Unabridged Chick

I'm moved!!!!!

I've not really had a chance to read until this morning, on my commute in to work, so I'm very behind on reviews (never mind the ever-growing backlog, le sigh!).  But we crossed the gigantic hurdle of moving -- from a two-bedroom to a very small one-bedroom -- and are now free from the very stressful situation of a very hateful landlady.

To celebrate (and because my apartment is too messy to share photos of yet!), here are photos of my two cats in their new cat beds. (Yes, the nursery's Moby-Dick/behemoth theme has spilled into the rest of the house.)

What are all of you reading this week?  I'm finishing up Sinful Folk and hopefully starting The Miniaturist, which I miraculously got from the library (I had requested it, anticipating a many month wait!).

I'm behind on visiting and commenting your blogs, and I apologize for that.  We're currently internet-less and likely to remain so for the week, but I promise to hop back into visiting and com…

Earlier in the week I reviewed Megan Chance's Inamorata, a decadent, dramatic, and delicious historical novel set in 19th-century Venice. I'm thrilled to share my interview with Ms. Chance, so read on to learn more about her and her writing. Be sure to enter the giveaway, too!

What was the plot of your very first piece of fiction?

The first piece of fiction I can remember writing was in the fourth grade. It was a short story called “The Horse from Outer Space,” and was about a horse who came from outer space—obviously—to visit a brother and sister. I was horse crazy then, and I had only sisters, so clearly this was a piece of wish-fulfillment. It was also illustrated, complete with a space helmet for the horse.

Do you have any writing rituals or routines?

Rituals, not really. Routines, absolutely. I am a creature of routine. I wake up, I work out (I have a bad back, so if I don’t exercise in the morning, I can’t sit without extreme discomfort), I check my email and all things…

Title:Inamorata
Author: Megan Chance

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 19th Century / Venice / Artists / Supernatural / Romantic Relationships / Sibling Relationships / Immortality)
Publisher/Publication Date: Lake Union Publishing (7/8/2014)
Source:TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did!
One-sentence summary: A succubus, a slighted lover, and gifted twins with a strange intimacy all come together in a tangle of art, sex, and desire in 19th-century Venice.
Reading Challenges:Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: Love it -- totally spot on for the novel's feel and setting.

I'm reminded of...: Alma Katsu, Lauren Owen

First line: Though it was only a few hours until dawn, it was not quiet.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy.

Why did I get this book?: I've heard great things about Chance's previous novels.

Review: I'll admit that I keep meaning to be super snobbish about Amazon's Lake Union imprint, but then I forget -- and good thing, because I keep enjoying the…

I've unfortunately become the least-interesting person one could know these days: mostly I'm whining about how uncomfortable I am (Little Reader is about two pounds, according to my pregnancy apps, and I swear, I feel every ounce!) or whining about how much I hate moving.

So I'll restrict myself to books, for everyone's sake.  My weekend read is Marie-Helene Bertino's 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas.  I was charmed from the first page and can't wait for lunch time to dive back in!

What are you reading this weekend?

Title:Annihilation
Author: Jeff VanderMeer

Genre: Fiction (Sci-Fi / Speculative / Contemporary / Scientific Expedition / Survivalism / Conspiracy)
Publisher/Publication Date: FSG Originals (2/4/2014)
Source: My public library.

Rating: Looooooooooooooooooooooved.
Did I finish?: I did, in one night.
One-sentence summary: A biologist recounts her experience as part of an expedition exploring the forbidden, mysterious Area X -- a mysterious area felled by some disaster that affects anyone who enters it.

Do I like the cover?: Love it -- creepy, evocative, and reminiscent of the expedition journals which are a key part of the novel.

I'm reminded of...:

First line: The tower, which was not supposed to be there, plunges into the earth in a place just before the black pine forest begins to give way to swamp and then the reeds and wind-gnarled trees of the marsh flats.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Buy or borrow.

Why did I get this book?: I adored Jeff VanderMeer's Veniss Underground and I love his po…

Title:A Triple Knot
Author: Emma Campion

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 14th Century / UK / Europe / Royal Intrigue / Marriage)
Publisher/Publication Date: Broadway Books (7/8/2014)
Source:TLC Book Tours

Rating: Eh.
Did I finish?: I did not.
One-sentence summary: A rebellious girl takes what she can when she pursues the love of her choice even as her cousin, the King, declares her betrothed to another.
Reading Challenges:E-book, Historical Fiction, NetGalley & Edelweiss

Do I like the cover?: I do -- super gorgeous -- and probably not accurate, costume-wise.  But eye-catching.

First line: Joan's father, Edmund, Earl of Kent, was beheaded when she was not yet four years old.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow.

Why did I get this book?: I love novels about historical figures one rarely sees in fiction.

Review: While most of the bloggers on this tour enjoyed A Triple Knot, I'm sad to say I did not.  Despite the focus on a little-fictionalized royal -- medieval Joan of Kent, cousin of the King, …

My weekend read is Inamorata by Megan Chance, and I'm finishing up Kate Quinn's Mistress of Rome. (SO GOOD.)

I'm hoping I'll get some reading in this weekend but as we move in three weekends, I suspect I'll be doing more around the house. (Le sigh.)  We're planning to get rid of everything we don't want to move, which feels almost harder than packing what we do want to move!

I'm very ready to be moved, however, so we can get the nursery stuff set up.  We're moving into a one bedroom apartment, so we'll be sharing our space with Little Reader.  I'm hoping to make the bedroom feel cohesive and cute, so fingers crossed. (I'll share pics if we're successful!)

What are you reading this weekend?