Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy

In this modern, post-Stephenie Meyer age anything vampire or werewolf is held with some skepticism. For me, anyway. The last thing the genre and mythos needs is another writer to take a large, Mormon turd upon it. Well, I don't know what religion Brian McGreevy practices, but his mission is clear – he set off to scrape off the Meyer (get it?) and make teenage vampires and werewolves cool again.

I promised myself this post wouldn't just bash the Twilight author, but forgive me one more, okay? Where Stephenie Meyer fails as a writer, Brian McGreevy flexes his literary muscle. Literary references, not just throwing a classic title around, and in depth research of the occult, gypsy traditions, and introducing us to a breed of vampire that can walk in the daytime without sparkling like a goof fill the covers of this not-quite-so-teenage-horror book. And here's a spoiler alert: The main plot isn't about love. It's not even about seeking a girlfriend/boyfriend. It's about bringing a killer down. So fans of Twilight need not to apply as the psychological aspect, unromantic aspect, allusions, and meaning might fry your tiny noodles (okay, I'm done).

Hemlock Grove is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and for Kindle and Nook. And check out the Netflix original series based on the novel. Until next time, happy huntin'.

Snapshot #6

From The Writers Handbook edited by A.S. Burack

Dustin M. Sekula Memorial Library - my place of employment - has done something terrible to me. And by terrible, I mean f**king wonderful! And by wonderful, I mean a 25-cent book sale. No. That's not some cosmic typo. All books are actually 25 cents a piece. That's four for a dollar. Doesn't matter if it's a hardback, a trade paperback, or a mass market paperback. And all the trashy romance novels were at 10 cents yesterday.

Now you're probably wondering how a guy like me got to be so lucky. Well, it started Saturday when the Friends of the Library had their book sale. It was fairly inexpensive. Because I'm such an awesome fella - mostly because I work there - I got my books for $10, despite the fact that I had more than in books. Because not all books were sold - and we have a huge surplus of donated books we have no use for - it was decided Monday to start dropping the price. Lucky, hu? 

Here's what I have as of today:

1. The Hot Kid
2. 52 Pick Up
3. Mr. Paradise
4. Unknown Man #89 by Elmore Leonard
5. Airframe
6. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
7. The Hobbit
8. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
9. Dead Until Dark
10. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
11. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
12. Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie
13. The Crucible by Arthur Miller
14. The Humanoids by Jack Williamson
15. The Inquisition by Edward Burman
16. 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology 2nd Edition edited by Samuel Cohen
17. Summerland by Michael Chabon
18. Nobody Move by Denis Johnson
19. Dianetics: The Original Thesis by L. Ron Hubbard
20. 9/11 Report by Thomas H. Kean, Chair and Lee H. Hamilton, Vice Chair w/reporting and anaylsis by The New York Times
21. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverley Cleary
22. Nightingale's Lament by Simon R. Green
23. Animal Farm by George Orwell
24. American Gangster by Max Allan Collins
25. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
26. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
27. Grendel by John Gardner
28. A Short Guide to Writing about Literature 10th edition edited by Sylvan Barnet and William E. Cain
29. The Alienist by Caleb Carr
30. The Giver by Lois Lowry
31. Oxford by Paul Streitz
32. Deathbell by Guy Smith
33. Bone: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith
34. The Professor of Desire by Philip Roth
35. The MacMillan Reader 3rd Edition edited by Judith Nadell, John Langan, and Linda McMeniman
36. Futurelove: Science Fiction Triad edited by Roger Elwood(?)
37. The Last Empire: Essays 1992-2000 by Gore Vidal
38. The Writer's Handbook edited by A.S. Burack
39. Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense 5th edition edited by Laurence Perrine

As you can see, I have a lust for books. I'm a book slut, and I take that without shame. While my loved ones might not understand my need for books, I know in my heart there are more like me out there. I have a love for knowledge. There are books excluded from here, of course. Books I purchased for others or books I've loaned to others shortly after I bought them. They'll find their way to this page soon enough.

Well, I'm off to read something from an anthology. Which one? I don't know. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

American Vampire Vol. 1 by Scott Synder, Stephen King & Rafael Albuquerque

via Wikipedia

Very few people are original these days when it comes to old mythos. Rarely do I see any evolution of fantastical creatures of old lore, so it's always refreshing to see a new take on something familiar. We're in the age of the undead - be it zombies returning to pay homage to our society, or vampires representing civil movements. However, if all you're adding to a mythos is talking zombies or vampires who sparkle in the sun, then you're clearly missing the point of evolution. Rather than evolving the creatures, you're simply dumbing them down to fit your homage to nothing. You should've written fanfiction instead. Though, even fanfiction adds to the mythos rather than raping it - yes, even the homoeroticism of every fanfiction adds more to the mythology than Mormon-esque philosophy and horny teenagers.

For most of their existence, vampires have been shrouded in darkness. Very few people have attempted to change that - day-walkers weren't scary enough, or thrilling enough (or sparkly enough, apparently). They are always placed in dank, dark locations because that's how it's always been. With the obvious exception of Anne Rice's existential vampires, who seem to find sunny areas like California and Miami quite alluring, even though they still only come out at night. 

In American Vampire, writers Scott Synder and Stephen King offer us something new for us to sink our fangs in. Blending the old Euro Vampires - you know, the fancy dressed ones who hate the sun - with a "new vampire for a new century." 

Blending the last years of the Wild West with 1920s America, the story follows the origin of the American Vampire and the war brewing between the old and the new. Stephen King focuses on the origin story, following outlaw Skinner Sweet as he descends into the well-lit realms of the American vampire as the Euro Vampires stand in shock of the abomination that is their bloodline. As Skinner Sweet tears through the new the century seeking revenge, he realizes the old west he once knew is coming to an end; meanwhile, lawman James Book is hot on his trail, seeking retribution of his own and hoping to put Sweet in his grave for good. Meanwhile, Scott Synder focuses on the twentieth century vampire and Skinner Sweet creation, Pearl Jones. The ambitious young actress is lured into her grave by her fading hopes of becoming a well-known actress. It's Skinner Sweet who brings her back from the dead in hopes that she will aid him in the destruction of those who made him what he is. Pearl seeks vengeance of her own on the Euro Vampires, killing them one at a time. The war is far from over in the conclusion of the first volume, as figures from Sweet's past return to finish what Book couldn't do.

The first volume is well thought out, and the characters are amazing. The fact that it blends two of my favorite time-periods is just the added bonus. The fact that something so well crafted by Stephen King has actually reached my eyes - let's remember my love/hate relationship with the writer - gives me goosebumps and keeps me wanting more. 

Oh well. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Purchase American Vampire at [[Amazon/Paperback]] [[Kindle]] [[B&N/Hardcover]] [[Nook]]

Books of 2011

1. The Queen of the Damned - Anne Rice
2. "What is an Agnostic" (essay) - Bertrand Russell (read my thoughts here & here)
3. God is Not One - Stephen Prothero (read my thoughts here)
4. Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
5. Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
6. The Original of Laura - Vladimir Nabokov
7. Gospel of Judas - Rodolphe Kasser, Marvin Meyer, and Gregor Wurst (editors)
8. Vixen - Jillian Larkin
9. Twin Forks (short story) - Daniel Woodrell
10. Like a Girl (short story) - Alison Tyler
11. Doc - Mary Doria Russell
12. On Finding Jon's Porn (short story) - Alison Tyler
13. Good Doggy (short story) - Gemma Parkes
14. Home Visits (short story) - Gemma Parkes
15. Hungry for Your Love - Lori Perkins (editor)
16. Dexter in the Dark - Jeff Lindsay
17. Dexter by Design - Jeff Lindsay
18. The Crow - J. O'Barr
19. Wanted - Mark Millar (writer), J.G. Jones (pencils & inks), and Paul Mounts (colors)
20. Son of M - David Hine (writer) and Roy Allan Martinez (artist)
21. Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage - Tom DeFalco, J.M. DeMatteis, Terry Kavanagh, David Michelinie (writers)
22. Marvel Zombies - Robert Kirkman (writer) and Sean Phillips (artist)
23. X-Men: Age of Apocalypse the Complete Epic Book 1 - Howard Mackie, John Francis Moore, et al (writers), Terry Dodson, Steve Epting, et al (artists)
24. X-Men: Age of Apocalypse the Complete Epic Book 2 - Fiabian Nicieza, Scott Lobdell, et al (writers), Tony Daniel, Salvador Larroca, et al (artists)
25. X-Men: Age of Apocalypse the Complete Epic Book 3 - Larry Hama, Terry Kavanagh, et al (writers), Adam Kubert, Chris Bachalo, et al (artists)
26. X-Men: Age of Apocalypse the Complete Epic Book 4 - Judd Winick, Jeph Loeb, et al (writers), Ben Herrera, Roger Cruz, et al (artists)
27. DC Versus Marvel Comics - Ron Marz & Peter David (writers), Dan Jurgens, Josef Rubinstein, et al (artists)
28. The Silent Girl - Tess Gerritsen
29. Spider-Man: Reign - Kaare Andrews (writer & artist) with Jose Villarrubia (artist)
30. Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
31. Dexter is Delicious - Jeff Lindsay
32. HitRECord: RECollections Vol. 1 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt (editor)
33. Smart Ass - Alison Tyler, Kristina Lloyd, Sommer Marsden, Sophia Valenti & Thomas S. Roche
34. Darkness Falling - Peter Crowther
35. Daddy's Lil Devil - Rachel Boleyn
36. The Death Clock - J. Rock
37. UR - Stephen King
38. Crazy Emma - Brandie Buckwine
39. Mile 81 - Stephen King
40. Cthulhurotica - Carrie Cuinn (editor)
41. Weeping Underwater Looks a Lot Like Laughter - Michael J. White
42. Marvel Zombies 2 - Robert Kirkman (writer) & Sean Phillips (artist)
43. Less Than Zero - Bret Easton Ellis
44. Imperial Bedrooms - Bret Easton Ellis
45. Double Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
46. The Deportees and Other Stories - Roddy Doyle
47. The Pillowman - Martin McDonagh
48. The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye - Robert Kirkman (writer) & Tony Moore (artist)
49. The Walking Dead Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us - Robert Kirkman (writer) & Charlie Adlard (artist)
50. Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? - Neil Gaiman (writer) & Andy Kubert (artist)
51. The Walking Dead Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars - Robert Kirkman (writer) & Charlie Adlard (artist)
52. The Martian Child - David Gerrold
53. The Walking Dead Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire - Robert Kirkman (writer) & Charlie Adlard (artist)
54. Go the F**k to Sleep - Adam Mansback (writer) Ricardo Cortes (illustrator)
55. Best Bondage Erotica 2012 - Rachel Kramer Bussel (editor)

Twilight Phenomenon

Guest written by our friend Trent Horton

Lately I have been wondering about all the fuss behind the Twilight series. Since the new movie will be coming out soon, I have read more and more articles about the success behind both the movies and the book series. One night, I was relaxing on the couch when I stumbled across the first Twilight movie on my http://www.expertsatellite.com/direct-tv/direct-tv-peoria-arizona.html movie package. I decided to watch for a few minutes to see what the hype was all about. Even though I did not read the books, I was instantly hooked on the love story between two vampires that I do not even know. There is something so captivating about the fantasy of dating a vampire. Although the movie was not Oscar quality, I did thoroughly enjoy the storyline and was begging to know more. Before I know it, I managed to watch the remaining movies from the series and can now officially call myself a Twilight fan. I guess my next step would be to buy tickets and see the upcoming movie! And, I will probably end up reading the books as well for more information on this fascinating phenomenon.

Weekend Movies: Musician & the Undead

La Vie En Rose

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Emmanuelle Seigner & Gerard Depardieu

Director: Oliver Dahan

Release Date: 14 February 2007

DVD Release Date: 13 November 2007

Approx Time: 141mins

Genre: Drama, Biographical, Foreign

Rated: PG-13

I picked up this movie during the Hollywood Video closing sale because it was cheap - a bulk sale - because I loved Edith Piaf's music and because I love foreign films, due to their classic Hollywood feel - when making movies meant something other than making money.

With that said, the only difference between this film and those films about American musicians (like Walk the Line, Ray, Selena, etc.) is that it's in French. That's not to say the movie isn't worth watching, but I was expecting the storytelling in an entirely different way. 

The story is told nonlinear - starting at the end, flashback to her childhood, flashforward as her career is on the verge of ending, so far and so forth. There isn't much I know about Piaf other than her music, so the film was educational and Marion Cotillard's performance of the French diva - see, I didn't even know she was a diva - was spectacular.

Final conclusion - four stars, for performance and educational purposes.

Pet Sematary

Starring: Fred Gwynne, Dale Midkiff & Denise Crosby

Director: Mary Lambert

Release Date: 21 April 1989

DVD Release Date: 26 September 2006

Approx Time: 102mins

Genre: Horror

Rated: R

Instant classic since I first watched it as a child. Other than the obvious plot holes in the story, there's nothing about this movie that isn't good. Even Herman Munster is in it. And that kid from A New Nightmare, Spawn and Full House.

Moving to a new neighborhood - a place where two lone houses face each other - the Creeds decided to settle in. Their neighbor, Jud Crandall (Gwynne), explains to their the dangerous of living in their isolated neighborhood - the road that has taken out several pets - and introduces them to misspelled Pet Sematary that's located down the path by their house. After Ellie Creed's (Blaze Berdahl) beloved pet cat is killed, Jud introduces Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) to another, darker burial ground. Not heeding any of Pascow's (Brad Greenquist) warnings, Louis buries the cat only to learn the secret beneath the earth - leaving him to wonder what the limits of this burial ground is.

Based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, which I own but never read (shame on me), the movie is a childhood favorite. Final conclusion? Four stars.

Let Me In

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz & Richard Jenkins
Director: Matt Reeves
Release Date: 1 October 2010
DVD Release Date: 1 February 2011
Approx Time: 116mins
Genre: Horror, Vampire
Rated: R

Let Me In, first off, isn't a remake of Let the Right One In but an US adaptation of the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist. With that said, treating this film like you would a remake would be a great injustice. I won't say that this film was better than the original adaptation, but I will say that I liked it better.

Owen (McPhee) is tired of being bullied at school, imagining his revenge when he meets the mysterious new neighbor, Abby (Moretz). While she's the strength he so desperately needs, her secret might be too much for him to handle. Meanwhile, a policeman (Elias Koteas) becomes obsessed with the random attacks spreading throughout the city. As days pass, Owen takes Abby's advice while the law closes in on the mystery.

The acting was the best I've ever seen in the vampire genre - something I needed after watching Queen of the Damned. Again, it's not better than the original, but I did like it better. Final conclusion? Five stars.

Man, I sucked with summaries. I promise I'll work on it. Until next time, happy huntin'.

Check out the deals @ BetterWorldBooks

Adapting the Vampire

Queen of the Damned
Starring: Stuart Townsend, Aaliyah, Marguerite Moreau & Vincent Perez
Director: Michael Rymer
Release Date: 22 February 2002
DVD Release Date: 27 August 2002
Approx Time: 101mins
Genre: Vampire, Horror
Rated: R

I've must've seen this movie about five times in my life, since its DVD release - even I knew back in '02 that this movie wasn't worth my while - I can strongly state that I never recall watching it. There's evidence that I have - I know how Akasha is taken down at the end. I know that Lestat calls out other vampires. I know there's some blonde haired vampire that doesn't seem to fit quite in the movie and I know there's a cute girl named Jesse in it that Lestat loves - for some reason that's never made clear. But most of all, I know it because the only reason that drew me into watching the movie - having never been interested in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles before, Interview with the Vampire included. The movie, by the way, ignores the existence of Interview and who could blame them? This movie came out eight years after the fact. - was the fact that Jonathan Davis of Korn was responsible for the soundtrack/score. 

A story with Lestat and no mention of Louis seems a tad cheap. Louis is Lestat's love and vice versa, even though they seem to ignore the matter. Without his affection for Louis, the character Lestat just flops over. Not even the ever powerful blood of Akasha can save it. 

I can't begin to tell you what the movie's about - it's something between a mash up of The Vampire Lestat and The Queen of the Damned mixed in with some water to tame it a bit with a toss of we-don't-give-a-fuck on the side. And I'm not stating the movie isn't worth the watch - you can get a few guffaws from it due to its complete and utter lack of storyline - but it's something you wanna do on Bad Movie Mondays. 

Though, I won't deny that Stuart Townsend and the late Aaliyah had some chemistry in the film. Being her second film role - the first being Romeo Must Die - she played the part of former Egyptian queen turn Vampire Mother well. 

And while I get why the homo-eroticism of the novels was toned down quite a bit - without Louis, well let's face it - giving Lestat a love interest in Jesse seemed to cheapen the character, as well. 

Now don't peg me as one of those book readers who think the adaptation should stay true to the book, but it mustn't betray it either. Now I see betrayal on two levels: when the movie is almost word per word as the novel - think No Country for Old Men - and when the film just takes a massive shit on the novel's story - think Lost World. Now No Country for Old Men was an excellent movie, but staying too true to the novel keeps readers sitting out on the fun. 

Anyway, the final rating for the film is two stars. The extra star, of course, going to Jonathan Davis who was screwed out of a great soundtrack when Korn's record company pulled the plug on the original recordings of the tracks. If you must, own the film, can I suggest getting it with Gothika? It might not be the best film of the world, but together, they make a pretty decent deal.

And the first book I've read this year is.....

After a grueling month, I finally finished Anne Rice's The Queen of the Damned. Unlike the first two - Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat - Queen of the Damned felt slow moving. It lacked the same emotion the previous two presented - not stating that the book was without the human emotions that we've come to admire from Lestat and his pal Louis, it's just that the majority of it wasn't presented until the end. 

Originally, I wanted to finish the novel before the turn of the new year, but the slow movement in the book caused me to put it down several times and ignore it for days at a time. The novel, like the first two, is teeming with new and old characters - we even learn the name of the boy reporter from Interview - that all play an essential role in the story, one way or another. However, there are several times when I wonder why exactly I have to know about Baby Jenks and what role she played after her short life as a vampire. 

Of course, her death was used to paint a portrait of the afterlife, but it still felt unnecessary. 

Power is the force that drives this novel. Power to be seen. Power to be heard. Power to change the world. From Lestat to the vampire queen, Akasha, everyone wants a slice of the power to exist. Each knows that the queen is the central point of their existence, so when she raises from her slumber to mold the world into her liking, they have to weigh the consequences - to destroy her would to destroy all, that is, if they can destroy her at all. 

I did like the Legend of the Twins story that appears in the novel - as told by Maharet. It gives a rather original, detailed account of how vampires came to exist - rather than the brief explanation in Lestat. Other than that, I can't think of a single detail that stuck with me. Which is sad, because I really did like the second novel.

As I see it, I've completed my task of reading the Anne Rice vampire cannon. Though it's a constant reminder that the box set has a forth novel. Until next time, happy huntin'.

Just don't read about vampires - BE a vampire on Second Life! It's FREE!!! Join now:

2010 100+ Challenge List

1. The Vampire Lestat - Anne Rice
2. The Hellbound Heart - Clive Barker
3. A Scanner Darkly - Philip K. Dick 
4. 30 Days of Night - Steve Niles (story) & Ben Templesmith (art)  
5. Finding Our Way -  René Saldaña, Jr.
6. Downtown Owl - Chuck Klosterman 
7. Valleysong: An Anthology Echoing the Rhythm and Cadence of Life in the Rio Grande Valley - Texas Rio Writers 
8. Things the Grandchildren Should Know - Mark Oliver Everett 
9. Darkness on the Edge of Town - Brian Keene 
10. Alan Moore's Writing for Comics - Alan Moore 
11. The Crow: Flesh & Blood - James Vance (story) & Alex Maleev (art) 
12. Shortcomings - Adrian Tomine 
13. Batman R.I.P. - Grant Morrison (story) & Tony S. Daniel, Sandu Florea, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott (art) 
14. Superman Red Son - Mark Millar (story) & Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett, with Andrew Robinson and Walden Wong (art)
15. Batman Year One - Frank Miller (story) & David Mazzucchelli (art) 
16. Fall of Cthulhu: The Gathering - Michael Alan Nelson (story) with Greg Scott, Marco Rudy, Tim Hamilton, Michel Rueda & Pablo E. Quiligotti (art) 
17. Clive Barker's Age of Desire - P. Craig Russell (adapted) & Timothy Bradstreet 
18. Kill Two Birds & Get Stoned - Kinky Friedman 
19. The New Dead - Christopher Golden (Editor) 
20. Incest - Marquis de Sade (story), Andrew Brown (translation) 
21. The End of Alice - A.M. Homes 
22. Thirteen - T. Pines 
23. Chronicle of a Death Foretold - Gabriel Garcia Marquez 
24. No One Belongs Here More Than You - Miranda July
25. Yes Man - Danny Wallace
26. Written on the Body - Jeanette Winterson 
27. A Cool Head - Ian Rankin 
28. Hellbound Hearts - Paul Kane & Marie O'Regan (Editors) 
29. The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen 
30. Flashforward - Robert J. Sawyer 
31. Whip It - Shauna Cross
32. The Apprentice - Tess Gerritsen
33. Franny and Zooey - J.D. Salinger
34. A Gathering of Crows - Brian Keene
35. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
36. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
37. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
38. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
39. Batman: The Widening Gyre - Kevin Smith (story) & Walter Flanagan (art)
40. The Bus Driver Who Wanted to be God & Other Stories - Etgar Keret
41. God Hates Us All - Hank Moody
42. The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition - Stephen King
43. Questionable Content vol. 1 - Jeph Jacques
44. The Sinner - Tess Gerristen
45. Star Wars: Death Troopers - Joe Schreiber
46. Body Double - Tess Gerritsen
47. Vanish - Tess Gerritsen
48. The Mephisto Club - Tess Gerritsen
49. The Keepsake - Tess Gerritsen
50. Ice Cold - Tess Gerritsen

Live out your adventures on Second Life

The Last Book Hunt of 2010

I wasn't going to make a post until after New Year's, but how could I just ignore the impromptu book hunt of 2010? It's only the last book hunt of the year. I'm ending the year by reading Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice, despite what my GoodReads page states. I took said novel with me on the mini-road trip to Brownsville, Texas - where Jyg had her interview. 

I didn't do any reading at all while waiting for her. After, we headed to the Sunrise Mall where I rushed to the restroom. After coming out, I spotted it - the Mecca of my book hunting career. The holy land where it all started for me - a Waldenbooks. Brownsville and Harlingen are the last cities (that I'm aware of) that still house the Borders owned bookstore. I waltzed right in and was amazed by how much such a small store can hold. In there, I found a copy of John Green's Paper Towns, which I've been wanting to read for two - going on three - years for only $3.99. It wasn't the cover I originally wanted, but I wasn't going to let the opportunity slip me by. 

After Brownsville, we made a stop at Valle Vista Mall in Harlingen before heading home. Another Waldenbooks to venture through. There I found two books, both $3.99 each. The Real History of the End of the World by Sharan Newman - author of The Real History Behind the Templars and The Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code - seemed like a must have for next year's religious text challenge. And the just-for-fun pick, All the Sad Young Literary Men by Keith Gessen. 

As we speak, I have four books and one toy - which I'll reveal come January 4th (the date may vary). Three books ordered from my favorite online booksellers, BetterWorldBooks, which are: Gravity by Tess Gerritsen, Zen Sex: The Way of Making Love and Do Me: Sex Tales from Tin House. From Amazon, I purchased the toy and the novel Annabel by Kathleen Winter. 

I bid you farewell, 2010. Here's looking at a bright, new future of 2011. May your year be blessed with many books. Until then, keep on huntin'.

Be sure to check out the great deals @ BustedTees!