My Favorite Book in 2012*

I'd have to say it is the conclusion of Galen Beckett's Wyrdwood series, The Master of Heathcrest Hall. The first in the series was The Magicians and Mrs. Quent, the middle volume was The House on Durrow Street. I highly recommend the whole series - its a mashup with magic, fantasy, theatre, and Regency romance, and was creepy, gripping, and romantic. I found it by accident, and I never understood why I heard so little about this series! (Beckett is actually the nom de plume of author Mark Anthony). Find more at http://wyrdwood.net/mrsquent/ .
[*I'm cheating here - I also posted this on my other blog, Interrupt Driven].

National Data Privacy Day

"Data Privacy Day is an annual international celebration designed to promote awareness about privacy and education about best privacy practices." Find out more at
Data Privacy Day | Stay Safe Online. Information about the U.S. Government and data privacy can be found here and also specifically about the Census Bureau,(here).

Mini-Review: Pride and prejudice (audiobook from Tantor Unabridged Classics)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've read Pride and Prejudice any number of times over the decades; this time I listened to it, via a audiobook from Tantor Unabridged Classics. It was a completely different experience - I'm so familiar with the book that I didn't realize how much of it I was actually skimming (generally having to do with Mrs Bennet) - listening to it I heard every word, and experienced the wit and humor more than I have in years.

I've only listened to a few audiobooks, but enough to know that the narrator is absolutely key. This version was narrated by Josephine Bailey, and she was superb: a rich British accent and a very good job differentiating the different characters.



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Review: A Countess Below Stairs / Eva Ibbotson

A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Last night I was feeling cranky, so I decided to read something very, very fluffy. I first read this almost 30 years ago, along with some other Ibbotson novels. I was at a library conference a few years ago and got this new edition as an advance reader's copy. The publisher was doing something smart and taking it off the backlist and republishing it as a young adult novel.

It's a delightfully fluffy fairy take taking place in England just after World War I. Anna Grazinsky is a Russian emigre living in England after the Revolution. She was a child of immense privilege, but loving, sunny, unspoiled, etc. In England, she finds a job as a housemaid (hiding her aristocratic status, of course) at the country house of Rupert Frayne - an aviator in the War who has returned to take up the mantle and responsibilities of an earl due to the death of his older brother. Other characters include Rupert's fiancee and a host of very implausible but delightful characters. There is a nice background theme of music and the ballet.

The book is a fairy tale, and needs to be read as one (like most but not all of Ibbotson's works), but it's very comforting and romantic!

I noted my copy is an ARC and I have to hope that it was well-edited before true publication as I found a number of typos - it must have had to be re-typeset for some reason.

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Review: Old Man's War / John Scalzi

Old Man's War by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a re-read, just for fun. A great first novel. First-person narratative military science fiction, with a very clear nod to to the works of Heinlein (but without RAH's occasional ickyness).

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To Play the Lady by Naomi Lane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was very enjoyable. Fans of Tamora Pierce and Sherwood Smith will especially like it. A young woman (a "commoner," but from a wealthy family) goes to become a Queen's Lady at court. Stuff happens. (Clearly I need to work on review writing...)

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Graceling by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It makes me sad that some reviewers call the book's protagonist a "man hater" and complain about "casual sex." I have to wonder if they read the same book I did.

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