Stuck-in-a-Book's Weekend Miscellany

Hello there, hope you're well, do take a seat and have a cup of tea. I can do normal, Earl Grey, and... er, water. More miscellany for you - and on the right day of the week as well (though I'm actually typing this on Friday - sshh, don't tell anyone).

1.) The blog post - is a myriad wonder... featuring several posts from a fairly recent blogger who seems to be reading all the books I want to read, or re-read. Here's one on Mariana by Monica Dickens; one on Can Any Mother Help Me? by Jenna Bailey; one on The Enchanted Places by Christopher Milne - go, enjoy, and welcome Claire aka Captive Reader to the blogosphere.

2.) The link - comes with a warning, this weekend. I found this hilarious... others were not, shall we say, 'exceedingly diverted'. Click here to judge for yourself.

3.) The book - I don't know if I've always made this obvious, but 'the book' section in this weekend miscellany is for books I've heard of, or which have come through the door, but which I haven't read. Usually they're ones I don't think others will have heard about yet - but this week I've gone for one that I somehow missed, but hope you have heard of - White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi. I was very impressed by The Icarus Girl back here, and have The Opposite House on my shelves, but somehow didn't notice that White is for Witching was published back in May 2009 - and is coming out in paperback in April, I think. Reviews aren't great at Amazon, tis true, but I'd rather hear your views... the publishers say "A remarkable, shape-shifting tale... The narrative oscillates between the mundane and the supernatural, and it is this skilful blend of the fantastic and the everyday that makes it resonate so chillingly... In the end, this isn't a fantasy about ghosts and witches. It is really about memory and belonging, love and loss." Over to you...

And a little extra - I'd love contributions to this in future, if you hear any - Best Bookish Quotation of the Week. I'm not talking quotations from books, I'm talking quotations about books which you've said yourself, or have heard friends say. I hope my friend won't mind me using hers - I'll keep her anonymous until/unless she hoves over and approves...[edit: she now has, and you can find out who it is in the comments!]

"I recite my Book Depository preorders to myself at night if I'm having trouble getting to sleep!"

rivalled only, this week, by my own confession to my housemate:

"I once bought a book solely because I liked the smell..."

If you have any others - let me know!