The Bookslingers Bookslinging Podcast #16: Which podcast is this again?

The 2012 Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Awards Shortlist has been announced! As have the 2012 Joe Shuster Awards.

No Book of the Week this week, but instead, a theme: pirate books! Some good pirates as well as some bad pirates, and some discussion of how if you attack other ships and steal their stuff, you're still a pirate, no matter what you call yourself or how favourably you are looked upon by the Queen of England.

Books from this week's podcast:

• The Sleeping Army by Francesca Simon
• Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
• The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (and because this book is now in the public domain, have an e-book link!
• Lady Grace Mysteries: Betrayal by Grace Cavendish
• Peter And The Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

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The Bookslingers Bookslinging Podcast #15: Twin Spica Special

This week in books, there has been a predictably pearl-clutching study revealing that - DUN DUN DUUUUUUN - there are swear words in young adult novels. The "study" comes out of Brigham-Young University, so take that with a grain (or a canister) of salt, since this is the same university that requires its student body to sign a pledge enforcable by the morality police. More important info about said "study:" apparently "fart" is an obscenity. Who knew? (Normally this is where we would link to the article, but we don't really want to give this thing more links, so if you really want to read it, you are more than welcome to Google) I don't know about you guys, but as a teenager, I'm pretty sure most of my cussing vocabulary was not coming from such "profane" tomes as Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Maybe I was just reading wrong?

Also, Steve Jobs has been made into a children's book, this time in the form of his very own volume in the "Who Was" series, which is meant to educate children about important historical figures. Please enjoy the highly entertaining cover.

The Nebula Awards have been... awarded! Winners of various Nebula-related prizes include the ever-excellent Neil Gaiman and Her Awesomeness, Connie Willis (this is her new title).

This week is our long-promised (and possibly very disappointing?) Twin Spica Special! It is composed mainly of long, fraught pauses and mournful sighs. Pro Tip: We recommend not reading the last three issues of this manga on public transit (unless you really enjoy crying in public, then go nuts).

Books from this week's podcast:

• Twin Spica by Kou Yaginuma
• Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen
• The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg
• Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
• Water Wars Cameron Stracher
• Blood Secret Kathryn Lasky
• Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

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Review: Chime by Franny Billingsley

Chime is the story of Briony, who thinks she's going to burn in Hell. Briony lives in a town where witches are hanged, and she's also spent the past several years believing herself not only a witch, but responsible for all the ills of her family.

Enter the Hot Guy, AKA: the Lion Boy, AKA: Eldric.

Eldric is clever, and kind, and interesting - all the things that Briony Does Not Need, considering how busy she is denying herself anything that makes her happy.

The Bookslingers Bookslinging Podcast #14: In Which Miss Corene Suffers from Political Distraction

Today is World Book Night! Day! Night!

If you're in the UK, US or Ireland, anyway. If you're not, it's just Monday.

It's the 60th anniversary of Charlotte's web!

Also, Charles Dickens and J.R.R. Tolkien's heirs are writing a children's book! It will probably be very long. (And probably also good! Which I say so that Corene won't hit me! (I kid. I'm sure it will be awesome. But she's a little... intense about Dickens. A little.)

Books from this week's podcast:

• The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
• Bud, Not Buddy by
• The View from Saturday by
• Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan

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New book! New book! New book!

*Swoon*

New Grace Lin! Starry River of the Sky looks to be every bit as gorgeous as Lin's last middle grade novel, the award-winning Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

Starry River of the Sky is available on October 2nd, 2012.

The Bookslingers Bookslinging Podcast #13: It isn't that we hate ALL the books

The American Library Association has released their list of Most Challenged Books of 2011. On this year's list are Lauren Myracle's TTYL series (for "religious viewpoint," whatever that means, among other reasons), the ever-favoured (see what I did there?) The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, whose most hilarious reason is "occult/satanic" (WE HAVE NO IDEA EITHER) and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. Check it out! As responsible adults we are honour-bound to recommend you read every single one of these books, in the spirit of things-people-want-to-make-sure-you-can't-read-are-probably-worth-reading-for-one-reason-or-another.

This year's School Library Journal Battle of the Kids' Books has come to an end, and the winner is... *drumroll* Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt!

We... were not overwhelmed with awe and amazement over this week's Book of the Week. We promise, we're going to review a book we actually like for next podcast.

Books from this week's podcast:

• Agatha H and the Airship City by Phil and Kaja Foglio
• The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
• Freshman: Tales of 9th Grade Obsessions, Revelations, and Other Nonsense by Corinne Mucha
• Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver
• A Study in Sherlock edited by Laurie R. King
• Twin Spica Volume 11 by Kou Yaginuma
• The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
• The Countdown by Deborah Wiles
• The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty

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The Bookslingers Bookslinging Podcast, Special Video Edition: Nerds in the Wild; Emerald City Comicon 2012

Sorry guys, no download link for the video - yet. I'm still fighting with Premiere, which has gotten a good deal more complicated to use since I last used it in 2003. o.O

This week's Special Video Edition is brought to you on-location at Seattle's Emerald City Comicon, with Special Guest Host Pippa of coincidentalreality.com. Learn about cons (if you've never been to one), nerds in the wild, and watch as I conscript those around me into taking part. Good times!

Books from this week's podcast:

• Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
• Feed by M.T. Anderson
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
• The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé
• The Wump World by Bill Peet

The Bookslingers Bookslinging Podcast #12: All the horrible stuff is already in your head

Have you seen The Hunger Games yet? Despite Miss Corene's reservations, I recommend it. It was pretty great.

The Atlantic Book Awards shortlist is out! Check it out here. It has Janet McNaughton on it.

Are you following the School Library Journal's Battle of the Books? Because it's getting pretty intense.


Books from this week's podcast:

• Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien
• I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
• Everything by John Bellairs
• Lips Touch: Three Times by Taylor Laini
• The Ogre of Oglefort by Eva Ibbotson
• So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson
• A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka
• Samantha on a Roll by Linda Ashman
• Dumpling Days by Grace Lin
• In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
• My Name is Mina (Skellig, #2) by David Almond
• The Locked Garden by Gloria Whelan
• Pie by Sarah Weeks
• Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
• Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin

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'Parently Miss Corene Only Reads Books with Girls With Pretty Dresses on the Cover

We have a new feature here at Bookslingers: Books of the Future!

*crickets*

Okay, it's a title in progress. It's the best that I could do after running out of Scottish Breakfast Tea (the only tea strong enough to wake me up in the morning. It's like a flying Scotsman kick to the head). A snappier title will happen as soon as I restock. Alternate titles were Coming Down the Pipeline and Books on the Brink. Consider yourselves lucky.   

Miss Corene will be writing the first Books of the Future feature because she hasn't told Miss Maiar that we have a new feature. Surprise!

Alternate Title: The Pith Helmets of Adorableness

The third in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Wood. Third in the Lemony Snicket-esque romp through Victorian high society with mysterios hair dye, children who were raised by wolves and a very proper young governess whose past is shrouded in shrouds.  

Release Date: March 27th, 2012
Excitement Level: Awoooooooooo!

Alternate Title: Did I Just Light My Dress on Magic Fire?

Kat, Incorrigible = Jane Austen + magic tea pots
Renegade Magic = Jane Austen + magic mosaics?


Release Date: April 3, 2012
Excitement Level: Mrs. Bennett's nerves

Alternate Title: FitzOsbornes vs the Sunrise

Third in the Montmaray Journals series which reads like the impoverished and political astute Mitfords. Think I Capture the Castle meets Love in a Cold Climate making out with Jeeves and Wooster in Lynne Olson's Troublesome Young Men's broom closet.

Release Date: October 9th, 2012
Excitement Level: Winston Churchill guffaw

Alternate Title: Courtship & Curses & Where Did the Top of My Face Go?

Third in the Chronicles of Leland Sisters. Loved the first in the series (Bewitching Season), have to admit I was less thrilled about the second (Betraying Season - does everyone in Ireland have to be a charming rogue?) and excited about the third's deliciously purple cover.

Release Date: August 7, 2012
Excitement Level: Giant brooch of financial mismanagement:

I will never tire of making Ever After references. Ever.

The Bookslingers Bookslinging Podcast #11: Why you shouldn't trust swamp logic

You probably already know this, unless you've been living underneath a rock, or possibly a rock at the very bottom of the ocean, but the movie based on Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games comes out March 23rd. Apparently tickets are already nearing sold-out status in a lot of North American cities, to a point that might actually surpass the sales for the last Twilight movie. While I plan to see the movie and Corene does not (citing lingering trauma from the first book), we can agree on greeting this as positive news, if only to beat out Twilight in something.

It's Children's Book Week soon, and voting opens on March 14th! You can see the 2012 finalists here.


Books from this week's podcast:

• Chime by Frannie Billingsley
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Timeless by Gail Carriger
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
• The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
• Horton Halfpott OR The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor OR The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset by Tom Angleberger

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