So, I'm still working my way through Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, but I am loving every page. It's an excellent book - look for my review sometime soon (hopefully). I'm trying to finish it quickly so I can go onto my last book for the R.I.P. II Challenge - Lord of the Rings. Definitely stay tuned! In the meantime, I wanted to mention a few things:

First, I was so inspired by (I was going to insert the name of the blogger here, but I can't remember who it was!) that I went to the library the other day WITHOUT a list. I never do that, but I thought I could benefit from a little spontaneity. So, I grabbed Garden Spells by Sarah Addison and The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle, both of which are on my TBR list. Then, I just went crazy and grabbed a couple more that I had never heard of. One is Family Skeletons by Rett MacPherson, which is the story of a historian/geneaologist who is hired to look into the disappearance of a friend's father, who left for WWII and never came home. I thought it looked fun. The other is Margaret's Peace by Linda Hall. It's about a woman who returns to her childhood home after her daughter's death only to find herself caught up in long-hidden family secrets. Love those family secrets! They make for such juicy books. So, anyway, we'll see what I think of this pile of novels.

Secondly, I wanted to give a shout out to Eva, for motivating me take my book list to a whole new level of OCD-driven organization. Just this morning, I was perusing it and realizing how many book suggestions I get from book blogs. So, thank you, book bloggers! I subscribe to the feeds of many of your blogs and read them religiously. It's so nice to have this wonderful book-minded community in the blogosphere.

Thirdly, I signed up for a new challenge. Read all about it on my companion blog, Up For A Challenge.

Lastly, I wanted to mention a magazine I enjoy called Bookmarks. It's a great magazine that features book reviews, author interviews and other bookish items. I mention it because the editor asked subscribers to spread the word via blogs and reviews, so that the magazine can stay in business, unlike my former fave Pages. The subscription is a bit pricey, but it's worth it. You can find this magazine at bookstores, but they receive more of your money if you purchase a subscription.

Okay, that's it. Back to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Have I mentioned how much I love this book??

So, I had a book crisis as I was packing for Lake Powell: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell would not fit into my suitcase. I even traded my husband suitcases, so I'd have more room. Nope. The novel was just too big. So, I ended up taking The Woman in Black by Susan Hill instead. I admit a Victorian ghost story is an odd thing to read at bright, sunny Lake Powell, but I enjoyed it.

This novel has all the elements of a classic ghost story - a lonely setting, a creaky old mansion, and a resident ghost. It also contains a young solicitor eager to advance in his law firm. The lawyer, Arthur Kipps, receives an assignment to travel from his home in London to the remote town of Crythin Gifford. There, he will settle the affairs of Mrs. Drablow, the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House. Flattered to be given such an important mission, Arthur heads off on his adventure. He finds the people in Crythin Gifford friendly enough, although no one will talk about Mrs. Drablow. Their reticence piques Arthur's curiosity. As he visits the spinster's home, goes through her papers and talks to her neighbors, he slowly pieces together her mysterious story. The clues appear to him in ghostly forms: a malevolent woman in black; the sounds of a child crying at night on the lonely marshes; and an eerily well-preserved nursery. Although the search for Mrs. Drablow's secrets haunts him, Arthur cannot keep himself away from the ghosts and the mystery. His obsession takes a toll on him physically, which is nothing compared to what the woman in black will eventually steal from him.

Despite the subject of this novel, I found the tone quite warm, especially at first. As Arthur travelled to Crythin Gifford, however, it got more sinister. The descriptions of the lonely little town and its haunted marshes made me shiver. Still, it seemed to be a pretty cozy, predictable ghost story. Except it wasn't. I predicted a typical happy end to the story, but it didn't happen. The book ends abruptly, in about the bleakest way possible. Although it makes sense, I really wanted a good, satisfying end to Arthur's story. So, since I really enjoyed the book, but didn't like the ending, I'm giving it a solid B.

I have an excuse for being M.I.A. this week - I'm wading through Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It was a little slow for me at first, but now I'm loving it. The book is enormous, so I'll post a review when I finish it (around March, at this rate). I rarely read two

Everyone knows the story of Cinderella: a young peasant woman marries handsome Prince Charming after winning his hand with the help of her Fairy Godmother. The couple, of course, lives happily ever after. But, what if it didn't really happen that way? What if Cinderella earned the prince's attention through her own pluck and cleverness? And what if happily ever after wasn't all that happy after all? These questions form the backbone of Margaret Peterson Haddix's young adult novel, Just Ella.

Our heroine is Ella Brown, a 15-year-old girl who's engaged to marry handsome Prince Charming. Although she's thrilled to be luxuriating in the palace instead of waiting on the "Step Evils" (her stepmother and stepsisters, who made her their servant after the death of her father) hand and foot, she's beginning to realize that being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be. For one thing, she's confined to the castle where her every movement is dictated by what is appropriate for a princess (needlework; bridal gown fittings; and stiff, chaperoned conversations with the prince) and what is not (mingling with servants; watching sporting events; and lifting a finger to do servants' work). Under the critical eye of Madame Bisset, her decorum instructor, Ella tries to mold herself into a perfect princess, but the strain is killing her. In addition to the stress of adjusting to this new life, Ella finds herself at the center of the castle's juiciest morsel of gossip - everyone seems to be twittering about how she bamboozled the prince through the use of her Fairy Godmother's magic. Knowing it was her own cleverness that got her into the castle, Ella finds the rumor downright insulting. "I'd done something everybody told me I couldn't," she thinks, "I'd changed my life all by myself. Having a fairy godmother would have ruined everything" (56). All of this, however, pales in comparison to the prince himself. Sure, he's handsome, but he doesn't seem to have an original thought in his gorgeous head. Worst of all, he's attracted to Ella only for her beauty. With relief, Ella realizes that not only is he not in love with her, but she's not the least bit in love with him.

The solution to Ella's miserable situation seems simple: tell the prince how she feels, break the engagement, and get on with life. To her surprise, it's not that simple. The Charming Family does not look kindly on scandal, a fact Ella discovers when she wakes up in the castle's dungeon. Madame Bisset informs her that she will be released only when she is ready to face her duties as a princess. Knowing she can never live such a confined life, Ella resolves to find her way out of the castle the same way she got herself into it - through her own skill and cunning.

Although Just Ella isn't my most favorite story by Haddix, I enjoyed reading this re-telling of Cinderella. I loved the idea of this novel. It answers all the questions Disney glossed over: How does a girl who has been so abused live life in a constant state of happiness and optimism? (Answer: She doesn't. She resents her stepmother/sisters) How do two people fall madly in love after dancing for a couple of hours? (Answer: They don't - it's merely lust) How does a commoner adjust to a completely different life as a princess? (Answer: Blood, sweat and tears). As always with Haddix's books, I found the most interesting part of this novel to be the deeper issues she explores, like the true nature of love, the true nature of evil, and the laziness of the overindulged.

Don't fret if you're looking for a quick, exciting read, because this story has that, too. The plot is lively, if somewhat predictable. It also features a wonderful heroine who has a keen mind and the courage to use it. All I'm saying is that this is a multi-faceted book, with many layers of meaning ... see why Haddix is my new favorite young adult author?

Grade: B+ because it was good, but not so good that I have to shout it from the rooftops