Lady Reader's Bookstuff

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

2012-02-16T17:12:00.003-05:00

Follow Lady Reader's Bookstuff via Bloglovin --> Here!

Here is a quick update:

Hopefully, I will be back to blogging on the regular very soon. For right now I am under very strict orders to rest and avoid stress at all costs. I am planning several fun posts with tons of giveaways, reviews and author interviews for when I return.

If you have anything that you are interested in seeing on the blog that I've never done before, please feel free to make suggestions. I would totally love that!

Thanks for stopping by and for your continued support.

Happy reading and Arrivederci

Update - Friday's post.

2012-02-09T23:49:00.004-05:00

I just want to let anyone know that is interested in the Daisy Whitney Interview and Giveaway that there's an update mentioned in this post:

Due to unforeseen events that have taken place in the past two days..
The post scheduled for Friday 2/10 unfortunately must be rescheduled for Monday, February 13, 2012. I regret any inconvenience this may have caused and hope you may forgive me.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Reading

Arrivederci.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge - Can you handle it?

2012-02-09T11:33:00.003-05:00

The A to Z April Challenge.

A blog-fest mainly devoted to meeting new bloggers, readers, etc. but also to put your creative cells and blogging skills on the table and committing to 26 posts in April, one for every letter of the alphabet. Oh. It's tough, but it's worth it.

Here's a list of the the co-hosts for the A to Z April Challenge

(try and visit all them, they rock!)

Tossing It Out (Arlee Bird)
Amlokiblogs (Damyanti Biswas)
Alex J. Cavanaugh (Alex J. Cavanaugh)
The QQQE (Matthew MacNish)
Life is Good (Tina Downey)
Cruising Altitude 2.0 (DL Hammons)
Retro-Zombie (Jeremy Hawkins)
The Warrior Muse (Shannon Lawrence)
Author Elizabeth Mueller (Elizabeth Mueller)
Pearson Report (Jenny Pearson)

No Thought 2 Small (Konstanz Silverbow)

Breakthrough Blogs (Stephen Tremp)
Coming Down the Mountain (Karen G)

Do you have more questions about the blog-fest? No problem. There's a website.

here --> A to Z April Challenge: What is Blogging from A to Z?

Wanna sign up? Groovy! Do it.

here --> Blogging from A to Z April Challenge: 2012 A to Z Challenge Sign Up List

This is a great opportunity to discipline yourself, grow as a blogger, and make new friends – come join us!

Waiting on Wednesday - Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #10) by J.R. Ward

2012-02-08T07:54:00.001-05:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. The city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Now back in the Brotherhood - and unrecognisable as the vampire leader he once was - Tohrment is physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair. When he begins to see his beloved in his dreams - trapped in a cold, isolating netherworld - Tohr turns to a self-serving fallen angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. When he's told he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed . . .

Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King's throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past, and a very hot, passion-filled future . . . but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

*******

I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. FOR. MY. FIX.

No matter how cheesy anyone thinks these 100 year old vamps are, I simply think they are HOT. Like, smokin' hot. I will read every BDB novel that Ward pubs. Yes, you may say that these books are my guilty pleasure. So, what? I. LIKE. THEM. I especially like how the men treat their ladies with respect. I like the action. I like that there is always a juicy story with every new book and..

I. LIKE. VISHOUS.

A LOT.

Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #10) by J.R. Ward

Hardcover, 592 pages

Expected pub date: March 27, 2012

Publisher: NAL

Pre-Order via Amazon

Pre-Order via Barnes & Noble

Pre-Order via IndieBound

Don’t forget to leave a link in the comments and tell me what goodies you’re Waiting on this Wednesday! As always I hope you have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Winners!

2012-02-07T11:25:00.002-05:00

All winners have been chosen by Mr. Random.org

#38 Briana McNair (The Book Pixie) - Finished copy of Fracture by Megan Miranda

#392 Amanda Peers - Graceling by Kristin Cashore

# 321 Emmy Neal - Fire by Kristin Cashore

Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations to our winners. A special thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for sponsoring the Fracture giveaway.

Make sure you stop by Friday and check out a special Q&A with author Daisy Whitney.You can check out my thoughts on The Rivals and enter to win both of Daisy's books!

Random Acts of Kindness: February Sign-up! (Jan. wrap-up)

2012-02-02T01:33:00.002-05:00

FEBRUARY sign-up form {here}
See who else is participating {here}

*My wishlist can be found --> {here}*

*FEBRUARY is my Birthday Month*

I'm wishing for a book that is NOT available in the US.

I will happily accept in paperback or epub format.

TORN by Cat Clarke

We encourage everyone to PAY IT FORWARD!

"Random Acts of Kindness"

Rules:

• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.

• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)

• Create a wishlist and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.

{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}
• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wishlist and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!

{Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Lets's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Vanessa at

Twerd413 [at] gmail DOT com

Book Soulmates

♥♥♥♥♥

For the month of JANUARY I gifted several RAKs to others!

To: Matthew MacNish (even though he doesn't even know it yet!)

Rotters by Daniel Kraus (hardcover)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (hardcover)

(Surprise, Matt!)

To: Jessica

Badlands by Seleste deLaney (ebook)
Overdue For Pleasure by Shelley Aikens (ebook)
No One To Trust by Julie Moffett (ebook)
No One Lives Twice by Julie Moffett (ebook)
Steam & Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape (ebook)
Stellarnet Rebel by J.L. Hilton (ebook)
Erotic Amusements by Justine Elyot (ebook)
Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey (ebook)
The Best Mistake by Kate Watterson (ebook)
Consent To The Cowboy by Abby Wood (ebook)

To: Patricia aka Awesome Blogger!

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith (hardcover)

*Not sure if it's been received as it was shipped to Germany from the US.

To: Tracy

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

I have received a message stating that I have a surprise coming to me in the mail.

Yay! I will post that next time.

♥♥♥♥♥

We encourage everyone to PAY IT FORWARD!

May all your wishes come true .

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

2012-01-26T22:37:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Young Adult Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Down The Rabbit Hole. This hop will last for five days and there are 200+ blogs participating. So, get to it and have fun hopping!

Goodies up for grabs:

Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms, #1) by Kristin Cashore

Fire (The Seven Kingdoms, #2) by Kristin Cashore

The Deets:

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is International.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on January 31st.

Enter Giveaway --> HERE!

There are tons of other blogs participating in this hop. Don't forget to stop by their sites as well.
Have fun and Arrivederci.

Review - Fracture by Megan Miranda w/ Giveaway

2012-01-26T03:31:00.002-05:00

Title & Author:

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Publisher:

Walker & Company

Publication Date:

January 17, 2012

Pages:

264

Source:

Publisher

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

*******

My Thoughts

"What would you do if you only had one day left to live?"

There is no doubt that Fracture is one of the most unique stories that I've read in a long time. Author Megan Miranda takes best friends, Decker and Delaney and builds something mysterious and magical.
Fracture is a story about friendships, family and being there for one another. Learning who to trust and not to trust - even when it's yourself.

When a tragic accident leaves Delaney in a coma for six days she has to rebuild her entire world upon waking up. She is the strange phenomenon, even the doctors can't figure it out. Tension has built between her and Decker so intense that they barely speak. Delaney is keeping to herself. Everyone is having a difficult time dealing with her accident and recovery. If she will recover. And she's keeping secrets.
From everyone.

Can there really be a medical explanation for all of the strange things that are happening? If so, can Delaney ever get her parents to believe it and if she can will Delaney be able to believe it herself ?
Will Decker and Delaney ever be the same? Fracture is emotional and suspenseful with every page leaving you gasping at something new. Megan Miranda has written a fantastic novel with a realistic setting.

-From the Authors Note:
When I started researching for Fracture, I came across a 1963 article in Time magazine ("Therapy: Life After Drowning," May 31, 1963) about a boy who drown in a frozen river. There's no evidence to know exactly how long he was there, but it's safe to say it was quite a long time. After extraordinary resuscitation measures, he seemed to recover, but then relapsed days later. It appeared that his brain had been damaged beyond repair. And then six weeks later, he began to recover. Almost completely.
If people typically recovered from something like this, it would not be news. And even though I am a person who claims to find comfort in the predictable, the expected, these are the stories I'm drawn to: The almost miracles. The flukes. And I don't think I'm alone in that.

Fracture is a powerful and engaging thriller. Megan Miranda has written a passionate debut. In my opinion it is a must read.

Check out the Fracture FB page for extra content --> HERE!

The book trailer:

Bloomsbury/Walker has been super-awesome to offer a finished copy for a giveaway.

The Deets:

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is US Only - Publisher is shipping.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on February 5th.

Enter Giveaway --> HERE!

Waiting on Wednesday - In Too Deep by Amanda Grace aka Mandy Hubbard

2012-01-24T23:38:00.001-05:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Davis. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That’s how rumors of rape started.

Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone’s on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger-forcing me to make a terrible choice.

*******

Wow. Just Wow.

If you've read Amanda Grace aka Mandy Hubbard's previous novel, But I Love Him, then you will understand why I just can't wait to get a copy that I can call my very own.

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace, Mandy Hubbard

Paperback, 240 pages

Expected publication: February 8, 2012

Publisher: Flux

Pre-Order via Amazon

Pre-Order via Barnes & Noble

Pre-Order via IndieBound

Don’t forget to leave a link in the comments and tell me what goodies you’re Waiting on this Wednesday! As always I hope you have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

In Darkness by Nick Lake - Winner

2012-01-24T15:58:00.001-05:00

The winner has been chosen by Mr. Random.org

#4 Elizabeth Hyatt (BookAttict) - Finished copy of In Darkness by Nick Lake

Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations Elizabeth! A special thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for sponsoring the giveaway.

Make sure you stop by Thursday the 26th for the Fracture blog tour stop. You can check out my thoughts on Fracture and enter to win a finished copy of Megan Miranda's new novel!

Review - In Darkness by Nick Lake & copy up for grabs

2012-01-13T11:04:00.001-05:00

Title & Author:

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Publisher:

Bloomsbury Publishing

Publication Date:

January 17th 2012

Pages:

352

Source:

Publisher

In darkness I count my blessings like Manman taught me. One: I am alive. Two: there is no two. In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake a boy is trapped beneath the rubble of a ruined hospital: thirsty, terrified and alone. 'Shorty' is a child of the slums, a teenage boy who has seen enough violence to last a lifetime, and who has been inexorably drawn into the world of the gangsters who rule Site Soleil: men who dole out money with one hand and death with the other. But Shorty has a secret: a flame of revenge that blazes inside him and a burning wish to find the twin sister he lost five years ago. And he is marked. Marked in a way that links him with Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian rebel who two-hundred years ago led the slave revolt and faced down Napoleon to force the French out of Haiti. As he grows weaker, Shorty relives the journey that took him to the hospital, a bullet wound in his arm. In his visions and memories he hopes to find the strength to survive, and perhaps then Toussaint can find a way to be free ...

***

My Thoughts

Oh. My. Goodness.

Nick Lake has written a phenomenal story. He did so with such emotion and horrific facts that I was teetering back and forth on the brink of shock and tears. There were so many facts interlaced through the entire story, it's almost as if IN DARKNESS was written as non-fiction.

Lake did an amazing job with explaining the devastation of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Life details of slave and black revolutionary leader Toussaint L'Ouverture were intertwined with the present day character, Shorty and his life events living in the slums of Site Soleil.

Each time period held it's own trouble for each man. Both were violent and desolate. Both Shorty and Toussaint lived an austere and future-less life, their days were filled with death, violence and a desire for something better.

-From The Authors Note:

"Route 9 and Boston and the war between them - are real, as is nearly every detail of life in Site Soleil. It is one of the poorest, most violent slums in existence, even more so now in the wake of the 2010 earthquake. It has frequently been named as the most dangerous place on earth. People really did, and do, eat pies made of mud, such as their desperation. Babies really were, and are, left to die on piles of trash. For years, the slum was virtually cut off by roadblocks and especially during the bloody period in the first decade of the new century, police and attaches were accused many times of shooting unarmed civilians during demonstrations and home invasions. Many residents simply disappeared, never to be seen again."

IN DARKNESS is desolate, gritty and harsh. Nick Lake weaves it all together with a hint of promise. In my opinion this novel is a must read.

***

Bloomsbury has been super-awesome to offer a finished copy for a giveaway.

The Deets:

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is US Only - Publisher is shipping.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on January 21st.

Enter Giveaway --> HERE.

Random Acts of Kindness - January

2012-01-12T05:31:00.002-05:00

JANUARY sign-up form {here}
See who else is participating {here}

*My wishlist can be found {here}*

We encourage everyone to PAY IT FORWARD!

"Random Acts of Kindness"

Rules:

• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.

• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)

• Create a wishlist and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.

{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wishlist and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!

{Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Lets's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!
Thank you Uniflame for pointing that out!! :P

FYI: One RAK will be chosen and showcased! Yayyy!

That's it!

Easy peasy huh??

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Vanessa at

Twerd413 [at] gmail DOT com

♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥

We encourage everyone to PAY IT FORWARD!
May all your wishes come true

2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt (Question 62)

2011-12-31T00:09:00.001-05:00

I'm today's hunt stop for the 2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt!

Follow the hunt every day during the month of December! Answer the daily trivia questions from MG and YA books published during 2011 to be entered into the YA book giveaway.

Today's question is from The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell.

Question #62: What name was Amelia dubbed?

Remember to fill out your answer in the form at Most Important Letter --> here!

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

2011-12-30T22:40:00.003-05:00

Today is the last day of the Top 10 of 2011 event.

Top 10: A Week of Looking Back….

………and Looking Forward.

Top 10 of 2011 is hosted by:

Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books & Rachel from Fiktshun

*Most Anticipated*

Passenger (The Marbury Lens, #2) by Andrew Smith

October 2012 Feiwel & Friends Cover NOT Final
Welcome back, Jack.

***********************************************************************

Top 10 Books I'm looking forward to in 2012

*my list is in no particular order*

1. Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms, #3) by Kristin Cashore

May 1, 2012 Dial

2. Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #10) by J.R. Ward

March 27, 2012 NAL

3. The Isis Collar (Blood Singer, #4) by Cat Adams

March 13, 2012 Tor Books

4. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

February 2, 2012 G.P. Putnam's Sons

5. Bridge of Time by Lewis Buzbee

May 22, 2012 Feiwel & Friends

6. Miracle by Elizabeth Scott

June 5, 2012 Simon Pulse

7. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

February 16, 2012 Dutton Juvenile

8. Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls by Mary Downing Hahn

April 17, 2012 Clarion Books

9. In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

February 8, 2012 Flux

10. Island of Silence (Unwanteds, #2) by Lisa McMann

August 2012 Aladdin

11. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

May 8, 2012 Simon & Schuster Children

12. The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin

August 2, 2012 Putnam Juvenile

The Lucky Ones (Bright Young Things, #3) by Anna Godberson

Outpost (Razorland, #2) by Ann Aguirre

Don't Look Back by Laura Wiess

Unwholly (Unwind, #2) by Neal Shusterman

Neptune Girls by Jennifer McMahon

***

I hope you enjoyed my list. If you made one of your own, don't forget to leave a link in the comment section so I can check it out.
Today was the last day for our event. I hope you enjoyed my posts for each topic in the Top 10 of 2011 event. I hope that each and every one of you have a happy and safe New Year's Eve.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Top 10 Characters in 2011

2011-12-29T12:10:00.005-05:00

Top 10: A Week of Looking Back….

………and Looking Forward.

Top 10 of 2011 is hosted by:

Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books & Rachel from Fiktshun

The topic today is: Top 10 Book Characters in 2011

Eccentric Female Characters

*my list is in no particular order*

1. Izzy - Crazy by Amy Reed

"Erratic & Self destructive"
"You can't just fucking disappear like this. You're not this selfish. This isn't you. You're the girl who gets a room full of kids to think about art. You're the girl who stops the car so you can pick up litter on the side of the road. Remember that time this summer when those mean girls were picking on that little girl with glasses, and how you made them stop and think about it and apologize, and that girl looked at you like you were a fucking angel, like you saved her life? That's you Isobel. Not this girl who disappears."

2. Ruby - Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

“Ruby’s stories didn’t have morals. They meant one thing in the light and one thing in the dark and another thing entirely when she was wearing sunglasses.”

3. Ava - As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

“How can I remember a world that isn't mine? One that isn't the one I wake up in every day now?”

4. Celeste Lazar - Frost by Marianna Baer

“You realize that you're asking me to go against my true nature? It's like asking a vampire to be a phlebotomist and not drink from the vials.”

5. Grace - Entangled by Cat Clarke

“I remember. All of it. And it hurts. More than I'd ever thought possible.
I know where I am and what I've done and why I can't move or speak or open my eyes. And I'm scared.
It was all a terrible mistake.
I'd like not to be here. I'd like to go home now.
Please.
Please”

6 & 7. Kit & Fancy Cordelle - Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

“But what if the monsters come?"
"Fancy." Kit looked away from the drama to stare at her sister, surprised. "We are the monsters.”

8. Veta Ramirez - Amplified by Tara Kelly

Singer. Rhythm guitarist. Rock starlette wannabe. Supreme Awesomeness.

9. Olivia - Clean by Amy Reed

“What if I'm so broken I can never do something as basic as feed myself? Do you realize how twisted that is? It amazes me sometimes that humans still exist. We're just animals, after all. And how can an animal get so removed from nature that it loses the instinct to keep itself alive?”

10. Annie O'Sullivan - Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

“You can be as happy as you've ever been in your life, and shit is still going to happen. But it doesn't just happen. It knocks you sideways and crashes you into the ground, because you were stupid enough to believe in sunshine and roses.”

We'll be discussing: Top 10 Books I'm looking forward to in 2012.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Top 10 Book Boyfriends in 2011

2011-12-28T03:53:00.007-05:00

Top 10: A Week of Looking Back….

………and Looking Forward.

Top 10 of 2011 is hosted by:

Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books & Rachel from Fiktshun

The topic today is: Top 10 Book Boyfriends in 2011 (Based on books read in 2011)

*my list is in no particular order*

1. Josh - Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

Quirky. Spontaneous. Romantic.

(Yummy!)

♥

2. Vishous - Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #9) by J.R. Ward

Insanely intelligent. Sarcastic. Protective. Respectful.

Vampire. Explicit sexual desires.

(Yowsa!)

♥

3. Adam Kent - Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) by Tahereh Mafi

“It's been me and you against the world forever," he says. "It's always been that way.”

(Super Smokin' Hot)

♥

4. Gabe (Paradise) - Paradise by Jill S. Alexander

“In his arms, I slowly unfolded like a love note read in secret.”

(yum. makes me melt.)

♥

5. David Lazar - Frost by Marianna Baer

"His smell of coffee and warm boy skin filled my lungs and melted through my limbs."

(pick me. pick me)

♥

6. Alex - Delirium (Delirium, #1) by Lauren Oliver

“That's all I want. Just you and me. Always.”

(sniff. sniff)

♥

7. Jonah - Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

“Sometimes a perfect memory can be ruined if put to words.”

(gah, isn't that the truth....boys!)

♥

8. Sean - Amplified by Tara Kelly

Bassist. Artist. Snarky & Sensitive.

(sexy!)

♥

9. Leith "The Buckhead Boy" - Ladybird, Ladybird by Abra Ebner

Tall. Lean. Wide shoulders. Simply Scrumptious.

(I want a Buckhead Boy!)

♥

10. Noah Shaw - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1) by Michelle Hodkin

“The two of us snuggled like quotation marks in his room full of words.”

OH. MY. GOD.

Best line EVER.

♥

We'll be discussing: Top 10 Characters in 2011.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

2011-12-27T04:21:00.005-05:00

Top 10: A Week of Looking Back….

………and Looking Forward.

Top 10 of 2011 is hosted by:

Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books & Rachel from Fiktshun

The topic today is: Top 10 Book Covers in 2011

*my list is in no particular order*

1. Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1) by Lauren DeStefano

2. Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

3. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1) by Michelle Hodkin

4. Bad Taste in Boys (Kate Grable, #1) by Carrie Harris

5. The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

6. Torn by Cat Clarke

7. After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel

8. As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

9. Blood Magic (Blood Journals, #1) by Tessa Gratton

10. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Author), Siobhan Dowd, Jim Kay (Illustrator)

11. Stick by Andrew Smith

I hope you enjoyed my list. If you made one of your own, don't forget to leave a link in the comment section so I can check it out.
Come back tomorrow for the next topic in the Top 10 of 2011 event. We'll be discussing: Top 10 Book Boyfriends in 2011.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011

2011-12-26T00:46:00.006-05:00

Top 10: A Week of Looking Back….

………and Looking Forward.

Top 10 of 2011 is hosted by:

Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books & Rachel from Fiktshun

The topic today is: Top 10 Books I've read in 2011

*my list is in no particular order*

1. Clean by Amy Reed

Raw. Emotional. Beautiful.

2. Dead To You by Lisa McMann

Engaging. Breathtaking. Enthralling.

3. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Disturbing. Heartbreaking. Phenomenal.

4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Engrossing. Poignant. Inspiring.

5. Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz

Evocative. Tender. Perfect.

6. Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

Shocking. Horrific. Realistic.

7. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Powerful. Tragic. Passionate.

8. Don't Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon

Mysterious. Captivating. Flawless.

9. Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Riveting. Suspenseful. Unique.

10. Shine by Lauren Myracle

Gritty. Fierce. Stellar.

*Favorite book of 2011. Hands down*
Stick by Andrew Smith

Gripping. Compelling. Ingenious.

I hope you enjoyed my list. If you made one of your own, don't forget to leave me a link in the comment section so I can check it out.
Come back tomorrow for the next topic in the Top 10 of 2011 event. We'll be discussing: Top 10 Book Covers in 2011.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-25T13:29:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all of you.

Waiting on Wednesday - Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

2011-12-21T12:50:00.001-05:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

Taylor's family might not be the closest-knit – everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled – but for the most part, they get along fine. Then Taylor's dad gets devastating news that changes everything. Her parents decide that the family will spend the summer together at their old vacation home in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former summer best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend. . . and he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses, the Edwards become more of a family, and closer than they’ve ever been before. But all of them are very aware that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance – with family, with friends, and with love.

***

Ok. Wow! That sounds phenomenal. I'm so psyched about it, I don't think I can wait until summer time for it to release. After Amy and Roger's Epic Detour was released I adored it and couldn't wait for more of Morgan Matson's work to read.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Hardcover, 224 pages
Expected publication: May 8th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Pre-Order via Amazon

Pre-Order via Barnes & Noble

Pre-Order via IndieBound

Don’t forget to leave a link in the comments and tell me what goodies you’re Waiting on this Wednesday! As always I hope you have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop

2011-12-21T02:36:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Oasis For YA. This hop will last for six days and there are 200+ blogs participating. So, have fun hopping and happy holidays!

Goodies Up for Grabs:

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Life Eternal (Dead Beautiful #2) by Yvonne Woon

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Kathleen Ryan

The Deets:

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is International.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on December 27th.

Enter Giveaway --> Here!

There are tons of other blogs participating in this hop. Don't forget to stop by their sites as well.
Have fun and Arrivederci.

Cover Reveal - Sleepers (The Swarm #1) by Megg Jensen

2011-12-19T11:38:00.001-05:00

An adoptee raised in a foreign land, sixteen-year-old Lianne was content with her life as handmaiden to the queen, until a spell cast on her at birth activated. Now she's filled with uncontrollable rage and access to magic she thought had been bled from her people years ago. Even her years of secret training in elite hand-to-hand combat and meditation can’t calm the fires raging inside her.

Her heart is torn between two boys, the one she’s always loved and the one who always ignored her. But when the kingdom threatens to tear itself apart due to rumors surrounding the queen’s alleged affair, who will Lianne protect and who will she destroy?

****

Awesome, right?! To celebrate the re-launch of SLEEPERS in January 2012, Megg is giving the novel a beautiful new cover design by PhatPuppy.

Below are some helpful links if you'd like to check out Megg and her awesome book(s)

SLEEPERS via Amazon

Sale outlets for SLEEPERS

Megg's Website

Megg on Facebook

Megg on Twitter

2012 Debut Author Challenge

2011-12-17T17:18:00.002-05:00

2012 DAC

Check it. 2012 Debut Author Challenge. Hosted by The Story Siren. I'm totally gonna do this thing. Wanna join me? Just click on the image above and sign up with the linky, then - wah-lah! You're in. Here are the rules and deets:

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:

To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*

*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

Any advance reader copies you read from 2012 BEFORE the January 1st start date DO NOT count toward the challenge!
You can read twelve books in one month, or one book a month. It doesn’t matter as long as you have 12 read by the end of the year!

RULES & GUIDELINES:

You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads.
Your blog must be written in English.
Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.

BOOK GUIDELINES:

Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

Please link to your blog or Goodreads account when you sign up. You can do that ---> Here!
You can also find more information Here and several super groovy buttons Here!

Check out my list:

1. Everneath by Brodi Ashton 1-24-12

2. Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic 1-17-12

3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer 1-2-12

4. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler 1-3-12

5. Fracture by Megan Miranda 1-17-12

6. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etinne 2-2-12

7. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood 2-7-12

8. Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi 2-7-12

9. The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily Danforth 2-7-12

10. The Vanishing Game by Kate Kaye Meyers 2-14-12

11. Trafficked by Kim Purcell 2-16-12

12. The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg 2-21-12

13. Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig 3-13-12

14. Slide by Jill Hathaway 3-27-12

15. After The Snow by Sophie Crockett 3-27-12

16. The Selection by Kiera Cass 4-24-12

17. Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf 4-24-12

18. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins 5-1-12

19. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard 7-24-12

20. False Memory by Dan Krokos 8-14-12

Update. Where she's been.

2011-12-13T09:43:00.001-05:00

Hi guys!

I know it's been awhile and I apologize about that. I'm writing to update y'all about what's been going on in my life. (Yeah, I know. Boring!)

So, some of you know that I've had some medical issues that I've been trying to get figured out. Well, they're still not quite figured out. And, they're still causing problems and becoming more dangerous. So, my doctors think that it is in my best interest to take so much needed time and rest. Well, what does that mean exactly? It means: working from home (but only part-time) no (or very little) blogging and little reading as well. I'm going Crazy! As little stimulation/stress as possible = little or no seizures. That's what they are hoping for.

So, I will be taking some time off during the holidays, stopping in to post things here and there. If I have previously made arrangements to review a book, post a giveaway, etc. I still plan on doing so unless I have contacted you to make further arrangements.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding of my absence. I miss you all!

Amy

2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt (Question 8)

2011-12-04T03:09:00.000-05:00

I'm today's hunt stop for the 2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt!

Today's Question (8) is from Crossed by Ally Condie.

Of whom does Eli remind Ky?

Remember to fill out your answer in the form at Most Important Letter here!

LIE by Caroline Bock - Winner(s)

2011-11-28T09:56:00.001-05:00

Winners have been chosen by Mr. Random.

#15 Jodie Baker - Signed 1st Edition of LIE

#12 Kristen Pelfrey - Signed 1st Edition of LIE

And, just like I promised - one supa-dupa special surprise! I chose randomly from one person who took the time to leave a genuine and personal comment.

Alba Solorzano - Stomp Out Bullying bracelet & 1st Edition of LIE

Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations to the winners. A special thanks to Caroline Bock for help in sponsoring the giveaway and most of all, for writing the book.

IMM 8

2011-11-20T09:41:00.004-05:00

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at: The Story Siren.

Hi guys. It's been awhile. So, I'll get busy..

Goodies For Review:

Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield - (Thanks to Cheryl Rainfield & JKS Communications)

The Legend of Lady MacLaoch by Becky Banks *Signed, personalized copy with 3 pucks of Sex Wax! (Thanks a mega ton to Becky Banks!)

Moving Neutral by Katy Atlas (Thanks to Katy Atlas)

Dangerous Lies by Lisa April Smith *Signed Copy (Thanks to Lisa April Smith)

Goodies Purchased:

Amplified by Tara Kelly - Purchased from B&N

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) by Michelle Hodkin - Purchased from B&N

Goodies Won:

Blood Bound (Unbound #1) by Rachel Vincent - Thanks so much to Rachel at Fiktshun!

***

Welp. Here's the part that matta's. On stuff like your opinion! Have you read any of my new goodies? Did you think they were just okay? Or, was there one (or more) that you thought was abso AMAZING?!

When you’re through here please leave a link in the comments and tell me what goodies you got in your mailbox! As always, have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Reminders:

Lie by Caroline Bock Giveaway Ends 11/21 Enter --> Here!

Gratitude Giveaway Hop Ends 11/27 Enter --> Here!

Good luck and until next time.

Happy Reading & Arrivederci

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop

2011-11-16T16:29:00.003-05:00

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and All-Consuming Books.

This giveaway is a way to say "Thank-you" to all of my followers. New and old.

I appreciate each and every one of you.

The Goodies.

Book of your choice up to $15.

The Deets.

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is International.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 27th.

Enter Giveaway --> Here.

There are tons of other blogs participating in this hop. Don't forget to stop by their sites as well.
Have fun and Arrivederci.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

2011-11-15T19:41:00.001-05:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

I read LaCour's previous title, HOLD STILL and I just knew that I would need to have anything and everything else that this author would publish. The time has come. (almost) The book has started to make it's way around the blogosphere and I am getting antsy. Dear February, please hurry!

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall. But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

Morris Award—finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

***

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: February 16th 2012 by Dutton Juvenile
Pre-Order via Amazon
Pre-Order via Barnes & Noble
Enter to win a copy of The Disenchantments via Goodreads (US only) Ends 12/01/11

Don’t forget to leave a link in the comments and tell me what goodies you’re Waiting on this Wednesday! As always I hope you have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Romance at Random Veteran's Day Giveaway Hop - Winner

2011-11-15T16:30:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Romance at Random Veteran's Day Giveaway Hop! I hope everyone had lots of fun and made new friends. Now on with the winner..

Mr. Random chose:

#20 Donna Simmonds

Congratulations, Donna! (Winner has been notified.)

*Don't forget the Gratitude Giveaway Hop begins Thursday, 17th.

Romance at Random Veteran's Day Giveaway Hop

2011-11-10T16:22:00.001-05:00

Romance at Random Veteran's Day Giveaway Hop is hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer.

A Salute to Our Veteran’s – Veteran’s Day Blog Hop

In honor of Veteran’s Day & their awesome service for our country we’d like to celebrate with our very own Jessica Scott, active duty army captain, full time mom & author & her husband, first sergeant deployed with the army on his final tour; with promoting Jessica’s new book, BECAUSE OF YOU, the first in her Coming Home Series.

About Jessica Scott:

Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.
The Soldier
I'm a career soldier, with 16 years in the Army and I love everything about Army life. I joined right out of high school and was promptly shipped off to Germany where I met my husband. I went from Sergeant First Class (E7) to Second Lieutenant (01E) in 2007.
Now, I'm a company commander in charge of 130 soldiers, a mom with two young kids who never sit still, and an Army wife, whose husband is back in Iraq.
The Author
Until a few years ago, I had no idea hard writing really was. I'd always written and started several projects over the years, burning out after a few dozen pages. After the War was the first novel I ever finished and it will always hold a special place in my heart because of that, even if it now remains under my bed. Blogging from Iraq landed me a spot on PBS Point of View, tackling tough issues involving women and war. Its an experience I'll never forget.
After the War was followed by multiple novels, all pulled from my experiences as an soldier who has lived through both being deployed and being the spouse left at home with the kids. Most of those books will never see daylight.

Jessica Scott can be found at these locations:

The Giveaway:

One Ebook copy of Jessica's book: Because of You: A Loveswept Contemporary Military Romance

From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.

Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there's more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he'll never see again- until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care. Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there's a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels - for the first time in a long time - like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty -it's a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected - her deepest desire.

The Deets:

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is International.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 13th.

Enter the Giveaway --> Here!

Each participating blog found in this linky, will be giving away a FREE ebook of BECAUSE OF YOU. Be one of the first to read this powerful love story – comment below or on any of the participating sites to be included in this random drawing – 25 winners total as each site will choose a winner — increase your chances to win by visiting all of these sites.

Mr. Zogs Sex Wax - The Best Wax For Your STICK!

2011-11-10T10:49:00.001-05:00

Ahhh.. So, who is going to send me a puck of this yummy smelling wax?

Anyway, I'll get on with the goods. I know you're dying to know who gets the freaking awesome copies of STICK -- right?

Mr. Random chose:

#31- Kelley Flanagan Hardcover Copy

#42 - Jeffrey Smith Hardcover Copy

#13 - Mike Knell Hardcover Copy

#32 - .Ambur. Kindle Version

Thanks to everyone who played and congratulations to the winners. Thanks to Macmillan for their contribution and to my daughter for donating a book as well.

Ten Truths about LIE with Caroline Bock and a Giveaway

2011-11-08T09:47:00.002-05:00

Ten questions posed and answered truthfully by the author of LIE, the debut young adult novel from Caroline Bock, just out this fall from St. Martin’s Press, and already called: “Unusual and important,” in starred Kirkus Review, “Gripping” in starred Library Journal Review, “Smart… painfully truthful” in starred Publishers Weekly review and “Suspenseful and thought-provoking,” in starred Booklist Review.

So, where did you grow up?
Forty-five minutes from Broadway.

Uh?
That’s actually the beginning of an old, old song about my hometown –
New Rochelle, New York, and yes, it’s about 45 minutes north of New York City.

Anything unusual about your childhood?
I was raised by a single parent – my father. He raised four kids, two girls, two boys, after my mother had a stroke when I was four-and-a-half. She was left brain-damaged and paralyzed. So let’s say I had an unusual, often chaotic, childhood. And I was the oldest of the four of us. In order to escape, I read all the time. My life-long dream was to be a writer, and I’m often stunned these days to call myself one.

What’s the most unusual place you ever visited?
Comer, Georgia outside Athens, Georgia. My brother and father live there, and that’s a whole story in itself. A beautiful state park is along the river, but it’s as if I’m visiting another country – small town and Southern, where everybody knows you. I’m used to New York City. I’ve never lived anywhere else but in New York City or in its suburbs, and there’s an anonymity here. LIE is set on Long Island, where I live now, which is a suburb of New York City.

Let’s get back to your debut novel, you’ve said it’s inspired by real events?
Yes, most notably the Marcelo Lucero murder on Long Island three years ago this month. Two brothers were walking down the street in this suburban town and a group of teens out for so-called fun, they called it, ‘beaner-hopping,’ were driving around looking for Hispanics to hurt. They ended up murdering one of the two brothers. But there were similar hate crimes in Brooklyn, New York and in Pennsylvania around the same time. I kept asking myself, ‘how could this happen here?’ in the 21st century, this kind of vigilante justice, but here it was. I thought someone else would certainly write about this, until, I had this moment of realization – why couldn’t that someone be me? Yet, it was only until I hit upon the structure of ten distinct first person voices, five teen and five adult, and the fact that it was about the aftermath of the crime, the reaction to it, that the novel took off.

How long did it take you to write?
About eight weeks for a first draft. But it was a mess.

A mess?
Yes. The first draft was way too short. I revised it for about another year with the help of close readers, and ultimately my agent and editor. If you are a writer, the best thing you can find are early readers that care about you and your work to read closely and tell you why something is working, or not working.

Any other advice to writers?
Write. I know that sounds so basic, but I know a lot of people want to be writers, but the idea is better than the reality. Writing is hard. I have to do it everyday whether it’s working that day or not, whether every line I write sounds worse than the last one. I have a sign up in front of my desk (I’m big on inspirational quotes or sayings or news clips or poems around my desk), and this one says, “Writing is easy… just a matter of staring a blank page until your forehead bleeds,” from Gene Fowler, an old-time scriptwriter.

Am I going to enjoy LIE?
I’m starting not to like this word ‘enjoy.’ You read this novel because life doesn’t always have fairy tale endings, because sometimes we make bad choices and we have to live with the consequences. Sometimes we follow our friends, or our boyfriends, without questioning ourselves on whether it’s the right or wrong thing to do. Sometimes we hear what our parents are saying about others, and don’t question them. We don’t always tell the truth to one another, or to ourselves. This is a novel you read with your teen, or with your book club, and ask, could this happen here? What would I do or say to my teen if I heard they were speaking or acting against another group of people? There are a lot of novels out that you read to escape the world, I read them too, but sometimes you need a novel that makes you question the world.

What’s your favorite line in the book?
‘A lie can take you many places, but never back.’
It’s said by Skylar’s father. Truthfully, I stole it from my own father.

--Caroline Bock, November 8, 2011
Teens. Race. Hatred. Love.
This murder, in part, inspired LIE:
Marcelo Lucero was killed Nov. 8, 2008, when a mob of teens attacked him in Patchogue.
May Marcelo Lucero rest in peace.

***

Caroline has been super awesome and is offering up Two Signed First Edition Copies of LIE just for you guys. And because I think you guys are so special I'm going to throw in a supa-dupa special surprise for one lucky person.

The Deets.

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is US only.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 21st.

Go ---> Here! <---

Giveaway - Stick by Andrew Smith UPDATE!

2011-11-05T19:23:00.001-04:00

STICK by Andrew Smith

Quick update guys! Just because I like you. I don't want you to miss out on such an awesome opportunity.

This fantabulous giveaway ends at midnight 11/7. Don't make yourself regret not entering.

The info is below.

The Goodies.

Beautiful Hardcover copy/(s) of STICK

eBook copy/(s) of STICK

The Deets.

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is International.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 7th.

Have fun and good luck to everyone. Play nice. Oh. yeah. To enter the giveaway.

Go ---> HERE! <---

Book Bloggers Holiday Swap

2011-11-05T15:16:00.001-04:00

The holiday swap is a way for book bloggers to connect and celebrate the holiday spirit by sharing gifts. It’s done secret Santa style; all of the participants are randomly assigned a blogger to send a gift to, and these assignments are kept secret until the gift has been delivered. So no one knows who their gift is coming from!

Do you have questions? Hopefully, we have all the answers right here. Ready to join the gift giving fun? Great!

Make sure you do so before our deadline: Midnight, Friday November 11, 2011. In order to make sure everyone gets matched up and gifts get sent in a timely manner, we will be closing sign-ups after November 11.

So go ahead and fill out the form now! If you’re not sure how to answer one of the questions, refer back to the FAQs. If you’re still not sure, leave a comment and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

–>Click HERE to go to the Google form and sign up.<–

Help spread the word, please!

A brief mention of it in your next blog post.
A button in your sidebar (steal the one in this post or go to our buttons page for a smaller version).
Whatever you want to do!

We have a Twitter presence as well: our account is @holidayswap, so follow us for more holiday fun (and maybe an appearance or two by Santa himself) and the hashtag is #holidayswap if you’re tweeting about it.

Looking forward to seeing the spread of holiday cheer!

Sneak Peek & Goodies - Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield

2011-10-28T12:12:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday! We are celebrating Cheryl Rainfield's upcoming release HUNTED. Since this is a party and we are celebrating HUNTED.. it is only natural that Cheryl and I should give you some goodies. So.. you will find many throughout this post that you can keep and call your very own. We hope you love them and take very good care of them. Let's get this party started!

***

Let us be the one of the first to hear Cheryl's inspiration for HUNTED..

Now, we can watch the Awesome trailer for HUNTED..

Teen Para Comic Strip

Pin Point: A HUNTED Bonus Short Story

Free! Available at Smashwords in your preferred format --> HERE!

So.. pretty groovy so far, yeah? Well, Cheryl just happens to be pretty groovy! And has given us even more! Check this..

You can read the first 6 pages of HUNTED now! --> HERE!

More Goodies to download (just click the link)

HUNTED Playlist <--music! love...

HUNTED Postcard Shorty-Short Story PDF Word Doc

Para Survival Handbook PDF Word Doc

HUNTED Newspaper Article PDF

HUNTED Questionnaire: What Superpowers would YOU want? PDF Word Doc

Still to come! A HUNTED bonus mini comic book. And for teachers, a Teacher's Guide.

I will list the links below where you can find Cheryl. She is super awesome, so I would check them out if you haven't already.

Cheryl's Website

Cheryl's Blog

Cheryl on Twitter

Cheryl at Networked Blogs

Cheryl on Facebook

Cheryl on Goodreads

HUNTED will be available December 2nd guys! So, here are some links to pre-order. Do it.

Pre-Order HUNTED at Amazon

Pre-Order HUNTED at B&N

Pre-Order HUNTED at IndieBound

HUNTED Goodreads Giveaway! (US Only)

***

Welp, I hope you guys adore all of the HUNTED goodies! As always I hope you have a wonderful weekend and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Giveaway - Stick by Andrew Smith

2011-10-26T10:21:00.001-04:00

STICK by Andrew Smith

I'm hoping by now that a ton of you have bought and read STICK, maybe even stalked Andrew a ~~lotta~~ little bit. Cause, he's totally stalk worthy ya know. Being the hipster that he is. Wearing those Sex Wax Tee's, and custom groovy kicks. Oh. I must not forget his super fly taste in tunes. This is no lie.

If not. I've got the goods.

Just. For. You.

Because?

STICK. Is. That. Good.

***

The Goodies.

Beautiful Hardcover copy/(s) of STICK

eBook copy/(s) of STICK

The Deets.

1. One entry per person.

2. You must be 13 or older.

3. Giveaway is International.

4. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 7th.

Have fun and good luck to everyone. Play nice. Oh. yeah. To enter the giveaway.

Go ---> HERE! <---

Review - Skid Out (Heavy Influence) by Ann Marie Frohoff

2011-10-24T12:04:00.001-04:00

Skid Out by Ann Marie Frohoff

A novella prequel to the Heavy Influence Trilogy about young, reckless love between a rising rock star and his younger muse. Follow their journey through temptation, deception & forbidden love.

17 year old high school senior, Jake Masters, front man of a rising rock band, finds new interest in his younger freshman next door neighbor Alyssa Montgomery. Their relationship breaks hearts; stirs jealousy and band infighting. When they’re brought to new found awareness of body and soul, will rightful boundaries be crossed? Will the right decisions and choices, which are detrimental to the band and its future, be made through the haze of infatuation? Will Jake’s absences on the road lead to another filling his shoes? Jake and Alyssa’s lifelong friendships are strained and tested; secrets are kept, admitted and shared. Family bonds are broken, as others grow stronger. Who knew a first love could cause so many problems? Then again, in their eyes, there are no problems as long as they’re together. In the end, will his new found muse bring down everything he’s worked so hard to achieve or will she inspire positive creative change; that will carry him and his band to stardom.

Check out the straight-up funky fresh tunes that were custom made for this novella.

Transpose by Bad Suns

My Thoughts:

Okay. So, we have the perfect mix here. Music, high school, California, hot guys -- (bad boys?) hot girls. (good girls?) What else could we ask for?

In this brilliant novella we get a taste of teens loving music; maybe even getting the big break in the music industry that they have been waiting for. And all the while could there be romance blooming? Right next door. Alyssa is such a young girl for Jake's older eyes. Yet that isn't stopping his mind from thinking about her or his eyes from wanting to constantly look at her. Is this right? Both Jake and Alyssa ask themselves this question. Although, now that the seed has been planted, it certainly can't be dug up and tossed aside.

Frohoff sets this trilogy up just right with this groovy novella. It's edgy enough for teens to love, mix in music and a possible love triangle in the California heat and who wouldn't want to check it out. On the plus side Frohoff is putting together a soundtrack that goes with each book in the series. Huzzah!

In my opinion this trilogy is going to be a fun ride with a sassy set of alternative punk tunes to go along with it. I can't wait for the next trip in Jake and Alyssa's adventure. If you haven't read SKID OUT.. you are definitely missing out.

Rating = 5 Stars

Received from Ann Marie Frohoff

EBook edition, 56 pages

Published September 12, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - Amplified by Tara Kelly

2011-10-19T15:34:00.001-04:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

Ever since reading Kelly's debut novel, Harmonic Feedback, I've been on the look-out for more of her work and now I only have to wait just a little less than a week.

Check that out! Isn't the cover sexy? If it doesn't speak for itself, then..

When privileged 17-year-old Jasmine gets kicked out of her house, she takes what is left of her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. Jasmine finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convince the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from over the hill can hack it. . . . In this fresh new novel by critically acclaimed author Tara Kelly, Jasmine finds out what happens when her life gets Amplified.

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Amplified by Tara Kelly

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: October 25th 2011 by Henry Holt and Co.

Pre-Order via Amazon

Pre-Order via B&N

Enter to win a copy of Amplified via Goodreads ENDS 10/25

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Don’t forget to leave me a link in the comments and tell me what goodies you’re Waiting on this Wednesday! As always I hope you have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.

Author Interview - Angela Carlie

2011-10-17T11:13:00.003-04:00

Everyone we're going to talk today with the lovely, Angela Carlie about her newest novel LORAMENDI'S STORY.. and a ton of other things! Check it.

1. Can you tell us how you became a writer?

I started writing. Haha j/k ;) But not really.

I sat down many times throughout my life to write a novel to only get a few chapters written before finding other interests to pursue. Finally, a few years ago, I held the determination to finish a novel and had a first draft done in one month. I haven’t looked back since and now have three novels published and one in the draft state. I’m currently working on a sequel, which is more difficult for me to write than the first book or a stand alone.

2. How long did it take you to write Loramendi's Story? During that time did you come across any blocks/times that you couldn’t write?

About three years. Loramendi’s Story was my first novel. It was originally titled The Dreaded Dawn. It was a mess, and I re-wrote it several times, set it aside to write other novels, and then came back to it this past year.

3. What inspired you to write this particular book? Is there a story about the writing of this novel that begs to be told?

There wasn’t a particular inspiration like there has been in my other novels. Loramendi’s Story is just a novel written for pure entertainment. It’s something I’d enjoy reading for escapism and fun.

4. What is it that you’re exploring in this book?

Loramendi’s Story is the introduction to a series of books called Lords of Shifters. I explore the possibilities of shapeshifting, magic, romance, friendship, and touch on various morals we hold as a society. The upcoming books will dive deeper into some of those morals.

5. Who is your favorite character in this book, and why?

Ha! I love all the characters. J If I had to choose, I’d say I like Lord Xifan the most. I can’t tell you why because that would spoil the fun for future books.

6. Do you have a favorite story to tell about being interviewed about your book?

I believe this is the first interview I’ve had for Loramendi’s Story. I’m horrible at these types of things and an introvert. I’ll be going on a book tour this October with three local YA/Middle Grade authors. I’m sure I’ll have many stories to tell then. Like how I hid behind them while on stage, or how I tripped over the stair and landed face first onto the pen in my hand—stabbing my eyeball out.

7. What question are you never asked in interviews but wish you were?

I usually want to hide under a desk when people ask me questions, but I think a good question to ask that hasn’t been asked before would be: What color was the carpet in the house you lived in while in fourth grade? Answer: Salmon

8. Which authors have been most influential to your own writing?

I love many authors and I try to read and stay current with the young adult market. I believe that the more words I absorb, the more will be readily available to spit back out. If I were to point to one person who has had the most influence over my writing it would be my first critique partner, Gary Corbin. I’ve learned a lot from him and he’s helped shape my style of writing. He writes awesome stories and plays. Several of his scripts have been produced by local theatres.

9. If you weren't writing, what would you want to be doing for a living? What are some of your other passions in life?

Right now I pay the bills as a licensed massage practitioner and I’m going to go back to school for nursing. Of course I’d rather just win the lottery and travel the world, but I seem to repel luck so I’ll keep working until that happens.

I have a passion for traveling, hiking, kayaking, helping people and animals, and reading. If I could get paid to do all these things, I’d be in Heaven.

10. If you could have written one book in history, what book would that be?

I don’t think I can answer this question. There’s not a book that I could have written or that I’ve ever wished I wrote. I’ve wished for the success that some books have had and perhaps the premise made me envious, but never the writing because writer has such a unique style. I’ve fallen in love with many authors’ writing, but their style isn’t mine. I like my style.

11. Tell us about the biggest challenges you face in your writing process.

Finding time to write is a huge challenge. With work and a family to care for, writing often gets squeezed into the schedule whenever there’s a blank spot—which isn’t often. Unfortunately, I’m a slow writer and I usually need large chunks of time to get into a good rhythm.

12. Please list seven random likes; then do the same for dislikes, go way random.

Random Likes (in no particular order):

The smell of an auto mechanic shop. Oil and rubber.

The color of mango meat. Murky orange/yellow.

Laughter. Especially my child’s laugh.

Bathtub Beach on the Island of Oahu on February 26, 2009.

January 24, 1999.

Daisies.

Smooshing my face against a purring, soft kitten.

Random Dislikes (in no particular order):

Dog farts. Especially my dog’s farts.

Addiction. All forms.

Being misunderstood. Especially when feelings get hurt.

The smell of an auto mechanic shop. Oil and rubber.

Guns.

Fear.

Envy.

13. Is there anything that you’re working on that we need to be looking out for?

I’m currently plotting out the second Lords of Shifters Novel. I hope for it to be available in 2012.

Thank you so much, Amy, for interviewing me today. If I may, I’d like to give a shout-out to my fellow Darkside Publishing authors, Karly Kirkpatrick, GP Ching, Megg Jensen and DSP's newest member, Magan Vernon. Everyone should check out their fabulous books at Darkside Publishing.

Groovy. That was fun. Right? Now if you would like a way to check out Angela's website our purchase other books of hers, I'll put the links up for convenience.

Places to stalk Angela:

Another novel that Angela wrote and I highly recommend is; Dream Smashers. Check it out! I promise you won't be sorry.

Purchase Dream Smashers - Amazon

Purchase Dream Smashers - B&N

Thank you, Angela for taking the time out of your busy day to spend with us! We really appreciate it. If any of you have questions for Angela just leave them in the comments and she has agreed to come back and answer them. Awesome, right?

Have a wonderful week.

Happy Reading & Arrivederci

Pay It Forward Blogfest 2011

2011-10-13T20:46:00.002-04:00

This blogfest is the creation of two masterminds. Matt from The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment (or the QQQE) and Alex from Alex J. Cavanaugh.

This is how the blogfest will actually work:

The idea is to introduce everyone to everyone else.

Visit those who’s signed up. Visit those they recommend! If you don’t have time to comment, just follow. Take the weekend to go through the list. You might find some really cool blogs out there.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you like it here and come back again soon.

Here is the list of super-groovy blogs that I currently stalk on a daily basis and think you should as well.

The Blogfest begins Friday October 14 at 12:01am. So, get to hopping folks and lets have fun with this!

Have a wonderful weekend.
Happy Reading & Arrivederci

Pay It Forward Blogfest 2011 - Link up

2011-10-12T11:23:00.001-04:00

This blogfest is the creation of two masterminds. Matt from The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment (or the QQQE) and Alex from Alex J. Cavanaugh.

I will quote the instructions from Matt's blog on how this hop works.

Here is how the blogfest will actually work:

The idea is to introduce everyone to everyone else. We want this to be an easy post that allows you to meet and follow as many other bloggers as you can. In your post, we would like you to please list, describe, and link to three blogs that you enjoy reading, but that you suspect may fly under the radar of a lot of other bloggers. Or they can be famous blogs, as long as they're awesome.

But don't stop there! Certainly visit and follow all the blogs that are featured in people's posts the day of the blogfest, but those don't have to be the only blogs you visit. You can visit everyone who enters in on the fun, and signs up on the linky list. In the interest of time you don't even have to leave comment. You can just follow, and come back another time. After all, we all know we don't have time to visit every blog we enjoy every single day.

The Blogfest takes place on Friday October 14 at 12:01 and goes until midnight. So, link up folks and lets have fun with this!

Review - Stick by Andrew Smith

2011-10-10T15:35:00.004-04:00

Stick by Andrew Smith

Fourteen-year-old Stark McClellan (nicknamed Stick because he’s tall and thin) is bullied for being “deformed” – he was born with only one ear. His older brother Bosten is always there to defend Stick. But the boys can’t defend one another from their abusive parents.

When Stick realizes Bosten is gay, he knows that to survive his father's anger, Bosten must leave home. Stick has to find his brother, or he will never feel whole again. In his search, he will encounter good people, bad people, and people who are simply indifferent to kids from the wrong side of the tracks. But he never loses hope of finding love – and his brother.

Here's a look at the phenomenal trailer for STICK:

My Thoughts:

Rating = 5 Stars

Wow. Guys. I think we all pretty much know my thoughts about Andrew Smith, right? Kinda on the verge of stalker-ish-ness-ism. (or whatever) Nah. Actually the truth is, Andrew Smith is the very first writer that I've EVER connected with. Yeah, on that level. (I'm not talking to you if you have no idea what I even mean here.) I have read and collected all of Andrew's books and anxiously await the next in line. Andrew's newest release, STICK, (October 11, 2011 Feiwel and Friends) was absolutely no exception. I was willing to hitch a ride all the way to New York, go to Macmillan and beg for a copy if need be. Word must have got around about that and I'm sure those fancy high-rise pubs do not like bloggers just popping in unannounced so they sent me an advance copy. Let's just say the day I received STICK seemed like a dream. I read uninterruptedly until I finished and then with in a couple days I read the entire novel again. Yes. It. Is. That. Good.

When I read STICK I didn't know what to expect. I had hints. I knew it was going to be a difficult book to digest. Then again, if it wasn't, it wouldn't have been written by Andrew Smith. So many issues are covered within this novel. What's so-called normal and what's not, is one of the biggest for Stick. He is faced with the definition of "normal" the entire novel. Are all of these things in his life "normal" just because they have been present in his life?

There is so much happening in Stick's life in such a short time. There's a girl. Emily. She is Stick's best friend. They do everything together. And, there's his brother, Bosten. They used to do everything together but he's gotten older and has strayed off some. In Stick's life there couldn't be two more important people than Bosten and Emily. They mean the world to him.

This story is about two brothers and their love for each other. The struggles they go through, the mistakes they make. Learning how to let go and stand up for yourself. Doing the right things. Doing the wrong things. Loving yourself and loving someone else. And a very long journey to find a way back home.

Andrew makes you love the characters in his books, you feel what they do, you actually understand what they are going through. There were plenty of times that I had tears, times that I was shouting and a couple times I would do a fist pump in the air and say "hell-yeah". I was in it with both boys from the beginning and I was on their side. I felt their pain and joy. I also cried their tears. There were times I would close my eyes and vision an ocean in California just like where Stick learned to surf. I would even imagine the taste of Sex Wax and how wonderful the smell would be. I still listen to the playlist when I get lonely and want to visit the characters.

Andrew has a writing style that is so very unique even though everyone of his books are different from one another. I think what links them all together is the realness of them. For me, it's the wondering "what part of this is real and what part is fiction". I've told several folks that you could give me 10 books with no labels and I would be able to pick out an Andrew Smith book every time. Just by his writing style. No one could duplicate him. It takes a lot of heart and courage to put parts of your own life into words and make that into a story. I admire anyone that can do that. It seems as though Andrew just keeps rocking them out.

Finally. Stick is released tomorrow! I'm going to be giving away a couple copies here, so make sure you check back.. but I'll leave you the links to order the book also.

These are links you can find Andrew Smith:
Ghost Medicine - Andrew's blog
Andrew's website
Andrew's FB page
Andrew's Twitter page

Order Stick - Amazon
Order Stick - Barnes & Noble

Guest Post with Joe Lunievicz author of Open Wounds

2011-10-05T21:57:00.002-04:00

Cue Music: Enter Cid…

- Joe Lunievicz, www.lunievicz.com

Practicing and teaching yoga helps me write.

One month I chose to teach my classes around the theme of silence. So for a month every class I taught I didn’t play music – not typical of a vinyasa class and not typical of the way I teach yoga. I thought it would help me stretch as a teacher and it would help my students grow.

Some students didn’t notice the lack of music at all – they just noticed something was different. Most didn’t say a word about it. Halfway into the month I got an email from one of my students asking me how much longer classes would continue without music. “I can’t stand to listen to myself exercise,” she said. “I’m a singer and I need music. It’s too painful otherwise.”

It had never occurred to me music could be so powerful to someone. I should have known better. There are times I can’t listen to music because it will make me feel too much and I just can’t at that moment feel anymore – the tank’s full. Other times music makes me soar.

On the other hand although I love music I don’t have to have it. I also like the sounds of the world around me. It’s a different kind of music. Silence is challenging, but I also like it. When I was younger silence was too hard to hear. Now it draws me in. Sometimes I like to hear myself think. That’s its own sound – one I’m not sure I could put words to.

As a writer I like silence. I rarely write while listening to music and if I do it has to be without voice, without words. They get in the way of me finding my own. I can’t listen to music when I read either. I like the words to make the inward journey by themselves. There’s no right or wrong to this. It’s just the way it is for me. I wonder how it is for others – both writers and readers.

This doesn’t mean there isn’t music in prose. Some prose sings. Read/listen to this by Andrew Smith from his soon to be released novel, Stick:

What would you hear

if my words could make

sounds?

And if they

did,

what music would I

write for you?

It’s the opening lines.

I’m a big fan of opening lines. They tell you what to expect. Sound is important to the novel. It’s key to understanding the main character. This prose sings.

However, I do think about music after I’ve read a book. I come up with theme music for characters, associate the music with them as if the book had been a movie. Who can think of Darth Vader without hearing his theme music?

For my novel, Open Wounds, I have Cid Wymann’s, my protagonist’s, theme music in my head: It’s Coldplay’s Viva la Vida. The sound of the strings, the cello, and violin do it for me – a hint of old and new, a wistful sound, a sad sound but one that seems to have triumph lacing its lyrics. Listen to the song if you’ve read the book. Let me know what you think.

The following are some books I’ve read recently that are personal favorites that could have great theme music. What songs would you pick for the protagonists?

Christina Meldrum’s Madapple
David Small’s Stitches
Andrew Smith’s In The Path of Falling Objects
Scott Westerfelds Leviathan
Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games

Or tell me your favorite book/protagonist and what his/her theme music would be and why.

You can find Joe here:

And, you can even read the first chapter of Open Wounds HERE!

Thanks so much for your time, Joe! We really appreciate you stopping by and taking the time out of your day to spend with us. As for the rest of you, thanks for stopping by and have a terrific week.

Happy Reading & Arrivederci

Banned Books Week Giveaway - Winners

2011-10-05T21:01:00.002-04:00

Mr. Random chose:

#46 Erinberry - The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

#203 Uniquely Moi Books - The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

#102 Through The Haze - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

#57 Jessica (Frellathon) - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

#58 - Tiffany Murphy - Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

#81 Donna (Happy-Booker) - Shine by Lauren Myracle

#217 William Baker - The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

Congratulations to all of you! I've sent an email to everyone already for confirmation. Thank you very much to everyone who participated. There will be more goodies soon!

Pinkie Promise.

As always, I hope you have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci!

Waiting on Wednesday - The Death Cure (Maze Runner 3) by James Dashner

2011-10-04T23:59:00.006-04:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

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I'm stoked for this one guys! And do you wanna know what makes it even better? Mr. Dashner will be in Atlanta October 30th during The Death Cure tour. Huzzah! Yes, that means I will be buying an extra signed copy for a giveaway.

The Death Cure (Maze Runner 3) by James Dashner

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: October 11th 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Pre-order via Amazon HERE.

Pre-order via Barnes and Noble HERE.

*Read the first 20 pages of The Death Cure HERE!*

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Don’t forget to leave me a link in the comments and tell me what goodies you’re Waiting on this Wednesday! As always I hope you have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Happy Reading!
Arrivederci.