Monthly Wrap-Up
January 2012 was a great month as far as reading goes. If only I could read this many books every month I might actually put a dent in my to-read pile. I started off 2011 reading this much and then life turned crazy and I had to scale way back.
Here's hoping 2012 stays calm so I can continue to read... A LOT!
I managed to make it through 24 books this month (plus a few picture books). It's impossible for me to pick a favorite, there were just too many fabulous books! I'm hoping to make it through 20 books in February. Wish me luck!
Title: Midnight in Austenland Author: Shannon Hale Series: Austenland was a stand alone, this is a follow-up novel Publisher: Bloomsbury Released: January 31, 2012 Website: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html
Book Summary:
When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.
Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?
The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end?
I'm a huge Shannon Hale fan.
I love Jane Austen.
Cross the two and inevitably you will come up with something I will love.
I got a kick out of reading Austenland and am looking forward to the upcoming movie. Austenland was a stand alone book so I was both surprised and excited when I heard there was a sequel coming out.
Shannon Hale entertains me. Her books draw me in and make me laugh. There is no denying I had high expectations for this book. In all honestly, through the first half of this book I was a little disappointed. I wasn't relating to the characters, I wasn't falling for the love interest, I wasn't laughing... But this was Shannon Hale so there was no way I was going to put the book down so I kept reading. It took me until nearly the half way point of this book to really start loving it. Don't get me wrong, it was a good book but my expectations were really high. By the half way point I finally started laughing and relating to the characters and falling for the love interest. I'm not sure why there was a delay for me, but I'm glad I stuck with it because it was worth it.
Midnight in Austenland is based upon Austen's Northanger Abbey which is not one of my favorite Austen novels. Like the book it's based on, Midnight in Austenland is a little more mystery and wild run away imaginings than some of Austen's other book. Not a bad thing but I would obviously prefer more swooning Mr. Darcy moments instead of over-active imagination ramblings.
Midnight in Austenland is a fun, lighthearted read that fans of Austen & Hale should definitely read!
Content: Clean Read for an adult (may have had a mild swear word or two)
Rating: 4 Stars - Great Read
Source: ARC from publisher
Also by Shannon Hale - I've read and enjoyed them all :)
The ebook of Austenland is currently just $2.51
Books of Bayern
Princess Academy
Book of a Thousand Days
The Actor and the Housewife
Graphic Novels published with her husband Dean Hale
Susane Colasanti is the author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, Something Like Fate, and So Much Closer. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. Before becoming a full-time author, Susane was a high school science teacher for almost ten years. As a teenage Jersey girl, she felt like her true home was across the water in New York City. She now lives in the West Village.
Susane's sixth book, Keep Holding On, will be released in June 2012.
INTERVIEW: If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
Surviving high school again is not something I’d want to try. But if I could go back to high school for one day, I would try to be a lot more confident. I wouldn’t be so afraid to let my unique qualities shine. I wouldn’t care so much about fitting in. Because now I know that it’s not worth compromising who I am for a bunch of people I’m probably never going to see again. Ever. Basically, if I could go back to high school knowing what I know now, I would love to see what happens.
What is one book everyone should read?
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. A phenomenal book with a powerful message.
Night owl, or early bird?
I’ve always been a night person. I was the girl who read under the covers with a flashlight when she was little. As a teen, I would stay up way too late reading and have the hardest time getting up for school in the morning. One thing I love about being my own boss is that I can stay up reading as late as I want now. Which is crucial when I’m reading a book that’s so good I cannot put it down, like The Hunger Games.
Skittles or M&Ms?
Oh, M&Ms for sure. Preferably peanut. I know it’s weird, but I don’t like Skittles.
What is your dream cast for your book?
One of my biggest dreams is for one of my books to be adapted into a movie. While I was writing When It Happens, I pictured each scene as a scene from a movie. That book was meant for the big screen! I also think Take Me There or Something Like Fate would make good movies. They all have tons of drama and action. Since When It Happens is the book I’d most like to see as a movie, I’ll cast that one. Ellen Page, Emma Roberts, or Kristen Stewart would be excellent as Sara. Casting Tobey is harder, but I think Douglas Smith would rock.
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Right here in New York City! I think New York is the greatest city in the world. I’m very thankful to be living in my dream neighborhood, the West Village. It took several years of paying off student loans and saving, but I never stopped believing I could turn my dream into reality.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Read. Read all the time. Always bring a book with you. Times like waiting in line or riding the bus are good opportunities for reading. The more you read, the better your writing will become. I learned to write mostly by reading. I've never even taken a creative writing class. One more piece of advice I want to share is to never, ever give up. Visualize your goal and take steps towards achieving it every day.
What is your favorite quote?
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince
What's your favorite season/weather?
Spring rules. I don’t do winter. Cramming into puffy coats and scarves and hats and gloves is not my idea of fun times. My ideal weather scenario would be 73 degrees and sunny every day with very low humidity. I’d wear tees, jeans, and flip-flops every day. No puffy coats allowed.
Favorite places to travel?
SoCal has such a relaxing sparkly sunshine glimmering ocean palm trees happy mellow vibe. And I’m pretty sure that Santorini is the most beautiful place in the world.
Beach or Pool?
Pool for lounging during the day (sipping fruity drinks with lots of colorful umbrellas). Beach for walks at sunset.
PC or Mac?
Dude. Shiny Happy Apple World changed my life. I cannot even tell you the nightmares I endured with PCs in the 90s. Steve Jobs was a brilliant visionary who changed the world. I’m so thankful that he changed my world into one with way less stress and beautiful tools to work with every day.
Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?
“Keep Holding On” by Avril Lavigne. I also love the Glee version. That’s what inspired the title of Keep Holding On!
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
Keep Holding On will hopefully make you feel less alone and inspire you to never give up.
Keep Holding On
Chew. Swallow.
Chew. Swallow.
Don’t look up.
Lunch is the worst, but there’s no safe place at school for Noelle. Keeping her mortifying home life a secret and trying to ignore the kids who make her life miserable are Noelle’s survival strategies. Her emotionally distant boyfriend, Matt, isn’t the one she really wants to be with. But there’s no way she could ever be with Julian Porter.
When Julian starts talking to her, Noelle is terrified. It seems safer to stay with Matt than risk a broken heart. But when the bullying of a friend goes too far, Noelle realizes it’s time to stand up for herself—and for everything that makes her keep holding on.
Giveaway Details
1 ARC of Keep Holding On
Open to US only
Ends 2/29/12
I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 24th, 1961. New Orleans was a great place to grow up in then—still family-friendly but with a ready acceptance of eccentricity and the darker side of life. We lived in a little house on a little street, but our yard seemed huge, and my brother and I were given a big chunk of it in the back, where we could dig holes or do whatever we wanted. So we built little huts and roofed them with huge banana tree leaves, and when it rained we stood under elephant ears so big that two kids could stand under one and not get wet. We dug enormous holes and filled them with water and jumped into them. We climbed trees and jumped off the roof of our garage.
I remember spending a lot of time by myself, just playing complicated imagination games. Our TV was black and white and there were only three stations, so we didn’t spend too much time in front of it. In my neighborhood there were only one or two other girls, so I played mostly with my brother and some of the boys next door. I was an excellent tomboy, and did well at games like “Behind the German Line” and “Paratrooper.”
Even when I was little, I knew that New Orleans was a special place. The cemeteries were wonderful, and we explored the ones we could walk to. I still love cemeteries, and try to visit them when I’m traveling. Mardi Gras was a huge event every year, and my mother made us terrific costumes. My parents had interesting friends who were artists and potters and writers, and we would visit them in the French Quarter.
My high school was a public school called Ben Franklin, and back then it was housed in an old former courthouse not far from the Mississippi River. The high school that Morgan Rowlands (in Sweep) goes to is based on that building. I also went to a performing arts high school half a day for three years; two years for visual art and one year for writing. There was no air conditioning, only big fans and open windows, and the heat was stifling sometimes. It was almost impossible to stay awake after lunch on hot days.
I enjoyed college because I could choose what I wanted to study, and the classes were at different times on different days. It felt more flexible and catered to how I wanted to learn. I went to New York University and studied writing and Russian language and literature. I had some terrific teachers, but I just never really got what they were talking about, the whole “how to write” thing. And I was never able to write anything longer than three pages. But one of my teachers wrote on one of my papers that I had a genuine stylistic gift (despite all my other shortcomings as a writer), and I still think of those words with pleasure.
I finally graduated from Loyola University, in New Orleans, with a degree in Russian. In my mid-twenties I moved back to New York and got a job as an assistant at Random House. I worked for the head of the Juvenile Audio and Video department, and was surrounded by children’s books and editors and people who read as much as I did. I learned so much, and decided I could write a children’s book too. So I locked the door of my office (somehow I had an actual office, which was unusual) every day for an hour at lunch, for ten days, and I wrote a book.
And I sold it and it got published.
I did all sorts of chapter books and middle-grade books under different names, and ghost-wrote for some popular series. They were all learning experiences. Eventually I moved back down to New Orleans because I wanted my children to be born there. While I lived down there, a friend of mine who was an editor contacted me to write Sweep. She gave me a one-page description of the series, which basically said, “Teenage girl discovers she’s a witch.” It was such an amazing, brilliant idea, and it sparked an entire new universe inside me that I tried to put down on paper. My books always describe how I wish the world was, how I wish reality was.
I was crushed when Sweep ended, but by then I was already developing Balefire, and that was a whole new seductive universe. I set it in New Orleans so I could describe the beauty and otherworldliness of the city, and I put in my old hangouts and had the characters do some of the things I’d done as a teenager. Katrina hit while I was in the middle of writing the fourth book of Balefire, and I watched the news on TV and knew that my hometown would never be the same. The fourth book described the city as it was before the flood, and I sat there and cried for days as I wrote about things that no longer existed.
Now there’s Immortal Beloved, which will come out in fall of 2010, from Little, Brown. In some ways it’s a combination of all my favorite things about Sweep and Balefire—the notion of love that lasts for hundreds of years, a world filled with magick and possibilities. It’s been my biggest challenge, but I believe I did Nastasya’s story justice. I hope you think so too.
Nowadays I live in North Carolina with my daughters and husband and stepsons. Our house is surrounded by land and woods and it feels like we’re in the country. We have dogs and cats and lots of stuff going on all the time. It’s a good life.
INTERVIEW:
If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
Probably some of my cousins. We're a really fun bunch.
What is one book everyone should read?
The Dance of Anger, by Harriet Lerner. If everyone read this, the world would be a better place.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Besides bacon? I'm very much into baked goods of almost any description. Bring me carbs.
One food you would never eat?
My mom likes cold tongue sandwiches. (A big beef tongue, cooked and sliced.) I'm like, no.
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
I think we all have Nastasya's vulnerabilities and uncertainties, and I think reading the book might help people feel less alone and more empowered.
Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
Always. The question is, which one do I want to pursue?
Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
I always feel very humbled when people tell me that my books helped get them through a rough time. Books are always escapes for us, but I'm grateful to think that my books provided a necessary escape for someone.
If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be?
Probably the Harry Potter world. I thought it was so amazingly compelling and creative and totally workable.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Know what you to say, and who you want to say it to. You're not just telling a story--you're communicating with people. Why? What do you hope they get from it?
Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
I see myself (at least a little bit) in all of my characters, even the evil ones. I think writers (like actors) have to be able to deeply empathize with other people, really be able to get into their heads.
What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Feelings are just feelings, and feelings by themselves don't have the power to hurt you. You're in control of your feelings, and you can change them. They have no power on their own. That was a life-changing realization.
Hidden talent?
I'm a good baker. I make beautiful cakes and fabulous cookies. Every year at Christmas, I make thousands of cookies for the kids to give to all their teachers. I love it.
Favorite Candy?
Always a Snickers bar, nature's perfect food.
You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
I would set money aside my kids' college educations. If there was anything left over, I would buy a house. I like houses.
What do you do in your free time?
Free time? Ha ha ha. What is this thing you call "free time?"
What's your favorite season/weather?
Summer. I'm a summertime person. I like living outside, I like water and sunshine and summer storms.
In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
No one. Maggie Stiefvater and I were talking about that--neither of us thought we could ever collaborate. We both get too attached to our own writing and ideas.
Harry Potter or Twilight?
Harry Potter.
PC or Mac?
Mac.
What is you favorite way to spend a rainy day?
Curled up somewhere cozy, reading and/or cooking.
Darkness Falls (Immortal Beloved #2)
Nastasya has lived for hundreds of years, but for some reason, life never seems to get any better. She left her spoiled, rich girl life to find peace at River's Edge, a safe haven for wayward immortals. There, she learned to embrace River's Edge, despite some drama involving the sexy Reyn, who she wants but won't allow herself to have. But just as she's getting comfortable, her family's ties to dark magick force her to leave.
She falls back into her old, hard partying ways, but will her decision lead her into the hands of a dark immortal? Or will it be her first step to embracing the darkness within her?
Giveaway Details
1 printed copy of Darkness Falls
Open Internationally
Ends 2/29/12
15 Books in the Wicca/Sweep Series ~ Book of Shadows, The Coven, Blood Witch, Dark Magick, Awakening, Spellbound, The Calling, Changeling, Strife, Seeker, Origins, Eclipse, Reckoning, Full Circle, Night's Child
The city of Shaylis still lives, the traitor Melshek is slain, but the Destroyer walks freely upon the earth.
Kaltor’s newly awoken link to his brother causes more problems than it solves, bringing five years of dampened doubt and fear crashing down on his mind. Suspicion between his parents tests the bonds of his family’s loyalty. Mysterious deaths and demonic dreams haunt their path as they attempt to cut off the Destroyer before she reaches civilization.
Their efforts against the Destroyer collide upon the walls of the capital city, Levarion. Here the fate of king and realm will be decided in a relentless battle of both mind and steel as the Abyssian’s full power and her new champion are finally revealed.
T. P. Boje is a mother of two, a stepmother of another two and a hardcore cartoon lover, Tim Burton enthusiast, and enjoys any movie the Coen Brothers have made (with the big Lebowski being her favorite strongly followed by Burn after Reading). She is also a writer of Y/A Paranormal Romance, fantasy and mystery. She is originally from Denmark but currently living in Florida, USA. Her books are translated into several languages.
INTERVIEW: If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
Definitely the future. We all know the past, but I would be the only one who knew the future, how great is that?
What is one book everyone should read?
The Neverending Story - it is such a beautiful book.
If you were a superhero what would your name be?
The Blizzard!
If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
The power of mindreading. I would use it on my kids to always know if they were lying.
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Blueberry
If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Jesus!
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Softboiled egg.
Skittles or M&Ms?
M&Ms. I love anything with chocolate.
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
Because it keeps you on the edge of your seat, is warm with a touch of darkness, is death that meets life with a twist.
Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I have written three books in this series and am planning to write three more. There is so much more to tell in this story, so I will be busy for quite awhile.
What inspired you to want to become a writer?
I have always been writing. Ever since I was a small child. I have always told stories to whoever would listen. In school I remember sitting in class during recess and telling stories to my friends making them forget that they were about to go out and play. Even my teacher would often listen in as well. Later I would write stories for my teacher and he loved to read them. I kept writing short-stories in highschool and then I became a journalist. For many years I worked at a Danish TV-station, and it was then I came up with the idea for my first novel. A Danish truck-driver had been found dead in Poland and I was sent there to cover the investigation for the TV-station. Two years later that story became my first mystery novel. Since then I wrote two other mystery-novels that has been published in Denmark, Norway and Germany.
When I moved to Florida I started writing in English and published another mystery-novel called “One, Two … He is coming for you” but then I wanted to try something new. I wanted to write for a younger audience and that was when I wrote the fantasy-novel “The Eye of the Crystal Ball” that came out this June. But I still felt like something was missing and then I started reading some Paranormal Romance. I immediately knew that I wanted to write something like that, so I did.
What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Be patient. Everything about being a writer takes time - a lot of time.
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Just where I am right now - in Florida. I think it is paradise on Earth.
What is your favorite Quote?
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” ― Ernest Hemingway
How do you react to a bad review?
I take in a really deep breath and then I read it to see if there is anything I can learn from it. I try hard not to take it personally and instead use it as a tool to get better.
If you were a bird, which one would you be?
An eagle. Or maybe a pelican - they are more fun.
What's your favorite season/weather?
Summer and sunshine. Whenever I am not writing I try to spend the day at the beach with my family.
AFTERLIFE SERIES
Beyond
Have you ever wondered where you go when you die?
Meghan is 16 when it happens to her. She wakes up on a flying steamboat on her way to a school run by Angels in a white marble castle. She meets Mick who helps her through a difficult time in a different world filled with heavenly magic. One day she finds a mirror in the cellar of the school and goes through it. She ends up back on earth where she meets Jason. But Jason is in danger and Meghan knows something important.
Soon she will have to choose between the two worlds.
The one she belongs to now, and the one she left.
Beyond is a Y/A paranormal romance and the first book in T. P. Boje’s Afterlife-series.
Serenity
It is Meghan’s second year at The Academy. While trying to help and care for Jason on earth she is struggling to keep up in school, where they this year will learn both to ride Pegasus’ and fly through severe storms. Meanwhile Mick is becoming more than a friend to her and soon she finds herself facing the unavoidable choice.
But something evil is threatening the students at the Academy and Meghan is no longer safe within the walls of the castle. Something causes several of the students to be caught in the middle of a nightmare, that they can’t wake up from.
Soon they suspect that there might be a traitor in their midst.
Serenity is a Y/A paranormal romance. It is the second book in the Afterlife-series.
Endurance
Meghan’s training at the Academy is coming to an end. Everything is going great as she comes closer to graduation. She is engaged to be married and the wedding is near when she hears some disturbing news that makes her rethink her future.
In class the students are learning to catch dreams and fly with the speed of light. Meghan soon discovers her special talents and that she is much stronger than she thought. But unfortunately that doesn’t help her as she faces the truth about her own death, which will be revealed to her at the end of the year.
Endurance is the third book in T. P. Boje’s Afterlife series about a young girl’s life after death.
Giveaway Details:
2 printed books & 2 ebooks of Beyond
Open Internationally
Ends 2/28/12
I love author Jennifer Laurens. I've enjoyed every book of hers that I've read. Her book Heavenly was supposed to be free on the 28th & 29th on Amazon but for some unknown reason it wasn't. It showed up FREE today. So don't miss your chance to get her book Heavenly for FREE, possibly for today only!
Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens
I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoe's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe's autistic sister. After Zoe is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.
I used to dream of being a marine biologist but quickly realized that I love fantasy more than fact. Now I enjoy combining both to create stories that ask “What if?” I write in sunny California alongside my artist husband and my two dogs.
My favorite days are spent disappearing into different universes, whether it’s traveling with Dr. Who, popping into a parallel world with Diana Wynne Jones, writing my own stories, or just taking a nap.
INTERVIEW: If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Flying!
If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Amelia Earhart. She was far from a perfect person, but she was tough and amazing and the first woman to do so many things. I love the way she looks in old photographs. Windblown and so comfortable in her own skin. I really want a leather flight helmet with goggles too!
Night owl, or early bird?
Night owl. I seem to kick into gear around 9pm, even when I’m tired, which is super inconvenient. Though nighttime does seem to hold all the secrets…
Skittles or M&Ms?
Always M&M’s. But sometimes peanut ones.
Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?
I listened to the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack while writing HARBINGER and it pretty much a soundtrack for my book. Pounding Taiko drums, eerie wailing, and sweeping melodies. It instantly let me sink into Faye’s world and linger there.
How did you know you should become an author?
I tried on so many hats and none of them really fit. I knew in my heart that eventually I’d get tired of being a scientist, a lawyer, a teacher...I started to think something was wrong with me. Then I tried writing and I KNEW. I wanted to spend the rest of my life creating stories and worlds.
Who are your favorite authors of all time?
Madeleine L’Engle, Diana Wynne Jones, Ellen Raskin, Tamora Pierce, and, at the risk of being a total fangirl, J.K. Rowling.
What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
I once told someone I wanted to be a writer, but that not many people made a living doing it.
They said, “But some people do make a living, right?”
And I said, “Yeah, but…”
They cut me off and said, “So, why not you?”
My whole world rearranged that day and now that’s my answer to most anything. “Why not me?”
Hidden talent?
In high school, I was showchoir girl. So if a Broadway musical number is the only way to save the world, I can sing and dance with 3 inch heels on, big hair, and a sequin dress. I have a mean twirl!
If you were a bird, which one would you be?
Ooooo…nice question. This isn’t original, but I’d go for a hawk. I want to SOAR! Plus, no one messes with hawks.
If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?
A first addition of A Wrinkle in Time. That book and all of Madeleine L’Engle’s books are a huge part of who I’ve become as a person and a writer.
You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
A houseboat.
How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
With Champagne and intense relief. Exuberant joy came later, once it all sunk in.
What is your guilty pleasure?
BBC murder mysteries. Something about British crime shows is so civilized and yet they throw in the most appalling, creepy things!
Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller.
When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.
But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.
Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.
Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.
HARBINGER by Sara Wilson Etienne debuts February 2, 2012,
ARC Giveaway Details
1 ARC of Harbinger
Open to US & Canada
Ends 2/28/12
Title: The Scorpio Races Author: Maggie Stiefvater Series: None Publisher: Scholastic Released: October 18, 2011 Website: http://maggiestiefvater.com/
Book Summary:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
Technically classified as young adult fantasy this book seemed real. The water horses in this book are based on mythological creatures but Maggie wrote them in such a way that I wouldn't be surprised to see them coming up out of the sea the next time I visit the ocean. A testament to what an amazing writer Maggie is.
Due to the fact that I loved Maggie's Mercy Falls werewolf series, the Scorpio Races has been high on my want to read list. Although completely different than the Mercy Falls series the Scorpio Races did not disappoint. The Scorpio races is less romance and more about the horses, the island, the people and the races themselves.
I found myself rooting for both Kate and Sean and hoping somehow they could both win the race. Ultimately I found the ending of the book to be very satisfying.
There is some violence in this series due to the fierce, untamed nature of the water horses (but violence in books doesn't bother me the way sex and language does).
I started Maggie's Books of Faeries series but never got further than the first chapter of Lament. I think I'm going to give that series another try because this book proved to me that Maggie is a phenomenal writer.
Rating: 4.5 Stars - Highly Recommend
Content: some language and violence
Source: Download from Audible.com
Also by Maggie Steifvater:
The Wolves of Mercy Falls
Title: Girls Don't Fly
Author: Kristen Chandler
Series: None
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Released: October 13, 2011
Website: http://www.krischandlerstories.com/
Book Summary:
Myra is used to keeping her feet firmly on the ground. She's got four younger brothers, overworked parents, and a pregnant older sister, and if Myra wasn't there to take care of everyone, they'd probably fall apart. But when her boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her, Myra feels like she's lost her footing. Suddenly she's doing things she never would've a few months earlier: quitting her job, applying for a scholarship to study birds in the Galapogos, and falling for a guy who's encouraging her to leap from her old life . . . and fly.
Set in the Salt Lake City area, Girls Don't Fly is full of intelligence, humor, and is a refreshing change of pace for teen readers.
I thought Myra was a character who was easy to relate to. Her story rang true and reminded me of many of the feelings, doubts and insecurities I remember having in high school. The story was a cute, quirky coming of age, contemporary family drama.
Set outside Salt Lake City, UT and written by an LDS author I expected this to be LDS fiction but it was not. This could have been a book set in any town, anywhere. Other than a mention or two of the religious kids who went to church on Sunday there was no mention of anything about Mormons in this book.
Each chapter begins with a tidbit of knowledge about birds that ties into that chapter. Very clever.
Title: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Author: Lisa See Series: None Publisher: Random House Released: February 21, 2006 Website: http://www.lisasee.com/
Book Summary:
In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
Fabulously written but heart-wrenching. One of those haunting books that make me shake my head and wonder what posses people to carry on traditions that are wrong on so many levels. This book was really quite depressing. It captured so many emotions and painted such vivid pictures in my mind. Some of those pictures are beautiful but others are horrific.
This was the selection for my book group this month. It's a great choice for a book club, I'm sure we'll have some very interesting discussions next week.
This beautifully written book is one that lovers of Historical Fiction should pick up. I felt transported back to a time period that I am extremely grateful I do not live in.
Rating: 4.5 Stars - Highly Recommend to Adults
Content: This is historical fiction and has many details that are far from pleasant to read about from physical and emotional abuse to the breaking of bones during Chinese foot binding. Some language, sex, abuse and implied lesbian relationship.
DOWNLOADED FROM AUDIBLE: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.
Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.
FOR REVIEW: Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes
She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love…
When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions.
Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own.
And still the nightmare realm of Under won’t let them go. Someone from Haden’s past is determined to destroy Theia from the inside out, starting with those closest to her, forcing Theia to choose between family and friends and a love that may have been doomed from the start…
The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney
Donna Underwood is in deep trouble.An ancient alchemical order is holding her accountable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life. Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navin, from the dangerous clutches of the Wood Queen at the time. But what the alchemists have in store is nothing compared to the wrath of the fey. The Wood Queen has been tricked and Donna must pay. Get ready for all hell - quite literally - to break loose...
My Hare Line and the Hat by Patsy M. Henry
After a pine tree falls and knocks the rabbit pen fence, Brownie asks Rascal if anyone escaped. Rascal thinks this was the silliest thing he had ever heard. As usual, Rascal talks to Aunt Paula Rabbit about what Brownie had said to him. Rascal is shocked to learn that his family is actually quite adventurous! Join Rascal and his adventurous bunny family in My Hare Line and the Hat.
WON: Switched by Amanda Hocking
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.
Jessica's Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late?
The idea behind IMM was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. IMM explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought.
Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.
Megan (that’s with a long “e”) Bostic is a mere human trying to find her place in the universe and an all-around great girl. Despite the rain and gray (she’s truly solar powered) making her extremely angsty, she’s lived in the Pacific Northwest her whole life, and still does, with her two crazy beautiful girls. She thrives on the challenges faced in her journey to publication and has documented it vlog style. You can find her Chronicles of an Aspiring Writer on Youtube. Her writing process she lovingly calls “organized chaos”. She writes on her laptop at the kitchen table next to the sliding glass door so she can absorb as much sun as she can. The “organized” part of the process mostly takes place in her head and involves the beginning and the end of her work in progress. The “chaos” part is pretty much how she sits down and writes with reckless abandon, not stopping to fix, revise, edit, or even breathe until she’s done. When not writing, Megan is usually chauffeuring her teenage daughters and their friends, watching her girls play soccer, watching movies and TV shows on Netflix, hanging out with friends, spending time at the ocean, or walking the Narrows Bridge. Megan loves the color black, monkeys, and is a notorious Facebook addict. She’s a proud member of The Class of 2K12 and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. You can also find her on Twitter, Goodreads, Jacketflap, and anywhere else cool authors hang out.
Megan will donate all proceeds from sales of Never Eighteen gear at her café press store to her local children’s hospital’s hematology and oncology department.
INTERVIEW: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
Jesus Christ, John Cusack, Sylvia Plath, Winston Churchill, Dian Fossey
If you were a superhero what would your name be?
Chaos
Night owl, or early bird?
Early bird
If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world which would it be?
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Always try to improve your craft.
Favorite Food?
Pizza
What do you do in your free time?
Free time? What’s that? Haha, I write, read, exercise, and watch stuff on Netflix.
Give us a glimpse into a typical day in your day starting when you wake up till you lie down again.
Wake up, exercise, drink coffee while catching up on Facebook and email, check to see if I have any new reviews on Goodreads or Amazon, blog, take kids to school, go to work, run errands, pick kids up from school and take them wherever they need to go, like music lessons, doctor appointments, etc. Then I would try and write, eat dinner, maybe exercise again either read or watch something on Netflix, crash.
What's your favorite season/weather?
I love summer. I always say I’m solar powered. The sun keeps me going and I hate being cold.
Favorite places to travel?
Lake Chelan, Rome, New York, the ocean.
Favorite music?
Indie/alternative
Write a Haiku about your book
Dying of cancer
Austin is on a mission
To show life is short.
In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
Stephen King
Black or White?
Black
Regular or Diet?
Diet
Never Eighteen
I had the dream again. The one where I’m running. I don’t know what from or where to, but I’m scared, terrified really. Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will. It’s probably hopeless. But he has to try.
Giveaway Details
1 paperback copy of Never Eighteen plus swag.
Open Internationally
Ends 2/28/12
