Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher: Simon Pulse (June 26th, 2007)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 288 pages
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
There are two sides to every breakup.

This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation.

Then Jordan dumps Courtney — for a girl he met on the Internet.

It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la — this is Courtney pretending not to care.

But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot.

Turns out, he's got a secret or two that he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other.

Review: I first picked up this book because I read, and loved, Sometimes it Happens by Lauren Barnholdt. Her writing just flowed so easily and I loved the witty dialogue she came up with. Two-Way Street has a similar feel and the story line is just as interesting.

Courtney is the good girl. It would seem from the outside and her and Jordan should never work out. He's the popular party boy and she is the girl who would rather stay home than party. But they fall in love and everything seems perfect. But Jordan soon learns a secret about Courtney's father and is forced to make a decision. In order to protect Courtney from the truth, he must let her go. Courtney doesn't understand why Jordan broke up with her and she is devastated.

Jordan and Courtney have been planning to go to the same college and drive across the country together for orientation. It's too late to change those plans so they go on that lovely adventure together, even though they are barely speaking.

Two-Way Street does have a serious topic but Lauren really finds ways to break up the more"depressing" parts by adding in hilarious moments. She really captured the essence of teen drama and how boys and girls play games with each other. We are able to see the story of Courtney and Jordan from both points of view and see how they fell in love and what broke them apart.

Jordan was just adorable. I have a soft spot for bad boys and I think he just made the perfect character for this story. Courtney may have been stubborn but she also seemed very real. I could believe their interactions and problems that came from being stuck in a car together for 3 days.

Two-Way Street is another wonderful book by Lauren Barnholdt and I can't wait to read more from her in the future. I didn't love it as much as Sometimes it Happens but if you want a quick, funny read, you gotta pick this one up!

Find Lauren Barnholdt
Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Purchase Two-Way Street
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt
Published: Simon Pulse (July 9th, 2013)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Summary:
Can a road trip repair a romance gone wrong? Find out in this standalone companion to Lauren Barnholdt’s Two-way Street.

Here are Peyton and Jace, meeting on vacation. Click! It’s awesome, it’s easy, it’s romantic. This is the real deal.

Unless it isn’t. Because when you’re in love, you don’t just stop calling one day. And you don’t keep secrets. Or lie. And when your life starts falling apart, you’re supposed to have the other person to lean on.

Here are Peyton and Jace again, broken up but thrown together on a road trip. One of them is lying about the destination. One of them is pretending not to be leaving something behind. And neither of them is prepared for what’s coming on the road ahead…

Review:

Here we meet Peyton and Jace while they are at a wedding but they already have a history. I was a bit confused. It has been a while since I read Two-Way Street. You don't have to read that book to enjoy this one but the characters are connected. I just struggled with what Peyton and Jace's history could be. Jace seemed to want to talk with Peyton but she wanted nothing to do with him.

Then Peyton ends up being stranded at the wedding and has to get a ride with Jace. Peyton is wanting to run away so she plans to use Jace for a ride, but to make him drop her off on the way. I am a sucker for road trip books so that aspect of the story was really enjoyable. The pair do have some cute interactions together. I did think some of their decisions were pretty silly though. I just wanted the characters to loosen up a bit and stop hiding the truth from each other and really sit down and think about their decisions. If they would have done that, this book would have been nearly perfect.

I did really love the fact that we get to hear both POVs in this story. And that we do get a little update on some past characters we've heard of. As far as Lauren's books go, I've read nearly all of them and this one was mid-way for me. There have been a few I've liked better but this one is still a pretty good read.

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Hello brave street teamers! If you have not signed up yet and wish to do so, USE GOOGLE to be taken to the sign up page. Those of you who have signed up already, you should have received an email. Please check your spam folders if you don't see it.
Today we wanted to announce some more street team prizes and some assignments for you guys!
Street Team Prizes
- Signed copy of DIVERGENT
- Copy of INSURGENT (from The Book Depository)
- HUGE box of ARCs (to be announced soon -US/CA only)
- The Hunger Games (paperback)
- Swag packs (including FACTION TATTOOS) each week

Important Links
- We can now use two different links for our buttons and tweets.

The links are:
Dauntless Tumblr page: http://bit.ly/dauntlessfaction HarperTeen's Insurgent page: http://bit.ly/choose_dauntless Please make sure you use the bit.ly links only. They are the only two that count.

Team Dauntless Giveaways
- We are running a giveaway for a NOOK with an ebook of INSURGENT all month long! Please feel free to spread the word about it, or blog about it and you can use the image below. You can link the giveaway to the DivergentFans site. People can enter to win once a day!

- We will be hosting a new book giveaway each day. We will be linking those on twitter so please sign up to win and spread the word about those!
- There are a few more BIG giveaways coming up! Hopefully one each week and the next should be up by Monday or Tuesday. The links will be sent to you guys in the next email.

Cool Images
- Do you have pinterest? We have posted these images there if you'd like to repin them or use them in tweets or blog posts.

Need the button?
This one links to the Dauntless tumblr page.

- You can still use the hashtag #IfIWasFearless to tell everyone the things you'd like to do as well.

- Use the hashtags #TeamDauntless, #DauntlessFaction, and #DivergentNation with the links http://bit.ly/dauntlessfaction and http://bit.ly/choose_dauntless

First Challenge
Each week we will be coming up with a challenge for street team members. Everyone who completes this challenge within the time-frame will be entered to win a swag giveaway for that week. For this week, please try to submit your link by Monday, the 9th.
- The challenge is to make a vlog of you or your friends talking about being DAUNTLESS. Think of the question"What does it mean to be Dauntless?" You can also tie this into #FearlessFriday and share the things you would do if you were fearless for a while. We know that a lot of people have a fear of vlogs, so that can be your fearless task: )

You can link your vlog's youtube URL or, if you'd like, create a blog post and link it that way. Once you have completed this challenge, make sure you sign up below with your link in order to be entered to win the swag! Swag packs include faction tattoos and we may even throw in a surprise book!

We are all so thrilled to have you guys on board. Please contact us with any questions and send us links if you post about the Dauntless team! We'll be sure to re-tweet it: ) We really appreciate all the hard work you all are doing to help Team Dauntless!

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

That we truly appreciate them and everything they do. Authors are people too, and they work so hard on their books, they deserve some praise for a job well done (especially since the work they did is giving thousands of people joy when they read it). — Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog
Don't get pissed at a bad review, and sure as hell don't pick a fight with the reviewer. I've seen it happen a few times — it's rare, but it's happened. Relax. One person hating your book won't kill you. If they bash it, they bash it. Take the higher ground. — Nicole at WORD for Teens
I hope the authors of YA lit know just how incredibly important they are. The dedication they put in to their books literally changes lives. Teens need books that they can connect with. Not only does it get them reading but it helps them to see that they are not alone. During a time of life that can be so confusing YA authors help their readers to find acceptance. — Heidi at YA Bibliophile
Responding to your readers is one of the greatest things you can ever do. That little bit of interaction not only inspires me to bring others into the worlds you have created but just may make me a fan for life. The five minutes spent on one email could equal 20+ new readers through my word of mouth. Debbie Macomber is one of those amazing writers and the first I ever wrote to 15 years ago now. While I haven't read anything by her lately, I would recommend her in a heart beat,,, and speaking of, I think I'll go pick up her latest! — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps
Just keep writing- there are lots of people out there desperate to read your work. I'd also like to tell them about bookcrossing and encourage them to think about how it can increase their number of potential readers. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone
That they are fantastic, inspiring, and they make my life so much better by writing these amazing creative fictional worlds that I can escape to from my normal life. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing
I would just tell them how awesome they are. I would love to have the imaganation to write wonderful stories that draw you in. Without great authors writing wonderful books life would be very dull. — Megan at Reading Away the Days
I would thank them for the opportunity of sharing there stories, and lives with us through there books, and social media. Reagan at Star Shadow Blog
I would love to tell authors"thanks for following your dreams and for sharing them with us." Honestly, authors are inspiring whether their books are good or bad, they have put themselves out there. There share their thoughts and ideas with us through the power of the printed word. Anyone who puts themselves out there to be praised or criticized is pretty dang awesome in my book. — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa
I would love to just be in ultimate fan-mode with them. I want to let those authors out there how much I love them! They are so clever and awesome. All authors need more love! — Gina at The Bucket List
As an overall comment I'd tell authors it really is cool that they are so involved in social networking. It really gives the whole blogging and reading experience something extra fabulous. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record
I have such a deep admiration for writers, and wish I had that kind of talent and determiniation. Thank you for continually providing us new worlds to explore, and new characters to connect with! -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian I admire authors with perseverance. I enjoy seeing success stories and I would like to thank all those wonderful authors who have inspired me to keep writing. — J.L. at J.L. Jackson
I started blogging about books, simply because it looked like fun. I was already doing reviews for stuff I got on Amazon, so I decided to make my own spot for my thoughts and share them with others. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books
Tough question! I think the one overarching theme I would like to share with any author is my sense of gratitude. Through their words, I have been able to explore worlds, visit times and places that I would have never dreamed possible. At the same time, I have discovered more about myself — my likes, my dislikes, my values, and so forth — that most people struggle to discover because their books and words afford me the opportunity to learn. I am who I am because of their words, for which I am forever in their debt. — Michelle at That's What She Read
Keep writing! I'm sooooo thankful to all the authors writing books, because without them I wouldn't be able to read. I love discovering new favorite books that stick with my and that I lie in bed thinking about at night. — Thia at Through the Book Vine
Keep writing. I love a good movie, but there is nothing like making a cup of tea and curling up with a good book – preferably a cozy mystery. — Ann at Cozy in Texas
I don't think anyone has an obligation to like what you've written, just because it's published. Personally, I do think there's an obligation to be respectful, but that's a two way street.
-Don't turn down free publicity! — Cat at Cat's Thoughts
That I am absolutely amazed at the time and energy that they put into their books (and interacting with the online community), and just how unbelievably nice the mass majority of the are. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
"Thank you." That about sums it all up for me."Thank you for getting up every day, sitting down at the keyboard and spending hours upon hours, pouring yourself onto the page, tapping deep into your imagination, all with no promise of reward or compensation, but fueled by the belief that telling a story is the most important thing in the world. It is, and for that we're grateful for what you do." That's what I would tell every author I meet. — David at Quivering Pen Blog
THANK YOU! Also, I swear I’m not really as dumb as my tongue-tied babbling fangirly state makes me seem! — Small at Small Reviews
Give the book blogger community more credit — most of us take this as seriously as any high-paying job should be, and we operate with a veracity that can be hard to find in many paying jobs. Our work can and does impact book sales, even if those numbers are difficult to track. — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books
Thank you for sharing your gift of storytelling and writing to us. Know that you are changing or have changed someone's life. — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy
I would share with any author that when they travel and take time to visit with their readers, it makes a reader even more excited to go out and read their previous works or future works for that matter too. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings
I just want to let you know that you are awesome! Though some of your more obscure books may be hard to locate, you have fans! Also, many bloggers, myself included, love a simple recognition. So, shout-outs or even"likes" go a long way in the fan-girl screaming categories! Mainly, I commend you for having the guts to write down what you feel and for having the courage to hand it over to a publisher to be ripped apart and criticized. It takes a lot of bravery, but you succeeded. — Nora at The Bookery
First, I'd thank them for taking their thoughts and using words on a page to create these works of arts. Then I'd want to know about their specific processes and/ or inspiration. A bit of a bland response, but I'm a simple person looking for the answers to simple questions. — Kim at Book Munchies
I would probably say thank you. They take me to another world that can't be compared to TV and movies. The way you play with words truly amazes me each time I read a book. Therefore, thank you so much for writing. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict
I hope that you never run across a blogger who treats you unkindly or unfairly. If you do, please do not let one bad experience ruin your opinion of us all. I have met some amazing bloggers who wish nothing but success to authors and their books. — Shannon at Books Devoured

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

SNAP DECISION: MAYBE TONIGHT? By Bridie Clark On Sale August 6, 2013 Paperback: 224 pages Summary: Maybe Tonight? opens as the reader is getting ready for the most exciting party of the year—Midwinter’s Night Dream, set in the frosty woods just off campus—with her roommates and best friends Annabel Snow, Spider Harris, and Libby Monroe. Choices unfold quickly and the reader must decide which risks to take in pursuit of social status, adventure, success, and love.
Guest Post by Bridie Clark on NYC!
New York City seems to work its way into everything I write. My first two adult novels, Because She Can and The Overnight Socialite, take place there. And although the Snap Decision series—my first foray into the YA world—is set on the leafy green New Hampshire campus of Kings Academy, somehow the reader gets invited to party with A-list celebs in Manhattan. That happens to every freshman girl, right? I don’t know, a book just doesn’t seem complete until it sticks a toe into New York City.

I don’t live in the city anymore and it hurts me to admit that. I think it’s temporary. Well, maybe not exactly temporary—but not permanent, either. I love New York, love everything about it, and I’ve been there many a stinking-hot August.

I wrote and then rewrote my first novel in New York, while living in a shoebox studio apartment on Christopher Street. Every day I would break from writing to run down to the Hudson River, fighting against the steady current of cross-dressing teenagers emerging from the subway. When the doorbell of my studio rang, it was almost always my now husband with a bag of Westville take-out. We would eat on a blanket spread out on the floor. When the book came out, we were married and living on the Upper West Side and we had a table (a horrible, sharp-edged glass table that has since vanished without a trace… poof). In the next blink, we were living on East 66th Street. I was pregnant and working on my second book. When our daughter was born, it proved hard to focus where I could hear her (I would elbow out our amazing babysitter to get to the babe’s dirty diaper), so I spent a few hours each day at the Society Library on 79th Street. I loved that place. Not only was it practically free, it was teeming with writers who seemed so industrious and legit that I would have been ashamed to surf the internet in their presence.

Now I just make it into the city to see friends. Don’t love this as much as I thought I would (other than the seeing my friends part). My feeling about New York is that you’re either in or you’re out. Stopping by occasionally feels touristy. I don’t want to be a tourist in a city that used to feel like home. Maybe someday it’ll be home again. Until then, it’ll be one for my characters. GIVEAWAY:

Snap Decision: Are you going out or staying in tonight? One (1) winner receives: · Copy of Snap Decision: Maybe Tonight? andwinner’s choice: Either a $15 Fandango gift card for a night out or a $15 iTunes gift card for a night in.
Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. Prizing & samples courtesy of Macmillan.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Learn more about the book at http://www.macteenbooks.com/books/spring2013/maybetonight.php
Learn more about the author at http://www.bridieclark.com/
Follow Macmillan and Bridie Clark on Twitter and join the conversation using #MaybeTonight

About the Author Bridie Clark has worked as a book and magazine editor and written for the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and New York magazine. Her novels Because She Can and The Overnight Socialite have been published in nineteen countries and featured in dozens of magazines and newspapers, including the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Glamour UK. She was born in West Hartford, Connecticut and currently lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

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

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

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

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

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

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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!

Tapping at the Castle Grave By: Adele Griffin
Jeffrey MacDonald is currently in prison serving three consecutive life terms for the murders he committed in 1970 of his wife, Colette, and their two young daughters while they were sleeping in their home at 544 Castle Drive, Ft. Bragg, an Army base in North Carolina. But in 1975, when my family moved in around the corner from the MacDonald house, it was still officially an open case.
You didn’t have to read the headlines, though, to know that the MacDonald house was different. For one thing, it was a crime scene under investigation. Which meant that nothing in the house had been touched since the night of the murders. In hushed voices, neighborhood Moms would pass along details “… plates and cups still on the table … smashed a hole in the wall … a tiny handprint … ” And on a street alive with blooming gardens, jetting sprinklers, and Tupperware parties, 544 Castle was the one residence where the blinds stayed down, the lights stayed off, and weeds sprang from gaps in the walkway.
While nobody “officially” talked about it, rumors daisy-chained from older kids to younger kids. Eavesdropping on my teenaged babysitter was how I learned that the mother plus both girls had been beaten and stabbed—though the dad had escaped, and the killers (at the time, the theory was that it had been a Charles Manson-style crime) were still “out here.” We called it “The Murder House,” and a major truth-or-dare win was to trespass the property and collect proof—a toadstool, maybe, or a bunch of tiny white starflowers that grew wild at the MacDonald’s front stoop.
At age five, I was too young to fully understand the tragedy of the murders. I just wanted to see a ghost—and I couldn’t imagine anything sadder than sister ghosts. While some of the older kids quaked, I hoped to catch the sound of sobbing, or an unearthly whisper-whisper. And then, after an afternoon Southern thunderstorm that turned the air muggy and fragrant, I decided to pay a visit all by myself.
This was the year I liked to wear my tap shoes, for the satisfying click-clack-click they made on the macadam. I clickity-clacked down Shaw Street and then shortcut the large open field to Castle. The grass was slippery, I slid and skated, and as the house came into view, my eyes searched for something: a wraith, a face at the window before—yank! twist!—my breath popped from my lungs as I suddenly tripped and fell flat on the wet grass. The front tap of my shoe had caught in a rain gutter, and now my shoe (plus foot) was wedged between its iron bars. Confusion gripped me; the more I struggled to free myself, the sharper the pain. Nobody was nearby, and the gargle of guttered rainwater all at once sounded more eerie than any romanticized ghostly wailing.
I cried for my mother, for anybody, and in a new, blinding panic it crossed my mind that maybe the house wasn’t finished, maybe it needed to swallow up another girl, and its stillness and its silence actually had been its secret waiting for me. And now I could scream myself hoarse, but I was no match for its will. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably closer to a couple of minutes, I found my solution, to unbuckle the shoe strap and extract first foot, then shoe, from the grate. And then I ran back to 207 Shaw Street as fast as my shaking legs could take me.
My ankle was fine—not even a sprain, but my trauma didn’t mend as quickly. I never returned to the MacDonald house, and my stomach wrenched anytime I heard new gossip about it. In those few moments, I’d come closer to understanding its tragedy than any neighborhood dare could galvanize. I’d heard the sound of ghosts in my own unheard cry for help. Even to this day, I associate 544 Castle Drive with a memory that is perhaps more appropriate to the horrific events that transpired there—the raw, helpless terror of entrapment, with nobody to rescue me, or even to hear me scream.

Adele Griffin is the author of a number of books for young readers, most recently The Julian Game (www.thejuliangame.com), a novel about cyber-bullying.

The Julian Game by Adele Griffin Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (August 26th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 208 pages All new girl Raye Archer wants is a way into the in crowd, so when ice-queen Ella Parker picks her to get back at her ex, the gorgeous Julian Kilgarry, Raye is more than game. Even if it means creating a fake Facebook identity so she can learn enough about Julian to sabotage him. It's a fun and dangerous thrill at first, but Raye hadn't counted on falling for Julian herself and igniting Ella's rage. As Raye works to reconcile the temptress Elizabeth with her real-life self, Ella serves up her own revenge, creating an online smear campaign of nasty rumors and trashy photographs. Suddenly notorious, Raye has to find a way out of the web of deceit that she's helped to build, and back to the relationships that matter. Adele Griffin's riveting novel explores the issues of generation Facebook: the desire to be someone else, real versus online friends, and the pitfalls and fallouts of posting your personal life online for all the world to judge.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a signed copy of The Julian Game and a Picture the Dead t-shirt.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US ONLY and ends November 5th.
• Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

- Thanks so much Adele for the amazing story and book and shirt donation!

Find Adele Griffin Adele Griffin / Twitter / Goodreads / The Julian Game

Purchase The Julian Game Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

* 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.

Unseen
by M.R. Merrick

Rachel applied the last stroke of mascara and turned the power off on the stereo. The music that pumped from the speakers stopped and silence fell around her. This was the first time in her life she’d lived on her own without roommates and getting used to the solidarity was taking longer than she expected.

A loud bang sounded behind her and she jumped. Darkness filled the hallway behind her and she stared into the shadows. Chills ran down her spine as the hairs rose on the back of her neck, and she crept forward.

“Hello?” she asked, but naturally there was no answer. Her bare feet pressed into the carpet as she stepped closer to the edge of the hall. The silence was a weight bearing down around her and she jumped as something moved in the shadows. A dark blur slid from one room across to the other, and she shivered. Rachel swore the chill wasn’t just in her bones, the room was colder now.

As she came to the opening of the hallway she reached for the light switch but hesitated. The thought of dipping her hands into the shadows for even a moment had her on edge. Images of a rotting hand with sores and callouses pulling her into the darkness flashed through her mind and she pulled her hand back.

Cool air tingled along her neck like someone was blowing against her skin and Rachel flinched, quickly flicking the light switch up and turning around, but there was nothing there. She rubbed the side of her neck and found her skin cool to the touch. She shivered again and stared down the now well-lit hall.

This wasn’t the first time she’d had a strange feeling about this place, but the rent was cheap and cheap was what she could afford. Not having roommates was a little harder on her bank account.
“This is ridiculous. Get yourself together,” Rachel said, storming down the hall and flicking on the lights to each room. With the exception of the bathroom and her bedroom, all the other rooms were empty. No furniture and definitely no corpses that roamed in the shadows.

She turned the lights off and went back to the kitchen, slipping on her high heeled shoes. A loud horn honked from the street outside and her pulse leapt again. A checkered yellow cab idled on the street, waiting to take her to the party.

Tucking a loose strand of hair that dangled around her face behind her ear, she adjusted her outfit in the mirror. After a quick once-over of her ensemble she gave a silent nod of approval. She took a few items out of her purse and transferred them into a small clutch, taking only what she needed for the night and snapped it shut. Smoky, her poised black cat leapt onto the table, rubbing against her arm and pawing at the clutch. A single white tuft of hair formed a triangular patch on her chest and she meowed in protest.

“I’ll be home soon, baby,” Rachel whispered, scratching Smoky just under her chin. The purring response was immediate.

The horn sounded again and Rachel sighed. “I’m coming!” she yelled, as though the driver could hear her scream from inside. “You be good.” She smiled and gave Smoky a long, smooth stroke along her back before moving towards the door.

As she walked past the mirror she’d just spent hours in front of something moved in the reflection. She took a few more steps and then stopped, debating whether or not to take a second look.

After getting herself worked up in the hallway she refused to be pushed around by her own imagination and she gave into her curiosity. Stepping back in front of the mirror she found a long couch and a single painting of the ocean looking back at her.

“I told you,” she said, looking herself in the eye.

She tore her gaze away as Smoky meowed again. The cat sat perfectly poised on the table, studying her face with vibrant green eyes. The horn honked again and Smokey released another meow. “I’ll be home later,” she said, trying not to sound annoyed and turned back towards the mirror.

The couch and painting were gone, blocked by a mass of decrepit faces and bodies that filled her living room. Solid white eyes stared back at her, while flaps of skin dangled from their faces. Green rot and blood-stains filled in the gashes along their skin, and they stood silent, staring into the mirror.
Rachel screamed and ran into the kitchen. Her heels clacked twice along the tile before she slipped.

One shoe folded out sideways beneath her and her leg twisted hard and fast to the side. She lost her balance and pain split across her ankle. She fell to the ground and hit the kitchen table with her hands, pushing it a few inches in the opposite direction.

Adrenaline pulsed through her veins and her heart palpitated like it was going to be torn from her chest. A gut-wrenching pang twisted in her stomach and she turned onto her back, skittering backwards across the floor. But to her surprise, nobody was after her. In fact, her living room was empty.

Heavy pants slipped through her freshly painted red lips and her eyes panned the room. She could hear a pounding in her ears as her heartbeat raced. Smoky stood between her and the living room and hissed at the air. Goosebumps trickled down Rachel’s shoulders and she trembled.

She took a few deep breaths before recomposing herself. She slipped her shoe back on and climbed to her feet. Her ankle hurt, but not enough to cancel a night of fun with the girls. She’d been waiting far too long for this, plus, it was her favorite night of the year: Halloween. Nothing was keeping her down. Not tonight.

She cautiously approached the mirror and the goosebumps prickled up and down her arm with each step. She looked into the living room, then took another step forward and peeked into the mirror. A sign of relief filled her as the painting and couch were back in the reflection or a near-empty room.

She let out a deep breath. “What’s gotten into me?” She asked, looking down at Smoky. “I need this night out more than I thought.” She grabbed her clutch and disappeared out the door towards an impatient and aggravated cab driver.

After hours of dancing, drinking, and laughing with friends, Rachel returned home feeling renewed, exhausted, and more than a little off balance. She fiddled with her keys and stumbled into the doorway, kicking her shoes across the floor. Smoky meowed, awaiting her arrival on the kitchen table.

“Hey kitty,” she said, the words somewhat slurred from her mouth. She threw her clutch and keys on the table and ran her fingers through the cat’s fur. Opening the fridge she grabbed a cold bottle of water and flicked off the kitchen light. “I may have had one drink too many,” she said, pausing to stare blankly at the cat. After a moment she snapped out of her daze and smiled. “Bed time, Smoky, let’s go.”

Drinking half the water bottle in her first gulp, she screwed the cap on and placed it on the bedside table. She tore her clothes off piece by piece and left them strewn about the room. While pulling back the purple and red duvet on her bed, a strand of crispy hair fell from its place on her head and danced along her shoulder.

“Dammit. I can’t go to sleep with all this crap in my hair.” Rachel sighed and ran her hands through the sticky hair-sprayed locks.

The bathroom was already full of steam as she dropped her underwear to the floor and stepped into the shower. Hot water nipped at her skin while her body adjusted to the temperature, and all the warm feelings of her evening began to wash away. She tilted her head back and water splashed over her face and hair, breaking down the product she’d invested hours of time putting into it.

As the buzz of alcohol began to run down the drain, images of what she’d seen in the mirror flashed through her mind. Both of her eyelids shot open and tension crept into her shoulders. Hard streams of water beat against her skin as the fear returned and she felt something slide over her shoulders.

She paused, standing still in the water, telling herself it was all in her head. She tried to picture something else, remembering the tray of shots they’d had at the club. When that didn’t work she pictured the young kid who still appeared to be in his ‘awkward’ phase hitting on her. One cheesy pick-up line after another echoed through her head, but even that memory was overrun with anxiety when she realized the feeling wasn’t leaving.

The water seemed to tighten its hold, squeezing her skin. That gut-wrenching pain filled her stomach again and her breath caught in her throat. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. This isn’t happening, she thought to herself. It can’t be. She slowly lifted her eyes and glanced down at her shoulder, but there was nothing there. The water continued to splash against her skin, and although she couldn’t see it, she could still feel something squeezing against her skin.

The feeling vanished as Rachel turned in the shower, and her fear faded. She was looking at a tile wall littered with drops of water that looked back at her — there was nothing in there with her. “I’m having serious issues tonight?” She shivered and let the water rush over her face, but even in the heat of the shower, the chill didn’t leave her bones. It ran down her arm and along the sides of her body, only to find its way back up to her neck.

She stayed in the water until after the hot had turned cold. She let the stream snap her back to reality and sober her up. When she finally summoned the courage to move, she leaned forward and turned off the water.

Pulling back the shower curtain in a rush, she stepped onto the fuzzy bathmat and turned on the ceiling fan. The steam drifted upwards and as the room cleared, she saw what looked like hand prints in the foggy mirror.

She tried to ignore them. It was nothing. She didn’t know what she’d seen earlier. Maybe it was just the hype from Halloween. She was excited, she’d had a few pre-party beverages and now, after more drinks than she could count, she was over-tired and intoxicated.

Living on her own had her imagination running wild and tonight, she was letting it play tricks on her. She’d lived here for four months and every once in a while she got these strange feelings. So far, she’d just chalked it up to the adjustment. No roommates, no boyfriend, just her and Smoky; the way she wanted it to be. It was a big change and all of this was just part of it. As she got used to being alone, it would fade. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.

As she crawled into bed, the duvet felt cool against her skin. Rachel squirmed against the silky white sheets and let them wrap themselves around her.

“Come on, Smoky,” she called, but the cat didn’t come. Strange, she thought. Smoky is always waiting in bed for me. She waited a few moments and called out again, but still, nothing. “Suit yourself.”

Rachel turned in the bed, spreading out along the cool sheets and stirring as she tried to find the perfect position. She tried her left side, then her right, and finally her back, but she couldn’t get comfortable. It was like there was something bulging from her mattress that refused to allow her comfort.

Using her shoulders and feet, she lifted her body up and dropped it against the bed. Over and over again her body hit the mattress until she was certain she’d broken in her spot and found a way to get comfortable.

She pulled the blankets up to her chin, glanced at the clock, and closed her eyes. It was after three in the morning and the house was silent. She fought to keep her eyes closed, hoping she could bask in the quiet and fall asleep, but when the bed creaked, the stillness of the room became overwhelming. She waited to hear the footsteps of Smoky crunching across the duvet, but they never came.

The creak came again and the muscles in Rachel’s shoulders tensed. Deep breaths in and out were all that kept her from jumping out of bed. This is all in my head. I’m getting myself all worked up, and thinking about it is only amplifying everything. She flipped onto her back and repeated those thoughts again and again.

The bed squeaked and this time she felt something putting pressure on the far end of the mattress — more pressure than a cat could manage.

That’s it. I can’t do this. She tried to sit up, but her body wouldn’t comply with the demand. Cold air brushed her feet as the blanket lifted slightly and her pulse became thick in her throat. She wanted to pull her feet back but she couldn’t. She couldn’t move at all.

Chills shuddered across her shoulders as something trickled across her ankle. With the panic that lunged in her chest came the pain of twisting it in the kitchen all over again. She gasped and tried to scream, but all that came out was air.

The blankets moved again and more cool air washed over her legs. She could feel the weight of something… someone, moving up the bed beneath the covers. The blankets shifted and moved and she felt fingers sliding up the outside of her ankle.

This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.

The fingertips walked higher, moving along both sides of her legs.

This is just a dream. No, it’s a nightmare.

The fingers’ pressure increased as they scaled her body, digging into her flesh. Her heart flung from one side of her chest to the other, ready to burst at any moment. Sweat had gathered on her brow and she realized she was moving, but it wasn’t in the way she wanted. Her body trembled and shook violently as beads of salty sweat ran down her face.

On three, I’m going to wake up.

She winced in pain as the fingers turned into full-on grabs.

One.

Fingers nipped at her hips and tore themselves up her torso.

Two.

The duvet moved again and the cool air touched her skin as another set of hands joined the first.
Three! She shouted in her head, but nothing happened.

The second set of hands squeezed against her calves and Rachel cried out silently, her voice ensnared in her throat.

Stop. Please stop.

The mattress shifted as something climbed higher up the bed.

Smoky! She screamed the name in her head. Smoky where are you?

The first set of hands pulled at her breasts and moved higher over her chest. She could feel the invisible intruder’s fingers reaching for her throat. Tears streamed down her face as her body convulsed. She was sobbing uncontrollably but there was still no sound escaping her lips.
Cold, unseen fingers wrapped around her throat. She screamed silently for Smoky again. Please come. Please help me…

The hand began to squeeze and the air was slowly stolen from Rachel. A loud hiss came from the door way and the hand around her throat pulled away. The cold fingers slid down her body and across her stomach before they vanished. Another hiss came, this time it was louder, and the mattress moved as something heavy moved across it.

Smokey jumped onto the bed and the duvet crunched beneath her paws. It was too dark to see, but Rachel could feel a strange energy coming off the feline. She was so close and the cat gave off an aura of protection. The mattress shifted and something retreated as Smoky stalked across the bed until eventually, Rachel felt whatever it was slip off the edge.

“Oh god, thank you, Smoky!” she said, and the words managed to spill from her lips. She tore her body up from the mattress and covered her face, crying so hard it hurt.

Smoky meowed and crawled up the blankets, nuzzling her head against Rachel’s chest. “Thank you, baby, thank you,” she whispered, pulling Smoky close. Her limbs were still shaking and her heart hammered inside her chest, but as the cat began to purr, it pushed calmness inside her.

Rachel didn’t move from her bed for the rest of the night. She sat perfectly still, gripping Smoky against her body. She watched as the red digits on the clock changed every so often until sunshine crept through her blinds, breaking away the cold energy of the room. Only then did she have the nerve to pull the blankets back and move.

When she finally managed to coax herself out of bed, she found red scratches, swollen skin, and finger-shaped bruises that covered her from her neck to her feet. A chill had instilled itself inside her bones and no matter what she did, she couldn’t shake it.

She called her friends later that day and tried to explain what had happened, but naturally, nobody believed her. They claimed she must have had too much to drink, or perhaps it was a nightmare. One of them even asked if she’d taken any drugs that night. Rachel wasn’t surprised by their reactions, but she knew it was none of those things. It was something in this house and if it wasn’t for Smoky, well, she didn’t like to think what might have happened if Smoky hadn’t been there. One thing was for certain, whether her friends believed her or not, she wasn’t staying here. The next day was the first of November and the perfect time to find a new place to live.

Shift by M.R. Merrick
Published: February 1st, 2012
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: The Protector, #2
Devastated by a terrible loss, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else—a monster threatening to tear her apart.

As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a n ebo ok of Exiled (book #1).

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is International and ends November 16th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

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

Yes, believe it or not, I am still alive.

I know I've been extremely absent this month, so much so that Sheila (Book Journey) called to check in on Friday. It was extremely touching and thoughtful — thank you Sheila! It meant a lot to know that someone actually noticed my absence — what a great thing book bloggers are!

I seem to be in some kind of rut but I'm hoping to come out of it. I finished a book this week (Fall for Anything — Courtney Summers) and have two reviews to write and few other random posts so expect to see more from me this week. School takes a lot out of me; I'm generally in bed by 8pm and still have a hard time rolling out of bed in time to get to work. I get home from work at 4pm and it's so hard to correct anything much less, oh I don't know, read, post, or blog hop before 8pm without feeling absolutely spent. I have been told this is simply the average first year teacher experience and have been promised that it gets better.

Wedding stuff is going great; Dan and I traveled to Bismarck, ND, last weekend for our first marriage "class" and on Veteran's Day my friend Button took me around Sioux Falls and I found a lot of important essentials (more on that later). Everything is seemingly falling into place (thankfully) and hopefully now I can start to relax and enjoy being engaged.

On Friday I traveled back to Aberdeen for Northern's Semester Swing Dance. The Swing Dance has always been an epically important day of the semester for me, even now that I am no longer a student. It's the one night a season where college students and alumni can get dressed up (in a classy fashion), go to the historical Ward Hotel on main street, an enjoy listening to Jazz Music and dancing. When I say dancing I don't mean that grinding "hot mess" kind but legitimate dancing, whether it be the waltz, Latin jazz, jazz, or even the tango. Set in an old hotel on a dance floor with a chandelier and other architectural features and with everyone dressed up, it is almost like stepping back in time. It's the most amazing experience.

My best friend Puffer (below) has been my date for the past three years and I wouldn't have it any other way. Yes things have changed, now that I'm not a student I don't everyone there and my dance partners have significantly decreased now that I'm engaged (Dan had to work this weekend thus his absence). Unfortunately the Swing Dance has been growing in popularity; this alone would be great. However, we have outgrown our amazing "mood-setting" venue and by 10:00 it is impossible to find a spot on the dance floor to actually dance without getting stepped on. Because of this, and because I am old lady who goes to sleep at 8pm, Puffer and I actually left at 11pm for IHop.

I left Aberdeen on Saturday and got back to Sioux Falls around noon and had plenty of time to do absolutely nothing before Dan finished work and we could go see Harry Potter! Last night, unfortunately, I came down with an awful cold and feel horrifically sick. So today I'm lounging, reading, and getting caught up in the blog world — exactly what the doctor ordered!

So... what have I missed?

Some thoughts on my childhood swing set…
by
Erin Bowman

I'll be honest upfront: I am the biggest wuss alive.

I jump at the drop of a pin, clowns scare me to death, and I absolutely despise horror movies.

I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that my cousin told me The Exorcist was a comedy and made me watch it with her when I was about ten years old. It was the first"scary movie" I'd ever seen, and it scarred me for life. Halfway through the film my cousin fell asleep on the couch. I was so terrified at this point that I had a blanket over my head and was watching through the breaks in the knitting. Sure, I could have turned the movie off, but I forced myself to finish it. I needed to know that everything would turn out okay.

I saw this face every time I closed my eyes for the next several months:

<caption: I regret googling this photo. The image results page was downright terrifying.

As a result of this childhood trauma, I made a habit of avoiding horror movies as I grew up. To this day I've seen only a handful, and all because I foolishly believed someone who said,"This one's really not that scary. You'll be fine." (Fast-forward to me with my head on their shoulder, asking them to tell me when it was safe to look again.) I'm shockingly a huge fan of TV's Supernatural, although I truly don't know how I got through the first several seasons; something scary seems to jump out every other minute. And let's not talk about that"Everybody Loves a Clown" episode. (I may or may not have almost cried.)

So why I am telling you all this? Because while I don't have my own real-life ghost story to share, I think this look at my past will better help you understand why I find the following so terrifying:

I grew up in rural Connecticut, on a mountain street that was part of a historic district. Connecticut seems to have more ghost stories per acre than should be possible for a single state. For example: the house next to us was supposedly haunted. No family ever lived there longer than a year or two, and when they moved out, they'd always say the same thing:"The place is small… We want something bigger… I always got a strange vibe when I was home alone--like there was someone else in the house with me."

Yeah. Creepy.

My parent's house is this old cape, set right into the mountain and surrounded by woods. The backyard was great for sledding, but absolutely nothing else because it was so darn steep. It had only one level section in the lower corner of the property, and that's where my childhood swing set stood.

(In hindsight, a level portion of land among an otherwise drastic incline sounds terribly unnatural, but as a child, and even as a teen, the thought never once crossed my mind.)

A few years ago I was home for the holidays, and everyone was sitting around the dining room table. We somehow got to talking about local ghost stories. I said something about how it would be creepy to buy an old house if you knew someone died in it, let alone haunted it.

And my mom goes:"Oh, someone died here."

To which I practically screamed:"In this house?! MOM! OMG!"

And she just calmly looked at me and said,"There used to be a pool in the backyard. Right where the swing set is. Some girl drowned in it."

Cue a million visuals of this, haunting me for forever:

<caption: If I stare at this photo long enough, I can psych myself into believing she's about to crawl out of the computer exactly like she crawls out of the TV in the film.>

I have not ventured down to that swing set since my mom revealed this lovely, historic detail. I can't look at it the same way, let alone stand where that swimming pool used to be. The thought that for years I merrily pumped my legs on swing that was hovering over the same exact spot some poor girl drowned makes me sick. And these days, if I step outside at my parents house at night, I have to almost immediately scurry inside because of that feeling. You know the one-- the sensation that someone is watching you.

The house itself has never shown any signs of being haunted, but who knows about the backyard. And I don't care to find out. Ever.

Taken by Erin Bowman
Published: HarperTeen (April 18th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 352 pages
Series: Taken, #1
There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends… and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive everything above! An ARC of TAKEN (EEK!) and cool stickers (some signed!).

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

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

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

Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein Publisher: Entangled Publishing Date: May 15th, 2012 Add it to Goodreads Summary: Sometimes date is a four-letter word

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

I'm really getting into these cover reveals and Entangled Publishing has just been full of awesomeness lately. Here is the cover for PRETTY AMY and honestly, this book sounds hilarious!

Here is an excerpt!

I was just about to put out my cigarette and go back inside when I heard a skateboard coming down the street. It sounded like waves, like a conch shell against your ear. That full, empty sound. Maybe it was Aaron. I conjured up my stupid daydream, the one I used to fill my head when I couldn’t deal with any of the other stuff in there—that he would find me, that he would apologize, that he would tell me that prom night hadn’t been his fault. The difference this time was that when I looked toward the sound, he really was there. It was him. Aaron. He was skateboarding down the sidewalk like it was made of water, wearing the same loose, worn jeans from his Facebook picture. He carried a backpack, like he might have been coming from the library, but I doubted he ever went to the library. I lit another cigarette with the end of my last one; any excuse to stay put. Then I remembered I was wearing a suit. “ You got another one of those?” he asked. His eyes were blue. I hadn’t noticed that in his picture. My hands shook as I gave him a cigarette. He brought a silver-and-black Zippo to his mouth, flipped it open with one hand, lit his cigarette, and slapped it shut. The whole thing took seconds, but it felt like he was doing it in slow motion. “Thanks,” he said. Maybe he had just stopped to get a cigarette. Maybe it had nothing to do with me. It probably had nothing to do with me. “ I know you,” he said. “Where do I know you from?” I couldn’t tell him. Telling him that he’d stood me up for my own prom would have been way too embarrassing. It would tell him that I still cared enough to remember. “ I’m friends with Lila and Cassie,” I said, wishing that my hair wasn’t pulled back in a headband like I was a nun. “ What are you all dressed up for?” he asked. Of course he didn’t know me. If he had, he would have known that I’d just come from court and that I was trying to do everything I could to forget it. “ I work here,” I said, thinking fast. “I’m supposed to be a librarian.” “ You don’t have to lie,” he said, laughing. “I’m Aaron.” “ Amy,” I said, waving hello with the cigarette in my hand. He smiled. “Though you do make a cute librarian.” I tried to keep myself from coughing. “This suit sucks,” I said. It seemed cooler than saying thank you. It seemed cooler than getting all squishy over what he said, even though that was how I felt. I looked at his skateboard. “You wanna try it out?” he asked. The deck had a mural of blue sky and white-capped mountains hand-painted on it. The wheels were covered with stop-motion birds, so that when they spun it must have looked like the birds were flying. There was more to this boy. More that I wanted to know. “ I guess I could,” I said, but then I remembered my mother. She would come looking for me soon. I shook my head. “I should go.” “You got a cell phone?” he asked. “ Not that I’m allowed to use anymore.” “ Parents,” he said. He pulled a sketchbook from his backpack. Maybe he had painted that beautiful mural. He ripped out a piece of paper, wrote something down, and handed it to me. It was his phone number. I tried not to act surprised, tried to act like boys gave me their numbers all the time, especially when I hadn’t asked for them. “ See you around, Amy,” he said. He dropped the skateboard next to him. It landed perfectly on its wheels like a cat would on its legs. As he skated away, I looked at his number; the paper was as soft as fabric. I folded it smaller and smaller and hid it in my bra. Maybe he hadn’t said what I wanted him to say, but he had found me. He had found me. And, what's even more fun? In addition to the PRETTY AMY cover reveal, Lisa and Entangled Publishing will be hosting a Worst Prom Photo contest in the weeks leading up to AMY's release on May 15. So make sure to dust off your old prom photos—the more tulle, bows, and big hair the better!—and watch Lisa's site, http://www.lisaburstein.com, for details on how to submit/enter to win a beauty package. How cool is that??

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