The Best Reader [Search results for Ashes] 

Guess what everyone? It is almost time for The Hunger Games movie!! Who's excited? *raises hand!!* To celebrate this epic movie release, EgmontUSA will be doing a lot to introduce people to another wonderful book and series, ASHES by Ilsa J. Bick. Like many of you, I will be at my local movie theater on Thursday night, March 22nd but I will be there for an extra reason as well. I'll be handing out some copies of ASHES to some lucky Hunger Games fans. Cool, right?! I'm sure they will be super surprised: )
If you are thinking"Well darn, I want a chance to get a copy too" this is your lucky day! EgmontUSA has been kind enough to provide me with an extra 2 copies for blog readers. YAY! I'm going to make entering super easy and fun (details below).

SHADOWS (the 2nd book in the ASHES series, will be out September 11th, 2012.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
Publisher: EgmontUSA (September 6th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 480 pages
Series: Ashes Trilogy #1
It could happen tomorrow..

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

Prize:

• 2 winners will receive a copy of ASHES.

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Email must be provide.
• Contest is US Only and ends March 23rd.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• LEAVE A COMMENT TO ENTER.

Hosted by Sheila — Thank you!

Last week I finished reading two fantastic dystopias: "Ashfall" by Mike Mullin and "The Pledge" by Kimberly Derting. This sounds crazy, but as I was on my reading high with two absolutely amazing books, I kept thinking of how great it was going to be to tell all you Monday hoppers that I was actually productive this week (as it has been such a long time)! This productivity may be due to amazing books or to my new "plan:" I've been reading during my thirty minute lunch break. I know people say to do this but I eat in the department office with the other thirteen female teachers and I thought it would be "distracting" but I've found that reading during lunch not only settles me down but it a great "breather". I look forward to lunch now and can't wait to open my Nook for that thirty minutes a day that I know I have to read. The conversations going on don't bother me (I'm lucky enough to be able to focus on reading).

Anyway, that's what has really changed this past week in my reading life. This week I'd like to finish "Saving June" by Hannah Harrington.

"‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again."

The Eternal Sea (Everlasting #2) by Angie Frazier (Scholastic Press 6/1/2011) Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari (Scholastic 6/1/2011) Stupid Fast by Geoff Herback (Sourcebooks Fire 6/1/2011)

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen (Point 6/1/2011) The Ivy: Secrets (The Ivy #2) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Greenwillow 6/1/2011) Forgiven (Faithful #2) by Janet Fox (Speak 6/2/2011)

He's So Not Worth It (He's So/She's So Trilogy #2) by Kieran Scott (Simon and Schuster 6/7/2011) The Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski (HarperTeen 6/7/2011) Nyx in the House of Night (House of Night) by P.C. Cast and others (Smart Pop 6/7/2011)

Everlasting (The Immortals #6) by Alyson Noel (St. Martin's Griffin 6/7/2011) My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (6/7/2011) Chicks Kick Butt (Shifters) by Various Authors (Tor Books 6/7/2011)

Crush Control by Janenifer Jabaley (Razorbill 6/9/2011)

Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson (Simon & Schuster 6/7/2011) Hereafter (Hereafter #1) by Tara Hudson (HarperCollins 6/7/2011) Forgotten by Cat Patrick (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 6/7/2011)

If you know of any other new releases for June 1st-13th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!

From Ashes by Molly McAdams
Published: William Morrow (December 11th, 2012)
Reading Level: New Adult
Kindle edition: 416 pages
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Summary:
Aside from her dad, who passed away when she was six, Cassidy Jameson has only ever trusted one man: her best friend, Tyler. So of course she follows him to Texas when he leaves for college. She just didn't expect to be so drawn to their new roommate, Gage, a gorgeous guy with a husky Southern drawl. The only problem? He's Tyler's cousin.

Gage Carson was excited to share an apartment off campus with his cousin. He didn't mind that Tyler was bringing the mysterious friend he'd heard about since they were kids … until the most beautiful girl he's ever seen jumps out of his cousin's Jeep. There's something about Cassi that makes Gage want to give her everything. Too bad Tyler has warned him that she's strictly off-limits.

Despite everything keeping them apart, Cassi and Gage dance dangerously close to the touch they're both been craving. But when disaster sends her running into Tyler's arms, Cassi will have to decide whether to face the demons of her past … or to burn her chance at a future with Gage.

Review:

Cassi and Tyler have been friends forever. He has been a rock for her. Once he decides to go to college she wants to follow him. She can't attend but she just can't stand the thoughts of giving up Tyler. Cassi has had a horrible life with lots of abuse. Tyler was the only thing that kept her safe so she doesn't want to give that up.

Once they get to town, they move in with Tyler's cousin Gage. Gage is wonderful and I really loved his character. He was sweet, kind, and great for Cassi. They do fall for each other pretty quickly though. But I tried to overlook that and just chalk it up to Cassi's need for affection.

The real issue I had with this book was Tyler. I didn't like him at all. He was terrible and completely cruel to Cassi on several occasions. I guess that I didn't really expect that since he knew her past better than anyone. He does some things that are just completely unforgivable.

Overall, this was a good book but I did think it could have been better with a few changes. Molly's writing is really great but some of the plot twists and character aspects just brought it down a bit for me. Either way, I'll still be picking up anything she writes in the future.

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Last year we did a couple of these larger giveaways and we're doing the SAME thing this year too! Don't ya just LOVE all the author and book love we have going around for Halloween! Seriously guys, it's a fantastic time of the year and we couldn't think of anyone else we'd want to spend the Spookiest time of the year with that YOU! So, here's the next amazingly HUGE giveaway we have for you all and what you just might win. FIRST PLACE WINNER
Will receive 10 books + a swag pack!

Crash By: Lisa McMann
Temptation By: R.L. Stine
Ashes By: Ilsa J. Bick
Shadows By: Ilsa Bick
TEN By: Gretchen McNeil
Blink Once By: Cylin Busby
Fated By: Alyson Noel
Anew By: Chelsea Fine
Violins of Autumn By: Amy McAuley
A Whole Lot of Lucky By: Danette Haworth

SECOND PLACE WINNER
Will receive 8 books + a swag pack!

Blink Once By: Cylin Busby
The Unquiet By: Jeannine Garsee
Dead to You By: Lisa McMann
Fated by Alyson Noel
A Whole Lot of Lucky By: Danette Haworth
The Horse Road By: Troon Harrison
Smart Girls Get What They Want By: Sarah Strohmeyer
Never Fall Down By: Patricia McCormick

THIRD PLACE WINNER
Will receive 6 books + a swag pack!

Fury By: Elizabeth Miles
Things That Go Bump in the Night by Patrick Carman
A Whole Lot of Lucky By: Danette Haworth
All the Right Stuff By: Walter Dean Myers
Just Write By: Walter Dean Myers
The Book of Night By: Pearl North

NOTE: Some books are ARC's and some are finished copies in Hardback and Softback.

More AMAZING Prize Packs, right? We think they are pretty epic if we do say so myself! So, now it's time for everyone to get to entering.

• Each winner will receive one of the above prize packs depending on what place they have won.

• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway.
• Name & Email Address must be provided. (Easy Entry, just click the form & it does it for you!)
• You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
• This giveaway is open to US residents only. SORRY! Postage is killing us this month. I hope you understand.
• Giveaway ends: November 14th, 2012 (12:01AM EST)

A HUGE THANK YOU to all the many publishers who have donated this month for our Haunted Halloween Event. Without you and the many authors and friends, this event would be nothing that it is today. Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU! Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

I am "stealing" this from The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it in my blog. Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course. This week was the winter season Library Sale... yes, I said LIBRARY SALE! The great thing about library sales are that the books are not in perfect condition — which means that when my students dog-ear the pages, break the spines, tear the covers, or sneeze on the pages (yes, that happens) it doesn't really matter! I love it! I got three bags worth for $6! For Review: Won: From the library: Purchased:

• "Midnight for Charlie Bone" (Audio)
• "Tuck Everlasting" (Audio)
• "Burned"
• "The Book Thief" (Second copy)
• "The Au Pairs" (Second copy)
• "City of Ashes"
• "The Time Capsule"
• "Where Are the Children" (one of my FAVORITES from High School!)
• "Crusade"
• "Brian's Winter"
• "Titanic Crossing" (favorite from Middle School)
• "The Secrets of Sarah Revere"
• "The Battle of the Labyrinth"
• "The Diary of a Teenage Girl: I Do"
• "Holes"
• "Brinsingr"
• "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen"
• "Fahrenheit 451"
• "Eldest"
• "The Lightning Thief" (second copy)
• "Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code"
• "Pretty Little Liars #1" (third copy)
• "The au pairs: Skinny-Dipping"
• "Speak" (third copy)
• "The Virginity Club"
• "The Year of Secret Assignments"
• "I Am Not Esther"
• "The Sight" (exciting find!)
• "Flawless"
• "Flawless" (second copy)
• "Ghostgirl" (MOST EXCITING FIND)
• "Blood Promise"
• "The Truth About Sparrows"
• "Jane and the Genius of the Place"
• "Jane and His Lordship's Legacy"
• "13 Little Blue Envelopes"

A few weeks months ago I asked for your opinion: what books would you recommend to my students. I had a fantastic response. If my stats for that post are any indication, this question has been asked many times before and people, especially teachers, are still looking for those great recommendations. Well, after asking my mom (a school librarian) and the librarian at my school, I'm finally making public what we have put together. I'm pretty sure everybody can find something on this list; I know that nonfiction is an area I need to work on as well and as I'm expecting one nonfiction read from my students by the end of the semester I've set the same standard for myself.

If you'd like to look at these lists in a Google Doc format: Recs from Readers and Recs from Teachers

Here are the recommendations from other readers:
Title of Book
Diary of Anne Frank
In the Garden of Beasts
Manhunt
Farewell to Manzanar
Graphic Novels: Maus and Persepolis
Half Broke Horses
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed
What is the What
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Freakonomics
Under the Black Flag
Cleopatra: A Life
All But My Life
Freedom Riders
Einstein's Refrigerator
Brothers in Arms
The Devil In The White City
Little Princes
360 Degrees Longitude
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

You Had Me at Woof
Decoded
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Night
Eat, Pray, Love
I am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee I am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee
The Glass Castle
The Children's Blizzard
Rocket Boys
Stitches: A Memoir

And here are the recommendations compiled by two fantastic school librarians:

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