The Best Reader [Search results for Black City

  • Haunted Halloween with Elizabeth Richards and a Giveaway

    Haunted Halloween with Elizabeth Richards and a Giveaway

    TOP 6(66) CHILDHOOD TERRORS
    by
    Elizabeth Richards

    Here are the top 6 things that kept me up at night as a kid…

    6: THE KANDY MAN – ‘HAPPINESS PATROL, DOCTOR WHO’

    I don’t think any television show scares the heebie-jeebies out of kids more than Doctor Who. From Cybermen to the Weeping Angels, the writers certainly know how to create the perfect bogeyman to keep kids up at night. But it was the Kandy Man from the episode ‘Happiness Patrol’ that scared me the most as a kid. In this episode The Doctor and his companion Ace visit a colony on Terra Alpha, where all the citizens are forced to be happy all the bleeding time. If they’re caught being a ‘Killjoy’ by the secret police (known as the Happiness Patrol), they’re arrested and fed to the Kandy Man – a sweet-based robot who looks oddly like the Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts man. As a little girl who loved her sweeties, the idea of a candy that bit back did not sit well with me. I still keep a wary distance from liquorice allsorts… you know, just in case.
    5: ‘REMEMBER ME’ BY CHRISTOPHER PIKE

    In my early tweens, I was a massive fan of horror authors like Christopher Pike, RL Stine, and James Herbert. One of my all-time best reads was Remember Me – a story about a girl named Shari Cooper, who is murdered and has to solve the mystery of her own death. It had ghosts, murder, cheating boyfriends, and a shocking revelation. But it was the Shadow that gave me chills, and makes this number 5 in my list.

    4: GHOSTWATCH

    On October 31,1992, the BBC ran a mockumentary called Ghostwatch, starring popular children’s TV presenter Sarah Greene. It was shot as if it were a live news broadcast, covering a ‘live, on-air investigation’ of a house in Northold, which was reputably haunted by a poltergeist called Pipes. Now at the time, I had NO idea this was a drama. I thought it was real, and sat down to watch it with my buddies, thinking we were about to witness a real-life ghost hunt. What larks! Erm… no. It turned out to be 90 minutes of the most TERRIFYING TELEVISION I HAVE EVER SEEN. If you can get your hands on a recording of it, I highly recommend you view it. Then show it to your kids and tell them it’s real, and sit back and watch the hilarity unfold.

    3: ‘LITTLE MY’ FROM THE MOOMINS

    Back in the 1980s, there was a very popular television show in the UK called the Moomins, which featured these unbelievably cute trolls which—for some random reason—looked like white hippopotamuses, with wide eyes, round snouts and pudgy tummies. I loved them. They were adorable. What I didn’t love was their side kick Little My. She was supposed to be brave and fearless. All I knew is she wanted to eat my soul.

    2: SPIDERS

    I absolutely and utterly refuse to believe that something with four eyes, eight legs, drains all the blood out of its victims, and can kill me with one bite is ‘more scared of me, than I am of it.’

    1: PENNYWISE THE CLOWN

    Black City by Elizabeth Richards
    Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons (November 13th, 2012)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Hardback: 384 pages
    Series: Black City, #1
    A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

    In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

    When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

    Prize:

    • 1 winner will receive some SIGNED bookmarks!
    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 November 6th.
    • Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
    • The form must be filled out to enter.

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  • Nonfiction Recommendations for HS Students — The Poll Is In!

    Nonfiction Recommendations for HS Students — The Poll Is In!

    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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  • Top 10 of 2012: Top 10 Covers of 2012

    Top 10 of 2012: Top 10 Covers of 2012

    Here are my top 10 covers of 2012!

    Title: Insurgent Author: Veronica Roth Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

    Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

    "New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian"Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

    Title: Dreamless Author: Josephine Angelini Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads Can true love be forgotten?

    As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

    Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.

    As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

    Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds all expectations.

    Title: Under the Never Sky Author: Veronica Rossi Publisher: HarperCollins Add to Goodreads
    Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

    Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland — known as The Death Shop — are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild — a savage — and her only hope of staying alive.

    A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile — everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

    Title: Easy Author: Tammara Webber Add to Goodreads A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

    When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

    Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

    When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

    Title: The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden Author: Jessica Sorensen Add to Goodreads There are those who don’t get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don’t get saved.

    Luck was not on Callie’s side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her. After it’s all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened. Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it’s a struggle just to breathe.

    For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life. As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over. Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him.

    Now he can’t stop thinking about the girl he saw at school, but never really knew. When he ends up at the same college as Callie, he does everything he can to try to get to know her. But Callie is reserved and closed off. The more he tries to be part of her life, the more he realizes Callie might need to be saved.

    Title: Sweet Evil Author: Wendy Higgins Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads Embrace the Forbidden

    What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

    This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

    Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

    Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

    Title: Pushing the Limits
    Author: Katie McGarry
    Publisher: Harlequin Teen
    Add to Goodreads
    No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with"freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

    Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

    Title: Stealing Parker Author: Miranda Kenneally Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Add to Goodreads Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

    Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

    Now Parker wants a new life.

    So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?

    But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

    Title: Everneath Author: Brodi Ashton Publisher: HarperCollins Add to Goodreads Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld.. this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

    Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

    As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

    Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

    Title: The Edge of Never Author: J.A. Redmerski Add to Goodreads Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.

    Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.

    With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.

    But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?
    Don't forget to share YOUR list on the Linky Below!
    Today's Top 10 of 2012 Giveaway is being hosted by — Jaime from Two Chicks on Books!
    Note: This is the SAME Linky on all Co-Hosts Blogs.

  • Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

    Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

    This year we wanted to add to the excitement of Top 10 lists by making it an event! Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and and I are hosting a top 10 week where everyone can join the fun! You can check out this post for more information. Each day you add your top 10 list to the linky (below), you get an extra entry into the giveaway for a $50 amazon gift card! Just remember, each day will have a linky for THAT Top 10 topic and your list has to be for that top 10.

    Today is Top 10 Book Covers of 2011!

    Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
    HarperCollins (November 15th, 2011)

    Why: This cover is beautiful! It's one you have to see in person to truly see the beauty of it. I think the girl really shows a strong personality — which is exactly what Juliette is.
    Read My Review
    Add it to Goodreads
    Summary: Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

    The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

    The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

    Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

    Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini HarperCollins (May 31st, 2011)
    Why: I fell in love with this cover from day one and it is another one you have to see in person. The shimmer effect some of these newer books have is just incredible! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: How do you defy destiny? Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood.. and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
    As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

    Divergent by Veronica Roth
    Katherine Tegen Books (May 3rd, 2011)

    Why: This cover screams"powerful" to me and that perfectly describes this book. I can't imagine a better cover for this title.
    Read My Review
    Add it to Goodreads
    Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
    During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

    Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle Patrice Michelle (June 27th, 2011)
    Why: Isn't this so pretty? Everything about this cover drew me in — the colors, the trees, the girl, the dress — all perfect! Plus I really think it fits the vibe of the book. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate… until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

    After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

    Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

    A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
    Balzer & Bray (June 21st, 2011)

    Why: I really like the golden look of this cover. I know some people are turned off when a person is on the cover but I like it. I like having a glimpse at a character and this was another cover that I felt showed off the theme of the story.
    Read My Review
    Add it to Goodreads
    Summary: We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten…

    Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

    But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

    Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

    Love Story by Janenifer Echols MTV Books (July 19th, 2011)
    Why: I admit it, I'm a hopeless romantic. If a guy and girl are on a cover being all"cutie patootie" together, it grabs my heart. This is one of many of these covers but this one was my favorite"couple" cover. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines.

    For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter.. so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

    Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter.. except this story could come true.

    Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
    Penguin (December 8th, 2011)

    Why: Who wouldn't think this is beautiful?? The colors are amazing and the way the dress turns into flower petals. so pretty! Even the text is so nice and detailed.
    Read My Review
    Add it to Goodreads
    Summary: A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

    Lenzi hears voices and has visions — gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker — someone who can talk to and help lost souls — and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

    Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

    Wither by Lauren DeStefano Simon & Schuster (March 22nd, 2011)
    Why: The detail work that went into this cover is outstanding. Each part has significance to the story (which is a big perk to me) and it just gave off that"dystopian" look. Another book you gotta make sure to see in person! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive. A dystopian fantasy series starter with wings.

    Hourglass by Myra McEntire
    Egmont (June 14th, 2011)

    Why: This cover really makes you think. It's so unique and I do love the color (obviously!).
    Read My Review
    Add it to Goodreads
    Summary: One hour to rewrite the past..
    For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

    So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
    Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

    Falling Under by Gwen Hayes New American Library (March 1st, 2011)
    Why: Beautiful!! I never thought I'd love a cover that was mostly black with just a touch of color, but wow, this one is perfect! The girl is gorgeous (and that hair, OMG), and the black flowers really make the red dress pop out. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams. As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.
    And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

    Tomorrow's Topic — Top 10 Book Boyfriends!

    Don't forget to link each day! Signing up & then linking your Top 10 posts early you EXTRA entries into the $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. The last day to share your posts is January 8th, 2012. The winner will be picked using Random.org and announced during the week of the 9th, 2012. Good Luck!

    NOTE: this is the SAME Linky on each of the Co-Hosts Blogs, so please only enter your Name, Blog Name and URL once. Thanks!

  • Crossroads Tour: Lucienne Diver

    Crossroads Tour: Lucienne Diver

    1. What has been the most surprising thing to happen in your writing career over the past year?

    I’m surprised and so thrilled every time I get fan mail. The fact that someone would take the time to write and let me know how much they’ve enjoyed the books means I’ve made a connection, and that’s a priceless thing.

    2. When did you first start writing?

    I started writing when I was around eleven. I’m pretty sure I used every cliché in the world, but at least I got them out of my system! My teacher was tremendously encouraging, and I blame, er… credit… him for the fact that I have voices in my head to this day <g>.

    3. What is one of your favorite lines from Fangtabulous?

    Hmm, I don’t know whether I can pick a favorite, but here’s a small taste:

    Second note to self: never buzz someone into an apartment building without knowing exactly who they are. They might be some fearsome, fanged creatures of the night up to no good. Not in our case, of course, but you never knew when someone might bust into your place to feng shui your furniture or rearrange your internal organs. Caution was just common sense.

    4. If you were going out for Halloween this year, what would you go as?

    I was toying with Black Widow e from The Avengers. I’ve always wanted to rock a catsuit. Plus, you just don’t get much cooler. I mean, she’s smart, gorgeous and deadly. My kind of gal!

    Even though I don’t get to trick-or-treat this year, I do get to dress up for my cousin’s Halloween-themed wedding. I’m going to be a pirate queen Win Some. I’ve tried to convince my husband to go as my pirate king Lose Some, but for some reason he’s balking.

    Fangtabulous by Lucienne Diver
    Publisher: Flux (January 8th, 2013)
    Reading Level: Yo ung A dult
    Paperback: 288 pages
    S eries: Vamped, #4
    Can a fanged fashionista take out a deadly Salem spirit?

    Being on the lam from the Feds and the vampire council with no money is not as glamorous as it sounds, especially when I, Gina Covello, fashion queen of the undead, am forced to abandon my wardrobe. Salem, Massachusetts, seems like a great place to hide our supernatural gang. But who knew the city would be crawling with ghosts? The nasty spirit of George Corwin, infamous sheriff from the witch trial days, is on a killing spree. It's up to us to take down the breath-stealing phantom-without blowing our cover.

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    HOW THE TOUR WORKS Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page: http://judithgraves.com/events/the-crossroads-tour/crossroads-2012/ and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.
    Answers are to be emailed to judithgraves @ ymail dot com by October 28th at MIDNIGHT. Winner of the grand prize will be announced on OCTOBER 31st – HALLOWEEN.
    The GRAND PRIZE you’re vying for? A brand new KINDLE, preloaded with a title from each of the participating Crossroads Blog Tour Authors. That’s right folks, a free KINDLE and 13 free EBOOKS!

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