On books for fans of "Warehouse 13"

Ohh Warehouse 13. This show is equal parts campy and hilarious and it's a brilliant twist on the typical crime drama. Instead of looking for murderers, Warehouse 13 agents spend their time retrieving artifacts - dangerous magical items that can wreck havoc to the people around them. Here are a few books if you're not sure what to do after the series finale.

• The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - Another fun twist on the classical crime drama, The Eyre Affair is all about a world where books are top priority - with a full police force dedicated to protecting literature. This series has ridiculous psuedo-police problems and situations to laugh and marvel at and also name drops tons of famous people (and characters) - just like W13. 

• Asteroid Made of Dragons by G. Derek Adams - This book is a hilarious mix of science fiction and fantasy - and full of weird contraptions that straddle that line. Like W13, it is difficult to categorize perfectly and makes a delightful use of twisting typical SFF features and tropes.

• The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - The steampunk flair of this book reminded me a bit of W13 - plus the melodrama and quirks and romance and ridiculousness of some of the characters from W13. 

• The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson - This steampunk-y book about lawkeepers in a fantasy wild-west world doesn't feel much like W13, but certainly has so many similar elements. The characters here are just as quirky and funny as W13 characters - and the romance is just as wonderfully ridiculous and surprising.

• Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz - While the feeling and genre elements of this book certainly are unlike W13, the capacity to deal with difficult topics in an upbeat and uplifting way makes these two more similar than different. Also, they both have hilarious leads with some unique talents.

What books would you add to this list? What do you miss about Warehouse 13? What other reads remind you of TV shows?

On books for those looking for a new fandom

Fandoms have become an increasingly important part of our world’s society. But if you’re already impatiently waiting as the biggest SuperWhoLock fan you know, a lingering Marshmellow, or starting to lose your interest in Pokemon, it might be time to find a new thing to obsess about and discuss at length with the fandom community. Here are my suggestions:

• Brandon Sanderson books - I couldn’t not put this, as Loverboy frequently chatters at me about his latest theories and does plenty of research on the 17th Shard forums. The Sanderson community is intriguing and very loyal and has all sorts of ideas about what’s going to happen next and how the cosmere all connects. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers.

• Borderlands - This is a fandom that I’ve been hearing more and more about as I get deeper into SFF reading, but that I haven’t yet delved into. I’m intrigued by it and excited to learn more about this contemporary fantasy world and see why so many people love these books.

• Shadowhunters/Infernal Devices/Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare - The two series are technically complete, but there are plenty of companion books still being released. There are many devoted fans of these series who will happily talk your ear off about why Magnus Bane is the greatest or how they feel about the new releases.

• Nightvale - The popular podcast has a few companion books that take place in the same strange world. Huffington Post also tells us that many people compare the Nightvale world to Louis Sachar’s Wayside School books - and that there are some creepy similarities.

• Beauty and the Beast - This fandom is large with a few very dedicated followers and plenty of less-dedicated ones. In this fandom, people read every version of the tale that they can get their hands on. A few to start with: Beauty by Robin McKinley, Beastly by Alex Flynn, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, or Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodges.

What bookish fandoms would you recommend to other readers? Which non-bookish fandoms are your favorites?

On coming late to the Shadowhunters party

When I mentioned to my YA-loving former roommate that I had started reading The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, she was surprised. “Uhhh….didn’t those come out in 2005?”

She then recounted to me that she’d read all the Infernal Devices and the Mortal Instruments books in middle and high school and hadn’t thought of them since. She was shocked that I hadn’t read them yet and that me, a college graduate, would be at all interested in the book she’d loved in middle school.

Obviously, I’m a little behind the times.

My old roommate isn’t the only one who was shocked that I hadn’t read them. I worked with teenage girls for years and a handful of them were OBSESSED with Cassandra Clare’s books. I promised at least three different girls that I’d try these books out. And now, years after these promises, I finally got around to trying them out. They were available on my library’s Overdrive, so I figured “Why not?”

And I’m so glad I’m finally getting around to them. I’m slowly (sssssslllllllllllooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwllllllllllllyyyyyyyyy……..) working my way through them and I’ve been surprised at how interesting they are. While the books are typical YA in a lot of ways, they make me wonder if Cassandra Clare defined this type of YA writing rather than simply following it. Did she help cement some of these tropes? They’re so well done that they can’t be simply copies….right?

Whatever they are, I’m enjoying them immensely. So to anyone who hasn’t gotten around to reading any Cassandra Clare yet, it’s worth a shot (especially if you like YA).

What are some books you haven’t gotten around to reading yet? Have you read any Cassandra Clare?

On white blouses

White blouses are a staple for every woman’s wardrobe, even book characters. If you were to be transported into your favorite book, which white blouse would you choose to wear? Hopefully, this quick guide will help you make that decision.

This blouse would be perfect in a pirate novel, such as Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller or Pirates! by Celia Rees. Pirate blouses need ruffles on the front, noticeable buttons, and flowing sleeves. It should be comfortable enough to battle in, but stylish enough to catch pirate-y lover’s eye.

This blouse would work well in the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. The blouse is much tighter, the necks are much higher, and there are frills along the front. Such tops inhibit ladies from fighting vampires or running from a robot army. Perhaps that’s why this works for a sitting room, but should be discarded immediately if danger comes your way.

If you want to be transported into a Scottish novel, such as Sealskin by Su Bristow, than this blouse is probably your best choice. The high square neck, flouncy sleeves, and lace would work well in a book in such a setting. It’s both modest and comfortable.

What other books could use a good white blouse?