th 2012.
Buy The Thorn and Blossom on Amazon
My copy kindly provided by the publishers

The Third Annual Book Oscars! 2012 Edition

No year is complete without a best of list.  And what best of list is Glitzier than then the Oscars?  So in my first year of blogging I decided the normal New Years best of list was too pedestrian for me, and I donned my most outrageous ball gown and sat down at the computer to hash out my years big winners in categories paying tribute to the Academies, on it's big day.  It was so much fun it's become an annual tradition of mine. 

So although it's lost on you, I've once again put on my most outrageous evening wear (yes that's me right now, I know it looks like Cher but it's just the feathers throwing you)  and I've got a bottle of morning champagne all ready to pop once this show comes to it's three hour conclusion.  Until then I've hidden snacks in that fantastic, multipurpose feather headdress. 

And you thought I wore it just to cause a scene! Ha!  I'm an old hand at this baby.

So without further ado, that breakfast champagne is looking really good right now, onwards with the awards!

Best Costumes
An often overlooked goody in storytelling, it's no less important then in film.  God knows, if every female lead was a Bella who just constantly throws on any old jeans and ugly sweater from their floor it would get very old, very fast.  This years winner had the most delectable array of costumes across all of her characters.  Stunning concoctions, lovingly detailed, and so many costume changes!  I pity/envy the costume designer set to recreate them for the film.

The winner is!
The Night Circus,  Erin Morgenstern (see my review)

Best Visual Effects
This category is a tie this year due to two astounding contenders.

Blood and Flowers, Penny Blubaugh- written in a strikingly unusual style that I deemed " bordering on Shakespeare quality poetry" in my review, Penny sketches out a fantastic version of Faerie but an even more unusual slant on our side of the world.  The story is filled with fantastic characters, props, costumes and coloured drinks that suggest terrible things.  I was swept away to a breathtaking world equal parts harsh and beautiful. (my review)

Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern-  Everything about this story was lush.  Costumes, sets, food, smells, troops of performing kittens- it had everything.  Reading the Night Circus is otherworldly, and it'll make you long to be a Reveur.  The plain old three ring of your childhood will pale in comparison. (my review)

Best Art Direction
I can't begin to describe how excited I am to see more and more art in books.  Words and art are like coffee and chocolate- made for each other.  And this years winner marries the two in the most heartbreaking way.  I have one word for you, bugs, that's right.  Illustrator Jim Kay used many different mediums, including bugs.

The winner is...
A Monster Calls- Patrick Ness, Illustrated by Jim Kay and inspired by Siobhan Dowd (see my review)

Best Scary Read
Without a doubt,
Bedbugs, Ben H. Winters

It was horrifyingly real, tied into something so completely scary to the city dweller in me, but with an excellent classic horror twist.  I was creeped out for days.  I think Giving me the Creeps October may be the death of me one of these years. (see my review)

Best Funny Read
Another tie.  Two totally different books, but funny in totally different ways.

There is No Dog- Megg Rosoff
Tongue in cheek, witty, and not like anything I've read in quite sometime, There is No Dog was like a breath of fresh air in YA.  I laughed out loud, and was completely amazed by the dry humor. (see my review)

Croak, Gina Damico
I know, I've been talking about this book since October and it doesn't come out until next month!  What can I say, I want it on your TBR list.  Another laugh out loud story, with fun characters and a great possible romance that's so much more pulling each others hair, than sappy.  Thoroughly enjoyable. (see my review)

Best Non-Fiction
Through the Glass- Shannon Moroney
The book I thought I had no interest in reading, but which stayed with me long after I had finished it.  An incredible look at an impossible situation, the Canadian penal system and the short falls when it comes to victims outside our usual idea of the term.
If you read one non-fiction this year, read this book.  It will enlighten you to so many aspects of law and crime and make you want to be a better person. (see my review)

Now, lets get to the biggies!

Best Supporting Actor
Nick Pardee- Blood Magic, Tessa Gratton
A great book, creepy, Poe like, and totally breaking the YA mold, but Nick stole the show for me.  When he shows up at the barn party in the pin striped suit, well, I was sold. (see my review)

Best Supporting Actress
Rasia- Vaclav and Lena, Haley Tanner
An enchanting book, filled with the innocence of youth even though it deals with heavy material.  Rasia was the Russian mother I never realised I needed.  Her broken English and drive for the perfect American life were so heartfelt and beautifully written.  But it's what she's hidden all these years that will break your heart. (my review)



Best Writer
This was an absolute no brainer.
Maggie Steifvater- The Scorpio Races

I started at the end and worked my way back through her books, and my thoughts on the Scorpio Races remain true.  Here is a writer who's found her style. It's haunting, lyrical and it will sweep you away to places so unusual and yet leave you convinced they're real.  Her characters are imperfect and lovable, and her stories are engrossing.  

Once upon a time I foolishly used to watch David Suzuki's nature of things every week.  I would become embroiled in the plight of this weeks animal, coming to hate all it's predators only to be presented with one of the predators the following week.  I couldn't deal with the emotional drama, it was draining.

Maggie plays me the same way.  It's a flesh eating horse, look at all the havoc they've caused to this lovely character filled island.  But here's Corr, isn't he magnificent?  See here? This is why you should love the flesh eating horses the way Thisby does. 
If she had a weekly tv show, I would have a break down. Thank god she's an author and thus can only break my heart once a year at most.
(my review of The Scorpio Races, or you can cheat and see my reviews from this year for Shiver, Linger, and Forever. Lament to come soon!)

Best Actor
Cassel Sharp- Red Glove, Holly Black
It's rare to have a YA protaganist who is a boy, which is a shame, we could all use a little more diversity in our reading.  Especially if all male leads were as complex and intriguing as Cassel.  In Red Glove I continued to be enamoured of him, he's slick and tricky, and you're never sure if he's playing for the good side or the bad. Yet Holly gives him true moment's of redemption, so despite it all you can't help but be rooting for him.  His character nuancing makes this series for me and I can't wait for the final part- Black Heart, coming out in April. (my review)

Best Actress
Kyra- Goth Girl Rising, Barry Lyga
Kyra is a broken hero.  She is all the things a typcal YA protagonist is not. A goth girl, dressing and acting completely against convention, not flirty and focused on the "hot" guy.  Kyra not only tries her damnedest to make you, and everyone around her, hate her but she also shines incredible insight on life as a highschool girl, and all it's hypocrisies. 
She's nothing if she isn't surprising and you'll love her.  Thank god Barry Lyga fell for her too, or we would never have gotten her story (he had no intention of doing a follow up to The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl). (my review)

Best Book

A tie again! What can I say, it's been an astounding year. Both the winners were the pinacle of the authors career to-date for me. And yet they are very different books.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor
An epic start to a trilogy that shows incredible promise, this story was a romp through an amazing world of good and evil. The lines were blurred so often I still wasn't sure where everyone stood by the end. Laini Taylor has proven herself to be a masterfull world builder of fantasy, but how she's layered it into the real world, for The Daughter of Smoke and Bone, is where her gift really shines. I felt like my world became more rich, just from dabbling in hers for a few days. I can't wait for her to sweep me away again in book two. (my review)

The Scorpio Races, Maggie Stiefvater
On Novemeber 1st of 2011 I sat on my couch, wrapped up in a blanket, with kitties and a cup of tea, and I raced flesh eating horses on a freezing beach. I fell in love with an Island that was so real I'm still not convinced it doesn't lie somwhere off the coast of Ireland and it's just hidden from me until I prove worthy of it. My mouth watered over November cakes (long before I first baked them), and I decided I wanted to grow young to be just like Puck. I was swept away so completely, I was simultaneously thrilled I had 5 more books from this author to read, and dissapointed I hadn't followed her from an earlier point. (my review)

If you haven't read one or more of these books, then I ask you simply- why in gods name not?  Go forth and read them all, you won't be sorry.  That's a Bookworm Promise.

Saturday Link Salad

Ahh right! It's Saturday.  Funny how that day comes along every seven days, hey?  Well good thing I have oodles of news for you, or you might not forgive me for leaving it until 5pm.  Grab a glass of good stuff and dig in!

-In case you were living under a rock on thursday, let me bring you up to speed: J.K. Rowling is finally going to have a new book coming out!  It's adult and Little Brown scored the publishing rights for it, and everything else has been left up to the wild speculation that went rampant 2 seconds after it was announced.  What follows are highlights of the 3 billion articles that say about the same thing: PW has it's say, The Guardian has it's say, Publishers Lunch it's say, Booktradeinfo.com it's say, NY Times has it's say, The Bookseller.com has it's say, and then I stopped looking because the decided lack of variety in what they say was starting to sap my excitement... that is, until this guardian article actually did some digging!

-Even more exciting, well maybe a little bit less but still really really cool!  John Green was announced as the second author for the Children's Author breakfast at the BEA!  Kadir Nelson was announced later the same day as author number three, meaning I have no idea who two of these authors are but one is AMAZING!

-Eoin Colfer has started a facebook page, and to celebrate he's running a live Q and A on tuesday the 28th.  FYI, if you haven't done one of the facebook ones before they are far easier to read then the twitter parties.

-Got the Pottermore blues from the latest postponement of the site going live?  Your not the only one.  One sad fan tries to get to the bottom of the mess on The Guardian this week.

- As if George R.R. Martin coming for a signing in TO wasn't news enough, that same week TIFF lightbox is going to run a Game of Thrones exhibit.   Tickets are free, but limited, so be kind and wait until after I get mine before jamming up the phone lines, K?  My fingers are crossed that this exhibit will be as well done as the Lord of the Rings ones that TO hosted 9 years back.

-Ever wanted to go to a guerrilla library?  Well on your next trip to Manhattan you'll have to look for these.  An awesome idea, as long as nobody does anything gross to the books as a drunken joke.

- Lesley Livingston has teamed up with Jonathan Llyr to write a new middle school series called The Wiggins Weird.  It's been sold to Penguin with more details to come.

-Ever wanted to see some gorgeous personal libraries of the likes of Neil Gaiman and George Lucas? Flavorwire has you covered, as usual.  They are almost all completely stunning, but a couple of them I would likely give up my apartment for.  Who needs a bed when you have books, right?

-Summit Entertainment has hired the screen writer or Jane Eyre for Erin Morgenstern's Night Circus.  It will need a very ethereal director to pull it off, so that's the announcement I'm waiting for.

-Are you dying for it to be May 1st to read Insurgent, part two to last springs hit Divergent?  Well Entertainment Weekly has and exclusive excerpt to try and tide you over.

- Have you ever wanted to own a piece of spectacular book sculpture? Then look no further than here, because this guys work is going to blow your mind.  It goes without saying that I want one, right?

-Finally I have some Cassandra Clare goodies for you.  That's right! It's a weekly tradition, so why stop?!
  -First up is an unidentified Clockwork snippet.
  -Then a City of Lost Souls deleted scene.
  -And because what's better than one? Two of course! So a second City of Lost Souls deleted scene

It's Raining it's Pouring, the Old man is SNOOORING!- Feline Fridays

We were supposed to have a mini snowstorm today.  Instead it's about a hundred degrees and pouring rain.  I also saw my first spring flowers yesterday.  I'm pretty sure these are signs of the apocalypse.  However, in the meantime, I thought the kitties should stay dry.  So here they are modelling the latest in kitty raincoats.  Otherwise known as 99 cent Ikea toy costumes.  That's right, I'm just classy like that.

Wait... Uh, it's not raining in here mom.

Happy Friday!

Scary School, By Derek the Ghost- Review

From Goodreads:
You think your school's scary?
Get a load of these teachers:

"Ms. Fang," an 850-year-old vampire
"Dr. Dragonbreath," who just might eat you before recess
"Mr. Snakeskin"--science class is so much more fun when it's taught by someone who's half zombie
"Mrs. T"--break the rules and spend your detention with a hungry "Tyrannosaurus rex"

Plus,
Gargoyles, goblins, and Frankenstein's monster on the loose
The world's most frighteningly delicious school lunch

And,
The narrator's an eleven-year-old ghost

Join Charles "New Kid" Nukid as he makes some very Scary friends--including Petunia, Johnny, and Peter the Wolf--and figures out that Scary School can be just as funny as it is spooky

I love a middle school story with good storytelling and awesome illustrations.  The combo is a no-fail in my books and it has the added benefit of being a good enticement to reluctant younger readers who may need the smattering of illustrations to graduate them into novels.  Besides, it's just pretty, and who doesn't love a pretty book?

Scary School was an excellent example of a great graduation novel.  Filled with funny short anecdotal stories, which come together to tell the greater story of an unusual school and it's quest to participate and win at the annual Ghoul Games, not to mention fabulous illustrations, I can see it winning over all sorts of readers.  

The wonky concept of a school accommodating average students as well as ghosts, monsters, vampires, dinosaurs, dragons and many other assorted dangerous creatures, is an excellent set up for the comedy of its successes and failings.  Kids die from irritating teachers, or are turned into vampires from asking the wrong questions, but its all told in an amusingly careless tone.  

"That afternoon, twenty-nine sets of angry parents stormed into Principal Headcrusher's office.
Randall's dad barked, "I knew his chances of survival weren't good, but on the first day? Come on!"
"Listen," said Principal Headcrusher, "if your child was eaten, it's because he or she directly disobeyed one of Dr. Dragonbreath's very simple rules.  You all signed the waiver forms.  There's nothing I can do about it!"

I can't imagine a little boy who wouldn't love this, and many bloodthirsty little girls as well.  But there are a number of excellent chuckles for older readers also, and an "A" team reference at the end had me chortling away for a good couple of days after finishing it.  It was that kind of off the cuff humour that set this book apart for me.

A great read, for a wide range of readers, I highly recommend it for the young reader in your life.  I think I'll be sharing my copy with my 6 and 4 year old nephews this spring when we stop in Boston on our way home from the BEA.  I can already picture us reading it together.

Scary School, by Derek The Ghost
Published by HarperCollins, June 2011
Buy Scary School on Amazon
My copy kindly provided by the author, that's right folks, a ghost sent me a package on Amazon.  I love being a reviewer sometimes!

Because this is all I'm capable of today

Seriously.  This family day business is killing me.  On my coffee break I almost got in my car and drove away.  So I'm giving you another upcoming cover reveal from Entangled Press.  They have some truly unique upcoming YA releases.

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don't. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last
person she expected hovering above her bed - arrogant Jackson Locke, the
most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind
of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help
him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her
question what she's been taught about his kind. And against her instincts,
she's falling for him. But Ari isn't just any girl, and Jackson wants more
than her attention. She¹s a military legacy who¹s been trained by her
father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can
know - especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the
information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping
silent will start a war.

Pre-order from Amazon
 Add to Goodreads

In Between Cover Reveal- from Entangled Publishing

Entangled Publishing has another great read coming to add to your To-Buy list!

INBETWEEN (Kissed by Death, #1) by Tara Fuller (August 7, 2012)

Blurb:

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s
life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving
“accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so
Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling
in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who
makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate
has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him
hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn't let her die before,
and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves
from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the
only thing he has left…his soul.

Paperback Available for Pre-Order from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Inbetween-Tara-Fuller/dp/1620610833/ref=lh_ni_t

Add to your Goodreads TBR:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13055677-inbetween

My Anne Rice pre-Valentines Evening!

In the past couple of years I've met some incredible authors.  Epic folk who's work I LOVE.  Rick Riordan (multiple times!), Eoin Colfer, Suzanne Collins, Libba Bray, and so many others, but this past Monday night I got to meet someone I've been reading for easily 17 years.  Anne Rice.

Can I just say, growing up in Saskatoon where no authors ever come, the idea of ever meeting these people was totally foreign to me.  So whenever I read about her crazy events, where she arrived in hearse, and popped out of a coffin (I tell no lies, she has done this), I was envious but never really pictured meeting her.  Thus it was a very perfect pre-valentines excursion for the hubby and I to head out to the Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library for cocktails, an Interview with Anne Rice by CBC's Mary Hynes and a signing.  All for her new book The Wolf Gift.

Did I mention that the very first movie the hubby and I ever went to together (maybe our third date?) was Queen of the Damned?  It was terrible, but proof we had something in common (which in the early days seemed somewhat unlikely), we both read Anne Rice.  At that point in time it might have been the only books we had both read since he loved horror and Stephen King and I loved classic lit, and Michael Ondaatje.

For starters, I have to say the Appel Salon is a genius idea.  A gorgeous room, on the second floor of a library that's getting more and more gorgeous itself as renovations progress.  It offered a lovely venue for a substantial number of people to come and comfortably watch an interview with an author they love.  Which, since normally you're lined up winding through book stacks, at a local Indigo, is an incredible improvement.  Comfy seats, wine and you can actually see the author! Amazing, why didn't someone think of this sooner??

Mary Hynes did a great job of touching on both elements of the new book as well as all the things Anne Rice fans are burning to know about her and her books.  The interview was an hour long with thirty minutes of audience questions.



This is part one, there are two more parts you can access on youtube.

The most interesting thing said all evening? It came from an audience question about characters and how Anne once said that Lestat just got up and left one day, will you bring some of them back? - "I'm not ruling it out....I want to hear what Lestat has to say".  Needless to say there was much cheering.

Afterwards Anne signed books.  My copies of Interview with a Vampire and The Vampire Lestat are embarrassing to say the least.  Natty and missing their front covers, so although my favourites, I didn't bring them.  Instead I got the Wolf Gift signed.  I gushed a little bit about how wonderful it was to meet her (that's right, I had nothing intelligent to say what-so-ever. It happens, more than I care to admit) and then moved along to admire her lovely cursive signature, so very carefully inscribed in my book.  Notice how she's carefully done it so it's a Novel for Rhiannon? Love her.

The hubby and I wandered out for late dinner (Sushi, because as the hubby put it "for some reason I fell like rice"), and we gabbed about how down to earth she was and not crazy eccentric as we'd suspected she might be.  All in all it was a fantastic evening I won't soon forget.

PS- this was the second of two great Random House events in just three days for me.  On Saturday I had the incredible pleasure of going to Random House head office in Toronto for a little blogger love party with surprise guests Erin Morgenstern (who I gabbed about posting cat pics with and), Ami McKay (who I talked fashion with), and Paula McLain (who I gabbed about hair with, she loved mine and I loved hers)!  So, many many thanks to Random House for making all these truly fantastic events possible- they made my week!

Bookish Baking, November Cakes from The Scorpio Races

Ok, remember that time I read The Scorpio Races and fell in love with Maggie Stiefvaters writing?  Well the hubby is a thoughtful SOB and bought me her Shiver series for Christmas (yes, I gushed and gushed and gushed over all three of them), and then he bought me part one of her homicidal faerie series for Valentines (That's right.  I bought him book two of the Dexter series. Great minds and all of that.  There was also requisite sugar.)

The best part of Valentines though?  He started The Scorpio Races.

I thought I should celebrate by baking Maggie's November Cakes,  a recipe she concocted for the story.  I had been eyeing up other bloggers attempts and wanting to make them for awhile, but yesterday, as the hubby hit the last 100 page run I thought it was time to make them.

Juanita, courtesy of The Bloggess

Now listen, I took oodles of lovely photos during the 2 hour foray, only to have them eaten by my computer after I deleted them from my memory card.  So you'll have to use your imagination a little, at least until the end.

I started with Maggie's recipe.  Now just recently, Raych (of books i done read notoriety) made them as well, and posted a couple of notes on the process.  I thought I would take her orange extract tidbit to heart and used orange rind for my November Cakes.  I used the rind of one full orange and it was very perfect, still subtle but definitely orange flavoured.  Also very pretty in the picture I took of it all rolled out with the butter/orange mixture painted on, so imagine it as very pretty.

See, totally prettier. Right?

Got it?  Ok, moving on.

As far as the pretty/Carmel sauce retaining factor goes, I would further recommend taking a couple of extra minutes to roll these babies separately instead of in a big log that you cut.  Why you ask? Because my ends were the best cakes, due to the irregularity.  So next time I think I'll roll the dough into the 12 X 20 ish square, butter it, and then cut it into 12 strips and roll individually.  Otherwise the rolls became more bun like and didn't hold the carmel sauce as well, or look as pretty.  Hell, after the time you've put into all the rising etc., what's another 5 minutes right?

They had cooled to the perfect temperature at 6:30pm, just as the hubby got to the actual race.  So we used our adult prerogative and spoiled our dinner (of which I had not planned since I was too wrapped up in making November Cakes, so win, win!).  They were divine.
Gooey, light and with just the right kick of orange.  We had them again with coffee this morning for Breakfast. Yum!

I declare these an excellent Bookish Baking foray, so if you haven't read The Scorpio Races yet (Dear God! Do it!) then make sure to make these delicious treats to get you through the suspense.

Thanks as always to Beth at Beth Fish Reads, for her Weekend Cooking posts to inspire me to share!

Saturday Link Salad

Alright, I've made Maggie Stiefvaters November Cakes, and I've had one for breakfast so I am READY!  Which is good because this was an enormous news week.  So without further ado I bring you the link salad!

-My beloved Artemis Fowl is coming to a close this summer!  That's right, Eoin Colfer has written the final book and Disney has announced a one million print run.  The final book is called the Last Guardian, and comes out July 10th.  I'll be sad to see this series end, but it's being hyped as going out with a bang, so fingers crossed!

-Dying waiting for Deliriums sequel Pandemonium to come out?  A chapter teaser has been put up online.  The estory, Hana, was briefly released this week for free, but sadly it expired before the weekend (when I planned on reading it!).  Oh well!

-A super secret tumblr site has been posted to answer Q & A from The Fault in Our Stars.  The password is the last word in the acknowledgments! It has some fun answers and is worth a look.

-Post Valentines R.L. Stine surprised his followers with a short Twitter Horror story.  Talk about a fun concept!  And lets face it, what shows love better than a nice little horror story?

-The BEA made the keynote speaker for the Book Blogging conference official.  A couple weeks after Jennifer Weiner announced the cat was out of the bag, they confirmed she's the keynote.  I'm still not sure about this business of an author as the book blogging keynote, but it's at 10am which is a good sign!  Last year I missed the keynote from sheer exhaustion, it was way too early.

-Self published Life's a Witch had a huge announcement this week. It's been picked up in a SIX figure deal from Simon and Schuster!  Goes to show, don't underestimate the self published!

-Although I'm the opposite of this article (most of my books are read) The Wonderful and Terrible Habit of Buying too Many Books is going to be worth a good giggle to all of us bibliophiles.  Seriously, read it.  I particularly like his good friend Matts "You're never going to read that" game.

-Finally, it has been a week with seven days.  All ending in Y, so there must be Cassandra Clare goodies right?  Why, how did you know??
  -For Valentines she gave out two cut scenes, one for City of Lost Souls, and one for Clockwork Princess
  - There was an unidentified snippet, of a Clockwork variety.
  -And finally there was some clarification on release dates, for those of you who've noticed when the last clockwork book is tentatively set to release and are hyperventilating at the thought of waiting that long.

Come back later today when I talk about my foray into bookish baking!  Now go forth and enjoy your long weekend already!

25 Most awkward sleeping cats- Feline Fridays

Ah yes, another fantastic Buzzfeed list.  This time 25 awkward cat sleeping positions!

Here's a sampling:

Plus, you know, two of my own Mr Awkwards.

Happy Friday!

Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Followers Love Giveaway Hop! There were loads of entrants and it took some time to sort out what everyone had entered for but I have the winners!

Congratulations to:

-dv8, Ricki@Reading Challenged, deanna_boocock and Tiffany P who have each won an ecopy of Act of God!

-Patricia G. and Kelsey Miller who each won an ecopy of Arctic Fire!

- And Cindy Gates who won the hardcopy of Arctic Fire!

Author Paul Byers will be contacting  you each shortly! Enjoy!

The Dovekeepers, by Alice Hoffman- Review

From Goodreads:
In 70 CE, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on a mountain in the Judean desert, Masada. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic historical event, Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary, bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path. Yael’s mother died in childbirth, and her father never forgave her for that death. Revka, a village baker’s wife, watched the horrifically brutal murder of her daughter by Roman soldiers; she brings to Masada her twin grandsons, rendered mute by their own witness. Aziza is a warrior’s daughter, raised as a boy, a fearless rider and expert marksman, who finds passion with another soldier. Shirah is wise in the ways of ancient magic and medicine, a woman with uncanny insight and power. The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in the desperate days of the siege, as the Romans draw near. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets—about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love.


Between the unbelievable amount of accolades this book was getting and its intriguing historical background this book shot up to the top of my to be read pile, shortly after it's release.  But reviewing it has turned out to be harder than I imagined.  I've pecked away at a review for it for months now, without feeling like I was truly explaining my experience of reading The Dovekeepers.

Let me start by saying, everything that's been said about this book is true.  It's lyrical, so completely evocative of a time that's considered ancient history that it sweeps you away.  The women are intriguing and strong, but also flawed.  I felt as if Hoffman had opened a window into the past for me to peer through, the language, the imagery it was all perfect.

But it also had surprisingly slow pacing for a book about highly charged subject matters.  To be frank, the pacing made parts of the book really drag for me, so despite being captivated by the writing, I'd put the book down for days at a time without feeling the need to know what happens next.  Generally speaking, that never happens to me, unless I really dislike a book, which wasn't the case with The Dovekeepers.  This left me wondering if I ultimately liked the story.  Which turns out, was not an easy question to answer.

I felt like The Dovekeepers had 6 main characters, Revka, Aziza, Shirah, Yael, the mountain itself, and Judaism.  Now I know your wondering what I could possibly mean by Judaism being a character.  It's a character in many ways, first of all the nine hundred Jews that come together on the plateau come together because they're being prosecuted by the Romans, but also because in many ways all three of these women are outcasts by their own religion for varying reasons.  Beyond that, their religion is their way of life, and everything they do is steeped in belief and/or ritual.  This is fascinating and goes a long way to flavour the story, but it's also where I found the pacing to be the slowest. 

After awhile the religious detail wore on me, and I found myself skimming every time I came to another lengthy description.  The point had been made, I had the feel of the place and the life, but I wanted this story to move forward without constant interruptions about the unleavened bread.  Of course, this made me feel like somewhere along the way I'd lost my love of genuine literature because look! It was so beautifully written! How could I be bored?

Then the end rolls in.  And it was gripping, captivating and paced much more to my taste.  I tore through the last 100 pages and the epilogue, and was completely won over again.  But this left me, once again, with the indecision of whether I liked this book or not. 

My final decision on the matter was although I loved many elements of The Dovekeepers, it was paced just a bit too unevenly for me to love it as a whole.  Though without a doubt I greatly appreciate what an amazing story teller Alice Hoffman has become, and The Dovekeepers is one of those books you need to read just to experience it.

The Dovekeepers, by Alice Hoffman
Published by Simon and Schuster, October 4th, 2011
My copy kindly provided by Simon and Schuster
Buy The Dovekeepers from Amazon

The Gathering Storm, by Robin Bridges- Debut Review

From Goodreads:

Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1888.
As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.


An evil presence is growing within Europe’s royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina’s strength as a necromancer attracts unwanted attention . . . including from two young men.


The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

One of my great loves, after books and cats, of course, is history. For a number of years I read only historical non-fiction, and I read everything from biographies on European monarchs to books about slavery in North Africa, books on Mao in China and even books about the plague. I would go through crazes where I would read a great book about someone and then want to read everything to do with that person, that time period and that country. One particularly good biography on Catherine the Great sent me off on a huge Russian history tangent for months. So when I heard the premise of The Gathering Storm, months ago from the Class of 2k12, I knew this was a debut I had to check out.

Russia, is one of those somewhat exotic countries, that despite the Internet, easy travel options and a wealth of information on the topic, can always seems very foreign.  Like India, Egypt or China.  The language, the customs and the rich history are remarkably unique from the rest of Europe, and because of that it makes for a unique story setting.  I loved how Bridges used the folklore and history to set up a court so similar to what was historically accurate but imbued it with paranormal elements.  Russia was a country whose folklore and beliefs had a huge basis in fantasy type elements, you need look no further than the stories and beliefs surrounding famed Russians such as Rasputin and Catherine the Great to see that people were easily inclined to believe them more than just mere mortals.  This all sets up Bridges story perfectly.

Filled with vampires, bogatyr, revenants, faeries and necromancers, Bridges Russian imperial court is teeming with dangerous intrigue and nasty surprises; not the political waters most debutant's would confidently maneuver.  Katerina is no exception.  Following her as she seemingly lands herself in one disaster after another while unintentionally uncovering a variety of dangerous plots was entertaining and engrossing, and Bridges beautifully captures Russia in that class and time.

However, I did find myself getting confused.  At first I thought it was from a little too much mystery surrounding the various groups of vampires, that it wasn't being spelled out clearly for a reason, a bigger surprise later on maybe.  But by the end of the book I was still a bit unclear about the varying groups, who their loyalties lay with, and why.  Then a scene with the Grand Duke illustrated to me that perhaps it was just a pacing thing, that in a rush to make a scene happen the information either wasn't made clear enough or just didn't entirely make sense

"Danilo, you cannot leave me in here!"
But the crown prince and his sister had already left.  The hallway fell silent.
There were no windows in this room, decorated in an Oriental style, and only the one door, which was locked.  I was trapped.  No one would be able to hear me above the noise of the ball.
Except George Alexandrovich, if luck was with me.
"Your Imperial Highness?" I spoke aloud.  "Please, Your Imperial Highness.  If you can hear me, the tsar is in danger.  Konstantin Pavlovich has returned and is here at Peterhof.  Princess Cantacuzene was raising the undead army for him."
I tried to stay calm.
"Your Imperial Highness? Georgi?" I whispered desperately.
There was a sudden commotion in the hall.  I could hear Elena shrieking.
The door opened, and instead of the Vladiki prince, I saw the grand duke.  I wanted to cry......

He wasn't at the dance, so how was he supposed to hear her and arrive instantaneously?  So I was a bit confused on some of the elements.

That being said, it was fairly minor, and Bridges drew such a believable world with the paranormal aspects so well woven through the whole, that I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I'm impressed enough with The Gathering Storm that I'm fairly confident her pacing/clarity issues are just a first time author foible, and will all be cleared up in book two The Unfailing Light, due out October 9th, 2012.

In the meantime, if you're looking for some intriguing non-fiction on Russia I highly recommend these books:
Catherine The Great, by Henri Troyat,
and The Secret Plot to save the Tsar, New Truths Behind the Romanov Mystery, by Shay McNeal
Also, Robin has several images on her site of the actual Smolny, Winter Palace and Imerial family.

The Gathering Storm, The Katerina Trilogy, By Robin Bridges
Published by Delacorte Press, January 10th, 2012
My copy kindly provided by Random House
Buy The Gathering Storm on Amazon

Janitors by Tyler Whitesides- Debut Review

From Goodreads:

The janitors at Welcher Elementary know a secret, and it's draining all the smarts out of the kids. Twelve year-old Spencer Zumbro, with the help of his classmate Daisy Gullible Gates, must fight with and against a secret, janitorial society that wields wizard-like powers.

I went on the hunt for this book at the BEA because of a poster for it in the lobby.  Brandon Mulls quote on the front, with the great art had me excited for this new middle school series.  I was hoping for another fantastic series like Fablehaven, but I was deeply disappointed.

My number one issue with middle school books is when authors attempt to talk down to their audience.  I don't think it's even intentional a lot of the time, and certainly there are variations of it, from out right talking down, to just a lack of sophistication in the way  the story is told.  Some authors suffer from it in the growing pains of their first book, and some seem to fall into it as a way of story telling.  I can tell you that not a single popular middle grade book or series that I've read has ever fallen prey to it, which would lend credence to me when I say it's the wrong way to approach young readers- unless they're four and under.

Janitors was decidedly unsophisticated, the story and the characters were never really allowed to grow into something big and wild, attempts were made to challenge the imagination but then they were tightly pulled back again.  The story often shifted into moralizing- the bad guys were obviously bad because they had Spencer and Daisy do things that got them in trouble (um, am I just wrong here or did Harry, Hermione and Ron not get into endless trouble?), mom is the most trustworthy person in your life thus you should tell her everything and keep no secrets- even if she likely won't believe a word of it, etc.  It started feeling decidedly didactic and it grew old very quickly.

Worse yet was that Whitesides had this novel magical slant with the Janitors, their powers and the whole fight that was starting to go down with the BEM, but instead of giving it the depth it needed so it would be something you would invest in, he took the easy route.  The BEM wants all children to be stupid and vapid, just because, no further explanation necessary because isn't that evil enough?  This will break apart society eventually, which doesn't seem like it would benefit a small government agency, but apparently this is where you, me, and every child who reads this series is supposed to suspend their disbelief and just go with it.  But I ask you, after they've read the incredibly complex tale of good versus evil that is Harry Potter, do you really think that's going to hold water with kids?

Fablehaven was a rich and fantastical tale with a gripping evil twist, I was deeply disappointed that Janitors was the follow up middle grade series Shadow Mountain Press decided to go with.

Janitors, by Tyler Whitesides
Published by Shadow Mountain Press, Aug 2011
My copy was acquired at the BEA

The Wolf Gift, by Anne Rice- Review

From Goodreads:
The time is the present.



The place, the rugged coast of northern California. A bluff high above the Pacific. A grand mansion full of beauty and tantalizing history set against a towering redwood forest.


A young reporter on assignment from the San Francisco Observer. . . an older woman, welcoming him into her magnificent, historic family home that he has been sent to write about and that she must sell with some urgency . . . A chance encounter between two unlikely people . . . an idyllic night—shattered by horrific unimaginable violence. . .The young man inexplicably attacked—bitten—by a beast he cannot see in the rural darkness . . . A violent episode that sets in motion a terrifying yet seductive transformation as the young man, caught between ecstasy and horror, between embracing who he is evolving into and fearing who—what—he will become, soon experiences the thrill of the wolf gift.


As he resists the paradoxical pleasure and enthrallment of his wolfen savagery and delights in the power and (surprising) capacity for good, he is caught up in a strange and dangerous rescue and is desperately hunted as “the Man Wolf,” by authorities, the media and scientists (evidence of DNA threaten to reveal his dual existence). . . As a new and profound love enfolds him, questions emerge that propel him deeper into his mysterious new world: questions of why and how he has been given this gift; of its true nature and the curious but satisfying pull towards goodness; of the profound realization that there are others like him who may be watching—guardian creatures who have existed throughout time and may possess ancient secrets and alchemical knowledge and throughout it all, the search for salvation for a soul tormented by a new realm of temptations, and the fraught, exhilarating journey, still to come, of being and becoming, fully, both wolf and man.

OK, to say I was thrilled by the idea of a new Anne Rice book in her old flavour (ie- not religious), is a bit of an understatement.  I started reading her vampire series many moons ago around grade 8 and was a huge fan (funny antedote, my mom refused to let me read Flowers in the Attic but was totally OK with Anne Rice. I'm a little flabbergasted that's what I was reading at 13).  There were many a hardcover Anne Rice vampire book under the Christmas tree for me over the years, and although I wasn't in love with every one of her prolific paranormal tales, I dug her style and her penchant for over the top drama.

Even the books I didn't like (the Mayfair Witch series), I read religiously because I had to know the answer to her complex, often historical, mysteries about the paranormal set up.

So the second it arrived on the doorstep I dug into The Wolf Gift.  My immediate reaction was relief, this was classic Anne Rice and it was good.  A feeling that lasted about 200 pages, then I became slightly annoyed with Reuben and his never ending ecstasy about everything.  Finally, at about 100 pages left she started to dig into the stuff I really like about her stories, the history.  And suddenly it was the end, just like that, which leads me to believe they'll be more of the books, although she's being cagey at the moment and simply saying she'd "like to write more about Reuben".

My main issue with the story, was Reuben, the main character.  The best way I can describe him is to say he's a happy Louis.  Remember how agonising a read Interview with a Vampire was? How it was just endless moaning and desperately sad reflections in beautiful prose and with spectacular backgrounds and costume changes?  Reuben is the happy version of that.  Everything is so spectacular and everyone is so beautiful and he LOVES everything and everyone.  There's just pages and pages of rhapsodizing about every possible aspect of his change.  Pages and pages of details of just how wonderful it is to eat the raw flesh of some animal he's caught, how soft and fresh and yummy the stomach is, or the jugular and the flesh etc, etc, etc.  It's nauseating, I just wanted Lestat to come along and box his ears and bitch about how intolerable he is, but there is sadly no Lestat.  Twice the shame for us since he's always been one of her most sparkling characters.

The second issue I had with The Wolf Gift is one I've had more and more over the years with her books, the theology and religion.  I get it, I 100% see why her writing life has always been spectacularly influenced by religion.  Her daughter died very young from Leukemia (and it was while grieving her that she wrote Interview with a Vampire which is likely why it's so dark and morose), her husband died of brain cancer, and she herself has had a couple of near death scares from diabetes and then from gastric bypass surgery.  As you read through her bibliography you see a growing amount of spiritualism in the stories until she does away with the paranormal/horror stories and exclusively wrote religious based books for six years. 

In a way her writing directly illustrates her personal struggles as an atheist, then declaring she's once again a catholic christian, right up until 2010 when she renounced religion again (quite publicly) and said she just couldn't condone organised religion.  I'm telling you, I get it, but I don't want to read about religious angst in all her characters.  It gets old.  Also, as she's delved further into theology and religion on a personal level it has gotten more and more intellectual, obscure and esoteric.  The complexities and theologists that her characters debate have become completely over my head, they far surpass my interest and education level and just keep going often for whole chapters.

HOWEVER.  The Wolf Gift also has some of her fantastically yummy Anne Rice goodness.  The characters are dripping wealth, there's a house that's so mysterious it's a character in and of itself, everything is opulent and described in lurid detail, and there's a tantalizing, historically steeped, mystery to the wolf gift.  Although they're simply a tease for a least two thirds of the book, she's set up a group of elderly gentlemen who promise all the heady goodness of the coming together of the oldest vampires in Queen of the Damned with hints of a supreme or first wolf similar to the twins in Queen of the Damned.  She had me salivating for this part of the story from page 2 or 3, which is likely part of why I eventually became so intolerant of Reuben and his gadding about playing at being a wolf man.

I would eagerly delve  into more of these stories if she decides to take them in the same direction as the vampire chronicles, ie- taking us through the history of the various ancients book by book.  Sadly, Reuben is the character she claims she loves, so it looks like any further books with be from his view point.  Not my preference.  But who knows, maybe he'll grow on me?  Maybe I'm just disdainful because he's a 23 year old, super good looking, rich boy with the world as his oyster.
Jealous much?

Tomorrow night I get the distinct pleasure of meeting my long time beloved Anne Rice at the Toronto Metro Reference library, where they'll be cocktails and then an interview by CBC's Mary Hynes.  Sadly she's long ago gotten over her theatrical days of arriving at these soirees in a coffin, but I promise to have all the details for you tuesday!  In the meantime, if like me, you missed some of her media hoopla's in the past couple of years, check out Nola Cancel's interview with her on examiner.com

The Wolf Gift, by Anne Rice
Published by Knopf Publishing Group, February 14th 2012
Buy The Wolf Gift on Amazon

Saturday link Salad

It is Saturday. Again.  I know, how does that keep happening?!  It is decidedly winter here, and it's blown in all sudden like, but I refuse to let it dampen my spirits because I have two really exciting events this week.  Today I'm off to a blogger love party down at Random House, and Monday I get to see Anne Rice! I mean how can a week get better?  Mmmmm, probably with chocolate goodies on Tuesday actually, so yes, that too.

Now, to the news!

-First time and returning BEA/BBC attendees have been burning up the interwebs with complaints about difficulty registering, irregularities in pricing and concerns about how the BBC will be organized and run.  Being one of the neurotic/overly excited folks who registered bright and early I got the cheap "error price", so I was totally confused when folks started talking about the prices they were paying, so I've been carefully following the story as well. There's been several posts with clarification on some of the BEA/BBC confusion, each one becoming a tiny bit clearer then the one before.  Then there was this weird tweet from author Jennifer Weiner  "Jennifer Weiner @jenniferweiner Cat out of bag: I'm giving the keynote speech at the BEA blogger conference! Suggestions for speech welcome. bit.ly/z9Layy"  except you'll notice her link doesn't actually announce her as the keynote?  I have to say I was a bit mystified why an author is the Keynote at a Book Blogger convention, but I don't know her so maybe that's part of the confusion on my part.

Oh the drams!

-Michelle Hodkins released an unidentified snippet for book two of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer!

-Want to read Lauren Olivers companion ebook to the Delirium series?  Well if enough folks pre-order the sequel Pandemonium before Feb 14th Hanna is being posted for free!

- Finally, it's Saturday, in a week of regular days, so that must mean that it's time for a Cassie Clare tidbit! unidentified snippet!

Finding your forever love this Valentines- Feline Fridays

Oh I know, you love Valentines/you hate Valentines, it depresses you or you love the gluttony of candy and chocolates (who needs a significant other for that I ask you?!), whatever the case you have a strong opinion one way or the other.  I've always enjoyed it, but I came from a single parent family where it was always about buying those you love some little treat they'll love and giving thoughtful cards and treats to all your friends.  Mom would buy me drawing supplies and I'd buy her turtles.  My grandparents would come to town and we'd all go out for a fancy dinner together and get things like steak and dessert and it would feel exotic and fun.  And don't get me started on the hours spent on the cards!

But a couple of years someone suggested the single best Valentines idea I've ever heard, taking the day to find your forever fuzzy (or scaly if that's your preference) soul mate.  Lets face it, nobody will love you as thoroughly, single-mindedly and devotedly as your pets, nobody.  It's a romantic thought that's captured my heart ever since.  Imagine adopting a lonely little cat, dog, bunny, reptile etc on Valentines and spending the night or day getting to know the new love of your life?

Every town or city has a bevy of animal rescue groups, Humane Societies or Animal Control organizations that are always in desperate need of folks to adopt or foster.  I thought I'd take today's Feline Friday to introduce you to some of Toronto's available loves.

From Annex Cat Rescue (where I found my furry loves, Deliah, Baxter and Thurman):

Meet Violet, she's a bit shy but once she warms up to you it's all belly rubs.  She's 2 years old, and obviously beautiful.

Meet Shehera, a tiny little thing, Shehera is a super cuddly and friendly girl who loves to squeak to her humans.

Meet 4 month old Zooey she's playful, cuddly and good with others! Hey your cat could use a Valentine too.

Meet brothers Max and Pumpkin.  Feisty and loving, why not adopt yourself two Valentines?

To adopt any of these rascals, Please leave a message at 416-410-3835 or email Annex Cat Rescue at adoption@annexcatrescue.ca and leave your phone number and the best time to reach you.

From Toronto Cat Rescue (where I found my furry love Cheddar Cheese):

Meet Mariah a quiet, genteel lady who's looking for someone to play with.

Meet Louis, a Valentines baby himself, is incredibly affectionate and dedicated. Love children and other animals.  I mean look at that face!

Meet Grey Bear, a lovely little lady who likes some companionship but is also a self entertaining busy bee.

To adopt from Toronto Cat Rescue Please call the TCR Hotline – 416-538-8592 (press 1 for adoptions and leave a message). Email:tcr.adoptions@hotmail.com for a pre-adoption interview. 

Now what could be better than taking home one of these beauties this weekend or on Valentines Day proper?  I'm telling you, if you're looking for love you won't find anyone who'll love you as unconditionally as a pet.

Happy early Valentines day!