Cherie Colyer is here today to talk about her debut novel Embrace. This is a book that I am super excited to read and 3 lucky readers will get the opportunity to check it out as well.
Fill out the form below to be entered to win. 3 winners will get an ebook of Embrace.
1. In Embrace, a lot has happened and Madison is struggling with all the changes, can you tell us a little of what she is dealing with when we meet her character? We meet Madison in October. She’s a junior in high school, single for the first time since freshman year, and learning to accept the fact that one of her friends returned from summer break with an unfounded hatred toward her. Madison manages to keep her chin up though: staying in touch with her ex who now lives in another state, pretending she doesn’t hate her English class, being the woman of the house, and doing her best to avoid any more changes in her life. When Madison’s best friend tells her that her life’s about to change, Madison is less than thrilled to find out what’s next. 2. There seems to be a lot of mystery in this book. What are 3 words you would use to describe the story? Fast-paced thriller 3. Tell us a little about Issac.
Isaac’s the mysterious new guy who’s caught more than just Madison’s eye. He’s a senior, six-foot-some, brown hair, velvet brown eyes, and he’s a guy with a secret. It’s the things he doesn’t say out loud that have Madison questioning if he’s right for her. He’s a strong male who knows how to handle himself. Being brought up by parents who know exactly who he his has allowed him to sharpen his abilities. I don’t want to say much more or I’ll give away his secret, but I will say you don’t want to get on his bad side. 4. Embraceis your debut novel. What has been the most surprising part of being a debut author? I’m going to have to say just how many things have to be done to successfully launch a book. There are so many steps that a novel goes through from the time an author signs the contract to when the book is released and just as many people involved. It can be a bit overwhelming, but I had a wonderful editorial staff, an amazing marketing team that made sure nothing fell through the cracks, and the support of fellow authors to lean on for moral support and guidance. 5. I saw that you are working on a few new projects right now. Can you tell us a bit about them? I’d love to. I’m currently working on a sequel for Embrace. Madison and her friends will be back, facing new threats and new supernatural elements they’ll have to defeat. I recently finished writing a teen paranormal thriller about a brother and sister who have been Chosen by otherworldly beings to be unwilling participants in a celestial battle that threatens to tear their relationship apart by forcing them to fight on opposite sides. Having both heaven and hell watching their every move is bad enough, but it’s the lengths these siblings are willing to go to save the other that puts them in the greatest danger of all. And last but not least, my middle grade ghost story follows four friends as they search for ghosts, confront their fears, and find the inner-strength needed to face the unknown.
Embrace by Cherie Colyer Publisher: Omnific Publishing (December 20th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 222 pages Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It's responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he's a guy harboring a secret, but she's willing to risk the unknown to be with him.Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren't there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can't find the answers, Madison seeks her own.Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.
Prize:
3 winners will receive an ebook of Embrace by Cherie Colyer
Rules:
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 International and ends February 18th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
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.
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.
"I recommend this novel to any reader with the patience to wait for a fantastic story with a great twist on a "nowadays" common supernatural creature." — Miss Remmers
From Amazon.com...
"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."
Why I read this: The cover is stunning and the author was amazing! She even signed this book to "The BVHS 9th Graders!"
Plot: In the beginning the plot was very slow, so much so that I just couldn't get into it. Weeks went by without me even opening the book. Finally, today, I decided I just had to finish. I had heard wonderful things about this book and I HAD to know what it was about. From the synopsis above I knew there was something supernatural about one of the characters, but it took until about page 200 for this supernatural aspect to really grab me; after that I couldn't put this book down.
Despain's different take on this supernatural creature was very captivating (once it got to the supernatural aspect). I have never read such a take on this creature before — it was extremely refreshing and unique.
Characters/Tone: I had to group characters and tone together this time because it seemed they were so connected. The characters of this novel, specifically the Divines, really got under my skin. Immediately after discovering that Divine was the last name of the family, the father's profession as a pastor, and the protagonist's name Grace, I detected a seriously pious tone. The tone of the novel and the actions/habits of this family seemed to be so "holier-than-thou" that it really turned me off from the novel. I felt almost suffocated with all the reminders of religion, holiness, and the "perfect" family.
Towards, once again, page 200 I did recognize the connection between the tone and characters to the plot but by then I had struggled through it so much that the extreme amount of piety had become only a sliver under my skin rather than a gaping wound in my flesh.
That said, I did really love the Heaven, Hell, Angel triangle and I see why this sort of tone and characters were necessary.
Cover: This cover is absolutely GORGEOUS! It's what really drove me to pick up this novel — before I had even read the premise!
Random Thoughts: The end of this novel was fantastically fast-paced and captivating, I couldn't put it down; I just wish the first 180 pages were also like this. I have put this book on my classroom shelves and I have no doubt many girls will pick it up due to the stunning cover, but I'm not sure I can expect them to wait that long for it to pick up speed.
Final Thoughts: I'm glad I continued reading because it was worth it in the end. The reviews I've read have all been stellar and I wanted to know why; I get it now, but I'm still disappointed. Maybe it is the tone or the piety that still irks me, I'm not sure. But, like I said, I am happy I'm finished and I recommend this novel to any reader with the patience to wait for a fantastic story with a great twist on a "nowadays" common supernatural creature. I am very excited for "The Lost Saint"'s release on December 28th.
Shortly after reviewing "Losing Faith " for Denise Jaden, I received an email from Denise about The Contemps. The email contained a very awesome PDF explanation; because I can't really post a PDF on blogger (that I know of), I simply copied and pasted. THE CONTEMPS: YA Authors Keeping it RealEmbrace the Real! www.thecontemps.com Introducing The Contemps!
We're a group of YA authors with contemporary novels releasing over the course of a year. We are passionate about realistic fiction because these are the books that remind us we're not alone in this real world. Our mission is simple — to spotlight contemporary fiction for young adults through blog posts, author events, and (over)sharing from our teen years.
We hope you'll help us spread the word to readers about our group! We have fun things planned on the site all year long, including a contest going on NOW through November 15, 2010.
Take the Challenge! Read 18 of our 21 books and enter to win all 21 of our books! The contest is open to anyone age 13 — 113! Visit the "Get Involved" page at www.thecontemps.com for more information. Read, Write and Celebrate Realistic YA with: Denise Jaden, LOSING FAITH (S&S/Simon Pulse, 9/2010) Kody Keplinger, The DUFF (Little, Brown/Poppy, 9/2010) April Henry, GIRL, STOLEN (Henry Holt, 9/2010) Mindi Scott, FREEFALL (S&S/Simon Pulse, 10/2010) Daisy Whitney, THE MOCKINGBIRDS (Little, Brown, 10/2010) Sarah Ockler, FIXING DELILAH (Little, Brown, 12/2010) Courtney Summers, FALL FOR ANYTHING (St. Martin's Press,12/2010) Michael Northrop, TRAPPED (Scholastic, 1/2011) Sara Bennett Wealer, RIVAL (HarperTeen, 2/2011) Lindsey Leavitt, SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD (Bloomsbury, 3/2011) Kirsten Hubbard, LIKE MANDARIN (Random House/Delacorte, 3/2011) Micol Ostow, FAMILY (Egmont USA, 4/2011) Emily Wing Smith, BACK WHEN YOU WERE EASIER TO LOVE(Dutton, 4/2011) Jo Knowles, PEARL (Henry Holt, Spring, 2011) Hannah Harrington, SAVING JUNE (Harlequin Teen, 5/2011) Lisa Schroeder, THE DAY BEFORE (S&S/Simon Pulse, 6/2011) Elizabeth Scott, BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER (Simon Pulse, 6/2011) Melissa Walker, SMALL-TOWN SINNERS (Bloomsbury, 7/2011) Brent Crawford, Third CARTER book (Disney-Hyperion, summer, 2011) Kristen Tracy, SHARKS AND BOYS (Disney-Hyperion, summer, 2011) Sarah Darer Littman, WANT TO GO PRIVATE? (Scholastic Press, 8/2011)
I printed two copies of the PDF and have one up for my students to see (above) and one up with my own progress (which is very little right now, "Losing Faith" and "The DUFF") (below).
Since posting these I have had several students ask how they can get in on the "challenge" and what the prizes are. I've had such a great response that I have about six girls coming in after school on Wednesdays to talk about what they are currently reading and how far they have come in the challenge.
This has turned out to be a fantastic classroom activity that has really sparked the interest of my students. I only have one book on my shelf right now, "The DUFF," but students have really gone out of their way to find these books, at least the ones already released.
My class and I will be participating in this challenge, will you?
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!
Today is the release day for 2 amazing books -- Sweet Venom and Vanish. To celebrate this, Tera Lynn Childs and Sophie Jordan are here today to share some of their favorite romantic novels.
Favorite Romantic Novels Favorite Romantic Books by Tera Lynn Childs
Romantic books have been such a big part of my life and my career, it’s hard to narrow this down to a manageable list. I have about fifty romances on my forever keepers shelves. But if I have to pick some favorites, here goes:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I first read this in my freshman Lit Hum class at Columbia and it turned my world upside-down. Here was a book I loved—swoon, Darcy, swoon—and it was considered important enough to be studied in an Ivy League literature class. This is the moment that I realized a book can be both popular and important. And a romance novel, to boot.
The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey. When I first decided to try this whole writing thing, I literally devoured the romance section at my local bookstore. Johanna Lindsey was my first auto-buy author. She is the master of The Moment, that line that just takes your breath away. In this book, it’s Warren (after Amy’s been chasing him the entire book) saying, “You can’t give up on me!”
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn. I cannot begin to describe in a few sentences how much I love this book. It is just one of the most powerful romances I’ve ever read. Julia Quinn is genius at creating characters who absolutely cannot possibly make it work, and then making it work. Simon and Daphne are a close second to Darcy and Elizabeth for my favorite romantic couple of all time. I dare anyone to read this book and not cry a dozen times. I always do.
Favorite Romantic Books by Sophie Jordan
What’s my favorite romantic book!?!?! Wow – that’s like asking a food junkie to pick her fav dish (which would be tough for me, too)! There are just so many choices – especially since romance has been my favorite genre for so long. Okay, here’s my list: The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey. It’s a historical romance featuring one of the strongest, take-charge heroines ever! It’s really a stand-out historical romance. When I first read it years ago it felt so new and fresh. And when I reread it now, I can still say the same thing. It has that universal, timeless appeal.
Second choice would probably be … Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey. Another historical romance. The books are connected, too. I just love the tension of a girl disguising herself as a boy. Oh, the fireworks when the truth is revealed! Hm, contemporary romance would have to go to Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s Nobody’s Baby But Mine. It features an outrageous premise … but is an amazingly emotional and very “real” story. My favorite romantic suspense novel is Linda Howard’s Open Season – it has the perfect balance of suspense and romance, but at its core it’s an ugly duckling story. I know these qualify as my favorites because they’re all books I’ve read multiple times. That’s always my gauge.
As for young adult novels … hm, there are so many where the romance is really strong and at the core. They might as well be called a young adult romance. I’ll choose The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Both books have some hot boys and empathetic, likeable heroines. But it’s no easy road to a happily ever after for these characters. Just like in the adult romance books I listed above, you get tons of agonizing conflict. And in the meantime tons of tension and steamy chemistry that sizzles on every page. These are the titles that pop in my head right off the bat … but ask me a year from now and I’m sure I’ll have new titles to add.
Vanish by Sophie Jordan Publisher: HarperTeen (September 6th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 304 pages Series: Firelight #2 To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?
In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.
Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (September 6th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 352 pages Series: Sweet #1 Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.
Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.
Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.
These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.
Sophie and Tera Lynn’s upcoming tour stops: September 7 @ 7 PM Blue Willow Bookshop Houston, TX September 8 @ 7 PM Books & Co Dayton, OH September 9 @ 7 PM Magic Tree Bookstore Chicago, IL October 1 Austin Teen Book Festival Austin, TX The next blog tour stop: Thursday, September 8 – The Bookish Brunette About the authors: Tera Lynn Childs (Authora neo) is a newly discovered species of author fish who always dreamed of being a mermaid, but never got closer than a career as a competitive swimmer. She loves to spend as much time as possible in and around water (right up until her fingertips turn all pruney) in the vain hope that one day her legs will magically turn into fins. When stuck on land, Authora neo can be found writing in coffee shops across the country, prowling for cool mermaid gear on Etsy, and spending way too much time online. Visit her at http://teralynnchilds.com. Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler. Visit her at www.sophiejordan.net.
Today is the release day of Suzanne Young's newest book A Need So Beautiful . I can tell you that I have read this book and it blew me away! It is unique, captivating, addicting, and more! In order to celebrate this epic release, a few lovely people came up with a great idea of how we can all"pay it forward" and show some kindness to others. If you are wondering why that is important to the book, here is the book 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. Authors have provided several Random Acts of Kindness to me that have helped me stay positive and enjoy my passion of books. When my blog first started it was those initial conversations with my favorite authors that inspired me to keep going and share my love of books with others. I will never forget the people who helped me along the way. It's important to always pass on kindness in any way you can.
Giveaway We have several giveaways to tell you about, with lots of ways to get extra entries!
Extra Entries:
Earn one extra entry for each of the following: -Take a picture of an author's book in the wild and tweet it to us and the author -Post a positive Amazon review for a book you loved -Donate a book to a library or classroom -Tweet a good deed you plan to do this week, using the #ANeedSoBeautiful hashtag
Earn 10 extra entries for each of the following: -Take a picture of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL in the wild and tweet it to us and Suzanne Young -Post an Amazon review for A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL -Donate a copy of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL to a library or classroom
Prize List: First 3 chapter critique (Jessica at Confessions of a Bookaholic ) YA Lit Swag Bag (Sara at N ovel Novice ) Hourglass Order from TBD – Int (Corrine at Lost for Words ) Random Books (Jessi at The Elliott Review ) 2 Header/Button Packs (Jessica at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile ) First 3 chapters Critique (Cindy at Books Complete Me ) First 15 pages Critique (Kari at A Good Addiction ) Signed ARC of Hereafter (Kari at A Good Addiction ) Query Letter Critique (S hannon Messenger ) Signed copy of Invincible Summer – US/Can ( Hannah Moskowitz ) First Chapter Critique and a Skype Chat ( Keri Mikulski ) Signed copy of Tell Me a Secret with signed TMAS art print — US ( Holly Cupala ) Signed copy of Chasing Brooklyn – US ( Lisa Schroeder ) The Pledge Swag Pack including ARC ( Kimberly Derting )
Daisy Whitney's Blog: 5 copies up for grabs by going to her facebook page or blog.
Rules: Contest ends June 28th Open Internationally but some giveaways are US only. Fill out the form below to enter.
*NOTE- This is the same form on ALL of the participating blogs. Please only enter once!
I am also giving everyone a chance to win a copy of A Need So Beautiful in the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop. It is open Internationally.
Suzanne Young: Website | Twitter
A Need So Beautiful: Balzer & Bray (6/21/11) Add to Goodreads
Today I have the wonderful Beck McDowell here to talk a little about her new book, This is Not a Drill.
Be sure to check the links below to follow along with the rest of the tour.
1. As someone who taught in schools, were you ever afraid of a situation like what happens in your book, happening in your classroom or school?
I was never consciously afraid of violence in my classroom, but I dreamed about it several times, so I know the anxiety was there. It’s just such a huge responsibility, knowing that – if something happens – the lives of those 20 or 30 kids are in your hands. I also traveled in Europe with my students in summers, so I was very aware of safety issues.
Fortunately, nothing like this ever happened to me, although I remember several occasions when a student was found carrying a gun in our building. The only time I ever felt danger was when I was pregnant and got knocked to the ground while trying to break up a fight. A huge crowd of students was surging forward to watch and couldn’t see me on the floor. It was terrifying! Fortunately, another teacher came, broke it up, and rescued me. I haven’t tried to break up a fight since.
2. What inspired you to tell this story?
My then 2nd grade nephew told me they’d been instructed, if they were in the bathroom and heard gunshots in the hall, to lock the stall, sit on the toilet, and pull their feet up so an intruder wouldn’t see them. It was heartbreaking to picture him in there alone and terrified. It made me feel like kids were already losing their innocence when we had to paint that kind of scenario for them. I hate that our world requires those kinds of scary conversations with our children, but it’s obvious, in light of recent events, that teaching them to hit the floor if shooting starts might save their lives. How do you teach that without traumatizing them – but how can you risk not teaching it?
3. What can you tell us about Emery and Jake?
Emery and Jake are both fighting their own inner battles long before they’re involved in the classroom one. She’s dealing with an absentee parent, a domineering one, and a puzzling illness. Jake is reeling from the death of a parent, a difficult step-parent, and a damaged reputation. But I don’t think I’ve overloaded their lives with unrealistic conflict. So many of the teens I taught were facing these huge life issues – several at once – and yet they moved through the school day with poise and strength that amazed me. I only knew about those incredible hardships through their writing or sometimes when they came after school to talk; I was honored by their trust when they shared problems with me.
Emery and Jake are a lot like the students I taught – they’re smart and strong and brave when the need arises. They draw on inner resources they didn’t even know they had when facing down an armed gunman. I’d trust my kids to respond with the same calm competence in a real crisis.
4. What was the most difficult part of writing such an emotional story?
The last few chapters were the hardest part to write. There can’t be a truly happy ending to a story like this. When unstable people are armed, we can’t always protect the innocent. I wanted a resolution that made sense – one that readers could accept if not embrace. I wrote what I felt would actually happen in a situation like this — but with a twist or two to keep readers guessing.
5. What do you hope readers take from this story?
I hope to foster a little better understanding of post traumatic stress. Our culture frowns on what’s considered “weakness” if someone needs help, when – in reality – any reasonable person would be deeply troubled by war or abuse or an accident or tragedy. Our soldiers face a huge adjustment coming home from war. Brian Stutts is the “bad guy” – no doubt – but would he have instigated this horrific tragedy in a first grade classroom if he’d had psychological help?
I’d also like to increase awareness of POTS, which is easy to treat but tricky to diagnose – and affects 1 in 100 teens. I hope, too, that the bravery of Emery and Jake will inspire any readers who find themselves in a dangerous situation to stay calm and help those around them.
This is Not a Drill by Beck McDowell Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (October 25th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 224 pages Two teens try to save a class of first-graders from a gun-wielding soldier suffering from PTSD
When high school seniors Emery and Jake are taken hostage in the classroom where they tutor, they must work together to calm both the terrified children and the gunman threatening them--a task made even more difficult by their recent break-up. Brian Stutts, a soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq, uses deadly force when he's denied access to his son because of a custody battle. The children's fate is in the hands of the two teens, each recovering from great loss, who now must reestablish trust in a relationship damaged by betrayal. Told through Emery and Jake's alternating viewpoints, this gripping novel features characters teens will identify with and explores the often-hidden damages of war.
Website | Goodreads | Twitter
Amazon | Barnes & Noble Check out the next tour stops:Monday, Nov. 12 KATIE’S BOOK BLOG — http://www.katiesbookblog.com/
Today I am posting my review of Shattered Promises for the blog tour! I absolutely adored this book and can't wait to read book 2.
Shattered Promises by Jessica Sorensen Published: February 26th, 2013 Reading Level: New Adult Paperback: 284 pages Source: Author Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary:
For twenty-one year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. She knows nothing about her past and has been haunted by the same monsters in her nightmares for the last few months. Unemotional and numb to life, she feels disconnected from everyone. Until the very first day she cries. After that, nothing in her life is the same. Her emotions slowly surface and she starts experiencing love, happiness, and anger, feelings she never knew existed. But they leave her confused and she doesn’t know whether to embrace them or run away from them. Her life only gets more complicated when she meets Alex. Sexy, arrogant, and secretive, Alex can get under Gemma’s skin like no one can. Yet she’s drawn to him by an invisible connection she has no control over. She’s also seen him before. In her nightmares. Every part of Gemma’s mind is screaming at her to stay away from Alex, but every other part of her is begging to get close to him. But the closer she gets, the more she realizes Alex knows more about her than he originally let on. As secrets about her past unravel, Gemma’s life becomes threatened. She needs to figure out what’s going on, before she winds up dead. But the only person she can turn to for answers is the one person she isn’t sure she can trust.
Review:
I truly loved this story! I am already a huge fan of Jessica's work and this just made that fan-girl feeling stronger. Shattered Promises involves a plot I had never encountered before. Gemma hasn't had a great life and she deals with the lack of expression emotions partly do to that fact. It's something she's tried to get used to. But one day the emotional wall breaks down and she realizes that something within her is changing. Around this time, she meets Alex. Alex is infuriating at first. He snaps at her for no reason and makes Gemma's blood boil. This instantly made me love them both because I can't help but be drawn into those love/hate relationships.
Gemma has no idea why she can't seem to get away from Alex but soon she finds out. Someone is after her and she is more important than she could have ever imagined. This introduces her to a world she never knew existed. The world-building in this book is excellent! It's so complicated but I never felt confused or put off by the details. I was completely entranced and couldn't make myself put the book down.
The other characters we meet in the story, Alex's sister and their"friend" Laylen. Wow, Laylen! You will love him, I promise! But each person brought so much to this story. I looked forward to finding out more about them as it continued.
Now, this book is 100% NA! These scenes were HOT! I was blushing like crazy. I felt it was the perfect type of romance that 2 young people have — passionate, spontaneous, and fun.
After reading this book I immediately checked with Jessica to see when the next one is coming out. I will be reading it as soon as I get my hands on it.
If you are a fan of NA, or just awesome books in general, pick this one up! The plot, characters, and romance were written to perfection and made this completely un-put-downable!
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 Boyfriends of 2011!
Divergent by Veronica Roth Katherine Tegen Books (May 3rd, 2011)
Who: Four Why: Four was absolutely incredible! He was so strong but you could really see his gentle side come out with Tris. He made her a better character, which is always a nice touch! 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) Who: Ethan Why: Ethan is not a typical character at all. He was always there for Nara without being too forceful playing games with her. She could depend on him and their connection was deep and powerful! 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)
Who: Harlin Why: I loved Harlin because he seemed so realistic. This was one of the rare books where a romance already existed before the story starts. I think that really made him stand out he was a very sweet character. 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.
Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace Accendo Press (August 26th, 2011) Who: Mirko Why: Cause he's hot! He's strong, wise, and can kick major butt. He's also gentle and sweet when it comes to Brooke and her well-being. But yeah, he's hot! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.
Cross My Heart by Katie Klein Kindle Edition (March 14th, 2011)
Who: Parker Why: Wow, Parker! He was just, wow.I'm not sure how to describe Parker. He was quiet, the bad-boy without really trying to be, but mostly he was sensitive, smart, and very sexy! I think it would be pretty impossible to read this book and not fall for him. Review Coming Soon Add it to Goodreads
Summary: True love can blossom in unexpected places. This is Jaden pretending not to notice..
Jaden McEntyre and Parker Whalen are a wrong fit from the start. Jaden is driven and focused, Harvard Med School within reach. Parker has a past-a reputation-and the rumors about his mysterious habits abound. So there's no reason why, when they're assigned to work together on a project in English, they should discover they have anything in common, or even like each other, and they definitely shouldn't be falling in love.
As they bond over Edith Wharton's tragic novella, Ethan Frome, the"bad boy" vibe Parker plays begins to dissipate. Soon, Jaden finds herself shedding her own"good girl" image: sneaking around to be with him, confiding in him, and ultimately falling hard for this leather-wearing, motorcycle-driving loner who plays into the rebel stereotype.
Still, Jaden can't shake the feeling that there's more to Parker than he's letting on. He's hiding something from her, and discovering the truth means reconciling the Parker she's grown to love with the person he really is. Because it's possible that his life inside the classroom-everything Jaden knows-is one, massive lie.
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins Hyperion Books (March 22nd, 2011) Who: Cal Why: Cal is another quiet guy, but one with a ton of power hiding behind his exterior. He is a character I can't wait to read more about! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.
That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.
Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.
But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?
Half-Blood by Janenifer L. Armentrout Spencer Hill Press (October 18th, 2011)
Who: Aiden Why: Does this even need an explanation?? Aiden is super-duper hot! He's a kick-butt instructor, he's hard on her but he also knows when to stop. He"gets" her more than anyone else. He's just flippin' perfect! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
Seers of Light by Janenifer DeLucy Omnific Publishing (February 10th, 2010) Who: William Why: William and Lily had incredible chemistry! The romance was scorching hot and no one could deny their intense attraction. I think a lot of people would kill for that type of romance! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Lillian Hunt has never truly lived. Always sensing more to the world than is easily perceived, she fears that her instincts are stubborn flights of fancy, or worse, mental instability. But some things disappearing strangers, tangible dreams, and visits from malevolent creatures cannot be ignored. Before it's too late, Lillian is ripped from the only existence she s ever known and thrust into a reality that she always suspected, but could scarcely believe. She must learn the truth about who she is, the powerful beings that wish to destroy her, and the two men who would die to protect her.
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand HarperTeen (January 4th, 2011)
Who: Tucker Why: Goodness, I love me some Tucker! Who doesn't love a guy who starts off by picking on the girl? That love/hate vibe made their connection even more wonderful. Plus, he's a freakin' cowboy! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees..
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy. Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side. As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Ten Things We Did by Sarah Mlynowski HarperTeen (June 7th, 2011) Who: Hudson Why: I don't know if any male character has been as sweet as Hudson. He started out as a friend and his kindness towards April always made her feel better. I want to read this book again just for him! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: 2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have. If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe"opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1:"Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up"Skipping School" (#3),"Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8),"Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um,"Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them. Tomorrow's Topic — Top 10 Characters! 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!
1. What do you think was the biggest influence on your passion for writing and the creativity of your stories? Probably not a what, but a who. My mom homeschooled me and my two sisters from when I was in second grade onward. Before that, even, she bought us tons of books and amassed a sizeable library. Being homeschooled gave me the time to chase inspirations, research endlessly, and actually sit down and write novel-length manuscripts. Couldn’t have done it without my mom! 2. You wrote a lot of stories at a young age. Do you ever think you will revisit those characters for a later book?
I’m definitely tempted, sometimes. In a manuscript called Celandine’s Wings, there’s an albino winged girl named Celandine who lives on a tropical island. She would be interesting to revive; there’s also Red Janenet, a fiery redheaded pirate from the same story as Celandine, who likes to wield two pistols and stock her ship with plunder, like any good pirate. Also, even farther back, there’s a medieval minstrel named Wendel who happens to be a werewolf cursed with a disease that will kill him if he changes. I think pieces of Wendel crept into Bloodborn, actually… 3. If you could be a shapeshifting spirit, what creature would you like to be? Why, a pooka, of course. All the quality shapeshifters are pookas nowadays.
4. What has been the most surprising part of this process? What has shocked you the most since Other was released? Most surprising… hmmm. That would probably be being asked to write a second book, Bloodborn, and then a third, Foxfire, months before Other even came out! After Other released, I haven’t been very shocked, but pleasantly surprised at all the good reviews. 5. Bloodborn, the sequel to Other, will be released in 2011. Is there anything you would like to share about this upcoming book? Have you wondered what happened to Brock, who hunts werewolves in Other, and ends up getting bitten and turned into a werewolf himself? Or what life is like within the Bitterroot Pack? Or even how Others in different states live? All these questions—and more—will be answered in Bloodborn …
Other by Karen Kincy Publisher: Flux (July 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: Other, book #1 Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.
When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive.
TAKE GEORGE CLOONEY HOMEIN ONE OF THE YEAR’S MOST CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILMS
Experience the Heartbreak and Humor When the Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Winner Comes to Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD March 13 From director Alexander Payne creator of the Oscar® winning Sideways comes one of the Best Pictures of the year, THE DESCENDANTS, featuring a stunning cast including Best Actor nominee George Clooney (Ides of March) and Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) in her Golden Globe nominated and Independent Spirit Award winning role. Take home this wonderfully warm and witty film and go behind the scenes of THE DESCENDANTS with all-new exclusive content on Blu-ray Disc Combo Pack and DVD March 13 from Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Based on the best-selling novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings and set in Hawaii, THE DESCENDANTS is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries. Nominated for five Academy Awards® and winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, THE DESCENDANTS is a must-have on Blu-ray and DVD. The release is packed with must-see deleted scenes, behind the scenes extras and exclusive featurettes to bring you even further into the story. Have any of you read the book or seen the movie? I plan to watch it very soon and I'll be hosting a giveaway for it next week! Here is a study guide that can be used to compare the book to the movie.
Future Imperfect by K. Ryer Breese Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (April 26th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 320 pages Source: Publisher Rating: 3 of 5 stars Ade Patience can see the future and it's destroying his life. When the seventeen-year-old Mantlo High School student knocks himself unconscious, he can see days and decades into his own future. Ade's the best of Denver's"divination" underground and eager to join the heralded Mantlo Diviners, a group of similarly enabled teens. Yet, unlike the Diviners, Ade Patience doesn't see the future out of curiosity or good will; Ade gives himself concussions because he's addicted to the high, the Buzz, he gets when he breaks the laws of physics. And while there have been visions he's wanted to change, Ade knows the Rule: You can't change the future, no matter how hard you try. His memory is failing, his grades are in a death spiral, and both Ade's best friend and his shrink are begging him to stop before he kills himself. Ade knows he needs to straighten-out. Luckily, the stunning Vauxhall Rodolfo has just transferred to Mantlo and, as Ade has seen her in a vision two years previously, they're going to fall in love. It's just the motivation Ade needs to kick his habit. Only things are a bit more complicated. Vauxhall has an addiction of her own, and, after a a vision in which he sees Vauxhall's close friend, Jimmy, drown while he looks on seemingly too wasted to move, Ade realizes that he must break the one rule he's been told he can't. The pair must overcome their addictions and embrace their love for each other in order to do the impossible: change the future. Review: This is a very unique story of a young boy and his very special ability. Ade can see the future but the only catch is, he has to knock himself out in order to do it. He's seventeen, in high school, and gets a lot of attention for his actions. People know what he can do and they each have different reactions to his dangerous hobby. For a while, Ade can only focus on one of his many visions. It involves a girl he will meet at school after she sings on a table and comes over to sing to him. He knows this will be the love of his life. Vauxhall shows up right on time and she is more complex than Ade could have thought. Ade has his own addiction to the buzz-feeling of his visions, but he soon finds out Vaux has a buzz of her own and they are both terribly addicted. As they get closer, Ade learns that their friend Jimmy is going to die and he thinks he is the one to kill him. He knows that you can't mess with the future but it seems impossible to let this vision happen. When Future Imperfect begins we get to know Ade and his ability. I admit that it was difficult to read about his dangerous, high-risk behaviors. He is obviously addicted to the high he receives after experiencing a vision; which can be linked to how teens feel after doing drugs or drinking. So this book does look into the dynamics of an addiction. I enjoyed the new spin this book puts on the supernatural. Books where an individual has a special ability may not be rare, but the way it is presented in this book makes it very uncommon. I do wish I would have had a stronger connection to the characters. I wanted to feel more compassion for Ade and Vaux as they took their journey together. The book shifts towards the middle and we go from the relationship of Ade and Vaux to a more complete understanding of the supernatural aspects they are dealing with. Future Imperfect is a very raw, tough story of a young boy dealing with more problems than most. His addiction, love life, and supernatural enemies bring power to this fascinating story.
Find K. Ryer Breese Website | Goodreads | Facebook
Purchase Future Imperfect Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
St. Martin's has a great new promotion for Fated, book one in #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël's new Soul Seekers series. When fans pre-order Fated in any format (print, e-book or audiobook) and submit their receipt, they will receive a pair of soul seeker inspired earrings–while supplies last. They look so cute! Check out the rules by visiting http://stmartins.com/fatedpreorder St. Martin's be mailing out the earrings approx. 4-6 weeks after Fated goes on-sale (5/22). If you want to read more about Fated, you can read an excerpt & a special bonus scene on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/soulseekersseries.
Fated by Alyson No ël Publisher: St. Martin's Press (May 22nd, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 308 pages Series: Soul Seekers #1 The first book in a magnificent new series about a girl who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël.
Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.
There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before… but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with… or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy. I can't wait to read Fated and I'm already in love with the cover. Anyone else excited to check out this new series?
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.
First, we wanted to do a little wrap-up for the year! 117 Books Read! 36,776 pages read! 435 posts this year!
My goal for this year was 100 books so next year I'm bringing that up to 110!
Today is Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012!
Why: I've had Divergent on every single list this week so it's obvious that I'm dying to get my hands on this book! Can't.wait!! Add it to Goodreads Summary: 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.
Onyx by Janenifer L. Armentrout Entangled Publishing (May 2012) Series: Lux #2 Why: Does anything by Janenifer even need an explanation anymore? Hot guys, wonderful plots, kick-butt heroines, it's all there! And look at that *points to cover*.yeah… who can resist him?! Add it to GoodreadsSummary:No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins Hyperion Books (March 13th, 2012) Series: Hex Hall #3
Why: I adored the first 2 books in this series and I can't wait to find out what happens next. Sophie is one of my favorite female characters of all time! Add it to Goodreads Summary: Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?
Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready Simon Pulse (May 1st, 2012) Series: Shade #3 Why: This series has a special place in my heart! I'm so sad to see it end but I know Jeri will not disappoint.Add it to GoodreadsSummary: No other love has burned so bright
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced that she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves… even if that means betraying her own heart.
Why:Starcrossed was awesome and I really need to read this book! There were so many questions that have to be answered and I can't wait to see how it all plays out! Add it to Goodreads Summary: As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.
As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more.
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore Dial (May 1st, 2012) Series: The Seven Kingdoms #3 Why: I read Graceling and Fire a long time ago and have been checking on this book for over a year! I was so excited to see the cover and a release date, YAY! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Why: Hourglass was a whole book of greatness and I know this one will be just as good. And, I do <3 me some Kaleb!! Add it to Goodreads Summary: A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking…
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough…
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver HarperTeen (February 28th, 2012) Series: Delirium #2 Why: Love the storyline that goes along with this series and Delirium really left me needing more! I plan to read this one very very soon! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: 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.
Fever by Lauren DeStefano Simon & Schuster (February 21st, 2012) Series: The Chemical Gardens #2
Why: Another very unique dystopian and I really want to get my hands on this book to find out what happens to Rhine and Gabriel! Add it to Goodreads Summary:Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion. But danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago―surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The Two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine's twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous―and in a world where young woman only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can't seem to elude Rhine's father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion… by any means necessary.
Deity by Janenifer L. Armentrout Spencer Hill Press (November 8th, 2012) Series: Covenant #3 Why: *see answer above*: ) Actually, there is another book, Pure, coming out before this one, but I read it as soon as it entered my door so now I must have Deity.like.NOW! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: (Not available yet)
A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young Balzer + Bray (June 26th, 2012) Series: A Need So Beautiful #2
Why: Really loved A Need So Beautiful and the interesting plot in this series. It was another book that left me with a ton of questions that I gotta know the answers to! Plus, Harlin *swoon*. Add it to Goodreads Summary: Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park, with no idea who she is.
After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She’s experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people’s lives—people she’s never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose affect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who’s new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.
Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really? Yes, I know that was 11: ) There are so many more books too! I tried to highlight books in a series here but below are a few stand-alone books I can't wait for…
If I Lie by Corrine Jackson Simon Pulse (August 28th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Breaking Beautiful by Janenifer Shaw Wolf Walker & Company (April 24th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry Harlequin Teen (August 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Something Like Normal by Trish Doller Bloomsbury (June 19th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt Simon Pulse (July 10h, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
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!
Sourcebooks has two fabulous summer lovin' books coming out. The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond and While He Was Away by Karen Schreck are both released May 1st. Today I have a guest post from Katherine on why we crave fame. Sign up below for a chance to win both titles!
Why We Crave Fame “Celebrity-in-Hiding.” When I first started writing THE SUMMER OF NO REGRETS, I didn’t want to admit how much that idea intrigued me. I’m a lot like my main character, Brigitta—all about finding the meaning of life, not fantasizing over whether the guy next door is a movie star. When I bought a National Enquirer, I explained to the grocery store clerk that it was for research— that I was writing a book (“Yes,” I told her modestly, “I am an author.”) I certainly didn’t normally read that sort of thing. Of course not. Well, okay, maybe the headlines. Occasionally.
But as I read through stacks of People and Star and Us (which is a lot like eating sugar cubes all day long), and more stacks of celebrity biographies, I started to wonder what the deal is about fame. Why does it fascinate us? Why do we love the idea of either being famous or being connected to somebody famous?
I think it’s because we’ve got some interesting ideas about “being known.” If I’m “known,” people know who I am, right? Lots of people. Those people will say I’m talented and beautiful and they’ll treat me with special respect. If I’m known, I get to wear amazing clothes and ride in limousines. People will do what I want just because I’m known. If I only eat the green M&M’s, someone will pick those out of the five-pound bag and put them into a crystal dish for me. If I’m known, I am important—more important than that boss who fired me, or the teacher who gave me a C and said “You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” or the security guard who threw me out of a mall in Seattle for plugging my cellphone into a floor outlet (true story!)
But is that really what being known is? Getting special treatment and being better than somebody else? Who really knows me when I’m known like that? What I crave, what I really crave, is to have a few people who will look into my eyes and know me—know how I wrinkle my nose when I laugh, and what my favorite show is, and why I’m afraid of guns. It’s what we all want, I think—people who will listen to us when we’re scared, and scream with us on the roller coaster, and trust us with their hurts. We want to know we matter. We want to have a few people we don’t have to hide ourselves from.
So is Brigitta’s next-door-neighbor a secret superstar? We can talk about that later. I need to go to the grocery store and read some headlines.
The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (May 1st, 2012) Paperback: 290 pages The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she's never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he's Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie's fantasy to be true.
As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, she isn't sure of anything. What is the truth? More importantly, can she accept it?
While He Was Away by Karen Schreck Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (May 1st, 2012) Paperback: 249 pages This is just something I have to do, okay?" I hear David say."The right thing."
He cradles my face in his hands. He kisses me hard. Then he lets go of me. His eyes dart from me to whatever's next.
All she wants is for him to stay. She's been doing pretty well, pretending he doesn't have to go. But one day, after one last night to remember, she wakes up and there's no denying it anymore. He's gone.
When Penna Weaver's boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she's left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing.
She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with?
Prize:
1 winner will receive a copy of The Summer of No Regrets and While He Was Away.
Rules:
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 9th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
The form must be filled out to enter.
Find Katherine Grace Bond Website | Goodreads | Twitter
Hi there! My name is Kari Lee Townsend, and I am the author of THE SAMANTHA GRANGER EXPERIMENT series. I am thrilled to be the guest blogger for today, especially on such a fantastic blog. I thought it would be fun to share with you all how I came up with the idea for FUSED, and what the most challenging parts of writing the first book were. I am a mom of four children. My boys are 12, almost 14, and 16, and my daughter is 8 (poor babyJ) My kids LOVE their gadgets: everything from their x-box, to their I-pods, to their cell phones. Especially their cell phones! So much so I truly think they’re obsessed J Every time I turn around, their faces are staring down and their thumbs are flying as they send text after text after text until my eyes cross from just watching them.
One day I finally said, “If you’re not careful, you’ll turn into one of your gadgets!”
Huge light bulb moment for me, people. I thought OMG that would make a fabulous book, and voila, Samantha Granger was born. A techno superhero who goes by the name Digital Diva and has a GPS in her head, cell phone in her hand, camera in her eyes, and many more functions. Of course I then had to dedicate and thank my children over and over and over or risk never hearing the end of it. They love to inform me, “See, Mom. We told you technology rocks.” Seriously, though, I have to admit… they are the best brainstormers on the planet. They give me so many ideas for some really cool scenes.
Which brings me to the challenging parts of writing this book. As I said earlier, my children might be techno geniuses, but I definitely am not! I had to learn the lingo, figure out how to operate the gadgets, and really research the central nervous system. My background is in English. Science… not so much. I wanted the book to seem realistic, so I had the cell phone fuse with her spinal cord and take over for her brain in controlling her body. It was a blast making the scenes where she uses her powers seem like something from a CSI episode, where you can really visualize what’s going on inside her. However, keeping each “episode” fresh and unique was not easy. And as a twist, the cell phone isn’t just any cell phone, but you’ll have to read the book to discover the details J
Balancing the 911 rescues with the romance as well as trying to figure out who is after her, keep her identity a secret, and try to find a way to reverse her uniqueness was not easy. So much goes into pulling all the parts of a book together, but writing FUSED was so much fun, I’d do it over and over again in a heartbeat. Actually, I sort of am J Book two, FEARLESS, comes out in June of 2011, and book three, FREEDOM, comes out in November of 2011.
Thanks so much for having me, and I hope you all enjoy THE SAMANTHA GRANGER EXPERIMENT as much as I did. If so, write to me and tell me about it. I love to hear from my readers. And if you go on my website, I have some fun activities that go along with the book under the Fun Stuff tab. http://www.karileetownsend.com Enjoy, and don’t forget to embrace your inner diva!
The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused by Kari Lee Townsend Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (November 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Middle Grade Paperback: 192 pages After Sam is fused with her cell phone, she's ready to conquer the world! Or at least the 8th grade…
When Samantha Granger touches a meteor while talking on her cell phone, her life is changed forever: her body now has all the capabilities of her phone (GPS, phone, text, camera). She secretly calls herself a"Digital Diva" as she rushes to answer emergency calls. But will her identity be discovered when sparks fly (literally!) between her and Trevor, her dreamy crush? Samantha has to get a handle on her abilities and quick, because when Sam gets kidnapped and the entire town is in danger, she is the only one who can save them.
Find out more about Kari Lee Townsend Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository / IndieBound
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (May 3rd, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 224 pages Source: Publisher Rating: 4 of 5 stars I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.
Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface. While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever. Review: Moonglass is a great summer read but the story goes much deeper than you may expect. Anna is forced to leave her home after her father gets a job offer. She is not happy with the fact she has to leave her friends behind right before her junior year. But this new location holds many secrets. It's the same beach where her father and mother met years ago.
While Anna tries to get used to her new surroundings, she finds out more about her mother and father's relationship than she thought she would. Her mother died when she was young so Anna is fascinated with the bits of information she is able to get from this new place. But these memories are painful and Anna and her father are trying to deal with the pain in their own ways.
The setting for Moonglass is stunning. The vivid descriptions made me truly feel as if I was there on the beach with Anna. Jessi Kirby really knows how to bring a setting to life! Anna was a terrific character and it was easy to see the similarities between her and her father. She was strong, determined, and adventurous. It seems that her past has shaped her into a person that appreciates what she has. She seems more wise than others her age.
While at Crystal Cove she meets a lifeguard, Tyler. Their relationship starts very slowly because of her father's strict nature when it comes to Anna dating a lifeguard. But it was nice to see each character unfold and embrace each other in a more natural way. There are so many terrific characters in this story. Anna's father, James, Jillian, Ashley.all brought very interesting details to this book.
If you are looking for a great summer read that holds a lot of mystery, Moonglass is a great pick!
4. In what ways do you feel bloggers make a difference in the book community? Have you ever been surprised by their influence?
It feels like they make a big difference, or at least I’d like to think so. They definitely can help make an author look good to their publisher, which is always nice.
I’m not sure how much they affect book sales on a grand scale, because I see some books adored by bloggers that don’t sell well, and some huge bestsellers that bloggers give very mixed or negative reviews. I guess that’s the case with anything, though—like movies that do great at the box office despite really bad reviews.
That being said! If a reader sees ten good reviews for a certain book, even if they just glance at them and don’t follow the links to read more or buy, that tenth good review might be the one that makes them pick up that book when they see it in the store or library. So even though Reviews 1-9 didn’t directly result in a sale, that doesn’t mean they weren’t necessary.
I would love to hear readers talk about what it is about certain reviews that puts them over the edge between, “Hmm, that sounds good, I might want to read that some time,” and “I must buy that book now!” — Jeri Smith-Ready
It was a little difficult for me to realize how many people are reviewing my books, and keeping track of my publications. I was a bit self-conscious for a while, but I've gotten used to it over the years. I'm delighted that bloggers have so much influence. They help me get the word out about what I'm doing, and what's coming up soon. — Nancy Holder
Bloggers have found a way to bridge the ravine between author and reader. Professional reviewers who write for the big newspapers and magazines are at arm’s length of both writer and reader. They serve a purpose, but they’re just talking heads giving a static opinion. Bloggers make the connection and create the personal relationships. They are real readers who read for fun, get excited about authors and books and enjoy sharing their passion with others. Instead of getting the opinion of some person sitting in a sky-rise office, we’re getting the opinion of a friend whose tastes we know and usually tend to agree with.
Bloggers also provide a way for authors to reach out to readers through interviews and guest posts. They help to make authors feel more like real people to readers, as well as the opposite – give authors names and faces of their fans. A good blogger can have such a positive influence on the book community. I can’t say that I’m surprised by their influence, but I’m glad for them to have it. Actual readers deserve to have a say in what they want to read instead of choices being dictated by a handful of decision-makers. Bloggers represent the readers and serve as their voice. It’s really an awesome position to be in and one bloggers shouldn’t take lightly. — Kristie Cook
I’m still amazed by the truly global nature of many of these blogs. People from many nations all gather in one location to share their words, their stories and talk about what’s important to them, be it real life, books, movies, whatever. Wow. Talk about shrinking the world to fit on the head of a pin. I have met many new friends via blogs from as far away as Israel and Australia. They share with me books they enjoy and I do the same. That global community of readers is truly awe inspiring, at least for me. — Jana Oliver
Bloggers open up a completely new avenue for communication with readers. They’re like friends telling you their opinions of things. I think the whole internet is like that. We’ve fallen in love with judging things, which I think comes pretty naturally to us. I’m not sure bloggers always realize how powerful they are. — Julie Chibbaro
Bloggers, in so many ways, are more focused on good books… not necessarily highly commercialized ones. I've seen many an indie author being recognized for their work thanks to bloggers, and I absolutely know they impact other readers. I think people can relate well to how real bloggers feel about a story more than anyone else, and these bloggers are right there in the thick of novels, reading like it's going out of style. They're some majorly dedicated people. — Janenifer DeLucy
Definitely. After Kristi blogged about Tell Me a Secret, suddenly it was everywhere. Bloggers helped spread the word about the book launch and later the trailer launch party, which spread like wildfire in just a couple of days. I often read my favorite blogs to find out about the latest book obsessions, what interests readers, and their thoughts about the future of YA. — Holly Cupala
I think bloggers do a fantastic job about getting the word out about books. I've found countless books from bloggers, some of my favorite reads. The blogs I like best are the ones that really embrace books. I'm not at all surprised by their effect because really, the best thing you can do for a book is tell a friend about it. Blogging is telling a friend--and the rest of the online world. — Beth Revis
I think that bloggers make a huge difference in the book community. I honestly have no idea how people knew about new novels before book bloggers came along! The internet is an efficient way of spreading information, and bloggers do a phenomenal job of publicizing literature. The book blogging community is filled with intelligent people who love reading and writing, and their passion for books is evident. It’s fantastic that there is a thriving community of people who enjoy discussing and promoting books in a productive and positive way. The existence of this community is also great for young people, especially high school and college students. Reading and writing used to be such a solitary activity—it wasn’t as if young people could join a team of readers and writers. But now they can, because book bloggers provide the same support and synergy as a team, which is fabulous! — Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
Book bloggers are the cornerstone of the book community. It's not an accident that the biggest fans of any book are usually bloggers, because they're the ones who are most interested in spreading the word about great, new stories and most eager to get their hands on new ones. There's an interesting kind of trust in the relationship between bloggers and other readers. It's more like hearing from a friend who liked a book rather than reading a review published in a newspaper somewhere by someone whose tastes might be completely different than yours and who you'll never meet. Most bloggers are very accessible and eager to talk. That's where the community feel comes from. — Jason Letts
Totally. They create such a great buzz and tell their friends, it's really helped my sales tremendously! — Brenda Pandos
* The fifth and final question for the bloggers will be posted tomorrow in 3 parts. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.
