WEEK 5 - COLD MAGIC by Kate Elliott || United States Olympic Committee

Ack! Time to play catch-up!

The last few weeks of the term have been kicking my butt. I've been out of sorts the last few months or so, but this week the lethargy has hit me hard. But now it is time to start catching up, finish up my classes, and come back with a vengeance!

First off, making up for the first week of February, is the book Cold Magic by Kate Elliot.

The cover promises steampunk, and the book didn't disappoint. 

The story is set in an intriguing setting of alternate history and high fantasy. The author took great care in shaping this world, and it shines through the writing. In fact, the power struggles of wizards, trolls and royalty in this familiar-yet-not Europe tends to outshine the main story in many places.

The tale follows Cat, a girl of mysterious ancestry and quiet power. She is tossed into a storm of family agreements and wheeling-and-dealing thanks to her aunt and uncle, and is suddenly forced to wed a Cold Mage named Andevai, who is a low-born but surprisingly powerful refridgerwizard (my word) who is torn between his poor peasant family and his haughty magic-wielding landlords. 

Luckily, the characters are never consumed by much romantic sighing or longing looks. Cat is chiefly concerned with escaping back to Adurnam (or as we know it, Southampton, England) and runs into many colorful characters along the way, including magical gods, escaped political leaders, sabertoothed cats, and feather-covered, raptor-like revolutionaries. Oh, and of course, there is a dirigible involved too, because that seems to be the requirement in any steampunk book.

I was obsessed with finishing this book over the course of a few days, and it was chiefly for the world-building. A few of my favorite bits: the greater influence of Middle Eastern, Eastern European, and African elements, and the historical team-up of Celtic druids and West African magic men. NEAT, tell me more! It turns out that the author is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, which explains a lot. The SCA is a huge organization based on medieval-inspired world building, and would be a great creative exercise for anyone, not just writers! (I want to join someday too!) Cold Magic is part of the "Spiritwalker Trilogy", so I might pick up the next few books in the future. Not bad.

This week's charity tries to be in the spirit of international cooperation that is so lacking in the world of Cold Magic. In honor of the start of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, my money is going to the United States Olympic Committee. 

The Olympics have always been something that has fascinated me. The original Ancient Greek games were held for over a thousand years in Olympia, Greece, and were recently revived in 1894 for modern nations to enjoy. Despite stoppages during both World Wars and difficulties during the Cold War, the Olympics have persisted today, providing an outlet for nearly every country to showcase their talents in athleticism and artistry.

I was one of the few supporters for this. I want to believe!

At the risk of getting too idealistic, I have a great belief in the power of sport. Games have been at the heart of our culture for millennia, provide an outlet for expression and patriotism, and have unique abilities to engage and inspire others. And somehow, despite challenges of corruption, doping, cheating, terrorism, and coercion that have become a part of the modern Olympic Games, I still believe that they are a net good for the world. Maybe it's irrational to have this much respect for something that is largely used as a political tool nowadays, but I still can't help myself. The potential is there. 

Anyway, the USOC helps athletes prepare at special training centers and pay for their costs to get to the Olympics and Paralympics. 10 bucks to them! You can donate here if you want! 

2014 TOTALS:

Pages Read: 1,906

Dollars donated: 45.00

Bonus Book - Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

When school is cancelled due to below-0 temperatures and winter storm warnings, what's a girl to do? That's easy! (Obscenity warning)

So the focus of today's in-bed book binge was Kathleen Peacock's Hemlock. I'm pretty sure if we peek into the author's notes, we find this:

Recipe for Hemlock (By Kathleen Peacock)

serves 1

1. preheat oven to 425. Start with a heaping helping of teenage murder. Mix in 2 cups plucky girl detective, 4 teaspoons of werewolf, and a dash of dystopian police state.

2. Strain to remove Twilight-like elements, and rinse. For spice, add in 2 scoops of unspoken feelings and 1 tablespoon of teenage hormones. Once mixture starts to foam, add in additional 2 cups of werewolf, and mix over heat for 5 minutes. Be sure not to let it burn!

3. Pour into well-oiled 9x9 cake pan, and dust the top liberally with oh-shit-the-pieces-are-coming-together. Bake for 45 minutes, let cool for 15, and enjoy! Best paired with a glass of "Oh, and you thought it was over, didn't you," followed by whiiiiine.

Seriously though, this was an enjoyable read and conjured up many, many comparisons with Veronica Mars. Many themes are borrowed from that show (listing them would give key points away, unfortunately) and I loved it. However, for those of us that don't love intrepid female detectives kicking ass, solving crimes and kissing cute boys along the way, then this might not be the book for you. 

Shame about the cover, though. Doesn't characterize the book AT ALL. Say it with me, you can't judge a book...

Similar to the book "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater, "Hemlock" is another example of how far the supernatural romance genre has come since Twilight. I like to think that Twilight's success hasn't just lured authors with promises of easy book sales and movie deals; I believe that authors came out to write better, truer, more entertaining stories in order to set the record straight. And thank goodness for that. 

But we get the picture, authors. We don't need THAT many paranormal romance books.

WEEK 4 - SHADES OF MILK AND HONEY by Mary Robinette Kowal || Wikimedia Foundation

Almost anyone who went through public school has had to experience at least one of Jane Austen's famous novels. Austen's stories are characterized lever heroines, gallant heroes, and a horrible, selfish supporting cast all covered with a thick mask of decorum and proppah English mannahs. However, in debut novel Shades of Milk and Honey, author Mary Robinette Kowal adds a touch of magic to spice up the usual Austinian romantic intrigues and misinterpreted declarations of love.

Library books are best books, as we all know

Now, before you all run out to pick this book up, the magic involved (sadly) isn't "dueling pistols replaces with wands and lightning bolts,". Instead, the Regency period continues to be characterized by rigid attention to elegance and social structure. Here, the magic is referred to as "glamour," and is chiefly used (at least in high society) for enhancing home decor and light entertainment. It is considered an art form, taught by governesses and practiced just like painting or piano.

The main character Jane (hmm, possible connection here) Ellsworth is granted an ugly countenance, a sharp wit, uncommon talent for glamour, and a pretty but backstabbing younger sister. Enter Mysterious Stranger, a man of few words, who is hired as a glamourist to tutor a well-off neighbor. Again, if you've read any Austen novels, you know how this goes.

Though not as subtle or cuttingly witty as Austen's originals, this book does move the action along much quicker, and has (in my opinion) a suitably exciting climax. Glamour can do more than add light to a room or make the air smell like roses, much to the chagrin of a certain scurrilous knave.

WARNING: Shades of Milk and Honey doesn't contain any soggy declarations of love.

The author's treatment of glamour also serves to underscore emotions and personalities, depending on the person using it. For example, Jane is always controlled and calm, and her glamour is therefore extremely technical in nature but lacking passion. Her meeting the mysterious Mr. Vincent doesn't just inject passion into her art, but it also opens the door for them both to innovate in the uses of glamour, which I look forward to seeing in the sequel novels. (Books #2-#4 have already been published, and #5 is on the way.)

One picky note: This book was shelved in the science-fiction section, which seems completely wrong to me. Just because you use the word "aether" twice doesn't let you graduate from the "fantasy" section of the library, or even from the fiction section. I suppose it worked out, because the novel was nominated for a Nebula Award in 2010.

I'm still skeptical. A sticker does not make it so.

For this week's donation, I'm finally giving to a resource that I use multiple times a day. It's used for fun, for homework, for winning arguments, and it is completely FREE. Frankly, it's invaluable, and I can't imagine a world without it: Wikipedia. Seriously, though - what did people do before it? I was first exposed to it in Computer Science class in 6th grade (circa 2003), where our teacher said that it was bad and that we should use the Encyclopedia Britannica website instead. No one followed that advice, of course.

How many times do you use Wikipedia a day? You're welcome.

Wikipedia is a community edited, multi-language information repository, covers literally everything, and is growing all the time. It is a huge gift to society that it is run by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, which also runs collections of books, species, news, quotes, educational courses, travel guides, and more! It is priceless and yet free to the world, which is a really amazing thing. Let's keep it that way! Feel free to donate here. Or, alternatively, learn how to effectively add and edit Wikipedia pages to continue adding to the world's knowledge!

2014 TOTALS:

Pages read:1,386

Dollars donated: 35.00

WEEK 3 - KALIMPURA by Jay Lake || Polaris Project

This week's read was a pleasant surprise that froze me in my tracks as I was wandering the Rock Island Public Library. It is the third book in the "Green Universe" series and I hadn't even known that it was published! Woo hoo!

As the third (and possibly last?) book in the series, it is a rollicking ride to a meaningful, action-packed finale. Loose ends are tied, old characters and conflicts are resolved (for now) and a tenuous peace is restored... at great cost.

Green is the name of the main character, who was sold by her father at a very young age to serve a mysterious and powerful Duke across the sea in a city called Copper Downs. She subsequently uses her skills, wit, luck and uncanny connection with deities to forever upend the established order of things in Copper Downs. (Book 1, "Green") However, forces from the hot southern city of Kalimpura, the mysterious Saffron Tower, and beyond follow her to Copper Downs to continue to try to gain power and control. (Book 2, "Endurance") In "Kalimpura" Green returns to Kalimpura to make amends for her actions, save captured hostages, and avoid detection from crazed bureaucrats and misogynistic priests... all while taking care of her newborn twins!

Previous books in the Green series

With plenty of back story to digest and a vivid world to explore Green is a fantastic adventure where the conflicts are never quite black and white. Her coming-of-age tale rejects dusty old tropes and stereotypical romances, yet maintains a high level of emotional tension. Green is a flawed character, but her flaws strengthen her just as much as they undermine her efforts, making for quite the journey. I picked up the first book thanks to its gorgeous cover art, and I'm glad I stuck with the series. 

Art for the German cover of "Green", found here. 

This is a series that is very close to my heart, and I look forward to collecting the hardcover editions myself someday. Besides the three books, there are several short novellas floating around the internet and the author's blog. However, I fear that this may be the last full Green book I may read. The author has been diagnosed with a spreading and very bad form of cancer and is currently undergoing experimental treatment at the NIH. This even seemed apparent in the book, despite it being published about a year ago. There were several threads in the book that point to a sequel, but... the final chapter pretty much quashed those thoughts. Too bad.

Green was sold into slavery at a young age to eventually become a consort for a rich Duke, a fact that continuously defines, hurts and helps her. In her honor, I am making this week's donation to the Polaris Project, an organization committed to halting human trafficking in the US and around the world. The organization is named after the star that guided American slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad. The Polaris Project operates a Human Trafficking hotline, pushes for stronger state and federal laws, and provides training and services to victims. 

Their website also has resources and information about the situation in every US state. For example, Illinois has had 685 total tip and crisis calls since 2007, which is (fortunately? unfortunately?) on the high end. However, it's nothing like California (2,556!). But I would imagine that Chicago, being a transportation hub, is where many of the problems and solutions start. Please visit here to donate! 

2014 TOTALS:

Pages read: 1,084

Dollars donated: 30.00

Good Mail Day!

In my opinion, the only kind of bad mail is no mail at all. Hell, I'd take an overdue parking ticket notice or a flyer from that grocery store I don't go to instead of a cold, empty mailbox. But maybe that's just me.

Anyway, today in the mail I finally received a zine I ordered called "Ladies of Literature"!

This magazine is filled with gorgeous full-color art of prominent and relatively-unknown authors and characters in adult and YA literature. Some of my favorites are in there, including Hazel Levesque (Percy Jackson series), Arya Stark (Game of Thrones) and Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice). It's an absolutely beautiful little book, and I'm half tempted to pop the staples and frame some of my favorites. Too bad the pages are double-sided!

The book also features a few characters that I don't recognize and a few I vaguely remember from books I read ages ago, but luckily there's a table of contents in the back with book titles and authors, so my to-read list has just gotten a little longer.

Crappy webcam shot of Cassie from Animorphs

I ordered this little book from the Ladies of Literature Project site and I plan on sending them a little thank-you note in return. BONUS: Proceeds of the project will be going to charities that promote childhood literacy! Woo hoo! Amazing art and a great cause - what more is there to love? Order your own copy here!

WEEK 2 - ICARUS GIRL by Helen Oyeyemi || Oxfam

Welcome to the end of week two! I'm starting to get used to the idea of 2014.

This week I blazed through a book called Icarus Girl, written by Nigerian-born, British-raised Helen Oyeyemi. This, in short, was a fantastic book and a truly gripping read. I picked it up from the historic City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco when I was there in December for the AGU annual meeting.

The book follows Jessamy, or Jess, a young girl with a Nigerian mother and a British father. She is a strange child, given to fits and obsessions, and we view the world through her eyes as she meets her first friend that understands her: TillyTilly. However, is this girl a product of Jess' abundant imagination, a ghost from the past, a trickster spirit, or something else?

This book constantly reminded me of two (amazing, award-winning) things:

           

Yes, a bit odd, but hear me out. First, Beloved, a book that I read in high school (senior year AP with cosgrove? junior year with lemke? I don't remember). Beloved has similar themes of African folklore, supernatural elements amid everyday situations, and the past coming back to haunt you (I really should give Beloved a re-read, come to think of it). Throughout reading Icarus Girl I kept having flashbacks to English class and caught myself identifying themes, reflecting, and contrasting scenes a lot more than I usually do - thanks, English class! 

Both Morrison and Oyeyemi tell their characters' point of view in biased, changeable ways - you can tell that your perception is being twisted on purpose. This is fun and interesting to me, since I usually read hard sci-fi or historical fiction novels that give a very unbiased, straight 3rd-person here-is-what-happened kind of story. But in these types of novels, you have to judge if you trust the storyteller, and if you don't, how you should interpret the events AND the characters' viewpoints.

Speaking of sci-fi, the other thing I kept thinking about (especially towards the end of the book) was the Doctor Who episode "Midnight". Here the Doctor and a bunch of humans meet something completely mysterious that seems to copy and take over a person Better synopsis here (spoilers!). Both this episode and the book had elements of mimicry, the power of voice, identity, and the alternate feelings of fear and curiosity when presented with the unknown. Both also pack that emotional twisting of the gut that had me curled up in bed, reading frantically, skipping over passages (a habit I am trying to break, really!) when I should have been up and being productive. 

In short, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It's a fantastic read with lots of layers and keeps you guessing until the last few pages. Love it!

This week's donation concerns the troubling news coming out of the Central African Republic and the unrest causing massive movement of refugees there. Violence began on December 15th, and since then 200,000 people have fled from their homes to the wilderness or to UN camps. In order to assist in the care of refugees, I'll be sending a donation to Oxfam, which is currently appealing for funds to help South Sudan specifically. Here is their overview on the situation, and here is an update from last week appealing for peace and protection of human rights. 

Although, to be specific, my money goes to Oxfam America, which then sends its money out to projects all around the world. US folks, go here to donate!

I'll see you all next week! Happy reading!

2014 TOTALS:
Pages read: 781
Dollars donated: 20.00

WEEK 1 - MATTIMEO by Brian Jacques || Northern Illinois Food Bank

It's been a cold and snowy first week of 2014, there's no denying that, but the bitter weather encourages me to stay indoors and read! This first week I knocked out a pretty easy paperback and a flashback from my childhood, and it's just as suspenseful and exciting as I remember! This book was only about 446 pages, but I wish it could have gone on... oh wait, that's what the other books in the series are for! <3 I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that I think that about 1/5th of the pages are descriptions of amazing Redwall Abbey food, or discussions held over such feasts. Ooh, I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it!

Woodland critters gotta eat, y'know! Source: here. 

Speaking of hunger, the charity of the week is the Northern Illinois Food Bank. With a pristine four-star rating from Charity Navigator, this is a great place to put your money. The organization is a large umbrella group that distributes food and funds to banks and pantries all over northern Illinois, which is good because I was looking for a place that helps both of my homes: Lombard and Rock Island, Illinois, which are on opposite sides of the state.

This Christmas was the first time I ever did the selfless thing of asking for donations to the NIFB instead of presents. And though only two of my relatives listened to me (it was my bad, I was probably too late in getting the word out) I think it is a tradition I will continue. I don't really need all that much stuff in my life - I could probably do with a lot less! And putting the money somewhere where it will help people immediately instead of in the pockets of retailers makes me feel better.

So I've chipped in 10 bucks to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. If you too have donated, please feel free to drop an anonymous note in the comments or email me and I'll add you to the total donated! Thank you!

Tune in next week to see what book I've read and what charity I've donated to! :)


2014 TOTALS:
Pages read: 446
Dollars Donated: 10.00