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Just a quick round-up of three new new titles from Seven Seas coming soon in February and March.

Amnesia Labyrinth: Volume 1 (February 1st)
Story by Nagaru Tanigawa, Art by Natsumi Kohane

From the author of the acclaimed Haruhi Suzumiya series comes a new offbeat tale of murder and twisted love!

With the help of his cheery and spunky new girlfriend Yukako Sasai, straight-laced Souji is about to venture into a mysterious world that might just be the death of him.

Preview this title at GoManga.com
Read more about Amnesia Labyrinth

Gunslinger Girl Omnibus: Volume 1 (February 1st)
Story and Art by Yu Aida

The long-awaited relaunch of Gunslinger Girl! This omnibus edition contains the first three volumes of the hit Gunslinger Girl manga series completely relettered and retranslated.

Preview this manga at GoManga.com
Read more about Gunslinger Girl

Vampire Cheerleaders: Volume 1 (March 15th)
Story by Adam Arnold, Art by Shiei and Comipa

Two supernatural tales from the creative team behind fan favorite series Aoi House!

Visit the Facebook Fan Page where a new sample page is posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Read more about Vampire Cheerleaders

Filed under: News

For The Win by Cory Doctorow and Libyrinth by Pearl North have been included in the list of Recommended Titles for 2011 by The Amelia Bloomer Project.

“As we honor strong, powerful girls and the books that inspire them, the Amelia Bloomer Project celebrates 2010, a year that has sounded a call to action for multiple generations of feminists to work together and reflected diversity of culture and format.”
-from The Amelia Bloomer Project

The Amelia Bloomer Project is part of the Feminist Task Force of the American Library Association’s Social Responsibility Round Table.  To find out more about this organization, visit their blog and check out the other great books being recommended for your 2011 reading.

Filed under: Awards

Lucky Stiff by Deborah Coonts gets a starred review in  Library Journal.

Below is the full review:

Lucky Stiff: In an ironic twist, loan shark Numbers Neidermeyer’s body is found in a shark tank in a Vegas casino. Everyone, it seems, wanted Numbers dead, and soon Lucky O’Toole (Wanna Get Lucky?), customer relations pro at the Babylon, is drawn into the case. She was one of the last people to see Numbers alive, and one of her best friends is the primary person of interest. Other lively subplots include Lucky’s mother, a Vegas madam, auctioning off a young woman’s virginity; Lucky’s boyfriend being offered a music deal that will result in a long tour; and a top Mafia godfather asking Lucky for a favor she can’t refuse. VERDICT Watching Lucky navigate the dangerous shoals of the male-dominated world of gambling is a delight. Las Vegas is the perfect setting for this witty tale of misdirection and larger-than-life characters. Fans of J.A. Konrath’s Jack Daniels series will love this.

What others are saying about Lucky Stiff:

“This wonderfully funny and entertaining mystery stars Lucky O’Toole, head of customer relations at a Las Vegas resort. Readers who like cozy mysteries with a lot of sass, great dialogue and a plot that flies will love this.”
—Romantic Times

“[A]s lively and endearingly wacky as Wanna Get Lucky?”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Very much in the spirit of Carole Nelson Douglas’ Midnight Louie mystery series (sans talking cats), Coonts covers similar Sin City territory with a dash of CSI and Janet Evanovich in her second glitzy, lighthearted novel featuring Lucky O’Toole.”
—Publishers Weekly

Lucky Stiff
Coonts, Deborah (Author)
Feb 2011. 368 p. Forge, hardcover, $24.99. (9780765325440).

Filed under: News

Tartan is an instantly recognisable textile pattern with a remarkable heritage. This powerful symbol of Scotland was banned in 1749 by the English in order to help suppress the Scottish clans.

Many books have been bound in tartan or used a tartan cover design, and they catch the eye in a remarkable way. As millions of Scots prepare to celebrate Burns’ Night, put some tartan on your bookshelf and enjoy our selection of Tartan-themed books.

I love this story from Stony Stratford, near Milton Keynes. Local residents, keen not to lose their library to cost-cutting measures, showed their support by taking out every single book from the building – 16,000 volumes.