Bunty

Some steampunk possibilities : The Iron Wyrm Affair by Saintcrow, Lilith "Multigenre talent Saintcrow (Angel Town) launches a delicious steampunk alternate London that pays more than a little stylistic homage to Sherlock Holmes, adding additional excitement in the form of magical duels, backstreet chases, battles with giant mecha, and confrontations with ancient wyrms and gryphons." Publisher's Weekly This is 1st in a series. Dead Iron by Monk, Devon "In the small town of Hallelujah, Oregon Cedar Hunt earns his way by tracking down beasts and lost items. When a small boy goes missing, Cedar is determined to find him. He enlists the help of the Madder brothers, crazy mountain-men devisers who invent amazing contraptions. In return for their help, Cedar must find the Holder, a mysterious machine that can open the door between this world and that of the Strange, where unearthly creatures roam." Publisher's Weekly Also the beginning of a series. Edited to add Young Adult possibility : While not quite steampunk, I also enjoyed the Lunar chronicles series-- Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress by Meyer, Marissa. This series is a mash-up of fairy tales & science fiction beginning with a Cinderella who is a human cyborg working as a mechanic when she meets her prince.

In case you didn't know, she just released a book under the pseudonym Katherine Addison-- The Goblin Emperor. Changing gears to also post a rec, if you like southern gothic, you might like Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest. Review.

I enjoy it when music videos tell a story like Thriller or this one. Keith Whitley & Earl Thomas Conley - Brotherly Love

You are most welcome. I had not heard of the AcaBelles. Most of my exposure to university A cappella groups has been through The Sing Off. I especially liked BYU's Vocal Point & University of Rochester YellowJackets

I really like A cappella which is definitely not mainstream though certain groups do well touring like Straight No Chaser & Pentatonix. Shows like the Sing-off are giving groups like this more exposure. The newest winner of the TV show The Sing-Off-- Home Free has recently released an album which a mix of songs from different genres. I think their album also has some original songs plus covers. And everything you hear is vocal. Story of My Life - One Direction (Home Free a cappella cover) Home Free - Ring of Fire (featuring Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix) Avicii - Wake Me Up - (Home Free a cappella cover)

Another great British narrator is Simon Prebble. The actor Will Patton has also done some audiobook work. He did When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt-- a children's book I quite enjoyed.

For those of you who like southern authors, T. R. Pearson is a good choice-- my favorite book is A Short History of a Small Place : Although T. R. Pearson's Neely, North Carolina, doesn't appear on any map of the state, it has already earned a secure place on the literary landscape of the South. In this introduction to Neely, the young narrator, Louis Benfield, recounts the tragic last days of Miss Myra Angelique Pettigrew, a local spinster and former town belle who, after years of total seclusion, returns flamboyantly to public view-with her pet monkey, Mr. Britches. Quotes

Can I throw out-- Eddie and the Cruisers even though Michael Paré didn't sing he looked fine and I loved the soundtrack by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. On the Dark Side Movie version On the Dark Side ~ John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band Tender Years Movie version John Cafferty - Tender Years

Amazon is saying that the paperback will be released on March 3, 2015. Not too bad and then there is always the library.

This looked like a good place to dip my toe in the water of posting after the demise of TWOP. After all you can only wear black for so long. And as much as I love a good TV discussion, books are my first love & unlike TV I know I can depend on them even if the power goes out. I could recommend books till the cows come home but I'm just going to mention a few recent reads. YA- The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski-- twisty political/military fantasy-- good readalike for those who like Megan Whalen Turner. YA- The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas-- high fantasy that moves between a magical realm & Eton College in London. Fantasy- The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison-- Steampunk crossed with fantasy-- the exiled half-goblin son of the Elven king becomes the unexpected ruler when his father & brothers die suddenly in an accident.