Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Teaser Tuesdays: Vampire Rising


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

~*Grab your current read
~*Open to a random page
~*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Vampire Rising: Alex Van Helsing #1 by Jason Henderson

"That feeling, more than the slight scratching sound at the window, caused him to dart his eyes across the room.
There in the window, forty feet off the ground, someone was watching him."

~* page 34

Stephanie Draven's virtual launch celebration giveaway

Stephanie Draven is celebrating the release of her book, "Poisoned Kisses".


She is giving away several prizes and activities from August 22 – October 1st.

The Free Goodies:
All members of Stephanie's newsletter will be sent a free peridot green charm upon request.
(Request form will be included in the September Newsletter, so join now!)

Bookmarks: While supplies last, newsletter subscribers will also be sent free bookmarks upon request.

The Free Books
In addition to two autographed copies of Poisoned Kisses, she'll be giving away a signed copy of Jeannie Lin’s Butterfly Swords and Sabrina Darby’s On These Silken Sheets.

The drawing for these will be held on October 1st.

The Good Deeds:
The first one-hundred new subscribers to the newsletter until the book's release, Stephanie will donate $1 to Doctors without Borders for their humanitarian efforts.

The Fun Stuff
Have you ever wanted to have a character named after you in a romance novel?

During September and October, Stephanie will be on a virtual book tour in which she'll talk about Love, Monsters & Mythology as envisioned by the Mythica series.
On the last day of the tour, Stephanie will see who commented at the most stops along her tour, and will name a character after that person in the next Nocturne Bite!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 13

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page


Beth Fish Reads is giving away 50 gold metallic mockingjay buttons.



To enter, please fill out the form at Beth Fish Reads 13 District Blog Tour: District 13.

US residents only, please. One entry per person.
Winners will be contacted via email on Wednesday, September 8.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Hiding Spot: "The Education of Bet" Giveaway

Enter to win a arc copy of THE EDUCATION OF BET by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Fill out the form at The Hiding Spot for a chance to win.
Contest will close September 30, 2010

Friday, August 27, 2010

Friday 56: A Brother's Price


Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends' blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to Tonya and Friends .
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Closest Book: A Brother's Price
Author: Wen Spencer
Page 56, sentence 5:
"What kind of animals could do this? Rape a man, then maim him so. What if he got you with child? What do you tell your daughter? 'I tore your father's tongue out after I raped him'?"

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 12

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page


The Book Smugglers is giving away twenty-five Mockingjay iSkins!
(Please note, these are just the skins – not the actual iPod/iTouch/iPhones)



To enter, leave a comment at The Book Smugglers 13 District Blog Tour: District 11 and describe why you think Katniss is an amazing heroine.

US residents only, please. One entry per person.
The contest will run until September 1 at 11:59 pm (PST).

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Land of Painted Caves

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children, #6) by Jean M. Auel
Published: March 29th 2011

From Goodreads:
The highly anticipated sixth book of Jean Auel's Earth's Children® series, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, is the culmination fans have been waiting for. Continuing the story of Ayla and Jondalar, Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived more than 25,000 years ago.

WWW Wednesdays (Aug.25)


Hosted by Should Be Reading
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?
Sea by Heidi R. Kling

What did you recently finish reading?
Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon

What do you think you’ll read next?
White Cat (Curse Workers, #1) by Holly Black

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 11

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page


Mundie Moms is giving away 25 Mockingjay water bottles.



To enter, please fill out the form at Mundie Moms 13 District Blog Tour: District 11

US residents only, please. One entry per person.
Winners will be notified via email and their names will be posted on the Mundie Moms blog on September 1st.
All winners will receive their winning item from Scholastic.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

"Please sir, I want some more"

With today's release of Susanne Collins's Mockingjay, the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series, I started thinking about sequels. (Mostly because I pre-ordered my copy and it hasn't arrived yet. ARG!) I like sequels and sometimes the author for whatever reason may feel the series is finished before I do. Below are two examples of book series that I would like one more book. Just one more!

No spoilers! Any information could be found in the summaries for the novels.

How to Ruin A Summer Vacation(#1) by Simone Elkeles
How to Ruin My Teenage Life (#2) by Simone Elkeles
How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation (#3) by Simone Elkeles

Will there be a happily ever after for Amy & Avi - do they break up or get married? What about her best friend's relationship? Do they overcome their obstacles? One more book could answer all my questions!



Alien Taste (Ukiah Oregon, #1) by Wen Spencer
Tainted Trail (Ukiah Oregon, #2) by Wen Spencer
Bitter Waters (Ukiah Oregon, #3) by Wen Spencer
Dog Warrior (Ukiah Oregon, #4) by Wen Spencer

Ukiah Oregon, Atticus Steele and Kittanning all have something unusual in common. I would like to read Kittanning's story. Please!

Teaser Tuesdays: Dismantled


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

~*Grab your current read
~*Open to a random page
~*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon

"Underneath the photos was Suz's journal: a heavy hardcover black notebook with the words DISMANTLEMENT = FREEDOM painted on the cover in red nail polish.

He traced the glossy words with a trembling finger, then the journal went into the bag too, unopened."

~* page 9

Ebony McKenna's 'Ondine' Giveaway

Enter to win a finished copy of ONDINE: THE SUMMER OF SHAMBLES


Fill out the form at The Hiding Spot!

The sequel, "ONDINE: THE AUTUMN PALACE" will be released February 2011

Signed Clockwork Angel ARC Giveaway

A Good Addiction is giving away a Signed Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)by Cassandra Clare
To enter, Fill out the form at A Good Addiction

Monday, August 23, 2010

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 10

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page


Presenting Lenore is giving away a 8 GB iPod touch engraved with a Mockingjay logo


To enter, please fill out the form at Presenting Lenore 13 District Blog Tour: District 10

US residents only, please. One entry per person.
Contest ends September 1, 2010.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1)

Pittacus Lore is the pseudonym for the writing duo James Frey and Jobie Hughes


Summary by Goodreads:
Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.
I am Number Four.
I am next.

I Am Number Four fans can participate in games and challenges and win points on the I Am Number Four Fan Website for a chance to win a trip to the movie's premiere.

My review:
A very compelling and easy read. At times a bit predictable but nothing too distracting. I would recommend it for all ages.
I didn't check out the movie details until I finished the book - spoilers make me stabbity - the movie releases in February 2011.
Starring Alex Pettyfer as Number Four and Timothy Olyphant as Henri.

The next book in the series, "The Power of Six" (Lorien Legacies, #2) will be released in Spring 2011.



Saturday, August 21, 2010

Kat Falls: Dark Life



Dark Life by Kat Falls

Published: May 1st 2010 by Scholastic Press




Summary by Goodreads:
Set in an apocalyptic future where rising oceans have swallowed up entire regions and people live packed like sardines on the dry land left, DARK LIFE is the harrowing tale of underwater pioneers who have carved out a life for themselves in the harsh deep-sea environment, farming the seafloor in exchange for the land deed.

The story follows Ty, who has lived his whole life on his family's homestead and has dreams of claiming his own stake when he turns eighteen. But when outlaws' attacks on government supply ships and settlements threaten to destroy the underwater territory, Ty finds himself in a fight to stop the outlaws and save the only home he has ever known.

Joined by a girl from the Topside who has come subsea to look for her prospector brother, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and begins to discover some dark secrets to Dark Life.

As Ty gets closer to the truth, he discovers that the outlaws may not be the bloodthirsty criminals the government has portrayed them as. And that the government abandoning the territory might be the best thing for everyone, especially for someone like Ty, someone with a Dark Gift.

My review: I love books I can share with my daughter and this book was wonderful. It has something for everyone - adventure, suspense, and romance. There are twists and turn that keep you turning the pages and while it concludes satisfactory, I didn't want it to end.

Oh, a sequel - shiny!
Rip Tide (Dark Life, book 2) by Kat Falls
Published - May 2nd 2011 by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books

Friday, August 20, 2010

Friday 56: The Gardener


Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends' blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to Tonya and Friends .
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Closest Book: The Gardener
Author: S.A. Bodeen
Page 56, sentence 5:
In the guest bedroom, I turned on the light and pulled open a few drawers until I found a nightgown. It looked a bit short for her, but she took it anyway.

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 9

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page


The Compulsive Reader is giving away a black track jacket with the Mockingjay embroidered on the back. And, if you are the winner of this fabulous jacket, your name will also be embroidered on the front!


To enter, please fill out the form at The Compulsive Reader 13 District 9 and comment on what's your favorite Cinna creation.

U.S. residents only, please. Contest ends September 1st.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Mockingjay

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Mockingjay (Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins
Published August 24th 2010

From Goodreads:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

WWW Wednesdays (Aug.18)


Hosted by Should Be Reading
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?
How to Ruin My Teenage Life (How to Ruin, #2) by Simone Elkeles

What did you recently finish reading?
The Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett

What do you think you’ll read next?
How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation (How to Ruin, #3) by Simone Elkeles

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 8

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page

Jenn's Bookshelves is giving away 50 Mockingjay glow-in-the-dark buttons.


To enter, please fill out the form at Jenn's Bookshelves 13 District 8.
Winners will be contacted via email on Monday, August 30th.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Crazy for Books & Lori’s Reading Corner: Book Giveaway

Crazy for Books and Lori’s Reading Corner is having a book giveaway.

Starting from Scratch By Susan Gilbert-Collins

Complete the form at Crazy for Books and/or at Lori’s Reading Corner
The contest will end on August 27, 2010

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 7

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page

Novel Novice is giving away 25 stainless steel water bottles featuring the Mockingjay emblem!



To enter, simply fill out the Novel Novice Mockingjay District 7 Contest Entry Form & comment on which district of Panem you would choose to live in & why.

Contest ends at midnight (PT) on Monday, August 30th.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 6

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page

Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? has 50 Mockingjay stickers to give away.



To enter fill out the form at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? with your name, mailing address, and email address by SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2010 The winners will be announced Sunday, August 22, 2010.

Friday, August 13, 2010

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

"Tom Builder's dream is to build a cathedral, but in the meantime, he must scrounge about to find a lord that will hire him. His search pulls him and his family into the politics of 12th-century England, as different lords vie to gain control of the throne in the wake of the recently deceased king.

Prior Phillip, a man raised in the monastery since childhood, also finds himself drafted into the brewing storm as he must protect the interests of a declining church."

- Summary from Amazon & Publishers Weekly

I had never heard of this book until the Starz miniseries and so far the miniseries only deviates a little from the book.

I really liked the illustrations at the beginning of each section, starting with the drawing of the old church, to the plans for the new cathedral, finishing with the completed cathedral.

The book did have a Perils of Pauline theme that became a bit wearing after a while. If the railroad had been invented during this time period someone would have been tied to a rail, you can be sure. (for the sake of alliteration, probably Prior Phillip.)

The Hiding Spot giveaway



Win a copy of THE ETERNAL ONES by Kirsten Miller.
Fill out the form at The Hiding Spot
Contest will close August 31, 2010

Humongous Blogoversary contest

In Which a Girl Reads is hosting a huge giveaway.



There will be three lucky winners who get to choose from 25 books.

Three winners:
1. First winner gets choice of 3 books from pile
2. Second winner gets choice of 2 books remaining in pile
3. Third winner gets choice of 1 book remaining from pile

Contest ends September 19th.
To enter, fill out this form here

Friday 56: Shadow Bound


Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends' blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to Tonya and Friends .
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Closest Book: Shadow Bound
Author: Erin Kellison
Page 56, sentence 5:
Handy, that. No wonder the wraiths were so determined to find her.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 5

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page

Dear Author is giving away a unique, one of a kind messenger bag embroidered with the Mockingjay emblem.



To enter the drawing, leave a comment at Dear Author mentioning your favorite match for Katniss by August 18. Open to U.S. addresses only.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Mockingjay - The 13 District Blog tour *District 4

CONTEST OVER
The 13 District Blog tour continues today!!
Facebook Hunger Games Official Page

One lucky winner will receive this Exclusive Mockingjay hooded sweatshirt!


To enter, all you have to do is fill out the form at GreenBeanTeenQueen with your and e-mail!
Contest ends August 16

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Hi5 - Favourite MG/YA Books to Movies


A meme hosted by Cara@Chasing Words, Anne @Potter, Percy and I and Naomi @Inkcrush

The topic for this weeks Hi5 is your top 5 picks for MG/YA books made into movies:



The Princess Bride by William Goldman


The Outsider by S.E. Hinton


Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt


The Gnomobile (The Gnome-Mobile) by Upton Sinclair


Undercover Cat (That Darn Cat) by Gordon and Mildred Gordon