I have always been open about the fact that I adore Susan Dennard’s Witchlands series. I own all of her books in US hardbacks, but since I want to share the love for this amazing young adult fantasy series with other fans, and maybe make a couple of fans more in the process, I decided to host an international giveaway for the first two of her books!
Read MoreLike many of us, at the end of each year, I scramble, trying to finish and wrap up what seems to be like a million things. I need to make lists of things to do before the end and of things to do in a new year. I need to summarize my year and think of the best and worst books I read, movies I watched, places I went, etc.
It is all about making lists and running around, constantly overcome by the feeling of the time speeding up to the light speed.
Read MoreProtect their community or protect their discovery?
Read MoreDo you need a TIFF membership to get the best out of your festival experience?
Read More
Guess what I am doing in August? ?
A book blogger friend at Read.Sleep.Repeat is hosting an annual ARC August challenge, and I decided to participate! This means that in the month of August I have to try and read as many ARCs as I can. It is a great way to tackle some of those books that have been sitting on my shelf.
There will be a readathon on August 4-5, which I doubt I would be able to participate in since I will be in NYC, but I will try. There is also going to be a bookish bingo, that I am very excited about! And the best part - you can potentially win some bookish prizes!! ?
Use hashtag #ARCAugust on social media to track your progress and see how others are doing. (You can follow me @foxcloudsblog on Twitter and Instagram.)
Now, onto my ARC August TBR.
My main goal is to read a bunch of eARCs that I have sitting on my Kindle - and I have a lot of them. Some of them have been waiting to be read for months. (It is making me rather anxious.) But of course, I have physical ARCs on my TBR too.
My top priorities are "City of Ghosts" by Victoria Schwab, "The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein" by Kiersten White, and "Seafire" by Natalie C. Parker. The rest I will read if I have time. (I hope I will as I am very excited about all of these!)
*"The Unbinding of Mary Reade" is actually not an ARC. This is the final copy from the library, but I was sent an eARC of this book, I just didn't read it on time in June. ?
Aren't they all wonderful books? ?? Can't wait to start ARC August!
I will have an ARC August TBR video on my channel next week.
Cheers!
N.
YAYOI KUSAMA: INFINITY MIRRORS
March 3 – May 27, 2018
Information about the artist and the exhibit are taken from Art Gallery of Ontario website. All photos and opinions are mine.
Guided by her unique vision and unparalleled creativity, critically acclaimed artist Yayoi Kusama has been breaking new ground for more than six decades. In 1993, she became the first woman to have a solo presentation at the Venice Biennale’s Japanese Pavilion, and in 2016, Time magazine named her one of the world’s most influential people.
Born in 1929, Kusama grew up near her family’s plant nursery in Matsumoto, Japan. At nineteen, following World War II, she went to Kyoto to study the traditional Japanese style of painting known as Nihonga. During this time, she began experimenting with abstraction, but it was not until she arrived in the United States, in 1957, that her career took off. Living in New York from 1958 to 1973, Kusama moved in avant-garde circles with such figures as Andy Warhol and Allan Kaprow while honing her signature dot and net motifs, developing soft sculpture, creating installation-based works, and staging Happenings (performance-based events). She first used the mirror as a multi-reflective device in Infinity Mirror Room—Phalli’s Field, 1965, transforming the intense repetition that marked some of her earlier works into an immersive experience. Kusama returned to Japan in 1973 but has continued to develop her mirrored installations, and over the years, she has attained cult status, not only as an artist, but as a novelist.
Experience infinity: From her immersive infinity rooms to mesmerizing paintings and playful sculptures, Yayoi Kusama welcomes you to participate in her extraordinary and innovative explorations of time and space.
Infinity may be a difficult concept to grasp, but it is easy to contemplate when you step inside one of artist Yayoi Kusama’s iconic Infinity Mirror Rooms in the exhibition Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors. Rich with key works from the contemporary Japanese artist’s significant 65-year career, this major exhibition also shows the evolution of her immersive, multi-reflective installations, in which she invites you to share in her unique vision.
Immerse yourself in six of these kaleidoscopic environments where you will be endlessly reflected within fantastic landscapes. You’ll also see Kusama’s mesmerizing and intimate drawings, her early Infinity Net paintings in which nets organically expand along the surface of a canvas like cell formations, and her surreal sculptural objects. These key works join more than 90 works on view, including large and vibrant paintings, sculptures, works on paper, as well as rare archival materials.
The 88-year-old artist continues to work at a brisk pace in her Tokyo studio. The exhibition features the North American debut of numerous new works. Her most recent painting series, My Eternal Soul (2009–present), may be the greatest surprise. Exuberant in colour and paired with sculptures that bear titles such as My Adolescence in Bloom, they mark a striking progression in the use of Kusama’s signature symbol of the polka dot. Also on view in North America for the first time is the recently realized Infinity Mirror Room, All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins, 2016 , a field of yellow, dotted pumpkins spreading into infinity.
In addition to the paintings, sculptures, drawings and environments, viewers will encounter posters, letters, cards, and invitations that relate to Kusama’s early exhibitions and events—including her first solo show, which took place in Seattle—a slideshow of Kusama’s performances as well as an interview with the artist filmed on the occasion of this exhibition.
I do not consider myself to be an expert in any art, but Infinity Mirrors by Kusama made me think about how the art has evolved over the years with the world. Lights, mirrors, stuffed tubers, lanterns, and big polka dot balls wouldn't seem to be such appealing art objects were they not presented in small rooms, in which only few people are admitted at a time, and what a short time it is! Twenty to thirty seconds with an art installation is barely enough to make an impression of it, less so to take a selfie. And this is what it's been, really - people rushing to see Infinity Mirrors only to post their moving and still photos on Snapchat and Instagram, feeding to the popularity of the exhibit.
The lack of supply increases the value of the product. People, myself included, are willing to stand in lines to each little room for the sake of spending less than a minute inside a kaleidoscopic environment. It is crazy when you think about it.
One of my favourites was the only room where we were not allowed to take pictures. And that was "All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins" - those pumpkins were gorgeous. And now I want a nightlamp shaped as one.
The last installation was a simple white room that invites the audience to deface it - it was fun but did not feel new or original enough. Although seeing how high up some visitors were willing to go was fun on its own.
My dots are hiding somewhere here, invisible among all others.
"Infinity Mirrors" really stretched my depth perception. One room had flashing lights. The polka dots hurt my eyes when I was trying to edit the photos. This exhibit was a sensory overload - so, I suggest you proceed with caution if you do not do well with that. My constant fear was - since in every room except for the last one, we were either in the dark or on a narrow catwalk - that I might lose balance and fall into the art.
Would I have become a part of the exhibit?
May 17, 2018
In a new series Publishers Weekly has listed as “one of the most anticipated YA's of 2018”, we're excited to share the cover for Bring Me Their Hearts! NYT bestselling author Sara Wolf delivers a fast-paced, gritty fantasy sure to thrill fans of Holly Black, Sabaa Tahir, and Sarah J. Maas.
Zera is a Heartless—the immortal, unaging soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum: if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy Zera’s heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him—every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him—until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Literally.
Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things. When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as the Lovely Vicious series. She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.
***
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/bring-me-their-hearts.html
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07232WZBF
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bring-me-their-hearts-sara-wolf/1126358416
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bring-me-their-hearts/id1237042410
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bring-me-their-hearts
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35144326-bring-me-their-hearts
When I started thinking of writing this post, I didn’t even suspect that there might be different ways of reading Sherlock Holmes stories. Naturally, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was rather prolific, in spite of his developed frustration with the character that brought him fame, but it never occured to me that somebody could read the stores not in the publicated order - because it was the way I read them as a child.
I don’t remember how I was introduced to Sherlock Holmes stories. They seem, just like The Three Musketeers (although with that book I do remember the first time I read it), to always have been in my life. I think that it might have been my grandfather who introduced me to Sherlock Holmes. Or perhaps, I watched the tv show first. I honestly can not recall.
However, I do remember always reading the stories by starting with A Study in Scarlet.
Here is the list of all stories in chronological order by the publication date (taken from Baker Street Wiki):
After looking into some forums and discussions and thinking about it, I was surprised to see that many people suggest skipping A Study in Scarlet, as it is the first story written by Doyle and therefore not as polished and a bit too long, and just dive into The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and then The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.
Well, personally, I would not skip A Study in Scarlet, no matter how boring it is, as it introduces the main characters to us and just like the first episode of many Sherlock Holmes adaptations - you don’t want to miss that.
So, in honour of January being a Sherlock Holmes reading month and the read-a-long #SHReads18, I decided to introduce you to my favourite reading order of all Sherlock Holmes stories. I am participating in this January event, however, I have a bigger goal in mind. One of my reading challenges for 2018 is to re-read all of Sherlock Holmes stories and for that I am listening to them as audiobooks - the complete collection of stories read by Stephen Fry (one of my most favourite narrators)! The complete collection is an exclusive production by Audible and was released last year.
As I am writing this, I have already listened to A Study in Scarlet and started on The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Follow me on GoodReads, if you want to follow me on my epic re-read :)
There is no right or wrong way to read the stories - besides Doyle himself sometimes messed up facts and dates. However, The Final Problem and The Empty House have to be read together as they are tied in plot. Save The Hound of the Baskervilles for the last, as it is pretty good.
Here is my reading order, in which I will be doing this:
IV. The Valley of Fear (novel, 1914-15)
(or read this novel between the stories from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, but before The Final Problem)
It is not, by any means, a strict reading order. I might mix things as I go, but if you are new to Sherlock Holmes stories or haven’t had a chance to read them all - I hope you find my little guide handy.
December came and went in such a quick flash that it took me by surprise. I, unsurprisingly, failed at Blogmas. But now I am ready to revive my blog once again. And what can be better but reading & blogging goals?
In 2017, my reading/theatre goals were simple:
I also wanted to read one book in French and one book in German, and I didn’t even come close to doing that. So, I am going to try again in 2018.
I am mostly satisfied with 2017 as my reading year, although I read a lot of short fiction but not enough solid novels, and most of them were Young Adult. Plus, I purchased way more books than I read, so in 2018 I decided to additionally challenge myself.
I set additional reading challenges for myself as my goal this year to seriously dig into the books I own and either read them and unhaul them or donate them.
Additionally, I aim to:
I am very satisfied with my goals. I feel that they all I fairly achievable. I struggle the most with maintaining my schedule as my work and life sometimes get in the way of blogging, but I am willing to make a conscientious effort to get better at it. I am making this post for the record and to keep myself accountable ?
Cheers!
(Let's pretend it is still December 2 and my French doesn't suck. ??) Aujourd’hui je suis allé a le 25e salon du livre de Toronto. C’est arrivé dans la bibliothèque de référence. Je étudie françaises c’est pourquoi notre professor a invitée nous là-bas. Nous avons regarde une présentation du livres pour enfants. Quelques livres est sur la famille et enfants. Quelques livres est sur adventure et science-fiction pour adolescents.
Il y avait un loterie et j'ai gagné un livre! La title est « Mica, fille de Transyl ». Très cool.
Voilà, voici les photos.
