Over T-giving break, read The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner. It wasn't what I thought it'd be, but I still loved it. I love that she learns swordplay, and I love that the author isn't afraid to explore sexuality in the novel.

Recently:

Hysterical Blondness by Suzanne MacPherson - This got a good review in Romantic Times (we get this at my internship) and I was excited about reading it... the story sounded interesting, after all. It's about a brunette who turns blonde after taking a weight loss pill. But I found the heroine totally unlikeable after she turned blonde. So, I hated most of this book.

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman - I loved loved loved this book! I thought the author did a great job of retelling the P&P story that's been retold a million times. It was great, esp. cause I was never sure who the heroine would end up with.

The Decoy Princess and Princess at Sea by Dawn Cook - I definitely enjoyed the story of these two books, but I feel like the writing leaves something to be desired. I don't know how to describe what I mean without sounding snotty, so I'll leave it at that.

Firebirds Rising edited by Sharyn November - I loved this second anthology of the Firebird imprint! I was leery of the sci fi entries, but when I read them, I enjoyed them a great deal! Plus, the Sharon Shinn story was adorable.

Which reminds me- have read all the Twelve Houses books by Sharon Shinn. Great writing and fun read!

Reread the Thursday Next novels by Jasper Fforde. Phwoagh. I am in love with that man.

Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty - Lovely, but also much more melancholy than her previous two. College experiences. Again, so relatable.

No time to read anything else. Up to my ears in manuscripts.

Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty - so good. Period. I don't know if I'm used to the voice yet, but she is so honest about lots of things that most YA authors aren't.

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich - Really great, classic Evanovich. She really is back on top of her stuff.

Ha, after bashing The Au Pairs, read the next two books in the series quickly, chomping them down like nobody's business.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen - good YA fiction about a girl who is being shunned by her best friend. Apparently two of her previous books inspired the god awful How To Deal movie starring Mandy Moore. Why is it that movies can never get the soul of a book right?

Little White Lies by Gemma Townley - another cutsey chick lit book. Ending tied up nicely, I suppose.

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell - interesting and thought-provoking look into snap judgements and their accuracy (pretty good, as it happens).

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld - definitely well written, and I could relate to so many things the narrator conveyed, but there was something so melancholy about this book. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl - delicious (is that cheesy?) memoir of her days as the New York Times food critic.

Perfume by Patrick Suskind - an intriguing look at a brilliant misfit who has no odor and yet has the best nose ever.

The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz - gossipy fun, produced by Alloy/17th Street productions, of course. It has that same tone as the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books, but not as well-written.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Another well-written book about a girl who falls in love with a vampire. Hmm, just writing that makes it sound silly, but it really isn't.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Again, Ms. Hale does the job and she does it well. Deft, light touch, and beautiful.

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde. Clever as always, but I felt like this new series lacked a little something. Maybe it was just because I'd forgotten most nursery rhymes and therefore couldn't get some of the jokes, but I felt like the story got a bit caught up in itself.