Thursday, June 30, 2011

Review-Lola and the Boy Next Door (ARC)

Okay, first if you haven't read Anna and the French Kiss go read that one now, because this one isn't out until September.  Now, onto Lola and her Boy Next Door.  Oh my GOD Cricket.  CRICKET!!!  If you thought St. Clair was amazing wait till you meet Cricket.  I NEED a Cricket like, oh I don't know NOW.  I know there are some companion books/movies/tv episodes that aren't as good as the original, but Lola, Lola was fabulous.  Lola IS fabulous.  Lola is like me, only not.  I don't think I can put into words how much I loved this novel but I'll try.  With Anna and St. Clair making guest appearences you don't HAVE to have read Anna first, but it makes it a lot more fun if you do.  Lola was fresh, sweet, and romantic, which is basically what every girl wants in a sappy love novel even if she won't admit it.  Boys, if you want a girl, be like Cricket, because honestly, there's no way she won't love you if you're like him.  Perkins does it again and dare I say it, I do beleive it's better than Anna was.  It hits so close to home for every girl who has ever felt torn between two boys, the one you're with and the one you've always been in love with.  It seems like a retelling of Anna only the rolls are switched but the story is completely different in a way that's hard to explain and it doesn't feel like the same old thing.  I also feel the need to point out the fact that Lola lives with two men, two GAY men.  I think it's amazing that Perkins decided to include gay characters in a love novel when they weren't the main characters.  I honestly feel that without them Lola wouldn't have been the great novel that it is.  All of the characters work together to pull this great book together and I can't wait to see what Perkins has in store for her next novel.  Although I miss Paris I did very much enjoy the California setting and the idea that true love could be just right across the street from you, or even next door.  Another great job by an author to watch I will definetly be buying this book and putting it next to Anna on my shelf for all to admire.  And if people are lucky I might even let them borrow it, but then again, Lola and Anna seem to be such good friends I don't think they would want to be seperated.

Released September 29, 2011


5/5 dust spirits

In Which I Talk About CONTEST RULES!!!

Okay, so as you all know we hit 1,000 likes on the facebook page (Yeah!) and while I've been putting together the contest we have hit 1,100 likes (WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!) which could make me a bad admin, but you guys get 31 days of prizes and some interviews and stuff so we'll just forget about how I'm a terrible planner, [and that I still have some stuff from the LAST contest to mail out (Bad Me!)] but hey, over 31 prizes, that's got to count for something right?  Right.  So the way this is gonna work is, each day there will be a new post.  You have 24 hours (or about that) to enter.  All you have to do is fill out the form that will be attached to the blog post and you're good.  You get extra points for doing things such as liking the facebook page (if you don't you're a looser), following the blog (cause I LOVEEEEE you!), and sharing the contest (or maybe not, cause then people could steal your prize MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!).  Depending on the contest you might also be able to rack up a few extra points by thanking the author in question, but I'm not telling you which ones you should look for that opportunity on.  All of the contests are open to anyone in the US, all of the books that I order off of the Internet are international as long as shipping is free, but if you really want a prize you can pay shipping.  Basically I'll try my best for all of them to be international, but money is tight right now so it will really depend.  I know that lots of you live around the world, and that you would like to win these prizes too, so I will try the best I can.  I hope that you guys really understand and that I have made as many of them as possible International so that everyone can be part of the contests.  I will let you know if a contest is just for the US or if it's international, and as I said before, if you want to pay postage then you are welcome to enter ANY of the contests you want if they don't specifically state that they are international.  Good luck all of you, and I hope you all have lots of fun.

  <3

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

In Which I Thank MOST of you

First off, thanks to all of you I WILL continue to blog.
Second, I've realized that yes, I do ask authors for ARCs, and that some of you bloggers don't do that, but I haven't run across any authors who have told me not to ask them directly because they don't have any ARCs to give away.  I also do give back to all the authors that do lend me any ARC, I make them HOMEMADE earrings that have to do with their books.  I don't pressure authors into saying "yes" when I ask them, I just ask because I feel like sometimes you do need to stand up for yourself.  Okay, I'll cut down on asking authors for ARCs, but I honestly know some of these authors really well, and sometimes the only way I can get to the publisher is to ask the author first because not all of these authors have places on their websites that say "if you want an ARC please contact so and so at blah blah blah". 
Third, to all of you who said I should wait until I have more stuff up on my blog to even ask for ARCs please let me inform you that I started out as a Facebook page that now has almost 1,100 likes.  I started the blog so I could do contests and stuff.  I still LOVE my facebook page, you know why, because I can connect to the people who like it so much better.  I love being able to personally talk to all of these people who love YA books just as much as me so easily and I've made so many friends it's great, really the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Fourth, I had no idea what ARCs were until like..three months after I started blogging and the only ARC I asked for was DESIRES OF THE DEAD when I found out what they are.  I truely work my butt off for every ARC I get, personally sending emails to the publishers, and I review every single one that I get.  I've actualy been "blogging" since September and the thing I pride myself on is that since I started I haven't posted a link to my facebook page ANYWHERE!  So everyone who found out about the page, pretty much found out about it from word of mouth, how many of you can say that about your blog?
Last but not least,  if you have a problem with the way I oporate I'm sorry that you feel that way.  We all approach things differently and I've decided to take the ideas that I use in real life and use them when I blog now too.  Basically that means that I don't care what you think, because to me this is all about having fun.  Yeah, I do like getting to read a few books early but really, how many of you that blog DON'T enjoy being able to do that?  Can a single one of you honestly say that you DON'T enjoy the fact that every once and a while you get to read a book you're really looking forward to early?  And it's not like I'm selfish with the ARCs that I get either.  There are a few I would like to keep because they really mean something to me, show that I've touched enough people that a publisher feels that it would be beneficial to send out an ARC of a book for me to review.  I do the best I can to please everybody but I realized today that there will always be someone out there who dissaproves of how I run my blog or what I say.  So finally I've decided that if you don't like the way I do things don't do them like me.  If you have a really big problem with it let me know, but I'm not going to change something about me because it upsets one person. 

Thank You.

In Which I Talk About Mights

I recently got an email from another blogger and it really made me think.  She told me that what I was doing, asking authors for ARCs was wrong, and in all honesty it made me feel really awful.  Maybe I'm not really a person who's made to be a blogger after all.  I jokingly ask around for ARCs from authors.  No I don't expect a yes, I just ask because well, idk, because authors are just so much fun and I love talking to them.  It's not like if I do get the ARCs I just take them.  I give back as well.  If asked I will pass them on, and for every author who even lets me borrow one I send earrings or some sort of big thank you.  The earrings I send are also home made, but maybe that makes them worse?  After all of this, I ask you a question; should I stop blogging?
Let me know what you think and after all of this, I also apologize to any authors out there who I've upset in the process of my blogging.

Monday, June 27, 2011

In My Bookbag & In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren each week.
In My Bookbag is, to my knowledge of my own creation because I don't always get things in the mail, but I generally go to the bookstore at least once a week.
In My Bookbag;

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
The Oppoise of Invisible by Liz Gallagher
Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

In My Mailbox;


Won;
Possessions by Elana Johnson (Signed)
I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Signed)

For the contest (And me!);
Tighter by Adele Griffin (Signed)  [I got two of these, one for me and one for the contest.]

For review;
Perfect by Ellen Hopkins (9/11)
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch (9/11)

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Review-Perfect (ARC)

I was so happy when this arrived in the mail and I know that I have so many other books on my TBR pile but I'm really glad I read this one first.  Most of the time I say that book is fun, but if you've read any of Ellen's books you know that is NOT what they are.  Perfect was one of those books that was definetly an eye opener.  Yes I know, all of Ellen's books are eye openers, but I feel that this one was PERFECT (no pun intended) for teenagers now a days.  While this is the second in the Impulse series, although I'm not sure if there will be a third although I would hope so, it starts before the end of Impulse and ends just a week or two after.  There is cross over, and it was really interesting to see some of the events in Impulse from other character's points of view.  The main idea of this book really was the fact that no one is ever perfect, and trying to attain that goal will honestly kill you in the end.  The four characters in this book were, as always, interwoven because of characters and or events, and in the end they're finally all brought together.  The message was powerful and as much as I loved this book, I just didn't love it quite as much as I loved Impulse.  I'm not sure why, because it was just as good, but I just feel that there was a little something missing.  There's really no way to explain it, and it's honestly just my personal opinion.  By no means do I mean that this was a bad book.  On the contrary, it was really great, I just feel that it was misssing that one thing that would make it AMAZING.  I do honestly believe that every teenager, or even adult, who has ever felt not good enough should read this book though, because it really does hit so close to home for so many teenagers it's important to know that you're fine just the way you are.  Cara was my favorite character, but the other three were very important to the story as well, and although I felt that Sean was a douche he was very important to the story as well.  Bottom line, this book is great for teenagers because it lets you know that you're not alone, and I'm sure that it will help hundreds if not thousands of teenagers out there realize that they are perfect just the way they are.

Released September 13, 2011


4.5/5 dust sprites

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Review-Forever (ARC)

WOW, I just have to say that Maggie really knows how to end a series.  I loved Shiver and I found Linger enjoyable, but Forever really blew me away.  Back with all of your favorite four characters, Grace, Sam, Isabel, and Cole, Maggie crafts the perfect ending for a series that deserves every good review it's ever gotten.  This book is so intense and so sensual.  I'm not really sure how to describe this book without giving anything away, and unless you read it I'm not sure you'll understand how amazing it is either, but I'll give it my best shot.  The wolves are in danger and it's up to Sam to save them all.  I hate to say it but death is a part of this book, and there are quite a few parts where you might end up tearing up or clenching the book so tightly you leave marks on the hardback cover.  The cover perfectly displays the whole idea of the novel and although I would have perfered a purple cover the red really is the right choice.  Stiefvater uses her characteristic wit for the characters that need it, the lovely mushy stuff for all of us who just love that, and the right amount of b*tch from all the characters to make the book just right.  I'm very sad to see this series end because it's really one of the first books that I had read in a long time and it made me like reading again, but if it had to end this is definetly how I would want it to end.  I will admit the first 150 pages did have me going like "D:<" but Maggie is just so good at what she does I can't help but give this book a 5.  Definetly worth the $18.00 it will be retailed for I will be buying it in hardback format to fit with my other two, and they will always hold a special place on my shelves.

Released July 12, 2011


5/5 dust sprites

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

In My Bookbag and In My Mailbox (2) & (3)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren each week.
In My Bookbag is, to my knowledge of my own creation because I don't always get things in the mail, but I generally go to the bookstore at least once a week.
In My Bookbag;
Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
Angel Burn by L. A. Weatherly (titled Angel in the UK)
Die For Me by Amy Plum

Chime by Franny Billingsley
But I Love Him by Amanda Grace (Mandy Hubbard)
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys


 In My Mailbox;

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (9/2011)
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin (9/2011)
Where She Went by Gayle Forman (Out Now)


Bought;
Passion by Lauren Kate

Thursday, June 16, 2011

In Which I Share My Short Story With You and Ask You For A Good Title

So for school I have to write a short story, and it's due on Monday (6/20).  A few people in my LA (Language Arts) class will be reading the story and giving me feedback and now I'm letting you guys give me feedback too!  You don't have to, but I would really like it if you did, AND I've decided that because it needs a title, and I SUCK at coming up with them, that maybe you guys could help me name it too.  So will you guys help?  Leave your feedback and possible titles in the comments and I will love you forever. :D

Note; there is some blood involved, and kissing, so if you don't like either of them I suggest you don't read the story.  Also, the title will NOT be Blood and Kissing, just so we're clear.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My eyes wandered over the patrons of the park passing over older men sitting on benches feeding pigeons and middle aged women jogging along the pathway with their black labs trailing faithfully behind them.  I wasn’t looking for any of those things though, I was looking for that person who would make my heart race, and I found her sitting under a tree with her nose in a book.
I picked up the ball I brought and dusted the dirt off my pants before getting up and sauntering over to her, a smile plastered on my face that would soften The Grinch.
“Hey,” I say, sliding my back down the tree so I’m sitting right next to her, “what are you reading?”
She looks up from her books and gives me an amused smile, “nothing you’ve ever read.”  She responds before turning back to her book.
Frowning I sneak a glance at the book she holds in her hands.  It’s an old tattered paperback that looks like it was from two generations ago and I’m honestly surprised that the words are still readable.  Dozens of pages are dog-eared and notes are scrawled in the margins in tight loopy handwriting.  I finally catch the title when she turns the page; in capitalized letters it says THE RAVEN AND OTHER POEMS.  Bingo.
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,”
I recite, flashing her another smile as she looks up at me again.
She finally smiles and that’s when I know; she will be my next victim.
*          *          *
Over the next three weeks I spend almost all my afternoons with her sitting under the tree where I first saw her.  It turns out her name was Lily and she was my age only instead of going to school she was touring the country on her motorcycle. 
She would generally lean on me while she read one of her tattered paperbacks and occasionally read me a passage or two. 
We tossed personal questions back and forth and every day I learn more about her.  Every time I’m around her my heart beat speeds up in a way that’s never happened before but I tell myself that it’s just the anticipation of the kill, imagining what it will be like to slit her throat and to be the last thing she sees.
“Where are you from?”  I ask one day, running my fingers through her hair.
She mumbles a response but doesn’t look up from her book, causing me to pluck the book from her hands and shove it behind my back.  “Where are you from?”  I ask again.
“Everywhere.”  She says looking up at me and smiling, “you?”
Scenes from my childhood flashed before my eyes but I quickly pushed them away, “I’m from here.  I was born here and will most likely die here.”
“You could leave here, come with me to the next town, where no one knows your name and you’re just another face in the crowd.”  She whispers, her eyes glowing in the afternoon sun, and for a minute I actually think about it.  It would be so easy to just leave this town behind and leave with her, but it goes against everything I was taught.  No one suspects the senior class president if a girl who passed through the town ever goes missing, but the wanderer is always the first to be questioned.
“No, it would…mess with my plans.”  I mumble, letting my mind wander to the foreseeable future, and suddenly I’m not so sure I want to go through with my plan.  The thought of blood has always excited me, but the thought of her blood on my hands is making me sick to my stomach, so to stop the thoughts I kiss her, reminding myself that she’s still alive.  She smiles into the kiss but pulls away much to fast for my liking.
“Where are your parents?”  I ask her.
She gives me a shrug, “I don’t really know, I haven’t talked to them in years.  They kicked me out when I was fifteen and I haven’t seen them sense.  How about your parents?”
“My…my mom died when I was two, so I don’t remember her.  My dad was the one who raised me all these years until…”  I trial off, hoping she’s smart enough to understand what I mean, that I don’t want to talk about it.
Thankfully she drops the subject and returns to the book that she has since fished out from behind me and is humming as her eyes scan the page much faster than I would think possible.
“Hey babe, I’m gonna head home, I’ll see you tomorrow.”  I say, moving out from under her and getting up, smiling apologetically as I walk away.
*          *          *
“Please don’t kill me.”  The girl whimpers.  Her blue eyes are shining with tears and her brown hair is matted with mud.
If I weren’t a monster the look in her eyes would stop me, but I am a monster, so I have no problem gliding the knife over her throat and watching the life drain out of her eyes.
Her body slumps to the ground and I sigh in relief.  All of the feelings inside me that have been running wild for the past week are finally quiet and I can think clearly.  I glance back and the body on the floor and my eyes go wide, it’s not the girl I killed just a minute ago, it’s Lily and she’s staring up at me with her green eyes, “To love is to destroy, to be loved is to be destroyed.”  She whispers, her eyes loosing color every second and the wound on her neck opening up further as blood coats the front of her shirt, staining it crimson.
I fall to my knees and vomit, hacking up the food I had eaten just an hour earlier, and tears come to my eyes as I realize what I’ve done.
“I’m sorry!”  I sob, gasping for breath as I crawl over to her side; she somehow managed to talk so maybe I can still save her.  I lift her face up but the lids to her eyes are closed.  “Please, don’t die!”  I cry, lying her on the ground softly and pushing the hair away from her face.
My breath catches in my throat as I look at her again, it’s not her.  I blink over and over again, trying to understand what just happened, but her words keep playing over and over in my head and I can’t get the dead look in her eyes out of my mind.
Shaking it off I stand up and grab the lighter fluid that I brought with me.  It sloshes around in the can as I pour onto the floor of the small shed I built with my dad in the woods three years ago.  Blinking a few times to clear my sight I step out the door and strike the match I’m holding on the lighting strip.  I tuck it back into the book and toss it over my shoulder as I walk away.  About a minute later flames erupt behind me and the heat of the fire warms my back on my way to the car.
Calmly I slip into the driver’s seat and watch the shed burn for twenty minutes before pulling out my phone and dialing 911.
A cool woman answers this time, “911 what is your emergency?”
“I’d like to report a fire.”  I say in a hurried tone, “it’s…oh God, I think it’s spreading!”
“Please calm down sir and tell me where you are.”
“I’m…” I pause long enough to make the woman believe I’m looking around for a mile marker, “I’m ten miles out past the town of Lilith Falls.”
She takes in a sharp breath and I can hear her fingers quickly moving across a keyboard as she types in the information I’m giving her, “help will be there in less than ten minutes, please stay on the line until help arrives.”
Rolling my eyes I press the end button and pitch the burn phone into the flames, I won’t be there by the time help shows up.  I turn the engine over and step on the gas, heading back into town before the fire department shows up.
*          *          *
I pull into the motel parking lot and knock on the door to room 18.
Lily opens the door and blinks the sleep away from her eyes before she registers who’s at her door.
“What are you doing here?”  She asks, pulling a jacket around herself as she motions for me to come in.
“I needed to talk to you.”  I say, shutting the door behind me.
Walking over to the bed I sit down and pull her down next to me.  “I need you to listen, and before you say anything I want you to know that I love you.”
Her eyes widen in shock at my words but I don’t stop there, “I’m different, and I understand if, once I tell you how you will run away and never look back, but please, for you I promise I’ll change.”  I plead, my eyes searching hers for any emotion at all, but all I find is a blank stare.  Taking a deep breath I let it all go, “I’m a killer.”  I whisper.
A small sound escapes her lips but it’s not a sob or a scream like I expected, it sounds more like a laugh.  Looking up I meet her eyes and there’s a small sparkle there, hiding something behind them that I know I’ll never find.
“What do you kill?”  She asks, stuffing her hands into her coat pockets, and if I didn’t know her as well as I did I wouldn’t have known anything about her was off at all.
Looking down at my shoes I mumble a small, “people,” expecting her to finally run away screaming.
She lets out a breath and I look up to find her looking angry, “what did I do?”  I ask, my face scrunching into a shape it normally doesn’t find itself in.
Letting out a dry laugh she brings a hand up to my face and cups it gently, looking me right in the eyes as she talks, “you threatened my secret.”  She says softly, and moments later a sharp pain spreads through my chest and my breathing comes painfully.
I glance down and see my shirt being stained brown as the blood mixes with the sickly happy yellow it was dyed.  The last things I see are her eyes and a small tear that falls from the right one as I crumble onto the ground like all of my own victims.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

In Which I Talk About Amazing Authors I Know

Being a blogger is hard work, and I pretty much started with no connections at all.  I still have very few and I work my butt off to get all the ARCs I do and I buy almost all of the prizes I give away that aren't ARCs.  Now I know authors always say how amazing bloggers are, but in my mind it's totally the other way around.  Yes, I know that bloggers spread the word about books and such, post reviews and all that, but without authors there would be no books for review.  It's really a circular thing, without one there wouldn't be the other, and vice versa. I have met so many authors since I've started blogging and I can never thank any of them enough for all of their help.  Some of the ones I know the best are as followed;

Kimberly Derting author of The Body Finder, Desires of the Dead, Skin Contact in Enthralled, and the upcoming The Pledge, as well as two more Body Finder novels. 

Kimberly has been so great to me and it's even cooler that she lives in my state.  She puts up with all my silly stalker moves and she never seems to get mad when I pester her about whatever it is I might have on my mind at the moment.  She's also really sweet, and not just to me, but to pretty much everyone I've ever seen her meet!  She was so nice to my dog and her writing is awesome.  If she ever comes to your city definetly try and go see her, cause she's really a great person and without her I might not have started blogging!  Authors like Kimberly really do make it possible for bloggers to keep doing what they're doing, and she is such a great person to talk to, I could just talk to her for hours, maybe pick her brain for a story or two.  I think I won my first ARC that I reviewed from her too! She was also my first book signing if I do recall correctly!            http://kimberlyderting.com/






Selene Castrovilla author of The Girl Next Door, Saved By the Music, By the Sword, Upon Secrecy, Evolution, and the upcoming Melt.

Selene I met through facebook and she's just been a great person to talk to about all sorts of things.  She really understands the teenage mind and she's just a great person to talk to.  Her books aren't as well known as they should be, but that doesn't mean that they aren't amazing, because they are.  Thankfully she is recognized in the literary world and gets to go out and about to places I've never been.  Her books are so deep and down to Earth, and so emotional you can't help but fall in love with them.  She was the first author to offer to send me a copy of her book to review all on her own and I'm glad I took her up on the offer.  She's been branching out and her neweset novel is half formated in verse form.  It's been so much fun talking to her and she even picks me up some cool thing ever now and then when she goes to all those cool conventions.  Unfortunetly her books aren't on the Nook yet and you can't buy them in many stores, but I would deffinetly reccomend all of them, especially The Girl Next Door.         http://www.selenecastrovilla.com/



Gae Polisner author of The Pull Of Gravity and a member of Class of 2k11. She's currently working on her next novel (or at least I really hope she is).

I met Gae over facebook and even though it was a bit of a disaster at first (Gae knows what I'm talking about) we managed to work it out.  She really is a great person, and I've gotten to know her so well, even only after a few months.  Her debut book was really amazing and althoug she can be a little crazy at time she's still amazing.  We talk constantly and honestly I love her to death.  Gae is so much fun to talk to and we just get along so well.  She was kind enough to give me one of her author copies, you know, the ones that authors get just because they publish their books, and she gave me saw, and also puts up with my crazy tweets and random bombardments of her facebook page.  She is one of the most supportive people I've ever met and I really hope I get to meet her some day in person.  So you all need to go out and buy her book so that she will make it onto the New York Times bestselling list and come to Seattle, cause she's all the way in New York!!!  http://gaepolisner.com/   Also, her website has hidden trolls all over it, and when you move your mouse over them they give you secret messages, but you'll have to read her book to find out why it's trolls.


Other mentions;

Janet Gurtler author of I'm Not Her and the upcoming If I Tell.  She has put up with me spelling her name wrong on twitter countless times and even sent me a copy of her book because of a silly mixup with publishers and such.  http://www.janetgurtler.com/

Nova Ren Suma author of Imaginary Girls and Dani Noir.  She has a great new voice to the YA genre and she puts up with all of my insane tweets about how much I love her book, and all the bugging that goes along with me trying to schmooze out a signed copy.  http://novaren.com/

Leigh Fallon author of the upcoming Mark of the Carrier.  Also one of the authors who puts up with my crazy nagging about getting an ARC of her book, she's really nice and a pretty great person all together.  http://www.leighfallon.com/

Andrea Cremer author of Nightshade, the upcoming Wolfsbane, and the last book in the series Bloodrose.  She was nice enough to do an interview with the page when it was just a tiny little thing, and even offered up THREE of her own personal stash of books for winners.  http://www.andreacremer.com/

Last but not least;
Eileen Cook author of The Education of Hailey Kendrick, Killing Lauren Wook, What Would Emma Do?, and the upcoming Unraveling Isobel.  She has also written a few middle grade novels about faries.  Eileen and I talked on facebook and when I asked for some signed postcards she sent me a whole bunch to give away, along with a nice letter, and a signed copy of Lauren Wood because of a conversation we had on Facebook.  I also got her to come to Seattle for a signing.  http://www.eileencook.com/

This isn't even close to all of the great authors I've met while being a blogger and hopefully one day I'll get to meet all of these great authors in person.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Review-Blood Magic

This book was...wow.  It was so much fun and the whold idea was just amazing.  Tessa has such a great voice and I can totally see why Maggie said that this book was so good.  I'm really glad I read this book, and even though I am thrilled I got Forever I need to thank myself for reading all of it.  The cover is beautiful, and it perfectly portrays the whole idea of the book.  Again this was another book that made me go "I did NOT see that happening" and that's honestly what I loved so much about it.  Nick and Silla were so great and Tessa somehow managed to mix magic and grief into the perfect combination to make the book just perfect.  If you haven't heard of this book at least go look at it in the store or at your local library because it will not dissapoint.  The description was beautiful and it honestly made me jump a few times.  I was so engrosed in the story I found myself jumping when a door shut from the wind.  Blood Magic just flows so perfectly and I can't really describe the whole idea of the book without giving so much of the plot away.  All of Silla's masks were facinating and I loved all of the normal parts that were included.  I think that's what really makes or breaks a paranormal book, is the normal parts of the day that authors put in because without them it just feels wrong.  You can't ignore all these small details that make up our day, because without them the characters and story will fall flat.  A great debut from another author I will be watching quite closely, and I can't wait for the next book by this author.  All the blood and none of the vampires Blood Magic is just a whole lot of fun.



5/5 dust sprites


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Contest Prizes

So I have decided to do the contest for the big 1,000 likes on our facebook page over the entire month of July, which means over 31 prizes and 31 days of chances to win.  But the thing is, I need help with prizes.  I don't HAVE 31 prizes, and I'm wondering what YOU would like to win.  So I'll make a list of the prizes that I DO have, then you can comment on what prizes you would LIKE to win.
  1. A Touch Mortal
  2. Die For Me (ARC) *Note this ARC has the original US cover
  3. City of Fallen Angels (Signed and with the letter from Jace to Clary)
  4. First looks at Clockwork Prince (Signed) and Black Heart [x2]
  5. Curse Worker bracelets [x7]
  6. Postcards from the Mortal Instruments [x2]
  7. Imaginary Girls (ARC)
  8. Beauty Queens (ARC)
  9. The Pull Of Gravity (HB or eBook)
  10. I'm Not Her (PB or eBook)
  11. Laney (eBook)
  12. Wolfsbane (HB or PB [depending on where you live] or eBook)
  13. Forgotten (Signed ARC) *Note this has the original cover
  14. Anathema (eBook) [x3]
  15. Firelight (HB signed)
  16. Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 1 or Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 1 (there will be two winners)
  17. Viola in the Spotlight (HB)
  18. A signed VA (Vampire Academy) book of your choice (although if it's PB there might be two winners)
  19. The Girl Next Door (Signed [I think]) *Note this one will be puffy due to water intake, but it is still readable, it just kind of looks like a puffer fish.  But it's still a good book, so don't hold that against it!
  20. The Ghost and the Goth (PB or eBook)
  21. Tighter (HB maybe signed)
  22. Beaded bookmark from Midnight Creations
  23. Bookmark package [x2]  *Note they will be a little different
  24. Bookplate package
  25. A bookplate and swag from Beth Revis
  26. Preorder of Enthralled (PB or eBook)
  27. Hearts at Stake (PB)
  28. The Darlings Are Forever (ARC)
  29. Dark Goddess (ARC)
  30. A signed personalized copy of one of the books from THIS event.  (This book will be PB, but winner can specify which one they would like.)
  31. $10.00 gift card to B&N, Borders, Amazon, or The Book Depository
Hopefully I'll be able to do most of these prizes, but just be aware that some are subject to change based on the amount of money I have.  There will be some interviews too.
  Thanks!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

In Which I Die From Excitement

So my mom just got back from my house (I'm at my grandparents house) and THIS was in my mailbox.

I just about died when I opened the package.  This is the whole reason I became a blogger, was to be able to read books early, and this is the book I really became a blogger for.  I talked to the publisher months before this book even had a cover, and the fact that me, the girl who started reading book and posting reviews on facebook, could actually get the last book in a nationally bestselling series to read for review BEFORE it comes out makes me so happy you have no idea.  I feel so amazed that I actually made it this far and it's all thanks to you guys.  I wish I could give the ARC away, but that I can't do.  What you will want to watch for is the big contest I will be holding all month next month, one a day and you can win some mighty cool YA books if I do say so myself.  All of this, everything that I get in the mail I get because of you, and bloggers, and authors, can't get anywhere without readers. So for whatever reason you follow me, thank you so much, and I really wish I could give you all prizes next month.  I will do my best to get as many cool prizes as possible though.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Reviw-A Touch Mortal

I'd had this book on my shelf since it was published, but I hadn't had time to read it until now, but I'm very glad that I did. Leah brings a great new voice to the YA world but her story is definetly not one of those light and fluffy books about paranormal love. Leah writes a harsh story with lots of hard aspects to it, but she has great twists and turns that even I, master of twists, failed to see. I honestly was surprised a lot durring the last 100 pages and was kept on edge through the last page. In all honesty, I peeked at the epilogue, and I was still shocked when I read the last few pages. Eden was a really great character, and I loved how Leah incorperated bible lore into the story by way of names. The plot was original and the characters were new and refreshing. I honestly have nothing bad to say about this book except that I was just a little confused at the begining. If you keep working through it all the questoins will be answered and you will be in for a great ride. Bravo to Leah and I can't wiat to see what she does with the sequal.




4.5/5 dust sprites


Sunday, June 5, 2011

In My Bookbag and In My Mailbox (1)*

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren each week.
In My Bookbag is, to my knowledge of my own creation because I don't always get things in the mail, but I generally go to the bookstore at least once a week.

In My Bookbag;
Shine by Lauren Myracle (highly contriversial thanks to the WSJ post)
Cirque Du Freak 1; A living Nightmare... by Darren Shan
Forgotten by Cat Patrick (techincally not out until the 7th)

In My Mailbox;

For Review;
Enthralled edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstong with stories by Kelly Armstrong, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Caine, Ally Condie, Kimberly Derting, Kami Garcia, Claudia Gray, Melissa Marr, Jackson Pearce, Mary E. Pearson, Carrie Ryan, Jeri Smith-Ready, Margaret Stohl, Jessica Verday, and Rachel Vincent (9/11)

Envy by Gregg Olsen (9/11)



*This is not the first IMM or IMBB that I've done, but it is the first that I've posted on the BLOG, just in case you're confused. :]

Saturday, June 4, 2011

In Which I Rant about The Wall Street Journal's YA Book Review

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576357622592697038.html?mod=e2tw#articleTabs%3Darticle

This article has been causing some major uproar, and now that I've read it I can see why.  All you have to do is turn on the TV and you will find some sort of story that horrifies you beyond imagination.  If you think the world is a great place you are sadly mistaken, but just because there is evil in it doesn't mean there isn't light.  If you don't want your child, or your sister, or your brother to read about something, then tell them, but the first amendment is freedom of speech, and with that includes freedom of press, and the idea that anything can be published for the world to see.  With all of the shit we have out there, all of the problems the world is facing we're attacking books, YA books none the less, which aren't only enjoyed just by teens, but adults and tweens as well.  If you have a problem with something, don't read it, but everything is out there for a reason.  All those sexy vampires and werewolves are there for fun, because even adults love to indulge in the idea that paranormal creatures might be real, and that if they are they aren't out to kill us.  All those books that talk about serious subjects, they're not out there to scare you, but to show you that there are people like you out there, or that there is help.  The point is that just because you don't like something doesn't mean you have the right to bash it, nor does it mean you have the right to stop it from getting out into the world.  We read for fun, we read to learn, and we read to escape.  If any one of those books that is out there right now is taken off the shelf because of a protest we might as well be those countries that we are trying so desperately to "save", because America was built on the idea that everyone is equal, and all ideas have merit.  Books are ideas too, and although you may not respect all the books that are out there if you take them away we are no longer the great country we claim to be.  YA SAVES!

First Post EVER!

So I know lots of you know me from Peace, Love, Teen Fiction the Facebook page but now we are Peace, Love, Teen Fiction the Blogger. :D  Now I'll be able to do cool things like character interviews, REAL author interviews, and giveaways that WON'T get the facebook page shut down.  So here is my first real blog post ever!  But don't worry, I'll still bug you all over on Facebook too, cause that's where I started, and it's where I'll end as well.