D'Auliere's

"In olden times when men still worshipped ugly idols, thee lived in the land of Greece a folk of shepherds and herdsmen who cherished lighe and beauty. They . . . created . . . their own beautiful, radiant gods . . . . Mortals worshipped the gods and the gods honored Mother Earth."

from the Introduction

D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths is a fascinating read concerning the mythology of Greek gods. When my children and I studied Greece,we enjoyed reading this book together. The authors deliver the facts and details about Greek gods in an easy to understand format. The stories are written in such a way that all ages can enjoy them and learn from them.

We were introduced to the Titans, to Zeus and his family, to the minor gods, nymphs, satyrs and centaurs. They also write of some of the Greek kings, one of which is Sisyphus of Corinth. You can read how he fooled the gods and cheated death twice. You have heard the term "bored to death. Did you know it came from Greek mythology? You can read this story about Hermes and Argos is this book.

I think this is a must-have book for every home school family and for anyone interested in mythology. Pick up a copy at a local bookstore or check it out of the library. Have fun!

Laydown Lowdown

Valentine's Day is just 7 days away.  Have you gotten your sweetheart a book they'll love?  You may want to consider one of this week's new releases.

In Romance, "A Scandalous Countess," by Jo Beverly can be found on shelves today along with "Not Wicked Enough," by Carolyn Jewel.  Perhaps the heroine of Jewel's novel should've taken a lesson from the Countess?  Also available in Romance today, you'll find "Dream Shadows," by Ingrid Weaver and "Last Chance Beauty Queen," by Hope Ramsay.

You'll have to run to snag the latest mystery by Lisa Gardner, "Catch Me," the sixth book in the "Det. D.D. Warren" series is released today.   If you don't catch it, you might be "Left for Dead," which is the latest novel by best-selling author J.A. Jance.

Over in Science Fiction, Anya Bast's latest, "Midnight Enchantment, the fourth in the "Dark Magick" series will be enchanting readers today along with "Something About Witches," by Joey W. Hill.  "City of Dragons," the third book in Robin Hobb's "Rain Wilds" series is available today as well as the third "Mark of the Vampire," novel, "Eternal Captive," by Laura Wright and the 11th "Sisters of the Moon" novel, "Shared Vison," by Yasemine Galehorn.

It's no lie, "Two Truths and a Lie," the latest "Lying Game" novel by Sara Shepard will have YA fans sneaking off to bookstores today.  It's the truth, "The Rivals," the second book in "The Mockingbirds" series by Daisy Whitney is released today as is "Born Wicked," the first book in the "Cahill Witch Chronicles," by Jessica Spotswood.

Other releases in fiction include: "House on Butterfly Way," by Eizabeth Bevarly; "The Lost Daughter," by Lucy Ferris; "Life of Bring Ideas," by Sandra Kring; and "Spin," by Catherine McKenzie.

And that's the latest in new releases for the week of February 7, 2012.  Happy Reading !  Remember to support your local bookstores whenever possible.  Just because our blog is online, your shopping doesn't have to be.

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One year ago...

I remember it so clearly. I was in the fiction section of borders shelving some insane amount of re-shelves, and someone came over the walkie and told me some heart breaking news. J.D. Salinger had died at the age of 91. I remember feeling as if a close friend had died. You see Catcher in the Rye is my favorite book. Which is saying a lot since I read very often. But this book made me love reading, and love myself.

Holden Caulfield get better each time I read this book. He is mean spirited, hateful, and severly rough around the edges, but deep down he is one of the most caring men I have ever seen portrayed. His love for sister knows no bounds and I can express the same sentiment. I wish I could put into words how this book makes me feel, but every time I think of it the only word I can think of is 'home'.

Please give this book another chance since maybe you haven't read it since your teacher told you too in 9th grade, but I know it will change your life again and again. I learn something new about myself each and every time I read this book. It grows with me and I will continue to read it until the day I die.

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody"

Let's Help a Fellow BookBlogger

As a massive bibliophile with a large personal library, one of my biggest nightmares is a fire in which I lose all of my lovely book friends.

So when I heard about the tragic house fire that a fellow book blogger survived, I knew this was something I wanted to help with. A number of other blogs (such as Reading Teen, Mundie Moms and Twilight Moms) have banded together to replenish the library of Yara from Once Upon a Twilight. Her birthday is the end of February, so one of the goals is to have a big group of books together to give her on her birthday.

You can find all the information you need at the Restock Yara's Bookshelves Blog. There you will find links to donate money to help the family get back on their feet as well as links to book lists so you can see what has already been donated and what books they are suggesting Yara would like. They are asking people to only send books on the list or similar to the ones on the list so all the books can be ones Yara will love.

They are also collecting books for Yara's two sons who also lost all their books in the fire. That information can be found on the same blog. And of course, there's always the option of gift cards or e-cards so Yara and her boys can buy anything they want.

To pledge books and get mailing information you can check out the Donation Page.

I love the way this book blogging community bands together to help each other out! So a big thanks to the blogs that organized all of this. I've got my stack of books ready to mail out!

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Meet and Greet

As booksellers, we've been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet some great authors whether it was at our store, a trade event, or a road trip to an author signing.  Still there are many authors we haven't met.  Here is our wish list of authors we'd love to chat with.

Alan wants to meet Edgar Rice Burroughs.  If you've been reading this blog regularly, you'll remember that Alan is a big fan of this classic science-fiction writer who fostered his love of reading.

Claire would like to sit down with Alan Bradley and Alexander McCall Smith.  She loves Bradley's "Flavia de Luce" series and admires Smith's uncanny ability to write from a woman's perspective so well

Jess B. would've liked hole up with J.D. Salinger for a bit and tell him how much his works like "A Catcher in the Rye," inspired her.  If she did have the opportunity to meet him, I bet her cake pops would've roused him out of seclusion.

Jess P. would like to take a few minutes for some girl talk with Meg Cabot, the best-selling author who is most known for "The Princess Diaries" series.  Jess would to know Cabot was able to write other books in other YA genres like mystery and supernatural so well.  Cabot wrote other series like "1-800-WHERE-R-YOU," and "The Mediator" under pen names before she rose to fame.  Jess wants to know how Cabot feels about these books finally being released under her real name.

Mallory would've liked to have boarded a wagon with Laura Ingalls Wilder for a bit.  She would like to praise her for being able to write about her life with such detail.  Claire, who is also a writer, would've liked to have met her too.  As a fan of the TV show, I would've like to chat with her a bit as well and find out how she felt about the creative licenses the show took with her life story.

Naomi, wanted to have been able to make a trek to meet J.R.R. Tolkein to talk with him about his work with Icelandic Sagas and his creation of the Elvish language,  Dwarvish history and pretty much anything and everything about Middle-Earth, the Silmarillion and Roverandom.

Rachel, as readers of this blog are aware, is a huge Harry Potter fan.  Needless to say, her obvious choice of author to meet is J.K. Rowling.  However she said, "she's so magnificent that I fear that looking directly at her will destroy any mortal."  So instead she'd like to meet Chuck Klosterman.  She wants to make a great impression on him like the Cracker Barrel Kafka girl in "Killing Yourself to Live" but fears she'd end up saying "ohmagoshiloveyousomuchimahugefan."

Rebecca is currently working on a thesis about the works of LM. Montgomery.  She'd love to chat with the "Anne of Green Gables," author regarding research for her paper.  She wouldn't just be using this meet-up as a way to score an easy-A.  She is a fan of her books and would've loved the opportunity to get to know her better.

Like Rachel, I'm intimidated to meet one of my authors too.  Back when Bret Easton Ellis was promoting "Imperial Bedrooms," I passed on an opportunity to meet him at a signing in NYC.  I was too afraid to go all "fangirl" which I know he'd detest.  I would've to have asked him how much of "Lunar Park," was really his life story and what parts were totally fabricated.  Then I'd want to know if the parts he made up where things he'd wanted for himself in life or just pure fiction.  I'd also like to ask him what makes him decide to get up the middle of the night for to tweet movie reviews and random  musings on pop culture on Twitter.  

Now, who would you like to meet?  We'd love you to share with us!  Post below, "like" us on Facebook (look for Booksellers Without Borders NY," and follow us on Twitter, @borderlessbooks. 

One for the Money

When books are made into films, the transition is not always a good one.  When I first heard that a studio had brought the rights to Janet Evanovich's "One for the Money," the first in her best-selling "Stephanie Plum" series of mysteries, I was a little nervous.  This nervousness turned into downright outrage when I read that they'd cast the waifish, blonde, rom-com heroine, Katherine Heigl to play the petitie, curly brown haired, 130lbs Stephanie Plum.  I didn't think Ms. Heigl had the looks or the chops.

Then about a month ago, I finally saw a trailer for "One for the Money."  The producers sure got Stephanie's look down and the trailer was full of humor, adventure, and fun as are the book.  I put my preconceived notions aside and I started to get excited.  Then, last Friday I took a day off from work and made a movie date with my grandmother who is just as spirited, if not even more spirited than Stephanie's Grandma Mazur.

I was pleasantly surprised with the film.  Katherine Heigl was so good in the part that I forgot that she was that actress from "Grey's Anatomy," and totally bought into her as Stephanie.  There are over 18 books in the series but this film takes it all back to the beginning.  We're introduced to Stephanie Plum, a former lingerie buyer who is down on her luck after being fired and falling way behind on her bills.  Desperate for cash, she takes a job working for her weaselly cousin, Vinnie, a bail bondsman.  As a bounty hunter, Steph's first assignment is chasing down her former high-school crush, Joseph Morelli.  Joe, a cop with the Trenton Police has found himself on the other side of the law after skipping bail after getting mixed up in a shoot-out. Initially, she is excited to not only make $50,000.00 for the finders fee but to get her revenge on Joe after he broke her heart years ago.  Along the way, Stephanie learns the tricks to the bounty hunter trade by seasoned pro, Ranger.  She also receives unlikely assistance from a sweet and sassy hooker named Lula and even Joe Morelli himself who is desperate to clear his good name. 

I loved this movie.  Often times,when a book transitions into a film, the little details from the book get lost or changed.  Not here, Stephanie's apartment is just as tiny as described in the book.  She barely has a kitchen, it's more like a kitchenette and her dinning room, if you could call it that, consists of a tiny table with three mismatched chairs.  I was also super-excited to see her hamster Rex.  I was horrified the producers would turn Stephanie into a cat lady.  Not that there is anything wrong with cats, I am a cat lady !  Stephanie however is not.

The casting was also brilliant.  In the books Morelli is described as having dark curly hair, with beautiful eyes and muscles.  Jason O'Mara played this role to dreamy perfection.  The writers worked in all of Morelli's cheesy lines to endearing and not campy delight.

You had me at Cupcake 

Ironically, Daniel Sunjata, who plays Ranger is currently starring on "Grey's Anatomy."  He totally fit the cool, tough,mysterious, professional bounty hunter role of Ranger.  Sherri Sheppard is absolutely wonderful as the wild, spandex loving, wise-cracking hooker Lula.  Screen legend Debbie Reynolds is terrific as zanny Grandma Mazur.

There is one nitpicky thing that has been nagging me all week since I saw this movie.  Morelli drinks Yeungling beer?!  I thought he was a Bud man.  Oh well, the product placement worked well because I now have a case in my fridge for any sexy cop that wants to stop by.

This film is great for Plum fans and non Plum fans alike.  My grandmother has never read the books and enjoyed the movie as much as I did.  However, unlike Stephanie's grandmother, mine developed a soft spot for Morelli and not Ranger. Don't get me wrong, Ranger is great, just not our cup of tea.

This film was a great set-up for future installments and if they are as good as this first one, I hope there are many more films to come.  As the novels progress, more and more fun characters are added to the Plum universe.  I would kill to see Sally Sweet come to life on the big screen !  Fans of the books, will know what I'm talking about.  If you don't know, go read the books ! Just skip over "Finger Lickin' Fifteen,"  it wasn't finger lickin'.  And go see "One for the Money," in theaters !!!  You won't be disappointed.  It was PLUM PERFECT ! 

African-American Science Fiction and Fantasy Titles

February is Black History Month. It is a time to celebrate and reflect on the contributions of African-Americans that have enriched our culture as a whole. It is a time for learning and walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. Reading is a great way to get out of your comfort zone, get out of your own head and learn about another person’s culture through the stories he or she shares. Here are three selections from African-American Science Fiction and Fantasy authors you may or may not know about.



The first book is The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany. The story is loosely based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The main character is Lo Lobey. He is a member of the alien race that has replaced humanity on Earth after our demise. Their world is full of the relics of history; all the trash and treasure that was left behind. Everything is scavenged including the myths and legends of world culture. Lo Lobey wears the story of Orpheus the way a person would wear a coat. It slips on and off in this tale creating something entirely new and beautiful.

The second book is Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. It is the story of Dana. Dana is a modern black woman living in Los Angles in 1976. Suddenly, for reasons never fully understood, she is whisked away to Maryland in the 1800’s. Dana is summoned by Rufus, a scared white child, who eventually becomes a bitter plantation owner fitting with the times. Dana only appears to assist Rufus when his life is in danger. Each time she goes back, the stays become longer. Dana must keep her wits about her in a world where she is another person’s property and has no tangible rights. One of Rufus’s illegitimate children will be Dana’s direct ancestor; adding to the complexity of Dana’s situation. This book delves into the psychology and history behind being a slave as the author conveys a realistic account of slavery to the reader. This book is a challenging and important work. It is a one-of-a-kind literary experience.

The last book on the list is The Opposite House by Helen Oyeyemi. It is about a young woman named Maja. The story is set in London as Maja deals with living in a foreign country as a woman who is the child Afro-Cuban exiles. She feels lost and seems to be sleepwalking through her life. This story is juxtaposed against a story of the gods and goddesses of Santeria. Each deity is disguising itself as a Catholic Saint to survive in the modern world. This story is an urban fantasy with a post-colonial voice. It is about feeling alien and lonely in a world full of people who are all supposed to act identically and change themselves according to social norms.

Society is changed and built by innovators; whether it is through inventions, philosophies or words. America has a sorted and complex history. We celebrate changes while asking our citizens to forget the parts of our country’s collective past that are shameful. Our culture becomes so concerned with preserving one specific history that many voices become marginalized. Black History Month is about hearing different stories, different truths and different points of view. Happy Reading.