lulilut's stack O' books

Books read - August 2011

2011-09-01T21:19:00.001-05:00

Overbite (Insatiable, #2) by Meg Cabot
Supernaturally (Paranormalcy, #2) by Kiersten White
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (re-read)
Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer
Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater
Blood Red Road (Dustlands, #1) by Moira Young
Quinn by Iris Johansen
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
The Silver Bowl (Silver Bowl, #1) by Diane Stanley
The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood
Kiss of Fire (Dragonfire #1) by Deborah Cooke
Kiss of Fury (Dragonfire #2) by Deborah Cooke
Kiss of Fate (Dragonfire, #3) by Deborah Cooke
Bad Taste in Boys (Kate Grable #1) by Carrie Harris
Ship Breaker (Ship Breaker, #1) by Paolo Bacigalupi
Brother/Sister by Sean Olin
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Way We Fall

2011-08-17T14:39:00.004-05:00

"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 Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
Expected publication: January 24th 2012

From Goodreads:
It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in. And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Fever

2011-08-03T02:13:00.006-05:00

"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:

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano
Expected publication: February 21th 2012

From Goodreads:
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

Books read - July 2011 + Pick of the Month

2011-08-03T01:37:00.007-05:00

Quicksilver (Looking Glass Trilogy, #2; Arcane Society, #11) by Amanda Quick
Epitaph Road by David Patneaude
Bumped (Bumped #1) by Megan McCafferty
Flying Blind: The Dragon Diaries by Deborah Cooke
The Soldier (Duke's Obsession, #2) by Grace Burrowes
Eona: The Last Dragoneye (Eon, #2) by Alison Goodman
22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson
The Secret Life of Damien Spinelli by Carolyn Hennesy
A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5) by George R.R. Martin

My pick of the month is a continuation of June's Top Pick.

I feel lucky finding the series this late (I can't go through another Jean Auel debacle) and there are still two more books to go - hopefully they will be released within a few years and yes I know George RR Martin is not my bitch - thank you Neil Gaiman!

1. A Game of Thrones - August 1996
2. A Clash of Kings - November 1998
3. A Storm of Swords - August 2000
4. A Feast for Crows - October 2005
5. A Dance with Dragons - July 2011
6. The Winds of Winter (Forthcoming)
7. A Dream of Spring (Forthcoming)

Teaser Tuesdays: Overbite

2011-08-02T14:04:00.005-05:00

Friday56: A Dance with Dragons

2011-07-29T13:08:00.003-05:00

Theme Thursdays: Any Action - July 28

2011-07-28T14:25:00.006-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – ANY ACTION (go, walk, close, clap, etc.)
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire #5) by George R.R. Martin

There were seven of the mushrooms. Perhaps the Seven were trying to tell him something. He picked them all, snatched a glove down from the line, wrapped them carefully, and stuffed them down his pocket.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Vanishing Game

2011-07-27T01:59:00.006-05:00

"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 Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers
Expected publication: February 14th 2012

From Goodreads:
Jocelyn's twin brother Jack was the only family she had growing up in a world of foster homes-and now he's dead, and she has nothing. Then she gets a cryptic letter from "Jason December"-the code name her brother used to use when they were children at Seale House, a terrifying foster home that they believed had dark powers. Only one other person knows about Jason December: Noah, Jocelyn's childhood crush and their only real friend among the troubled children at Seale House.

But when Jocelyn returns to Seale House and the city where she last saw Noah, she gets more than she bargained for. Turns out the house's powers weren't just a figment of a childish imagination. And someone is following Jocelyn. Is Jack still alive? And if he is, what kind of trouble is he in? The answer is revealed in a shocking twist that turns this story on its head and will send readers straight back to page 1 to read the book in a whole new light.

Teaser Tuesdays: 22 Britannia Road

2011-07-19T14:19:00.005-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Death Cure

2011-07-13T00:39:00.003-05:00

"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 Death Cure (Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner
Expected publication: October 11th 2011

From Goodreads:
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?

E's Blog: Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge

2011-07-12T14:31:00.005-05:00

E's blog is having a weekly Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge contest.

The winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
You have 6 days to enter, the drawing closes Sunday evening.
One entry per person will be accepted.
The winner's name will be posted next Tuesday.

There are a few things you will need to do to qualify to win, and they are:

1) Be a registered follower of E's Blog or
2) ...a follower at http://www.evanlowe.com/
3) leave a comment on E's blog in the comment section on any of the posts anytime during the week of the current challenge.
4) send your answer to info@evanlowe.com - do not post it in the comment thread
5) mention the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge either on your blog or in a tweet the week of the current challenge.
Do 1+3, 4&5, or 2+3, 4&5 and you are entered to win. Remember, you must do four things to qualify to win.

This week's Trivia Challenge can be found HERE.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Soldier

2011-07-12T13:30:00.003-05:00

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!

The Soldier (Duke's Obsession #2) by Grace Burrowes

"I said I had to pee," Winnie said, bristling with righteous indignation, "and that was the truth, but that silly Miss Tosten acted like I'd asked for a licorice. I told her I was supposed to stay with the earl, as that was a rule of engagement, but she looked at Rosecraft like he was a big licorice.

~* page 114

Books read - June 2011 + Pick of the Month

2011-07-03T17:42:00.013-05:00

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) by George R.R. Martin
A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3) by George R.R. Martin
A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4) by George R.R. Martin
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The End of the Line by Angela Cerrito
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan
Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20) by Laurell K. Hamilton
When Passion Rules by Johanna Lindsey
Eve by Iris Johansen
Passion (Fallen, #3) by Lauren Kate

My pick of the month is George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.

I hadn't heard of the series until HBO announced they would be adapting the first book, "A Game Of Thrones" and it seemed like every forum I was on totally geeked out. So of course I planned on watching and the day before the first episode, some moron on one forum made a comment with a major spoiler in it. ARG!
Even in forums with a threat of banning in place if people posted spoilers, people made mistakes - so I bought the books from Amazon; the 4-book boxed set. (I only mentioned the box set because of a funny error in the 3rd book where some men threatened to rape the "windows".)
I loved the books, each book is unlike any fantasy book I've read but I had no idea the series wasn't finished. ARG!
So go read the books or watch HBO because you won't get any spoilers from me.

Book five: "A Dance with Dragons" by George R.R. Martin will be released July 12, 2011.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Seizure

2011-06-29T13:20:00.006-05:00

"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:

Seizure (Virals #2) by Kathy Reichs
Expected publication: October 18th 2011

From Goodreads:
Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus, they've turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack. But now the very place that brought them together-the Loggerhead Island Research Institute-is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it.
So when Tory learns of an old Charleston legend about a famous she-pirate, Anne Bonney, whose fortune was never found, she can't believe her luck - buried treasure is exactly what she needs to save the Institute on Loggerhead. Trouble is, she and her friends aren't the only ones looking for it. And this time, the Virals' special powers may not be enough to dig them out of trouble.

Teaser Tuesdays: Passion

2011-06-28T13:07:00.003-05:00

Books read - May 2011 + Pick of the Month

2011-06-12T19:29:00.005-05:00

This is so frustrating - I have to reset my password everytime I try to log on and I'm so far behind on posting...

Angelfire (Angelfire, #1) by Courtney Allison Moulton
Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin
Aftertime (Aftertime, #1) by Sophie Littlefield
Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain
The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group by Catherine Jinks
Red Glove (Curse Workers #2) by Holly Black
Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand
Rotters by Daniel Kraus
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Dragon's Oath by Nicole Ash
Romancing the Stone (short story) by Nicole Ash
WWW: Wonder (#3) by Robert J. Sawyer
Timeless (Timeless, #1) by Alexandra Monir
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin

For May I'm going to choose Rotters by Daniel Kraus as my top pick simply because it was the most unforgettable book I've read in awhile. It sticks with you the way a stench does no matter how many times you try and clean the smell out. Only Rotters does it in a good way.

2011-05-30T10:10:00.002-05:00

Sorry I haven't been updating lately but Blogger and I are having difficulties - it won't let me log it properly and it's very frustrating.
It took a hour and many tries before I made it this far and I'm not sure this will even work... Wish me luck in figuring this out.

“Bordertown Lives!” Sweepstakes

2011-05-25T15:50:00.004-05:00

Help spread the word about the new Welcome to Bordertown! website.

Any time from now through midnight of the last day of May link to any page of the new BordertownSeries.com website and then link to that page in your online journal, blog, Twitter or Facebook. It can be as short as a tweet about a page or a character you like, as long as a full-length book or story review - anything to let the world know that BORDERTOWN LIVES!

Then leave a comment HERE and include your link. Your post will automatically enter you in a drawing to win one of three Bordertown Prize Packages!

Three names will be picked at random on June 1st, and the winners posted on the Bordertown Blog.

Teaser Tuesdays: Timeless

2011-05-24T14:17:00.004-05:00

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!

Timeless (Timeless #1) by Alexandra Monir

Michele had no idea what she could do to help - but she was struck by the similarities between Clara's plight and her own. Both of them, though a hundred years removed, had been inexplicably sent to live in this new world with the Windsors, and both of them sought the answer why.

~* page 66

E's Blog: Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge

2011-05-24T13:46:00.002-05:00

E's blog is having a weekly Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge contest.

The winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
You have 6 days to enter, the drawing closes Sunday evening.
One entry per person will be accepted.
The winner's name will be posted next Tuesday.

There are a few things you will need to do to qualify to win, and they are:

1) Be a registered follower of E's Blog or
2) ...a follower at http://www.evanlowe.com/
3) leave a comment on E's blog in the comment section on any of the posts anytime during the week of the current challenge.
4) send your answer to info@evanlowe.com - do not post it in the comment thread
5) mention the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge either on your blog or in a tweet the week of the current challenge.

This week's Trivia Challenge is:

In what famous summer blockbuster did a character say: "I didn’t kill my wife!"
And who was the character?

Theme Thursdays: Male Person - May 19

2011-05-19T15:16:00.004-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – MALE PERSON
Description of a man/boy...
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

The man was standing in the entrance of number 18, opposite. As usual, he wore a black trench coat and a hat pulled right down over his face. I'd taken him for a ghost until I realized that Nick, Catherine, and Lesley could see him too.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Sacrifice

2011-05-11T16:06:00.003-05:00

"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:

Sacrifice (Crave #2) by Melinda Metz
Expected publication: September 20th 2011

From Goodreads:
Gabriel and Shay are convinced that they can make their relationship work. Knowing that Shay is half-vampire, Gabriel thinks that his coven will embrace her as one of their own, but instead they view her as an abomination, a thing that doesn’t belong in either world. And they want her dead. Now Gabriel must make the ultimate decision - watch his love be killed by his coven or defy the people closest to him, the people he has spent centuries with to save her.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group

2011-05-10T13:13:00.004-05:00

Friday56: Rotters

2011-05-06T15:58:00.007-05:00

Theme Thursdays: Female Person - May 5

2011-05-05T00:56:00.006-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – FEMALE PERSON
Description of a woman/girl...
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Rotters by Daniel Kraus

She's tough, so tough: I find her alive and well in the kitchen, curls arranged sloppily, cheeks freckled, shoulders pink, wearing a tank top and cutoffs and red flip-flops, hunched bored in front of a frying pan.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Darkfall

2011-05-04T13:21:00.005-05:00

"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:

Darkfall (Healing Wars #3) by Janice Hardy
Expected publication: October 4th 2011

From Janice Hardy's website
The series concludes with book three. Nya and her friends find themselves at the center of a war, caught between what they want, what they need, and what Nya is willing to sacrifice for the city she loves. Is she just a symbol, or is she their salvation?

Teaser Tuesdays: Aftertime

2011-05-03T13:30:00.005-05:00

Books read - April 2011 + Pick of the Month

2011-05-02T16:31:00.008-05:00

Vesper (Deviants, #1) by Jeff Sampson
The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel
The Iron Witch (The Iron Witch, #1) by Karen Mahoney
Numbers (Numbers #1) by Rachel Ward
The Chaos (Numbers #2) By Rachel Ward
Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens
Entwined by Heather Dixon
When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James
Human.4 by Mike A. Lancaster
City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4) by Cassandra Clare

Instead of a top pick, I'm going with my biggest disappointment.
The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children #6) by Jean M. Auel

This was not the book I expected and from the reviews I read at Goodreads and Amazon I know I'm not alone with my views.
I wonder if this was the series a younger Jean Auel had intended to write 30 years ago. I hope so; I want to believe she is satisfied with her work and doesn't care what anyone else thinks even with the review I wrote here.
I wish her well.

Theme Thursdays: Atmosphere - April 28

2011-04-28T14:31:00.004-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – ATMOSPHERE
something that suggests “spooky” or “tense” or “romantic”…etc.
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Angelfire (Angelfire #1) by Courtney Allison Moulton

I strained my eyes to peer into the darkness. The streetlamp above me buzzed and went out. Past the sidewalk corner and deep into my neighbor's wide lawn, I could see nothing. For an instant I thought of Mr. Meyer's murderer. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go walking around outside after midnight?

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Always War

2011-04-27T00:14:00.007-05:00

"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 Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix Expected publication: November 15, 2011

From Amazon:
For as long as Tessa can remember, her country has been at war. When local golden boy Gideon Thrall is awarded a medal for courage, it’s a rare bright spot for everyone in Tessa’s town—until Gideon refuses the award, claims he was a coward, and runs away. Tessa is bewildered, and can’t help but follow Gideon to find out the truth. But Tessa is in for more than she bargained for. Before she knows it, she has stowed away on a rogue airplane and is headed for enemy territory. But all that pales when she discovers a shocking truth that rocks the foundation of everything she’s ever believed—a truth that will change the world. But is Tessa strong enough to bring it into the light?

Teaser Tuesdays: City of Fallen Angels

2011-04-26T12:51:00.004-05:00

Friday56: Human.4

2011-04-22T17:39:00.006-05:00

Theme Thursdays: Weather - April 21

2011-04-21T13:31:00.004-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – WEATHER
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: When Beauty Tamed the Beast (Happily Ever Afters #2) by Eloisa James

"I don't like the sky," Piers said, squinting up.
"What's the matter with it? There aren't any clouds." She dropped his arm and turned her back to be unbuttoned.
"That brooding color means a storm. Maybe."
"Maybe? You're a diagnostician of diseases, not weather."

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Pure

2011-04-20T14:53:00.008-05:00

"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:

Pure (Pure #1) by Julianna Baggott - February 8th 2012

From Goodreads:
A dystopian novel about a society of haves, who escaped an apocalypse in a futuristic dome-covered city, and have-nots, who survived the nearly destroyed outside world. The have-nots are almost entirely marked or mutated in some manner.

PURE centers around the story of Pressia, a 16-year-old survivor with a doll’s head fused into her left hand, and Partridge, an unmarked Pure who has escaped the Dome to find his mother, certain that she has survived the cataclysm.

Film rights sold to: Fox 2000

Friday56: Entwined

2011-04-15T14:40:00.008-05:00

Theme Thursdays: Emotion - April 14

2011-04-14T14:02:00.011-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – EMOTION
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

His icy gaze chilled me. He backed from the room, closing the door. I blew out a shaky breath. The sweat on my skin started to cool. Two storms raged within me, fear and desperation combining, both angry for release.

Cleverly Inked: 2nd Annual Birthday Phenomenon Giveaway

2011-04-13T15:46:00.002-05:00

MUST FILL OUT THE FORM(S) AT CLEVERLY INKED'S HERE

Win Books by 54 Authors who have sponsored 75 books with swag!

The Grand prize winner will get to pick their choice of books first, then the second place winner will choose, and so on till no more books.

Grand Prize winner get to choose 10 books Plus a Swag pack
Second place winner will get to choose 9 books Plus a Swag Pack
Third place Winner will get to choose 8 books Plus a Swag Pack
Fourth Place Winner will get to choose 5 books Plus a Swag Pack
Fifth Place Winner will Get to choose 5 books Plus a Swag Pack
Sixth Place Winner will get to choose 5 Books Plus a Swag Pack
Seventh Place Winner will get to choose 3 Books Plus a Swag Pack
Eight Place Winner will get to choose 2 Books Plus a Swag Pack
Ninth Place Winner will get the remaining 1 books Plus a Swag Pack.

(Prize packs may change based on the amount of books received during the giveaway)
Giveaway Ends May 31st.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Prized

2011-04-13T01:11:00.004-05:00

"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:

Prized (Birthmarked #2) by Caragh M. O'Brien
Expected publication: November 8th 2011

From Goodreads:
In the thrilling follow up to Birthmarked, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone has fled from the Enclave and now must fight for her baby sister’s survival in the matriarchal society of Sylum.

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, 16-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

Teaser Tuesdays: Numbers

2011-04-12T12:52:00.006-05:00

2011 Debut Author Challenge: 3/12

2011-04-10T13:30:00.003-05:00

The third annual Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren.

2011 Debut Author Challenge: To read at least twelve novels from debut Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors.

This is book 3/12

Vesper (Deviants #1) by Jeff Sampson

Goodreads summary:
Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that...the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.
The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell... there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely— something not human?
As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?

My thoughts: 5/5

The story is told through flashback but not completely (sequels!) which didn't diminish the story at all.
I enjoyed Emily's character – at first, she was a stay-at-home, movie watching geek till one night she became what was later referred to as a Deviant by the Vesper Company.
By day she returns to her normal self but at the same time each night she changed into a less inhibited side of herself.
I don't know if it's science or paranormal but it's a mystery I'm looking forward to finding out.
It’s fast paced and fun and leaves the reader guessing and turning the page.
I highly recommend it.

Review: Miss Hildreth Wore Brown: Anecdotes of a Southern Belle

2011-04-09T00:22:00.009-05:00

Author: Olivia deBelle Byrd
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
Publication date: May 1st 2010
Paperback: 156 pages
Amazon

Summary from Goodreads:

While Olivia deBelle Byrd was repeating one of her many Southern stories for the umpteenth time, her long-suffering husband looked at her with glazed over eyes and said,” Why don’t you write this stuff down?” Thus was born Miss Hildreth Wore Brown—Anecdotes of a Southern Belle. If the genesis for a book is to shut your wife up, I guess that’s as good as any. On top of that, Olivia’s mother had burdened her with one of those Southern middle names kids love to make fun. To see “deBelle” printed on the front of a book seemed vindication for all the childhood teasing. With storytelling written in the finest Southern tradition from the soap operas of Chandler Street in the quaint town of Gainesville, Georgia, to a country store on the Alabama state line, Oliviade Belle Byrd delves with wit and amusement into the world of the Deep South with all its unique idiosyncrasies and colloquialisms.

The characters who dance across the pages range from Great-Aunt LottieMae, who is as “old-fashioned and opinionated as the day is long,” to Mrs. Brewton, who calls everyone “dahling” whether they are darling or not, to Isabella with her penchant for mint juleps and drama.

Humorous anecdotes from a Christmas coffee, where one can converse with a lady who has Christmas trees with blinking lights dangling from her ears, to Sunday church, where a mink coat is mistaken for possum, will delight Southerners and baffle many a non-Southerner. There is the proverbial Southern beauty pageant, where even a six-month-old can win a tiara, to a funeral faux pas of the iron clad Southern rule—one never wears white after Labor Day and, dear gussy, most certainly not to a funeral.

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown—Anecdotes of a Southern Belle is guaranteed to provide an afternoon of laugh-out-loud reading and hilarious enjoyment.

My thoughts:
Combining Erma Bombeck’s housewife humor and Lewis Grizzard’s commentaries of the South is Olivia deBelle Byrd’s, “Miss Hildreth Wore Brown: Anecdotes of a Southern Belle”.

From the first page, we find out about Miss Hildreth and wearing the color brown (giving a whole new perspective on the book cover).

Byrd writes stories about the South and the antics of family and friends that can only make you shake your head and reminisce about your own kin.

The only thing lacking is the ability to say, “Wait until I tell you about…” because it reads like you are having a hilarious and fun conversation with the author only without the benefit of replying.

My favorite quote: Let your daughter call you crazy because, quite frankly, by the time she’s sixteen you will be.

I received a copy of this book from the author for review; I was not compensated for my opinion.

About the author

Olivia deBelle Byrd was born and bred in the South. She is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College and a Kappa Delta.
She resides in Panama City, Florida with her husband, Tommy, and is the proud mother of Tommy Jr. and Elizabeth.

Connect with Olivia on her website: Olivia deBelle Byrd

You can also order "Miss Hildreth Wore Brown" through Ingram’s Books in Print Database, directly from the publisher at Morgan James Publishing or through the book order hotline at 800-485-4943.
For media review copies please call 1-800-485-4943 or email rick@morganjamespublishing.com

A quickie review: The Land of Painted Caves

2011-04-08T17:30:00.004-05:00

The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children #6) by Jean M. Auel

All I want to say is this - It's over and I feel like I'm out of an abusive relationship.
It started great but it felt like there was too much hatred from the author at the end; towards the characters, but especially for us, the readers.
I feel like Auel took every complaint or criticism and thought - I'll show you…

I don't feel with the time it took to write this series, even with the research and life happened excuses, that there was ever any respect for the readers.
Maybe she did write it for herself, if so, she should have kept it that way but she published it and relished in the benefits.

From checking the reviews at Goodreads and Amazon, I'm not alone in my opinion.

Friday56: The Iron Witch

2011-04-08T14:31:00.005-05:00

Theme Thursdays: Beauty Related - April 7

2011-04-08T14:08:00.008-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – BEAUTY RELATED
(like hair, makeup, lipstick etc)
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: The Iron Witch (The Iron Witch #1) by Karen Mahoney

Navin caught her eye from across the room again and smiled, white teeth flashing against his burnt cinnamon skin. His black hair was neat today, smoothed straight back and falling to the collar of his ever-present, black and red, fake leather biker's jacket (apparently a mandatory accessory for riding his beaten-up old bicycle through the busy Ironbridge streets like he was on a Motocross track).

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Touch of Frost

2011-04-06T15:04:00.008-05:00

"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:

Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy #1) by Jennifer Estep
Expected publication: July 26th 2011

From Goodreads:
My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I’m determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why – especially since I should have been the one who died.

Amaterasu Reads' "Forgotton" Contest

2011-04-05T16:36:00.010-05:00

Win an ARC of Forgotten by Cat Patrick by spreading the word of Amaterasu Reads' Forgotton Contest.

"Like" the Australian Forgotten Facebook Page.

Please help spread the word about the Forgotten Australian Facebook Page and Forgotten as well as Amaterasu Reads' Forgotton giveaway.
Leave a link HERE.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Land of Painted Caves

2011-04-05T12:41:00.009-05:00

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!

The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children #6) by Jean M. Auel

Ayla, too, had extraordinary sharp vision. She could also pick up sounds above the range of normal hearing and feel the deep tones of those that were below. Her sense of smell and taste were also keen, but she had never compared herself with anyone, and didn't realize how extraordinary her perpections were.

~* page 4

I was half tempted to quote the Mother's Song. All of it. Numerous times.
- If you've read "The Shelters of Stone" and "The Land of Painted Caves", you'll understand the reference and why it wouldn't be a good idea.

Books read - March 2011 + Pick of the Month

2011-04-05T10:34:00.010-05:00

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien
Devil's Desire by Laurie McBain (re-read)
Poisoned Kisses by Stephanie Draven
Moonlight Medusa by Stephanie Draven (short story)
Empty by Suzanne Weyn
Solid by Shelley Workinger
The Iron Queen (Iron Fey, #3) by Julie Kagawa
Secrets and Shadows (13 to Life, #2) by Shannon Delany
After Twilight: Walking with the Dead by Travis Adkins
Subject Seven by James A. Moore
Throat by R.A. Nelson
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
So Shelly by Ty Roth
Hidden Away (KGI #3) by Maya Banks
Lost It by Kristen Tracy
Live Wire (Myron Bolitar, #10) by Harlan Coben
Wither (Chemical Garden, #1) by Lauren DeStefano
Miss Hildreth Wore Brown by Olivia deBelle Byrd
Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? by Max Brallier - this is a fun adventure book where your survival depends on the choices you make. (I lived but I was left in a precarious position.)

My pick of the month, is Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien.
I thought Z for Zachariah was a new release and was surprised to find it was published posthumously in 1973. I apparently read about the film adaptation that was supposed to have gone in production this year but I can't find any more information about it except, according to trivia on IMDb, it was #26 on the Hollywood Blacklist in 2009.
It was made into a 2 hour episode for the BBC TV series, "Play For Today" in 1984. (You can find it on YouTube).

Summary by Goodreads:

There is no one left alive. I know, because after the war ended, and all the telephones went dead, my family went to see what was happening. They never came back...
Ann Burden is sixteen and, as far she she knows, the only person left in the world. The nuclear radiation that destroyed the rest of the world has not touched the valley where she lives, and so she has remained, surviving as best she knows how, for the past year.

The smoke from a distant campfire shatters Ann's solitude. Someone else is still alive, and making his way toward the valley: John Loomis, a scientist, protected from the radiation by a "safe-suit." He asserts his will almost immediately. And as his behavior becomes more and more extreme - finally culminating in violent confrontation - Ann must choose how she will live, in a world unlike any she has known.

Theme Thursdays: Animal - March 31

2011-03-31T13:19:00.007-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – ANIMAL
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Vesper (Deviants #1) by Jeff Sampson

A guy, some random guy at school looked at me and thought, What a heifer. What a pig. And then wished, if anyone named Emily had to die, that it had been me. The "fat' one.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Glow

2011-03-30T14:43:00.007-05:00

"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:

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Expected publication: September 27th 2011

From Goodreads:
What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

Glow is the most riveting series debut since The Hunger Games, and promises to thrill and challenge readers of all ages.

Teaser Tuesdays: Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

2011-03-29T17:12:00.006-05:00

Friday56: Live Wire

2011-03-25T13:49:00.005-05:00

Theme Thursdays: Building – March 24

2011-03-24T00:17:00.005-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – BUILDING
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Hidden Away (KGI #3) by Maya Banks

"Now tell me what happened the day you walked into the building where Allen Cross was murdered."

I don't consider the sentence to be a spoiler since the murder is mentioned in the synopsis at Goodreads:
Most people would take an all-expense paid trip to the beach in a heartbeat. Garrett Kelly only accepts to keep tabs on Sarah Daniels, who's in hiding after witnessing a murder committed by her half brother-a personal enemy of KGI. But Garrett hadn't planned on falling for Sarah. When he glimpses her dark past, he feels an urgent desire to keep her safe-even as she disappears, running for her life.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Butterfly's Child

2011-03-23T14:17:00.004-05:00

"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:

Butterfly's Child by Angela Davis-Gardner
Expected publication: April 12th 2011

From Goodreads:
When three-year-old Benji is plucked from the security of his home in Nagasaki to live with his American father, Lt. Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, and stepmother, Kate, on their farm in Illinois, the family conceals Benji’s true identity as a child born from a liaison between an officer and a geisha, and instead tells everyone that he is an orphan.

Frank struggles to keep the farm going while coping with his guilt and longing for the deceased Butterfly. Deeply devout Kate is torn between her Christian principles and her resentment of raising another woman’s child. And Benji’s life as an outcast—neither fully American nor fully Japanese—forces him to forge an identity far from the life he has known.

When the truth about Benji surfaces, it will splinter this family’s fragile dynamic, sending repercussions spiraling through their close-knit rural community and sending Benji on the journey of a lifetime from Illinois to the Japanese settlements in Denver and San Francisco, then across the ocean to Nagasaki, where he will uncover the truth about his mother’s tragic death.

A sweeping portrait of a changing American landscape at the end of the nineteenth century, and of a Japanese culture irrevocably altered by foreign influence, Butterfly’s Child explores people in transition—from old worlds to new customs, heart’s desires to vivid realities—in an epic tale that plays out as both a conclusion to and an inspiration for one of the most famous love stories ever told.

Teaser Tuesdays: Hidden Away

2011-03-22T13:03:00.006-05:00

Review: Stolen

2011-03-18T12:42:00.012-05:00

Stolen: A letter to my captor by Lucy Christopher

Goodreads summary:
Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

My thoughts: 5/5

This was a very interesting way to tell a story and I enjoyed it a lot.
Written in the form of a letter from the victim to her captor, Stolen is the story of Gemma and Ty, the man who stole her.
It's told in way that makes it feel as if it happening in the now so you are left unsure of the outcome. I stayed up until I finished it because I needed to know how it would end. I think the author handled the storyline in a very sensitive and real manner.

Friday56: So Shelly

2011-03-18T12:21:00.005-05:00

Theme Thursdays: Crockery/Utensil- March 17

2011-03-17T12:57:00.011-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – CROCKERY / UTENSIL
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Stolen: A letter to my captor by Lucy Christopher

Those cupboards contained pretty much the same sort of stuff any other kitchen would: bowls, plates, cooking utensils. Nothing of use to me unless I hit you over the head with a frying pan. It was tempting.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Crossed

2011-03-16T13:19:00.004-05:00

"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:

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie
Expected publication: November 1st 2011

From Goodreads:
In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Teaser Tuesdays: Subject Seven

2011-03-15T14:35:00.006-05:00

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!

Subject Seven by James A. Moore

He had believed the Other was dead and gone. He began to build a proper life for himself, to make connections and get himself set up, despite his age. He'd had the reins and full control and it had been amazing-liberating! But now the Other was back, stealing his world from him.

~* page 47

Win Five Signed Copies of Popular YA Reads!

2011-03-12T14:29:00.009-06:00

Beth Revis' author of Across The Universe is having a fantastic contest.
For a chance to win signed copies of five popular YA books, enter HERE.

THE ETERNAL ONES by Kiersten Miller
THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff
NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer
MATCHED by Allie Condie
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis

Contest is open from March 11-21. Winners announced March 21.

Friday56: After Twilight: Walking with the Dead

2011-03-11T13:39:00.004-06:00

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find any sentence that grabs you.
* 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 you can post on Freda's comment section.
* Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice

Closest Book: After Twilight: Walking with the Dead

Author: Travis Adkins

Page 56: (There is an illustration on page 56 so this is from page 57.)
Vaughn Winters awoke on a rickety metal gurney. It was very, very cold, and there was no padding underneath him or even a blanket laid over him to keep him warm.

Mini Challenge - Name Your Star

2011-03-10T14:58:00.009-06:00

Princess Bookie, is hosting Contest Craze as I mentioned in an earlier post found HERE

Today's Mini Challenge is Name Your Star!
Imagine You Just Won A Contest Consisting Of A Date (Dinner and a Movie) with a TV or Movie Character. (Cartoon characters are exempt.)

Mission:
- Write A Blog Post Telling Who You Would Choose
- Explain Why You Choose Them
- Be Creative In Your Post (maybe include a picture of said person or what you would order for dinner).

My character choice is Karl Agathon AKA Helo from Battlestar Galactica.

I could list all his wonderful qualities such as his sense of righting any injustice or how he loved someone whole-heartedly even if others didn't agree or understand.
But... just look at him! Isn't that reason enough? MEOW!

Theme Thursdays: Vehicle - March 10

2011-03-10T01:53:00.007-06:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – VEHICLE
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Secrets and Shadows (13 to Life #2) by Shannon Delany

A swarm of uniformed officers mount the porch stairs, as one unmarked SUV slips silently past the house, daring to scatter the darkness with its piercing headlights.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Eve

2011-03-09T14:10:00.006-06:00

"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:

Eve (The Eve Trilogy #1) by Anna Carey
Expected publication: October 4th 2011

From Goodreads:
The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. Wildlife has grown over once recognizable landmarks, and the New America is ruled by a controlling King who will stop at nothing to rebuild the nation—including enslaving its boys and turning its girls into broodmares.

Princess Bookie's Contest Craze

2011-03-08T14:52:00.004-06:00

Princess Bookie's Contest Craze runs from March 9th-April 10th this year with one contest per day until the finale blowout in April. (randomorg to determine winners.)

A few general rules for all the contests:
- One Entry Per Person Per Contest
- Please Leave A Way to contact you with each entry-email address.
No Email = NoEntry.
- If A Form is required, fill out the form!
- Please follow the rules.
- You Do Not Have To Enter All Contests, Enter The Ones You Want.
- Please Read and only Enter Contests Open To Your Country.
- Mini Challenges will be random and very short! Will only last a few days so get your entries in quickly.

Please Donate If Possible to help with Shipping!
See Info - HERE on how to donate.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Iron Queen

2011-03-08T14:04:00.006-06:00

Friday56: Empty

2011-03-04T14:49:00.005-06:00

Theme Thursdays: Furniture - March 3

2011-03-03T13:47:00.004-06:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – FURNITURE
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Poisoned Kisses by Stephanie Draven

The hotel room was nothing like the plush accommodations of Marco's penthouse in Naples, but there was a clean bed, a chair and a water basin. It was all they would need.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Away

2011-03-02T03:15:00.006-06:00

"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:

Away (The Line #2) by Teri Hall
Expected publication: September 15th 2011

From Goodreads:
Rachel’s adventure continues when she Crosses into the mysterious territory known as Away.

Books read - February + Pick of the Month

2011-03-01T18:31:00.006-06:00

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
XVI by Julia Karr
The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman
The Eyes of Kid Midas by Neal Shusterman
Over the Moon by Diane Daniels
Trapped by Michael Northrop
Gentlemen by Michael Northrop
The King’s Dragon by Carolyn Jewel (short story)
Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver
The Thirteenth Chime (Sense of Truth, #1) by Emma Michaels
Sapphique (Incarceron, #2) by Catherine Fisher

Since I already wrote a review for Delirium, I think I'll choose Trapped by Michael Northrop as my pick of the month.
I enjoy survival stories, probably because I would most likely be the first to die for some ditzy reason.
The story revolves around a snowfall turning into a live or die situation for seven teenagers stuck inside their high school.
The suspense starts early and builds throughout making you shiver (bad pun) and although it ends rather abruptly, it delivers a fast paced and compelling story.

Summary by Goodreads:

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive.
Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision.

Teaser Tuesdays: Z for Zachariah

2011-03-01T13:46:00.004-06:00

Friday56: Sapphique

2011-02-25T14:31:00.007-06:00

Theme Thursdays: Touch - Feb 24

2011-02-25T01:27:00.010-06:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – TOUCH
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: The Thirteenth Chime (Sense of Truth #1) by Emma Michaels

Reaching out, David stopped just shy of touching the clock's surface, when he pulled his hand away and continued studying the surface of the clock. Then he stepped to one side and his frown deepened. "That's weird," he muttered.

Dystopian February: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2011-02-24T11:26:00.007-06:00

Dystopian February Kick-Off 2011 is hosted by Presenting Lenore

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

Summary from Goodreads:
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

My thoughts:
I give it a 5/5.

The first book in a dystopian trilogy, Delirium starts off strong and maintains that intensity throughout the rest of the book.

I enjoyed all the epigraphs at the start of each chapter that dealt with the beliefs of the society.

A society that believes love is a disease, Amor Deliria Nervosa.
The Government has a cure and every 18-year-old must undergo the procedure to eradicate it.
Lena Holoway, albeit nervous, is counting the days to her own cure. A cure against the infection her own mother succumbed to and the reason Lena believes she lost her.
Then she meets Alex, who bears the mark of the cured but doesn't act like the others.

The story continues to keep the reader in suspense on how they will be together especially since love is against the law.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Sweet Venom

2011-02-23T13:07:00.001-06:00

"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:

Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1) by Tera Lynn Childs
Published: October 4th 2011

For a summary see my previous post HERE.

Friday56: The Eyes of Kid Midas

2011-02-18T13:13:00.007-06:00

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find any sentence that grabs you.
* 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 you can post on Freda's comment section.
* Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice

Closest Book: The Eyes of Kid Midas

Author: Neal Shusterman

Page 56: Frankie Philpot deduced that the Kimball house existed over a space-time wormhole thingy that somehow opened up into the Bermuda Triangle or a distant department store.

My thoughts:
A quick and fun read.
There are parts that make you laugh and parts that make you think.
This is what happens when you can have everything and more, except a way to make it stop.
With the last name of Midas and the power to have anything you want - yeah, this won't turn out well.

Theme Thursdays: Love – Feb 16

2011-02-17T14:20:00.008-06:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is – LOVE
Leave a comment at Reading Between Pages here with a link to your post.

My current read: Over the Moon by Diane Daniels

Toatsen, the son, told his crazy, angry father, 'If you make us into stars so we can never come down, we will use our power to make you into a wild coyote. You can never join us in the sky. You will always be lonely and sad, as you are doomed to run in the desert all night, and you will look up at us and howl.' Despite his rage, Tureris loved his family and mourned for them. When you hear the piercing howl of the coyote, remember that is the soul of Tureris crying for his lost family.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Tris and Izzie

2011-02-16T14:33:00.007-06:00

"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:

Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
Published: October 11th 2011

From Goodreads:
A modern retelling of the German legend "Tristan and Isolde", "Tris and Izzy", is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until-- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

Sweet Venom Cover Reveal: Here It Is!

2011-02-15T00:55:00.015-06:00

I’m excited to be one of the blogs helping to reveal the cover to
Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls, #1) by Tera Lynn Childs, which is the first book in her new and captivating trilogy, Medusa Girls.
The book is tentatively scheduled for an October 4, 2011 release.

Isn't the cover gorgeous! I love the way the ringlets of her ponytail form Medusa's snake-like hair.

Goodreads summary
New series, in which triplet descendants of Medusa learn they are destined to guard the door between the world of monsters and the world of men – pitched as a mythological Charmed.

“Character Collages”

The three main characters are Greer, Gretchen, and Grace; the separated-at-birth triplet monster-hunting descendants of Medusa who reunite and discover their destiny.

Also be sure to stop by Facebook and click "Like" for Sweet Venom.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Red Garden

2011-02-15T00:32:00.003-06:00

Dystopian February: XVI by Julia Karr

2011-02-12T22:32:00.016-06:00

Dystopian February Kick-Off 2011 is hosted by Presenting Lenore

XVI by Julia Karr

Summary from Goodreads:
Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world—even the most predatory of men—that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past—one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

My thoughts:
I give it a 3/5.
The plot simply didn't live up to its description.

The synopsis made it sound like it would be about Nina dealing with her upcoming 16th (or sex-teen) birthday and being tattooed and what that would mean for her by having her choices being forcibly taken away and where men held all the power and women were subjugated to their whims.
I expected to learn more about the consequences of losing her rights along the lines of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood but it never really went anywhere with it.

Instead it deals more with her mother's secrets and Nina's struggle with her mother’s abusive ex-boyfriend and his threats.

The story was rather repetitive and I could not fully engage with the main character or her plight.
It didn't end on a cliff-hanger but I was left wanting more.
Hopefully with the sequel, "The Sisterhood" and the spin-off, "Cinderella Girl" - I will find the story I was hoping to read.

Valentine's Day Book Boyfriend Quiz

2011-02-12T22:08:00.006-06:00

Find out your ideal boyfriend in time for Valentine's Day by taking TeenReads Book Boyfriend Quiz.

My results:

You win Etienne St. Clair!

He may be short in height, but he's big in love!

Friday56: XVI

2011-02-11T16:45:00.005-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The End of the Line

2011-02-09T16:37:00.004-06:00

E's Blog: Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge

2011-02-08T15:26:00.004-06:00

E's blog is having a weekly Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge contest.

The winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
You have until Sunday, February 13th to get your answers in.
A drawing of all the correct answers will take place on Monday, Valentine's Day, and the winner's name will be posted next Tuesday.

There are a few things you will need to do to qualify to win, and they are:

1) Be a registered follower of E's Blog or
2) ...a follower at http://www.evanlowe.com/
3) leave a comment on E's blog in the comment section on any of the posts anytime during the week of the current challenge.
4) send your answer to info@evanlowe.com - do not post it in the comment thread
5) mention the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge either on your blog or in a tweet the week of the current challenge.

This week's Trivia Challenge is:

In what weird romantic movie did a character say: "I've never given much thought to how I would die?"

Teaser Tuesdays: Princess of Glass

2011-02-08T13:11:00.006-06:00

Friday56: What the Night Knows

2011-02-04T16:07:00.004-06:00

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find any sentence that grabs you.
* 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 you can post on Freda's comment section.
* Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice

Closest Book: What the Night Knows

Author: Dean Koontz

Page 56: He began to think that in time he might find logical explanations for everything that had seemed outré, that what appeared to be malevolent fate in action might look like mere coincidence in the morning light.

To Tempt a Sheikh by Olivia Gates

2011-02-03T15:49:00.004-06:00

To Tempt a Sheikh by Olivia Gates
He rescued hostage Talia Burke from his royal family’s rival tribe and swept her into his strong embrace. But Prince Harres Aal Shalaan soon discovered there was more to the brave beauty than he knew. Talia held information vital to protecting his beloved kingdom…and she had every reason not to trust him.

Marooned together at a desert oasis, Talia couldn’t resist Harres. Yet even as his sizzling seduction entranced her, his loyalty to his family and country would always make them enemies. Falling for the sheikh would be her heart’s greatest mistake…but she feared it was already too late….

In stores February 1!
To read a first chapter and visit Olivia’s webpage, click here.

Help an Egyptian Author

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Song of the Nile

2011-02-02T17:12:00.003-06:00

"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:

Song of the Nile (Cleopatra's Daughter #2) by Stephanie Dray
Publication: November 2011

From Goodreads:
Pledged to an emperor who abuses her burgeoning sexuality, and wed to a man who means to rule in her name, a courageous fifteen-year-old queen learns to harness the magic that will protect her kingdom and bring her enemies to their knees…

Cleopatra’s daughter struck a dangerous bargain to win a throne. Now the young queen must face the perverse consequences of her promise to become Octavian’s own Cleopatra. To protect her faith, her brothers, and her people, the teenager upends a world ruled exclusively by men. But while Selene uses her powers to bring forth bountiful harvests that make her indispensable to Rome as a capable leader and religious icon, her rebellious twin brother Helios thwarts the Romans across the African continent, reviving the legend of Horus the Avenger.

Teaser Tuesdays: Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

2011-02-01T16:03:00.006-06:00

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!

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

She could be trusted to calm a skittish horse or talk sense to the most wool-headed mutt, and the foxes and wolves gave Jarl's barnyard wide berth. When such things were whispered within hearing of Frida, she would sniff and turn away. But Jarl would glow with pride over his youngest daughter, and think to himself that it was a pity his wife had never found a name for her, for she was turning into quite a likely young woman.

~* page 35

Books read - January + Pick of the Month

2011-02-01T15:40:00.003-06:00

The Countess by Rebecca Johns
The Mark by Marilyn Bunderson
Stepping Stones By Carol Lynne
Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) by Kami Garcia
Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2) by Kami Garcia
Z by Michael Thomas Ford
Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Hunger (Horsemen of the Apocalypse #1) by Jackie Kessler
Ember - Bettie Sharpe
The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1) by Bree Despain
The Lost Saint (The Dark Divine, #2) by Bree Despain
Siren Song by Stephanie Draven
Folly by Marthe Jocelyn
The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
The Heir by Grace Burrowes
The Bar Code Tattoo (Bar Code, #1)by Suzanne Weyn
Bar Code Rebellion (Bar Code, #2) by Suzanne Weyn

My pick of the month was chosen by the fact that it surprised me. I love that! I read several wonderful books but this one really caught me off guard. Later I saw a trailer for a movie adaptation (an American remake). Now I really want to want the original Swedish release. I'm curious if the US movie will include the 'twist'.

The book, if you haven't already guessed is: Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Summary by Goodreads:
It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last---revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.

But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door---a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night. . . .

2011 Debut Author Challenge: 2/12

2011-01-29T14:44:00.005-06:00

The third annual Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren.

2011 Debut Author Challenge: To read at least twelve novels from debut Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors.

This is book 2/12

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Goodreads summary:
Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations.
Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.

My thoughts: 5/5
I love the cover; it's very eye-catching. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

It starts off slow giving the reader a chance to know and care about what happens to the main characters; Vera, Will, and Kai - something a lot of books fail to do - but it quickly becomes very fast-paced and full of perils. Even the minor characters are interesting as you learn if they are friend or foe.

Be sure to read it with a tall glass of ice water handy, it can be a very dry read. (No, I couldn't resist that one either!)

Friday56: Water Wars

2011-01-28T13:41:00.005-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Vampire Mine

2011-01-26T16:26:00.004-06:00

"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:

Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks
Publication: March 29, 2011

From Goodreads:

Nothing on earth can make this vampire fall in love . . .

After 499 years of existence, Connor Buchanan has arrived at an inescapable conclusion: he is a cold-hearted SOB. He's been watching his friends—those poor romantic fools—plummet off the cliff into love like a dazed herd of sheep. But not Connor. He knows that love leads to nothing but heartache.
Until Marielle . . .
She is an angel cast down from heaven for disobedience. Trapped in mortal form, she finds a protector in Connor, a Scottish vampire haunted by a dark past. Marielle hopes to heal his broken heart and earn her way back home, but suddenly she has these . . . feelings. This strange yet pleasant physical yearning—for a vampire! Is this the work of a demon luring her into hell, or has this angel found heavenly bliss?

Teaser Tuesdays: The Lost Saint

2011-01-25T14:11:00.003-06:00

2011 Debut Author Challenge: 1/12

2011-01-22T16:23:00.047-06:00

The third annual Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren.

2011 Debut Author Challenge: To read at least twelve novels from debut Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors.

This is book 1/12

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Goodreads summary:
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

The book comes with a reversible cover with a map of the ship:
The end flap has a picture of Amy while she was frozen and how Elder first saw her:

My thoughts: 5/5
This isn't an easy to read book; it leaves you feeling disturbed yet hopeful.
The plot has plenty of twists and it twists the reader along with it.
It is truly an emotional ride, especially with Amy's and Elder's alternating POV and their on-going trails as they cope when secrets start to unfold within the confines of the ship.

The people onboard are supervised by Eldest and his protégé, Elder. The people are organized into three groups; Keepers, Shippers, and Feeders as indicated by the levels of the ship. All live in harmony until their lives are disrupted when someone new and different awakens.

Explore the ship, Godspeed - HERE

I highly recommend "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis to anyone who likes sci-fi and futuristic stories.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Red Glove

2011-01-19T13:46:00.004-06:00

"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:

Red Glove (Curse Workers #2) by Holly Black
Publication: April 5th 2011

The cons get twistier and the stakes get higher in Red Glove, the sequel to White Cat.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Amaranth Enchantment

2011-01-18T13:57:00.002-06:00

Quote It! Saturday

2011-01-15T13:14:00.002-06:00

A weekly meme hosted at Freda's Voice!
Please feel free to grab the button and create your own post. Add as many quotes as you wish, from whom ever you wish. It can even be lyrics to a song. Just tell us who it is. Anonymous welcome too. And please leave your link.

One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are, when you don't come home at night.
~ Margaret Mead (American anthropologist, 1901-1978)