Happy New Year! What a 2013! Hillside saw some massive renovations, Bolen Books underwent our own renovations, we had a fantastic event season, and a
Happy New Year!
What a 2013! Hillside saw some massive renovations, Bolen Books underwent our own renovations, we had a fantastic event season, and a great (if busy) run up to Christmas! Now, with 2013 behind us, and 2014 under way, it's time to start looking forward to what's in stock over the next while. We have some excellent reviews for you, we're working on some new and exciting events behind the scenes, and we're looking forward to starting the new year!
Alison Recommends
The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente
Catherynne M. Valente's book, The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two, manages the impressive feat of living up to its predecessors. The third book in the Fairyland series, it brings a more mature outlook to the world of Fairyland without making the story dark or pessimistic. It deals with September, the protagonist of the series, entering her teenage years and learning to interact with Fairyland on the level of a young adult rather than a child. Her fear that she is getting too old to return to her beloved Fairyland is sharp and real, something children on the verge of their teenage years and adults well past their childhoods alike can identify with. The Fairyland books are that rare series that can be truly enjoyed by any age, or at many ages; Valente writes with such richness and depth, that there is always more to find no matter how many times the book is re-read. For all its complexity, though, it's a story that never fails to be fun and often very funny. If you're looking for an adventure, look no further than this powerful and (that rarest of creatures in the fantasty genre) utterly original series.
Corey Recommends
Land of Second Chances by Tim Lewis
Though ostensibly a book about the development of Rwanda's national cycling team, and Adrien Niyonshuti's eventual rise to become the first Rwandan cyclist to ride in the European peloton, Tim Lewis deftly sets Land of Second Chances against the backdrop of a country still recovering from a genocide (this April marks twenty years since it occurred). Into this historical framework, Lewis weaves the main players: the afore-mentioned Niyonshuti, who survived the genocide (though his six brothers did not) and dreams of one day riding in the Olympics. Tom Ritchey, one of the forefathers of mountain-biking, who came to Rwanda on a personal mission. And Jonathan Boyer, the first American to ride in the Tour De France, trying to repair a tarnished reputation and who hopes to help place the Rwandan cycling team on the world stage.
More than just a sports biography, Land of Second Chances is an interesting look at the efforts made to not so much forget the horrors of the Rwandan genocide, but gives us a microcosm look at the nation's efforts to move past it.
Tim Recommends
Shooting Victoria by Paul Thomas Murphy
A unique perspective on an important era of British history, Paul Thomas Murphy's Shooting Victoria is a masterfully written, comprehensive look at the bizarre assortment of attempts on the life of Queen Victoria and how they shaped her reign, Britain, and the future of the monarchy. Murphy lays out Victoria's early years, her rise to power, and how her efforts to restore the public's support of the monarchy in a time of unrest inspired attempts on her life by assailants ranging from political radicals to the deranged. Murphy shows how these attempts, malicious as they were, afforded Victoria the determination to strengthen support for the monarchy in Britain and create a royal legacy that lives strong there and throughout the commonwealth today. (A legacy which includes dozens of cities named for her!).
Though at first glance daunting at 520 pages, Murphy's blow-by-blow writing style brings each of these attempts alive in a page turning fashion that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't put this book down. Murphy's done his homework, and combined with his fluid and approachable writing style, Shooting Victoria makes for an expertly assembled and highly recommended read for history enthusiasts everywhere.
Shawn Recommends
Cockpit Confidential by Patrick Smith
If you've ever had even a crumb of curiosity about the airline industry or life as a pilot, then Cockpit Confidential will certainly fascinate you. Sure, there are plenty of "tell-all" websites and books on this topic, but none have been as personable or informative as Cockpit Confidential. Patrick Smith handles decades worth of air travel, myths, and quandaries with remarkable clarity and honesty.
This is also a great gift for anyone who enjoys travelling. Be warned though, the person you give this to will likely regale you with heaps of interesting anecdotes.
Alanna Recommends
Pegasus by Robin McKinley
Robin McKinley's fantasy novels are always intricate and beautifully written, and Pegasus is no exception. In Princess Sylviianel's world, royal children are bound to a Pegasus on their twelfth birthday as part of the alliance between humans and pegasi. The two peoples cannot speak each other's language, instead relying on rudimentary sign language and magicians called Speakers to communicate. However, somehow Sylvi and her Pegasus, Ebon, can speak with each other - and this causes conflict between them and those who would fight to keep the old ways, the rules they have lived by for hundreds of years. This is a tale of strong friendship, of challenging the status quo, and of wonder. Once you've inhabited the world of the pegasi, you won't want to leave it.
