Waiting on Wednesday (4) and a Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker

Brightly Woven, Alexandra Bracken (March 23, Egmont USA)

When Wayland North brings rain to a region that's been dry for over ten years, he's promised anything he'd like as a reward. He chooses the village elder's daughter, sixteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabel, who is a skilled weaver and has an unusual knack for repairing his magical cloaks. Though Sydelle has dreamt of escaping her home, she's hurt that her parents relinquish her so freely and finds herself awed and afraid of the slightly ragtag wizard who is unlike any of the men of magic in the tales she's heard. Still, she is drawn to this mysterious man who is fiercely protective of her and so reluctant to share his own past.

This sounds too, too pretty! It's been getting rave reviews on Goodreads too, nothing less than four stars.

And because one pretty thing deserves another, I thought I'd share with you my very favourite dance and piece of classical music from a ballet, the Final Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. I saw this performed by the Australian Ballet School in their yearly showcase at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl several years ago (free ballet on picnic rugs! I love attending) and I was blown away by how good they were, and how magical this piece is. There were tears, but thank goodness it was so dark no one could see me having a bit of a weep. This French pair are lovely. (They shake just a teensy bit at the beginning and I almost passed this clip over, but the rest is lovely and as far as I can tell, the music is being performed live, and it's perfect.)