Today I am participating in the blog tour for VAIN by Fisher Amelie. She is stopping by to share with us the top 10 songs that inspire her. Check out the great giveaway below as well. Top 10 Songs that Inspire You First off, thank you so much for having me, Total Bookaholic!!! I’m honored!
My taste in music is fairly eclectic and constantly changing but right now these ten songs are writing my next book.
Change of Time by Josh Ritter This song makes me a little sad but in a good way. For some reason it reminds me of every wrong that’s ever been wronged in this world. It makes me want to move, to fix them, to stand up and shout for those who can’t.
Breath of Life by Florence + The Machine This song has written at least three heart pounding scenes that I know of.
Blackout by Muse This song belongs to my husband and I. It’s ours, very, very ours. All the Rowboats by Regina Spektor Haunting and beautiful and so Regina Spektor. High by Feeder This reminds me of when I lived in England. Some of the best years of my life.
Somewhere Out There by Our Lady Peace High school dances, friends, singing at the top of our lungs, falling over each other in laughter. It was such a magical time for me, full of silliness and seriousness. There wasn’t a day that would go by that I didn’t experience both.
Mustard Gas by The Dear Hunter This song will always scream to me in ways no other song ever could because it reminds me of the first book I ever wrote. Full of angst and demands, it’s written many passionate scenes.
Sunburn by Muse Every time I listen to this song, for some reason I imagine an incredibly distraught woman dancing on pointe’s.
Tuna in the Brine by Silverchair Oh my word do I love Silverchair. I am so in love with their music it’s not even funny. Their Diorama album has some incredible compositions scored by Van Dyke Parks. I’ve just never heard an album more beautiful than that one and Tuna in the Brine is my favorite.
Inception Theme by Hans Zimmer When I need a dramatic scene, this is the song I listen to.
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Add to Goodreads VAIN SUMMARY: If you’re looking for a story about a good, humble girl, who’s been hurt by someone she thought she could trust, only to find out she’s not as vulnerable as she thought she was and discovers an empowering side of herself that falls in love with the guy who helps her find that self, blah, blah, blah… then you’re gonna’ hate my story.
Because mine is not the story you read every time you bend back the cover of the latest trend novel. It’s not the “I can do anything, now that I’ve found you/I’m misunderstood but one day you’ll find me irresistible because of it” tale. Why? Because, if I was being honest with you, I’m a complete witch. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a friend using, drug abusing, sex addict from Los Angeles. I’m every girlfriend’s worst nightmare and every boy’s fantasy.
I’m Sophie Price… And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most envied girl to the girl no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. GIVEAWAY
From Amazon.com... "It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won't send our boys to fight in "foreign wars."
But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie's radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention--as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.
Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie's broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin's shores. In charge of the town's mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people's secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.
Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town's doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow's Frankie's siren call into the war, Emma's worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.
Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war,The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it. "
I really wanted to love this novel. Upon opening it and reading the introduction (see Favorite Quotes), I immediately fell in love with the language and the idea of the novel.
Unfortunately, no matter what I did, I could not connect to the plot or characters. As a result, I was unable to finish this book. Reading became a chore and I found that I was picking up other books to read instead. I did stick to my Review Policy and made it through 100 pages — but I just couldn't go on. I think this has a lot to do with my inability to connect with the story, plot, or characters.
Again, I feel awful because I was so prepared to fall in love with this book. I've heard wonderful reviews! It could be because of where I'm at in my life; what with student teaching and "having" to read books that I don't choose to (such as "All Quiet on the Western Front" etc), maybe I'm just looking for something lighter and more Young Adult-ish. Because of this possibility, I'll be keeping "The Postmistress" for my bookshelves until at a later time I can pick the book up again and see if I missed the excitement due to where my life it.
I do want to say a big thanks to Lydia at Putnam books for sending this wonderful ARC. I apologize for not being able to finish it.
Favorite Quotes: "Long ago, I believed that, given a choice, people would turn to good as they would to the light. I believed that reporting — honest, unflinching pictures of the truth — could be a beacon to lead us to demand that wrongs be righted, injustices punished, and the weak and the innocent cared for" (3). "Every story — love or war — is a story about looking left when we should have been looking right" (3).
Today is the release day for 2 amazing books -- Sweet Venom and Vanish. To celebrate this, Tera Lynn Childs and Sophie Jordan are here today to share some of their favorite romantic novels.
Favorite Romantic Novels Favorite Romantic Books by Tera Lynn Childs
Romantic books have been such a big part of my life and my career, it’s hard to narrow this down to a manageable list. I have about fifty romances on my forever keepers shelves. But if I have to pick some favorites, here goes:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I first read this in my freshman Lit Hum class at Columbia and it turned my world upside-down. Here was a book I loved—swoon, Darcy, swoon—and it was considered important enough to be studied in an Ivy League literature class. This is the moment that I realized a book can be both popular and important. And a romance novel, to boot.
The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey. When I first decided to try this whole writing thing, I literally devoured the romance section at my local bookstore. Johanna Lindsey was my first auto-buy author. She is the master of The Moment, that line that just takes your breath away. In this book, it’s Warren (after Amy’s been chasing him the entire book) saying, “You can’t give up on me!”
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn. I cannot begin to describe in a few sentences how much I love this book. It is just one of the most powerful romances I’ve ever read. Julia Quinn is genius at creating characters who absolutely cannot possibly make it work, and then making it work. Simon and Daphne are a close second to Darcy and Elizabeth for my favorite romantic couple of all time. I dare anyone to read this book and not cry a dozen times. I always do.
Favorite Romantic Books by Sophie Jordan
What’s my favorite romantic book!?!?! Wow – that’s like asking a food junkie to pick her fav dish (which would be tough for me, too)! There are just so many choices – especially since romance has been my favorite genre for so long. Okay, here’s my list: The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey. It’s a historical romance featuring one of the strongest, take-charge heroines ever! It’s really a stand-out historical romance. When I first read it years ago it felt so new and fresh. And when I reread it now, I can still say the same thing. It has that universal, timeless appeal.
Second choice would probably be … Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey. Another historical romance. The books are connected, too. I just love the tension of a girl disguising herself as a boy. Oh, the fireworks when the truth is revealed! Hm, contemporary romance would have to go to Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s Nobody’s Baby But Mine. It features an outrageous premise … but is an amazingly emotional and very “real” story. My favorite romantic suspense novel is Linda Howard’s Open Season – it has the perfect balance of suspense and romance, but at its core it’s an ugly duckling story. I know these qualify as my favorites because they’re all books I’ve read multiple times. That’s always my gauge.
As for young adult novels … hm, there are so many where the romance is really strong and at the core. They might as well be called a young adult romance. I’ll choose The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Both books have some hot boys and empathetic, likeable heroines. But it’s no easy road to a happily ever after for these characters. Just like in the adult romance books I listed above, you get tons of agonizing conflict. And in the meantime tons of tension and steamy chemistry that sizzles on every page. These are the titles that pop in my head right off the bat … but ask me a year from now and I’m sure I’ll have new titles to add.
Vanish by Sophie Jordan Publisher: HarperTeen (September 6th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 304 pages Series: Firelight #2 To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?
In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.
Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (September 6th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 352 pages Series: Sweet #1 Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.
Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.
Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.
These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.
Sophie and Tera Lynn’s upcoming tour stops: September 7 @ 7 PM Blue Willow Bookshop Houston, TX September 8 @ 7 PM Books & Co Dayton, OH September 9 @ 7 PM Magic Tree Bookstore Chicago, IL October 1 Austin Teen Book Festival Austin, TX The next blog tour stop: Thursday, September 8 – The Bookish Brunette About the authors: Tera Lynn Childs (Authora neo) is a newly discovered species of author fish who always dreamed of being a mermaid, but never got closer than a career as a competitive swimmer. She loves to spend as much time as possible in and around water (right up until her fingertips turn all pruney) in the vain hope that one day her legs will magically turn into fins. When stuck on land, Authora neo can be found writing in coffee shops across the country, prowling for cool mermaid gear on Etsy, and spending way too much time online. Visit her at http://teralynnchilds.com. Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler. Visit her at www.sophiejordan.net.
The cat. The last thing I remember is the cat. The cotton restraints bind me in place. Dr. Pollock twists in her chair. This has to be just another bad dream… one that has followed the last month of bad luck. “A cat?” she says disapproving, like this is the first time she’s heard it from me. “Yes, the last time I saw Toby he was taken by the cat.” Hmmmm… her southern accent vibrates in her throat. “And, the cat didn’t advance on you?” “No. It hissed at me.” She stifles a laugh. Every other session has gone this way. The dark mahogany furniture doubles for bars on my cell. I see them more than anything else, well, that and the cats that haunt my nightmares. Toby’s frail body being dragged into the woods is only an afterthought sometimes. Everyone thinks I’ve lost my mind. “Hissed?” I think of Toby, the last day at the lake house. We ran after each other and played in the
hot springs. He laughed and played… more than he had in months. Chemo had almost destroyed his livelihood; he had become just barely a shell of his former self. I guess that made him an easy target. “Yes, meowed and hissed.” That damn cat. I’ll never forget that meow. Like the cursed feline wanted to taunt me; egging me on to make a mistake—so it could claim me to. I wouldn’t let it. I couldn’t. I had to stay safe- make the right choice to get Toby back. “Do they still come to you?” “They?” I say, playing coy. I know what she’s talking about. The cats. They can’t know they still haunt me. “The cats. Are you still having nightmares about them?” “No.” They are the reason they keep me here. The reason the red camera light still blinks in my room. Why I’m never alone anymore. Why I’m on constant suicide watch. “Are you sure? Nurse Raliegh said last night you awoke, screaming.” Shifting in my chair, I slap on my best teenager attitude to give the appearance of normal. “Is it against the law to have a bad dream once in awhile?” “Is that what we are calling them now?” The images of the black and white cat, the leader of them all, dragging my younger and only brother out to the woods. A cat. Not a monster. Not a lion or a tiger. Just your normal, everyday, average house cat. That’s what stole my brother. That’s what took him. That’s what I have to fight to get him back and to save my own life. “Yes. Anyone that watched their brother being dragged off would have nightmares.” She flips back through the pages and pages of notebook paper. “Yes, when you came to us you were unresponsive and mumbling incoherent things. Eventually, you told us a tale of a cat dragging your brother into the woods. Tell me about that.” My eyes glaze over, thinking of Toby playing too close to the woods. The hissing and howls of the feral animals vibrating through the woods. They stalked us; waited for the right opportunity to claim their prey. The wind whipped my hair into tangles and only momentarily blocked my vision—that’s when it happened—when they claimed him. Took him back to Max their leader… their commander—the one that rallied the pack into war against us—against my family. A war based on retribution. “I already told you what happened,” I snip and try in vain to get to an itch at my side. Restraints are so last year. And eggshell is not a flattering color on me. I’ve always been a spring, not a winter. “I don’t want to talk about it.” “Well,” she taps her chrome pen to the notebook, “do you think he is still out there?” “Who, Max?” I slip. She flips through the notebook, her instant recall of our sessions failing her. “The cat? I was referring to Toby. Your brother. Is he still in the woods, Miranda? We just need to find him. Your parents deserve… closure.” It’s finality they seek. The truth is hard to accept. It’s easier to believe I may have done something to him than to think a housecat took his life. “Toby is with them.” I start to rock back and forth in my chair; my mind shutting down and my heart breaking in my chest. “He is with Max. The cats took him, claimed him for my mistake.” Her eyes shoot to mine. The one thing I hadn’t told them. The reason the cats pursued us, hunted us down. I killed Max’s mate; ran her over on the road to the cabin. I brought this nightmare to my family. “We were laughing in the car. I wasn’t paying attention. I swerved… but still I hit it.” “Are we talking about the cats again?” Annoyed, I respond hard, “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.” Of course, my attitude she chronicled in her notebook. She’d use that against me later, I’m sure. This wouldn’t get us Toby back, and my confinement only kept the cats at bay. Eventually, they would come for me, too. They’ll never give up. Max demands his justice. He demands repayment for those he lost. “I think we are done for the day,” she says tapping the top of the golden tenth-anniversary clock the hospital gave her per the little plague on the bottom. Another twelve hours and I’d be back in this chair. Back in hell. A head shrinker is not what I need—a witch doctor? Maybe. Nurse Raliegh leads me back to my room, pushes me inside and I turn to give her easy access to the locks confining me, only to be met with a seven by seven foot concrete confinement. I pick up my chalky rock that I dug out of the limestone jail. I start to draw on the walls again—walls adorned with every size and shape cat imaginable. They’re still out there. They prowl at the gates of the hospital. Just waiting for redemption. They wait for me. And so I sit. And rock. And wait. Wait for the day the hissing meows come for me. Meow.
The Crescent by Jordan Deen Publisher: Black Rose Writing Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 187 pages Series: The Crescent, book #1 Becoming a werewolf is not an option for seventeen-year-old Lacey Quinn, but death can be a strong motivator. Lacey is so focused on her future that everyday life has passed her by. Counting down the days to her eighteenth birthday, Lacey is almost home free. But when she falls for the mysterious Alex Morris, she lands in the middle of an ancient war between two enemy wolf packs. Tempting dreams, tantalizing lies and a dangerous love triangle ensues leaving Lacey heartbroken and confused. Lacey's fate rests in the hands of Alex and Brandon, but both are pulling her strings for their own agendas. Even as she slips further into the dark world of werewolves, Lacey struggles to find the truth and save the only family she's ever know.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a signed ARC of The Crescent and The Crescent and Half Moon swag.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and l ink s must be provided.
Contest is INTERNATIONAL and ends October 27th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
Half Moon, book #2 in The Crescent series, will be released January 13th, 2011.
- Thank you so much Jordan for the story and giveaway!
Find out more about Jordan Deen Jordan Deen / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter
Purchase The Crescent 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.
"De la Cruz has revamped traditional vampire lore in this story featuring a group of attractive, privileged Manhattan teens who attend a prestigious private school. Schuyler Van Alen, 15, the last of the line in a distinguished family, is being raised by her distant and forbidding grandmother. Schuyler, her friend Oliver, and their new friend Dylan are treated like outsiders by the clique of popular, athletic, and beautiful teens made up of Mimi Force, her twin brother, and her best friend. What they have in common is the fact that they are all Blue Bloods, or vampires. They don't realize that they aren't normal until they reach age 15. Then the symptoms manifest themselves and they begin to crave raw meat, have nightmares about events in history, and get prominent blue veins in their arms. Their immortality and way of life are threatened after Blue Blood teens start getting murdered by a splinter group called the Silver Bloods."
The cover persuaded me to pick up this book and the fact that I wanted to slow down my Twilight Rush. It worked. I really enjoyed reading Blue Bloods and can't wait to start Masquerade tomorrow. The exposition was extremely long and took up most of the book, but the constant hints of climatic plot kept me intrigued. Despite this insane amount of exposition, major parts of the book seemed to be rushed — for instance, it took all of one page for Schuyler to accept she was a vampire — page 152 to be exact. I also wasn't feeling the connection between Schuyler and Jack Frost — er, Force.
The climax — I'm not really sure I could pick it out for you. The last ten chapters were amazing. I couldn't put it down and my mind was racing and I couldn't read fast enough. But it was a sour case of 'show don't tell'. Some (SOME!) of those climatic hints I mentioned were explained, but whole new cans of hints were opened and never addressed. Hopefully these 'hints' will all be addressed in Masquerade. The rush of information was very intense — probably due to the 'telling'. In a paragraph of dialog huge 'hints' emerged. I don't really know how to describe it better than this. It was annoying — I felt like I was constantly missing something. And I was continually trying to map out a 'family tree' and it just wasn't happening.
But I did say I loved it right? Right! I couldn't put it down. I found the characters strong, independent, and different! Yes, Mimi was a little like Aphrodite from House of Night. But I ended up LOVING Aphrodite! Schuyler is a great protagonist — much better than Zoey, in my opinion. I loved how all the characters had a strong voice in the book — Schuyler, Mimi, Jack, Bliss, and even Oliver towards the end. The descriptions of high society were more than believable — I could see it all! Especially in Mimi's presence.
And the story line! So intricate and detailed — I mentioned my struggle (in vain) to piece it all together! Melissa De la Cruz thought this out very well! It's such a nice relief to read a well though out book/series. Good stories can come out from writers who start and don't know where they will end up. But it's very refreshing to see that a lot of thought went into a book. That's why it's so easy for me to push aside all of the above reasons why I should not like the book — to say that I cannot wait to start the second book Masquerade.
Also worth mentioning — I really liked how she brought in the archangels and Lucifer and all that jazz (all that jazz!!). While I am still extremely confused, it brought a different aspect to this Vampiric novel that I haven't seen before. Plus, I loved that the familiars for Vamps are canines — much different than in the HON novels. Refreshing details to another series about vampires. It's the small things that make the difference anyway.
Funny Fact: Throughout the whole book I pronounced Schuyler in my head like [sh — u — ler] Sh — like shark. u — like ugly. ler — like learn without the n. I was wondering about it on Twitter and Debbie from Debbie's World of Books googled it! It is pronounced Skyler — learn why Melissa De la Cruz spelt it so 'funny' here. I will, undoubtedly, continue to prounounce Schuyler like Shuler in my head throughout the rest of the series — but that's just me.
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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"This is the perfect book for the Holiday season." — Miss Remmers
From Amazon.com...
"Celebrate the season with Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future—and discover how the greatest Christmas classic was based on the greastest story ever told.
This special edition includes the complete text of A Christmas Carol along with notes and discussion questions written from a Christian perspective."
This book was a wonderful read. While I have seen several different film adaptations of "A Christmas Carol," I had not read the book. I won't lie, I was a bit intimidated by the thought of this book. I mean, everyone's heard of it and Charles Dickens himself is an intimidating figure in literature.
Because of this, I particularly appreciated the annotations that explained the biblical allusions, Dickens faith, and the Christian themes throughout the novel. The discussion questions were also extremely helpful in understanding the depth to the novel. Should I ever use this book in a classroom (which will, undoubtedly, happen), the discussion questions (particularly A and B) will come in extremely handy as essay/reflection assignments.
As for the story itself, it was as beautiful as one would expect. Not nearly as "scary" as I had previously thought, the story was beautifully written and is the perfect book for the Holiday season.
I especially loved the quotes in the discussion section of the book:
"'Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves'" (30). "What is good for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (31). "God bless us, Every One!" (120). "Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (121).
Big thanks to Julie from FSB Associates for sending me a review copy of this wonderful Christmas story.
