Curiosity vs. my delicate sensibilities
I've been tempted by a number of grim-looking books recently. They all seem to be creative and well-written, but there's no denying that they have a strong smell of "reading this book can only le...
A love triangle involving only two bodies?
In a word: Bleh. I don't even like normal love triangles, and a two-bodies/three-souls one sounds more irritating than most.It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books, a...
Go Fug Yourself goes literary.
Y'know, I'm just not sure about this:I appreciate that the Fug Girls need and totally deserve to be paid for their work, but... a book? Nobody loves the Go Fug Yourself blog more than I do. I read...
Philip Pullman continues to milk the His Dark Materials cash cow.
Here's the cover art for Philip Pullman's upcoming Once Upon a Time in the North:Very... dignified-looking. Once Upon a Time in the North is a prequel to the His Dark Materials trilogy, and focuse...
Black Magic Woman, by Justin Gustainis
I love monster movies, which is why I’ve always been surprised that the 2004 film Van Helsing was so bad. It had vampires, werewolves, witches, and Hugh Jackman—how could such abundant awesomenes...
The Fattening of America, by Eric A. Finkelstein and Laurie Zuckerman
Health economist Eric A. Finkelstein and business writer Laurie Zuckerman are the co-authors of The Fattening of America: How the Economy Makes Us Fat, If It Matters, and What to Do About It, a...
Holy CATS.
Is there GROPING* I see in this trailer for the upcoming BBC adaptation of Austen's Sense and Sensibility, or am I just filthy-minded? *Okay, maybe it's not full-blown groping... but there are tra...
A Slave No More, by David W. Blight
We here at Wordcandy usually choose our books based on purely hedonistic impulses, but we have been known—very occasionally—to pick up the odd “improving” book. We frequently regret this impulse, ...
I don't have room for this...
...seeing as my house is well under 1,000 square feet, but I still totally want it:[Source]It's a Yotsuba&! "Cardbo" action figure!!! Isn't it adorable? It's twenty bucks (ouch), and it's not out ...
A new "Dune" movie?
I'm not sure whether I'm more excited or horrified by this news:'Ladies and gentlemen, the next huge sci-fi franchise has a director. During an interview with "The Kingdom" director Peter Berg, he...
Dragonhaven, by Robin McKinley
Robin McKinley’s Dragonhaven, her first novel in four years, is a celebration of atmosphere and characterization. It’s an intensely absorbing story, but longtime fans take heed: this book has much more in common with her character-driven vampire novel Sunshine than her earlier, more conventional fantasy novels...
Prettification
And speaking of new and improved cover art, somebody has FINALLY done a makeover on L.M. Montgomery's novels. Behold the New Canadian Library's versions of Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Mo...
Moving up in the world
I'm normally a little irritated when a paperback author re-releases previously-inexpensive older material in new, pricier editions. (See: Meg Cabot, whose The Boy Next Door was previously availabl...
Best of luck, Mr. Pratchett.
A New Year's Day chat reminded me that I hadn't already posted this:"Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with a rare form of early onset Alzheimer's, as he announced yesterday with a post to the we...
2008: A Year in (Pre)view
And here’s the flip side to yesterday’s list: the top ten literary events we’re anticipating in 2008. Happy New Year, dear readers!1. 2008 is the year that disappointed ICE Kunion readers will fin...
Wordcandy's Year in Books: 2007 Edition
Hey, everybody! We are delighted to present our annual list of the top ten Wordcandy-approved book releases, rumors, and events of the past year. We really enjoyed this stuff, and we hope you did,...
eBooks GALORE!
Girlebooks.com is a website with a mission: it offers free e-books by female writers, all in an effort to “make classic and lesser-known works by female writers available to a large audience throu...
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, by James Patterson
James Patterson has described Maximum Ride as his favorite series, and possibly his best. We totally understand why these books are his favorites, as the first installment in the series...
Shonen Jump turns five!
The January issue of Shonen Jump magazine hit stores on December 4th, and it is jam-packed with 392 pages' worth of holiday-worthy content. This "Mondo!" issue - which marks the anthology's fifth ...
How (Not) To Have a Perfect Wedding, by Arliss Ryan
It wouldn’t be smart to give Arliss Ryan’s novel How (Not) To Have a Perfect Wedding to anyone planning to get married in the near future. Ryan’s book (which she based on her experiences as a professional wedding hostess) is witty, well-written, and occasionally touching, but she ruthlessly strips every last drop of glamour and romance from the wedding experience...
Kissing Snowflakes, by Abby Sher
Kissing Snowflakes, Abby Sher’s first novel, isn’t outstandingly original, but it features plausible characters and a solidly entertaining storyline. The book reads like a Molly Ringwald movie, but...
Pushin' for the Oscars
I couldn't stand Joe Wright's recent adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (not, as has been suggested, because I'm an impossible-to-please Austen purist, but because the movie was TOTALLY STUPID), an...
Make every word tell
Here is the Wordcandy stocking stuffer of choice: a new, gorgeously illustrated version of our personal bible, Strunk and White's The Elements of Style:Is it not awesome? This elegant $15 paperbac...
Wordcandy Summer Trailers Presents: Chronicle Books
Publishers' Spring/Summer catalogs are beginning to roll in, and there's some seriously awesome stuff coming down the pike. We were particularly interested in the artsy, funky, elegantly present...
Intriguing.
I've never read a Gregory Maguire book, and I'm not leaping to do so - his cover art is good, but the guy seems like a one-trick pony. However, I was mildly tempted by this:In case you can't read...
Somewhere, Edward Gorey is spinning in his grave.
Okay, everybody, can you pick out the REAL Gorey cover?Seriously, just look at them. It's not that I don't like the Gorey-esque covers - on the contrary, I think they're remarkably eye-catching - ...
Not what I was hoping for
But let's face it: the only news I REALLY want from Yen Press is an announcement of when they'll be releasing the rest of ICE Kunion's titles. (Must... read... Angel Diary....)I suppose their othe...
There's a fine line between optimism and stupidity...
...and I frequently find myself walking it. After all, it's not like I enjoyed the first Narnia film adaptation, but I have a sinking feeling I'll end up seeing the second one. Click here for th...