Tidbits: Good vs. bad ideas by Hollywood, pr-E-views, mini-mashups

• Queen Mary had a thing for dollhouses, and as everyone who is someone knows, no house regardless of size is complete without a library.  QM's library redefines the term pocket book, and answers a very important Zoolander question.  These dollhouse books are unbelievably cute!  And also, how did they make them so tiny?!??  Read about it at the first link, or tour the dollhouse library at this link.   [via Parathentical]
  
•  Have you always harbored a secret desire to replace steal Gilbert from Anne? Hear Captain Wentworth tell you that you pierce his heart?  Rest easy, daydreamer.  You can now special order a copy of a classic book with your name, and that of your friends/family/part-time lovers in the place of the characters.  BONUS: the company also does romance novels.  Best gag gift ever?  Bonus BONUS:  Oh, snap.  They also have a category called "vampire."  I can't even...[via GalleyCat]
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• The first twentish pages of Maggie Stiefvater's newest book, Raven Boys, is up on EW for your perusal.
  
• Ditto for an pr-E-view of  The Book of Blood and Shadow, by Robin Wasserman (who I met once, and who was very very nice!).
  
• Bad idea by Hollywood:  Robert Pattinson as Finnick Odiar?  Please, no.   
  
• Good idea by Hollywood: Oooh, I have spotted the moste curiouse tweet from Patrick Ness regarding the script for The Knife of Never Letting Go (I'm still nervous about it, even after Hunger Games didn't stink):
  
  
  CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER.  
  
  

Case of the Terribles: Tak Ball

I created a lot of games involving throwing balls at my younger siblings delicate, sweet little heads or chasing them into pricker bushes as a child.  

Naturally, they have great respect for me as we've all crept into adulthood.  

My brother brought the following game, a term I'm using loosely here, to my attention.  

You know, in case I wanted to play with them again.
Ladies and Gents, here is Tak Ball:

Serious, contemplative question here: how do they keep running?  

I'm pretty sure if I got tazed, I'd need a diaper change.  

 

How is this even a thing?  Is it real?  I'm too afraid to search the googles.  And does Tak stand for attack?  Or tachycardia? Because the second makes way more sense.  

Why, America.  WHY?

A Middlemarch summary is on the way eventually, as are my deep deep thoughts on the merrits of hot wrapples, and hot Will Ladislaw. 

The Selection, by Kiera Cass: When The Bachelor does Dystopia, we ALL win

The Selection

by Kiera Cass

HarperTeen, 2012 (available 4/24/12)

In this highly anticipated vision of the future, the United States is no longer a democracy.  Monarchy has returned and a caste system is now in place with social groups rated one (highest) to eight (lowest).  Straight shooting and musically talented America Singer and her large family are fives, artisan class.  When The Selection is announced, a reality show to find teenage Prince Maxon a wife and a future Queen, America feels obligated to enter.  Entrants are well compensated for their participation, and her family can use the money.  But America is madly in love with her secret boyfriend, Aspen, a six, servant class, and for the obvious reasons is hesitant to enter.  Aspen clears the way when he breaks up with her instead of proposing; his pride can’t bear to drag her down a caste level.  Soon America is flying off to the palace with 34 other contestants, one from each province, to compete to win the heart and hand of Prince Maxon.  But things in the palace are not as they seem to be on a TV screen; there are frequent attacks by rebels, not to mention learning to navigate the new royal caste expectations, trying to make friends in a tinderbox, and trying to fall in love with a broken heart.  This book has high pop appeal (a TV pilot has already been filmed), and should find its way into all YA collections with high demand anticipated from girls (11-16) and adults when the pilot airs.

Guys – I think we can all cop to the obvious.  A summary of the basics of this plot is like a recipe for Paperblog kryptonite.   It’s basically The Bachelor meets The Prince and Me meets a beauty pageant meets a girly version of dystopia meets the CW meets fantasies of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding, shaken, and served in a glass labeled: Strong Potential for Highly Addictive Case of the Terribles.  HOW COULD I SAY NO?  Now, before I go much further, I’ll make a disclaimer:  I have not actually finished this book (my copy is not a complete one), and the origins of my copy, while legit and legal, are slightly not directly from the publisher.  Let’s just say the bidding war paid off for all of our curiosity about this buzzed about book (and don’t worry, HarperTeen legal department, I’m not passing it on...unless of course you want to send me a real ARC, which I’d be delighted to pass on to my many, always eager to read fun things teenage students…). 

Now that we’ve cleared that up and all the boys have stopped reading, let’s debrief. 

Case of the Terribles: Katniss and Peeta get an unfortunate celeb name

STOP.

There is a part of me that I am not so proud of that wants this t-shirt.
Evil Genius behind this t-shirt, I'd like to electronically shake your hand.  

Well played, sir or madam.

(And thanks to Jules for bringing this to my attention.)

Tidbits: I'm Hosting a 1984 workout case of the terribles.

Not too much today guys (been away from the interwebs for a week!), and frankly, I'm twiddling my thumbs for the next 24 hours until I am seated in a theatre with bagels, coffee, and Katniss.  HUNGERGAMESYOUGUYS.  Has anyone seen in yet?  THOUGHTS? Wait - don't spoil the ending!  (Kidding). 

• Still haven't read 1984.  It's party of the Dinner Train Book Club parade, but not until November.  Cut to the quick, there's a new adaptation in the works, with Shepard Fairey as part of group that purchased the rights.  As in, he of the infamous Obama Hope poster and the Obey stickers you see everywhere, amongst many other play on propaganda works of art and legal issues stemming from fair use and image copyright questions.  Curious. 
• Oh HEY, Hostess with the mostest. Or not.  The Host trailer (I think it's really more in the teaser family) is out.  It's...okay.  I wanted more, but I'm not disappointed. 
• Case of the Terribles: Normally this would get it's own post, but I'm lazy today, so there.  I've been seeing things about the Hunger Games workouts all over the interwebs for a while, but the intrepid, crack team of journalists down at MTV News (I can't believe they haven't won a Pulitzer yet) actually went.  And honestly?  That's it?  There is not nearly enough blood.  This will in no way prepare me to fight 14 year old girls for a seat in the arena theatre tomorrow (that's where the hot coffee comes in).