The Best Reader:
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The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 24th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 390 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancés, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war.
While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her…

Review:

The Story of Us is a serious book, but there are so many hilarious moments. Cricket's family has gathered with her mom's future-husband Dan's family for their wedding and it's a little like that movie Christmas Vacation. There are so many disasters happening around every corner. Cricket's worried about her mom taking off again before the wedding but she's also dealing with her own issues which include the cute guy Ash, her evil future step-sisters, and a house full of crazy, stressed out family members.

Cricket was a good character because she does truly love her family and worry about them — even her older brother. And while she is young, she still comes off as mature and wise. She wants what's best for her mom and that has become a big priority in her life. She has started to question her relationship with Janssen. They have been together forever but she just can't get over a few doubts. Although we don't really get to know Janssen first-hand, he is still very much included in the book. Cricket emails with him often and shares their history. This gives us a great chance to get to know him through her experiences and he was a fascinating character!

Ash is there, and he's hot, and he pays attention to Cricket. He has a bit of that dark, mysterious vibe going on and that really draws Cricket to him. She just has trouble finding out if that's real affection or her just latching on to something for comfort.

The plot was really what created such a well-rounded story in this book. Each character brought so much drama and fun. I think that everyone will find at least a few characters who remind them of a person in their own family. Some parts of the story lagged a bit for me, especially with a great deal of focus on the family dog. Not that I dislike dogs, I don't, but her emails with Janssen were mostly about the dog and I just wanted to know more about their relationship instead.

This book is a real coming-of-age story, involving a girl just trying to deal with the changes in her life. As with many young adults, change is scary and it can be difficult to let go of the security of a home, boyfriend, or friend. It's a time where a person takes a big leap of faith and that's exactly what Cricket had to learn to do. Deb Caletti truly knows how to target the mind of a teenager and dive into their dreams and fears.

Recommended: People looking for something cute and funny, but with a deeper meaning.

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Here is the fabulous cover for Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala. Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: October 8th, 2011 Summary: Joy Delamere is suffocating.

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words—tender words, cruel words—until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe… if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

To celebrate, she's having a giveaway! 3 lucky winners will get a signed copy of her first book, Tell Me A Secret.

To enter: Leave a comment here and at other participating blogs for 1 extra entry each. All blogs are listed below. Include your email address in your comment. Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL Must be at least 13 to enter.
Must comment by 11:59pm CST tonight.

Find Holly Cupala Holly Cupala | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Pre-Order Don't Breathe a Word Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

The other blogs having participating in the cover reveal today Kari at A Good Addiction Steph Su at Steph Su Reads
Blogs that participated in the cover sample pieces on Monday.
Kristi (http://www.thestorysiren.com/)
Angela (http://www.readingangel.com/)
Lena (http://addicted2novels.blogspot.com/)
Eve's Fan Garden (http://evesfangarden.com/blog/)
Lauren (http://laurenscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/)
Danielle (http://www.theresabook.com/)
Sarah (http://sarahbear9789.blogspot.com/)
Andye http://www.readingteen.net/)

And the winner of one of these books from The Book Depository is…

Cherie S.
she picked BUMPED.
Congrats! I have emailed you and you have 48 hours to get back to me with your mailing address.
Thank you to everyone who entered! I have more giveaways posted on my left sidebar if you'd like to check those out. More will be added soon as part of my blogoversary celebration!

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen (February 28th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 375 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher
Series: Delirium #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Review: SPOILERS!! Pandemonium may be just one of the many dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels we have seen recently; however, it will always stick out to me simply because of the complexity of Lauren Oliver's writing.

I admit, it took me a while to get into the groove of this book. The chapters alternate between"now" and"then" and I had a hard time figuring out when was now and what was then. Yes, slightly confusing. About mid-way into the story I felt more comfortable with that structure. It gave us a glimpse of what Lena is doing now, compared to where she was once she first got into the Wilds. Lena"then" was more weak, a bit whiny, and sort of got on my nerves. Then again, she is dealing with the fact that Alex is not with her so I tried to understand her struggles to fit into this foreign world.

If anything, Lena's time in the Wilds showed her exactly what she needed to survive. She learned how people take care of each other and the true dangers of living away from everything she knew.

The"now" part of the story takes place months later with Lena in New York. I won't go into a lot of details of this section because it was part of the surprise of the book. I was fascinated reading what was going on and how Lena was involved. But I will say that this is the part of the story where the love-triangle begins and we meet Julian.

Lena and Julian do have a very unlikely connection and I liked that a lot. I felt Julian was a wonderful character to add to this story; but, I have a difficult time with this particular relationship. Part of the enjoyment of Delirum was the honest, true love story between Lena and Alex. I feel that is a bit tainted now. This made me become irritated towards Lena during the end of this book and question her feelings. Plus, the cliffhanger didn't help. I like to have a book end during a good place where I can feel good about what I just read. I didn't really feel that way at the end of Pandemonium.

Although I didn't like this sequel nearly as much as Delirium, Lauren's writing still continues to amaze me. Each new plot line or setting is beautifully crafted and it really transports the reader into the story.

Recommended: Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic fans. Read Delirium first.

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Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer
Published: October 2011
Paperback: 278 pages
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ryan Mills is torn with guilt over the death of his best friend, and it's all because of Emily Wintraub. If Ryan hadn't seen those incredible gray-blue eyes, hadn't pegged her as a Potentially Amazing Woman, he would never have gone looking for her at the party that night. He would never have left his wasted friend Michael alone, when Michael needed him and asked him to stay. And if Ryan hadn't left, Michael would never have driven off, totaled his car, and taken the cosmic rocket ride into death.

As far as Ryan's concerned, when you’ve done something terrible, you don’t deserve to be happy. He tries not to fall for Emily, but he can't help it. Before long, he is"completely, gonzo, out-of-control in love."

Ryan then learns that Michael died with a secret. Still grieving, he feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business. When Emily begins to question where his commitments really lie—with her or with Michael’s memory—Ryan is forced to examine his choices. What does he owe to Michael, to Emily, and to himself?

Review:

Michael's death hits Ryan hard, obviously. He can't shake the feeling that he shouldn't have walked away. It doesn't help that Michael seemed to have something he wanted to share with Ryan. For a while Ryan seems to just float from day to day. He spends time with Emily but holds back from really telling her how he feels. Ryan's relationship with Emily was sweet and romantic. It wasn't all"hot and heavy" from the beginning like some stories. They really seemed to slowly build upon their connection with each other.

Loving Emily doesn't just give us a sweet romance between 2 characters, we really get a good idea of Ryan's life. He has a life that may seem perfect from the outside but he doesn't have the best relationship with his parents, especially his mother. Even though Michael dies early in the story, Ryan shows us how their friendship developed and it was easy to see why Ryan thought so highly of his friend. This was what really seemed cute to me. His accounts of the childhood events he shared with Michael really helped me see how they were just two little boys trying to figure out life.

I won't give away what the secret is but it really puts a whole new spin on this story. At the same time, it made me dislike Emily in a lot of ways. She didn't seem to really grasp what Ryan was going through or why he was so focused on his"task". I thought her actions, while mostly realistic for a teenage girl, made her just seem selfish and uncaring. I'm a hopeless romantic but there were times where I thought that maybe she wasn't even needed in order to have a super strong story. Maybe it should have just been Ryan's journey to make peace with himself.

On the plus side, I adored Ryan's point-of-view and I honestly didn't want to put the book down. I felt very invested in the story and finding out what Ryan would do in his situation. It was gripping, heartbreaking, and realistic.

Loving Emily is honestly a beautiful story. It's so much more than a romance and, even though it deals with a serious topic, it wasn't dark and depressing. A very enjoyable read.

Recommended: People wanting a realistic teen read dealing with death.

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Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas Publisher: Entangled Publishing Date: November 13th, 2012 Series: Luminosity #1 Add it to Goodreads
Summary:
My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

Cover reveals are so much fun and here is another book I immediately added to my TBR list. What do you guys think? Are you excited for this one?

Paperback Available for Pre-Order from Amazon 

Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Flux (September 1st, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 302 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Leaving Paradise #2
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them.

Review:

We all know that Simone Elkeles is a brilliant author. Her stories are always raw, honest, and emotional. I picked up Leaving Paradise (book 1) after reading the first two books in her Perfect Chemistry series and while I didn't fall in love with this story as much as those, it was still amazing.

I was excited to see where Caleb and Maggie end up after finishing Leaving Paradise but it took me a while to get to read this book. I was still able to dive right in and pick up where book 1 left off without being confused or forgetting many of the details. Return to Paradise takes place 8 months after Caleb left Paradise. He has tried to escape the town, his parents, and the pain of seeing Maggie. But, as we know, you can't hide from your problems. Caleb is soon in trouble again and his own real option is to go on a summer trip with some other teens.

Maggie has somehow gained even more strength since Caleb left. She was hurt, but found ways to heal. She even joined a summer trip to help share her story of the accident, but she never expected to see Caleb there.

When Caleb and Maggie see each other again I could literally feel their anxiety. As much as they may have thought they had moved on, it was obvious that the feelings were still there. I admired Maggie's determination and resistance of Caleb. He attempted to push her buttons but she remained composed and refused to let him rule her emotions. The trip opens up the thing they each tried to keep locked up — the accident and what happened after Caleb got out of the juvenile detention center. But, with some help from the other teens on the trip, they do eventually learn a lot about themselves.

Endings can make or break and entire book for me. I despise if an ending (especially of an entire series) is rushed. I was extremely satisfied with this ending. I obviously won't say what happened, and there are several surprises, but it was gratifying.

Don't think that this is just a clear-cut story. Simone placed a lot of surprises and twists along the way. And, we meet some new characters that bring a lot of life to the story.

Recommended: Contemporary readers looking for something with a deeper plot. Read Leaving Paradise first. Also, if you haven't checked out Simone's other series, Perfect Chemistry, go do that.NOW!

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The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Publisher: EgmontUSA (December 22nd, 2009)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 372 pages
Source: Won from author
Series: The Dark Divine #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret… and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.
Review: I don't know why I waited so long to read this. I'm a big werewolf fan and this is a book I have wanted to read for a long time. The Dark Divine is from Grace's POV. She is a"good girl" with a loving family and her father happens to be a pastor. But, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

Grace recalls the odd events that happened around the time her childhood friend Daniel disappeared. Suddenly, Daniel is back and he isn't exactly the same person who left 3 years before. Grace's family is desperate for her to stay away from him but she can't. She is determined to have him in her life and to find out why he went away.

I will say that nothing in particular about this book blew me away; however, it was a very well-rounded story. I enjoyed the characters. I never wanted to put the book down and I had no idea where the plot would take me. Grace was a good girl but she took a lot of risks. Daniel was just fascinating. I was curious to find out more about him because he started off as being very closed off and sad.

Another aspect of the story I really enjoyed was the fact that Grace's family was a critical part of the plot. That is often rare to find in YA books so I liked the fact that we get to know her father, mother, and older brother on a deeper level. It also allows the readers to see why Grace is who she is.

With Daniel's arrival, a lot of bad things start happening around town and people are blaming Daniel. Grace knows something evil is out there but she just can't believe Daniel would be the one causing the problems. The plot in this story was very creative and mysterious. I honestly didn't know what would happen and I was completely surprised many times.

Bree Despain is a fabulous author and The Dark Divine series is one that easily hooked me. Everything about this novel helped to bring the story to life and Bree's writing made me an immediate fan.

Recommended: In case anyone hasn't read this so far — paranormal/werewolf fans who like a good mystery.

Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein Publisher: Entangled Publishing Date: May 15th, 2012 Add it to Goodreads Summary: Sometimes date is a four-letter word

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

I'm really getting into these cover reveals and Entangled Publishing has just been full of awesomeness lately. Here is the cover for PRETTY AMY and honestly, this book sounds hilarious!

Here is an excerpt!

I was just about to put out my cigarette and go back inside when I heard a skateboard coming down the street. It sounded like waves, like a conch shell against your ear. That full, empty sound. Maybe it was Aaron. I conjured up my stupid daydream, the one I used to fill my head when I couldn’t deal with any of the other stuff in there—that he would find me, that he would apologize, that he would tell me that prom night hadn’t been his fault. The difference this time was that when I looked toward the sound, he really was there. It was him. Aaron. He was skateboarding down the sidewalk like it was made of water, wearing the same loose, worn jeans from his Facebook picture. He carried a backpack, like he might have been coming from the library, but I doubted he ever went to the library. I lit another cigarette with the end of my last one; any excuse to stay put. Then I remembered I was wearing a suit. “ You got another one of those?” he asked. His eyes were blue. I hadn’t noticed that in his picture. My hands shook as I gave him a cigarette. He brought a silver-and-black Zippo to his mouth, flipped it open with one hand, lit his cigarette, and slapped it shut. The whole thing took seconds, but it felt like he was doing it in slow motion. “Thanks,” he said. Maybe he had just stopped to get a cigarette. Maybe it had nothing to do with me. It probably had nothing to do with me. “ I know you,” he said. “Where do I know you from?” I couldn’t tell him. Telling him that he’d stood me up for my own prom would have been way too embarrassing. It would tell him that I still cared enough to remember. “ I’m friends with Lila and Cassie,” I said, wishing that my hair wasn’t pulled back in a headband like I was a nun. “ What are you all dressed up for?” he asked. Of course he didn’t know me. If he had, he would have known that I’d just come from court and that I was trying to do everything I could to forget it. “ I work here,” I said, thinking fast. “I’m supposed to be a librarian.” “ You don’t have to lie,” he said, laughing. “I’m Aaron.” “ Amy,” I said, waving hello with the cigarette in my hand. He smiled. “Though you do make a cute librarian.” I tried to keep myself from coughing. “This suit sucks,” I said. It seemed cooler than saying thank you. It seemed cooler than getting all squishy over what he said, even though that was how I felt. I looked at his skateboard. “You wanna try it out?” he asked. The deck had a mural of blue sky and white-capped mountains hand-painted on it. The wheels were covered with stop-motion birds, so that when they spun it must have looked like the birds were flying. There was more to this boy. More that I wanted to know. “ I guess I could,” I said, but then I remembered my mother. She would come looking for me soon. I shook my head. “I should go.” “You got a cell phone?” he asked. “ Not that I’m allowed to use anymore.” “ Parents,” he said. He pulled a sketchbook from his backpack. Maybe he had painted that beautiful mural. He ripped out a piece of paper, wrote something down, and handed it to me. It was his phone number. I tried not to act surprised, tried to act like boys gave me their numbers all the time, especially when I hadn’t asked for them. “ See you around, Amy,” he said. He dropped the skateboard next to him. It landed perfectly on its wheels like a cat would on its legs. As he skated away, I looked at his number; the paper was as soft as fabric. I folded it smaller and smaller and hid it in my bra. Maybe he hadn’t said what I wanted him to say, but he had found me. He had found me. And, what's even more fun? In addition to the PRETTY AMY cover reveal, Lisa and Entangled Publishing will be hosting a Worst Prom Photo contest in the weeks leading up to AMY's release on May 15. So make sure to dust off your old prom photos—the more tulle, bows, and big hair the better!—and watch Lisa's site, http://www.lisaburstein.com, for details on how to submit/enter to win a beauty package. How cool is that??

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Today I have something super exciting for you! The wonderful Erin Bowman is releasing the first 8 chapters from her upcoming book, Taken! You can check out all the chapters (bloggers listed below) and I am showing you the last chapter… chapter 8!! You gotta check it out.

Taken by Erin Bowman
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 16, 2013
Hardcover: 352 pages
Add to Goodreads
There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends… and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

USE GOOGLE TO READ TAKEN — CHAPTER 8

Want to read the previous chapters?

Monday, 3/25 – Chapter 1 Wendy Darling @ The Midnight Garden
Tuesday, 3/26 – Chapter 2 Lena Ainsworth @ Addicted 2 Novels
Wednesday, 3/27 – Chapter 3 Erica Haglund @ The Bookcellar
Thursday, 3/28 – Chapter 4 Shane Morgan @ Itching for Books
Friday, 3/29 – Chapter 5 Stephanie Ward @ A Dream Within A Dream
Saturday, 3/30 – Chapter 6 Krystal Larson @ Live to Read
Sunday, 3/31 – Chapter 7 Alicia Guerrero @ Shooting Stars Mag
Monday, 4/1 – Chapter 8 Jessica Estep @ Confessions of a Bookaholic

Hello brave street teamers! If you have not signed up yet and wish to do so, USE GOOGLE to be taken to the sign up page. Those of you who have signed up already, you should have received an email. Please check your spam folders if you don't see it.
Today we wanted to announce some more street team prizes and some assignments for you guys!
Street Team Prizes
- Signed copy of DIVERGENT
- Copy of INSURGENT (from The Book Depository)
- HUGE box of ARCs (to be announced soon -US/CA only)
- The Hunger Games (paperback)
- Swag packs (including FACTION TATTOOS) each week

Important Links
- We can now use two different links for our buttons and tweets.

The links are:
Dauntless Tumblr page: http://bit.ly/dauntlessfaction HarperTeen's Insurgent page: http://bit.ly/choose_dauntless Please make sure you use the bit.ly links only. They are the only two that count.

Team Dauntless Giveaways
- We are running a giveaway for a NOOK with an ebook of INSURGENT all month long! Please feel free to spread the word about it, or blog about it and you can use the image below. You can link the giveaway to the DivergentFans site. People can enter to win once a day!

- We will be hosting a new book giveaway each day. We will be linking those on twitter so please sign up to win and spread the word about those!
- There are a few more BIG giveaways coming up! Hopefully one each week and the next should be up by Monday or Tuesday. The links will be sent to you guys in the next email.

Cool Images
- Do you have pinterest? We have posted these images there if you'd like to repin them or use them in tweets or blog posts.

Need the button?
This one links to the Dauntless tumblr page.

- You can still use the hashtag #IfIWasFearless to tell everyone the things you'd like to do as well.

- Use the hashtags #TeamDauntless, #DauntlessFaction, and #DivergentNation with the links http://bit.ly/dauntlessfaction and http://bit.ly/choose_dauntless

First Challenge
Each week we will be coming up with a challenge for street team members. Everyone who completes this challenge within the time-frame will be entered to win a swag giveaway for that week. For this week, please try to submit your link by Monday, the 9th.
- The challenge is to make a vlog of you or your friends talking about being DAUNTLESS. Think of the question"What does it mean to be Dauntless?" You can also tie this into #FearlessFriday and share the things you would do if you were fearless for a while. We know that a lot of people have a fear of vlogs, so that can be your fearless task: )

You can link your vlog's youtube URL or, if you'd like, create a blog post and link it that way. Once you have completed this challenge, make sure you sign up below with your link in order to be entered to win the swag! Swag packs include faction tattoos and we may even throw in a surprise book!

We are all so thrilled to have you guys on board. Please contact us with any questions and send us links if you post about the Dauntless team! We'll be sure to re-tweet it: ) We really appreciate all the hard work you all are doing to help Team Dauntless!

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral
Publisher: Razorbill (February 2nd, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 272 pages
After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As readers flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, they see a girl on the precipice of disaster.

Click to expand
Chopsticks is such a cool book and Penguin has developed some creative ways to be interactive with the book. You can download the book app and go to the website.

There are so many beautiful images in this book. It's a lot of fun to browse through. By downloading the app, you can really interact with the story and the photographs.

You can view a demo of the app here.

Official Website http://www.chopsticksnovel.com Chopsticks App http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chopsticks-novel/id497983366?mt=8=4

Prize:

• One (1) winner will receive: · A copy of Chopsticks · $10 iTunes gift card to experience the Chopsticks app

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends April 20th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

About the book CHOPSTICKS was born out of the desire to tell a story with multiple medias, without losing the fundamental truths which make reading fiction an emotional human experience.
The novel’s digital format will still allow you to encounter the lives of Frank and Glory, the characters that fill the pages, but the additional videos, songs and digital links will create a new novel experience.
CHOPSTICKS is a novel, an app, a website. It is a collage of original drawings, objects, text, sounds, and video. It is a love story. It is a mystery. Read it. View it. Experience it.
About the authors Rodrigo Corral runs Rodrigo Corral Studio and is the creative director at Farrar, Straus and Giroux. He has designed covers for the Pulitzer Prize winning author Junot Diaz and the bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk among many others. He also designed the New York Times bestselling books Decoded by Jay-Z, Classy by Derek Blasberg, and Influence by Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen. He has taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and lectured around the country. Through it all, he remains deeply committed to transcending the visual possibilities in art, in culture, and throughout the universe. www.rodrigocorral.com
Jessica Anthony’s debut novel, The Convalescent (McSweeney’s/Grove 2009), was an ALA Adult Notable Book, a B&N “Discover Great New Writers” selection, an Editor’s Choice in the San Francisco Chronicle, and has been taught in several universities across the country. Her short fiction can be found in Best New American Voices, Best American Nonrequired Reading, McSweeney’s, New American Writing and elsewhere. She was raised amidst the farms and bowling alleys of Upstate New York, and currently teaches at Bates College and Southern New Hampshire University.

Title: What I Didn't Say Author: Keary Taylor Release Date: May 11, 2012 Add it to Goodreads Synopsis: Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat.

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.
This is a YA contemporary novel told from the POV of 17-year-old Jake.

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Isn't that cute? For those of you who have experienced a prom or two in your day, was it as nice as this one? Or, was it filled with a lot of stress, screaming, and crying? No matter if prom brings up beautiful fantasies or dreaded nightmares, I have a surprise for you all.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is hosting prom-themed giveaways all April! You can follow @HMHKids on twitter or @HMHTeen on facebook and enter to win books, gift cards for prom accessories, and more.

Today I am hosting a book giveaway where one winner will receive…

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a copy of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Illuminate, and The Fashion Coloring Book.

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends May 1st.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

To make this more fun, you can get an extra entry for sharing your best (or worst) prom memory with us. If you haven't been to a prom yet, you can just tell us what part you look forward to.

I'll start with my worst memory (ha!). Going to my junior prom with my then-boyfriend, I tried to save my friend from a crisis situation in the bathroom, only to come back and discover said boyfriend … dirty dancing… with my worse enemy. I had a slight panic attack and tried to resist puking on my pretty dress for the rest of the night. My senior year I took a friend, NOT a boyfriend. Learned my lesson.

Your turn!

I'm so happy to have 2 of my favorite characters, Alexis and Tristan, from Purpose here with me today. Thank you both for being on my blog.
I have some questions for you.

What was the first word that popped into your minds when you first saw each other?
Alexis: Beautiful. Tristan (raises an eyebrow): I don’t think it’s appropriate to say. What’s the rating on this blog? Alexis (blushes): And you say I’m incorrigible?

What are some of your favorite memories from when you were dating? Alexis: Cooking together. Tristan: Cooking? Really? Alexis: Yeah. What’s wrong with that? Tristan: It’s just so… domestic. Alexis (with a slight smile and a shrug): I think it’s sexy. Especially with you. Tristan: Hmm… I’ll have to rethink my favorite memories then. (Pauses) Nah. Still on the beach… on the boat… pretty much any time you were in a bikini. Maybe you can cook in a bikini… Alexis: Can you be serious? Tristan: I am. Alexis: (glares) Tristan: Okay, if you really want to know… darts. Alexis (blushes again): Next question, please.

You've had some hard times together as well, what advice would you give couples for ways to overcome that? Tristan: I’m not exactly the right person to be giving relationship advice. I certainly don’t deserve what I have because of anything I’ve done right or well. Alexis: Yeah, me either. It’s not like either of us have much experience. We’re still learning what works for us. But, I think, trust is a big thing for every relationship. You have to be able to trust each other. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but I think it’s necessary.

Tristan, when you first met Alexis when she was young, did you ever think you'd be where you are now? Tristan: Not at all, but not because of her age or anything else so irrelevant. For me to have a relationship with anyone was at one time unbelievable, but with someone like her… with Alexis, who she is and who she’ll become… I never expected it would come to this between us. I never knew happiness before, let alone love. And now look at us.

Alexis, you are an amazing writer. Can you explain to us what writing does for you personally? Alexis: It’s always been an escape for me, really. I’ve never felt like I belonged in this world. In my writing, I get to be someone else, feel like I’m living a different life. It’s like reading a really good book with a story that’s exactly what you want to read… but no one else has written it, so you get to.

Tristan, what did you think when Alexis finally allowed you to read one of her stories? Tristan: Well, I knew when she would finally let me read one, it would mean she really trusts me. That’s what I care about, more than anything. Alexis: You care about more than that. You read it. And admit it… you liked it. Tristan: Yeah, I did, but I’ve always known you were talented. Of course I’d like it. Alexis: Even though it’s about witches and werewolves? Tristan: You are, obviously, weirdly infatuated with the monsters. But, it’s your thing and I’ve come to accept that.

Alexis, how difficult was it to learn the truth from your mother after all these years? Alexis: I still don’t know everything. In fact, I feel like I hardly know anything at all. But what I do know… it was pretty shocking at first. To the point that I had a hard time really grasping it all as real. I mean, Tristan showed me some of his abilities and told me what he was he able to, what he’s not bound to keep secret, but it still didn’t feel real… not until Ian showed his disgusting self, anyway… and then Edmund and that… thing. I guess that’s when it really hit home that not all things in this world are as they seem.
Do you still worry that she may be hiding important things from you about your history? Alexis: Ha. Of course, she’s still hiding things. I know there’s much more to everything about us. But as I’ve been told repeatedly, I have to wait until the Ang’dora. It’s frustrating and annoying, but even Tristan won’t tell me, though I know he would if he could. They’re bound too tightly and nothing I do can break that bond, apparently. Besides, right now, I’m just concerned about us… being safe… staying together… maybe living a somewhat normal life while we can.

Tristan, what was the worst part about keeping secrets from Alexis early on? Tristan: I was trying to earn her trust. It’s kind of difficult to do when you know yourself that you’re untrustworthy. The only thing I had going for me was that she kept secrets, too. I hoped she’d understand.

Did you expect to feel so connected to Alexis immediately or did it come as a shock to you? Tristan: She definitely shocked me. Alexis (with an embarrassed giggle): I did shock you! Or you shocked me. Tristan (chuckles): Yes, that is the right word… in so many ways. I really didn’t expect anything at all, especially anything so strong, except maybe immediate abhorrence. If you look at it the way some of the others do, it all makes sense. But I, personally, don’t understand it. Our connection doesn’t make sense. Alexis: Of course it does! We’re meant to be together. That’s just how it is.
Be honest, what bugs you the most about each other? Any pet peeves? Alexis: Actually, Tristan’s so dang beautiful, it can be annoying. We can’t go anywhere without all the females gawking, like animals in heat. Between him and my mother… I don’t know who’s worse, men or women. And then everyone looks at me and you can tell by the look on their faces that they’re wondering how the heck I’m with him. Tristan: Because you deserve better. Alexis: And then there’s that. It’s like he doesn’t even notice. Sometimes I feel like he puts me on this pedestal and I’m the last person who deserves to be there. One day he’ll open his eyes and see exactly how wrong he is – about me and himself. Tristan: Oh, my eyes are open. I know what I see. But you don’t see yourself clearly, either. You have no idea what you do to people, especially to me. And your potential… I guess you’ll just have to wait and see for yourself. Alexis: And that’s another thing. How he knows things I can’t know yet. That bugs the crap out of me. Tristan: You’re talking about me like I’m not here. Alexis: Huh? Tristan: That’s one of the things about Alexis that can get to me. She can go on such a rampage sometimes, words spilling out of her mouth without realizing how absurd she’s being. It makes me laugh, though. Alexis: I’m not being absurd! How can you— Tristan: And defensive. She can be quite defensive. Alexis: (crosses her arms, opens her mouth, then closes it again) Tristan: See, she doesn’t know what to say because she knows I’m right. I like how she does that, though. It’s kind of cute. So is this. (winks) Alexis (eyes glaze over for a moment and rendered speechless) Well, this has been such a fun interview! I am so glad you could be here today Tristan *wink* … oh… and you too Alexis *clears throat* … anyways, I have a friend over at A Life Bound By Books and I know she would love to get a chance to talk to you too.
Think you can pay her a visit soon?

Alexis: Of course.

Tristan: Anything for you. *wink*

(Okay, okay… so maybe Tristan didn't actually say that last part)

Don't forget to check out the Re-Cover contest of Promise and Purpose. Entries must be in 12/18.

Find Kristie Cook Kristie Cook / Promise / Goodreads
Purchase Signed Copies of Purpose

Hello everyone! One of the best parts of blogging is sharing books with others. Occasionally I'll get a finished copy of a book I have an ARC for already. Or, I may get 2 ARCs. If I have a finished copy of a book I never keep the ARC. ARCs are meant to be shared so I'm going to do that now!

I have some ARCs I'd like to give away to bloggers. For this giveaway you must be a blogger (and not just a blog that re-posts contests). I really want to help out book bloggers — new and old!

Not a blogger? Don't worry. I'm not leaving you guys out. I will be posting a giveaway for you on Thursday. I have a lot of extra finished copies I plan to give away over the next few months.

Of course, I'd love it if the winner will read and review each title but I won't be checking up on you to make sure you do: ) Any way you can spread the word about these great titles would be perfect.

The winner will get an ARC of… Forbidden by Syrie James and Ryan M. James Everneath by Brodi Ashton Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive the 4 ARCs listed above.

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends February 13th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.
• You MUST be a book blogger to enter!

Yes, it's true. The End is HERE! Don't be afraid. We have prepared for this and have all the necessary tools for survival. Want to know more about THE END? Check out this link to Epic Reads. I am the blogger for the UNEARTHLY series by Cynthia Hand. It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the series. I even wrote my very first letter to a character in my review of HALLOWED. HALLOWED and UNEARTHLY were both amazing books and I was super excited to get my hands on BOUNDLESS. Even though it is the end *tear!* I will never forget this series!
Today I have an interview with the lovely Cynthia Hand. Be sure to check out the giveaway below for a chance to win UNEARTHLY and HALLOWED!

1. What originally inspired you to write about mythology?

Actua lly, it was a single verse I remember puzzling over in the Bible, years and years ago, something about the Nephilim, the children of angels and men, and how they were the “heroes of old, men of renown.” I was like, whoa, that’d be a lot of pressure, to know that you’re part ANGEL. So when I was writing about Clara, and I knew that she was something supernatural, that verse came to mind, and angels seemed perfect for the story I wanted to tell about destiny and free will.

2. What has been the most surprising thing a fan has done for you?
I am always so thrilled when a fan has come a long way just to meet me. There was also a fan who made me a necklace with little charms for each of my book covers, which was so wonderful and sweet.

3. How do you feel now that the series is wrapping up?
A little nostalgic and teary, truth be told. It’s hard to be at the end. But I’m also excited for the big wide world that’s opened up in front of me, and all that I could write.

4. Clara is such a strong character. When you first started writing this series, what were the most important qualities you wanted her to have?

Well, first of all, I wanted Clara to be flawed. I wanted her to have a lot of room for growth over the course of the series. And I wanted her to have doubts, about herself, about her purpose, about everything. She wonders if she’s a coward, but when push comes to shove, she can be incredibly brave—that sort of thing. I wanted her to love the people around her—her mother, her brother, her friends, deeply and truly, but also for her to struggle sometimes with being selfish, and having to overcome that selfishness. And, maybe most of all, I wanted her to have a good sense of humor, so that we could laugh as we went down the hard roads together.

5. Readers have strong feelings of either being Team Tucker or Team Christian. I know this is difficult, but if you were Clara and had these two hot guys after you, who do you think you would choose?
Hmm, if I was Clara.. I think I’d go with Christian, because I would believe him if he looked at me with those gold-flecked eyes and said we belonged together! Seriously, though, I think I would probably do the good-old pros and cons list, and go with Christian, because his pros list would convince me over the cons. And then I’d throw out the list and ride off into the sunset with Tucker. But then I might like to FLY off into the sunset with Christian. ACK! I don’t know!!!!! Poor Clara!!!!!

Boundless by Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HarperTeen (January 22nd, 201 3) Re ading Le vel: Young Adult
Hardback: 438 pages
Series: Un earthly #3
The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her.. even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California — and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one.. With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Prize:

1 winner will get a Hardcover copy of UNEARTHLY and HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends February 6th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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REMEMBER: Check out EPI C READS for more fun s tuff about 'The End is HERE' books.

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey (Walker Childrens 1/17/2012) The Asylum (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5) by L.J. Smith (HarperCollins 1/17/2012) Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand (HarperCollins 1/17/2012)

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr (Speak 1/19/2012) Try Not to Breathe by Janenifer R. Hubbard (Viking Juvenile 1/19/2012) Havoc (Deviants #2) by Jeff Sampson (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012)

Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) by Lauren Kate (Delacorte Press for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Daughter of the Centaurs (Centauriad #1) by Kate Klimo (Random House Books for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James (HarperTeen 1/24/2012)

The Way We Fall (The Way We Fall #1) by Megan Crewe (Disney 1/24/2012) Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick (Lerner Publishing Group 1/28/2012 Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delany (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012)

Lenobia's Vow (House of NightNovellas #2) by P.C. and Kristin Cast (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012) Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton (Katherine Tegen Books 1/31/2012)

Fracture by Megan Miranda (Walker & Company 1/17/2012) Halflings (Halflings #1) by Heather Burch (Zonderkidz 1/17/2012) Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross (St. Martin's Griffin 1/17/2012)

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic (HMH Children's Books 1/17/2012) Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012) Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows (HarperCollins 1/31/2012)

Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons (Tor Teen 1/31/2012) New Girl by Paige Harbison (Harlequin Teen 1/31/2012)
What books are you most excited to read?

If you know of any other new releases for January 16th-31st feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!

Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) by Lauren Kate was released today! If you are a fan of the series, you have to read this book. To celebrate this release, and to share the love since Valentine's day is coming up in a few weeks, Random House has offered up 5 copies (ARCs) of the book for some lucky readers!

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 24th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 201 pages
Series: Fallen #3.5
Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.

And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and losing love. Arianne pays the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first -and last- time, Daniel and Luce will spend a night together like none other.

Lauren Kate's FALLEN IN LOVE is filled with love stories.. the ones everyone has been waiting for.

True love never says goodbye..

Prize:

• 5 winners will receive an ARC of Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends February 9th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

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Extra entry for commenting. Have you read the series or is it on your to-read list? If you've read them what do you think about the books?

1. I gotta say, the first thing that grabbed my attention about this book was it's amazing cover. Did you play a part in the design, and what did you think when you saw the finished product?

Oh my gosh, I love my cover, not to toot my horn, lol. The amazing Neil Noah made it! I heard of him through my two good friends and fellow authors, Elizabeth Isaacs and Hope Collier, who both had worked with him in the past for their covers. I design book covers for others, but I knew I’d never be satisfied with something I created, so I had to outsource. I sent Neil a couple designs I’d played with, and then he worked his magic. The cover was one of two covers he sent me. I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it. We tweaked some things, of course, but oh man, he nailed the cover. I was so excited! I hope people like it as much as I do.

2. Can you tell us a little about Levi's personality?

Levi was fun to write, but at the same time, he was hard. It’s tough to write from a guy’s POV when you’re female, haha! Moreso, I wanted to think like he would, were I in his shoes. Can you imagine how hard it would be to know that you were damned, but you still held hope to maybe someday get away from the problems you’ve caused yourself? Can you imagine trying to guard people and make sure they were safe, when you knew they may end up like you if the wrong choices were made? He’s so torn – he doesn’t want to break any more rules, but he wants to know Hannah more. She makes him feel things, but he doesn’t know why. He’s cautious, but reckless at the same time. He’s a little irreverent, but he lets Ethan take care of most of the trouble making. I really like Levi. He’s hard to read, and it’s part of the reason I had to ask my brother and husband what a guy would think in certain situations! Overall, he’s just trying to figure out what to do. He’s sixteen and a guy. Really? Of course he makes no sense haha. 

3. What is one of the things that makes Hannah unique to Levi?

No Call that Levi’s ever had was able to make him feel. He’s never felt the need to get near a human. Hannah, for some reason, changes that. He’s curious, and he can’t help but get near her. That’s what sets it all off… you know what they say, “Curiousity killed the cat.” We’ll see if it turns out all right for Levi! 

4. Do you have a favorite excerpt or line that you could share with us?

I loved writing Ethan, he’s so snarky and tries so hard to be this rude guy, when I think deep down he’s alright. I guess we’ll see. Anyway, here’s a little excerpt from one of his scenes. 

I smirked at Ethan as he jumped and dodged me like I had leprosy. “You know, they’re not contagious.”
“ Easy for you to say. You’ve already let that human touch you.”
Hannah sighed. “I have a name, you know.”
Ethan laughed. “Yup, and it’s Bag ‘O Bones to me. You’re human. You live, you die. Well, you were supposed to have already died, but Rambo here decided to tempt fate. You know what? I’ll just call you Bob for short. How’s that?”
5. What tends to be the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

Finding the time! My 5 month old son takes up quite a bit of time, so the writing is a bit slower now. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but if I would have known the lack of time I’d have, I probably would have written 5 or 6 novels before I had him! Haha. 

Forbidden by Megan Curd
Kindle Edition: 270 pages
Published: October 22nd, 2011
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: The Guardian Chronicles #1

Levi's job is to protect his human until it's their time to go. That's what a Guard does. He's done it for years on end, and he'll spend his eternity doing the same, mundane thing, following the same, mundane rules.

… Watch from afar.
… Never share your name.
… And above all, never touch a human.

What Levi doesn't know is that his newest human to protect, Hannah, just might be the catalyst to tipping the scales between good and evil, and he will be forced to decide which side he belongs to. Which friends will he side with, and who will he ultimately protect: his human, or the delicate balance that hangs on stopping the heartbeat of the person he has sworn to protect?

And, when you're already condemned, what's there to lose by breaking the rules?

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