The Best Reader [Search results for Power] 

Childhood Trauma
by
Kristie Cook

I used to love scary movies. I still enjoy them, but I don’t go out of my way to see them unless I just have to. Probably because my husband is a very big baby when it comes to scary stuff. When I was younger, though, I did absolutely love them, especially the Nightmare on Elm Street movies.

I found, though, that the movies that scared me the most were not the ones I expected. The Elm Street movies, Friday the 13th, Halloween, etc., didn’t give me nightmares like Poltergeist or Alien did. I know I’m totally dating myself, but those are the good times I grew up with.

One of the most frightening movies for me (besides Coma) that I can remember was The Black Hole. I was 8 when my aunt and uncle took me to see it and I don’t remember much about it except that the bad guy had this robot that was big, square and scarier than any alien or psycho. From what I remember, it was like Ironman on steroids – several feet taller and wider and very mean. It absolutely terrified me, but I tried to be brave since I was with my aunt and uncle and not my mom.

Well, later that day, we were back at my grandma’s house, there was a storm and my aunt and uncle thought it would be fun to play hide-and-seek in the dark, like they did when they were young. We were the only three at home in this huge, 4-story, 5-bedroom house that probably wasn’t terribly old, but felt ancient to me, especially in the near-dark.

So I was “it” and I did my counting on the main floor in the kitchen, then went looking for them. I searched the main floor, then headed upstairs hoping to God they were up there. Grandma’s room was on the right at the top of the stairs and they weren’t in there. The next room was my aunt’s. They weren’t in there. Then a bathroom, then an office. No aunt or uncle.

Last, at the end of the hall, was the room Mom and I shared when we stayed there. The door was closed. I remember praying I’d find them both there. I did not want to go down to the basement or, even worse, the sub-basement. Monsters hid in dark corners down there. If my aunt and uncle weren’t in this room, I’d just have to give up. I hated going to the basement in broad daylight with all the interior lights on. No way was I going down there with lightning and thunder booming around us and no lights.

I gripped the doorknob and dragged in a deep breath as I very slowly opened the door. Just when I could see into the room, lightning flashed. I screamed. And ran. And nearly peed my pants.

I flew through the hall and down the stairs, through the family room and into the far corner of the kitchen, screaming the whole time. You see, that freakin’ robot was in that room!

Well, not really. My aunt and uncle came down after me, laughing their heads off. They thought their “hiding” place was hysterical. My aunt had climbed onto my uncle’s shoulders and they stood right in the middle of the room with a blanket over them. The obviousness of it could have been funny. If lightning hadn’t flashed right at the moment I opened the door and peered in. If we hadn’t just seen that movie the same day. If they didn’t look like the exact same height and shape as the robot.

You know those pictures on Facebook of a mom or dad dressed as a clown or monster and hiding under a kid’s bed and the caption says something like, “Childhood trauma in 3… 2… 1.” That’s what that hide-and-seek game was to me.

I love being fake-frightened with so-called scary movies, but I’m not much for being real-frightened. Probably because of that day, which I think I’ll remember the rest of my life.

Power by Kristie Cook
Publisher: Ang'dora Publishing (August 24th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Kindle edition: 317 pages
Series: Soul Savers, #4
As the stakes rise, can she find her true power?

As the Amadis prepare for war, Alexis returns to Florida with orders to relax, regenerate and replenish her depleted power. But her task list quickly grows—establish a new safe house, learn the art of conversion, find her AWOL protector, help a desperate fan, and protect her son. Oh, and figure out what’s going on with her husband, whose peculiar behavior just might get them killed.

But most important of all, her primary mission: recover her stolen pendant.

The stone in the pendant not only promises hope for the Amadis future, but its unknown qualities make it a possible weapon in the wrong hands. With guidance and power from an improbable source and an unlikely ally by her side, Alexis sets out to retrieve the stone before the enemy discovers its potential for mass destruction. But when she finds herself in the Daemoni’s lair fighting for her life, all hope seems lost. Will she discover the true power she holds in time? And is it enough to save herself, her family and the Amadis?

Power, the next installment of the Soul Savers Series, takes you on a hot and edgy ride with twists and turns you’ll never see coming, leaving you breathless and once again begging for more.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive an ebook of ANY of the Soul Savers books ( winner's choice!)
• NOTE: PROM ISE (book 1 in the series) is currently FREE on A mazon and Barnes & Noble

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends November 1 7 th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Website | Book Site | Twitter | Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here. Don't forget to check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post for today!

Release Date: August 26th, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Challenges: Off the Shelf, 100+ Reading Challenge

"I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me... he's one of us.
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another... but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together? They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya. They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed. I am Number Seven. One of six still alive. And I'm ready to fight."

A year ago today I actually reviewed "I Am Number Four " — how crazy is that! I can't believe it's already been a year!

"The Power of Six" was a book that I had been looking forward to for months, probably since a year ago today! I loved the first book, the movie was okay, and "The Power of Six"... well, "The Power of Six" was definitely surprising. There were several times throughout this book that I couldn't help but say "Shut up!" or other such responses. I enjoyed the two different perspectives (John and Marina) but I will warn you, it is a bit confusing at first who is who. Your hint is that there are (slightly) different fonts between the two — at least in the ARC.

I enjoyed Six and Sam even more than before although the various romances throughout the novel did get to be a bit tiresome. I just wanted something to happen — anything! But I digress...

In all aspects, "The Power of Six" was great. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, and I fell in even more love with the history of Lorien. But for some reason, I'm just not as passionate about this novel as I thought I'd be. Again, I loved it — but I'm not racing to tell everyone about it. I think this book may be a victim of the Series Syndrome (post to come next week). With all the different series out right now (it feels like every book I'm reading is the first of a trilogy or something like that), I am finding that I adore the first book but by the time the second book comes out my overwhelming passion and love has some how subsided into this indifferent subtlety. And this makes me sad. I mean, I hate that that happens to great books and fantastic series. Does this ever happen to you?

-Visit Pittacus around the web here: Goodreads
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To the FTC, with love: ARC from Publisher and Gift from Michelle at Hooked to Books

"For some reason I am able to forgive the one dimensional characters and "too fast" of pace because of the end result: a book I couldn't put down." — Miss Remmers

Release Date: November 15th, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Challenges: Dystopia Challenge, 100+ Reading Challenge, eBook Challenge

"In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom…."

I began "The Pledge" with knowing nothing more than the synopsis and that it was a "pretty big deal" on Twitter when it was released via the Galley Grab; this was basically a "blind read" for me. Let me start with my initial reaction: complete and pure love. I read almost the entirety of this novel on Sunday when my husband was watching football and after our Sunday night family dinner with the in-laws we went to see "Real Steel" in theaters and I was still thinking about this book. As an exhausted new teacher, there are very few books that I "stay up for" (because, seriously, I'm usually in bed by 9:30) so when I told Dan that I wanted to stay up and read while he watched the days football highlights, he was completely shocked. An hour and a half later I finished "The Pledge" and couldn't wait to tell everyone about it.

I loved the pacing, I loved the plot, I loved the entire concept! I absolutely loved all the parallels to society today and loved analyzing the book in comparison to immigration and language barriers; I found several wonderful quotes that I have written down below to tease you. I mean, the power of words is unmistakable but Derting does such a fantastic job of highlighting and illustrating that power. I loved the twits and I loved how I never really knew which characters to trust. My initial reaction to this book was pure and complete adoration.

But within a days time I was online and reading reviews and one particular review (compliments of April from Good Books and Wine) has kept me thinking. This review brought up tons of different points that I realized I agree with but had just never thought about. I realized, after reading this thorough and fair review, that the characters aren't multidimensional — I can't tell you why I like Max or what makes Charlie so special (besides for being "plain" — which I guess has become synonymous with "the girl next door" that every protagonist lately has become). I don't understand why Max is "intrigued" by Charlie and I don't understand Charlie and Aron's relationship.

April's points about pacing also rang true for me. I couldn't put this book down because I was never bored but that probably has a lot to do with the fact that the entirety of this story really takes place in a very small time frame. Now that I think about it, I'm a bit flabbergasted that the entire plot took place in the span of a few days and that one girl's life could change so completely. But while I was reading, none of this bothered me or even occurred to me.

I think the power of the review is astonishing. April's review of this book has kept me thinking and comparing my thoughts to hers and how we agree on so much but our feelings at the end were so different. Even with all of these points, this book was still amazing for me. For some reason I am able to forgive the one dimensional characters and "too fast" of pace because of the end result: a book I couldn't put down.

Favorite Quotes:
"That was when the class system was first imposed. It was designed to discourage future uprisings, to keep people living apart so ideas of rebellion could not be co-mingled. Language became a tool, a way to complete that division... words had become the ultimate barrier" (144 — according to my Nook in the Galley).
"These Outcasts who spoke only one shared language, seemed happier than those... who were segregated by words and ruled by fear" (225 — again, my Nook in the Galley).

-Visit Lisa around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: eGalley from NetGalley

This week I'd like to welcome Dominique from Coffee Stained Pages as our Guest Reviewer.

******************************
From Amazon.com...

"When Ellie and her friends go camping, they have no idea they're leaving their old lives behind forever. Despite a less-than-tragic food shortage and a secret crush or two, everything goes as planned. But a week later, they return home to find their houses empty and their pets starving. Something has gone wrong--horribly wrong. Before long, they realize the country has been invaded, and the entire town has been captured--including their families and all their friends. Ellie and the other survivors face an impossible decision: They can flee for the mountains or surrender. Or they can fight."

John Marsden’s The Tomorrow Series is easily Australia’s most popular young adult series. The book definitely lived up to its hype and popularity; I polished it off in only two sittings.
Tomorrow, When the War Began is told from the point of view of Ellie, a sixteen-year-old “rural” from fictional country-town Wirrawee. She and her friends go bush for a few days, attempting to reach the practically inaccessible Hell, a remote valley. With great difficulty they climb The Devil’s Staircase leading to it and then squeeze through metres of rock in a small cave before finally arriving in Hell, which they find to be a beautiful, hidden sanctuary from the pressures of life. When they emerge and travel home they find their homes empty of their families, their pets dead and all power and electricity shut off. Australia has been invaded by an unnamed foreign power while they were gone and almost everyone in the town has been captured. During their short trip their lives changed forever and now Ellie and her friends must fight to maintain their freedom and plan how to survive as guerillas.
Tomorrow, When the War Began is different to the norm of the dystopic genre; it lacks the oppressive social structure and rules of a totalitarian regime, instead it features characters trying to resist capture by an invading force yet to fully establish itself. It’s still dystopic, but it focuses on that period where a power is taking over, a time traditionally only briefly recapped or left a mystery in most other novels of this genre (eg The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and the list goes on).
The idea of a foreign nation becoming jealous of all the space at the disposal of Australians while their people are crammed together in slums, then deciding to invade it and colonise it, capturing Australians and intending for them later to become menial workers is an interesting one. A large percentage of Australians, mainly the middle to lower-income earners, have an irrational fear of Australia becoming overrun with refugees and immigrants. Regularly stories of asylum seekers entering our waters in rickety boats receive wide coverage and national debate, with the government maintaining a tough stance on the issue to keep voters happy. It’s very much an irrational fear considering “More than 1,600 boat people have arrived off Australia’s northwest coast this year, mainly people fleeing violence in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The numbers are small compared with the tens of thousands of asylum seekers sailing across the Mediterranean to Europe each year.” It’s even more of a ludicrous fear since “as of June 30 (2009), a total of 48,456 people had overstayed their visa” in Australia, mostly English tourists. In Tomorrow, When the War Began Marsden plays on this fear, while never identifying the invader, and apparently no country fits the description that evolves throughout the series.
Marsden’s writing is tense and maintains a sense of urgency throughout the novel, making for an engaging experience. He establishes its sense of place expertly, capturing the essence of small town Australian life and culture without hamming it up for the international readers, something that really irritates me about some novels set in Australia. According to the Author’s Note at the end of the book Hell is based on Terrible Hollow, in the Australian Alps. Nicola Outdoors has some great pictures of the area up on her site, for anyone who’s interested.
Tomorrow, When the War Began is full of action, from combat, to concealment, hunting and hiding to infighting and a bit of the romantic variety of action too. Marsden’s characters are brave and likeable, and with compassion he examines how the adolescents deal with the violence and the emotional turmoil of an invasion.
****************************** Dominique, thank you so much for this great review! It sounds like a one of a kind read!
Please visit Dominique at Coffee Stained Pages, share some book love, and read the original review.

Devotion by Kristie Cook
Publisher: Ang'dora Publishing (February 10th, 2012)
Paperback: 374 pages
Reading Level: 17+ Adult
Source: Author (Thank You!)
Series: Soul Savers #3
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
With powerful abilities gained from the Ang’dora and Tristan back by her side, Alexis thinks she’s ready for the next challenge—protecting her son from what appears to be the inevitable. But she has so much to learn about her powers, her new world and the people in it. Nothing is what it seems to be on the surface, including the Amadis. Having believed the secret society to be definitively good and righteous, she discovers she couldn’t have been more wrong.

Power-hungry politicians comprise the council and make impossible demands. A traitor lurks among them all, inciting trouble that could destroy the Amadis and, ultimately, humanity. The Daemoni wreak havoc in the human world, with the ultimatum that they’ll continue attacking innocents until Alexis and Tristan are expelled from the Amadis’ protection. The couple’s own society begins to shut them out. But that’s not all.

There’s a secret. A big one. And faith and hope in Alexis and Tristan will be restored if she can uncover the truth in time.

But the search for answers leads only to the discovery of more betrayals by those closest to Alexis. Her devotion is put to the test—devotion to her husband, to her family, to her people and to her beliefs—leaving her to question whom she’s fighting for and why she should even bother. But if she won’t fight … who will?
Review: Ah, and the epicness continues! If you haven't read the first 2 books in this series, run and do that! Then come back and read this review.: ) This series continues to amaze me. I'm not sure how Kristie keeps up with it all because this series creates such a complex world. The characters, the history, the action — all written with amazing clarity and creativity.

In Devotion, Tristan returns to us! Er, I mean Alexis. They have a moment to be a family and to be happy at last. But that time is brief. Alexis is going through a wide range of emotions. She is dealing with a new power that she isn't able to completely control, and there is a possibility that someone close to her could be betraying her. As she struggles to deal with the person she is now, and the good and bad of having her husband by her side, she discovers more about the Amadis and what could happen to her family. The last thing she wants is for them to be ripped apart again so she fights with everything she can in order to stop what most see as inevitable.

Devotion brings in a lot more characters (I'M ONE OF THEM!). Most of them are political-types who are not open to change within their rules. Then there are a few that are just insanely hot and awesome (ME! Or, at least the fictional me that is insanely hot and awesome). There is a lot of back and forth struggle and Alexis is in the middle of it all. One thing I love about this series is that Alexis truly takes the lead. Tristan is there, but he's more of a support for her. Alexis is the one with the power (as it should be!) and she is the glue holding everything together. Another great thing about this book was that it isn't all sunshine and roses for Alexis and Tristan once they are together. They argue and struggle with how to settle into married life.

And I can't review this book without mentioning Owen. (Did I mention that I get to interact with Owen.yes, me, the character, in the book, with my friend Lisa… ). Poor Owen has a lot to deal with in Devotion. I'm begging Kristie for a spin-off with him and his favorite faeries (me and Lisa!).

The Soul Savers series grabs you and refuses to let go! I guarantee a few sleepless nights, racing hearts, and inappropriate fantasies while reading these books. This is the perfect series for paranormal fans who want to plunge into a world featuring a struggle between good and evil, an insanely strong heroine, and a plot that will keep you guessing.

Recommended: Adult readers. Anyone who loves paranormal and a really smokin' hot romance.

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Hello Dauntless fans! Today we have an incredible giveaway for you. The poster below is SIGNED I Am Number Four movie poster by Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron. It came from the Hot Topic Mall Tour in 2011. In addition to this fabulous prize, the winner will also receive an ARC of the Power of Six.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive an I am Number Four movie poster signed by Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron from the Hot Topic Mall Tour 2011 (limited signing) and an ARC of The Power of Six.

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Contest is International and ends April 30th .
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The rafflecopter form must be filled out to enter.
• Lots of extra entries possible.
• You can come back and enter each day!

This year we have 23 authors that I'll be featuring over 7 days and each day you'll have a chance to enter to win! There's also a scavenger hunt going on, so be sure to check out The Crossroads Tour Post to see what questions will be asked, what blog you'll be able to find the answer on and enter to win!
Today I am featuring Christine Fonseca, Dawn Dalton, and Amanda Ashby. Be sure to check out the rafflecopter giveaway, too!

1. Can you tell us 3 little-known facts about Nesy, from your Requiem series?

Three facts about Nesy? Sure…
1) Nesy loves classical choral music. She often visited churches when she was a younger warrior, sitting in the back just listening to the music. Something about it felt so sacred, so pure. She said it was the way humans remembered their angelic nature.

2) Nesy often wishes she choose a different order. I know, shocking considering how much she loves being a Sentinal. But, she tires of the pressure at times, the need for perfect control of her feelings. In those moments she fantasizes about being like Cass, one of the Anointed, healing others instead of killing them.

3) Nesy may be great with a sword, but she is even better with her bare hands. In fact, she’s disarmed many UnHoly with nothing more than her hands. She is pretty bad-ass.

2. If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?

I’d totally want to be an empath. Absolutely. I mean, being able to feel another’s emotions, know what they are hiding deep in the dredges of their soul—THAT is pure power. And like any power, it can be used for good… or evil.

1. Of all the characters you have written, which one has been the most challenging for you to write?

Probably Emma Jones from Fairy Bad Day. She had a lot of rage and it took me a long time to calm her down and stop her from arguing with everyone she came across in the book! Thankfully she also had a big sword and some killer fairies to do battle with, which helped with some of her anger issues!

2. Celeste and Cassidy are two very different characters in Demonosity. Are they based off of any of your high school acquaintances?

None of my characters are ever based on real people but Cassidy was definitely influenced by my time in college. It was the mid-eighties and there were a lot of cool gothic punks walking around the campus! As for Celeste, I basically wanted to make Cassidy’s job as hard as possible so having to be the guardian for a girl who was such a snob, seemed pretty funny! Well, funny to me, I’m not sure that Cassidy would agree with me!!

1. Can you tell us a little about the school Hope enters in Killer’s Instinct?

It’s awesome. That is all.

Just kidding. The monsters in Killer’s Instinct are different than your typical pop culture fare, which means our young hunters require some additional skills. At Le Manoir, the recruits are put through a series of mental and physical drills to help hunt – and if necessary, take down – 52 of the most wanted baddies, including the likes of Frankenstein. But as Hope and her crew find out, not everything is what it seems at Le Manoir.

2. If you were to have a chance to enter any special school like that, what skills would you want to learn the most?

Glamour immunity! I know myself, and if I ever met a handsome vampire in a back alley, I’d be easily seduced by his charm. Especially if he looked like Alexander Skarsgard. All of that acrobatic, ninja, weapons training stuff is cool and all, but if I didn’t have the ability to deflect some vampire seduction, I’d be hopeless as a real monster hunter.

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HOLLYWOOD FOREVER
By: Melinda Metz and Laura Burns

Several years ago, we decided to spend a Thursday evening with some friends attending a reading of the screenplay The Maltese Falcon. Pretty tame and boring, right? (Well, not the screenplay. The Maltese Falcon is a classic, filled with murder and betrayal.) But a reading? Tame. Or so we thought.
It turned out that the reading was going to be held at Hollywood Forever. That might sound like an exciting place, filled with movie star glamour. But here's what it really is: a graveyard. Literally.
The

Hollywood

Forever

Cemetery is located in the middle of the city, directly behind the

Paramount lot (where we worked when we were on the writing staff of the TV show

Roswell). A mile or two away, the famous hills rise up above

Los Angeles, and the

Hollywood sign looms. From the grounds of the graveyard, you can see the sign glowing above. Lots of old-time movie stars are buried there, along with well-known Tinseltown writers and directors-- Rudolph Valentino, Janet Gaynor, Victor Fleming, Peter Lorre (one of the stars of The Maltese Falcon), Tyrone Power, Cecil B. de Mille, and John Huston (director of the movie). So even though it's a cemetery, it is actually pretty glamorous.
It was a chilly autumn night, and we entered the cemetery just after dark. The fronds of the towering palm trees click-clacked overhead. Tiki torches led the way through the graveyard to a large rectangular reflecting pool filled with water lilies. This is part of Douglas Fairbanks's memorial. His marble tomb stands at one end of the pool.
We sat down on the lawn to one side of the still water, sharing the space with a few ducks and a crowd of fellow movie-lovers. We'd brought sandwiches for dinner, and lots of other people had wine and cheese. As we waited for the reading to start, we talked about how weird and even creepy it felt to be picnicking in a cemetery. Yet, we decided, somehow it also felt very right that the reading would take place there. We imagined the old

Hollywood stars buried all around us would take it as a tribute.
At least we hoped so. A few of those famous actors and directors had had notoriously bad tempers. If they were angry at us for snacking on top of their final resting places, we could be in serious trouble.
But everything seemed peaceful. The actors—Felicity Huffman and Evan Handler among them-- took their places on the stone patio on the opposite end of the pool from the tomb. The only electric lights that were on shone down on them.
The reading was going great. The actors were bringing the dialogue of the old film to life with their fast delivery and wit. (A taste. Joel Cairo : You always have a very smooth explanation…
Sam Spade: What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?) The tension was mounting as the mystery became more and more twisted.
And then it happened. Just when Sam Spade was about to find out who had killed his partner. The power went out, plunging the actors into darkness. Their microphones went silent.
In the dark, suddenly it didn't seem so pleasant to be lounging around on top of a bunch of dead people. From far above, the

Hollywood sign glowed, pale white and eerie, throwing a dim, strange pallor over the graveyard. The mood changed. We heard nervous whispering from the others in the crowd. We'd been thinking that movie stars would like the attention, even though they weren't living. But maybe they'd had enough attention during their lives. Maybe they wanted to be left in peace. Maybe we were surrounded by a bunch of beautiful, glamorous, seriously pissed-off ghosts.
It was only a few minutes until the lights came back on, but those minutes felt loooong.
When the power finally sputtered back to life, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Some people just got up and left without even waiting for the reading to be over. Everyone was on edge. On our way home later, we wondered if we'd angered the spirits of

Hollywood. No more picnics in the cemetery for us!
But like so many

Hollywood tales, it turned out that this ghost story had a happy ending. The very next day, it was all over the news that John Ritter had died. He'd passed away the night before… at exactly the time that the lights had gone out in

Hollywood

Forever

Cemetery.
It's spooky, sure. And it probably means that there were a lot of glamorous ghosts all around us in the graveyard. But at least we know that those

Hollywood stars who had gone before him had woken up just in time to give John Ritter their welcome.

Crave by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 21st, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 256 pages Shay has had a rare blood disorder since she was born. In fact, her mother married one of Shay’s doctors, Martin, who left his world-renowned leukem. Shay has had a rare blood disorder since she was born. In fact, her mother married one of Shay’s doctors, Martin, who left his world-renowned leukemia research to try and figure out exactly what the disorder is and how to cure it. When she turns seventeen, Martin begins to give her new blood transfusions that make her feel the strongest she has ever felt. But she also has odd visions where she sees through the eyes of a vampire. At first, she thinks she must be imagining the visions, but when she begins to see Martin’s office in them, she knows she has to check it out. That’s when she finds Gabriel, a sexy, teenaged vampire, imprisoned in Martin’s office. The connection she has built with Gabriel compels her to set him free. But when he kidnaps her in an attempt at revenge on Martin, their lives become deeply intertwined. She doesn’t know the half of it.

Prize:

• 2 winners will receive a copy of Crave.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US ONLY and ends October 30th.
• Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

- Thanks Melinda and Laura for the amazing story and book donation!

Find Melinda Metz Melinda Metz / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
Find Laura J. Burns Laura J. Burns / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
Purchase Crave Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble
* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post.

*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

I have a special treat for you all today. First, if you haven't read, or added, Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe, do it! It is an outstanding book and one that was so different from anything I had read in the past. My review will be coming up later this week, but in the meantime, I would like to introduce you to a few of the characters from Destiny's Fire because today… they battle it out!

In this corner we have the loveable, best friend/ boy next door with a dangerously hot bod. But be careful ladies, he is fierce, and a bit naughty, behind those bright blue eyes. Let me hear the crowd cheer for JACE!

VS

And over here we have… "ouch", he's too hot to touch but you know you want to, red-eyed bad boy who is just simply scrumptious. Yeah, ladies, you know you want this. I give you, REESE!

Boys, lets have a clean battle here. We will be using words, not fists. And no fighting over me, seriously, I'll take you both. *wink* And now, the quote battle begins!
Round one
Jace: “I just knew you wanted to rip my clothes off.”
Reese: “You shouldn’t come out to play until you have the power to party like a big girl.”

Round Two
Jace: “You’re being the voice of reason?” He grabbed my hand. “Funny, coming from the girl who decked a Narco just last night.”
Reese: “Come on,” Reese continued. “We were so rudely interrupted last night. But I have to admit, I liked that love tap.”

Round Three
Jace: “So you like to dance, do you?” Jace snarled. “How about with me? Think you might find my love tap a little more convincing.”
Reese: “It's instinct. I honestly wasn't going to hurt her.” Then his eyes burned fire red as he stared into Jace's. “But you and I will be a different story if you don't take your hands off me… right now.”

Round Four

Jace: “—I‟m not a hot chick that has to worry about some guy trying to get into my pants.” He looked me up and down. “Or my bustle.”

Reese: He ducked his head close to my ear. “You look amazing, by the way.” Brushing his hand across my back, he spread warmth over my bare skin.

Round Five

Jace: “I want you to know,” Jace said, looking down as his hands gripped the brass steering bar. “No matter what, I'll always be there for you.”

Reese: He lifted my face and stared into my eyes. “I promise. I'll find a way to protect you.”

Geez, did it get hot in here or is it just these boys? So, who do YOU think won the quote battle? Answer in the comments section and you get an extra entry to WIN the ebook!

Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe
Omnific Publishing (January 10th, 2012)
Paperback: 159 pages
Reading Level: Young Adult
It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive an ebook of Destiny's Fire.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is International and ends January 22nd.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Amazon | Barnes & Noble Be sure to check out the other tour stops in the linky below!

Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié
Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 7th, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 470 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Crusade #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
For the past two years, Janen has lived and trained at Spain’s Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun.
Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Janen discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Janen is isolated — and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Janen stands to lose.
Then Janen is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Janen must find the courage to trust herself — and her heart.
Review: Crusade is a fabulous start to this series involving so many kick-butt paranormal beings. I would describe it as"an adult book, in a YA package", which means that it is set up like an adult series (with lots of action, characters, details) but made for YA readers.

Crusade doesn't just follow one character. We get to look at each one as we go throughout the story. It jumps from Janen, to Antonio, to the others in their group. Janen is the main focus in the book and she is such a strong character! Janen has been in training to fight The Cursed Ones, vampires who are beginning to take over the world. Many people believed they were harmless but now things are changing and hunters are needed to kill the vampires. Janen has been in Spain but after a family loss, she returns to San Francisco to see her family.

San Francisco isn't what Janen remembers and she is faced with several obstacles along the way. She is alone to fight her own battles and, although she doesn't see herself as a strong member of her group, she proves exactly what she can do.

Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié have created a frightening, dangerous world where vampires rule and humans are too scared to fight. The new group of hunters may be young but their diversity and skills make them a powerful force.

Jenn does have someone in the group she cares deeply about, Antonio. But their relationship comes with it's very own obstacles and dangers. This was an exciting twist for the story and it was interesting to see how Janen felt about Antonio, and how he felt about her. Crusade is full of action-packed adventures and heart-pounding moments! There was never a dull moment. The range of characters we meet in this book constantly amazed me. Each person had their own past that brought them on their journey to Spain and their only common element seemed to be a hatred for The Cursed Ones.

Crusade takes readers on a treacherous journey through locations where vampires hold the power and hunters are the only things keeping them at bay. Full of detailed settings and scary paranormals, Crusade will have readers at the edge of their seats!

Find out more about Nancy Holder Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

Find Debbie Viguié
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

Purchase Crusade Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A few weeks ago I received an email that brought tears to my eyes. Tina from Book Couture had wrote me just to tell me how much she enjoyed my blog. It blew me away that, not only did someone really enjoy my blog, but would take time out just to write me to tell me. Wow! Those comments and emails will always mean the world to me. Thank you so much Tina for making me feel like I am doing something right: )

Today Tina will be discussing The Seven Deadly Sins!

Hi! I'm Tina, an Aussie teenage book blogger who spends a great chunk of her time at Book Couture, where I write book reviews, participate in memes, and aim to spread knowledge of blogger through my tutorials.

My primary goal for Book Couture is to recommend good books to other people. The most fulfilling thing for me would be if someone decided to pick up a book I recommend, and enjoy it as much as I did. The thought that someone else out there could be as moved as I am through reading the same story, experiencing the same magic that it evokes, is what moved me to create my own blog.

I'm also the founder and co-moderator of the Book Contest Directory, a listing of book contests across the blogosphere. Feel free to check it out for contests galore!

My favourite genres are fantasy (Harry Potter), paranormal (Vampire Academy), science fiction (Ender's Game, The Hunger Games), historical (The Luxe), and contemporary/chick lit (think Meg Cabot). Although I started my blog initially to read more reviews about books, and record my own opinions, I have found something more — a lively community of bloggers that share stories and listen to each other's thoughts.

Sometimes, I'll even find the special blogger out there who is willing to help out a newbie. You know who I"m talking about — Jess @ Confessions of a Bookaholic, of course! Thank you, Jess, for featuring me today.

Guest post: The Seven Deadly Sins
The Seven Deadly Sins, also known as the Cardinal Sins or the Capital Vices, dates back to as early as the 14th century. The Catholic Church needed a classification of common immoral human vices to educate people against sinning, and as 7 was seen as a number of power, the Seven Deadly Sins was formed.

This theme is commonly used in art, sculpture, scripture, and literature. Think of the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix, where Arthur Penhaligon battles seven Demesnes of the House, each possessed by a deadly sin. Or Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins, where each deadly sin is linked to a Trek race.

Sometimes, the Seven Deadly Sins are also related to other themes with 7 concepts. For example, the seven angels that fell from grace by rebelling against God, becoming demons, were associated to the Seven Deadly Sins by Peter Binsfeld.

What are the Seven Deadly Sins?

Pride/Vanity

Pride or Vanity is the love of oneself, and the belief that one is superior to others. It is the desire to be better, greater, or stronger, and is considered to be the greatest of all sins. It is associated with the demon Lucifer.

Greed/Avar

Greed or Avarice is one of the three sins of excess (the other two being Lust and Gluttony), but greed pertains to the idea of desiring more wealth, status or power than required. It is associated with the demon Mammon.

Lust

Lust is also one of the three sins of excess, and is applied to those who have excessive sexual thoughts and desires.

It is associated with the demon Asmodeus.

Gluttony

Gluttony, the final sin of excess, is the sin of over indulgence and consumption of food or alcohol to the point of waste. It is associated with the demon Beelzebub.

Envy

Envy is the strong sin of desiring what is not yours, and resenting others for having what you do not have. It is associated with the demon Leviathan.

Wrath

Wrath is pure hatred or anger towards something/someone. It is uncontrolled, and leads to violence or self-destruction. It is associated with the demons Satan and Amon.

Sloth

Sloth is the sin of being lazy and apathetic towards something. It may also mean that one's gifts or talents are not utilised. It is associated with the demon Belphegor.

All the beautiful Seven Deadly Sins art is by Marta Dahlig (blackeri) on Deviantart.

Personally, I think my Deadly Sin is Sloth — I procrastinate way too much. Whenever I settle down in front of the computer to do some homework, I will inevitably end up on Book Couture, or I'll be surfing around on other blogs. Then there's Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
In the blink of an eye, it's midnight, I haven't done any work, and I'm cursing myself for getting distracted. So I'm definitely a sloth. But don't tell anyone *winks*.

Q: Which deadly sin do you have?

This year we have 23 authors that I'll be featuring over 7 days and each day you'll have a chance to enter to win! There's also a scavenger hunt going on, so be sure to check out The Crossroads Tour Post to see what questions will be asked, what blog you'll be able to find the answer on and enter to win!
Today I am featuring Kelly Hashway, Molly Cochran, and Elizabeth Holloway. Be sure to check out the rafflecopter giveaway, too!

1. Can you tell us a little about the Ophi line from your Touch of Death series?

The Ophi are descendents of Medusa and they are all born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. Medusa’s blood had both the power to restore life and the power to kill, so each of the Ophi in the Touch of Death series has those abilities as well. Their blood, sweat, and tears are poisonous to humans, which means they can’t be around humans without posing a danger to them. The Ophi are also feuding with Hades, the god of the underworld, because the Ophi raise the dead. So life’s not easy if you’re an Ophi.

2. There is a bit of a love triangle in Stalked by Death. Can you share with us what makes Alex and Chase different?

Alex and Chase couldn’t be more different. Other than being Ophi and both being hot, the only thing they have in common is their interest in Jodi. Though even that is different. Alex truly cares about Jodi, while Chase has other motives. (No spoilers.) Alex is what I’d call a good Ophi. He doesn’t abuse his powers, and he trains hard to learn how to use them. Chase abuses his powers every chance he gets. He’s constantly pushing his abilities to the limit and trying to make Jodi do the same. Both guys can offer Jodi something she wants, while costing her something in return.

1. The Legacy series deals with a lot of magic. What magical spell would you want to try out and would you be a good witch or a bad witch?

ANSWER: I would most definitely be a good witch. I believe that the purpose of magic is to improve the lot of living beings. That being said, the spell I wish I could do is from SEDUCTION, the third—and not yet published—book of the series, in which Katy uses magic to wash dishes after a dinner for twenty. It wouldn’t improve the lot of living beings, but it’d surely come in handy!

2. Can you tell us a little about the boarding school life Katy has to deal with in your books?

ANSWER: Boarding school kids are generally sophisticated beyond their years, so there are cliques and intrigues everywhere. I’ve tried to simplify these demarcations into two main groups: the Muffies, who are rich, spoiled, and used to getting their own way, and the witches, or townies, who have magical powers that they’ve learned to keep secret. There’s always tension when the two groups come together.

1. Can you tell us a little about the main characters in Call Me Grim?

Libbi Piper is a high school junior, an aspiring artist, and not the greatest student. She’s snarky and stubborn, but full of heart and humor. In Call Me Grim, all of those qualities combine to get Libbi into a ton of trouble.

Aaron Shepherd is the local Grim Reaper. He’s handsome, mysterious, and looking for a replacement. He hopes Libbi will accept his offer to become the next Grim Reaper, but Libbi isn’t easy to convince.

2. What is your favorite line from the book?

“A chill runs through me and my teeth chatter together. Something strange is about to happen, more strange than a crazy guy miraculously predicting my death and saving my life. I can feel the strangeness seeping through the closed door.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the tour on Twitter: @TheCrossroadsBT
And Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crossroads-Blog-Tour/218310244897337

1. Hunger involves a very emotional topic, anorexia. Was this story difficult to write?

Actually, it was very cathartic. I used to be bulimic, and even though I haven’t been in many, many years, tapping into that Thin Voice was very easy to do—I guess it never really goes away. Even the raw parts of the book—the bathroom scene, for one; the bulimic scene, for another—were freeing. Getting the words out didn’t just feel good. It felt right.

2. How did the idea for this book, and series, evolve?
I had the idea for HUNGER for a long time—about 10 years. But I’d convinced myself that no one would want to read it, so I didn’t write it. And then, in October 2008, when I mentioned to my agent that my goal was to become a big enough name so that I could write the book I really wanted to write, she asked what book that would be. So I pitched HUNGER. And she said to me, “Why haven’t you written this book yet???” Basically, with her blessing, I wrote the book. And once it was on submission, my agent said to me, “So which Horseman are you writing about next?” And that’s when the idea for RAGE began to percolate.
3. What has been the most surprising part of being a debut YA author and promoting Hunger?
The teen market is very different than the adult market—and in great ways! It’s exciting to see librarians and booksellers and educators so active in the publishing community.
Separately, the best writing advice I’ve gotten from a teen reader is “Don’t sugar coat things for us; we want the truth.” That’s brilliant and amazing and fabulous to hear—and it makes me eager to keep writing for teens. Write truth!
4. Do you have any other projects you are currently working on?
I’m currently working on LOSS, the third book in the Riders’ Quartet. That book is about a bullied teenage boy who gets tricked into becoming Pestilence. Very different from both HUNGER and RAGE.

5. Can you tell us a little about the next book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, Rage?
RAGE is about a teen girl who self-injures, who becomes the new War. It’s the most difficult book I’ve ever written (including all my adult books), and I will donate a portion of proceeds to the nonprofit organization To Write Love On Her Arms.

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler Publisher: Harcourt Graphia (October 18th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: Horsemen of the Apocalypse, book #1 “Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Find Jackie Morse Kessler Jackie Morse Kessler / Blog / Twitter

Purchase Hunger Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

Today Myra McEntire has let me have Thomas for a bit so we can get to know him a little better. He, of course, is from her fabulous book Hourglass!

Myra has also kindly offered up a SIGNED poster featuring the Hourglass cover!

Mountains or Beach
Beach- My wife looks hot in a bikini.
Work or Play I think it's best when you combine the two.
Books or Movies Movies Have you seen The Godfather?
Lions or Tigers OR BEARS OH MY.
Horror or Comedy Horror.
-- More Personal --
Supernatural super-power or Shape-shifting ability Super Power.
Go into the future or go into the past Future. I'd like to make sure my offspring turn out all right.
Night out with Dru or Night at home with Dru Home *cough*
Emerson as a dating-aged teenager or Emerson as a nun Preferably a cloistered nun.
Baby boy or Baby girl I already know, but I'm not telling you.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Publisher: Egmont USA
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 397 pages
Series: Hourglass #1
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?

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a SIGNED Hourglass cover poster.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends July 10th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Find Myra McEntire
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Purchase Hourglass
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

This tour is hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene. To see the other stops on the tour, USE GOOGLE.

Partials by Dan Wells
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (February 28th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 472 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Partials #1
Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Review:

Kira is a medic. She is a 16-year-old who is intelligent far beyond her years, and her and her friends are well aware of the issues that plague the human race. To make things worse, it's not just the virus causing issues. Politics are causing people to rebel and n ow the leaders are trying to show more power as a way to make people listen.

Soon, Kira comes up with a plan that she feels will help save the humans. She will study a Partial, an engineered being that everyone feels is responsible for the spread of the virus years ago. Her and her friends go into dangerous territory to find a Partial and this journey shows her a lot more than she expected.

Dan Wells is a brilliant writer. The world we are introduced to in Partials is scary, desolate, and all too possible. A virus spreading quickly across the planet is a real threat so I think that's why Partials is such a frighting story. Dan brought a lot of science into this story. He didn't leave us with questions as to what exactly had happened to the rest of the humans. We know about the virus, what it did to the victims, and how it spreads. I loved that the readers can really feel like they take part in deconstructing the virus itself and seeing what can be done to stop it. This was really a book that allows readers to step back and think about what's going on, and attempt to figure it out with the characters.

Although few humans survived, I got a good idea of how the remaining population lived in their new surroundings. The young adults (and very young teens) were critical to the survival of the race. The political figures always made that clear and in a way it showed how the younger population had more power than one would think

The characters we meet in Partials were so well developed and interesting. Kira was intelligent, focused, and extraordinarily brave. She thought of herself last. Her friends were always at the top of her list. Kira's friends were each so different and brought so much to the story.

Probably the most surprising part of this book to me was just the visuals. Dan Wells used honest, descriptive language to describe a world that is harsh and ruined. Everything from the broken roads, abandoned homes and skyscrapers, decaying remains, and wild animals were things I could picture with such clarity. I saw it like a movie or one of those Discovery shows that that go through what would happen if humans didn't exist. It's so frightening.

If you are thinking of taking a chance and reading a post-apocalyptic/dystopian novel, pick up Partials!

Dan Wells did a remarkable job bringing this world to light and showing a harsh reality. Partials had everything I could hope for in a fabulous YA novel!

Recommended: Lovers of post-apocalyptic/dystopian, science fiction, with strong characters and outstanding world-building.

Author | Goodreads | Twitter

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Some writers, inspired by the response from"Do The Write Thing For Nashville", have gotten together to help raise money for the areas affected by last weeks terrible tornadoes.
They will be auctioning off items to benefit the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
You can Donate Directly by clicking here, or donate an item or service that will be up for auction.
Some FAQ's taken from the site.
A few FAQs--

• What items are you looking for?
• We're grateful for any donations, but if you need ideas, check out DTWTFN's successful items!
  
• Can you keep my donation anonymous?
• Of course. Just make a note in your form entry.
  
• Do I mail my donation to you?
• No, please wait until after you item has been won by a bidder-- we'll hook you up with their address and you can mail directly to them.
• I'm unagented/unpublished, but I'd like to donate a manuscript critique. Is that okay?
• Sure! If you're worried about your"credentials," you might consider teaming up with another author or two to sweeten the deal.: )

As I mentioned before, my town here in Tennessee had several tornado warnings throughout that night. My daughter and I took shelter in the bathtub under her mattress. We heard several trees come down behind our house. We lost power and had no idea what was going on without the news and radio. My husband had to go off the road to get away from a falling tree on his way home from work. He rushed to get here and made it during one of the worst parts of the storm.
But we were lucky. Honestly, if a tornado would have went near our home, we wouldn't be here today. They were too strong and leveled everything they touched. I found out the day after the storm that a strong tornado formed a few miles from my home and went on to kill 7 people in a neighboring town.
It was the most frightening night of my life. I have learned to be more prepared (bought a weather radio, batteries, battery charger, water, etc.) and never underestimate the power behind these storms. I've never seen anything close to what we experienced, and I hope I never do again. We were very lucky to only have car and wind/hail damage.
I'm so thankful that my family is safe and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was affected by these horrible storms.

The cover of Destined, House of Night book 9, was just released and oh la la, HOTNESS! I am still a fan of this series and even Heath (who is on this cover). I mean c'mon, he's HOT! This series lost me somewhere around the middle but don't give up! It does get better (in my opinion) so if you are thinking of picking these books back up, do it!

Destined (House of Night #9) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 25th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it on Goodreads
In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.

But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness? Find out what s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

Here is the cover for A Beautiful Evil, book 2 in the Gods & Monsters series by Kelly Keaton. Very spooky!

A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 21st, 2012) Hardcover: 320 pages Add it to Goodreads
A power she can’t deny. A destiny she’s determined to fight.

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

And a section of this post I will title "Book I Just Want to Talk About 'Cause it Sounds Amazing"!
I picked up, and finished, Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles on Tuesday and Wow, it is awesome! The Perfect Chemistry series is one of my all-time favorites! I realized that I love that type of love story. When I went looking for more like it, I discovered KISS CRUSH COLLIDE by Christina Meredith. First, let's check out the cover.

*fans self* loveeee it! And now, the summary.
Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith Publisher: Greenwillow Books (December 27th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it to Goodreads Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her. Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.

With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry ( <---THAT'S ME!), Sarah Dessen ( <--- THAT'S ME TOO!), and John Green (<--Haven't read anything by him yet).
Gotta love a good forbidden romance! So how many of you want to get your hands on this book???

Bookperk News

You all probably know I'm a huge fan of the Bookperk site from HarperCollins. I've purchased a signed (by the movie cast) version of I Am Number Four and a signed copy of Guy Fieri's cookbook from them already. They add new offers all the time and I just wanted to mention a few of the new ones.

You can USE GOOGLE to see the current deals going on. If you haven't signed up, you can use that link as well. It's good to at least be signed up because amazing deals pop up all the time and sometimes they have very limited quantities.

"I can't pinpoint what I liked about this book or what I disliked — I'm simply content." — Miss Remmers

Release Date: May 17th, 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge and 2011 eBook Challenge

"Mercy has lost herself. She can’t count how many times she’s “woken up” in a new body, and assumed a new life, only to move on again and again. During the day she survives in the human world on instinct and at night her dreams are haunted by him. Mercy’s heart would know him anywhere. But her memory refuses to cooperate.

But this time is different. When Mercy wakes up she meets Ryan, an eighteen year old reeling from the loss of his twin sister who was kidnapped two years ago. Everyone else has given up hope, but Ryan believes his sister is still alive. Using a power she doesn’t fully comprehend,Mercy realizes that Ryan is right. His sister is alive and together they can find her. For the first time since she can remember, Mercy has a purpose; she can help. So she doesn’t understand why the man in her dreams cautions her not to interfere. But as Ryan and Mercy come closer to solving the dark mystery of his sister’s disappearance, danger looms just one step behind. Will Mercy be able to harness her true self and extraordinary power in time?"
I didn't really know what to expect from Rebecca Lim's "Mercy." I find that when I read books on my Nook I'm definitely more apt to just "wing it" and figure out what the plot is just by reading it rather than the synopsis. In this sense, I do miss the covers of books and the ease of reading the synopsis on either the back or the inside of the front cover. While it took me a little while to figure everything out (about 30 pages), I found that even as a "blind" read I was captivated by Mercy and her story line.

While I didn't always know what was going on and I did struggle with the plot at points, I always felt connected to Mercy's character. I thought that Ryan's character was exceptionally strong as well. The "Luce" character was evasive and I felt like he didn't play a large enough role in this particular book, but I hope that he'll play a stronger part in the next novel as I'm really excited for this story to unfold even more.

Overall, this book was an okay read; I'm not loving it but I didn't hate it either. I can't pinpoint what I liked about this book or what I disliked — I'm simply content.

BIG thanks to Kristi @ The Story Siren for saving this review from eternal damnation in cyberspace by reminding me to look in my Feed after Blogger's adolescent screw up.

-Visit Rebecca around the web here: Goodreads
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To the FTC, with love: Review eGalley

Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
Publisher: Tor Teen (July 5th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 400 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Personal Demons #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too… tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.
Review: Personal Demons was such a fabulous book and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Original Sin. While I didn't love it as much as Personal Demons, it was still an incredible read!

May Contain Spoilers!

Original Sin started out with something I wasn't fond of --- Gabe leaves *gasp!* Gabe, you anger me! Not that Luc isn't hot and sexy enough on his own for this book, but I just missed Gabe being there to bring him down a notch. The interactions between Frannie, Gabe, and Luc can be hilarious!

But Original Sin seemed to have a darker turn and Frannie is finally able to test out her potential. She brings a lot of fight to this book and that was very nice to see. Luc is still a character I just can't help but love. His struggles with good and evil could really be felt all throughout this book. In addition, his love and passion for Frannie could not be denied. Could.not! And, although we don't get much of Gabe, when he is there, wow! I really want him to stick around.

We do get a chance to really get to know a new character here but I won't mention the name in case people haven't read book 1 because it is a BIG part of this book. I enjoyed him, but he infuriated me at the same time. He seemed to be a tad bit selfish and it made me question Gabe's thoughts in putting him in that position.

One thing that tended to bug me in this book was the fact that Frannie seemed so worried about her friend, but not very worried about Luc when he needed help. That confused me a bit and made me angry at her because she seemed too caught up in herself to see what Luc was going through. And, in traditional Frannie fashion, she seemed completely confused on what she wanted by the end of the book but it did make her seem a bit hypocritical.

But although it didn't grab me as strongly as Personal Demons, I highly enjoyed the plot in this one. It is dark, twisted, and much heavier in my opinion. I am really excited to see what happens next in book 3.

Find Lisa Desrochers Lisa Desrochers | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads
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By. Emma Michaels

In my debut novel ‘The Thirteenth Chime’ there is a prison mentioned and an attempted escape by two prisoners. One of whom we are led to believe actually made it off the island and is back for his revenge. As the clock chimes thirteen times attacks seem to keep happening but before the attacks, there was his escape. The story behind his escape seems near impossible. It used to be that well behaved prisoners could work carving wood or making furniture that would be sold by the prison and upon their release they would be given the money for their hard work.
Only in The Thirteenth Chime two prisoners have another idea. Working tediously a prisoner made a grandfather clock, only instead of it telling the time it had an entirely new story to tell because inside was a hiding place where he was planning to escape with the help of a friend. Only this friend learned of a betrayal that had yet to have happen just a bit too early and let’s just say that it caused the escape to truly be a mystery.
Seems impossible right?
Except for that it is based very loosely off of a ghost story down in Steilacoom about McNeil Island, a prison island named after the ship captain William Henry McNeill. There was a prisoner on the island who was not only rumored to have escaped but to have been seen in three different places in one night, all of them impossible and two of those places, off of the prison island.
So while the story might seem impossible you will just have to find out if it truly was. Did he make it off the island alive or was it only his hatred and revenge that made it ashore leaving him in the oceans depths?
There are ghost stories that have existed for as long as we can remember and in book two in the “A Sense of Truth” series. You just might get to be a part of one of them. If you enjoyed The Thirteenth Chime I can hardly wait to see what you will think of book two and while I cannot release the name just yet. I can tell you that I will me making an announcement sometime in the next few months so feel free to hop i n!

The Thirteenth Chime by Emma Michaels Publisher: Bokheim Publishing (August 13th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 246 pages Series: Sense of Truth, book #1 No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs.

In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives.

The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.

With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago.

Hatred never dies.

- Thank you so much Emma for sharing your story with us!

Find out more about Emma Michaels Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

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