Shelf Candy Saturday #95: Beautiful Redemption, by Kami Garcia

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!!

This weekly feature

showcases beautiful book covers,

and provides information,

if available, on their very talented creators!

For more information

about Shelf Candy Saturday,

just click HERE.

Here's my choice for this week!

Beautiful Redemption

(Caster Chronicles #4)

Kami Garcia

Trade Paperback, 451 pages

 Why do I love this cover?

The idea of using the image of a spiral staircase is not new; I showcased the cover of Cruel Beauty, which also features a spiral staircase, in a previous Shelf Candy Saturday.  The difference on that cover, though, is that it nicely incorporates the image of a red rose into the image of the spiral staircase.

On this cover, the staircase is the sole star.  It twists around and around, culminating in a brightly shining spot at the bottom.

There's something about these staircases that has universal appeal, especially when viewed from this angle.  I think it's the whole idea of infinity.  There really is no end to them, in spite of the fact that there seems to be.  

This image also reminds me of the spirals in the inside of a Nautilus shell.  I love these shells; I consider them especially beautiful!

Photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons.

What makes this cover even more beautiful is the color of the image.  That green is so magical!  It reminds me of leprechauns, and the whole idea of other, enchanted realms....

Also contributing to this cover's magical feel is  the gorgeous, very unique font, with its swirls and flourishes.  This is actually a very ordinary-looking font that has been altered, thus being transformed into something absolutely enchanting!

The cover photograph is by Michael Trevillion, of Trevillion Images.  The cover design is by David Caplan, who specializes in graphic as well as book design.  So this beautiful, altered font is his brainchild!

Online Links

Michael Trevillion Photography

Trevillion Images

Michael Trevillion Bio

David Caplan, Washington U.

David Caplan Portfolio

     

 What do you think of

my choice this week?

Leave me a comment and

let me know!!

Stacking The Shelves #29: Miami Book Fair 2013 -- 30th Anniversary!!

Welcome to

Stacking The Shelves!!

This is a weekly event hosted by Jennifer, Lili,

Stephanie, Helen, and Tynga @ Tynga's Reviews!

As the title implies, this is all about

sharing the books you're adding

to your shelves, be they physical or virtual.

For the complete rules, and to sign up,

just click on the link above.

This is a special haul, from

the 2013 Miami Book Fair!!! 

  

Books Purchased

Click on each cover picture to

be taken to the Amazon US page

for each book.

Kami Garcia signed my copy!!

Alex Flinn signed my copy!!

This book was on sale at the Pennyworth Books

booth, for only $5.00!!

It was entirely new to me, but

looked great, so I got it!

The author is Thomas Ashley-Farrand.

Anthology of Spanish poetry, which

I got for $3.00, at the

Downtown Book Center booth!!

Poets included are Vicente Aleixandre,

Luis Cernuda, and Rafael Alberti. 

Another book for $5.00, at

the Pennyworth Books booth!!

It's an autobiography by

the great Carl Gustav Jung.

This hardcover was only $1.50, at

the Dungeon Books booth!!

And who hasn't heard

of the great Isaac Asimov?

This one was full price, at

the La Esquina del Libro booth.

(The Book Corner, in English)

Luis Leante is a Spanish novelist,

winner of the prestigious

Alfaguara Prize for Best Novel in 2007.

Another great find at Dungeon Books, for $1.50!!

I found this one for $1.99, at the

Self-Realization Fellowship booth!!

The author is the inimitable

Paramahansa Yogananda.

This is the edition available on Amazon,

for $5.99.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was

a Mexican poet, scholar, and nun.

The word "Sor" means "Sister" in Spanish.

 

I got this edition, which is now out of print, at

La Esquina del Libro, for $1.00.

This nice haul is from the 2013 Miami Book Fair, which celebrated its 30th Anniversary this year!!   I went to the street fair on Saturday, November 23rd, the day before the whole fair ended.  Although I wasn't able to stay for more than a few hours -- it was incredibly hot -- I did have a great time, especially when I met four bestselling YA authors who were presenting their books: Alex Flinn, with Towering (see above), Holly Black, with The Coldest Girl In Town, Kami Garcia, with Unbreakable, and Lauren Oliver,  with Panic, which will be released next year.  Each author read from her book, and took questions afterward.  I was able to get photographed with each of them, too!  Unfortunately, the picture with Lauren Oliver was much too blurry for me to include it here.

Here are the four authors, taking questions

 from the audience.

Here I am with Kami Garcia!

With Alex Flinn!

With Holly Black!

The fair always runs for a week, and it's always in November.  Since it takes place in Miami, there's no guarantee of cool weather, so it was in the 80s that afternoon. 

The entire event ran from Sunday, Nov. 17th, to Sunday, Nov. 24th. 

The street fair is always held on the weekend, during the last two days of the entire fair.  I walked around, visiting different booths, gathering together my nice, "little" haul!  Needless to say, I was in Book Heaven, in spite of the heat!  However, I was very grateful to find the YA presentation, which took place in one of the buildings, and was nicely air conditioned.  Ahhhh......   

These are the posters for this year's fair.

The inside courtyard of one of the Miami-Dade College buildings, Wolfson Campus,

in downtown Miami.

This is where the fair was held.

This is the famous character, Madeline,

from the beloved children's series,

by Ludwig Bemelmans.

Eager bookworms inspecting

book treasures!

Some of the great merchandise at the

Downtown Book Center booth!

Here I am with Raquel Roque (right),

owner of Downtown Book Center,

and her daughter!

These are more pics from the street fair.

Here's a section of the Children's Pavilion.

There were so many book presentations!  In the brief  time I was there, I was only able to attend one, unfortunately....but I'm already making plans for next year, and I will definitely make sure to spend at least one entire day there!

If you'd like more information about Miami Book Fair International, just click HERE.  At their site, you can get details on the authors who were featured at this year's fair, as well as on fair merchandise, the history of the fair, travel/lodging, and more!

See you at the fair next year!!  

What do you think of my

fair treasures?

What great books did you

stack on your shelves

this time around?

Blog Tour Spotlight: Beneath Manhattan Skies, by Emma Meade

Welcome to this stop in the

Beneath Manhattan Skies Tour,

sponsored by

Bewitching Book Tours! 

About the Book

Beneath Manhattan Skies
Emma Meade
Length: 153 pages, 45,000 words
Emma Meade, Publisher
New Adult Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy




Amazon Synopsis: November in New York is cold but full of possibility for college freshman Erin Harris. When her twin brother, Nick, shows up on her doorstep for a surprise visit, Erin is delighted. Unfortunately, Nick’s arrival coincides with the discovery of a body outside her apartment building, a body drained of blood. Right away, Nick assumes vampires are involved. He’s not exactly their biggest fan since Erin dated one in high school.

Juggling nosy roommates, a first date with a gorgeous guy from college and a brother on a Van Helsing kick is enough to keep any nineteen year old girl busy – And then Erin’s old flame walks back into her life.

Is Erin destined to be caught up in supernatural shenanigans, or will she choose a different path?

Excerpt

Nick and Erin kept a lookout for anyone of the supernatural persuasion, a difficult task since Erin doubted vampires went clubbing with the words I want your blood printed on their shirts.  What had James and his maker in common?  Agility, gracefulness, a predatory sway.  It should be simple to spot one. Yeah, right!

   They had zero proof the vampire or vampires responsible for both deaths even frequented the place, if it's even vampires, she reminded herself.  But if the cops were interested in the club, then it was the only lead Erin and Nick had.

   "If we do see a vampire, what next?" Erin asked.

   "We follow him."

   "And then what?  Ask if they'd like a bloody beverage?  A diet Coke with a splash of O Negative?"

   "Oh, of course.  Because we both know how easy that is... And how exactly do we do it, oh, intelligent one?  Erin spoke as low as she could over the tuneless house music.

   "Do you have a stake handy?"

   "Yes."

   "What?  Are you crazy?"

   Nick unzipped his coat and pointed at his inside pocket.  Erin checked to see if anyone was looking before she did a quick search.  Something long, wooden, and narrow.  A stick.

   What the hell?

   "I made it a while back.  Just in case."

   "Just in case," Erin parroted.  "Just what exactly have you been up to in Boston?"

   "Relax."

   "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Van Helsing, but I wasn't aware my brother had become a vampire hunter."

   "Can we talk about this later?"

   "You talk about it later.  I'm going to the bar."

   Before Nick could protest, Erin stormed off.  She hadn't known Nick to keep a secret from her, ever.  But not only had he been carrying out research of the supernatural persuasion behind her back, here he was walking around with a homemade stake in his pocket, hell-bent on some stupid vampire hunting mission.

   Erin berated herself for coming to the club.  If she and Nick came up against a vampire, the odds were not in their favor.  Once again, the question came unbidden.  Where are you, James?

Amazon US/Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Emma Meade

Emma Meade lives in Ireland, where it rains a lot.  Reading and writing supernatural fiction, watching marathon re-runs of Buffy, and drinking lots and lots of tea, are some of her favorite activities.  She's never met a vampire, but thinks it would be kind of cool to meet one.  Visit her on her blog, Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction, or on her website.

Online Links

Website

Blog

Goodreads

Amazon

Facebook

Twitter

Be sure to visit the rest of

the blogs in the tour

by clicking on the banner below!



The 2013 Christmas Spirit Reaing Challenge!!!

Welcome to The 2013 Christmas

Spirit Reading Challenge,

hosted by Michelle, @

The Christmas Spirit blog!!

Every year at this time, Michelle hosts this wonderful reading challenge,

which gives every Christmas addict

(and I count myself among those)

an opportunity to indulge in

the pleasant pastime of reading

Christmas books exclusively during

this beautiful, joyful, and sacred season!

This is the fifth year of the challenge,

and I sure hope there will be

many more to come!

Here are the rules:

1.) The challenge will run from Friday,

Nov. 22, 2013, through

Sunday, January 6, 2014.

(This is Twelfth Night, or Epiphany.)

2.) Crossover with other challenges

is totally permitted AND

encouraged!

3.) These must be Christmas novels,

books about Christmas lore,

books of Christmas short stories or poems,

books about Christmas crafts,

and, for the first time....

there's a children's Christmas books level!

Here are the levels:

1.) Candy cane: read 1 book

2.) Mistletoe: read 2 - 4 books

3.) Christmas Tree: read 5 or 6 books

(This is the fanatic level....LOL.)

Additional Levels:

Fa La La La Films: watch a bunch of or a few

Christmas movies....it's up to you!

Visions of Sugar Plums: read books with

your children this season, and share

what you read.

Note

The additional levels are optional.

You must still complete one

of the main reading levels above.

Michelle posted a review Linky

as a page the day the challenge started.

You will find it at the top

of the left sidebar on her blog.

She will also be doing a giveaway!

Please visit her blog for more details,

as well as to add your blog's name

and URL to the signup Linky!!

Mistletoe Level

(Maybe Christmas Tree Level?)

These are the books I will attempt

to read this year:

(Click on each image to access the

Goodreads page for each book.)

This is actually three books in one:

The Christmas Bus,

Angels in the Snow, and

The Gift of Christmas Present.

If I finish the three books above,

and still have time,

I'll be reading this nice time-travel fantasy!!

I sure hope I'll be able to get to this one!

I'd like to encourage you all to join this

great reading challenge!

It's certainly a great holiday tradition

for me by now,

and I'm hoping it will become one

for you guys, too!!

And last but definitely not least.....

Happy Thanksgiving!!