In my mind, mermaids are cartoon characters with fishy tales who have a tendency to sing about everything. The Mermaid’s Mirror by L.K. Madigan is a great departure from these children’s tales...although there is a little singing.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Kansas City Public Library is inviting its online fans to write personal ads for their favorite characters from Victorian literature. The writer of the best ad will receive a box of Christopher Elbow chocolates and a free copy of Jennifer Phegley’s book Courtship and Marriage in Victorian England.

In Hannah and Her Sisters Woody Allen once again explores his familiar obsessions: fear of nothingness, the uncertainties of romantic love, urban neuroses. Yet it's also as close to an optimistic statement as he has ever made.