Take on the Monolith: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.

A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled. 

As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s—1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.

-Amazon

I cannot tell you how excited I am for the release of Haruki Murakami's latest masterpiece, 1Q84 on October 25th!  There was a kind of mysterious allure around this novel that first intrigued me enough to learn more about it. There were so many awesome reviews about it from those who got the chance to read this in Japan, that expectancy soon grew here in America. Really, I wanted to read a novel that would pose a challenge to finish by the end of the year. I'm sure that 1Q84 cannot be the challenge that War and Peace would pose, but it's up there with a whopping 944 pages of pure Murakami lyricism. It's one of those novels that the bibliophile in me, can't wait to hold, and stare at the cover for a while before I read. Hardcovers will do that to a person!

Haruki Murakami is known for mythologizing his native Japan, creating worlds where hidden beautiful magic can rise from the cracks at anytime, blending realities, and opening characters up to dual realms. He's one of my writing inspirations because the music of his words cannot be denied. His writing is simplistic and yet sensational, which suits his extraordinary themes that are often tinged with bleak hopefulness. I have an appreciation for Japanese writers, because from my observations, they have a penchant for turning the ordinary world into something extraordinary with beauty and color. I desire to imbue my own writing with this wonderful talent. After reading Sputnik, Sweetheart, I vowed to read all of his work, and so I jumped at the chance to be a part of the release of 1Q84. 

It's interesting that he uses George Orwell's 1984 as inspiration. I'm a HUGE fan of dystopian literature. However, knowing Murakami, he promises to make this an unpredictable ride that makes you think, that frightens you a little bit, and that makes you want to forge through with Tengo and Aomame. (Of course, I'm always the softy for a romance!). I'm looking forward to reading late into the night with an incredulous expression on my face, shaking my head.

Are any of you looking forward to 1Q84? What are your favorite Murakami works?

Sartorial Lit: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Sartorial Lit is a new feature at Forelsket that combines fashion with fiction.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver, is about a girl named, Lena, who lives in a world quite similar to our own, but with one difference...Love has become the fatal disease, Amor Deliria Nervosa, with a cure that all citizens are expected to undergo when they turn 18. Lena is excited for her own cure...until she meets, Alex, and experiences this troublesome force called Love for the first time.

Delirium has had my mind in the clouds! I've thought of revolutions and serendipitous meetings that make you want to conquer the world. It made me wonder what it would be like to live in a world where, Amor Deliria Nervosa, is cured, and one must experience love, music, and pretty much anything that produces a strong sentiment, underground. As much as this could be problematic, think of the adventure that this could pose? Secret concerts, discussions of banned literature, long walks in the woods, galaxies of glowing stars waiting for you and your soulmate, with the threat that it could all vanish with the slip of the tongue. As crazy as it seems, it also seems beautiful if you know where to look.

Romance can imbue your ways of life. It can cloud your mind, stain your books, or flow through your wardrobe with pastels, neutrals, and strong bursts the color of wine. After being inspired by the novel, I decided to attempt to give you a sartorial interpretation of Delirium.

Etsy designer, River of Romansk, has perfectly captured my experience of Delrium. Taking in the beauty that Lauren Oliver describes of Portland: glowing sunsets, stars so close you can reach up and place them in a bottle, and the whisper of love, I thought that neutral or soft colored fabric would be lovely. Wispy fabrics that undulate in the wind, with delicate details offering just a touch a femininity and the wonder of change. I imagine Lena as a natural beauty who's presence comes into shape with the passage of time. I can imagine she and Alex having a meeting in one of these gorgeous garments.

Where the garments would imbue a kind of romantic chimera, I thought that with the novel's many layers, the accessories would be more edgy to showcase the threat of the government's rule.

Marty White Designs

Iloniti

DebbieChoo

SecretCharm

These beautiful accessories give a hint of edge without going overboard. The necklace and earrings retain the theme of a light and airy chimera. The ring and bracelets show the beginnings of an edgy rebellion. All choices retain their delicate nature, but they also have a touch of dissonance that reeks of a silent rebellion.

I imagined that nail varnish and makeup would give this style an edgier quality. Instead of being completely romantic by adding creme's, I thought that metallics, dark burgundy's, browns, or violets, lighter grays and other deeper colors would give this style a drama that would enhance a natural look with the aura of discovery.

With the natural terrain explored throughout the novel: booties, combat boots, and flats would finish off this Delirum style.  I thought that these selections made for a truly eclectic outfit, blending romance and weathered styles. Nothing delicate here, as anything can happen at any moment. Yet, it's still imbuing a feminine beauty.

Delirium is potentially a wealth of outfit inspiration, and I would love to hear your suggestions. If you were living a romantic adventure tinged with mystery, and threatened by penalty of death, how would you translate this into style?

To read my recent book review of Delirum, check it out at Novel Days.

Sources: Brushes used in photo collages by: Stardixa.

A Rainy little evening at the Blue Note + Updates

Tonight was quite a beautiful night indeed. My Sis, Ashley, took me out to see the lovely Jane Monheit at the legendary Blue Note lounge. The Blue Note is an iconic jazz lounge in New York City. Every jazz great has stepped inside of its' walls with their bass,' saxophones, and lulling piano melodies to perform.

Jane Monheit has one of the most classic voices...almost like the Judy Garland of our time, except in Jazz. It was lovely to sit merely steps from her, and her band, and hear the most beautifully smooth music. She performed one of the greatest renditions of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," that I've ever heard. At the end of the night, Ash and I even got her to autograph our books and cd! She's a wonderfully down to earth person, it's refreshing to see!

I'm sure that a great deal of my wedding songs will be collected from her portfolio of masterpieces! You fall in love, you dance a jig, you dream...all of the things done when in the presence of an Artist with clearly God given talent.

Here's a video of Jane Monheit singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow':

During the past week, I've also achieved a huge goal of mine: Interviewed an author for a Q&A! Novel Day's has only been open for one week and already it has 21 followers, 4 book reviews, and an interview with the awesome Rebecca Donovan. Rebecca has written an ambitious, heart wrenching, and astounding novel called Reason to Breathe, about a young woman dealing with abuse and the people in her life who remind her to love. I couldn't put it down, and the ending is mind-blowing. After I finished I had to seek out the author to discover more answers about her cast of characters and writing process, and I was blessed to get in contact and have her gladly accept my request of an interview! It was a brilliant experience.  By God's Grace, there will be many more to come!

Have a lovely week, and keep on dreaming!

Summer, Invisible Dissertations, and Newbies

Hello Dreamers!

How's your summer coming along? Mine has been pretty busy as I've returned home at the end of July! It's been a real kick to see my family and friends after being away for so long.

Updates

The first thing I did when I arrived back in NY was get my hair relaxed (Thank God!) and cut into a cute little bob. I've been having such fun doing Dita Von Teese inspired hairstyles. I totally see myself making the transformation to vintage living bit by bit. There's a sense of romantic drama that comes with curling your hair for no reason save to look and feel beautiful. I purchased my subtle cat eye sunnies from Urban Outfitters in pink for $14. A few years ago you couldn't catch me wearing sunglasses! Loving this change! I've also been wearing more flowing dresses, yet in the past, I was a bit self conscious about my legs. I think I'm living my most confident summer yet!

Novel Days

I've really started to consider my reasons and purposes for blogging. I'm constantly inspired by Casee Marie (The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower) and Jen of Style Through Her Eyes, and Gabrielle of Cinderbella's. They each have a way of imbuing their personality into their content, all the while maintaining a professional presentation. I tend to frequent loads of fashion blogs because I adore them, however I never felt completely at home enough in this genre to pursue it professionally. I've wondered where to place Forelsket, and I've decided that it is truly a place for my inspirations with hopes that it will inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. Nevertheless, I wanted a blog that could be used as a portfolio of sorts on a professional level. I have no idea why this came as such an epiphany, but the thing that comes most naturally to me is reading and writing. What's the best choice for me? Book Blogging. I'm sure none of you are surprised!

I wanted to find a community kind of like the Independent Fashion Bloggers, as they have done a fantastic job of creating a networking haven for bloggers. After scouring the net, I learned that book bloggers have tons of similar communities. I'm very excited about this because there's nothing I would love more than to work with books for the rest of my life (When I'm not writing them, of course)! There's an event called Book Blogger Appreciation Week that just happens to start on my birthday this year. If that's not a sign, I don't know what is!

With this in mind, I've gone ahead and made my Novel Days category into an actual blog! It feels so right. I've been making goals of where I would like to see it (God Willing) a year from now. I would love to have the opportunity to interview authors, receive Review copies of novels before their release, a chance to be a nominee during Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2012, and the opportunity to go to book conferences. I'll share my journeys with you every step of the way.

From now on, all of my book reviews will be posted at Novel Days...speaking of Reviews: I have one up for Passion by Lauren Kate, feel free to check it out!

Question: If you follow Book Blogs, what suggestions would you have for someone starting out? What else would you like to see on a blog of this nature? (Thanks to all who help!)

In the Midst of all of this, I've a 20,000 word dissertation due by September 30th. It's funny how these lovely little distractions come to blind you to what you should be focused on.

I hope you all are having a wonderful summer, and wish you many blessings in all of your goals for this season!

Stay Dreaming!

Novel Days Book Review: The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.

Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.

The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last.

-Simon & Schuster

he's a good example

It's like 

the silence

that follows

    the beautiful song.

Or

the darkness

that follows

    the glitter in the air.

He knew 

what to do

to make it better. 

-Amber, The Day Before-Lisa Schroeder 

What would you do the day before your entire life could change? Wallow...stress out over the bits and bobbles...or celebrate? Lisa Schroeder's novel, The Day Before, chronicles one girls' day of fear-busting celebration and unrelenting support.

This novel is full of tender moments that I could back and smile over. Amber, a girl seeking to leave 'making sense of things' for the next day, was a great character to follow. She's inspiring, interesting, and relatable in her desire to be swallowed up in her day of refreshing exploits. Amber meets Cade whilst watching for jellyfish in an aquarium. Cade is intriguing in his immediate (but believable) connection with Amber. Yet, he is troubled which adds to his dynamic. I wondered at the circumstances that seemed to haunt his character even as he met with the effervescent spirit that Amber carries.

Overall, the novel is simplistically lyrical. It is such an awesome experience to read a novel written entirely of verse. It takes a wonderful writer to write in this manner! I loved the romance between Amber and Cade...not overly dramatized but just enough to engage in a once in a lifetime experience. It was apparent how much they meant to each other even after having met up for a day.

The novel inspired me to decide on an adventure of my own where I take along a backpack, a book and and open heart.

The Day Before is a refreshing read, and just the reminder needed to get you appreciating every facet of life.

Suggestion: As Lisa Schroeder, herself, suggested to me, read whilst downing a bag of Jelly Belly beans.

I give the novel 5 out of 5 stars.

Novel Days Book Review: The Subterraneans by Jack Kerouac

Written over the course of three days and three nights, The Subterraneans was generated out of the same kind of ecstatic flash of inspiration that produced another one of Kerouac's early classics, On the Road. Centering around the tempestuous breakup of Leo Percepied and Mardou Fox--two denizens of the 1950s San Francisco underground--The Subterraneans is a tale of dark alleys and smokey rooms, of artists, visionaries, and adventurers existing outside mainstream America's field of vision.

-Grove Press 

"...no girl had ever moved me with a story of spiritual suffering and so beautifully her sould showing out radiant as an angel wandering in hell and the hell the selfsame streets I'd roamed in watching, watching for someone just like her and never dreaming the darkness and the mystery and eventuality of our meeting in eternity, the hugeness of her face now like the sudden vast Tiger head on a poster on the back of a woodfence in the smoky dumpyards Saturday no-school mornings, direct, beautiful, insane, in the rain.--We hugged, we held close---it was like love now, I was amazed..."

-Leo Percepied, The Subterraneans by Jack Kerouac

The Subterraneans is an exciting, frantically paced novel written as if driven to get it all down and out before it simply dissipates. Kerouac is known for his spontaneous prose, and this novel is one of the greatest examples of this practice: fragmented, unformatted paragraphs, and sentences that seem to run on for days and days. Nevertheless, these are the facets of Kerouac that I cannot help but be intrigued by.

One of the most important factors of this novel is Kerouac's depiction of an interracial relationship in the 50s, a time when it was unheard of, or kept in shadows. It was most fascinating to read of Leo's attraction to Mardou and also his internal struggle with possibly loving a Afro-Cherokee woman. I appreciated this depiction even more as the novel didn't focus on their obvious differences. 

Mardou is depicted as this elusive 'Queen' of the Subterranean subculture. She is intelligent and fiesty, a figure that the characters seemed both intrigued and put off by. Beyond this mythologized figure, Mardou is broken---often fearful of nervous breakdowns, sewed to her therapist like a misplaced hemline. She, like many in the subculture, battles drug addiction, and although living the life, often strapped for cash.  I found her to be just as fascinating as the other characters seemed to. I felt that as much as Kerouac divulged of her, there was so much more that we didn't know or understand about her upbringing and her own aspirations. 

Leo and Mardou are two broken people in a fragmented love that everyone knows is doomed from the start, but it doesn't stop them from diving in. By the end, it seemed Mardou would be a woman that haunts his psyche as time passed. Each seemed a lesson in relating to people: Regardless of good intentions, they would eventually hurt one another. 

Kerouac included great ponderings on what it meant to be in a relationship with someone, jealousy, and the power that a woman has over a man: "...a man may act stupid and toptippity and bigtime 19th century boss type dominant with a woman but it won't help him when the chips are down--the loss lass'll make it back, its hidden in her eyes, her future triumph and strength--on his lips we hear nothing but 'of course love.'" Beautiful fragmented prose, bursting of prisms and beat. I also loved reading of Leo's interactions with the many characters with in the Subterranean world. What can be more fascinating to an artist, than read of trips to crazy/beautiful jazz clubs, discussing novels, music and art? Some of their more negative behavior had me shaking my head.

Overall, Kerouac made me fall in love with him, want to read everything he's ever written, and discover the other characters of the novel. One awesome facet of his novels is that they are semi autobiographical, so you can always discover them in a real context. 

I give the novel 4 out of 5 stars- Rated R...obviously!

Happy weekend, dreamers!

Forelsket Presents:The Novel Days Blogger Event

I'm so excited to present the reading picks of some of my best friends and blogger/entrepreneurs! It's inspiring to see how and why a novel inspires each of us in different ways. I hope that you enjoy reading through these awesome entries, and I thank every single one of you girls for submitting to Novel Days!

I am such a bookworm, with so many favorites to list, that I decided to share what I'm reading now instead of an all-time favorite. I'm currently re-reading Mary Balogh's novella A Matter of Class. I'm a sucker for romance, and if it's set in a historical time period I can finish a novel - no matter the size - in one sitting. Happy endings are the only kind of endings that make me happy. I guess I'm a bit optimistic and a bit of a dreamer, so that's why the books I read have to be able to transport me to another time and place. Life can be hard at times, and yes happy endings aren't always waiting at the end, but in a book you can find those things and rejoice with the characters. Sometimes I share my thoughts on what I've read at my blog. Though I cannot promise I'll make sense, I hope that my passion and excitement shows through.  

-Gabrielle of Cinderbella's Diary and Cinderbellas Etsy Shop 

I'm Venita V. Johnson and author of Musings of a Lovesick Rabbit. Follow me on tumblr for Vintage/Morbid/Thoughtful posts!

I am reading two books. I like to read several books at the same time, to me it's like channel surfing. Right now it is War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and Extremely loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. Because War and Peace is famously one of the longest novels, it would be way too heavy for me to carry around so the Kindle App on my android phone allows me to pick up wherever I've left off. I'm not sure what page I'm on but my Kindle app says I'm 3% done and I've read A LOT so far. There are so many characters to keep up with but the smooth dialogue feels natural and very much like listening in on a big conversation. Then I switch gears from 19^th century Russia to 2001 in New York. I did some internet research on Foer after he made an appearance at my college last year promoting his then new book Eating Animals. I felt like EL&IC was a good place to start with him and I was right. I've fell in love with smart little Oskar and all the quoteables in the book. "I regret that it takes a life to learn how to live." Ugggh that is CHURRRRCH! I'm on page 210 and excited to finish it up.

 -Venita V. Johnson author of the awesome poetry collection Musings of a Lovesick Rabbit

I’m re-reading AMERICAN GODS for the second time, but this time, it is my own copy and it happens to be the tenth anniversary edition. It contains more content from the author than previously published editions, so I’m excited to have it in my hands and be able to read it again. I received it in the mail while I was away on a trip, so I opened it when I arrived back at home. I started to read Neil Gaiman’s work, starting with CORALINE, when I was in high school, but I was introduced to SANDMAN while still in junior high school. Still, I didn’t start to read his writing until high school. Maybe I started a bit late? Who knows, and who cares? He’s one author whose books will be on my shelves for a long time. His writing is, admittedly, not the best but the stories still grab me. I love fairy tales and mythologies, so when I found out he’s an author who plays around with them in his writing, I got hooked easily. Alas, I bought this one from Amazon, since independent bookstores in my area are hard to come by, especially if you want to be economical with your driving at the same time. 

-Thesanica, Editor of the up and coming Literary Magazine Short Harbingers 

This photo encompasses one of my most adored combinations in life...Jane Austen and a steaming cuppa Joe! The romance of my favorite Austen novel, Emma, has delighted me for nearly two decades. I never get tired of reading about the precocious Miss Woodhouse and her dashing Mr. Knightley! Le sigh.

-Kristin of Bon Bon Rose Girls 

“A waft of wind came sweeping down the laurel-walk, and trembled through the boughs of the chestnut: it wandered away – away – to an indefinite distance – it died. The nightingale’s song was the only voice of the hour: in listening to it I again wept.”

I call Jane Eyre my favorite novel for many reasons, not least of which is Charlotte Brontë’s exquisite creation, the narrator, the protagonist: Jane Eyre. I see in her a small bit of myself, my reticence and the inner-tremendousness of my own being, but in her I also see a strong, fiercely loyal and determined woman – one that I greatly admire and strive to resemble in my day-to-day life. The way she grows in boldness throughout the novel inspires me to tap into my own valiance. We can all learn a lot from Jane – and from Rochester, for that matter. Besides their eminent romance (which is also a favorite element of the novel). Jane and Rochester both represent two very life-changing personalities. I never cease to be fascinated by the way they evolve, both together and apart, throughout the story. Meeting them all over again every time I revisit the world of Jane Eyre makes for one of the most enchanting reading experiences I’ve ever known.

-Casee Marie of The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower 

An now for your's truly:

I've decided to write about my first novel purchase since being confined to a Kindle. As Forelsket readers, you can tell that I have an affinity for Mr. Kerouac. Aside from thinking him a total dreamboat of whom I would've gladly danced with during the On the Road years, I find his writing absolutely magical.  Kerouac never fails to take us underground into the elusive, exclusive life of the Beats.  He always makes me want to find a lounge tinged in smokescreens and saxophones that lull you into relationships that you may or may not regret come daylight. So far, my reading of The Subterraneans is pretty trippy, what with the novel having been written over the course of three consecutive days in 'an ecstatic flash of inspiration.' There's nothing better than reading the work of someone who's decided to give us a sincere glimpse of life without the gleaning of editors. So far, I'm finding this novel pretty fascinating, and I might possibly blog a review of it once I've finished! 

Once again, a huge THANK YOU AND CYBER HUG to all you crazy awesome women who participated! I hope you had as much fun with this blogger event as I have! 

Happy Reading and have serendipitous week!

Forelsket Presents: Novel Days Blogging Event

About a month ago, I was privileged to participate in the Show Me Your Buns Blogging event hosted by Stephanie of The Loudmouth Lifestyle. It was my first event, and I had so much fun that I thought I would try my hand at it. These events are a wonderful way to get to know other bloggers, and to discover hidden gems within the community! 

I've been in a huge literary mood lately, and I thought it would be fantastic to get the community talking about their favorite books! Hence, Novel Days!

Here are the rules:

• All participants must submit a photograph showcasing your favorite or recent read. Get creative! Kindles/E-Readers are acceptable! (Though the event's called Novel Days, it can be on any book you like!)
• You must also submit a little blurb, no longer than a paragraph, stating why the book inspires you and your blog information! Be as creative with this as you'd like. Does it have that awesome Eau de Novel? Has this novel/author intrigued you from a young age or recently grabbed you? Did you buy it from an obscure indie bookshop? Has the love of your life written love letters to you in the margins? Do you purposely weather your paperbacks (**looks over shoulder**, I do)? Do you have special anniversary readings of it?...
• Deadline: July 1, 2011- Email me!

See, nothing intense, just lovely literary frivolity! 

Everyone's invited to participate, and please feel free to invite your friends! It puts a smile on my face to see others as excited about books as I am!

Keep On Dreaming!

Source: We Heart It

Couples of Intrigue: Top 3 Supernatural Series

It's finally summer: the time to devour novels like chocolate cream puffs! All I need is a beautiful sunset, cup of tea, and a Supernatural romance to have a great evening! Young Adult Supernatural romance has some awesome talents popping up that I don't hear often enough. I love Edward and Bella, as you all know, but there are three couples that have slipped into my heart, and take my stamp of approval for Couples of Intrigue.

(Note: I have tried not to include any spoilers, but some may have slipped.)

"When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead?and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity."

The Hollow (Barnes & Noble)

Abbey and Caspian- The Hollow Series by Jessica Verday

I believe that The Hollow series has to be the most underrated series in YA Supernatural Fiction of late. The story is such a beautifully haunting tale of a young woman in love with this enigma. This series is a bit of a wild card, in that it isn't as predictable as many series' of this nature tend to be. I had no idea what Caspian's circumstances were until I reached the very end of The Hollow. I found it to be very fresh and imaginative! As I read through the first novel, I felt like Caspian and Abbey seemed a little awkward, but as I continued to read it became more and more of a joy to witness their growth.  Caspian is refreshing because he, though mysterious, comes across as a regular guy. He's honest, sincere, with a bit of a dark side, but nothing too overwhelming. The Hollow might seem a bit slow, but continue reading! It's worth discovering the surprise ending and moving forward to The Haunted, where Abbey and Caspian's relationship really blossoms! The second novel gives readers what we craved in the first, more information about Caspian, more romance, and more juicy bits of tension!

What continues to draw me again and again is how Verday intermingles her own envisioning of Sleepy Hollow and that of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Every page seems alive with historical intrigue, and gothic themes. I consider a novel of special note when I'll read it to inhale small facets like Abbey's perfuming abilities. I love when a storyteller takes time to truly develop their characters and surroundings. The third and final novel of the series, The Hidden, hits bookshops on September 9th! I'm brimming with excitement. This is one I'll definitely be picking up in all of it's hardcover glory!

 

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Hush, Hush (Barnes & Noble)

Patch and Nora- The Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush is slowly but surely rising to Twilight status. Finally the world of supernatural YA fiction turns it's sights to another enigmatic being: Angels. I was pulled into to the story immediately. Patch shines as one of the cheekiest, sexiest Angels written (and it even feels wrong to use the words 'sexiest' and 'Angel' in conjunction with one another). Nevertheless, it's so easy to fall for him! Fitzpatrick manages to create an entire angelic world in Amusement parks and pubs that are under the radar: seriously interesting stuff! Nora and Patch (hate to be cliche) are sizzling, and you want to follow them wherever their story leads. I give thumbs up to both Hush, Hush and Crescendo! I'm looking forward to Silence, the third and final novel in the series which comes out on October 4th!

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

Fallen (Barnes & Noble) 

Luce and Daniel- The Fallen Series by Lauren Kate

Once again, a writer, intrigued with Angels, weaves and entire saga around the epic love story of a fallen Angel and a human. From the beginning, the novel has this haunting quality that pulls you in. There's something so beautiful about the story of an angel falling in love with this girl who comes back to life several generations and dies each time. Daniel is such a wild card: haunting, sarcastic, and totally uninterested...so he seems. I wanted to punch him in the face, and have a heart to heart with him at the same time. Kate knows how to make a reader swoon from the romance, and tense from the lengths each Angelic being goes through to capture Luce. It's such an epic adventure that everyone should experience. Passion, the third novel in the series, explores Luce and Daniel's love in every era from the beginning of time...what could be better than that? I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

These three series' continue to mystify me, and if you love Supernatural fiction, I believe you'll be a great fan of these. Moreover, if you are a Twilight fan, you will devour these novels!

Sidebar: I've changed up Forelsket's layout a bit...thoughts? I'm so happy with it. It all seems to mesh! Whoever came up with the double side margin is a genius!

Happy weekend Dreamers!

"My name is Britta, and I now own a Kindle."

Of course I had to add this novel, what with the new Breaking Dawn trailer that's out. 

I've written this article expecting stones to be thrown from every angle. Of course, as a bibliophile, the purchase of a Kindle could seem a kind of betrayal. After all, I've been voracious in the fight to keep the printed word on the shelves, tagged my websites, and engaged in many a testy dialogue on how E-Readers are blasphemous to the written word! And then I moved to the UK, and realized I purchased more books than I could possibly bring home with me. The solution? A spanking new Kindle 3G.

I couldn't stop the exhilaration flowing through me, as new gadgets are always fun! I purchased it right before making a London trip, thinking I could test it out, and see how it fared against wonderful binding. 

Pros

3G Network/Memory: The thing that truly boggles my mind is knowing that I have close to 60 books tucked into my purse...but in a neat little slab. I think every bibliophile would agree that they've tried to fit entire libraries into their bags, and as awesome as it is to have them all, it's hefty and hard on the shoulders. Adding more to the obsession, Kindle 3G is connected to a network which allows perpetual access to the Amazon marketplace. If it's a novel you simply cannot wait for, especially if you were going to order it online, the Kindle satisfies the impatience!

Glare-Free Screen/Seamless Page Turning: Before I purchased a Kindle, I believed that the screen would have the glare of a computer screen. I normally have no problem reading on the computer, yet over time, it can tend to pull a whammy on your eyesight. The invention off E-Ink has changed me. Once you get over the discomforting thought that comes with not reading a physical book, you sink right into the Kindle. Its' page turning buttons are placed at a comforting reach on each side. Before you realize it, you've fully immersed yourself into the world of the novel, rather than being taken up with binding.  I, for one, was surprised at how easy it was to transition. 

Notes: One of the greatest features on Kindle 3G is Notes/Highlighting. I'm one of those people who not only underlines every line that sparks an emotion, but fills any white spaces with notes and jottings. Originally, I was put off by the Kindle, believing I wouldn't have the same luxury. But Amazon went and added a note taking feature, which allows you to Highlight whole passages. For those of us who love to share, it allows you to share your recent notes and highlights via Twitter and Facebook. Even more fascinating is the nifty feature which allows you to view the most popular highlighted passages of any book that other's have noted. Of course, if you're a reader who hates little notes left in by past graffiti artists, then it can be turned off!

Experimental Prototypes (Music, Internet, Text to Speech): It was awesome to discover that the Kindle allows you to surf the net. Is it the smoothest running browser? No, but just the fact that it's included makes me feel like I'm getting more for the dollar. Do you like to listen to music while reading? Kindle also has a feature which allows you to download MP3's and listen while you read, surf, or browse the Amazon Marketplace. Text to Speech allows you to rest your eyes, and listen to an automated voice read passages. That feature definitely came in handy during my 5,000 word essay on Wuthering Heights.

Battery Life: With the 3G network turned on you can read for as many as ten days. With it turned off, you can read for as long as a month. Sounds pretty good to me!

Skins/Covers: Kindle has some of the coolest covers and skins! If you love to beautify your gadgets, one can get lost on Etsy or Amazon searching for slip covers! It helps you to personify your portable library!

Cons

Eau de Novel: I believe most bibliophiles read books for the entire experience: its binding, the kind of paper it's printed on, its smell (be it new or old) and its overall allure. I, for one, love used novels because it seems entire lives are imprinted on to them, especially worn paperbacks! Unfortunately, with a computer device, one cannot appreciate these little additions. Amazon sees it as becoming immersed  in the words themselves instead of aesthetics. What's you're take on that?

Battery Power: It's very weird to think your novel could lose power, and you'll have to race to an outlet/usb port to continue reading. Although, I've never allowed mine to lose power, but I'm currently testing it out.

Book Shops: If you make too much of a home with your Kindle, it could easily stop you from venturing out to bookshops, having a cuppa, and sharing in the beauty of a wonderful marketplace full of books. I couldn't really imagine not making trips to bookstores and taking in the ambience of literary excitement.

Kindle Book Prices: As a standard, most books are $9.99, but it can go as high as $15 depending upon the publishers set price. Can you see my face, eying them with disdain? I'm paying nine dollars and ninety-nine cents for a novel that has neither binding, nor glue, nor fanciful pages to bend or highlight. What am I paying for exactly? A file sent by Whispernet (Amazon's wireless network). Files should be no more than $5 dollars. And then the publishing world wonders why so many would rather pilfer the file from google than to overspend...on a file! In one particular occasion, I wanted to purchase Young Hearts Crying by Richard Yates, but was put off by the astounding price of $11.99. I still haven't purchased it to this day. To spend this much, it must come with all the fixings (perhaps like the Barnes & Noble Nook): Full color screens, video footage, and writer interviews on their processes...something that reminds me it's not just a mobile file.

Overall

I've discovered that I love my Kindle about as much as I love lugging books around. However, I wouldn't go as far as to say it replaces books. There is no replacement to a lovely book cover, binding, and enchantment of browning pages or musty fragrances. But this causes me to choose certain books wisely. There are some books that unfortunately aren't worth having in solid forms (This doesn't mean they aren't good!). Some are completely fine to download and keep in your awesome slab collection. While others, must be collected, savored, read again and again without the fear of a dwindling battery. 

What say you Bibliophiles? Kindle or no?

Source: We Heart It 1 | 2

"We turned at a dozen paces, for love is a duel, and looked at each other for the last time."

I'm totally looking forward to this film! Jack Kerouac is one of the dreamiest gifts in writing history. Although, I haven't finished reading On the Road, there's something epic about it. Even if I come away from the novel not as enthused about the story itself, the writing is too jazzed not to be admired or appreciated. The fact that it's autobiographical is something special. It's like he's mythologized his own life, documenting his moments not in stark mundanities, but rather in sensational reality. It's brilliant!

This film stars none other than one of my favorite people: Kristen Stewart. I remember when I first heard that she was cast as Marylou. It's totally perfect for her, and I look forward to seeing her portrayal. Due to the phenomenon that is Twilight, it's almost as if the world has forgotten that she was/is a grade A, indie actress, primed for films highly rated by academics and hipsters alike. It's time for the world to see her (and every other actor in Twilight) in a different light! And what a light to be cast in! 

Now, I've got to challenge myself to have this novel finished by the end of the summer. I've both Penguin and Kindle editions...nothing should stop me!

Gosh, I'm so excited for this film. Hopefully, both novel and book will have me going:

Soft Pages Saturated in Inkblots

 

I'm sure Forelsket will be littered with posts dedicated to the beauty that is the Moleskine Notebook. There's just something about its mythology, soft pages, and personability that elevates it over the rest. Over the years, I have had so many of these books, some unfinished, most I'm bent on finishing to get in the habit of completing things I start. Here are my uses for the three types of Moleskine I'm using at the moment:

Life Book (Lined Soft Cover Notebook)

My Life Book is a constant source of inspiration to me. I fill it with affirmations, wishes, dreams, goals, slips of memories like my airline ticket to Paris, Laduree condiments, Metro tickets, etc. Although I promised myself I wouldn't vent in it, I need an outlet and so it happens. That makes it even better once I conquer whatever it is that I'm venting, to look back and see how far I've come! It is simply a dream to write in. Once you find the right pen (which is totally your preference though the Uniball pens work awesomely) it is liken to the experience of reading novels with browning pages in the Strand!

Nikki Fierce Manual (London Guide Book)

 

I purchased this London Guide with intent to leg it and go mental in Covent Garden, Trafalgar square or whatever other equally thrilling place that captured my fancy. I love the philosophy of the book which is: 'For every traveller who has any taste of his own, the only useful guidebook will be the one which he himself has written' spoken by Aldous Huxley. It's awesome to think of only recording the aspects of a place that thrilled you. But, I picked it up from my shelf one day, needing a place to record chords that I've learned for the ukulele, thus, killing two birds with one stone. Here, I copy the chords of songs I love playing, and finger placement charts for easy memorization.

Book Journal (Moleskine Passions)

 

I've never had one book dedicated to reviewing and cataloging the novels I read, and I thought, why not start afresh with one? I started the year off with voracious novel reading and scribbling all sorts of random thoughts about them in my journal. It's been pretty fun! I've decided to create a section here at Forelsket based on the entries scribbled in this book. Thought it would be a fun take on book reviewing, so I can't wait to get started?

Do you have a Moleskine? If so what do you use it for? Even if you don't have one, how do you transform your notebooks into more of an experience?

Tree of Codes by Jonathan Safran Foer

Jonathan Safran Foer has been one of my favorite writers of all time for a while. His novel, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is one of the most beautiful novels I've ever read, and although I haven't finished it yet, I'm prolonging it. It's a novel that you really want to savor, and soak in its genius! I've embarked on reading most, if not all, of his works, because not only is he a wonderful writer, he knows how to blend all sorts of artistic medium into literature, making it more than just a novel. It's what I aspire to in my own writing. 

Tree of Codes is Foer's next astounding work of art. A novel of die cuts, formed from within his favorite book, The Street of Crocodiles by Bruno Schulz. It's the journey of one character's last day of life; Words cut out of another work to form a story within a story...how magnificent is this concept? I'm brimming over this, because its something to be studied, and marveled at. It blends the art of storytelling with the entirely different art-form of die-cutting. Even more awesome, is that it is the first of it's kind! Bravo, Jonathan!

Here are two videos, one of reader reactions, and an interview with Jonathan Safran Foer:

Source: Visual Editions | Wallpaper | Kottke | Goldfish v.s Piranha 

Style Must Have: Luella's Guide to English Style

Luella Bartley is one of the coolest designers I've ever beheld! I remember when she teamed up with Target to create cool, eclectic fashion and accessories for an affordable price. Although, I never got a chance to purchase any of her items, I just knew it would be a huge hit. Being the London aficionado that I am, I'm sold just on the fact that she's London Fab. 

Now she's written a book dedicated to London Style, and all its crazy, cool, feminine, tom boy, whimsical, cool vibes. Just observing street style in London, it's such a great mix, everyone individual, and influenced by the melting pot around them. I love how Londoners can mix feminine classics like synched baby doll dresses, with tom boyish oxfords, pearls, a fierce hairstyle and it all works! I can't wait to go to London this year, and I need this book to help me get my muse on, and glean a little bit from the spirit of London Street Style! I hear that it's hardcover, and rustically weathered, adding to its charm. According to reviews, it also reads more like a love letter to English style, than just a look book. It retails 'used' on Amazon US for $29.96 and Amazon UK £9.40.

Bonne Nuit.

P.S. - I need that black dress with the Heart shaped neckline!

Source: Style.com

Borrow A Page From a French Girls' Book: Body Love

As I read over this passage, I couldn't help but pass it on! It's so important to become comfortable in your own skin, to love your body, and embrace it in its whole. In Psalm 139:13-16, David spoke to God in awe and in gratefulness of how He created him fearfully and wonderfully. God, Himself, created each of us in His image. How astounding is this news once fully taken in? That means the whole of you is beautiful and lovely, and not in a vain way, but truthfully. He's placed too much in you, for you to allow media, magazines, and others to bring you to an insecure place. 

The excerpt was so inspiring to me, because once you reach this freedom where you love who you are, and the framework that God Himself sculpted, you cannot be touched by jarring negativity. I especially adored: 'Love your body, and your children will grow up loving theirs.' It just reminds us that our choices, not only affect us, but also those who will look up to us. I would love to watch my daughter carry on a healthy self-esteem and love for her body as a result of my cultivating it in her life! 

I thought the photograph was a beautiful representation of loving yourself. I pray that the nudity is not offensive to you. I just felt moved to find a tastefully nude photograph to enhance the point of embracing your full self. 

Bonne Nuit!

Source: Blackbyrd