Diana Wynne Jones is responsible for my love of fantasy

Diana Wynne Jones died in late March and I was saddened to learn of her passing.  I grew up reading and re-reading her books and I can count her as truly one of my favorite authors of all time.  Her books meant a lot to me growing up and I hope that they will mean as much to my son as he grows up.  I went to public library catalog thinking I'd check out a few of my favorites and then do some reviews on them.  But then I saw how many there were and I didn't know what I would choose. Instead, I've decided to list some of my all-time favorites, the ones that I wore out my paperback copies and will always be counted among my favorite books.  It's not a short list or even a complete list of her books that I love.

Howl's Moving Castle 
(sequel: Castle in the Air and the House of Many Ways)
Full confession: I have not read the House of Many Way and have read Castle in the Air only about two times
But Howl's Moving Castle, that I have read many many times, in addition to owning the movie which is very different from the book, but is still brilliant.  I digress.  I was always drawn to stories of magic and magicians which might explain a lot of Wynne Jones' book and I love the story of the magician Howl and his demon and poor Sophia who is under a curse by the Witch of the Waste that has turned her old.

A Tale of Time City
A science fiction tale of Time City, a city which exists outside of history and whose purpose is to keep history on course.  Vivian is kidnapped by two boys from Time City thinking she is the source of problems that history has been having.  I liked how the technology is described and the image of the clothes the denizens of Time City has stuck with me.  It's amazing because the computer pads the children use are actually quite a bit like an iPad.  There is also a quest aspect in the story and I credit this story with my love of quest/puzzle stories.

The Chrestomanci Series
Charmed Life
The Lives of Christopher Chant
Witch Week
The Magicians of Caprona
There are other books in the Chrestomanci series, but the ones listed above are the only ones I have actually read.  These are fun books dealing with orphans, multi-dimensions, magic, and love.  I could not get enough of Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant and I loved figuring out the mythology of the stories.  I actually read them out of order the first time I read them, but it was amazing to me when I figured out that this Chrestomanci was actually Christopher or Cat.

Dogsbody
The tale of the Dog Star who is sent to Earth in the incarnation of a dog after being convicted of murdering a fellow celestial body.  This book always touch me, partly because I am a dog lover and I love the idea of something being bigger than it really is. 

Fairy Tale Re-Tellings: A Bibliography

Ash by Malinda Lo (Cinderella)

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dyi...more In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, re-reading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash’s capacity for love—and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.


Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (Red Riding Hood)

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for. 


Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (The Twelve Dancing Princesses)

Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above. 

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (Snow White) (Best in audio book format)

I was born singing. Most babies cry. I sang an aria. Or so I believe. I have no one to tell me the truth of it. I was abandoned when I was a month...moreI was born singing. Most babies cry. I sang an aria. Or so I believe. I have no one to tell me the truth of it. I was abandoned when I was a month old, left at the Featherbed Inn in the Ayorthaian villiage of Amonta. It was January 12th of the year of Thunder Songs.

The Fairy Lucinda has once again given a dreadful gift. THis time it's a mysterious magical mirror. The gift is disastrous when it falls into the hands of Aza, who never looks in a mirror if she can help it. In the Kingdom of Ayortha, Aza is most definitely not the fairest of them all. Many spurn her. Many scoff at her. She keeps out of sight.

But in the land or singers, Aza has her own gift, one she's come by without fairy intervention: a voice that can do almost anything, a voice that captivates all who hear it. In Ontio Castle, merry Prince Ijori is drawn to it, and vain Queen Ibi wants to use it for her own ends. Queen Ivi would do anything to remain the fairest in the land.

Beastly by Alex Flinn (Beauty and the Beast)

I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and h...more I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly


Briar Rose by Jane Yolen (Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty)

Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma’s stories about Briar Rose. But a promise Rebecca makes to her dying grandmother will lead her on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma’s astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose. A journey that will lead her to unspeakable brutality and horror. But also to redemption and hope.

All you need is love (and a sense of humor)

Today is my 5th anniversary of marriage to my wonderful husband.  We dated 6 years before we got married so we've been together for 11 years now!  In honor of this occasion, I present to you a bibliography of our life (in titles).

Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging - Louise Rennison
Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman
Kiss the Bride - Patrica (Meg) Cabot
The Kingdom Keepers - Ridley Pearson (We went to Disney World for our honeymoon)
Swift as Desire - Laura Esquivel
Great Expectations: Your All-in-One Resource for Pregnancy and Childbirth - Sandy Jones
The Baby Owner's Manual - Joe Borgenicht
The Boy Book - E. Lockhart
A Crooked Kind of Perfect - Linda Urban
P.S. I Love You - Cecelia Ahern

cross posted with Annie, I think  
I have read most, but all of the above titles.

GLBT Challenge 2009 - COMPLETE

I am joining the GLBT Challenge 2009 hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf. The challenge is to read 6 GLBT books from July 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. This will be a real challenge since I don't read a lot of GLBT books in general. Here is my list.





1. √ Kissing Kate - Lauren Myracle

2. √ Boy Meets Boy - David Leviathan

3. √ Another Kind of Cowboy - Susan Juby

4. √ Between Mom and Jo - Julie Anne Peters

5.√ The Straight Road to Kylie - Nico Medina

6. √ Ash - Malinda Lo

********

Some alternates (Mostly YA) are:

The Bermudez Triangle - Maureen Johnson

Belmondo Style - Adam Berlin

Rainbow Boys - Alex Sanchez

Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List - Rachel Cohen & David Leviathan

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - Tom Robbins

Down to the Bone - Mayra Lazara Dole

The Straight Road to Kylie - Nico Medina

Hero - Perry Moore (I've read this before and it was very good. It's about a gay superhero.)