SPOTTED | The Cadillac of Books

One book. Two readers. A world of mystery, menace, and desire. A young woman picks up a book left behind by a stranger. Inside it are his margin notes, which reveal a reader entranced by the story and by its mysterious author. She responds with notes of her own, leaving the book for the stranger, and so begins an unlikely conversation that plunges them both into the unknown.

The book: Ship of Theseus, the final novel by a prolific but enigmatic writer named V.M. Straka, in which a man with no past is shanghaied onto a strange ship with a monstrous crew and launched onto a disorienting and perilous journey.

The writer: Straka, the incendiary and secretive subject of one of the world’s greatest mysteries, a revolutionary about whom the world knows nothing apart from the words he wrote and the rumors that swirl around him.

The readers: Jennifer and Eric, a college senior and a disgraced grad student, both facing crucial decisions about who they are, who they might become, and how much they’re willing to trust another person with their passions, hurts, and fears.

S., conceived by filmmaker J. J. Abrams and written by award-winning novelist Doug Dorst, is the chronicle of two readers finding each other in the margins of a book and enmeshing themselves in a deadly struggle between forces they don’t understand, and it is also Abrams and Dorst’s love letter to the written word. 

-Amazon

Dear Blue,

I interrupt your Christmas festivities to bring you one of the most beautiful novels I own. I don't know about you, but I was always the type in college to buy used novels with unabashed glee. The more marks, scribbles, facts, and underlines a book contains, especially of classic books, the more I want it. Sure, I love new books like the next person, but sometimes I like a book to feel lived in like an old pair of jeans. Thankfully, these are always the cheapest! I remember when I was in elementary school, my mom bought me this beautiful hardcover special edition of The Babysitter's Club, containing all sorts of Christmas greetings, letters, and pictures to explore. I wore this book out! But I've stumbled upon a grown up version of that wonder. The Cadillac of books, also known as my book boyfriend for the time being (next to The Giver).

I knew nothing of  S , when my book bud, Kate, told me about it, than it's synopsis, and it's aesthetic beauty...but that was enough to make me grab my shopping bag full of pennies, and rush out an acquire it the very next day. S is a novel conceived by acclaimed director J.J. Abrams and PEN/Hemingway award nominee Doug Dorst about a fictitious enigmatic author named V. M. Straka and his grand last work, Ship of Theseus.  The story within a story is told through the correspondences written in the margins by Jennifer, and undergrad who discovers said novel in the  university library, and Eric, a grad student studying Straka. It seems the authors sought to make us characters as well, by creating a physical Ship of Theseus, and allowing readers to discover the story and its author, as the characters do. Ambitious and so very awesome. I fell in love with Jen and Eric just by reading their banter on the title page (above).

"What begins at the water shall end there. And what ends there shall once more begin."

S is a book lovers dream come true. Its' publishers managed to recreate the likeness of an old library book, even down to the stamps on the spine and inside covers. It carries the faint fragrance of age. I haven't allowed myself to truly explore the novel yet (as I just purchased it), but the whole concept of it thrills me. It feels like being a part of an epic secret that you get to hold in your hands everyday. Plus how awesome would it be to engage a stranger about books, in the actual book itself?

In speaking with my friend, Ariel, who rushed out for his own copy this week, we discussed how publishers are now tasked with the challenge of creating quality physical books in a world practically operating on Whispersync. We chatted about books being a completely immersive experience--not that words necessarily need anything more than life to create a wondrous experience--but that authors/publishers would use other mediums to their advantage to further enhance the text. I'm loving that more authors and publishers are creating such interactive reading experiences by the inclusion of letters, videos, tokens like napkins or maps, or anything to make this conceived world feel even more real. What do you think about these additions? Do they thrill you, or distract you from a novel?

S is a bit pricier than the average, well by a few dollars or so ($28 with a Barnes and Noble discount and 30% off/ $35 without), but on first impressions, I find this to be a magical homage to the beauty words. I can see us fangirling for a while over the bits tucked into these pages.

Hugs, Love, and Unabashed Fangirling,

Book Haul | Christmas Loot

Dear Blue,

Britta Tunes | Snow by Sleeping At Last. Download his free Christmas Album here!

Merry Christmas, Dearie! I pray that this Holiday Season has been so blessed for you and your family and friends.

This season has brought with it two snow storms, and a flurry of diamond sparkle down 5th Avenue, adorning the streets like a fairy tale. Yet it's only when the temperature rose, melting the snow, that my mind and heart decided to believe it's actually Christmas (time is a speeding bullet now-a-days). With my rise in spirit, I thought I would show you the latest books I've acquired for Christmas.

Young Rachel Kalama, growing up in idyllic Honolulu in the 1890s, is part of a big, loving Hawaiian family, and dreams of seeing the far-off lands that her father, a merchant seaman, often visits. But at the age of seven, Rachel and her dreams are shattered by the discovery that she has leprosy. Forcibly removed from her family, she is sent to Kalaupapa, the isolated leper colony on the island of Moloka'i. In her exile she finds a family of friends to replace the family she's lost: a native healer, Haleola, who becomes her adopted "auntie" and makes Rachel aware of the rich culture and mythology of her people; Sister Mary Catherine Voorhies, one of the Franciscan sisters who care for young girls at Kalaupapa; and the beautiful, worldly Leilani, who harbors a surprising secret. At Kalaupapa she also meets the man she will one day marry. True to historical accounts, Moloka'i is the story of an extraordinary human drama, the full scope and pathos of which has never been told before in fiction. But Rachel's life, though shadowed by disease, isolation, and tragedy, is also one of joy, courage, and dignity. This is a story about life, not death; hope, not despair. It is not about the failings of flesh, but the strength of the human spirit. -Amazon

I had not been hunting for Moloka'i by Alan Brennert when I discovered it at Barnes & Noble over the weekend, like my other finds, but it's beautiful cover literally drew me towards it whilst on the way to the cafe. It's gorgeous, first of all. Secondly, I've never read any novels set within historical Hawaii (or Hawaii at all, for that matter) and I love learning new things about the histories of other countries, especially countries that don't seem to be as popular in storytelling. This novel seems to be slightly heartbreaking, what with it's young heroine being sent to a leper colony, but I always love to start out the New Year with stories about people overcoming almost hopeless odds. I have a feeling that Rachel will be in my top ten characters of 2014 (God Willing).

The New York Times bestselling author of Just My Type and On the Map offers an ode to letter writing and its possible salvation in the digital age. Few things are as exciting—and potentially life-changing—as discovering an old letter. And while etiquette books still extol the practice, letter writing seems to be disappearing amid a flurry of e-mails, texting, and tweeting. The recent decline in letter writing marks a cultural shift so vast that in the future historians may divide time not between BC and AD but between the eras when people wrote letters and when they did not. So New York Times bestselling author Simon Garfield asks: Can anything be done to revive a practice that has dictated and tracked the progress of civilization for more than five hundred years? In To the Letter, Garfield traces the fascinating history of letter writing from the love letter and the business letter to the chain letter and the letter of recommendation. He provides a tender critique of early letter-writing manuals and analyzes celebrated correspondence from Erasmus to Princess Diana. He also considers the role that letters have played as a literary device from Shakespeare to the epistolary novel, all the rage in the eighteenth century and alive and well today with bestsellers like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. At a time when the decline of letter writing appears to be irreversible, Garfield is the perfect candidate to inspire bibliophiles to put pen to paper and create “a form of expression, emotion, and tactile delight we may clasp to our heart.” - Amazon

At this point, you know that the latter half of my year has been taken up with an enthusiastic letter love, so when I saw this awesome book showcased on the Barnes & Noble Non Fiction Releases table, I knew I had to jump in. To The Letter by Simon Garfield seems the perfect way to give me the warm and fuzzies for letter writing, and hopefully, I'll end up writing some next year. Who knows, maybe we both will, Blue.

Lois Lowry won her first Newbery Medal in 1994 for The Giver. Six years later, she ushered readers back into its mysterious but plausible future world in Gathering Blue to tell the story of Kira, orphaned, physically flawed, and left with an uncertain future.-Amazon

After watching Catching Fire (five wonderful times) I could not shake myself out of Suzanne Collins' rich Dystopian world. I decided to reread Mockingjay, and it beguiled me so much that after reading, I wanted to find another dystopian world to inhabit for a time. That being said, a lot of popular dystopian literature out there has managed to bore me a bit (aside from the Legend series, of course!), so I thought I'd go a little classic for a change. I remember reading The Giver in High School (Fun Fact: The Giver introduced me to the magic of the Dystopia), and loving it so much. So, as I'm now immersed in the world of The Giver, I decided I best hurry and pick up it's companion novel, Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. I actually bought this in paperback some years ago, but the hardcover takes the cake. The cover art for this entire series is awesome. I can't wait to jump in to this story...and try to stop myself from buying the rest of the series on impulse!

Prue McKeel’s life is ordinary. At least until her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows. And then things get really weird. You see, on every map of Portland, Oregon, there is a big splotch of green on the edge of the city labeled “I.W.” This stands for “Impassable Wilderness.” No one’s ever gone in—or at least returned to tell of it. And this is where the crows take her brother. So begins an adventure that will take Prue and her friend Curtis deep into the Impassable Wilderness. There they uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval, a world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much bigger as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood. Wildwood is a spellbinding tale full of wonder, danger, and magic that juxtaposes the thrill of a secret world and modern city life. Original and fresh yet steeped in classic fantasy, this is a novel that could have only come from the imagination of Colin Meloy, celebrated for his inventive and fantastic storytelling as the lead singer of the Decemberists. With dozens of intricate and beautiful illustrations by award-winning artist Carson Ellis, Wildwood is truly a new classic for the twenty-first century. -Amazon

Wildwood by Colin Meloy (on cover art alone) is one of those novels that draws bibliophiles everywhere to obtain a copy of it. Look at this beautiful folksy artwork. Then I just found myself in a classic fairytale adventure mood. I've read the first chapter of this novel, and it had me tickled at "the murder of crows". The spin on this children's fantasy that I love is that it is set within the woodsy 'folkland' of Portland, Oregon. It's like the tumblr homebase (I know I'm not the only person who's love for the great outdoors, forests, and wild streams has grown since being on Tumblr). It seems a very fresh and artistic take on middle grade fantasy, and I'm sure this book will find it's home in your library before long.

A collection of poignant essays about the transformative power of knitting by twenty-seven extraordinary writers. “The impressive collection of writers here have contributed essays that celebrate knitting and knitters. They share their knitting triumphs and disasters as well as their life triumphs and disasters. . . . These essays will break your heart. They will have you laughing out loud.”—Ann Hood, from the introduction Why does knitting occupy a place in the hearts of so many writers? What’s so magical and transformative about yarn and needles? How does knitting help us get through life-changing events and inspire joy? In Knitting Yarns, twenty-seven writers tell stories about how knitting healed, challenged, or helped them to grow. Barbara Kingsolver describes sheering a sheep for yarn. Elizabeth Berg writes about her frustration at failing to knit. Ann Patchett traces her life through her knitting, writing about the scarf that knits together the women she’s loved and lost. Knitting a Christmas gift for his blind aunt helped Andre Dubus III knit an understanding with his girlfriend. Kaylie Jones finds the woman who used knitting to help raise her in France and heals old wounds. Sue Grafton writes about her passion for knitting. Also included are five original knitting patterns created by Helen Bingham. Poignant, funny, and moving, Knitting Yarns is sure to delight knitting enthusiasts and lovers of literature alike. -Amazon

Since this lovely post about Katniss' fashion in Catching Fire, I have jumped into a blazing sea of wild and colorful yarn, endeavoring to recreate that beautiful cowl shawl by the end of next year (God Willing). I went to the book shop looking for a manual of sorts, and the first book to pop up in my search was Knitting Yarns by Ann Hood. I consider this one of my huge signs that learning to knit may just be a wonderful step in my life, as the book showcases writers' takes on how knitting has impacted their lives. I've read two stories already, and I love each heartfelt remembrance.  If you'd like to follow my adventures in knitting, feel free to follow me on tumblr at Twining Necklaces (a name inspired by Mockingjay where Katniss and Prim are making necklaces after learning the ominous song, The Hanging Tree. I know. I promise, I have no more a reason for this name than that it's Hunger Games related, and it's pretty :-).

I'm over the moon for the books I've acquired this Christmas! What biblio-goodies have you been gifted this year?

And last but not least, I pray all of the blessings in the world for you and yours, Blue. Enjoy the Holidays, and remember there's nothing more blessed than love, and appreciating every person the Lord has blessed you with. Never take them for granted.

Hugs and love,

Sartorial Lit | The Victory Tour Fashion Inspiration

Sartorial Lit is a feature at Novel Days that combines fashion with fiction.

Dear Blue:

Happy Cyber Monday! I hope that you had such a blessed Thanksgiving, and that if you chose to come out with the hordes of people seeking sales on Black Friday, that you were safe. 

I spent loads of time with family, ate pretty much everything, and was surprised with a third showing of Catching Fire (I didn't plan it, I promise! I've got an estimate of two more showings with my Dad and a Friend...What?! I promise I'm not crazy!). With each viewing, something else pops out at me that I may have missed. Yet, each time, the one thing that stood out clearly was that if I had access to Katniss' wardrobe, I would jump in, and no one would see me ever again! 

I tend to be a person who can see loads of possibility for my summer wardrobe. It's light, airy, and you don't need to shield yourself from often frightening cold. However, over the last few years or so, I've come to realize how possible it is to be fashionable, stay warm, and be comfortable all at once. I love over-sized sweaters, and cowl necks, and huge scarves, and what do you know, Trish Summerville, the costumer for Catching Fire, loves them too! Here's what I found whilst perusing Polyvore for Victory Tour Inspired looks:

Catching Fire coloring ranges from mutes to vibrant reds. It's quite a somber story that Trish Summerville so expertly executes by allowing wardrobe to correlate with Panem's District muted spectrum of colors. It goes without mentioning that Katniss' Capitol Couture is the stuff of dreams, but I found myself drawn to her wardrobe in the Victory Tour as it most links with the clothes you and I might wear on an everyday basis. Trish Summerville has such talent in showcasing Katniss' new status as victor through wardrobe, while capturing her character so that nothing seems over done as it might in the Capitol. I loved Katniss' asymmetrical knit sweaters, leather/knit combos, coats with huge collars and cowl necks. You can pair either of these items with form fitting jeans, or quality made leggings, and leather boots. Can you feel that, Blue? The feeling of a rainy Saturday, with your favorite comfy sweater and a Gingerbread Latte? (I never liked Gingerbread Lattes, but Starbucks' new recipe is not to miss!).

The most coveted item in Katniss' wardrobe seems to be her Cowl Neck wrap! I wish that I could find one in stores, but at the same time, I feel that this wrap, along with every other knit piece, captures a District 12 handmade spirit. It would probably mean a whole lot more to you if it were handmade, be it by you, or someone else. Etsy has a few listings for this shawl (1 |  2-Pattern), and if you're more ambitious (I'm looking at you Gabbie), one of my good friends, Casee, sent me the link to Ecouterre's free patterns for it. Does this pattern seem like a novice could dive right in? I'd love to know. (I was unable to find an adequate translation for Katniss' reaping suit, which I adore. Also her knit nightgown worn during the beautiful scene where she asks Peeta to stay with her after having a nightmare. If you find something, please, drop me a tweet :-).

{ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4}

One of my favorite pastimes is collecting subtle bookish accessories. Of course, I swoon over Hot Topic's movie merch like every other fan out there, but, there's something about wearing accessories, and ascribing meaning to it that won't automatically call you out as that crazed Hunger Games Fan! If you love bookish accessories, Etsy is literally a treasure trove of special trinkets to boast your lit love. In terms of recreating some of Katniss' iconic looks, I would pair my outfits with burnished golds, silvers, metallic's. Simplistic items that aren't overly gaudy or dripping in sparkle. Antique lockets like the one above which has freeze dried rose petals and baby's breath inside of it (How poetic is that?). Incorporate pearls with a twist of burnished metals, or simplistic bow and arrows. They're all just enough to fan over, but not enough to make you look a bit odd at work.

Once again, I hope that you enjoyed Catching Fire as much as I did, and I pray you have a wonderful week, Blue!

Love,