It comes to me that I must say 'adieu' from my blogging days at University Book Store. I have had some great times here, and have been allowed to put my opinions to print which has been one of the more rewarding aspects of my employment. Thanks for taking me in to your homes and making me one of your booksellers.

Over the past four years I have read more than 150 books, most of which I liked, some of which I loved. So, I take this final opportunity to give you my top 10 picks for books (from those books read in the past four years.) Is that even possible? Well, I will do what I can.

Top books should come to mind effortlessly ... and they should be books that you can easily see yourself reading over and over again, hence an actual physical copy is called for, demanded in fact.

The list that follows is not in any order of top to bottom.

1. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
my all-time favorite vampire novel! ... wish there was a sequel or sequels, but the author hasn't conceded ... not yet ... I do understand about not wanting to be pigeon-holed.

2. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
poetic, prophetic (?), dark and dire ...

3. Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin ... a new voice in scifi/fantasy who is already rockin' the house ... I will be reading more of her books ... she seems ready and poised to be a major literary contender.

4. The Reapers are the Angels or is it the Angels are the Reapers, by Alden Bell. I always get confused on this title, not because I don't love it, rather because I am thinking too darned much. I love-love-loved the heroine in this somewhat short in length award winner. It spans readership from young adult to adult, with the Alex award.

5. Bad Monkeys, by Matt Ruff, a local author. Don't know why it took me soooooooo long to stumble upon this great-funtastic-read?! I won't spoil this for you in any way ... hence end of spiel, except to say that you will be glad to be on the side of those who have read this splendidly unique tale.

6. The Unit, by Ninni Holmqvist, translation by Marlaine Delargy. Set in a future where society mandates that those without biological families submit themselves for random medical testing and requisite organ donation. I would be housed here--in the Unit--if this future existed ... to my eventual sad end. Great characters and believable futuristic setting.

7. Engines of the Broken World*, by Jason Vanhee ... keep on the alert for a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g by this to-date self-published author! A fresh voice in speculative fiction and a dynamite co-worker to boot. May $ucce$$ follow you wherever you go Jason!!! Buy this book!

8. Brief History of the Dead, by Kevin Brockmeier. I loved the cover art on this book of the empty overcoat ... & I am a sucker for good cover art. What happens to us when life ends? This book takes us to the precipice and beyond.

9. The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss. Who cannot love this book?!! The author, Patrick Rothfuss, has been to University Book Store on three occasions that I know of and each time he brings such a lovely, welcoming energy to his fans and loyal readers. Thank you Mr. Rothfuss! We love you Patrick! And now all you have to do is to complete your trilogy ... that's all. lol.

And, drum roll, number ten!

10. Baking with Julia, by Julia Child. I bought this as a remainder at University Book Store, so it sold for under $20**!!! Remainders or bargain books are a large stock in trade at UBS, and the lovely Miss Nicole can be found on the floor sorting through a plethora of great titles. Come and browse and see what bargains abound!

So, that's it ... were there any surprises? Are you going to buy with the intention to read, any of these titles? I hope so. And I hope you swing by to say goodbye to me. Waaah!

"Read a book, it's a game changer!"
~Jan O., Book seller for four years at University Book Store.


*For purchase information on this book, call University Book Store and ask for the used book sellers desk.

**To see if there are any remainders of this book available, you will need to call UBS and ask for the book information desk.

Get Your Dystopian Fix

I've been having nightmares for years. Going to sleep is not something that I look forward to like I used to when I was dreaming of hugging dolphins and meeting the Dalai Lama. A large part of this is probably due to the fact that I have been focusing on dystopian fiction for some time now, definitely since I read Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

The Road really spoke to me ... and the storyline, characters, and prose has continued to reverberate in my soul. And while I do recommend it and the following books: I also include a caveat that lets the reader know, in no uncertain terms, that the material included in these fictions may well be fodder for nightmares of your own.

(Good) dystopian fiction that I recommend off the top of my head (meaning that this is not an exhaustive list):

I am Legend by Richard Matheson ... A classic. Really quite different and, in my opinion, better than the movie. This should be included in your Dystopia 101 course materials.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy ... No doubt this is well on its way to becoming a classic. Fans of the genre: if you haven't read this then you need to now! Kudos to C.M.

(pictured at beginning of blogpost)


Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh ... Great title. This book has a contemporary feel to it with characters that you might find traveling with you on your bus route (or in your carpool lane on your commute to work) ... Will McIntosh stretches what is ailing us nowadays, pumps it up a bit, and brings on the dark side of humanity. I am not alone as a fan of this book.

Angels are the Reapers by Alden Bell ... Current staff pick of mine, and recently a nominee for the 2010 Philip K. Dick award. I love Temple, the main character, not only is she a kick-a-- heroine, but she is deeply troubled by what it means to be human.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre ... Highlighted favorably in my last blog.

Drylands by Mary Rosenblum ... Brought in parapsychology before it was all the rage, as in the plethora of paranormal romance that now graces the shelves of scifi/fantasy, and did it well.

And finally, Burn Down the Sky by James Jaros (coming out sometime in the near future and I was unable to find any good cover art for you to look at.) This is twisted like Ms. Atwood's Handmaid Tales, with an even more perverse twang that not everyone will want to grapple with, hence this book comes with an 'R' for restricted (yes, I know this is a movie rating.) I don't want to upset folks with the material, but it was still well-written.

--Jan, aka Nightmare Girl