Hey everyone. We wanted to do a wrap-up post to thank everyone for all your hard work. You have blogged, vlogged, facebooked, and tweeted about our team, changed your avatars to Dauntless buttons, added the buttons to your pages, shared your fears and accomplishments, and truly showed your Dauntless pride!
We cannot thank you enough for your effort. You all went above and beyond to help us out and it was so incredible to have so much support.
We will post the Street Team winners on the 1st.
Now, it's time to share more answers to the question"Why do you want to join the Dauntless faction"
Dauntless are the brave, they don't let anything define them! They are free and determined. I want to join the Dauntless faction because I am free and determined and this is where i belong!
- Book Sisterhood

I wish to join the Dauntless faction because it feels like I would belong there. <3
- Carina's Books

In Diveregent, I related most towards the dauntless faction I try to as determined as possible, sometimes it can even be a bad thing. I am impulsive like the dauntless of the book.
- Danasquare

I want to be Dauntless because I believe courage and bravery are the most important qualities a person can have! It's not always easy to be courageous; in fact, it's one of the hardest things for a person to do. I admire bravery more than anything else in the world.
Also, I really like ziplines!
- Freeverse

I have become fearless in the face of being a single parent. I have faced a parents worse fear in seeing my son be treated as the"second-best" to his fathers DOG. To seeing him take all his daily medications without so much as one complaint. (What a trooper). I am lucky enough to know he is smart and more intuitive then I ever was at his age.
I have been able to stand up to his father and say,"Hey! That's not how you treat your kid! Get your act in gear and man up." I've faced him in court and maintained my dignity and in the face of loss and also in keeping calm when I have also been victorious.
I am a mother and I stand up for what I believe is right, even in front of many.
- Picked by Poison

To be brave and face all fears is what everyone should strive for! Who better than to FIGHT for what is right than the DAUNTLESS?!
- Booksforme2

Because I value bravery and courage. Plus Dauntless is just awesome! What other reason should there be?
- Sam C.

I want to join team dauntless because I want to be brave. I might not be all the way but I want to be free and dauntless will push me to be how I want to be.
- Janenifer Lee

I'd rather be brave and do something than sit in an Ivory Tower like the Erudite. I would rather fight than be passive and always give myself to others like Abnegation. I would rather be able to lie when I need to as opposed to Candor, and I would like the option of defending myself as opposed to doing nothing with Amity.
- Birth of a New Witch

I want to join DAUNTLESS because I enjoy the rush and excitement of taking risks and facing my fears.
- Doodle's Book Blog

I want to join the Dauntless because I want to do things that I never thought I could do and be a part of something strong.
- Em and Em's Reviews

I want to join Dauntless because they believe in freedom from fear, and I'm sick of being afraid. I hate being scared or cowardly, it makes me feel weak and useless, and helpless.
I also want to join Dauntless because I believe in shouting for those who can only whisper, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. I believe in action, and I believe in ordinary acts of bravery.
I want to be brave. I want to face my fears and laugh and conquer them. I'm sick of sitting idly by and watching while others act, while others are brave. I want to join then. I WILL join them. Even the thought of Dauntless makes me brave. Dauntless has quite literally changed my life. Since choosing Dauntless, I have become more confident, bolder, less afraid. I know where I belong, and, sure Erudite has a pull for me, but I do not belong with them. I belong among the bold and brave. I belong in a place where I am free from the fear that has tied me down for years. I believe in realizing the extent to which fear rules us, and denying it the chance to change my decisions and control my life.
I believe that no other virtue is more important than bravery.
- Shout for Those Who Can Only Whisper

Besides the fact that Tris and Four are members, the Dauntless are brave and determined, which is what I am. I have had to be brave and strong to deal with my medical problems, so clearly Dauntless is where I belong.
- Shooting Stars Mag

I love the idea of Dauntless, this team seems to encompass many values found in the others teams, but makes those values"their own."
- Live to Read

I admire people who are brave and willing to do what must be done to accomplish great things. I want to be more brave and courageous in my actions.
- Hope Love Happy Endings

Divergent and Dauntless has saved me from going crazy, and this fandom tooootally needs to be bigger than it is because it was such a deserving book.
- Divergent for Life

Something exciting is always happening. It is challenging. You fight for your place. Its YOU who gets to decide. That's why i want to join Dauntless.
- Nic

Because I abide by the Team Motto.
- Reviewing Shelf

Because its the best team ever!: )
- Monica

We stand up and face our fears. We never back down, no matter what. A person can be truthful or smart or charitable, but it takes real courage and determination to face the worst of the days. And that's what Dauntless is about.
- Raven Fic

Dauntless is by far the best faction! I've always had a thirst for adventure and to be carefree and strong so Dauntless is the best faction for that! =]
- Booktastic Reviews

I am Dauntless! Nothing will stop me from standing up for what I believe in!
- Words from the Tampa Bookworm

Why? Hmm… well, I'll start out with this. At first, I thought I was Erudite because I like reading about things, but then, I analized myself, and I can't say I like the fact that's all they ever do. I like adventure and risk, even if I still can't do some of them because I'm underage. (Which sucks). Anyway, what I'm saying is, that I value bravery a bit more than knowledge, both are important, but I feel that anyone can have knowledge, no matter what it is. Dauntless is a faction that promotes bravery, which is something not everyone has. I feel that with Dauntless, I can more so face my fears and kick butt while doing so.
Plus, I can't be selfless, I'm not a fan of total peace, and I can't only tell the truth.: )
There you have it.
- Reading in Paradise

Because I am Dauntless! =)
- Orchid

Because I'm fearless, strong, determined! I have the strenght to be in this faction! #TEAMDAUNTLESS TILL DEATH!
- Trayche

I am fearless! I also love Divergent!
- Diana

Because it is the best faction!! I am brave and fearless. Team Dauntless is where I belong. Faction Before Blood!!
- Book Loving Mom

Because I AM DAUNTLESS
- F.

I want to join Dauntless because I believe everything I do in my life makes.me not only strong but brave too.
- Dee

It suits me well or at least better than anywhere else
- Taylor

Because of my obsession of divergent (soon to be insurgent also!), tris, four/tobias, and most of all because i am totally DAUNTLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Janena

I want to be a part if the Dauntless faction because I want to be with othets who share my respect for bravery and fearlesness and are both of those qualities: ).
- Halee

This faction is the most powerful in the sense that they're fit in their minds and bodies. They're poweful in multiple aspects, while other factions are solely based on one. I want this faction to make me well-rounded and able to defend the people of my faction and those inside the city.
- Maela

“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.” Need I say more?
- Thoughts of the Chronically Indecisive

I'm fearless, and LOVE to take risks!
- Just a Girl Geek

Cuz we all need to let go and face our fears, no matter how large or small
- Heather

Because being on the street team is the next best thing to actually being in the Dauntless faction! Not to mention being as close as possible to Four…
- Christa

Because Dauntless is in my blood.
-Kayla

Because I was raised not to be afraid. To be strong and fearless. If I lived in Tris and Four's world I would absolutely be Dauntless! Go team Dauntless!!!
- Book Addictions by Christina

Bravery is something to value. I LOVE Four which is just one fabulous reason to join!
- Nocturne Romance Reads

Cauz I can stop a blackwidow spider with one stomp.
- The Optimistic Pessimist

I want to join the DAUNTLESS faction because I believe courage and standing up for the things you believe in is most important. You have to not be afraid to change the world for the BETTER and save it from the worse. I do not believe violence is DAUNTLESS but rather being able to change the world without it. I am strong. I am courageous. I AM DAUNTLESS.
- Sophie

Tattoos
- Colleen

Because I wish that I could be so brave IRL, lol. Also, there's FOUR. My heart has always been drawn to Dauntless. FACTION BEFORE BLOOD!
- Book Breather

Life is too short to let fear overcome your chance to be brave and truly live.
- Cupcake Girly

Because I AM Dauntless =]
- The Consumption of Books

Dauntless has always seemed like the most exciting faction to me. To be honest, I've never really been very into the other factions. I always wanted to learn more about Dauntless and was kind of sad when I never really did.: ( Plus, I work part-time in an independent bookstore (Next Chapter Bookshop) so I would love to give people even more reasons to buy Divergent.
- Zoey's Uncreatively Titled Blog

Because they fight their fears. They have courage.
- My Life is a Fairy Tale

Because I am not afraid to take risks, to enjoy life, and to face the world and stand up to what I believe in. How more dauntless can one get?; )
- Maji Bookshelf

They say the Dauntless are brave and bold.They say the Dauntless are not afraid of heights and have few fears. Well, I want to show them that, though I may have fears, they won't be a problem when the time comes for me to be the bravest person on earth.
- Melissa

Because I believe that everyone needs a little bravery in their everyday life. There's a quote by Winston Churchill:"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." Standing up for your beliefs is something that takes guts to do, and guts are exactly what Dauntless has to offer.
- Brave New Shelf

I choose Dauntless because I believe that selflessness, knowledge, peace and kindness are worthless if you don't have the courage to stand up for your convictions and for others when it comes to the test.
- Songs and Stories

Above all else bravery is the quality that I value most in myself. I also want to see that quality strengthened even further. That is why I want to join the Dauntless faction!
- The Hapa Chick

It's SO obvious that this the best faction of them all. Tris was in that faction too so it has to be DAUNTLESS: )
- Mina

The Dauntless are fearless. They love to challenge themselves, and have a streak of adventure. But at the same time they are loyal, fierce and strong, and that is what makes you Dauntless!
- The Girl in a Cafe

I love that the Dauntless are so fearless and brave. I also love that Dauntless is somewhat intertwined with Abnegation. The Dauntless seem to have lots of fun and seem to care a lot about one another.
- Reviews from the Hammock

I want to join because in Divergent the Dauntless are strong and unforgiving. Also, they jump on trains! Don't you tell me that's not cool.
- Tara

Because i believe in bravery and the freedom to choose my own destiny.
- Fatoch

Everything worth having is worth fighting for. You can hope you don't have to fight, but you have an obligation to be ready.
- Claire G.

Because I like to think of myself as brave.
- Srvaid

Because Dauntless is fearless, their badassery is just soo.inpiring. And the fact it can kill you is just… WOW. Dauntless also is far from perfect, but out imperfections let us rise.
- Kandee

I want to join the Dauntless faction because I love what Dauntless stands for. Like the manifesto says I believe in facing my fears, and in ordinary acts of bravery. I believe that if people were brave enough to speak their minds, the world would be a scarier, but better place. Out of all my friends, I was always the one who seeked adrenaline, the one who was not afraid, the one that was always the first person to go on the tallest and scariest roller coaster. Ever since Veronica Roth came out with the Dauntless manifesto, I stood by it.
- Nancy

I would love too join the Dauntless faction because being dauntless is about being fearless, brave and courages. I believe I am all of those and would support the faction at all costs.
- Ashleigh

I was born Dauntless. Trust me. (Or ask my Dad--I'm 1/2 of him).
- Nicole

My reason for joining undaunted is: i wanted to be surrounded with like minded people. i believe in justice. i believe in courage. i believe there is no point in limiting life. no point in silence.
- Travis

I want to be brave, courageous, determined, and strong. Thought at first people might not think I am that but deep down inside, I am brave, courageous, determined, and strong!
- FireStarBooks

I am a brave, courageous person and will fight for what I believe is right.
- Vicky's Volume's

Because I love taking new risks, and because it's the closest place to Four. (;
- Christa

Bravery is only as good as the fears one stands up to. I don't want to be fearless. I want to be brave.
- Eldabee

Because recently my life has been full of challenges and I've had to take crucial and important decisions with no fears. Specially if I have to protect my family. That's how I noticed I can be Dauntless.
Well, there's also the test, of course xD It confirmed I'm Dauntless all the way!
- Librarian Mouse

To be brave is to be strong, loyal, and face your fears. This is a constant struggle for those who face it head on and what i try and do everyday. Being dauntless means being able to protect not just yourself but all those you love and to be able to help those you don't know. This is what i strive to do.
- K.D. G.

Being Dauntless, in my opinion, means something beyond just having courage and no fear. You can be courageous, but now what? What you do with that courage is what really matters. That courage should be used to correct the unbalanced, unfair, corrupt world we live in. Tris inspired me to be Dauntless. I FELT it when she came to that revelation. I decided to stand up for the little guys. In my life, I've displayed Dauntless qualities. Recently, the Board of Education and High School administrators in my town have committed an injustice. Currently, I, along with my senior class, are fighting against that injustice. I am living a Dauntless life. I already am Dauntless.
- Amy B.

Why do I want to join Dauntless?? Here's why:
1) Tris and Four!!!!!!!!!
2) In a hypothetical, unrealistic situation where they are cut off from all their sources and forced to live on their own, the Dauntless will survive.
3) They're cool and badass.
4) If you were to throw this faction into the Hunger Games, it'd be one heck of a show. They'd definitely be the ones to beat.
5) They're cool.
6 This is probably the only faction where training involves a paintball fight.
7) Probably the most fun to join. And they're all physically fit.
8) You can get tattoos and battlescars and stuff.
9) Even the name"Dauntless" sounds awesome.
10) They're cool.
- Anna V.

There is nothing more important than bravery. It leads us to stand up for what is right when no one else will. It allows us to be ourselves and defend ourselves. To be Dauntless means to be free. Plus, they clearly have the most fun.
- Not So Epic A.M.Y.- A

I wanted to join dauntless to remind me that to truely live you must be brave. You must let go of your fears to make way for experiences. You must find the strength and the courage to build yourself up again when you are knocked down. And you must grasp every opportunity as it comes to you or risk never getting the chance to again.
- Mischievous Pixie

I need to face my fears!
- Amy's Book Den

I've always wanted to be brave.
- Farin

I've always felt like I fit in with the Dauntless! I've been slowly overcoming some of my fears and I want to continue to be brave and overcome the rest of them! And not to mention, The DAUNTLESS ROCK!: )
- Hope, Faith, and Books

Dauntless are brave and not afraid to fight for what is right. They live on the edge and experience life to the fullest.
- Lai

I love adventure. I love risk. Sitting in one place isn't me, I want action.
- Anastasia

Because I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives on person to stand up for another.
- The Maniacal Bookworm

I admire the bravery in this faction. Not only that, though I firmly believe in fighting for what you believe in, no matter what the cost may be.
- Geraldine

I want to stand up for other people, I want to be braver. Only the Dauntless faction can give me that!
- Isabella C.

I have vowed to be in the Dauntless faction because this is the faction I belong in! I like to believe I'm a thrill seeker but I know I'm not — I want to be and I want to be able to face my fears. Having that courage will allow me to take risks and maybe one day be as brave as Tris and Four. They risk their very lives for what's important to them; be it friends, family, or love, and I want to be in a faction that promotes that type of bravery. I am ready to be Dauntless!!
P.S. So when is knife practice?
- The Bookworm is Here!

I want to join Dauntless because they are brave and exciting.
- Page Turner

They are brave people. Willing to do what needs to be done. They can do big things and understand whats important. Plus they are super cool!
- R. Mae

Well hells bells! Why wouldn't I? Slight addiction to tattoos? Check. Willingly jumps out of perfectly good airplanes? Check. Been known to have a problem with 'following the rules?' Check. Busts out in mama bear mode when someone I care about is being brought down? Check. Dauntless is to push the boundaries of WHO you are and WHAT you are willing to do to get what you want/need. Dauntless is to lead, not to follow. Dauntless is to DO when others say it can't be DONE. Dauntless is — ME.
- Panic Written

Who wouldn't want to be Dauntless!!!!!!!!!!! Like its the best faction out there!: )
- Yasmine

I want to join cause I have very few fears, I love archery and things that gt my pulse going. I find life boring without things that scare me so im always bored. I am good with knives and a bow, I am decent with guns. This also seems fun
- Nitro

The Dauntless faction represents not only fearlessness, but bravery and selflessness. All of these things are important to me as I continue to grow in my life and in the book worlds created by many wonderful writers. The least I can do to represent how important Divergent has been in my life is to join TEAM DAUNTLESS!
- Miranda B.

I believe that Justice must be served in any way possible, and bravery is one of the most important traits, for how would anything ever have been done without someone being brave, taking a risk? Everyone is weak, but we can be strong if we believe, are brave, and take those chances.
- Rachel M.

It's where I belong!
- Ciji

I am in Dauntless because i will be brave and strong no matter what comes my way.
- Kendra

Because cowards can not be tolerated. because there needs to be justice, and i will fight till the end to see that justice is served. because i will fight for my brothers and sisters just as they will fight for me. because you don't always know where you stand until you know that you wont run away, and this is where i make my stand this is where i make my choice to stand shoulder to shoulder with my Dauntless brothers and sisters and prove there is nothing to fear, except fear itself.
- Mohawk

Why I want to join:
1. Because I believe that justice is more important than peace
2. Because I want to be free from fear
3. Because I believe in ordinary acts of bravery
4. And in Tris's words,"It was just because of the food.": )
- The Journey of a Young Writer

I personally love Dauntless. The strong, the brave, and the AMAZING all join together in one fabulous faction. I love to think that I'm all of the above. And the other factions? Well, they're going down. DAUNTLESS ALL THE WAY!
- My Adventures in Wonderland

I am brave like the Dauntless. I am the kind of person who takes things head on and not care what happens.
- Cole R.

Thanks again for helping #TEAMDAUNTLESS for #DivergentNation!

It is now time to vote on the story entries! Thanks to everyone who entered! We really appreciate you all for sharing your stories with us! We do hope that everyone takes time out to read each story before voting for their favorites! You have until this Friday, the 22nd to vote.
Voters:

• Lisa and I will both be posting the stories.

• The form is the same on both blogs so duplicates will be deleted.
• To vote, put your email address and the number of the story you like into the form.
• Email addresses are only used in order to check for duplicate votes.
• If you are participating in the comment contest, leave your email with the comment for it to be counted. Same as with the other Haunted Halloween posts.
• If you voted, say"I voted!" in the comment and you will get an extra entry into the comment contest.
• Vote for your favorite!

• Feel free to post about the voting starting. Please encourage people to vote for their favorite.
• You can cast a vote for your own story, but only once each round.

Rules:

• This is Round 1 of voting. It will end Friday, the 22nd.
• Round 2 will begin next Sunday, the 24th. It will end Friday, the 29th.
• 8 stories will continue onto Round 2!
• The winners will be announced on Halloween!

Story #1 — Found"Hello my love." Came a horribly familiar voice. I slowly turned around and there he was. My worst nightmare. The last time I saw him he was covered in my blood. My knees felt week and I didn't know if I had the strength to keep them study. He smiled that same dark smile that he had the day he tried to kill me. I thought I had escaped, I thought it was over. As he reached for my hand I knew it would be soon."How I have missed you." He said as our hands met. I felt a tingle run up my arm as he touched me. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, everything that I had worked for, to get past the memory of him was gone. All there was in the world was him and his hand upon mine. I couldn’t bring myself to run or to scream. I was lost in his murderous eyes. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #2 — Invisible Gotta find the exit. I just have to. I don't want to die I am too young. He told me that it wouldn't end like this that if I just give him what he needed then he would leave me and my family alone. I have been running for nearly three days and every time I think I am safe I see his shadow again. It all started back when I met the new kid in school. He was gorgeous nonetheless. Always seemed so perfect and mysterious. Apparently my judgment was correct except for the perfect part. As I grew closer to him the more I drew away from school, friends, and even worse my family. There seemed to be something pulling me deeper into his world, something that was turning me almost invisible to the world around me. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #3 — Sun and Moon The obsidian building towered high into the thunderous clouds, and was surrounded by a large iron-wrought fence. Erus, a grim and depressing boy for his age, stared at the bleak view before him: This was to be his new home: The Orphanage. Erus picked anxiously at his raggedy blue sweatshirt. His dark black hair obscured his vision, but gave him a sharper look. The pale skin of his face often made others think that he was dead, maybe a vampire. Maybe he was, no, he most definitely was. Due to the monumental hunger he felt building up inside him like carbon in a soda bottle. Every sense in his body became more acute, and human blood sang beneath luscious skin. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #4 — Ghost girl This was when I was around 17 years old. My parent move us in to our first house after living so long in an apartment. The house had 3 bedrooms and one bathroom. I was sharing a room with my sister, she was 16 year old. My two brother were sharing the room next to ours. my parents room was across the hallway. My room had the only window a/c unit. Our bedroom was the smallest bedroom and we only had a bunkbed an old tv, those old one that had the wooden box arround and with the big knobs. After a week I was watching tv late one night and the tv out of nowhere turn off. I thought the tv had a short and went to sleep. The next week weird things started to happen. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #5 — The Blood Spirit 1920
It was in the small town of Ashbury, New York that the rumor became.
“Oh, Mary, I’ve missed you so much!”
“Hahaha, well, I told you I’d return didn’t I, silly boy.” The girl’s sweet voice filled the room. It was like a drug to Everett and he wanted more. He had long awaited her return spending night after night staring longingly into the mirror on his dresser, until she had finally appeared that night.
“I thought… maybe you had moved on.” Everett’s voice tried to cover his emotions at the thought of losing his beautiful Mary. Mary, the one that had saved him from all the darkness in his life and now he could barely stand to look her in the eyes because of her beauty. They had shown with understanding, but that was all a mask to help cover up the thing she really was. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #6 — The Current-Day 1900's Spiderman: A Little Boy's Tale
A shaggy haired two year old boy with wide eyes watched the hall of his newly built home. Not only was his puppy barking at it but both pet cats were hissing as well. His mommy turned to the hall then back at the display in front of her calling their attention. The little boy dropped his multi-colored duplos and looked to his mommy, his eyes glistening with a look she never seen before, then pointed to the short hall between the living room and the playroom saying one word. “Man.”

The appearances of 'man' didn't stop that one quiet night. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #7 — Friendly Fire Fire. One word. One very short word. And yet, for Kaylee it was the most important word in the world. It was the last thing her mother ever said to her. As a child she had been hurt that her mother hadn’t spoken words of love and encouragement in the last moments of her life, it was only when she was older that she understood the true power behind that one word.

Fire. It brings warmth. It brings light. It brings destruction. And eventually it can bring life. But for Kaylee it brought wonder and mystery and a power so overwhelming that the mere sight of her would strike fear into complete strangers. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #8 — Stranger in the Night"We should dance," Brady smiled. Prom night.
I heard a voice."Excuse me," someone said from behind.

"Sorry, sorry" Brady muttered.

Me, I couldn't speak. It was his eyes; they smoldered. I had never seen a guy with black eyes before. Taking one look at his face --pale, chiseled, eerily handsome-- I was totally, totally lost.

"Stephanie," he grinned. I parted my lips, but couldn't speak.

"Stephanie?" I couldn't hear Brady. I couldn't even tell he was still there. Everything was a big, buzzing blur; his hand at my waist, it wasn't even there. I swear it wasn't. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #9 — The Good Mother Our lake is haunted.

Long ago there was a Mother who fell asleep by the water. While she slept her child crawled into the water and was lost.

The Mother, unwilling to accept her child’s death, dove beneath the waves and disappeared.

Supposedly, she searches for him still. Children roaming near the lake on the night her child disappeared will disappear too. She waits to wrap them in her watery embrace. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #10 — Blackbird Sing They say the beautiful song of the blackbird makes it a symbol of temptations. For the most part, I have been a fairly responsible adult during the course of my life. I live in control and in restraint; I have no weakness.

When I approach the enormous tree with the bare and scraggly branches, I see it is full of blackbirds. I should think something is not right. But with a sensible head resting atop my shoulders, omens never affected me. I could shatter a thousand mirrors and still live in good health and in good luck.

My phone shrills in my pocket. I do not want to pick it up. Instead, I gaze at the still blackbirds, with their graceful feathers and beady eyes. Nothing is wrong. Just a tree full of silly birds. I see them all the time. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #11 — The Mattress Kasey never liked hospitals. They just made her feel uncomfortable. Everything smelled like hand soap or old people, and everything was so… sterile. She especially hated it at night when her room's light was turned off. The hallway would still be brightly lighted — yes, even in the middle of the night — but even the small sliver of light that she could see under her door wasn't comfort enough. Being in the dark scared her, and being in the dark alone was even more frightening.

She had had three concussions in the past spring from playing rugby — three too much. She had spent week after week in hospitals attempting to recover, missing school, missing her friends, missing life. She hardly knew what sunshine felt like. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #12 — Lifeless Love Her breath raced as she ran down the hill. Sweat glistened on her face in the light of the half-moon. Her pursuer was not far behind, his long arms flapping limply at his sides. She turned right and hid behind a trash can and prayed he would pass her by.

“Chloe,” He croaked. “Come out. You know I won’t hurt you. How could I hurt you? I love you.”

Silent tears slid down her face. How she wanted to believe those words. But she knew now that he was lost to her.

Footsteps were heard receding into the distance; he was gone, for now. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #13 — Whisper Damien was filled with dread as he crossed the threshold of Milton Manor. Fear emanated from his every pore, clouded his vision, and burned its way through his lungs with each breath.

Then the whispers began…

Get out! You don’t belong here. This is our home!

With each whisper more and more voices joined in, bringing the words to a crescendo, reverberating around Damien’s head and bombarding his mind. The voices began screaming at Damien, commanding him to leave.

Leave now or we’ll kill them all! Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #14 — Howl at the Moon The sharp ululation had my head snap back. Shivers shot up my spine, the harsh wind causing my cheeks to sting. They were coming for me. I tried to cover my scent with the dirt and foliage around me, but it didnt work. They had super noses, and hearing.
I tripped over a root and landed on my knees and hands. I muffled a cry. I quickly got up, ignoring the globs of blood appearing on my knees. I could almost here them approaching me. My blood ran cold, my limbs grew stiff even as I stumbled my way through the forest. My breath thickened, blood tricked down my legs. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #15 — The Secret Ball Louisiana, 1862 I could hear the carriage roll on the damp stone path. The path where what had mattered most was silently taken from me. I saw men in white masks embellished with jewels and lined with intricate black lace. The men who took Dylan, my love.
Who were they? Why didn’t I panic?
“Olivia Preston,” I remembered hearing the husky voice say with invisible lips, “thank you. You’ve done well.”
Unfortunately, it’s simple to know who I am. I’m the daughter of James Preston, the wealthiest man in New Orleans.
Was Dylan taken because of this? Because of where I come from? Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #16 — Strange Things Are Happening Emily walked towards the sound of the music. Her friend, Mel, and she were on their way home from school when they first heard it, and they had followed it all the way until they came to the source: Shay Manor. Shay Manor had been abandoned for so long that no one could even remember when someone had lived in it last or why they left. The only people who went in the supposedly haunted mansion now were teenagers looking for a scare on the weekends. “Emily! What the—” Mel started, coming up behind Emily. “Shh!” Emily hissed. “Do you hear that?” Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #17 — Under the Bed I folded my arms and did the infamous mom stare in front of my little sister.
“Jessie, I thought you were old enough not to believe in this stuff anymore,” I said, shaking my head. “I am a big girl,” my five-year-old sister whined. “But this time it’s different, something is under my bed!” “Look it’s one thing that I missed the biggest Halloween party ever to take you trick or treating, but it’s not fair I have to do this.” For a moment, just from the pleading in her tiny blue eyes, I believed her. I shook it off and let out a deep sigh. “Fine, Kylie, I’ll go look. But just one time. Ryan is coming over in ten minutes and we’re watching a movie.” She stood at the bottom of the stairs, biting her thumbnail nervously as I entered her room. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

*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.

If you vote include"I VOTED" in your comment for an extra entry in the comment contest!

Hey again street teamers! We now have 110 members. WOW! That's so incredible. Thanks to everyone again for your tweets and blog posts. We really appreciate it! Still want to sign up? Just USE GOOGLE!

Do you want to show off your DAUNTLESS spirit on facebook? There are new graphics you can check out here. Just click and download!

Last week's challenge is complete and 2 brave members created vlogs talking about"What it means to be Dauntless". We are so proud of them! Since this was a hard challenge, BOTH people will get swag packs!

Here are the links to their vlogs. Steph's Book Corner Lover of Paranormal
Now, for new business. First make sure you check out the information for FREE FOUR. If enough people pre-order INSURGENT, we will get to hear from FOUR's point-of-view. Amazing, right?!

We promised we would share answers from the street team members on why each person wanted to join the Dauntless faction. We are going to share the answers from the first 30 members. More will be posted next week.

I completely identified with Tris's decision in Divergent and love the fearlessness behind the DAUNTLESS.
— Sara's Books and Life

I want to stand tall and not be afraid. I want to live on my will power and not be a coward.
- Beata M.

Because I'm fierce, I love adrenaline rushes and good tattoos.
- JustJmac's Facebook

Living Dauntless is to face life's fears and obstacles and cleverly overcome them. There is no better way to live!
- Fiction State of Mind

I honestly wasn't sure I was Dauntless until I re-read Divergent and I realized that I loved surprises and I would be the kid who is scared of nights but would jump off the building anyways. I'm a strong person and once I get something stuck in my head, I'm determined to see it through.
- Reading the Best of the Best

I've lived my life trusting my instincts to survive and overcome many things. I intend to continue in this manner. I trust Tris and Four's example of choosing DAUNTLESS and believe that DAUNTLESS is my faction as well.
- Novels by G. Donald Cribbs

Because I believe in facing your fears and living in the moment like the Dauntless do. Don't be afraid to live life to the fullest; don't let your fears keep you from doing what you want.
- Paranormal Dystopia

I try to be brave. I don't want to be afraid anymore.
- Stephanie Diaz

Because I'm into tattoos and piercings: P
- Fighting Dreamer

I am the old Dauntless. The one who cherishes strength and bravery. Not being a bully and standing up for what you think is right. It's where I belong and where I could find myself.
- Paper Cuts

I want to join the DAUNTLESS faction because I feel it is where I belong. I am a strong, independent person who is fearless when it comes to the tasks at hand. I think I would make a great addition to Dauntless.
- Steph's Book Corner

Because for so long I've been selfless and taught to do such. I want to be brave and learn to face fear head on. To come out completely out of the shy shell I used to live in.^^
- The Dauntless Writer

Bravery before brains, bravery before blood, bravery for beliefs.
- Misty's Book Mess

The Dauntless aren't afraid to march to the beat of their own drum. Having the guts to be who you really are is true courage.
- Starting the Next Chapter

Short and simple: because Tris is amazing and the strength she gains by being a dauntless is fantastic. I want to learn to face my fears like her!
- The O.W.L

I want to be in the Dauntless faction because I believe that a person must have the determination and will to learn. To do great things you need to perservere and step out of your comfort zone and that is what makes up courage. It's not how strong you are or how tough you look but it's how far you're willing to go for the faction or anything else. I want to be in the Dauntless faction because I want to experience what it's like to explore new things and be able to face trials and obstacles head on. I want to be brave and I know I can do good.
- Soul Sisters

I've been fearless my entire life. It's about time I flaunt it!!
- The ParaHangover

Joined Dauntless for the knowledge that I could face anything and come out on top.
- 600 Sugarcubes

I was born to be Dauntless, it's in my blood.
- tanemax

Knowing me, I would be born into Dauntless. I have always be"encouraged" to try everything and anything. I'm a natural fighter, but as well as intelligent. But I'm not cocky like those Erudites; D. Naturally I belong in Dauntless; D
- The Reading Fish

I would want to join the Dauntless faction because I want to face my fears head on and I wish for my life to be exciting and to live life to the fullest and I find that would be fulfilled best in the Dauntless Faction. Plus I always wanted to use moving trains as my transportation.
- LifeOffTheRails

The Dauntless are brave regardless of the circumstances that they are faced with!
- TwiWildflower

Because I am DAUNTLESS! oh and Yara asked me too=)
- A Book-Lovers Review

Hummm… Why the Dauntless faction? Was there ever even another option? We ROCK! Hands Down! Enough Said!: )
- Lover of Paranormal

Dauntless gives me the option to do things that I've always wanted to do but never could. I try to be this good kid all the time, but every now and then I'm just not. I am really proud when I do something that normal people wouldn't think of doing because it could ruin an object or hurt them. I've started to becomem very brave and bold, and I want to be free to do that.
- Brooke R.

Dauntless are afraid, but act anyways.
- Books Were My First Friends

I was to be a Dauntless member, because I want to learn to master and conquer my fears! Also jumping on and off of trains is rather appealing! PLUS the dauntless don't hide they face everything head on with no nonsense!
- Moonlight Book Reviews

I love to read and support authors.
— Tamara

- The Magic Attic

Assignments

1. This week's hashtag will be #FaceYourFears.
- Tweet, or blog, telling us about your fears or one that you have faced lately.
- It can be anything, big or small. Being Dauntless is just having the courage to face what you are afraid of.

2. Keep spreading the word about the Dauntless links.
- Make sure you visit them yourself. There are new things added to the Dauntless tumblr site each day.
- Use the hashtags #TeamDauntless, #DauntlessFaction, and #DivergentNation with the links http://bit.ly/dauntlessfaction and http://bit.ly/choose_dauntless

3. Another email will be sent to street team members on Friday.
- We have a surprise in store and we need your help with it!

4. There are some huge giveaways going on now.
- You can still enter to win a NOOK with an ebook of INSURGENT.
- Our big giveaway this week was for a Breaking Dawn poster SIGNED by Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner and a Mockingjay pin from Comic Con!
- Remember: You can enter these 2 giveaways each day.

Challenge

This week, we are asking members to blog about all-things DAUNTLESS. We have 3 topics to choose from. Post your answers and leave the link to where we can find the post.
Here are your 3 choices:

• Movie Night: List of movies that would be shown for a Dauntless movie night.
• List of actors you want to play in the Dauntless faction
• Dauntless required reading

This challenge will be open until next Tuesday, April 17th. Make sure you put your link in the linky tool below!

Aspiring social scientists Avery Shaw and Grayson Kennedy were required to keep detailed journals of all their exploits during The Avery Shaw Experiment. Only the participants of the 2013 Utah State Science Fair were allowed access to these records, but we're in luck because the ever-sneaky, privacy-invading author Kelly Oram has managed to get her hands on those journals and has decided to share them with the world. Today's featured entry has been stolen from the pages of Grayson's diary. Enjoy!

“Most Definitely A Real Date” (Grayson)
I’m taking Avery out on our first date tonight. I don’t really count New Years Eve because the girl was beyond messed up that night and she only stuck around for about fifteen minutes. That was more like an emergency rescue than a date. Tonight will be a real one—no matter what Avery says.

When I called to ask what time Aves wanted me to pick her up for our date, she immediately brought up the fact that this was a school project. Not a date. Whatever. She claims to be stuck between bargaining and guilt, but clearly the girl is still dealing with some major denial. We’re totally going on a date tonight. I think I’ll bring her roses just to prove it.

At first I thought about taking her out on a group date with a bunch of my friends, but I decided against that for several reasons. One, they’re all going to go see a movie, and after I nearly jumped Aves yesterday I don’t think taking her to a dark theater where the armrests between the seats can be lifted up is the best idea.

More than my lack of self-control, though, I want to have Avery all to myself for the night. Avery is so shy. She tends to clam up or fade into the background when she’s around my friends, and I want the opposite from her tonight. I want her to open up to me.

It occurred to me while we were studying yesterday that I don’t really know Aves very well. Of course I know her, but we’ve never hung out much before. In fact, up until she’d asked me to help her with her Aiden-purging, I’d never even been in her bedroom before.

I have this idea in my head of who she is, but now that I think about it, that’s mostly based on what I know about my brother. I can’t really picture her separately from Aiden any better than she can. Well, I don’t particularly care much for my brother right now. I don’t want to associate Avery with him anymore.

There’s got to be more to Avery than just the fact that she’s Aiden’s best friend. I want to see that side of her. I want to learn what she likes and doesn’t like, not what Aiden likes and doesn’t like. I want to see how she handles things when she doesn’t have him there to lean on.

Tonight for our date, I am going to take Avery to do something she’s never done before. I want tonight to be one hundred percent The Avery and Grayson Show. Aiden is so not invited—literally or metaphorically. Call me selfish, but I’m taking Avery out. Not Aiden. I don’t want him to be there in any way, shape or form. I want Avery’s thoughts and feelings to be centered on me. Not stuck on that stupid, selfish punk and what he did to her. I want her to smile all night long damn it. And I want her to laugh. A lot. Girl has such an adorable laugh. She needs to use it more often. In fact, that gives me a great idea. I just figured out what we’re going to do tonight.

Be sure to catch all of the entries from the Avery Shaw Diaries!

June 3rd --"I See London, I See France" (Avery) — Colorimetry
June 4th --"Purging" (Grayson) — Reading Teen
June 5th --"Too Hot To Handle" (Avery) — I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
June 6th --"Self Control, Or Lack Thereof" (Grayson) — Book Passion For Life
June 7th --"Most Definitely A Real Date" (Grayson) — Confessions of a Bookaholic
June 8th --"Post Shower Avery And Grayson Things" (Avery) — A Life Bound By Books

Giveaway

Have a soft spot for Grayson? Good news, you have a chance to hear from him personally! Avery loved the diary Grayson made her so much that Grayson decided to make another one for one very lucky fan. Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win your very own personalized Secret Grayson Kennedy Love Diary, complete with a personal letter/journal entry from Grayson himself! The winner of the diary will also receive some Kelly Oram bookmarks and a signed Avery Shaw Experiment mini-poster. (roughly 8"x11") Five other lucky winners will also receive signed Avery Shaw Experiment mini-posters.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram
Published: Bluefields (May 4th, 2013)
Reading Level: Young Adult
ebook: 278 pages
Summary:
When Avery Shaw’s heart is shattered by her life-long best friend, she chooses to deal with it the only way she knows how—scientifically.

The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.

Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

It is now time for the 2nd round of voting! Here are the top 8 stories picked from round 1!

We are changing the voting for this round. We had an instance of false voting during the last round. Someone used a variety of email addresses, including ones from authors, to cast votes. We became suspicious and decided to verify these votes. We contacted the authors and they said that they did NOT vote, so that person has been disqualified.
We are truly saddened by this instance of cheating. Lisa and I worked really hard to gather the books and swag for these giveaways and we will not tolerate cheating. It is not fair to us or the people who worked hard on these stories and covers. They deserve a fair chance. That is why we changed the voting for this round.

Now, voting MUST come through comments. We will not accept anonymous comments.

* The stories are in the order that we received them.

Voters:
PLEASE ONLY CAST YOUR VOTE ONCE!

• For round 2, I will be posting the story vote, and Lisa will post the cover vote.
• To vote for the COVERS- USE GOOGLE
• To vote, put your email address and the number of the story you like into the comment.
  
• Email addresses may be used to verify votes, only if needed. Hopefully we will not need to for this round.
  
• If you are participating in the comment contest, say"I'M VOTING!" in the comment and you will get an extra entry into the comment contest.
• Vote for your favorite!

• Feel free to post about the voting starting. Please encourage people to vote for their favorite.
• You can cast a vote for your own cover, but only once each round.

Rules:

• This is Round 2 of voting. It will end Friday, the 29th.
• 4 stories will win prizes!
• The winners will be announced on Halloween!
• Votes from Round 1 have been deleted.

Story #1 — Invisible Gotta find the exit. I just have to. I don't want to die I am too young. He told me that it wouldn't end like this that if I just give him what he needed then he would leave me and my family alone. I have been running for nearly three days and every time I think I am safe I see his shadow again. It all started back when I met the new kid in school. He was gorgeous nonetheless. Always seemed so perfect and mysterious. Apparently my judgment was correct except for the perfect part. As I grew closer to him the more I drew away from school, friends, and even worse my family. There seemed to be something pulling me deeper into his world, something that was turning me almost invisible to the world around me.
Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #2 — The Current-Day 1900's Spiderman: A Little Boy's Tale
A shaggy haired two year old boy with wide eyes watched the hall of his newly built home. Not only was his puppy barking at it but both pet cats were hissing as well. His mommy turned to the hall then back at the display in front of her calling their attention. The little boy dropped his multi-colored duplos and looked to his mommy, his eyes glistening with a look she never seen before, then pointed to the short hall between the living room and the playroom saying one word. “Man.”

The appearances of 'man' didn't stop that one quiet night. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #3 — Friendly Fire Fire. One word. One very short word. And yet, for Kaylee it was the most important word in the world. It was the last thing her mother ever said to her. As a child she had been hurt that her mother hadn’t spoken words of love and encouragement in the last moments of her life, it was only when she was older that she understood the true power behind that one word.

Fire. It brings warmth. It brings light. It brings destruction. And eventually it can bring life. But for Kaylee it brought wonder and mystery and a power so overwhelming that the mere sight of her would strike fear into complete strangers. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #4 — Blackbird Sing They say the beautiful song of the blackbird makes it a symbol of temptations. For the most part, I have been a fairly responsible adult during the course of my life. I live in control and in restraint; I have no weakness.

When I approach the enormous tree with the bare and scraggly branches, I see it is full of blackbirds. I should think something is not right. But with a sensible head resting atop my shoulders, omens never affected me. I could shatter a thousand mirrors and still live in good health and in good luck.

My phone shrills in my pocket. I do not want to pick it up. Instead, I gaze at the still blackbirds, with their graceful feathers and beady eyes. Nothing is wrong. Just a tree full of silly birds. I see them all the time. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #5 — Lifeless Love Her breath raced as she ran down the hill. Sweat glistened on her face in the light of the half-moon. Her pursuer was not far behind, his long arms flapping limply at his sides. She turned right and hid behind a trash can and prayed he would pass her by.

“Chloe,” He croaked. “Come out. You know I won’t hurt you. How could I hurt you? I love you.”

Silent tears slid down her face. How she wanted to believe those words. But she knew now that he was lost to her.

Footsteps were heard receding into the distance; he was gone, for now. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #6 — The Secret Ball Louisiana, 1862
I could hear the carriage roll on the damp stone path. The path where what had mattered most was silently taken from me. I saw men in white masks embellished with jewels and lined with intricate black lace. The men who took Dylan, my love.
Who were they? Why didn’t I panic?
“Olivia Preston,” I remembered hearing the husky voice say with invisible lips, “thank you. You’ve done well.”
Unfortunately, it’s simple to know who I am. I’m the daughter of James Preston, the wealthiest man in New Orleans.
Was Dylan taken because of this? Because of where I come from? Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #7 — Strange Things Are Happening Emily walked towards the sound of the music. Her friend, Mel, and she were on their way home from school when they first heard it, and they had followed it all the way until they came to the source: Shay Manor. Shay Manor had been abandoned for so long that no one could even remember when someone had lived in it last or why they left. The only people who went in the supposedly haunted mansion now were teenagers looking for a scare on the weekends. “Emily! What the—” Mel started, coming up behind Emily. “Shh!” Emily hissed. “Do you hear that?” Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

Story #8 — Under the Bed I folded my arms and did the infamous mom stare in front of my little sister.
“Jessie, I thought you were old enough not to believe in this stuff anymore,” I said, shaking my head. “I am a big girl,” my five-year-old sister whined. “But this time it’s different, something is under my bed!” “Look it’s one thing that I missed the biggest Halloween party ever to take you trick or treating, but it’s not fair I have to do this.” For a moment, just from the pleading in her tiny blue eyes, I believed her. I shook it off and let out a deep sigh. “Fine, Kylie, I’ll go look. But just one time. Ryan is coming over in ten minutes and we’re watching a movie.” She stood at the bottom of the stairs, biting her thumbnail nervously as I entered her room. Want to read more? USE GOOGLE

*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address and"I'M VOTING" with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
To vote, include the number of your favorite cover and email address in your comment!

To vote for the COVERS- USE GOOGLE

Do you like to establish relationships with authors? Do you ever have"fan-girl/boy" moments?

I love it when an author contacts me about their books, especially when I've read their books before. There are some authors that are extremely popular that talk to me, and I go total fan-girl. But I also like when a little known author contacts me to send me their book and I end up loving it, It's great for me to find a new great author (Lauren Mechling, Megan Kelley Hall, and Brooke Taylor to name just a few). — Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog
Oh, yes. I think that's one of the things I like best; being able to just talk to authors. (Julie Kagawa, I'm looking at you.) And I definitley have fangirl moments. I sobbed when I met Laurie Halse Anderson and spazzed a little the first time Gail Carriger tweeted @ me. It's fun! — Nicole at WORD for Teens
I am a TOTAL fangirl. I get giddy at author events or when authors reply to my tweets or blog post. You should have seen me when I met Holly Black! I'm pretty sure she may have started the process for a restraining order; ) — Heidi at YA Bibliophile
I'm brand new to the book blogger community so I haven't established a rapor with too many authors yet. The few that I have are amazingly friendly people and I'm very thankful they take the time they do to respond to my comments and questions. My most recent fan-girl moment was with Chef and Author Robert Irvine. I wrote on his Facebook page and he responded with a great comment which made me squeal like a tween girl at a Justin Bieber concert when I got it. — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps
I've yet to be lucky enough to establish relationships with authors, but I'd love to in the future. I do have one ARC winging its way to me, so hopefully that will become my first 'author relationship'. I've sort of had a fan-girl moment about Jasper Fforde recently- I can't stop telling people how good his books are and how nice he is in person. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone
I like to talk to them on twitter sometimes, or on their blogs but I'm very shy and get intimidated really easy so I leave the talking to my friends whenever we go to book signings. I have gotten very fangirly where I get really nervous and freeze, but nothing crazy like crying in front of them and stuff like that. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing
I do a little. Since I have started I have been chatting to a few authors not just about there books but about everyday stuff and it just feels like having a girly chat with a person rather than one of your fave authors. I have had one fan girl moment when one of my fave authors at the minute L.A. Weatherly said she loved my review of her book Angel and was glad I loved the characters so much I didn't even know she would see it. — Megan at Reading Away the Days
Of course, there always those authors that your just WOW, i cant believe im talking with them!!!! They are amazing and much more down to earth than I originally expected Reagan at Star Shadow Blog
I have a few authors that I have exchanged ideas, emails, and tweets with. I can't say that I am particularly close to any of them. But I love to see what they have to say! — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa
I never thought that I could have a relationship with my favorite authors, but it is possible. I talk with authors all over and even met some of them. It is just so awesome! I have had a fan-girl moment before. Every time I email a new author, asking him/her for an interview or something of that nature, I always freak out. (Is that weird?) Nora can tell you all about it, I stare at the SEND button and start smiling. Authors are like celebrities, that I can talk to and I love it. — Gina at The Bucket List
I think most of us at one time or another has some sort of fan-girl/boy moment. Right?! And yes, I love interacting with authors and helping them interact with others. That is one of the driving factors in Read.Chat.Love, a Author-Blogger Chat and Event blog I am a co-founder of. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record
I get SOOO fangirly if an author comments on my blog or seeks me out for a review/interview. Right now, I think my favorite moment was when Jo Knowles commented on my post about My Most Awesomely Horrifying Reads of All Time (I'd just put Lessons from a Dead Girl on the list) with a book suggestion for the list. The fact that I have actual, real-live authors reading my blog just blows my mind! -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian Absolutely! I have read some amazing stories that I would not have read otherwise. I have become fans of some great authors and continue to stalk them accordingly. — J.L. at J.L. Jackson
Not really, it'd be nice but isn't necessary. I do have a few author's who's blogs I follow though. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books
I am not one who actively seeks relationships with authors. I do reach out through Twitter and will interact that way, but I still consider authors to be celebrities and therefore somewhat remote and untouchable. It is a ridiculous notion but one I have never overcome. I have fan-girl moments every single time I get a comment from an author or an e-mail from an author or even a response on Twitter. My biggest moment was visiting a booksellers' trade show last October and was surrounded by authors. I felt privileged to be there but definitely felt I wasn't worthy to be in the same company! — Michelle at That's What She Read
I haven't met or established relationships with many authors, so no. I love following my favourite authors on their blogs though. — Cole at Through the Book Vine
As an author myself I have many friends who are authors. I’m not sure if fan-girl is a correct description, but I do have a great admiration for authors who persevere. — Ann at Cozy in Texas
I don't generally go seek them out — I blog for myself because I like it, so I don't like to feel obligated to post a good review or anything like that. I don't review every book I read due to time constraints, but the ones I don't like or don't finish, I generally won't officially review, especially with some of the recent drama I've seen about negative reviews. However, I do follow a couple of my absolute favorite authors, and would be open to relationships with any of them. — Cat at Cat's Thoughts
Yes, but it makes me nervous because I'm not the most outgoing person (Me= VERY shy). Absolutely, anytime an author replies to a tweet or the few times I've exchanged emails with one. I always have to step back for a moment just to compose myself before I can even think about replying back. My fan-girl moment would have to be the time that Robin McKinley @ replied me on Twitter. I was like so shocked because she's like one of my all-time favorite fantasy authors. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
This is sort of a grey area for me. As a reviewer, I'm supposed to maintain a cool, professional distance from the authors whose books I review. Not only is it necessary for readers to trust in a critic's candor and impartiality, it's also easier for the reviewer if he/she is not emotionally tangled with feelings for the author when sitting down to write the review. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way. Lately, I've been a social media butterfly, striking up"friendships" with writers on Twitter and Facebook in an almost whorish manner. Only in a few instances have those connections spilled over into"real life;" for the most part, I only"know" the authors through their Twitter and Facebook accounts. Since I started The Quivering Pen, however, I've had several authors contact me through the blog and I've established several online relationships that way, too. I hope I'm still unbiased enough to give their books an honest review, when it comes to that. Favorite fanboy moment? It would have to be the email I received from novelist Sheri Holman not too long ago telling me that because of what I wrote about the cover of the Advance Reading Copy for her new novel"Witches on the Road Tonight," the design team at Grove/Atlantic decided to go with a different cover (which, in my opinion, is a huge improvement over the original design--a scan of which you can still see on my blog). Whether this was completely true or not--I mean, I'm just one little blogger out here in the world and I really don't think I carry all THAT much weight--it still pumped me up for the better part of a week. — David at Quivering Pen Blog
I do like establishing relationships with authors, but I’m also totally nervous about it! I feel like my 12-year-old self trying to talk to a cute boy and saying the lamest things ever. I admire so many authors and I feel so thankful to them for the awesome reading experiences they’ve given me. I fangirl all the time, much to my embarrassment. I’m super shy though, so most of the time I’m just speechless. — Small at Small Reviews
I'm actually really shy when it comes to authors. I follow several, but I have only ever conversed over the internet with a few, and then not for any lengthy period of time. Authors intimidate me, even though logically they shouldn't. Authors are people, too. Luckily, I've managed to avoid embarrassing fan-girl moments! — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books
Sure! It's nice that authors are really approachable and opennto their readers and fans. For me, it is an additional appeal for the readers. Especially now that there's twitter and facebook, even international readers and bloggers can sort of create a relationship and communicate w/ authors. I'm a big fan-girl myself. So I had those moments of serious fan-girling. To maintain a sense of dignity i shall keep those instances to myself. *whistles* — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy
I am surprised every day at how big and active the book blogging community is. I love knowing that through the good times and the bad times that there is a group I can lean on for book recommendations, a listening ear or just to share the same hobby. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings
Haha, I'd love to establish relationships with authors, but I still regard them with a certain hoi-paloi status that is above me. I do however know a few people personally who are published authors and are local to me; that is pretty awesome! However, the farthest I've gone with an author is email/twitter fan girl squealing. I do have fan-girl moments! The best one was when Sherrilyn Kenyon was answering questions on the FaceBook page for her Chronicles of Nick series and she replied to mine. Fan-girl scream! I took a picture of the computer screen. I framed it. I'm proud of it. — Nora at The Bookery
Not really applicable as I haven't established any relationships with authors, but I would. It'd be fun, I think, to be able to pick the brains of published/ to-be-published authors. — Kim at Book Munchies
I do love it. Before blogging, I never even thought about contacting an author. Having a relationship with authors is always surprising and wonderful. I have a lot of fangirl moments. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict
Yes. I have fan-girly moments all the time! I love when an author takes the time to respond on twitter or like my review on Good Reads.
- Shannon at Books Devoured

*Part 3 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Wow — I'm slowly but surely getting back on track to being a better blogger. Check out my last Sunday Salon.

This week I put up my very first ever book trailer — I am extremely proud of it. I am hosting another contest — make sure to check it out, "Thanksgiving at the Inn" is the perfect book to come out of the Halloween season with. I loved it! I reviewed a GREAT book — really, it is phenomenal -"The First Thirty Seconds." And to make the week complete, I received an award from Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

Speaking of Sheila, she was also this week's Guest Reviewer — donating her review of Dreaming Anastasia. Please share some book love and visit her at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

I still have not touched "Mr. Darcy's Dream," I may have to give up on it. There's no point in reading a book that I don't find compelling or interesting. But I'll give it one more day. Last Sunday I started "A Duty to the Dead" and I finished it yesterday, GREAT book. I would have finished it earlier if I didn't have this whole school thing to devote myself too. This week I want to either finish or give up "Mr. Darcy's Dream" and start another book — TBA.

Still at 30 amazing followers.:)

This week I have a lot fun things planned! On Monday check back to see a book trailer that I created for an education class. I have never done anything like this before so it took me a lot of time and I'm very proud of it! On Tuesday look for a contest! Ohhh exciting!

My goal for this week is to finish "A Duty to the Dead" and "Mr. Darcy's Dream".

Also, each week I'm going to start making a "To Do" list for blog related things — not just reading. It's soon to be the time of year when I'll be sending the HTML address for Miss Remmers' Review out to prospective school districts and I want to make sure it is "spot on". if you have any ideas as to how to make this blog more awesome — please let me know.

• Rewrite/hone my Guest Reviewer 's post.
• Rewrite/hone my Mission post.
• Proofread/Professionalize Review: "A Circle of Souls "
• Proofread/Professionalize Review: "A Vengeful Spirit "
• Proofread/Professionalize Review: "Audrey, Wait "
  

I found out this week that a new professor (the one teaching the Harry Potter course) is planning a Harry Potter trip to England for this Spring break. I really want to go, but I'll be student teaching.: ( So to make myself feel better I am determined to remind myself that if i do go abroad I don't want to only see Harry Potter things — I want to Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Chaucer things (among others). I know — it's a sad substitution, still.

This weekend I participated in the Haunted Forest as a guide. I walked over 24 miles and lost three pounds (also sad). But overall, I just love it. I love Halloween and I wish that I would have planned further ahead and had fun Halloween reviews — but I didn't have time this year. Hopefully next year I'll be more on the ball. What am I going to be for Halloween you ask. Oh, I have no idea. I really want to go as Little Red Riding Hood (here in the midwest we have to plan our costumes around the weather, and a hood would be nice next weekend). But I've yet to find the costume — not that I've gone out looking yet.

Whew — this was a long post. I miss you all! Don't forget about my awesome giveaway!

Happy Sunday everyone!

What did you finish this week?

By: Jessica Souders

So, everyone who knows me, knows that Halloween is my favorite time of year, which is really weird, because I hate on things scary. I avoid horror movies. I steer clear of horror books. And video games that are creepy? No. Freakin. Way!
So why do I avoid these and still love Halloween? Easy. I live my own horror story.
It started as a kid. When I was six, I was CONVINCED that there were ghosts living in my basement. I refused to go down there if no one else was. In all actually there probably wasn’t, but it was creepy as heck.
Then we moved. And I had my first real, live experience with a ghost. We moved to this really old house. And at first I was supposed to share a room with my brother. It was only supposed to be for a few months until they fixed up the walk-in attic into a third bedroom. Then I’d get the ENTIRE thing to myself.
Of course, I was ecstatic. Here I was 8 years old and absolutely in love with the fact that I’d get the entire 2^nd floor to myself. That was until I realized how creepy the stairway was. It didn’t seem to matter what time of day it was or whether or not lights were on, that stairway was ALWAYS PITCH BLACK.
Even when my parents installed lights in the stairway, they’d burn out. Or break. Or something. So they eventually gave up. They’d fix it later. But I knew I no longer wanted to be in the attic. Something was trying to keep me out of it. That’s why the light was always broken and why I always got the heebie jeebies whenever I went up with my parents to move the junk the other people left behind.
So they continued fixing up the attic for me, but in the mean time I had to stay in the room with my brother. He slept on one side, furthest from the door. While I slept on the other, which was directly in front of the door. The headboard butted up against the window.
At first it was really cool. In fact, it was darn right FREEZING. Even in summer that room was cold. And in winter? Forget it. You needed fifty blankets to keep warm.
My parents blamed it on the really old furnace that looked like a freakin’ octopus. It was scary. I was sure one day it was going to grab me with its tentacles and then eat me, but I knew better. There was just something about the way it creaked and moaned and groaned. I was sure it was something evil.
Well, it so happened that I had to have surgery on my foot right before Christmas, so I was confined to either my bed or the couch. Not that I wanted to be any where else. The basement had the furnance, octopus, demon and the attic was haunted.
One night, I went to sleep as usual, bundled up under a dozen or so blankets. The wind howling behind my head through the window. And snow falling like crazy.
Well, it wasn’t too long after I fell asleep that I heard, “Jessica. Jessica.”
Thinking it was just my dumb brother, I rolled over to face the wall. “Shut up, Steven. Leave me alone,” I mumbled.
Again, I heard, “Jessica. Jessica.”
I ignored it this time. I wanted to sleep. It was cold and I was pretty sure the snot was going to freeze to my face, so I covered my head with the blanket.
Then I felt a slight tug on the blanket and again I heard, “Jessica. Jessica.”
I whipped off the blanket and sat straight up, glaring across the room to where my brother was. “Steven,” I said. “If you don’t go to sleep and leave me alone, I’m going to hit you with my crutch and you can’t tell mom, because you’ll get in trouble for bothering me.”
He didn’t respond so I was pretty I’d put the fear of God into him. Smug with myself, I lay back down, watching my brother this time. I closed my eyes, but kept them slitted open so I could smack my brother if he tried bugging me.
Then, I feel the tug again and my name, “Jessica. Jessica,” but this time I’m staring at my brother and I KNOW it’s not him.
In fact, he takes that moment to roll over with a snore, so I can see he’s dead asleep with his mouth hanging open and drool coming down his chin.
Freaked out now, I don’t know what to think, but I know I don’t want to know what’s tugging on my blankets.
But it happens again, “Jessica. Jessica.”
Scared, but knowing I have to do SOMETHING, I roll over and look to where the voice is coming from. Then I open my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out.
There at the top of my open doorway, is a FACE. Just a face. There’s no body. No arms. No neck. Nothing but a floating head, taller than anyone in my family.
The face was pure white, with eyes as black as coal. It smiled at me, when it saw I saw it, and it was the most terrifying smile I’d ever seen. I can’t even describe how scary it was. I just knew that if I didn’t get off that bed. Right. Then. I was going to die.
I didn’t know what to do though. I was trapped. The only way out was through the door the face was occupying. So I grabbed one of my crutches and THREW it at the face.
It sailed right through it, landing with a thunk. Of course, I did the only sane thing I could think of. I bolted.
Using my only crutch, I hobbled as fast as I could out the door and bolted into my parents room.
They were both sleeping and no amount of sobbing, screaming, or shaking would wake them up. I finally gave up and crawled onto the couch, where I curled into a ball, sobbing.
I did eventually cry myself back to sleep. Only to be assaulted with nightmares about a man who’d murdered his children and shoved them into the furnace in the basement.
The next morning I told my parents what happened, but they didn’t believe me. But it wasn’t long after that, that my parents blocked off that room and my brother and I slept on the floor in their room.
A few months later, we moved back to Green Bay.
I’ll never know what that was all about, but I remember it to this day and I still think about doing research to find out if those dreams were true, but I don’t think I want to know.

Jessica currently has a few books in the works. Here is a blurb from one of the titles.
After millennia of war, one has been chosen to save humanity from the creatures that mean to destroy it. But a choice must be made. A choice that will determine the course of history. But how do you choose when one path leads to Hell, and the other leads to death?

Brianna Ridley always knew she was special--a Halfling, born of parents from two separate worlds. But when she's yanked out of bed on the eve of her 18th birthday and rushed halfway across the world by her panicked mother--because her people are being picked off one by one--she realizes special has a price.
Another book is a YA steampunk Dystopian — Renegade.
Evelyn Winters has been trained from the age of three to be an Enforcer--a trained assassin--and the only child of the Governor and Governess of the underwater utopia know as Elysium. But, when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, finds his way into her comfy little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. The happy little bubble she’s lived in all these years has just popped and the person she knows as Mother is a monster. She must now find a way to rescue Gavin from her murderous mother’s hands, regain control of her body and the implanted instructions constantly urging her to kill, and somehow find a way to start a new life with Gavin on the surface.

- Thanks Jessica for the great story!
Find Jessica Souders Jessica Souders / Blog / Twitter

* 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.

Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?

I don't think I'm really surprised that there are so many people that want to share their love of books. I really like that there are now so many other people I can look to for book recommendations!
- Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog
Books bring people together; I think that's one of the reasons I love them. Even though reading is a solitary activity, it inadvertently creates a community. I've made some good friends within the community, and it's just a lot of fun to talk to everybody. — Nicole at WORD for Teens
When I first started blogging I had no idea that there was such a large community of book bloggers. I had read a few blogs but that was it. I really didn't look in to it much! It was really overwhelming when I first realized how many bloggers were out there. I've loved getting to know people on twitter and at author events. It's so great to know others who get my obsession! — Heidi at YA Bibliophile
The book community is truly amazing to me. Every time I start to lose my faith in humanity, I can turn to them and they reaffirm how wonderful people can truly be. My favorite part of this amazing group is being able to share the worlds we read about and the discussions we can all have about them. There is nothing better than a good book and good people to share it with! — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps
Yes, the number of book community bloggers often amazes me. I love looking through their reviews to find new books, and seeing the range of opinions about books I've loved. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone
Yes! There's so many out there and so many that I don't know about, it's a lot of fun and they're all very supportive at least most of the ones I've talked to. I love that I met some really great friends through the blogging community and we have a lot of things in common. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing
Yes I am surprised I didn't realise how many bloggers there were to start of and that the community stretches around the world from the UK, to Austrailia to the US and place I have never even heard off. The part I enjoy the most is talking other bloggers and sharing are excitment of books that are out soon and being able to particpate in each other blog in some way either leaving a comment on a great post or even doing a guest post. — Megan at Reading Away the Days
I love the community that we are all a part of and proud to be part of it. I would have to say my favorite part of this community is the support system thats out there. How bloggers will pull together to help there fellow bloggers out in hard situations. It makes me very proud and happy to have been part of this and looking forward to more time with them. Reagan at Star Shadow Blog
Yes! I did not realize the community that was out there. Before I started blogging I did not pay attention to the blogging world. I love getting to know the many wonderful people out there who are all doing the same thing. We are sharing our love of reading and inspiring others to find great books. — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa
I'm always surprised and that community never stops growing. I love it. I definitely love the book discussions. I try to talk books with my friends at school and no one, except Nora (my blog buddy) knows what I'm talking about. I love it that someone knows what I am talking about. — Gina at The Bucket List
Yes, like I said, I was surprised. I didn't know this existed. The world of bo extends much further then the shelves of my local B&N and now I've found it. As for what I enjoy the most… the many bookish friends and authors I have met and all the fabulous books they have recommended to me. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record
I am constantly surprised at how large the book blogosphere is, and so happy to be a part of it. I don't know that I have a favorite part, but I would love to meet bloggers who are local to me and put a face to the name. I also love that I follow blogs from all over the world, but we're all reading the same types of books (in many cases, at the same time!), and we're all pa ssionate about them. I also love how *nice* everyone is--I felt so welcomed as a new blogger. -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian Yes, I am surprised that so many people are apart of the book blogging community. I enjoy reading recommendations, reviews and author interviews. — J.L. at J.L. Jackson
Sometimes I am, I've got some book blogs I like to look at, and they make me wonder sometimes, but it's all fun. I will admit that my main reason for poking around the community, is to see what's coming up and what others think of it. There are some books that I wouldn't think twice on, that I end up getting because of what someone blogged about it. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books
I came into the blogging community when it was already quite large. Granted, it has absolutely exploded over the past year, but I never expected that it would remain small. We all want to be heard in life, and blogging provides that forum for millions of people who used to be silent. I enjoy the sense of community and camaraderie that we have as a book blogging community. We may have our dramas and issues, but if there is someone who needs help, we will come together in a huge way and help that person. The support the community provides is amazing and never fails to perk me up on a bad day. — Michelle at That's What She Read
I was surprised at first that there were so many people online of all ages who loved reading the same books I do. I love discovering books I probably wouldn't of from other people's blogs and goodreads. — Cole at Through the Book Vine
I have been surprised with the book community, but what has surprised me most is how friendships have developed through these blogs. I posted some pictures when my grandbaby was born and received so many congratulation comments. I love that people jump in and share happy moments or offer encouragement during tough times. — Ann at Cozy in Texas
Oh my gosh I was astounded when I realized what a community this was! I love the exposure to books I might not have found on my own, or wouldn't have picked on my own, both through reviews posted on the blogs and the cool resources like NetGalley that I've discovered through other bloggers. — Cat at Cat's Thoughts
Yes! when I first started I had NO idea that the blogging community was so big, or that I would meet so many nice people who share my love of reading. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
When I started, I was aware there were book bloggers out there, but it wasn't until about six months into this gig that I realized how deep and broad that book blog universe really is. So, yes, I was very surprised by all the passion that's out there. It's so gratifying to know that all around the world, people are logging on, and spending hours upon hours writing about reading. Each new blog post written about books keeps the spirit of literature alive. It's like the flame of the Olympic torch being passed from runner to runner--we'll never let the love for books be extinguished. — David at Quivering Pen Blog
Yes, all the time! I rarely knew people in real life who enjoyed reading like I do. It’s amazing getting to know so many people in the blogging community who are as enthusiastic about books as I am. Gushing over our shared love of books and swapping recommendations are my favorite parts of blogging. — Small at Small Reviews
Oh yea, I was amazed that, as much of a bookworm as I am, I had been totally blind to the vast community of book bloggers there are on the internet. What I probably like the most is the fact that it is so big. It is so easy to find new book bloggers, even if they are not new to the community, and it is incredibly easy to locate a dozen or more reviews on just about any book that I am interested in. — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books
When I realized how active the book blogging community is, I was a bit overwhelmed. How can little ol' me contribute? But everyone I met was helpful and very nice. So I was inspired to take part and interact w/ other bloggers as well
as authors, which is one of the things I enjoyed the most. Next is finding good books to read and even movies and music! — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy
I am surprised every day at how big and active the book blogging community is. I love knowing that through the good times and the bad times that there is a group I can lean on for book recommendations, a listening ear or just to share the same hobby. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings
I am actually very surprised by the sheer size of the book community! Everywhere you turn, every book you see, there's a reviewer and a blog. I love going on Twitter and seeing all the talk about this book or that movie. The community is the biggest questionaire for all things books! The part I enjoy the most is finding out that other bloggers are just like me! You know, the"I have no idea what to write about,""why is this book that amazing?,"this series rules!" kind of people! — Nora at The Bookery
I was both astounded and more than a little daunted by the large book community of bloggers. It almost made me question whether to go forward with my blog or not. But no matter what, my opinions are mine alone. And that is what I want to share, so why not make a blog? (: — Kim at Book Munchies
I am surprised. Being in a small town, only about 6 of us teens love to read. The part I enjoy the most is being able to talk about books with a bunch of people with a bunch of opinions and discovering more and more books each day. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict
YES! I find new blogs on a weekly basis and I love that. I love finding new ones that have a great point of view or a book taste that is similar to my own. — Shannon at Books Devoured

*Part 3 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

If you could share any thoughts or feelings with authors, what would you like to tell them?

I think its wonderful how they authors have opened up through social networks such as twitter or facebook to their fans. It shows us they care and we know they are listening. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight
Uhmm… something along the lines of"OMGiloveyourbooksiloveyourbooksiloveyouiloveyoupleasedon'tcallthepolice" — Audrey at holes In My brain
I love you. Even if I didn't like your book(s), I still admire you in ways you couldn't imagine. As a struggling writer, I understand the work that goes into it, and I applaud you for it. — Amanda, Another Book Junkie

Other then there should be a balance of action and detail and not to much or to little of one thing I'd want to say thank you for making unbelievable stories and thanks to all those who wrote books after harry potter was over you saved some bookworms there lol (right? I mean where would we be with out say the hunger games or twilight?)
- Kate at Ghost of the still
To keep interacting with the fans. There is nothing better than feeling like an author is easy to talk to or approachable. Knowing that authors talk to fans on Twitter and blogs just makes me love them even more! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews
Thank you! Thank you for writing such wonderful stories and creating characters and worlds that are unforgettable. As a Graphic Designer I am always inspired by words and writing, which help me continue to love what I do. — Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews
I'd like to thank them for being amazing and writing some amazing books. — Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads
I would like thank them for writing such amazing books. I honestly don't know what I'd be doing if I wasn't spending so much time reading. A book is the perfect escape from the daily life, and I couldn't thank 'em enough =) — Tynga at Tynga's Review
Come to Central PA more often, haha. — Jane at At Random
Books inspire. What you do is wonderful! I have an overactive imagination and I love how books can feed that. I love to put those feelings into words when I review a book and it really makes a blogger feel fantastic when an author comments on a review when they love it and how it makes the author feel. — Aimee at Coffee Table Press
Never ever take your book and reposition it in a bookstore display. If you really want a bookseller to display your book more prominently, all you need to do is be pleasant and polite to them. Talk about other people's books that you love. Speak to them as a fellow book-lover and defer to their expertise. Hand-selling and displaying your book is a good bookseller's reflex reaction to being treated respectfully by an author, and developing that trust organically rather than asking or forcing it will ensure a long-lasting loyalty! — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later

Not only am I thankful for the immense enjoyment that their stories bring me, and envy their ability to write such wonderful books, but I have a strong appreciation for the level of interaction with fans that most of my favorite authors maintain thanks to blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and the like. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews
Cut the profanity, vulgarity and graphic sex. — Shirley at My Bookshelf
If you can ever drop by a blog and say hello it makes our day!
- Jill at The O.W.L
There are a few authors who have produced some of the most amazing collections of words that have moved me so deeply, and I'd just like to tell them thank you. I'd like to thank every author for having the courage to share their work with readers, and for providing a common ground that has allowed this incredible book blogging community to come together. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth
It depends on the author. But mostly, if I like them, I want to tell them that I like them, and that I hope they keep writing awesome things so that I can keep reading awesome things. I want to tell them that I want to be like them someday, creating something that brings joy to others. I want to tell them that what they're doing is amazing, and that they're amazing for doing it. I also want to tell Mercedes Lackey that I want to follow in her footsteps, but I'm not sure if that counts as creepy or not! — Ria at Bibliotropic
Hahaha. Please excuse my sometimes immature, squealing, obsessed moments when I type in all CAPS and get all excited over your books. Oh, and no matter how well you end your books (even if everything is solved and complete and perfect), I always love sequels, no matter what. Hint hint, J.K. Rowling! — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books
Thank you for being so helpful in our efforts to spread the word about great books. — Rie at Mission to Read
THANK YOU!!!! Thank you for all the hard work and sweat and tears and hours of love you pour into your books! You give us a piece of you and there is no way to really ever show our appreciation properly. Just know that we love you all!: D — Lisa at BaffledBooks
Thank you for all the wonderful places you've taken me. I can't wait for our next adventure together. — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm
Hmmm, I think I mostly would just tell an author how much I loved their book, or just gush to them about their characters. If I were to actually be face to face with an author though I might just freeze up, it's like meeting a celebrity!: D — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright
Authors are the best. Seriously. Authors don't just write books that I enjoy, they help me and prepare me for situations, they entertain me, they make a bad day better. Just being able to"leave" for awhile and explore another persons life and even new worlds is so relaxing and absolutely incredible. — Katie at Books are Dreams
I appreciate the awesome support of bloggers from (most) authors. And with social media, I feel so close to the authors that I aspire to be like. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
If I could share thoughts and feelings with authors I would tell them how grateful I am for what they do. They do something that I would never be able to do in a million years and just that is pretty amazing. I also don't know what I would do if authors weren't there. It would mean I would have no way to loose myself in a story like I love doing so much. Basically, I want to say a BIG thank you for what they do. — Emilie at Emilie Book World
I think the main thing would be that, as an aspiring writer, I appreciate what they do. When an author nails a scene or a character, or a turn of phrase, it is incredibly satisfying to read. I often say"I want to be able to do THAT when I grow up" meaning"I hope I can pull that off one day." I also wish I could be blunt with some authors and tell them when they missed the mark. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness
I love reading your books and I love when you are so outgoing and supportive of book blogs! Thanks for all of the hard work! — Jackie at Teen Book Guide

*Part 2 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

1. Why did you originally start blogging? Has that reason changed any as time has progressed?

ISALYS: Originally, I thought it was just a cool way to learn more about books and maybe get my sticky fingers on a few free ones. However, in the near 2 years that we've been blogging, it has gone wayyyy beyond that. Free books are now just one of the many, MANY joys of blogging. It has truly grown into a labor of love. Blogging has expanded my reading horizons by introducing me to genres and authors that I may otherwise never have known about. It's given me an outlet to be able to share my love of reading with others and help expand other people's reading horizons as well. I've met some incredibly kind & talented people that, although I've never met in person, I consider friends. And although Vanessa & I were BFF's when we started blogging, it's been really great having something that we can share & do together.

VANESSA: I started blogging b/c it just seemed like such a cool thing to do! I couldn't believe I could have my own little place in the cyber world dedicated to talking about books! Who better else to have this site with than my own bestie? Thanks to this little site, I've made a ton of new friends who share my same passion and have met some wonderful authors. My experiences have been amazing and they just keep getting better! — Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates
I started blogging because I wanted to pay it forward. Those first few blogs I had come across brought so many new books and authors to me, I wanted to spread the word about books and share my love for reading with anyone I could reach. It took me awhile to get my blog going but once I did and I met people within the blogging community, I knew I wanted to be part of things. I know my blog still needs a lot of work. There’s always room for growth, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to share a book or author with someone new or even talk about books. My reasons have changed a bit overtime, but at the core of things it’s still and will always be about sharing books with people – new and old. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books
Four years ago, I just sold my house and was temporarily living in the basement of my mother-in-law's over the winter. Blogging gave me something else to focus on. I didn't know anything about blogging or what a blog was until my book club buddy Stephanie said she started one. I thought,"Hey that sounds like fun!" — Chris at Chrisbookaram
I first started blogging on myspace as a way to connect with other readers and as a librarian to hook teens from my library. I moved to blogger in October of 2008 and have been blogging ever since. I blog regularly, every week day instead of a few times a week. — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd
I started blogging because no one in my real life likes reading as much I do. I needed somewhere to talk about the books that I read and loved. So my blog was born. And I still love going on and on about the books I love, so no, the reason has not changed. — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft I originally started blogging to promote our Parental Book Reviews website. Yes, that has changed a lot. Now I blog because I love the community, the people I blog with, the authors and most especially the amazing books I get to read. — Andye from Reading Teen
I originally started blogging out of bordem. I had a severe knee injury 7 months ago and was holed up in my room a lot. I thought blogging about random events in my life would be fun. Little did I know that it would become so much more than that. My blog is centered around books and reviews now and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Yeah, it’s been fun, but I love being able to share my passion of reading with others. — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog
I originally started my review blog because I wanted a way to keep track of what I was reading and to look back to see what I had really thought about a book right after reading it. Soon after creating it, I realized how many other readers were out there and it really changed my life and perspective. Now I blog because I love sharing anything and everything about literature with others; my followers and fellow bloggers have really come to feel like family to me. — Emma at Emma Michaels
I originally started blogging so that I could share my thoughts. In the offline world, I'm a homebody who rarely goes out and I really don't have any close friends. My blog is the place where I can be myself, share my thoughts, and truly be"me". — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy
I originally started blogging to get my name out there… in hopes that, when I become an author, people would already know my name. It's changed a little over
time. I still want my name out there, but I also blog as a way of journaling and also to share books I've enjoyed with other readers. — Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication
The main reason I started my book blog was because out of my large group of friends only one or two actually read and even that is rare. After reading a book I love to share my thoughts and opinions with others and my blog gives me that opportunity. Blogging for me seemed like great fun before I started and I wanted to take the next step in my whole reading obsession. Also blogging seemed like a great way to communicate with people who share my interest and obsession. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd
I first started blogging after I’d stumbled across some other YA book blogs, was using them to get reading suggestions, and thought to myself, “Hey, I could do that!” I liked the idea of sharing my thoughts on books I read with others, and that’s still the case. — Danya at A Tapestry of Words
I started blogging so that I could talk about things I love. Since I'm homeschooled I don't really talk much to people my own age (other than my brother… but we argue more than talk) and I've never been the best at talking because I'm a bit introverted. I went into blogging just wanting some people that I could talk to about writing and reading and movies and music. I don't think my reason has changed so much as now that I have people I can talk to, I've changed a bit. Blogging isn't just sharing the things that I love it's also my outlet. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews
I started my little blog as an offshoot of my reading journal. I didn’t actually expect anyone to read it or even to know it was there. I almost had a coronary when I got my first comment and probably had a slight one when I got my first review book offer. I don’t think my reason for blogging has changed much—as I don’t use my reading journal anymore—but blogging has changed my reading tastes quite a bit. I was a strict literary fiction/classics reader before I started blogging but now I am all about the YA and romance. — Grace at Books Like Breathing
I starting blogging as I got more into writing and started to take that more seriously and to develop a web presence for myself. At the same time I branched out into other forms of social media such as Twitter (and I've just discovered Goodreads). Over time I have expanded my blog topics to include my day job and profession and have signed up to review products (and books) relevant to me and my life. — Kirsty from Kirstyes
I always read blogs but never had time to blog since I was in Grad school. Once I finished, I decided to start my own. I just thought it would be fun and, being a school librarian, a great way to share what I was reading. — Michelle at Hooked on Books
I originally started blogging to try and keep track of the reading challenges I decided to try. But, I found Goodreads and it was easier to keep track there, so blogging feel to the side. But the more time I spent on Goodreads, the more it irritated me that I couldn't remember if I read a book or not, details about the plot, and generally if I liked it. Plus, I enjoy talking about books and in real life, not the many people love to read as much as I do. — Page at One Book at a Time
I created my blog, Inky Fresh Press, in 2009 to connect with other writers, improve my writing skills, and gain exposure. Now I am more focused on putting the spotlight on other writers, but still blog for the same reasons. — Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press
I started book blogging because I love to read and not a lot of my friends who live close read as much as I do. I started finding book blogs that were amazing and I loved reading them. I always wanted to talk with people about books and bookish things, so I thought,"Why not blog?". Now I blog because I truly enjoy it. I'm starting to become more serious about it and it is a really nice change. — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland
I started blogging because ever since I was little, I loved books. Not the thick kind that I read now, but the usual Junie B. Jones and Goosebumps series. Eventually I knew what kind of books to look for (age appropriate), what were the kind of books that I would enjoy. I recommend books to all my friends, they read them and loved them. Then other people started coming to me to recommend books that are good for them. I loved the feeling I got when people came to me after they finished the book with a satisfied smile on their face. So one day I discovered Goodreads, and I started reviewing books there. Eventually I found about blogging and I was hooked. I now recommend books outside and inside the blogosphere. I don't think the reason for me blogging has changed, and I hope it never does. — Alex at More Than Just a Book
I started blogging because I wanted to share my enjoyment and excitement of reading and books with others. I also want to encourage the importance of literacy in young readers and to bring to their attention great books for their age group.
-JL at An Avid Reader's Musings
Originally I started blogging because I always had this passion, this hobby and no one understood it; I had no one to share it with. Never would I have thought all those years back that I could turn to someone and gush about a certain book I was in love with. As long as my passion for books will remain so will my reason to blog, but there is another reason now. It’s like a second home to me. Something I look forward to coming home to after a long day of college.When I feel upset, happy or unwell I turn to blogging. Blogging is almost therapeutic for me; it feels wonderful and so right. There is so much I feel for blogging, much more than I could have ever imagined before joining. It takes a big chunk of my time, yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And I mean it. — Aly at Fantasy4eva

*The first question from the authors will be posted tomorrow.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to fill out my blog survey. First, I'll go over the feedback then announce the winners below.
Overall, you all said you really enjoy my blog. THANK YOU! That means so much to me!

REVIEWS — All responses were either great/average.which is wonderful to me. I sometimes struggle with reviews and, oddly enough, the more I liked a book, the harder the review is to write. I feel like I'm not doing it justice. I had some people say they wished I'd add a section to my reviews that said if I recommend the book or not, or who it would be recommended for. That is a great idea! I will start doing this. I'll try to either add (Recommended for ALL/PARANORMAL/CONTEMPORARY fans), something like that and I'll add an age range when needed.

INTERVIEWS — Most of you enjoy my author interviews. Some said they didn't read those, which I completely understand. Typically, I add interviews when I'm giving away a book by that author. I feel it's a way to explain the book better to the readers and introduce them to the person who wrote it. I always alter the questions to fit the author/book. Sometimes they are the same questions you will see on another interview, but I try really hard to not just use the same questions over and over. I'm still trying to expand on this and come up with new post ideas for authors.

GIVEAWAYS — Responses ranged on this question. A majority said the giveaways were great, some said average, and a few said bad. Which is fine. I wanted honest opinions. According to blogger (and this number isn't completely accurate), I've hosted around 193 giveaways. Most of the time these giveaways are made possible by the author or publisher. I try whenever possible to include International readers by giving away ebook copies. Giveaways are one of my favorite parts of blogging because it's nice to give people the chance to read a book they may not have been able to pick up. I would love to host giveaways more but it is expensive to package and ship the books. People may not realize it, but many times bloggers do pay for those things (any time it doesn't come directly from the publisher/author). I'd love to have more giveaways, open to everyone, but it just isn't possible. Even an event like Haunted Halloween costs us (Lisa and I together) about $400 for shipping and supplies alone during that 1 month.

EXPLORING NEW YA — This was a new feature this year and I wanted to know if people liked it. The reason being because it takes an incredible amount of time to set up: ) I post it twice a month. Some people said they haven't seen it, and others said they read it, but normally don't add any of the books to their lists. Just a note, if you haven't seen the feature at all, you can click on FEATURES then EXPLORING NEW YA at the top of the blog. Lots of people said they love it and do use it for book recommendations too. I do enjoy having a place where new releases can be featured. I'm just glad most people do see it and may find some books they'll enjoy.

MOVIE REVIEWS — This part was kinda even around the board. Some liked it, some didn't, some didn't care.: ) This is a new feature that I do think I'll have on, but only occasionally. Maybe 1-2 posts a month related to movies. I liked this idea because we all watch movies. Sometimes these movies will be related to books (like Water for Elephants). When I got the opportunity to review movies for Fox Entertainment I didn't want to pass that up. Especially since they do offer giveaways for many of these movies. This is something I'd really like to offer to readers. Plus, I really need more features on here. I know people get tired of reviews and interviews so this will give me something to break that up. Hopefully people like it!

LEAST FAVORITE POSTS — This one had a wide range of answers but a majority picked either YA NEWS, INTERVIEWS/GUEST POSTS or IN MY MAILBOX. YA News is something I post occasionally just to highlight some things going on in the YA book world. Sometimes it's cheap books/ebooks, author news, book covers, or other bookish news. It's sort of a"misc." place to put things. I would like to make it a more enjoyable thing to read, but it all really depends on what's going on right at that time. I'll try to include more interesting things as we go along. Interviews/Guest Posts are kinda part of the norm for bloggers. I mentioned interviews above and I do want to make these posts more interesting as well. Sometimes these posts are part of a tour so they are out of my hands but I do want people to enjoy what they read. In My Mailbox will be mentioned below.

FREE/CHEAP EBOOKS — Most of you said you do want to know about free or cheap ebooks. This is something I've had in YA News most of the time. I'm going to keep a look out for these books and hopefully post about them more frequently. For now, they will be with other YA news though. I don't find out about them enough to have a separate thing so be on the lookout for those.

INDIE/SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS — A majority said yes, they do read these books. I try super hard to feature these books for a few reasons. 1- the books can totally rock! Some of my all-time favorite books are self-published or from a super small publisher. 2- the authors rock! 3- the books are normally much cheaper. This is especially true if it's in ebook form. So, an awesome book for only.99 or $2.99? Yes! And 4- because these awesome books from these fabulous authors are often overlooked. I'm not someone who will ever turn down someone just because their book is self-published or from a publisher I'm unaware of. That isn't fair. Every book deserves a chance and if it's something I think I'll enjoy, I'll read it. That's the fun part of reading. You never know where your next favorite book will come from. At the same time, it really makes me happy to know that the readers enjoy these books as well. I honestly wasn't sure if people did so I'm sure this makes a lot of the authors very pleased.

WHAT IS NEEDED? — This had a wide range of answers. CONTEMPORARY/HISTORICAL/FANTASY/MYSTERY. And this is why I loved the survey. I hadn't realized how neglected certain genre's were on here! Especially contemporary. I love contemporary books! I admit, when I first started blogging paranormal was my go-to type. Over time, I've tried to expand that a bit. This can be difficult because I'd say around 60-70% of the review books I receive are paranormal. But I will be changing this! I'm even thinking of having a contemporary week in a few months. I'm reading more and more contemp. books so you guys are in luck! I'm not a huge fan of historical and I really don't get many of those for review. Same goes for fantasy or mystery. But, I will still try to feature those books in some way. I do want to have a nice balance on here.

WHAT IS NOT NEEDED? I didn't have a ton of answers here but PARANORMAL was a common answer.: ) Sorry guys! I do have lots and lots of paranormal. Expanding my own book preferences is a goal of mine for this year. I've been surprised in the past by the books I've liked so I think it will be nice to get out of my comfort zone.

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVED? Some people commented here about the blog appearance. I do realize there is a font problem. I'm not sure why it's like that and my blog designer isn't sure either. It is small and usually I have to go back and resize each post (but then that throws the formatting off). This is something I plan to work on. Along with that, I hope to de-clutter a bit and change things around in the next few months. But it's good to hear from readers because I'm not sure how things show up or load for you guys. Others said NOTHING, so thank you!!: ) I'm so happy to see that many of you enjoy my blog and like coming here. I did see a comment about using more social media and YES, I need to do this badly. I'm naturally introverted. I do have twitter but rarely get on there. I lurk a lot: ) I do want to become more social on twitter and even have more conversations take place on the blog. Actually I'm working on this part right now (stay tuned for details on that!).

FAVORITE PART OF THE BLOG — You guys had such nice answers here! Many said reviews, that I think of international followers, that I seem to care about my readers (I do, lots!), that I'm nice (*blush*). Thank you! Sometimes it's hard to know how things come off when we are just typing them out. I never want anyone to feel ignored or like I don't care about what the majority would want. Yes, I blog for myself but I enjoy it because of you guys. Honestly, I would never do this if no one read what I wrote. The enjoyment comes from knowing that maybe at least 1 person will get joy out of a book I recommend, or out of reading about a new author. That is what makes everything worthwhile.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME HERE? Most said a few times a week, which is great! I know I've been slacking since October. Haunted Halloween sort of gives me a blogging hangover: ) I want to pick things back up again and I do have lots planned!

LAYOUT — Most people said they loved it or it was average. Personality, I do love the overall look of the blog but I do plan to change things up a bit because I know it can get boring. But the design will stay the same for a while, little things may change.

IN MY MAILBOX — I know IMM is something people either love or hate. Some people picked it as a favorite post and some suggested I stop doing it. I don't do IMM each week. I'm lucky to do it once a month.: ) So if you see a ton of books on here, that's why. I DO like to do IMM occasionally because it's a way to mention books that may otherwise not be noticed. I can't read everything I get, and I'd feel bad for getting a book that never gets viewed on my blog. IMM gives me a way to show the books where hopefully some people will see them and add them to their lists. I personally love seeing people's mailbox posts because I get a lot of good book ideas myself. Plus, it's nice to see an actual copy of the book (I'm all about book covers!). So I guess I'll be somewhere in the middle. IMM won't be something you'll see here each week, but I won't be cutting it out completely. But I did want to mention it so people know why I personally do it.

RATING REVIEWS — Everyone said yes or that it doesn't matter. I wasn't sure if people liked this fact or not so I was glad with the results. I pay much more attention to reviews that are rated but I didn't know if people agreed with that or hated if a book was rated. This will be staying the same. I will continue to rate books and will be adding the recommendations I added above.

Again, thank you guys so much for participating! You all had such nice comments and suggestions. Another survey will be posted in the near future related to Haunted Halloween. Lisa and I will give more information about that soon.

Also, be on the lookout for some new features coming up!: )

Winners!
US Winner (Wins Damon.uhh, I mean Vampire Diaries season 2, UNLEASHED, and AMPLIFIED) theatredreamer@…

INTERNATIONAL Winner ambiepie@…

Other Winners from past giveaways
UNTRACEABLE Kelsey D.

HUSHED Ashley
OBSIDIAN (ebook) Kristin A.

What is your absolute favorite part of blogging?

I think its when you get that one comment that just makes everything you do all worth it. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight
Getting to know other bloggers! Although I should also mention, getting book recommendations, then falling in love with the book. I can't be eternally grateful enough to the blogosphere for introducing me to a TON of amazing books. — Audrey at holes In My brain
The people, all the way. Both bloggers and authors. I've contemplated giving blogging up a few times, but in the end I never want to lose the community aspect of it all. So I keep going. — Amanda, Another Book Junkie
Reading others posts and reviewing books. — Kate at Ghost of the still
Honestly, it would have to be all the awesome people that I have met! The book blogging community is the BEST! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews
I love getting to know authors, many that I have met are fans like me and just enjoy reading and creating something for everyone to enjoy. I have had two major fan-girl moments and I know all have many more to come. One was meeting Laurell K Hamilton at comic con one year, she was super sweet and was so happy I enjoyed her writing. The other was Sherrilynn Kenyon, my goodness she was such an awesome person and we chatted a bit about those awesome Dark Hunters in her books.
- Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews

My favorite part of blogging is getting to network with a bunch of awesome people.
- Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads
Easy! Sharing our passion for books! I love sharing my excitement with others, and I find most of my wish list reads through other bloggers. It's so amazing to be surrounded by other book lovers! — Tynga at Tynga's Review

I love everything about blogging, but mostly I love knowing that people share my same crazy interests & obsessions. The contests are fun too; -) — Jane at At Random

Finding new books and bloggers. I have added tons of new books to my TBR list because of blog memes, blogger recommendations or reading reviews from other bloggers. The reason I started blogging was, of course, because I had a huge love of reading. So gaining new book recommendations is one of the best parts. I also love meeting new bloggers. It's fantastic to be able to talk books with someone who shares that love of reading.
- Aimee at Coffee Table Press
My favorite part of blogging is when you get people excited about
something that they've never been excited about before, like getting a
non-book-lover to enjoy reading, or when mentioning a relatively
unknown book suddenly puts it on people's radar. — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later

I put a lot of thought into my reviews, so I feel a strong sense of accomplishment when I post them for the world to see. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews
Reading and writing and getting to know fellow bloggers!: ) — Shirley at My Bookshelf
Being able to share things I've learned about or been a part of with my students. When I share that an author dropped by the blog or the release date of a new book, they get excited and that's wonderful to me. — Jill at The O.W.L
It's a toss up between discovering new books that I never would have heard of otherwise, AND talking with this group of people who get my love of books in a way that no one else does. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth
The discovery. Before I started blogging, I was an avid reader, but in a very limited way. I stuck to the tried-and-true, the familiar authors I knew I'd like before I even picked up the book. After blogging, I realised that I ought to branch out more and give new things a try. I found free books online (legally free, mind you), and took chances on authors I might not have looked twice at before but because the price was right, I figured it couldn't hurt to give them a chance. I wasn't disappointed. I've discovered new and awesome authors this way, bought their books, and become a fan. I love discovering new and good things!
I also love that blogging gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles, so to speak. I love writing, and here's a little excuse to do it regularly! — Ria at Bibliotropic
Oh, gosh. I can't choose my absolute favorite. I love getting to squeal over pretty, shiny new books (especially the ARCs), interviewing fabulous authors, giving away (and receiving) swag and new books, and just hanging out with bibliophiles like me. — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books
The interaction between the other bloggers. It's often hilarious, sometimes emotional, but always friendly. — Rie at Mission to Read
Argh, just one?! Um… the people and the community. While I (obviously) love books, reading and writing about books and reading, I don't think it would anywhere near as fun if I was doing it by myself. I also think it's amazing that people out there care what I think! I've found more fantastic books in the past 6 months from book bloggers than I would normally find in years. It's astounding how quickly my TBR list has grown… — Lisa at BaffledBooks
Coming across little known books I wouldn't have stumbled on otherwise and getting to sing their praises to all my readers. Also pet chatting with other bloggers is pretty funny. — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm
I love sharing my feelings about books that I love, and adding onto that, I absolutely love when I get comments about how my review or something I said about a book made someone else want to read it, or add it to their to-read pile. To me that feels amazing, it's the same feeling I get when I convince my friends to read a book. It feels good knowing that I'm spreading the love for a certain book, and that someone else will get to enjoy it just like I did. In the case of books, sharing is most definitely caring.: ) — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright
I love comments. I know it sounds weird and maybe stuck-up, but knowing that someone out there is actually reading your blog is the most amazing feeling. When someone says they want to check a book out because of a review I do, that is great too. — Katie at Books are Dreams
My favorite part of blogging so far has been the relationships I have built with other bloggers. I have definitely made some lifelong friends and I am extremely grateful. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
My absolute favorite part of blogging is getting to meet all the other bloggers and being able to talk with authors. I always knew there were people out there who loved books and reading as much as I did but I was never really able to connect with them like I do now. — Emilie at Emilie Book World
My favourite part of blogging, whether on my book review/author interview site, or on my personal blog, is making connections. Also, writing forces me to examine my opinions and subjects with a lot more depth than I would if I were just spouting off my opinions at a family dinner or at the staff room table. Blogging for the public forces me to be more accountable. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness
COMMENTS! They make me feel so special and can seriously make my day.: ) — Jackie at Teen Book Guide

*Part 2 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?

I love reading a review about a book that I didn't even know existed and thinking,"I have to read that now!" I also love sharing new releases with others in hopes of giving debut authors a boost on their"book birthday."
-Jessie at The Daily Harrell

ISALYS: Oh God, yes!! I used to think that bookworms were an dying breed and if you were lucky enough to find another one, that you had to grab them, put them in a glass bottle and protect them from the world. It makes me so happy to know that there are still LOTS of us who love to read for the simple joy of it. Hands down, my favorite is meeting new people; bloggers and authors. I love that most authors are so connected with their fans. They're not like the typical celeb that lives in this far-away land called L.A. and are completely unreachable. I love it when you chat or meet with an author and be reminded that they're a real person. Oh, and I loveee to meet bloggers that I can just gab about books with all day long: )

VANESSA: I'm amazed EVERYDAY! Especially on twitter. I've found thousands of new blogs and absolutely love browsing through them. I honestly never thought the book blogging community was so huge! — Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates
The book blogging community grows everyday and with it I meet great new people all the time. It does surprise me often at how great bloggers are, with everything from coming to the aid of others, donating their time and effort and so much more… This is a huge part of what I love about the community as a whole. If not for all the kindness I’ve found from everyone it just wouldn’t be the same. I think besides all the amazing books, this would without a doubt be the part I enjoy the most. I’ve met some great people and we’ll be friends for a long time to come. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books
All the time! I keep finding 'new' blogs, some who have been blogging for years, but because I book blog world is so big, I never found them before. — Chris at Chrisbookaram
I love being a part of the community. I love hearing about new books — bloggers often have the inside scoop months in advance, which is great. It certainly makes my TBR pile out of the world both in length and awesome books to read. — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd
Before I started blogging I had no idea such a community even existed. So I was pretty surprised that what I thought was just a little hobby of reading, was really not that little at all. I had no idea that there were thousands of book blogs out there, or that you could talk to authors and publishers, or that their were book conferences where you could go and meet all these people. I just love being a part of this community. And the internet has made it so easy to be connected with everyone, which is probably the best part. — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft
Yes! I had no idea this community existed until a couple of months after I started blogging. What I love the most is the support, and the love that we all share. If I'm reading something amazing, and try to talk to my IRL friends, they look at me like I'm crazy. But if I blog or tweet about it, I get tons of"I know exactly how you feel" responses! I love that! — Andye from Reading Teen
I am stunned by the book blogging community! There is such a huge range of bloggers out there; I don’t think there enough days/months/years to keep up with them all! However, the ones I do follow (there’s a big list on my blog) are all fantastic. They are all so supportive and generous! — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog
Yes. I thought I was one of very few who loved books as much as I did and the internet proved me wrong! I am just so thrilled that there are others out there who share my love of all things literary! — Emma at Emma Michaels
Oh my gosh, YES! I'm amazed at the book blogging community on almost a daily basis. Everyone is so wonderful and I'm honored to be a part of it. — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy
I think at first, I was surprised, or maybe"in awe" is a better way to describe it. The community is HUGE. I enjoy getting to know other bloggers as well as the authors. — Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication
Honestly yes I am quite surprised. I had always seen reading as unique and that kind of made me feel special, which was something that was basically shot into oblivion when I started my blog and realised how many people also blogged, even today I'm still surprised by the amount. I guess it is nice that the blogging community is so large, for me it gives me the opportunity to write a negative review without particularly feeling bad because there will always be someone who writes a good review on that particular book. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd
I was really amazed when I discovered just how vast the book blogging community is – even the number of strictly YA book blogs astounded me! I really love connecting with other readers and discussing our reactions to books (whether or not we agree!) — Danya at A Tapestry of Words
I don't think I am really. I went into blogging knowing that it was a huge community because I'd been reading blogs for a while. I'd say I'm surprised at how fast the community continues to grow. The part I enjoy most is the collective voice of bloggers, alone we reach out to the number of followers who actually read our blog, but together we make an impact on the bookish world. It's nice to know you’re a part of such a close knit community. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews
I’m not really surprised by the community of bloggers but more surprised by how welcoming, kind and protective bloggers are of each other. My blog started out as a very solitary thing. I had no idea there was this community of book bloggers out there but they are my lifeline. They are a constant source of recommendations and advice. I don’t read magazines or newspapers for books recommendations, I go directly to other bloggers. They have never steered me wrong. — Grace at Books Like Breathing
The list of people I follow on Twitter grows everyday as does the list of blogs I follow. But I can't possibly keep up with all of them as well as read, write and oh yeah the day job again.
I enjoy connecting with people and the sharing of hints and tips. Sharing in people's success is fun too. One book blog I really enjoy is 'Diary of a Bibliophile' — I enjoy Jesi Lea's reviews and have purchased a number of books on her recommendation (that I hope to get around to reading one day). Also the sexy angel photos are quite nice too; o) — Kirsty from Kirstyes
Yeah, it is surprising how big it is — I didn't realize it until I started blogging myself. I enjoy the convos on Twitter the most I think — some of these bloggers are hilarious and so friendly and willing to help with anything! — Michelle at Hooked on Books
I'm surprised everyday by it. It continues to grow. I love that so many people love to read and want to share it with someone else. I enjoy discussing books with people who feel the same way I do. I like meeting with people from all walks of life.
- Page at One Book at a Time
Yes! I love that there are so many people with a passion for books. There is such a phenomenal network of book readers and writers, and I love being a part of it. The best thing about book bloggers is that they are helping authors get the word out about their book. It gives authors another (cooler) option when it comes to book marketing. Pus, it is a more personal approach to book marketing, which I love.
- Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press
I really am! I mostly enjoy the support book bloggers offer each other. I'm sure it's out there, but I have never seen anything catty or obnoxious going on. — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland
Oh, yes! I am very surprised at the large book community, I didn't think these many people shared the same passion that I do. Mostly, I enjoy the interaction with both bloggers and authors on media sites. I love sharing my love for books for so many people and embarrassingly having"fan girl" moments when I talk to my favorite authors. — Alex at More Than Just a Book
I was very surprised in the beginning. I attended BEA last year as a new blogger and was impressed with the amount of bloggers who also attended and the enthusiam they had for blogging and reading. I enjoy most meeting new bloggers through Twitter and/or following new blogs I find through recommendations. I also like learning more about bloggers I have already met, whether it be personal or through their reviews.
-JL at An Avid Reader's Musings
Not really, maybe at first but it's been over a year now, and although I love seeing new bloggers it doesn't surprise me at all because I can completely understand why blogging is so popular and loved by many because most of us are blogging for the very same reason. Apart from sharing my thoughts on books and movies I just love talking with other book — lovers and bloggers. Finally being able to share my thoughts on books has to be the highlight of blogging for me. — Aly at Fantasy4eva

*The second question from the authors will be posted tomorrow.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Amy Plum, author of the new book Die for Me, is here today to discuss the book and her writing.
Die for Me will be released tomorrow!

Check out the bottom for a link to follow the rest of the tour stops.

1. From reading some of the background of Die For Me, it's easy to see how much thought you put into the story long before you began writing. Can you share with us 3 things that you were determined to achieve with this story?

3. And thirdly: redemption. Kate is strong and independent in a way that I wasn’t at her age. And I gave her a family I would have loved to have had.

So, although I hadn’t thought about it ahead of time, as I wrote the book (especially figuring out Kate’s past, although much of it isn’t spelled out) I was aware that I was rewriting my own past. In a small way, the book is a sort of redemption for a childhood and adolescence that included lots of not-very-nice things. And although Kate’s parents die when she is sixteen, up until then her life is what I wish mine had been.

2. Many of the locations in Die For Me were ones from your past. What made you decide to do that and is there any other place special to you that you wish you could include in a book?
I am very visual, so places are important to me. And dropping my characters into locations I myself have known is—again—like recreating my past. I loved putting Jules’s art studio in my old apartment, placing a lot of the action in my old neighborhood, the Marais, and then there’s the Pont des Arts… *sigh*. So perhaps it’s a bit of a crutch. I know these places so well that I can easily go to them in my mind when I’m writing a scene. It might just facilitate the action to be able to close my eyes and be right back there.

Although… I made up the interior of Jean-Baptiste’s house from my imagination (dropping in a few elements that I knew: the staircase, Charlotte’s heart-shaped windows… ). BUT even though I’ve never been there, I know every room in that place like it was my own house.
And yes – I would write a book that takes place, at least partly, in New York City, my other urban love besides Paris. It is just as magical as Paris, but in a completely different way.

3. What is the hardest part of juggling family time and writing? Do you have any tips for anyone who may be struggling with the same thing?

I can’t write if my children are in the house with me. (Unless they’re asleep, and by that time I’m usually too exhausted to write.) They’re only three and five, and if I am around they want to be rightnexttome. I’m lucky enough to have an office outside of my home. It’s a little building that’s just across the yard from our house. And when I go there I know that no one is going to bother me. I can immerse myself completely in my writing without my concentration being broken.

So my advice would be to find a place where you know you can let your mind reign supreme. Without listening for that next knock on the door or ringing phone. In Stephen King’s book ON WRITING, he spoke of writing his first two published novels “in the laundry room of a doublewide trailer, pounding away on my wife’s portable Olivetti typewriter and balancing a child’s desk on my thighs.” He says that John Cheever wrote in the basement of his Park Avenue apartment building, near the furnace. It doesn’t matter where it is or if it is even comfortable. If it is YOURS AND ONLY YOURS—for the time you are writing—that is what matters.

4. What has been the biggest adjustment for you since you started writing? What is your favorite thing to do that helps you relax after a long day of writing?

The biggest adjustment has been having a project that is long-term. When I was an art dealer or a professor or wrote articles for magazines, I had short-term projects that I could work hard on and then be done with in a relatively short amount of time. Now, writing the draft of a book usually takes me a few months. I’ve had to learn to chop that up into short-term goals. One day will be just for planning. The next I will write one chapter. I can’t stop until I finish it, but once I do I’m done for the day. Or if I’m editing, I have to finish two chapters per day. Whatever it is, I have to look at it as small tasks, because seeing it as a whole is too overwhelming for my impatient, impulsive personality.

And favorite thing to do at the end of a long day of writing? Usually after writing, I am busy splitting parenting activities with my husband: making dinner, getting the kids’ bath, pajamas, bedtime books, etc. So it’s not until the kids are in bed that I have time to relax. At that point, I’m usually so exhausted that I flop into bed with a book or my New Yorker magazine, or bring my laptop with me and read scandalous celebrity gossip! (Shhh… shameful confession!) When my husband offers to do all the kiddie stuff himself (when he sees that I’m falling over), I take a one-hour bath with a book and a glass of wine.

5. Can you tell us something that people would find surprising about you?
I don’t have a television connection… by choice. My tv set is only used for DVDs! So when people talk about different television series or personalities, I don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. (Except for True Blood – my friend Kim sent me the series on DVD. Which I LOVE.)

6. What else can people expect from the Revenants series? Do you know how many books will be in the series?

DIE FOR ME is a trilogy. But I certainly have enough of a story to write another book or maybe spinoff books. I also have another series I’d like to write however, so who knows what will happen! So as far as the actual books go—your guess is as good as mine.

However, as for the story line, you can expect to discover more about the revenant mythology. You will learn more about the other characters. And you will see how Kate and Vincent respond to new challenges posed both by their relationship and by this dangerous supernatural world that Kate is just beginning to discover.

Die for Me by Amy Plum
Publisher: HarperTeen (May 10th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 341 pages Series: Revenants, book #1 My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.
Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.
Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.
Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies.. immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.
While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

Find Amy Plum
Website | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Purchase Die for Me
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Please read: The post you are about to read is 100 % **Role Play
All the characters represented here ( @The_Omega_ ) with the exception of Lisa and myself are **Role Players from a group on twitter. They have agreed to role play with us to help celebrate not only our Halloween Event, but also to help share our love for the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by author J.R. Ward, as these Role Players are also huge fans of J.R. Ward's works.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT NO ONE with this site/blog, Lisa's site/blog nor the role-playing group — which you can find with the list of twitter accounts provided — is in any way, shape or form connected to or affiliated with J.R. Ward. No one present or represented here is J.R. Ward, nor is the role playing intended for any purpose other than the personal enjoyment of the Role Players involved.

The following story contains some strong language and mature themes. The Favor by @The_Omega_
What is that spiteful b**** up to now?” I reached over to one of my pets, a strange mixed breed, part dragon, part cockatrice, all malevolence and anger. There are a total of six in existence. I bred them especially for aggression and protection, not that I really needed protecting or anything. But they come in handy when I need to intimidate my lessers. Or others. As I ran my arm over his bumpy scales, I thought back to the day the Scribe Virgin came to ask me a favor. It seems one of her precious warriors needed to be taught a lesson. He was a strong bastard and she had nothing with which she could impress upon him the lessons she felt he was in sore need of learning. I knew it was a sharp blow to her pride to have to come to me for anything. She had always been favored, in everything, and was loathe to have to ask me for help of any kind. In this it was no different. She entered my domain with a gust behind her, carrying that cursed scent from her Fade with her. “ Could I possibly borrow one of your dragons? I wish to curse one of my warriors, to teach him how to control himself and as I can think of nothing more out of control than your creatures, one of them would work nicely to punish him,” she asked without a hint of humility. She was asking me a favor and didn’t even have the decency to bow before me. I just looked at her, not saying a word. I could tell she was becoming impatient as she began to explain very quickly. “Rhage is impulsive and quick tempered. He’s also very strong and could take out many of your army before they even realize he’s there. It would be in your best interest for this warrior to be tamed.” I was hesitant to trust anything she said. I’m probably the only one who knows her truly. When our Father made us, it was assumed that she got the light while I got the darkness. We are supposedly two halves of a whole — she the positive and I the negative. Quite inaccurate. Our Father was mostly darkness and while it’s true all I got was that, it is also true that my dear sibling, while getting mostly goodness, also got a hefty dose of evil to go with it. She had a wicked mean streak that even her favorite monsters couldn’t escape. I would have said no out of hand, but I thought this would be an excellent way to dispatch of the Brotherhood immediately. I decided I would allow her to take the meanest, most out of control dragon I had, fully expecting that it would eat every vampire in the Brotherhood and make the rest of my job easy. There was no way, I thought, the Brother could possibly wrangle this monster.

“ You may have my favorite pet, but I have some conditions that must be met,” I said to her after a very long silence. “This isn’t something I do without great trepidation, knowing how horrid you are.” She waved her hand, as if to dismiss my concerns about her motives. She was always so dismissive of me and it drove me insane. “ No, sister mine, I will not be brushed off,” I growled in an ominous tone only I can pull off. “If you won’t agree to my demands, you shall not be allowed the use of my pet.” As I began to outline my requirements, a small smile played on her face. No one could tell me that the Scribe Virgin wasn’t sadistic. She was in absolute agreement that she borrow the most aggressive dragon, the one who would take the most work to control. She was happy to curse her warrior for 200 years, which I demanded to ensure the beast would have ample time to do its job. The only stipulation she balked at was my presence at the insertion. She didn’t want me there and I couldn’t understand why. “ I can’t be seen with you,” she said, aghast at the thought. “You can’t come to my sanctuary. You can’t be anywhere near me in any place where people might see us.” I put aside the insult. She had long since ceased to hurt my feelings with her obvious disgust at my very existence. “ Sorry, no deal. If I can’t be there to witness my pet, my baby, being implanted in that disgusting brute of yours, then you can’t have him,” I said as I turned away, fully prepared to send her away empty handed. I knew that would get her. One thing my darling sister couldn’t stand was being denied a chance to hurt another soul, even if was one that she had created. She liked to hide in her white world, where everything looked pristine and pure. However, anyone who looked closely at her behaviors, the things she did, the things she required before being willing to grant any favor, they would have seen the cruelty in her acts. “ I will agree to whatever you ask, brother,” she practically spat the word at me. “As you have asked a price for this, you must make sure the monster you give me will be the most difficult trial a warrior could possibly have to endure. If you don’t, I will find a way to make up the difference, and that will be most unpleasant for you. Of that you can be sure. Oh, and I shall have to hide you with a mhis. I wasn’t being facetious when I said I couldn’t be seen with you.” So the deal was struck. Within the blink of an eye, we were in front of the warrior, who had his head bent awaiting his punishment. I noticed the dead owl lying by the tree and I knew this vampire was in for more pain and suffering than he could possibly survive. My sister loved her birds and there was no way she was going to let this pass without extracting her pound of flesh. The Brother was larger than a typical vampire, but he was nowhere near big enough to contain my beast without a great struggle, and getting him into the vampire wasn’t going to be anything short of torturous. He was shaking a bit, perhaps in fear. Or maybe it was remorse, as he did seem to genuinely feel bad for whatever act had ended in the death of the owl. If he was smart, he would have been terrified. Whatever he felt, he kept his head bowed in shame and awaited his punishment with bravery. My sister, in her flowing black robe, was standing in front of the male. She reached down and grabbed him by his long, blond hair, yanking his head back until it looked like it was going to wrench from his neck. Looking into his face, she roared at him, “You have taken one of my most precious possessions.” The male just gaped at her, his eyes wide with surprise at her indignation. Tears were rolling down his face now as he stammered out a weak apology. His whole body was wracked with sobs. He blubbered about how he didn’t mean to do harm, how he hadn’t thought of the repercussions of giving his weapon to someone untrained. The words were coming out of his mouth so fast I had to struggle to understand what he was saying. I guess the male wasn’t stupid after all. He was petrified. From out of her robe, the Scribe Virgin pulled a large dagger. It was bone handled and looked like something with which a human would disembowel large game. Still looking directly into the vampire’s eyes, she took the knife and stabbed him in the throat. It made a sound of a stone dropping into wet cement, a slurping noise that would have caused a mortal to vomit. The male’s eyes did the impossible. They became even wider than they had been, taking up so much of his face that it appeared eyes were all he had.
Pulling slowly, she dragged the blade down through his neck, his chest. The sickening sound of his sternum cracking was loud enough to startle the birds still left in the trees in this very twisted sanctuary. The strength she wielded to break through his rib bones one by one was impressive. My sister was watching the line of damage as she created it, her gaze not wavering from her bloody task for a moment. She didn’t stop until she had cut him all the way to his pubic bone. As intestines and entrails spilled out of the gaping hole my sister had gouged in this pathetic creature, she looked as if she was in ecstasy. Her head was tilted to the sky, the look on her face one of rapture. My sister had lost her mind in that moment. I was sure of it. The male looked as if he was screaming, though no sound was coming out. His eyes were wide but not seeing. His face was contorted in pain that most would be unable to live through, draining of color as the blood poured from the wound in his torso. There was so much blood, running in rivers down the hill, into the fountain, turning the water a deep hue of red that was terribly out of place in this sea of white. The vampire’s essence was leaving quickly as my sister was lost in her own private rampage. She actually seemed unaware of the harm she had done. As the warrior seemed to finally grasp the severity of the situation he was in, he resigned himself to the fate that would be conferred upon him. Any fight he may have had inside his large body left, just as the vital fluid was doing. Snapping out of whatever twisted reverie she was lost in, the Scribe Virgin captured my dragon by his barbed tail and set about the onerous task of forcing a very round peg into a very square and much smaller hole. Inch by inch, she pushed and shoved that 12 foot dragon into the opening she had created when she eviscerated the vampire. The sound of bones crunching was almost more than I could bear. Almost. The warrior’s face was a study in tortured agony. Sweat was pouring from his brow. His mouth was agape in a silent wail. His eyes were rolled back in his head, and still my sister continued her almost methodical invasion of the body she had laid open. When the dragon was finally well seated, crammed really, in the small space, she held her hand out, a light emanating from it, and she sealed the wound she had earlier created. She unceremoniously dropped her warrior, using that dangerous hand to clean up the mess she had made. The vampire curled into a ball then very violently splayed his body out, knowing that whatever was inside was too large for his shell to hold. Finally he found his voice and the silent screams became deafening shrieks and had my sister not covered her heinous act with a mhis that not only hid me from sight, but this entire gruesome scene, all of her innocent Chosen would have fled her presence in absolute terror. But the Scribe Virgin was nothing if not smart. She wasn’t going to let anyone see her madness. With another wave of her hand, she wiped the memory of what she had done from her creature’s mind and made sure the dragon was well ensconced inside his body, making them one. It was almost as if the male came awake, he startled and awareness returned to him. “ You will carry with you a curse, for two hundred years, to remind you of what you have done here. No more will you be able to think only of yourself, acting impulsively as only a young child should be wont to do,” she whispered into his face, so close to him it made even me shudder. “And you will be reminded every time you get even slightly out of control, because you will be visited by a beast so savage even those you love won’t be safe.” I left her garden impressed, and a little hopeful that perhaps she and I had come to some sort of understanding. Perhaps we would be able to work together in the future, not always be at odds. She had, after all, just brutally attacked the warrior race she claimed to love so much. Of course that isn’t what happened. Instead of being able to break free of its warrior prison and devour the Brotherhood, my sister enchanted the beast, protecting her vermin, and instead my dragon chose to eat my lessers. In the 99 or so years he’d been inside of that Brother, he hadn’t eaten a single one of the noxious rodents he should have preferred. That certainly should be a hint as to how slimy those freaks are, when even a dragon won’t eat one. My sister, the malicious Scribe Virgin, irritates me to no end. My life's mission has been to eradicate the disgusting species she created and she is seriously screwing that up. Everything she did is in direct opposition to me. Every single thing. And it is beginning to piss me off. She really is a spiteful b****.

If you would like to follow along with the Role Players that @The_Omega_ is part of, please USE GOOGLE to easily follow each character within the group. And trust me, you don't know what your missing! So hurry and follow today!

Find @The_Omega_ Online:

Twitter | Facebook

@FritzDoggen_BDB Online: (updates, notes and information on the Twitter Role Playing Group)

Website | Twitter

Order All 8 books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Preorder book 9 Online here:

Amazon | Borders | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Reference:

**Role Play

–verb (used with object)
1. to assume the attitudes, actions, and discourse of (another), esp. in a make-believe situation in an effort to understand a differing point of view or social interaction: Management trainees were given a chance to role-play labor negotiators.
2. to experiment with or experience (a situation or viewpoint) by playing a role: trainees role-playing management positions.
–verb (used without object)
3. to engage in role-playing.

Thank you so much to @The_Omega_ and all the other characters from the Black Dagger Brotherhood Twitter Role Play group for all the time and effort they have been putting in to help us celebrate not only Halloween and our event, but also our love for all that is the Brotherhood and J.R. Ward. * Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post with Sara Bennett Wealer and a giveaway for a signed copy of Rival.

*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.

Do you like to establish relationships with authors? Do you ever have"fan-girl/boy" moments?

ISALYS: Are you kidding?! There are few things in this world (at least as far as I'm concerned) that are cooler than being able to say"Oh, I got to meet Cassandra Clare and Carrie Ryan" or"Kate Pearce and Stacia Kane tweeted me". And I so totally have fan-girl moments. I try to keep it cool most of the time but there are a few authors like Gail Carriger, Gena Showalter, Sarah MacLean and Jeaniene Frost that if I'm lucky enough to meet, expect very loud & prolonged squeals from me!

VANESSA: OMG YESSSSS! I can never believe it when I meet an author and they actually talk to me.They're my rock stars! I think it's awesome when an author emails us or tweets us b/c it's like"They know we exist. OMG, THEY. KNOW. WE. EXIST!" lol — Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates
Establishing relationships with authors is like the icing on the cake. Talk about amazing conversations! I’ve become friends with a few and I am thankful for their friendship. It’s another part of blogging that I’d say just happens. Fan girl? YES! Lol It does happen. I jump up and down, giggle like crazy and it all happens in the privacy and comfort in my own home. You should all be thankful that it happens behind closed doors too. How can someone who loves to read not have fan girl/boy moments with authors? I mean they are the rock stars when it comes to books. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books
The best relationships with authors are the ones that just 'sorta happen.' You have a bookish discussion somewhere (Twitter, on the blog) and it happens naturally. The only fangirl moment I had was when Margaret Atwood tweeted another blogger I know and I nearly fell out of my chair:"Dude, Margaret Atwood spoke to you!" And was totally jealous.: ) — Chris at Chrisbookaram
YES! I love chatting with authors about their books. It's easier to have a relationship with authors now because of social networking. There are several whom I've never met, but consider friends. I have fan-girl moments ALL the time. Some are super embarrassing — one that sticks out is meeting Scott Westerfeld. — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd
I love talking to authors and getting to know them personally, though I will admit, I still get really nervous and shy… even though they are always so nice. Ha! I can be very fangirly. To the point where I should probably be embarrassed sometimes, but I didn't start my blog to be a serious reviewer, I started it so I had somewhere to fangirl. And authors don't usually seem to mind, so it's all in good fun: ) — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft
I usually only establish relationships with authors after I've read their book and loved it. I don't like to get too close to authors beforehand because I don't want to be swayed in my reviews, and I can't stand writing a negative review about an author's book if I know them personally. I've definitely had some fan-girl moments. When Melissa Marr tweeted that she recognized me from my videos, that was squeal-worthy! — Andye from Reading Teen
I am still a little new to the whole review scene. I still feel a little shy when talking to authors even if it’s only on Twitter! However, once I get over the initial awkwardness of it all, I have been able to connect with some pretty amazing writers (published & the not-quite-published-yet). As for fan-girl/boy; all the time! I try not to bug them through blogs/twitter/e-mail but if you ever read my reviews, that’s all you need. I can gush about certain authors for days. — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog
While on tour for my own novel, The Thirteenth Chime, I had a few fan-girl moments when authors would come up to me and had read my novel. I swear there were a few times I thought I was going to faint! It is just so amazing to have read a novel by an author and find out that they have read yours too! — Emma at Emma Michaels
I think all book bloggers have those"fan" moments, and establishing a relationship with an author that you love is one of those moments. The first time they reply to your tweet, leave a comment on your blog, or ask you for a review is a moment that most book lovers never forget. — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy
I LOVE to establish relationships with authors. To me, an avid reader, authors are superstars. If an author acknowledges my existence, whether it's through my blog, Facebook, or Twitter, I'm in heaven! So, yes. I've definitely had several fan-girl moments.
- Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication
I have never really established any relationships with any authors, occasionally talked a tad with a few. I hope to in the future gain a friendship with a few, but I don't want to end up being one of them people who try far to hard. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd
I don’t think I’ve really had any “fan-girl” moments yet, as I haven’t ever attended a book signing event. (YA authors, Canada is very friendly, come to Vancouver!: D) But I am thrilled whenever an author replies to me on Twitter or comments on my blog! — Danya at A Tapestry of Words
Oh sure! I think we all have fan-girl moments (unless you’re a guy in which case fan-boy moments) I've been friends with authors or rather am friends with authors and I do enjoy it but something I've learned is that I don't like stepping on eggshells. So when I talk to authors about reviewing a book I don't get really friendly or fan-girly until after I’ve read the book because then I don't feel so crappy if I didn't like the book so much. I think its awesome talking to authors though. Especially when it's someone you really admire. The other day I got an e-mail from Julia Hoban about a review of Willow I wrote last year and it was just such a cool feeling because she's an author I really admire. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews
I do love to establish relationships with authors. The majority of the authors I have spoken to are amazing and generous. The best moments I have had as blogger have been when an author has emailed me thanking me for a review.
- Grace at Books Like Breathing
Yes though I have mainly done this through Twitter and writing forums rather than blogs so far. But I've just signed up for April's Blogging A-Z Challenge so that may change. — Kirsty from Kirstyes
No, but I'm starting to work on that. I had a fan-girl moment when I got to meet and talk to all the ladies on the Breathless Reads Tour — they were all great! — Michelle at Hooked on Books
I don't think I have an established relationship with any one author. But, I've chatted with quite a few. I love that and have definitely had fan girl moments. It's been great to learn that authors are just like me.
- Page at One Book at a Time

Yes, I love connecting with authors. I tend to connect with more writers than authors through my blog, but I do write articles, which usually involve interviews with authors. Most of my"fan-girl" moments are cringe-worthy. For example, I interviewed Katherine Center on the phone once for an article I was writing. When I listened to the recording later on, I noticed that our entire conversation consisted of Katherine saying brilliant things and me giggling in response.: )
- Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press
Yes, I love talking with authors… especially on Twitter. I had a total fan-girl moment when I got to go to the True Blood panel at ComicCon. I also had the opportunity to get a book signed by Charlaine Harris herself. I loved it. I won the trip there and I had no idea what to expect. It was amazing. It was literally like watching the characters from the Sookie Stackhouse novels come to life in front of me. I geeked out! — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland
Yes! Talking and interacting with authors is the best! They are so funny and just super nice, easy to talk to. I've had my fair share of"fan girl" moments. I went to a Rachel Caine signing, and after asking a million questions she started signing books and she said to me"I like your shirt!" (PB and J shirt) I just giggled and told my friend,"She likes my shirt!!!". Also, when Cassandra Clare @ me back in twitter, and Andrea Creamer RT'd my review of Nightshade and @ twitted me. I have other embarrassing stories but I think this is enough. =) — Alex at More Than Just a Book
I like to establish relationships with authors who have written books I am very passionate about. I like being able to set up interviews and guest posts with authors so that my readers can have a variety or blog posts to read, not just reviews. I think this can broaden my readership.
-JL at An Avid Reader's Musings
I don't really reach out to be friends with authors. I tend to prefer to keep it that way because becoming friends with an author can go both ways. I notice many who are friends with authors, but I always think to myself what do you do when you don't like their book and have to review it? It's fine for people who don't write negative reviews and for those who can gush abut a book when they hated it, but I am not one of them. So, it's just easier for me to keep my distance and avoid all that messy drama. It depends though, although it hasn't happened to date — in the near future I might be willing to put aside the potential consequences due to really connecting with an author. Regarding fan- girly/boy moments I have had them on the rare occasion. For instance; when Jay Asher joined twitter and I interviewed him that was a moment for me because I have spent years trying to figure Hannah out, trying to come to terms with her story, and then here I was for the first time meeting the man who had told me her story. Who made me fall completely in love with it. The Second time was when the author of two of my most well loved books being The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns emailed me back. When you love something as much as I love those books, as much as I look up to the author you can't help but beam and have that moment to yourself where you want to run around the room and dare I say FIST PUMP like crazy! — Aly at Fantasy4eva

*The third question from the authors will be posted Monday.
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Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?

I think its amazing! I have met so many great bloggers and authors because of this community. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight
Yes! Like wow, it's pretty crazy now, there's so many bloggers out there. I like discovering new blogs, especially discovering bloggers who have the same taste (like, Melina Marchetta-worship). Then it leads to a bit of blog-stalk, then blog-love, then blogger-stalk, then blogger-love. Then I *hopefully* have a new internet friend xD — Audrey at holes In My brain
Yes! I had no idea going into this, that there were so many book blogs out there. My favorite part is talking to everyone. Some of the people I talk to on a daily basis are book bloggers who live on the other side of the country. I consider them friends. Is that weird?: p — Amanda, Another Book Junkie
Yes I am I'm more surprised at some of the ages because in school I was always the bookworm and almost no one else was so its nice to see that I'm not the only one in or around my age who reads. I enjoy reading the reviews the most I love getting other peoples opions on books before I read them or even just because its nice to see what someone says about a book — Kate at Ghost of the still
The book blogger community is HUGE! I love it! I have made so many new friends it is unreal. It is so fun to be able to talk about books and have people understand what you are talking about! People in my everyday life thing I am a nut when I gush continuously about a book, but other bloggers with gush right along with me! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews

Over the years I've noticed the growing population of book bloggers and it doesn't surprise me because the books that have been written lately have been spectacular. I enjoy the most getting to know fellow bloggers who have the same genre interest as I do, then I have someone who gets excited about those particular books like me. Also because with more bloggers, more and different books are promoted that I might not of heard of and now I'll find out about them,
- Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews
It always surprises me by the number of bloggers are in the book community. I always enjoy talking to fellow bloggers about anything really. It's always fun to make new friends. — Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads
I was actually very surprised when I started blogging to find so many book lovers like me! What surprised me even more was the amount of people signing-up to read my ramblings lol I really love the community and I actually met someone from my area through blogging and I'm very thankful for it =) — Tynga at Tynga's Review

Heck yeah! I’m amazed every day! It’s a never ending supply of book bloggers! I most enjoy finding bloggers that share similar tastes in books! I have quite the list of blogs that I follow and I know I’m not even skimming the blogosphere surface!
- Jane at At Random

I was at first, but I have learned that book bloggers stick together and seem to be great people who get along fanastically. Of course, I've run into a few people who weren't nice or who only associate with other bloggers that are extremely successful (tons of followers, etc) or authors only. But I've made tons of friends through my blog and the community and I've been very happy ever since.
- Aimee at Coffee Table Press
Occasional enmity really surprises me--like that recent brouhaha about
the"YA Mafia". But the best part of this community is when you find
someone who loves a book that you love too--you almost don't have to
use words to express that love because they've internalized the
material just like you did! — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later

When I first started out I never imagined there were so many book bloggers. I became a little disheartened to realize that this would make attracting readers even more difficult, which is something I'm still struggling with. The fantastic thing about the community is the plethora of books I learn about on a daily basis. I always have dozens of books at a time that I'm excited to read, and that is thanks to the amazing blogs out there. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews
I love that so many people are out there blogging about books!!! I am part of a community of book lovers and being able to share that love, discover new books and authors, and write about it, are all things that I enjoy. — Shirley at My Bookshelf
I love the sharing that happens! People are so friendly! — Jill at The O.W.L
I'm happily surprised by how many people there are taking an active interest in reading, but I think it's even more surprising how insular the community is as well. The thing that I enjoy the most about the book blogging community is how, for the most part, everyone is so supportive and kind. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth
Not surprised, but definitely impressed. I enjoy getting to meet new people, since I'm so freaking bad at that in real life, so getting to meet so many people with so much in common is pretty novel for me, if you'll excuse the pun. I also like seeing just what book-lovers can do when they put their minds and heart together, like awareness that can be raised and the support given in times of crisis. We start off as common bibliophiles, and in the end, we're a bunch of friends. It's pretty cool. — Ria at Bibliotropic
Yes, I was very surprised by the size of the book community, but sometimes now when I read a book's praise quotes in the front I'm like"Hey, I know that person!" or"I've visited their blog before!" It's very cool. And everybody's super nice. I love how we're just so tight *raises crossed fingers* with authors and their books. — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books
There are so many friendly people that I've gotten to know. Everyone is always willing to help others. My favorite part would most likely be twitter. People are on at all times of the day and night talking about what they are reading and what they like about the book they are reading. — Rie at Mission to Read
Going into it, I had no idea that there were so many book bloggers out there! I'm constant amazed by the lovely, supportive community that has been formed by the shared love of books, it's truly amazing and I am proud to count myself in as a member of it! I most enjoy the friendships that spring up over a twitter conversation or a comment left somewhere, I have made some great friends this way. — Lisa at BaffledBooks
Always. It transcends age, location and book preferences. Right now I'm looking forward to the BEA so that I can meet some of these great people in person. — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm
I was very surprised when I started blogging to see how big the book blogging community was and how friendly too. I love that when you ask for advice from other book bloggers they're extremely gracious and just want to help you out. I think I enjoy that most about blogging, it's not about who reads the most books or who gets the most ARCs, it's about the love of reading, and that's something that we all share. — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright
It was definitely surprising at first because I had never known about the community and than the next day there were a bunch of bloggers that I found. I enjoy talking to fellow bloggers because everyone is so nice and we all have the same goal in mind: getting the word about books out. — Katie at Books are Dreams
I am surprised that the community IS so large. I love meeting people that share the same love for books as me. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
I am always surprised by the size of the book blogging community. I have a number of blogs that I follow and visit regularly but every so often I stumble across a new blog that I had no idea even existed. The part I enjoy the most about the book blogging community is how friendly everyone is. There is always someone out there ready to help even if they don't really know you. I have yet to come across a book blogger that was mean to me. — Emilie at Emilie Book World
I'm not really surprised at the size of the book community bloggers take part in. Readers love to share good books they've discovered. Blogs and Twitter have made it even easier for like-minded book fiends to connect. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness
Absolutely! I am very impressed with all of the connections! How cool is it that people who love books can get together so easily! I love the Memes that people do. I haven't done any of my blog, due to some inconsistencies in the past. But I'd love to get started! They are fun to read. I also love giveaway hops! I think they are so clever and it's like a book-lover's Christmas. — Jackie at Teen Book Guide

*Part 2 of 3 will be posted soon.
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Today is another day of the Indie/New Adult feature where I provide you with mini-reviews from the many (mostly New Adult) books I've read lately. I had a ton of books get a 4 star rating from me and this is the 3rd day I'm featuring those. Check my previous posts for the other 4 star books and my 5 star favorites that posted on Monday.

Waiting for You by Shey Stahl
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This book started out for me as a raving, sparkling 5 stars. I absolutely loved Bailey and the fact that she wanted to escape her"perfect" life. She chooses to do this by jumping in the car with Dylan, the local bad boy, and heading off to who-knows-where. I am a sucker for road trip books and this one had so many amazing parts. Dylan started out as the perfect bad-boy character and I actually liked Bailey a lot because she showed how independent and rule-breaking she could be. Then, about 2/3rds through the book it took some strange turns. I won't say what happened but I will say that Dylan did something to Bailey that raised some reg flags for me. I couldn't brush off that uneasy feeling and the book never quiet grabbed me again after that. Either way, this may not be an issue many people find in this story. Maybe it just hit a sore spot for me, but I'd still recommend people give this one a try.

The Future of Our Past by Kahlen Aymes Add to Goodreads
I'm a sucker for books that involve teenagers who have been friends forever and question their relationship. I think many girls want to have that male best friend that we adore, and then we find out that maybe that's who we are meant to be with. In this book, Julia and Ryan are at that moment and neither know what to do. Once together, they deal with typical relationship issues, like distance, and it was good to see how they worked through those problems. By the end, the drama was a bit more boring and I hated that it ended on a huge cliffhanger. I still plan to read the next book in the series soon to see what happens.

Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder
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I know so many people who just looooved this book. I enjoyed it a lot but it didn't blow me away like I expected. I will say though, the first part of this story had me in tears. It was the saddest thing ever! As with many titles I've read, the beginning was fabulous. I got the emotional connection with the characters after the accident and Nell and Colton were believable and obviously had a lot of chemistry. Towards the end I just wasn't into the story as much. I started skipping a few parts and didn't get the drama going on. But again, that beginning was insanely good and I do plan to read more from this author.

Fire Always Burns by Krista Lakes Add to Goodreads
This is a book you may not have heard of before but it's definitely worth the read. In this story we meet Holly, a young girl who lost her scholarship after too many late nights. This is something we rarely see in NA books (a person who fails at college and ends up back home in their small town), but it happens every day! She has best friends still in the town and one of them is Luke, a guy who is dealing with his parent's divorce and his little brother having to move. Then we have Andrew, a guy forced to take care of his mother after his father passed away. They all felt so stuck. I totally got these situations. They were similar scenarios but so relateable. Some parts I didn't fully understand (like how Andrew's mother was a nurse, but she was bats*it crazy sometimes), but I still enjoyed the overall story in this book.

Take This Regret by A.L. Jackson Add to Goodreads
I adored this story. Christian abandons his girlfriend, Elizabeth, after finding out she's pregnant. Now he tries to come back and connect with her and his child. I was frustrated at Christian at times because he let his families control go so far, but I felt that once he came back he really did want to try to make things work. I felt bad for Elizabeth who had been forced to raise her child with just the help of some family and friends, always regretting that her daughter wouldn't have a dad. The side characters we meet in this book are incredible. I think everyone would want to have a group like them.

Before You Go by Clare James Add to Goodreads
In this story we meet Tabby. She's had a public sex scandal that forced her to leave her college and go somewhere else. Now she wants to get back the control she felt she lost. She meets Noah and he pushes through the walls she's built up. They work on a newspaper together and slowly get closer. Noah was a sweetie. It was a bit harder for me to love Tabby because I didn't get some of her actions but I still enjoyed their relationship. This book does have some heavy issues and I liked how it showed how one single moment can really destroy a life. Tabby was faced with what happened every day and sadly, this is an issue that many teens face with social media and viral pictures/videos going out.

Wide Awake by Shelly Crane Add to Goodreads
I was a bit hesitant to pick up this one because I'm not really into the amnesia, lost memories, type of story but I'm glad I gave this one a chance. Emma wakes up from a coma as a completely different person. She doesn't know who she was before but through her friends and family she soon realizes that, well, she was a biotch! The new Emma is trying to adjust with the help of her physical therapist Mason. Their connection was great. Some things I didn't understand, like why Emma would want to join the cheer team so soon after waking up and not being able to walk? That would be the last thing on my mind. But besides the inconsistencies, the overall romance and building up of Emma was great to read about.

Promise Me Darkness by Paige Weaver Add to Goodreads
Woah, this book has the award for most surprising of the year. I was expecting what the blurb says which is that Maddie sees her childhood best friend Ryder one night and she realizes that she likes him as more than a friend now. We've seen this type of scenario often but this one adds a little more to that. It's a story that involves the before, during, and after apocalyptic setting and wow, it kept me on the edge of my seat! There is a ton that goes on in this story so the romance was just a bonus. I liked the way the world was portrayed after the attack. Sometimes I questioned Maddie's thoughts though and wondered if I'd really be that focused on a guy when the world was falling apart. Regardless, after the cliffhanger (GRR!!) I know I'll be reading the next book!

After Math by Denise Grover Swank Add to Goodreads
Scarlet is a quiet college girl who deals with a lot of social anxiety. Then she has to tutor the school soccer star, Tucker Price, and he manages to really push her boundaries. I enjoyed these characters and how Scarlet was able to see who the real Tucker was. Once they begin getting closer their affections go from zero to sixty pretty fast. It may have been a bit too fast and sometimes Scarlet got on my nerves with her constant over-thinking. But Denise is a fabulous author who really knows how to bring different aspects of a story together. Everything flowed nicely and I hope to continue with his series. The next book will focus on Scarlet's roommate.

Born by Tara Brown Add to Goodreads
I think this was even a free book when I got it but I've really been into the whole"post-apocalyptic" angle lately. When we meet Emma she has been on her own for over 10 years. Most people are dead (or, sort-of-dead) from an illness and the rest are just trying to survive. This book paints a scary picture of the world but it seems realistic for how I feel it would be 10 years after something like that took place. Emma meets some new people (Jake, Anna, and Will) plus several others along the way. She finally sees how the world has really been since she's been holed up for so long. This book has some editing issues but it didn't take too much away from it. It doesn't shy away from the gruesome parts of war, which was a nice thing. I have read the second book too and that review will be posted tomorrow.

ALL OF THESE BOOKS RECEIVED THE RATING

In the past year or so I've read many, many… many Indie books. Mostly these have been New Adult titles. I might have an addiction: ) I'm very much behind on these reviews but I still wanted to mention them in a special feature.
For the next week, I'm going to post mini-reviews for these titles. I plan to have about 5-8 books per post. Today I wanted to talk about the ones that have received 5 stars from me. I noticed, while going through my Indie reads, that most of my favorite books are not ones talked about the most. I hope that by featuring them here, they are able to get noticed more often.

Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole
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This was such a cute story! The characters are wonderful and there's no doubt Dante is swoon-worthy. We get to explore another country and follow the main character as she tries to navigate in an environment she is very unfamiliar with. Dante's world is so different from her own but their connection and romance is adorable.

Highly recommended if you want something cute, funny, and perfect for summer.

Unlikely Allies by Tiffany King Add it to Goodreads
This book was nothing like I expected. Kimberly finds out that her father is alive and she spends the summer with him and some kids at a summer camp for foster kids. I assumed this book was about her just falling for a guy but it was so much more than that. There is a whole, big, huge catastrophe in there that they are faced with. Kim and Mason don't start out on good terms but by the end, they are forced to get along for survival.
This book is much more intense than it may seem. It was the first story I read from Tiffany and it is still my favorite of hers.

Crush by Lacey Weatherford Add to Goodreads
I can't help it, I'm a sucker for bad boys and good girls. And Hunter Wilder? Oh yeah, totally loved him! There is a big, huge mystery in this book and Hunter is at the center of it. We get both POVs in this story and I can't tell you how happy I was to find out there would be a second book! I believe Smitten, book 2, is coming out very soon and I will be buying it asap.
If you love a good romance with a bad boy, grab up this one. You won't be disappointed in the plot twist!

With the Band by Jean Haus Add to Goodreads
I purchased this one randomly because I was in the mood for more band boy books. I honestly never expected to love it as much as I did. Riley is the main character and she loves music. She decides to join a band but one of the band members does not like this idea. Romeo is a jerk to Riley at first but she honestly can't figure out why. Eventually their sparks turn more passionate. I adored this entire book and especially the other side characters. They all had a little dysfunctional family but I felt the story was told in a way that was very realistic for college life. I have this one on my"re-read" list!
If you love stories with hot musical males, get this! I know the cover may be a bit lacking but it really packs a punch.

The Truths About Dating and Mating by Jaycee Delorenzo Add to Goodreads
Don't you love discovering a book randomly and finding out it rocks? This was another of those cases for me. I hadn't heard anything about this story but the blurb really grabbed me. Often, we read books where main characters have just met. But in this case, the characters had a long-standing friendship. Ivy and Ian are the perfect match. Ian is a bit of a bad boy (yes, like I said, I love them!), but he has a soft spot for Ivy. They even do a love radio show together which is hilarious! Their friendship soon turns into more and neither of them know how to handle it.

If you enjoy friends-to-lovers type of books, this one is for you. Plus, it's freakin' hilarious!

Falling for the Ghost of You by Nicole Christie Add to Goodreads
This is one of those cases where you can't judge a book by its cover. This story starts with a bang and doesn't let up. I know we've heard this type of story a lot; girl meets stepbrother, he's hot, blah blah. But this one was actually so well-written and developed. Violet was funny, smart, and quirky. I enjoyed getting to know her. Zane is a bit older and so darn lovable!! Seriously, I want one of him, stat! When they end up living together, wowzers! Actually, reading the summary again just makes me want to re-read this asap.
Funny, well-developed, and sizzling, this is perfect if you want a great love story with a twist.

Tear by Rachel Van Dyken
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Another little-known fact — I love love triangles. But, only if they are good ones where I really feel the girl could be torn between the two guys. This one is exactly that! Two, famous, hot guys start going to Natalee's school so what girl can resist that? Alec and Demetri are both wonderful in their own ways. Demetri is much more open and flirty. Alec is quieter and more laid back. But the brothers share a secret and they are afraid for Natalee to find out. I really enjoyed this story and couldn't stop reading. It was really enjoyable and there is a second book so I'm excited to see what happens next.

Great for fans of love triangles and rocker guys.

Up in Flames by Nicole Williams Add to Goodreads
Who doesn't love firefighters? This book opened up an entire new world to me. I had never heard of smokejumpers before this book. Now, I love them! Elle is from a very small town and this book carries out that vibe very well. Cole, and the other smokejumpers, come around to help with wildfires and the girls flock. While Elle is used to being settled down, Cole dreams of traveling and having fun. I really loved these characters and we are able to learn a lot about each one. The plot was a bit predictable but I really focused on the connection between the characters. The town reminded me of where I grew up and the book was well-written and paced. Very enjoyable!

If you want guys in uniform (YEAH!) and a sweet romance with some hot action, this is for you.

The Voice by Janenifer Anne Davis
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The author contacted me for this one and although I wasn't crazy about the cover at first, the summary sparked my interests. Audrey is abducted and held captive in the woods. While there, she begins to hear voices. Once she gets home she ends up moving away with an aunt in order to get away from the stress from her family and friends watching over her. That's where she meets the twins Caleb and Justin. Caleb is super friendly and caring. He wants to be friends with Audrey immediately. Justin, on the other hand, is very closed-off and seems to want nothing to do with Audrey. But they are all more connected than it seems. This book has a huge twist and I am really keeping my fingers crossed that this will end up being a series. I need more of these characters!

If you want something pretty intense, with some nice twists in the plot, get this book. It's truly amazing! Was really shocked at how well this was written and developed, and by how much it intrigued me from the start.

ALL OF THESE BOOKS ARE