Whimsy Update: Moving House

Sugar! Pumpkins! I am so sorry I haven't been around much. It is officially the week the Whimsy clan has been anxiously prepping for, moving week. Wish me luck! Be back soon I hope. Miss ya! Toodles!

Well Said: Secrets & Love

"West kept secrets. Secrets could be dangerous but weren't we each entitled to them?"

"If love dies, that's when we've all truly died."

~ Eden by Keary Taylor

Book Review: Solstice

2¢ Worth: The daring and inventive P.J. Hoover creates a blend I never would never have imagined = 50% dystopian + 50% Greek mythology! The result? A fresh, intense, dark, creepy, mysterious page-turner. Solstice is incredibly unique, gripping, and nearly impossible to put down. 5 stars

Whine: Just one! I figured out the secret before Piper and seriously wanted to urge her to catch up.

Wire tip: Solstice by P.J. Hoover is only available as an eBook and is a TOTAL steal for just $2.99 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Whippersnappers: O my my my! This one is best suited for older teens (or adult fiction fans that occasionally dabble in YA) due the the continuous visits to a very vivid and hellish Greek underworld, underage drinking, steamy make-out scenes, nudity, and profanity.

A huge thanks to Ravishing Reads for bringing this book to my attention.

Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com

A Steampunk Well Said: Machines & Humanity

"He meant the machines. Most were perfectly harmless, but there was nothing quite as frightening as metal out of control."

"Humanity, I'm sure I do not have to tell you Your Grace, is a strange animal."

~ The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles # 1) by Kady Cross

Eureka! Steampunk Couture

If you're like me and totally smitten with all things steampunk, then you have to check out the link I just found at Kady Cross.com! Clockwork Couture.com is marvelous!

The :10 Commercial Intro That Speaks to Married Readers...

I adore the first ten seconds of this commercial. Raise your hand if you're a married reader gal who can totally relate Mr. Frog's statement: "he may have the man cave but now you have...."

Well Said: Soul Baring Kiss

"The kiss is exquisite - a perfect moment tucked into my oppressive life. Reese's kiss had been all about the physical, but Shayne's is empathic. Like in its simple motion, my soul is bared." ~ Solstice

Isn't it hard not to love this cover?

Cover Wonderment: Ravenwood

Isn't this cover magical? I can't decide what part I am most crazy about...

Perhaps the big blue sky?

Or the nearby incandescent moon?

But I can't forget the twinkling stars?

Or the gorgeous tree I desperately want to climb and investigate?

What do you think of this cover? Does it peak your interest?

Ravenwood will be released as a hardcover in the US 8.1.2011. It is currently available for purchase as a paperback in the UK.

International Covers of Ballad

So what do you think? Which is your favorite and least favorite cover?

Wishin' and Hopin': The Wizard of Dark Street

Isn't this cover presh?

Goodreads Blurb: "Oona Crate was born to be the Wizard's apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind. Despite possessing the rare gift of Natural Magic, Oona wants to be a detective. Eager for a case, she is determined to prove that logic can be just as powerful as wizardry. But when someone attacks her uncle (the Wizard of Dark Street) Oona is forced to delve even deeper into the world of magic."

The Wizard of Dark Street is due out 07.26.11.

Reasons I want thee:

1. A girl sleuth named Oona. I have a niece named Oona.
   
2. I love covers that remind me of Monster House.

Note: The Wizard of Dark Street is Children's Middle Grade Fiction.

Well Said: With You

"I don't want to use you. I just want to be whoever it is that I am when I'm with you." ~ Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

Well Said: Never Enough

"You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." ~ C.S. Lewis

Image courtesy of Lady Sippington.com.

Eureka! Wall Decal

Can't you just see this sign (Rare Prints, Maps & Illustrated Books) pointing to your home office or bookshelves?

Rare Books Wall Decal by Single Stones Studios

Well Said: The Secret Adversary

"That's the curious part about speaking the truth. No one does believe it." - The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (1922)

Tuppence (fab nickname if you ask me) utters this line after speaking a false that was easier to believe than the truth. What struck me about this line is that it really is easier to believe fiction sometimes. Especially when knee deep in a good mystery.

International Covers of The Secret Adversary

Different Editions

Foreign

Too fun not to share

So what do you think? Which is your favorite and least favorite cover?

News Flash: Alabama Needs You

If you haven't already heard, the super sweet Southern Princess as well as Life, Love, and Literature have been working their buns off to raise money for Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief.

What that means for you is great art, crafts, and books are up for auction with the proceeds going to a very worthy cause.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to All 4 Alabama Relief.com. It's a fun easy way to help.

Credit: The image is from a vintage Red Cross poster.

Ruby Red News & A Question for You

Have you heard? The Ruby Red trailer is out and contests are popping up all over Blogland thanks to Macmillan and Zeitghost Media! I suggest you watch the trailer immediately (it is quite cute) and visit these blogs to enter:

Dreaming of Books,
The Fiction Enthusiast,
Tina's Book Reviews,
Parajunkee's View, The Book Rat,
Coffee, Books and Laundry, The Little Bookworm,
La Femme Readers, Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks,
Stories & Sweeties, and The O.W.L.

But don't delay. Each contest draws to a close 06.12.11. Good luck gals!

The trailer got me thinking, if you time traveled back in time what bit of
modern convenience would you miss the most?

Click here to hear an audio sample of Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

If you too are hosting a contest for Ruby Red, feel free to link to your contest below.