Because this is a new (or re-newed) blog, I've not had the opportunity to participate in any book meme's though there are dozens of them floating around the book blogosphere -- all of which sound interesting!  Unfortunately, without a ton of time, I (regrettably) have to pick and chose.  I'm a recent fan of Book Chick City, so when I saw her meme today, I thought I'd jump in.

"On My Wishlist" is a weekly book meme from Book Chick City that runs on Saturdays. Go and check her out, and sign up if you have a book blog!  If you're here from her site, welcome and thank you for stopping in.

Without further adieu, here's my wishlist for the week...

The Vampire Dimitri (Colleen Gleason)

I desperately, desperately want to read this book! I just finished reading and reviewing it's predecessor, The Vampire Voss, which I got through NetGalley and I enjoyed it. From the very start, Dimitri has been my favorite character.  I've recently applied for this book at NetGalley and am crossing my fingers I'm approved.  Otherwise, I'll have to wait for it to come out on April or May... which seems like an eternity!


The Vampire Dimitri is the second novel in Colleen Gleason's Regency Draculia Series.  Other novels include The Vampire Voss (Draculia #1 - Release March 2011) and The Vampire Narcise (Draculia #3 - Release June 2011).

From GoodReads:

Dimitri, the Earl of Corvindale, should be delighted that the headstrong Maia Woodmore is getting married. His mortal ward and houseguest has annoyed – and bewitched – the Dracule nobleman too long, and denying his animal cravings grows more excruciating by the day.

Miss Woodmore's family has a rather...complicated history with the immortals and she herself possesses a keen sensibility far beyond mere women's intuition. Marriage will give her safety, respectability, and everything else a proper young lady could wish for. Everything, that is, except for passion.

In the looming battle between Dracule factions, all pretenses will shatter as Maia and Dimitir come together in an unholy union of danger, desperation, and fiercest desire.

666 Park Avenue (Gabriella Pierce)

I've wanted to read this book since hearing about it a month or two back. I was actually going to buy it for my Kindle, but decided against it when I learned that it was more expensive than the paperback (which sparked a discussion about how much e-books should cost). The cover is so eye catching, I just love it.


From GoodReads:

What if your mother-in-law turned out to be an evil, cold-blooded witch . . . literally?

Ever since fabulously wealthy Malcolm Doran walked into her life and swept her off her feet, fledgling architect Jane Boyle has been living a fairy tale. When he proposes with a stunning diamond to seal the deal, Jane can't believe her incredible luck and decides to leave her Paris-based job to make a new start with Malcolm in New York.

But when Malcolm introduces Jane to the esteemed Doran clan, one of Manhattan's most feared and revered families, Jane's fairy tale takes a darker turn. Soon everything she thought she knew about the world—and herself—is upended. Now Jane must struggle with newfound magical abilities and the threat of those who will stop at nothing to get them.

I simply can't resist books that sound like this much fun!  I must admit, I got this book as an e-Arc via NetGalley, but haven't read it yet. It's not available for Kindle on NetGalley, which is my preference, so I'm debating whether to read it or just buy the book. It's still up the in the air at this point, but I may start it on my computer and if I'm really enjoying it, buy the (overpriced) e-book for Kindle.




From GoodReads:

Until now, high school junior, John Keats, has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.

After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.

Sounds good to me.  The book's gotten mixed reviews on GoodReads, but I'm reserving judgement until I can read it myself. I'm sure I'll enjoy it!  It should actually be here any day now... I'm checking my mailbox everyday.

It may come as no surprise, if you're an avid reader and book lover, that Penguin Classics is responsible for some of the most beautiful book covers on the market over the last few years.  I am absolutely in love with many of the Deluxe Edition covers, particularly those designed by Cuban artist Ruben Toledo, which include Pride and Prejudice, The Scarlet Letter, and Wuthering Heights.

Aren't they stunning?  I love the surreal feeling of these covers.  So much so, in fact, that I recently purchased this edition of Wuthering Heights and let me tell you, the cover is more breathtaking than this image can express.  I've been taken with it since the first time I saw it and I'll likely buy a used copy of the book, with a different cover, when it comes time to read it because I'm not certain I can bring myself to mar this one--I'm not particularly gentle with books, you see.

Recently, it would appear that Penguin's at it again, producing yet another round of stylish covers.  Teaming up with (RED), the yet to be released (RED) Series covers are as stunning as they are human issues conscious.  The idea, of course, is to produce beautiful covers that bring the classics to modern audiences while benefiting (RED)'s partners, such as The Global Fund, in the fight against AIDS.  The covers aren't available yet, but according to RobAroundBooks' Cover Love column, the first eight books will be available May 20th.  Sadly, I have a sneaking suspicion that that is a European release date, and so can't promise that they'll be available in bookstores in the US on that date.

Of the covers, all of which are typographically interesting, my absolute favorite's have to be Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, and not just because I love that book --and I do, by the way, love that book-- and Emile Zola's Thérèse Raquin.  Both covers are eye-catching, while being relevant to the work they represent.

With The House of Mirth and Thérèse Raquin, the other six titles available in the first release will be Anna Karenina, Dracula, Great Expectations, Notes from Underground, The Secret Agent,  and The Turn of the Screw.  Though the covers have fallen under scrutiny by Forbes as pretentious, I feel that they may have missed the irony in some of the cover designs -- they point, for example, to The House of Mirth cover's girlish fonts as a negative, when in fact it is Lily Bart's value as a woman of beauty, and her unwillingness to settle because of it, that leads to the novel's tragedy.

Ultimately, these covers will likely have the effect of bringing younger audiences to these classical novels, while supporting a very real threat in the world in a fresh new way.  You simply can't miss with that combination and I applaud Penguin's efforts in this endeavor.  I can't wait to get my paws on this edition!

I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time two years ago, for a Woman's Lit Genre Studies class.  I loved the class and I loved the book, and since then, I've not been able to get enough of either Austen, or Pride and Prejudice!  When we discussed the book in class, my professor drew us a short example character map to show how the character's interact and since then, I've always been fascinated with the interconnection the character's share.  So, while surfing around the net looking to feed my Pride and Prejudice obsession, I found this awesome character map and thought I'd share for the benefit of my fellow Austen fans.

[via]

If you've not read Pride and Prejudice, I highly recommend it.  Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition has a beautiful new edition, but I've always preferred the Norton Critical Pride and Prejudice for it's annotations and footnotes, as well as critical essays.

Next up on my reading list Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!