Showing posts with label Newford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newford. Show all posts

February 18, 2008

Rereads, Anyone?

I have nintey books tagged as TBR, but tonight I am really struggling to pick a new book up. I tried to begin a reread because I am craving historical fiction, left over from my latest read. I couldn't do it - the book had to be put down after eighteen pages. I couldn't reread a book that basically told the same story I'd just read only from another's perspective - it was much too soon. I looked through my short pile of soon to be read books, but each in itself would take so long to read, and I am looking for something easy. I paced from one side of the room to the other scanning my shelves for something appealing but nothing. I grabbed an Austen book that I have as of yet to read, sat on my bed, but still could not bring myself to read. What is wrong tonight? Perhaps it's simply too soon since the last book I read and I can choose better in the morning. This is what I hope. I considered rereading some historical fiction with nothing to do with the Tudors, but passed it because it was two connected trilogies and would lead me away from reading TBRs. I also considered rereading just two favorites that are intertwined then returning to my TBR pile once more. As I said, I hope the morning will provide an answer.

This has at least made me think about, with having so many unread books to tackle, how many rereads I will read this year, and which ones. I thought to gather them up here.

Charles de Lint: Newford: The Onion Girl and Widdershins



My two absolute favorites by this author, and that's saying something as I've read quite a lot by him. I've only read each of these two books once but that was enough and the stories have not left my mind. I think about them from time to time and wish I would reread them, knowing the pleasure yet pain this would bring. This is the year I will at last reread them, though. It's far too much of a favorite, and five years wait for the first of the two is long enough.

Stephenie Meyer: Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse



In preparation for the author's latest book in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn, I will be rereading these books over the summer. Probably in July. Book four will be released on August 2nd, and I know I will read all these books rather quickly. (Shouting for a friend as this would be too difficult to resist the temptation at their possible drop from faint: EDWARD CULLEN! ;)

J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the ... ?



I'm really not sure which books I'll be reread from the Harry Potter series this year. I will definitely be rereading Deathly Hallows. I think I may finally reread Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince beginning this weekend for a weekly group discussion. (I am super, super sorry for not doing this sooner! You know who you are.)

Rosalind Miles: Guenevere and Isolde trilogies



These are the trilogies that I would begin rereading tonight had I not so many TBRs to tackle. I adored both series, but unlike any other series I've enjoyed as much, I never once reread them. The very month I finished reading the second series, I began a mythology class, and was I ever wanting to reread them only two months later when I'd learned all about the triple goddess and the likes. I may dig into my old notes before rereading these.

One of my sisters pointed out to me that I couldn't very well reread a book when I own so many that I have not yet read. I wondered then what everyone else does. Do they reread their books, or not at all so long as they own books they have not read? We will always own books we have not read! It's our own disease! Letting books sit on a shelf never to be read again sounds absolutely dreadful - I cringed at the thought while my sister spoke to me. No. I will reread my books! Hers may be forgotten and collect dust if she so wishes.

Note: The artwork featured with Charles de Lint's books was done by John Jude Palencar, and the artwork featured with Rosalind Miles' books was done by John William Waterhouse. They did the cover illustrations of those books. I admire their work greatly.

September 21, 2007

Promises

I was introduced to Charles de Lint's books during the summer of 2002 when my mother pushed his books on me. She bought me perhaps five books from his Newford series over one weekend while she tried to find out more about The Onion Girl, a book she had seen many people reading and for which was the cause for her to get me to read de Lint's books in the first place. Little did she know The Onion Girl would take nearly a year for me to get a copy of, but it was a good wait as I was able to fill myself with other books in the series first. And how I did love that one! I happily dove into it's sequel, Widdershins, three years later. That said, I would have been utterly disappointed had I not been able to get my hands on this one.

#23 Charles de Lint: Newford: Promises to Keep (September 2007)

This book may not mean much to those who are new to the series and have not come to love Jilly, the heroin of this particular book and also favorite character of the author himself. For me, though, it was treasure. I got from it exactly what I wanted, and the only thing that could possibly have been missing that the other Newford books didn't give beyond the clues of. I'm a well satisfied de Lint reader.

This book explains a bit more about Jilly herself, and her past between her life in Tyson and her life as a college graduate. You see a part of Jilly that is not her 'we'll their a$$' self, but rather her journey on the way to becoming such. Besides the obvious, it had me thinking of Memory and Dream, the first book I read by de Lint and the second, if not first, book in the series. I'm thinking a rereading, if not of the complete series, then of part of it, is due soon.