Link Love: 03.28.14

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• Beautiful bookshop love. Honestly, what else do you need to see on your vacation?
• Benjamin Lacombe's illustrations pair so well with Poe's Tales of the Macabre.
• I need to own this edition of Alice in Wonderland illustrated by the always talented Ralph Steadman.
• 1920s Literary New York!
• Sofia Coppola + The Little Mermaid = a must see for me (and you!)
• I've gone gluten and dairy free, but I can still have marshmallows! I really want to try this recipe from Smitten Kitchen!
• Listen to George Orwell explaining how to make the perfect cup of tea.
• Doug Dorst talking all about S., his new book that was a collaboration with J.J. Abrams.
• Cut footage from the animated Lord of the Rings film shows Gandalf doing battle with the balrog.
• "Narratively: Human Stories, Boldly Told" profiles Kurt Thometz and his Little Black Bookshop. Such an interesting listen for book lovers, booksellers, and anyone who is interested in race and its implications.
• My store, The Elliott Bay Book Company, got a lovely write up over on Between The Lines Book Club.
• Comic book nail decals!!!

Book Style: Little Women

Back to the classics today! You all do know I'm a huge Penguin fan, right? I love seeing all of the different cover series that they come up with. Now stop judging me for being a publisher fangirl and marvel at the beauty of this Penguin Threads cover for Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Just in time for spring with the bright, poppy colors. I'm personally partial to the book and the 1994 film, starring Winona Ryder as Jo, but I do think Katharine Hepburn, who played Jo in the 1933 film embodies Jo's spunk so well. That was the jumping point for the inspiration for today's outfit: A modern twist on Katharine Hepburn! With a modern '40s vibe to the clothing, something Jo would have rocked with panache, I wanted to reference the book through the accessories. The 'sister' ring should be rather obvious, but the piano key earrings are a subtle mention of my second favorite character, Beth, whom we will not speak of at length lest the tears start flowing too freely. And no outfit for Jo would be complete without a reference to her writing - isn't that pen nib necklace so fantastic?

Book Style: Perfect Ruin

Morgan Stockhour is the primary protagonist of Lauren Destefano's newest novel (and series) Perfect Ruin. She's a teenager living on Internment, a floating city in the sky. According to Internment's myth/theology the sky god took pity on the imperfect humans destined for destruction by the god of the earth and plucked them and their city into the heavens for safekeeping. The only thing is, you can't ever leave Internment's preordained society; those that try, called "jumpers" are returned by unknown forces permanently damaged in some way, even if only psychologically. When a classmate is murdered, allegedly by her betrothed, Morgan is plunged into an a world of self doubt that eventually leads to her alignment with a rebel group, bent on escaping Internment for good. 

I hadn't read any of Lauren's books before this, despite their amazing fanbase, but they are now definitely on my to-read list now! I'm also eagerly anticipating the next instalment in the Internment Chronicles (because, can we talk about gut-wrenching cliffhangers?!). I wanted to make an outfit for Morgan as I saw her. There aren't too many specific tie-ins to the plot with this outfit, it's just how I pictured Morgan looking in her, slightly futuristic schoolgirl uniform. The 'Lockdown Love' tights are a nice nod to some of the novel's themes. But that ring. Can we talk about how perfect this ring is in general? And than can we talk about how it is exactly what I was envisioning when the betrothal rings were described? Just read the books and tell me you can't picture this eventually being filled with a spouses blood, as they do on Internment.

Book Style: Cruel Beauty

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast mixed with a healthy dose of Greek mythology. It's gorgeous and unique and rather sadly not the beginning of a series. I wrote about the plot (and my love of several other fractured fairy tale type reads) over on The Ship's (B)log so you go there and read that and we'll stick with the wardrobe over here. (I do hate repeating myself).

This outfit is clearly my vision of how Nix should be dressed. Greek sandals and a gown which calls to mind the elegant draping of an ancient Greek chiton (the Romans wore togas, not the Greeks, something to bear in mind). That door knocker ring is meant to symbolize all the doors in Ignifex's home. I wanted Nix's wedding ring to be impressive and decided a fire opal was a great way to represent one of the elemental hearts: Fire. Water gets a nod with that water crystal necklace, which I am so drooling over. And wind gets attention with the feather ear jewelry, which also serves as a reminder of Nix's bird friend. That Gwen Stefani for OPI nail lacquer is called "In the Morning" which I find very appropriate for a story where night and day dictate so much of the plot's progress. The final touch is Nix's precious dagger, meant for Ignifex's heart, which I included via those killer dagger earrings.

This book is magic. Read it now and come fangirl with me. And Rosamund Hodge - if you're reading this - I want more!

Book Style: The Winter People

Figured I should probably get to this book before Winter was actually completely over. I adore this new book from Jennifer McMahon! It's spooky, thrilling gothic horror set in present day Vermont. The story intertwines two tales of mothers and daughters and what that kind of love actually means. I actually wrote a review for my store's upcoming Booknotes, so we'll just go with it for a little bit of plot summary: 

Sara Harrison Shea died under ghastly circumstances in 1908, mere weeks after the death of her beloved daughter, leaving a haunting legacy behind. Over a century later sisters Ruthie and Fawn  wake to find that their mother, Alice, is mysteriously missing. Joining forces with two suspicious strangers to track down their missing mom, they begin to uncover shocking family secrets - Sara’s and theirs - as well as a tale of twisted motherly devotion. Jennifer McMahon weaves a tale of historical suspense and Gothic horror that seamlessly blends together two, not-so-disparate, tales of mothers and daughters in the small town of West Hall, Vermont.

For this outfit I wanted to dress Ruthie. I chose an outfit appropriate for stomping around a Vermont landscape, including a nice chunky sweater that is reminiscent of Alice's hand-knitted ones (if a bit less loud). The jewelry here tells the real story: A cupcake charm for Ruthie's bakery flashbacks, a spellbook necklace, a ring that looks suspiciously like it could be the metal version of Auntie's,  and a ring reflecting the unending bond between mothers and daughters. I kept everything in the icy winter palette of the cover (which actually shimmers!).

This book is seriously wonderful and I'm recommending it to everybody!