Speculative Chic year-end roundup

Posted on December 20, 2016 by janicu

If you aren’t a reader of Speculative Chic, the other blog I contribute to, here’s a run down of what I’ve posted there this year.

Ancillary Mercy by Ann Lecki My review of Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

I reviewed Ancillary Mercy, the third and final installment of the Imperial Radch trilogy, over at Speculative Chic as part of our series on 2016 Hugo nominees. I may not have reviewed Ancillary Justice and Ancillary Sword (books one and two) anywhere — and that needs to be rectified at some point, but I have read them. I’d say Ancillary Justice blew my mind, and the other two cemented Leckie as an author to keep reading.

super-extra-grande-by-yoss My review of Super Extra Grande by Yoss

Super Extra Grande was an impulse read picked up from the library based on the back blurb and the slim size (I can’t often commit to longer books anymore). It’s about a veterinarian that specializes on ginormous space animals, so of course I wanted to read it.

sff-geek-list1 A Geekish Gift Guide – this year instead of posting my usual bookish gift guide, I created a “Geekish” one inspired by my fellow contributors over at Speculative Chic. From SFF movies and TV to gaming and banned books, we have a wide range of interests. This was a fun one to put together. Hope you enjoy!

Finally, I talked about a few of “My Favorite Things” over the year:

Bookish Gifts IV

Posted on December 7, 2014 by janicu

Don’t worry, I’m still around! The reading has been going at a glacial pace (sigh), but I’ve been watching A LOT of Christmas movies and trying to find the right gifts for everyone on my list. Which led me to spend time this weekend scouring the internet to create another Bookish Gifts post. Hope you enjoy! If you’re new here and would like more of this sort of thing, I have three other Bookish Gifts posts, plus Jane Austen, Mystery, and Dystopian editioned ones. 🙂 (Click the images for larger versions).

1. Cake Book – Cherry (€69.00) 2. Mini Alice Bookmark Set ($6.95, sale: $4.86 – other designs available) 3. Eternal Paper Wedding Bands, Custom Made (€460.00) 4. Graphic bookends – $62 5. Victorian Whale Bookends ($68) 6. Reading is Sexy 100% corn mug – $12 7. Cats and More Cats Strand Tote $14.95 8. Jane Austen Fan Club pin; Reading Fan Club pin ($6 ea) 9. Book Map – £25

10. Bibliophile tea light sample pack ($14) 11. Books and Coffee Card ($4.50) 12. All I Want to Do Is Read (set of 5 postcards $7.50) 13. Writing London and Writing Manhattan Literary Guides (£4 ea) 14. Letterpress Bookmark Collection (set of 3, $4) 15. Library Letter ($20 ea) 16. Men’s Fragrance Sampler ($16) 17. Babylon Candle ($15) 18. Book Nerd Engraved Charm Necklace ($8.95)

19. 1″ Book Geek Buttons (choose 5 for $2.50) 20. Jane Austen quote screenprint “We Are All Fools in Love” ($96) 21. Ideal Book Shelf (many options! from $34) 22. Tiny Black Book brooch ($20) 23. Classic Paperback Print (£10) 24. Tea and Books (The Greatest Love Story Ever Written) Mug ($13.28) 25. How-to Temporary Tattoo (set of 2 for $5) 26. I’m Reading Right Meow Strand Tote (also in pink $14.95)

27. Antagonist and Protagonist necklaces ($13.99 ea) 28. Once Upon a Time book necklace (£70) 29. I Read Dead People pencils ($7.50 for a 3-pack) 30. Book Pillows (Classic & Holiday from $9.99) 31. Let’s Bring Back Lost Language Edition ($19.99) 32. In Bloom Book Collection (4 Kid’s Classics with matching bookmarks – $64) 33. Library Stamp Sweatshirt (women’s $40; men’s – black $42)

Bookish Gifts: Dystopian Edition

Posted on July 1, 2014 by janicu

I have a little bit of breathing room this week–enough that I’ve indulged myself and spent some time working on a post (I KNOW. It’s a miracle). There are reviews that need to be finished, but I’ve been in a nostalgic mood and I’ve been thinking about high school and the books that I had to read in English class. There was a lot of Shakespeare (tragedies more than comedies, plays more than sonnets), Chekhov, Steinbeck, angry young men, slavery, racism, social criticism, and coming of age. It would drive me crazy that my English teachers (who were actually English, but I’m not sure if that had anything to do with it), would pick works with such heavy themes. I can appreciate my education now, but back then, there were very few books that didn’t get tainted by having to analyze and discuss the ever-loving bejesus out of them. One of those few was Nineteen Eighty-Four. “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” In honor of high school English class, I went looking for merchandise that bows to one high school staple: dystopia.

(As usual click the Bookish Gifts tag for more posts, and on the images to embiggen).

1. Lord of the Flies poster ($15) 2. 1984 pouch ($12) 3. A Clockwork tote ($22) 4. Doubleplusgood necklace ($30) 5. 1984 t-shirt ($24) 6. Thought Criminal tote ($12) 7. Lord of the Flies brooch (about $13)

8. Fahrenheit 451 6×6 print ($12) 9. China Glaze Capitol colors set ($42.30) 10. Big Brother wall clock ($30) 11. Fahrenheit 451 11×17 print ($25) 12. Hunger Games Katniss Black Label Collector edition action figure (price varies) 13. Moloko Plus mug ($18) 14. Hunger Games

15. Soma sticker ($2.64 – other products w/ this design available) 16. Soma Print ($15 – other products w/ this design available) 17. 1″ Brave New World buttons ($11 for a set of 10) 18. The Giver Quartet 20th Anniversary boxed set ($45.26) 19. Animal Farm tote ($18) 20. V for Vendetta mask ($3.12) 21. V for Vendetta graphic novel ($11.29) 22. Mockingjay pin ($8.90, also available: a gold plated version)

Bookish Gifts: Mystery Edition

Posted on February 28, 2014 by janicu

I was about to begin another general Bookish Gifts posts (any excuse to window shop online), but suddenly I was searching for things with a certain detective novel theme. I think it is because I am in the middle of watching the latest Sherlock (don’t tell me what happens). Anyway, there’s something comforting in reading a mystery: you always find out who did it in the end, but you get to have fun guessing along the way. Nancy Drew was my gateway into reading, way back when. I will always have a soft spot for Agatha Christie and Dick Francis too. And of course I’m a fan of the modern-day screen adaptions of Sherlock Holmes (I like the movies, and both Elementary and Sherlock). What are your favorite mystery series?

1. The Big Sleep and Murder at the Vicarage mugs (£8.95, AU$14.99, US$9.95) 2. Poirot Mustache stud earrings ($60) 3. Green Popular Penquins (AU$7.99-$9.95) 4. Detective Novel scented candle ($10) 5. Nancy Drew Drawer Pulls ($40) 6. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson felt dolls ($80) – also available Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot ($45 ea). 7. Sherlock Holmes in The Hounds of the Baskervilles, a Baby Lit sound primer ($8.99) 8. Whodunnit applique pillow ($101.29) 9. 221B button ($2.56)

10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes box set ($59.99) 11. Nancy Drew Pillow Cover ($38 to $41, depending on size) 12. Hardy Boys Pillow Cover ($35 to $45, depending on size) 13. Crime Classics phone wallpaper (FREE) 14. Nancy Drew Girl Detective Doll ($149) – other versions available, see link. Also The Hardy Boys and Dick Tracy) 15. The Complete Adventures of Tintin (from about $100) 16. Red Herring Greeting Cards ($2.40 ea) 17. Nancy Drew Taxi Wallet ($49) 18. Question Mark Ring ($13) 19. Private Eye perfume oil ($15)

20. The novelist & the detective (set of 6 pencils – $8) 21. Tiny gun necklace ($15) 22. Secret Message Writing set ($9.59) 23. Secret Decoder Ring, Pig Pen Cipher ($15) 24. White’s Books Fine Edition Sherlock Holmes: His Greatest Cases (from $23.82) 25. Pipe pin badge ($8.56) 26. Agatha Christie 1″ buttons (set of 10 for $11) 27. Nancy Drew with redesigned covers ($6.99 ea)

Bookish Gifts: Jane Austen Edition

Posted on October 1, 2013 by janicu

I’ve been thinking of doing a bookish gift post that had a specific fan theme, and since it’s the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice I spent this weekend surfing the web for Jane Austen themed doodads. It should be no surprise, knowing how popular Jane Austen is, that I found a lot of Jane Austen themed objects. This is even with me making sure I wasn’t repeating bookish gifts I had featured here before. Enjoy. (Click pictures for enlarged views).

1. Jane Austen bandages ($5) 2. Jane Austen Literary Chocolate (set of 6, €25) 3. Pride & Prejudice Hollow book safe ($62) 4. Jane Austen – Pride & Prejudice illustrated postcards (set of 5 – about $10) 5. Replica of Jane Austen’s ring (£130 in gold, £60 in silver) 6. Pride & Prejudice Literary Transport mug (£7.95) 7. Made You Book sweatshirt ($42.99) 8. Pride & Prejudice peacock cuff ($40) 9. Pride & Prejudice book scarf ($42)

10. Totes Adorbs pillow ($20) 11. Persuasion Book Purse ($55) 12. Jane Austen Bust (£18.00) 13. Austen hand drawn quote bookmarks ($12.51) 14. Jane Austen Book Titles Tote ($23.63) 15. Mr Darcy Literary T-shirt ($24.95) 16. Baby Lit Board books – Pride & Prejudice (counting); Sense & Sensibility (opposites) ($9.99) 17. PBS: The Complete Jane Austen Collection DVD combo ($111.99)

18. Cozy Classics Board Books (Emma and Pride & Prejudice – $9.95 each) 19. Pemberley Rose Soy Candle ($12) 20. Jane Austen Silhouette necklace (pendant is laser cut in acrylic) ($19.90) 21. Pride and Prejudice pouch ($12) 22. “I Dearly Love a Laugh” quote pendant ($37.39) 23. Jane Austen mini button ($3) 24. Jane Austen library travel tin candle ($8) 25. Jane Austen graphic novels – Marvel classics (retail price between $15-$20 each) 26. Jane Austen stamp set (£5.30) 27. I Heart Darcy tote ($20) 28. From the Desk of Jane Austen – 100 postcard set ($20) 29. Gail Wilson Jane Austen inspired doll ($595 finished, $125 kit, extras from $10)

30. Penguin Clothbound/Hardcover Classics (about $20 each) 31. Persuasion mug, Pride and Prejudice mug (£8.95) 32. Jane Austen/Mr. Darcy cookie cutter set (about $16) 33. Persuasion book clutch (other Austen covers available! – 60€) 34. Jane Austen and modern day DVDs: Lost in Austen and Clueless ($4-$10) 35. Jane Austen font (free for personal use) 36. Jane Austen and Bollywood DVDs: Bride & Prejudice, Aisha (Emma adapation), and I Have Found It (S&S adaptation) ($6-$15 each) 37. Jane Austen quote pencils (6 NZD)

Hope you liked these! If you’re interested in more of this kind of thing, check out the bookish gifts tag. P.S. There are so many Austen-inspired books I could have put here but I restrained myself. And if they existed, I would have included pre-order links for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Austenland. Next time.

Bookish Gifts III

Posted on April 6, 2013 by janicu

My mind is so pooped at the end of the day by my new job that I’m not quite there yet with the mental fortitude and discipline I need to write reviews (I really am working on that though). Strangely, I seem to have no problems surfing the web and playing with MS Paint. I’ve been having a grand ol’ time putting together another Bookish Gifts post, where I collect cute reader themed things for your favorite book nerd (or for yourself). Here are the fruits of my labors. (As always, click for bigger versions of these pictures, and check the “bookish gift” tag for my previous Bookish Gifts posts).

1. Bookshelf Bandit Tote in Jane, Caterpillar, Anthony (see also Alice, Scott, Louisa;$17.99) 2. Penguin Drop Caps ($22 ea) 3. Stacked Paper Wallpaper ($198/roll) 4. Demeter fragrance in Paperback (from $6) 5. Vintage Book Vase ($39-$69) 6. The Definition of Darling Wallet ($52.99) 7. Vintage Book iPhone Charger ($68)

8. Libraries – Where Shhh Happens mug (£9.95) 9. Lumio Lamp (available for pre-order for Oct 2013 – $125) 10. Gold Bird Metal Bookmark (£4.00) 11. Customizable Wool Felt eReader Case ($44) 12. Reading Fox Bookends (€39.00 / about $51.70) 13. Bracket Bookends in velvety black (€34.00 / about $44.70) 14. Book Bookend (€19.00 / about $25.19) – many other styles of bookends available 15. Buttons: Second Breakfast and Weasly is our King ($1.70) 16. Chipboard Classic novel bookmarks ($1 each)

17. Bookrest Reading Lamp ($85) 18. Engraved ‘Words are for Nerds’ pencils (£3.50/ about $5.51, set of 3) 19. Lowercase Scarf ($58. Also available in Uppercase, Numbers, & Helvetica) 20. 2b Or Not 2b Pouch ($20) 21. Egar Allen Poe Art Doll ($120) 22. Bookworm Plush ($6.99) 23. Ring hand carved from a book ($17) 24. Bookworm Statement Socks ($10.99) 25. Novel Tea ($12.50/box or $2.50/pouch) 26. Furst Edition Sweatshirt ($50) 27. Hanging Book Rack ($210 fullsize, $110 MINI. All available in different finishes)

Bookish Gifts II

Posted on October 1, 2012 by janicu

Last year I had a lot of fun window shopping on the Internet for a post on gifts for book nerds. Since it’s been almost a year and I don’t really need much of an excuse to look at pretty things, I bring you even more booky things, the 2012 edition. (click to embiggen)

1. The Little Prince inspired pendants (€55.00 EUR/ about $73) (also available in silver and in ring form) 2. Literary Posters (€13.00 / about $17) 3. Wooden Book Necklaces (8 colors) (£9.00 GBP / about $15) 4. Handdrawn Literary Bookmarks (€8.00 / about $10.57) 5. Literary Scented Candles ($9.50-$18.50) 6. Metal Art Bookends ($49.99) 7. Wolf Slippers inspired by Where The Wild Things Are (Child: $35, Adult: $50)

8. NovelT Shirts ($24.95) 9. Paperback Book Covers (cotton $10, embroidered faux suede $24) 10. Jane Austen Quote Cameo – ($30 various colors) 11. Paper Passion ($98) 12. Dead Writers, a bookish blend of Heliotrope, Vetiver, Black Tea, Clove, Tabacco, Musk, & Vanilla (from $10) 13. In the Library (from $12) 14. Book scented candle ($49) 15. NYPL Building, metal bookmark ($9.95) 16. Quote Couture Earrings ($9.99) 17. the official Roald Dahl Stamps (from £3.04) 18. Hunger Games Lip Balm Tints ($19.50 set, $6.50 individual)

19. Mental Floss Tees ($19.97) 20. Olympia Le-Tan Book clutches and ipad mini-cases (€950.00) 21. Harry Potter Glasses & Scar jewelery (from $21) 22. round book ring ($84) 23. Sterling Publishing Classic Lines ($8.95 ea) 24. Kindle Paperwhite ($119) 25. Nook Simple Touch ($99, with GlowLight: $119) 26. Kate Spade book clutches ($325) 27. Go Away, I’m Reading mug (£9.95)

Bookish Gifts

Posted on November 12, 2011 by janicu

This is a post that I wanted to do last year, but I got lazy. Seeing as it’s November, and the Book Holiday blogger swap has begun again, I finally got around to showing you some shiny pretty bookish things. Really, it’s an excuse for me to window shop on the web. (Click on images for bigger versions).

1. Tillybloom bookmarks ($13 each) 2. Miniature books 3. Book Journal ($15) 4. Penquin Hardcover Classics ($20 ea) 5. Jane Austen action figure ($8.95) 6. Spineless classics (from £39.99) 7. Sterling silver block letter initial necklace ($72)