Theme Thursdays: Atmosphere - April 28

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

"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

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!

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

The blood of Heaven binds you," said the Queen. "Blood calls to blood, under the skin. But love and blood are not the same."

~* page 83

Friday56: Human.4

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: Human.4

Author: Mike A. Lancaster

Page 56: Yeah, I know: way to turn a crisis of maybe global proportions into a bit of navel-gazing about whether my best friend really likes me.

Theme Thursdays: Weather - April 21

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

"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

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: Entwined

Author: Heather Dixon

Page 56: "We're keeping it for ransom," said Bramble. "You can have it back when you set the tower."

Theme Thursdays: Emotion - April 14

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

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

"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

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!

Numbers (Numbers #1) by Rachel Ward

The first time I'd ever met someone who understood. God, I wanted to tell, 'course I did, but fifteen years is a long time to keep a secret.

~* page 37

2011 Debut Author Challenge: 3/12

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

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

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

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 Iron Witch (The Iron Witch #1)

Author: Karen Mahoney

Page 56: Navin still looked shell-shocked. "What was that...that monster?"

Theme Thursdays: Beauty Related - April 7

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

"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

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

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

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.