This is of Susan-Boyle-quality tearjerky wonderfulness.

Signal boost: A friend of a friend is without dental insurance but with an abscessed tooth. She sells jewelry, does copy edits (copy editing is her day job, in fact), and possibly some other stuff, so if you’re of a mind and in the financial position to help a stranger today, here’s a chance to do it.

I have just finished reading Ruth Frances Long‘s new novel, THE TREACHERY OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS. You should read it too. It’s a modern fairy tale drawing on ancient tropes, told from inside, where everything is much darker than it seems. It’s pretty wonderful.

I have also ordered Sarah Rees Brennan‘s UNSPOKEN, which I cannot *yet* say I love unconditionally, but I can pretty much assume I will, because I love Sarah’s books. Sadly, a major US chain bookstore whose name will remain unspoken because of publishing house politics, but whose initials are probably the letters N and B in some mystical magical order, has chosen not to have UNSPOKEN on the shelves. If you like YA, gothic romances, heartbreak, witty protagonists, and clever plotting, this would be an *excellent* time to go into your local B&N or independent bookstore, or Amazon, or whatever you want, and have them order you a copy. Especially since it’s *out* this week, and first-week sales continue to be important.