Friday, April 30, 2010

Winners of Blogoversary Contest!

The Winners are...

Fav Review Category:

Natalie Aguirre - Inside Out & Hex Hall

Fav Interview/GP Category:

heatwave16 - Gail Carriger for Soulless & Rachel Vincent for Prey

Please email me your addresses within 48hrs

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Winner of The Clearing by Heather Davis!

The Winner is... THE CLEARING (Signed) by Heather Davis

Swag: The Clearing & Never Cry Werewolf Postcards

InABox

Please email your address within 48hrs

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Win Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready!

**CONTEST CLOSED**

This is your chance to Win... SHADE (HC) by Jeri Smith-Ready
*Simon Pulse has graciously offered up 5 copies*


Rules: 5 Winners!
1. Comment on Interview here: +1
2. Comment on Review here: +1
3. Link to blog: +1
4. Follow me on Twitter +1
5. Follower : +2
Total = 6 entries

Contest ends @ 11:59pm (CST) May 13, 2010. U.S. Residents Only (Sorry!)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Pub. Date: May 04, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format: Hardcover, 320pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.
Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart?and clues to the secret of the Shift.

This novel takes us into the ghostly territory of the deceased. Imagine a present day world where every 16yr old and under can communicate with the dead. Now throw in a different variation of ghosts called Shades (dark, bitter, and harmful to post Shifters) into the mix. Now you’ve got dilemmas! I relished discovering the how’s and why’s of the dearly departed’s existence. It was always interesting to see what type of ghost Aura would encounter and how she would interact with them.

As if Aura didn’t have enough problems to deal with, she has to come to grips with the rising stardom of her rock star boyfriend Logan. I don’t think Aura ever imagined in her worse nightmares that Logan would be taken away from her on their special night. I teared up at least two times while reading this book. Jeri captured the emotional tidal waves that come with losing a loved one. While trying to cope with Logan’s death, Aura’s determined to uncover the mysteries surrounding the Shift along with the help of Scottish exchange student Zachary. Zachary = Swoon! Zachary was there for Aura in every way that she needed and I couldn’t help but fall for him just as Aura did.

SHADE is a terrific start to a great series. I can’t wait to see what SHIFT has in store for Aura next! Readers looking for a unique and haunting world where the woes of the dead take haunting to a whole new level should definitely pick this novel up.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars


Check out the book trailer for SHADE

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Burned: House of Night Series - News!

The trailer and 1st chapter for Burned, book 7 in the House of Night Series by P.C. and Kristin Cast was released online today.

Summary (SPOILERS)
"Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left… "

Check it out!

To read the first chapter of Burned, click here.
If you like the song from the trailer you can download it here.

If you're like me and was highly surprised by the ending of Tempted, then I'm sure you want to know what happens next! Visit the House of Night website for more info.

Sensational 7 Q & A with Jeri Smith-Ready!


Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to hang out with your favorite author(s)? In an attempt to get a better understanding of authors, my Sensational Seven Q & A takes a closer or more personal look at these authors to give you a glimpse of the personalities behind the writing of your favorite books.

“Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book; a personality which, by birth and quality, is pledged to the doctrines there set forth, and which exists to see and state things so, and not otherwise.” By Ralph Waldo Emerson


Smith-Ready has been writing fiction since the night she had her first double espresso. She holds a master's degree in environmental policy and lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world's goofiest greyhound. Her debut YA novel, SHADE hits shelves May 4, 2010!

If you were given a chance to travel back in time, what year or place would you go / Why?
Wow, what a tough choice! It would definitely be some musically explosive era, like early nineties Seattle, or San Francisco in the late sixties, or Memphis in the late fifties.

Then again, I love the fashions of the forties. I wish men still wore fedoras.

Describe your novel in seven words or less?
Passion, mystery, music, ghosts, and cute guys.

Please share with us about your favorite book and fictional crush to date?
My favorite book ever would probably be NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman (sometimes I say GOOD OMENS by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett).

Favorite fictional crush would probably be David from Rachel Caine’s WEATHER WARDEN series. I’m a huge “nice guy” fan.

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be / Why?
Do cartoons count? If so, I would say Bugs Bunny. He always outsmarts his enemies and gets them to beat themselves rather than having to beat them up directly.

If we’re talking strictly books (I would read a Bugs Bunny novel in a heartbeat, by the way), I think I would be the kid from the BLACK STALLION books. When I read those in middle school, I wanted desperately to be a jockey, but had to give that up because I was too tall. (Anyone who knows me is probably scratching their heads, thinking, “But Jeri, you’re incredibly short.” Yep, but still not short enough to be a jockey.)

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you/ Why?
Ooh! Anne Hathaway. She could really pull of my sullen early twenties attitude. Plus, she has the perfect eyebrows.

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be – please explain?
Ten Things I Hate About Me. Because I’m always picking on myself.

How would you describe yourself/life in seven words?
Disorganized. Funny. Free. Fretful. Happy. Easily distracted.

Bonus:

**Is there any additional info you would like to share with your readers about what’s next for you and your books?**
Right now I’m writing the sequel to SHADE, called SHIFT, which will be out in May 2011. I also just finished page proofs on the third book in my adult vampire series, BRING ON THE NIGHT, which comes out in August. I can’t wait to see what fans of the series think of this installment!

Thanks Jeri for stopping by!

For more information about Jeri Smith-Ready and her books, please visit her website here.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Monday Madness (40): Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

What is Monday Madness?

It’s the phenomenon affecting all book lovers as we count down the hours in hopes of getting our hands on highly anticipated books on release day. So, come join me throughout the week where I will be featuring Author Interviews, Reviews and Contests for great books.

Pub. Date: May 04, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format: Hardcover, 320pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Synopsis
Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart?and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Want More?
Read the first chapter of SHADE here

Order SHADE @ Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders

Check out the book trailer for SHADE


Want More? Head over to The Book Butterfly on Tantalizing Tuesday for a special treat!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

In My Mailbox (46)


Courtesy of Random House
Thief Eyes by Janni Lee Simner

Courtesy of Simon Pulse
The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

For Review
Shadow Hills (ARC) by Anastasia Hopcus
The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell (Chelsea sent me a signed copy - She's awesome!)
Heartless (ARC) by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Bought (Not Pictured)
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Won in a Contest from The Book Butterfly
Token of Darknessby Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie

Winner of For Keeps by Natasha Friend!

The Winner is...
FOR KEEPS (ARC) by Natasha Friend

Alex (Tales of a Teenage Book Lover)

Please email me your address within 48hrs

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Review: Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr

RADIANT SHADOWS by Melissa Marr
Pub. Date: April 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Hardcover, 352pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers. Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries’ coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani’s death.

Ani isn’t one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin’s plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

I was quite clueless going into this series not knowing that each book would be told from various viewpoints. After I finished reading FRAGILE ETERNITY, I assumed the next book in this series would go back the love triangle involving Seth, Ash, and Keenan. So, after reading the summary of RADIANT SHADOWS, I started grinning from ear to ear. I could almost forget I missed the aforementioned love triangle. Almost.

While reading FRAGILE ETERNITY, there was something interesting about Devlin when I was introduced to him. I knew I wanted to know more about this mysterious character. He’s dark, seductive, and alluring rolled up into one dangerous package. I guess when you’re the High Court’s assassin, what do you expect? All I can say is I forgot all about my crush on Niall. There’s a new bad boy in town. Devlin and Ani were perfect together- each hungering for more that could very well have big consequences. Marr did a brilliant job pulling things together while staying true to the characters.

In this installment, the stakes are higher. Secrets long kept come to light that could destroy many lives. I have to say this is the best installment yet. RADIANT SHADOWS is full of dark and seductive intrigue. I got to spend a lot of time with my favorite faeries in this book. Niall, Irial, Seth, and now Devlin. What’s a girl to do when a book packs this much glamour? With the way events unfolded in this installment, I’m dying to see what Marr throws at these characters next.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Winner of The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong!

The Winner is...
THE RECKONING (Signed) by Kelley Armstrong
Miss Eliza
Please email me your address within 48hrs
Thanks to everyone for participating!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Review: Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

RULES OF ATTRACTION by Simone Elkeles
Pub. Date: April 2010
Publisher: Walker & Company
Format: Hardcover, 336pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path?just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.

When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

After reading PERFECT CHEMISTRY, I knew I had to read other books by Simone Elkeles. So when I was informed that she was working on a second novel about Carlos, I couldn’t wait to see if he was just as swoon worthy as his brother Alex. Elkeles did not disappoint! Carlos + Bad Boy = Swoon!

Just like the characters in PERFECT CHEMISTRY, I enjoyed reading to see how Carlos’s and Kiara’s relationship would blossom. Their banter had me smiling everytime these two got together. Seeing Carlos’s demeanor progress from the guarded teen to someone whom finally opened up to others, kept me turning the pages. It was delightful to see him finally acknowledge his feelings for Kiara. I can pretty much say the same about Kiara. She went from being shy because of speech issues to the confident girl that I loved. These two had me devouring the pages and let me tell you, the sparks definitely flew!

RULES OF ATTRACTION gave PERFECT CHEMISTRY plenty of competition. I don’t know which brother I crushed on more. So here’s to hoping there will be a third book with baby brother Luis following along in the limelight. RULES OF ATTRACTION is definitely a great addition to this series and I’m so glad Elkeles decided to write it. I look forward to reading more sizzling star-crossed romances from Elkeles.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Winner of Shadow by Jenny Moss!

The winner is...
SHADOW (ARC) by Jenny Moss

throuthehaze

Please email me your address within 48hrs.

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Win Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis!

**CONTEST CLOSED**

This is your chance to Win... WHISPER (ARC) by Phoebe Kitanidis
Swag: Signed Bookmarks

Rules: 1 Winner!
1. Comment on Interview here: +1
2. Comment on Review here: +1
3. Link to blog: +1
4. Follow me on Twitter +1
5. Follower : +2
Total = 6 entries

Contest ends @ midnight (CST) May 6, 2010. U.S. & Canada Residents Only (Sorry!)
**If you are an international resident and have someone in the states that I could mail the prize to, then you can enter the contest**

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Review: Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis

WHISPER by Phoebe Kitanidis
Pub. Date: April 27, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Hardcover, 288pp
Age Range: 12

I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears a frightening whisper from Jessica's own mind, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own.

WHISPER is a fresh and original take on having an ability to know someone’s deepest and darkest desires just by their thoughts. Can you imagine being bombarded with everyone’s worries, hopes, or dreams-good and bad? Yikes! I would be a headcase. This is exactly what Joy has to cope with. And to top it off, Joy has to constantly be on guard around her bad-tempered sister Jessica-who’s always on the prowl to wreck her social life.

The sisters’ extraordinary ability runs in the family from a long line of Hearers. While one sister uses her gift for good, the other uses it for bad. I couldn’t help but anticipate the fall out. Phoebe Kitanidis drew me into the warped world of these characters and locked me inside the whispers floating around in their heads. One word. WICKED. This ability is one that can wreak havoc on a full scale. I couldn’t get enough of this book, especially when trying to guess how everything would turn out in the end for the sisters.

Phoebe Kitanidis crafted an intense and mindboggling debut. WHISPER will entice readers to rethink their deepest desires and lock up those dark secrets that pound at us every day. You never know who’s listening in…

Great Debut! I can’t wait to see what Phoebe comes up with next!

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Sensational 7 Q & A with Phoebe Kitanidis!

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to hang out with your favorite author(s)? In an attempt to get a better understanding of authors, my Sensational Seven Q & A takes a closer or more personal look at these authors to give you a glimpse of the personalities behind the writing of your favorite books.
“Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book; a personality which, by birth and quality, is pledged to the doctrines there set forth, and which exists to see and state things so, and not otherwise.” By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Phoebe Kitanidis is a Greek-American writer, author of the YA novel Whisper. She is currently at work on a second teen novel titled Summer Falls. Phoebe grew up in a variety of places, including Athens, Greece; the American Midwest; and the San Francisco Bay Area. She attended five elementary schools and has moved more than twenty times. After her graduation from U.C. Berkeley, she taught Language Arts, then worked in a few high-tech corporate offices. In 2004, she earned her M.A. in Communication from San Jose State University. That year, she also traded the Bay Area's sunshine for cloudy Seattle, where she began her writing career.

A six-year contributor to Discovery Girls magazine, Phoebe Kitanidis wrote Fab Girls Guide to Friendship Hardship as well as dozens of articles for tween girls. Now a full-time novelist and settled Seattle transplant, she lives with her partner, Robert, and their grey cat, Myst. Her current novel, Whisper hits shelves April 27th!

If you were given a chance to travel back in time, what year or place would you go / Why?
Ooh, great question! Assuming it's not a permanent deal, and that I could push the red emergency button anytime and wake up in my apartment in 2010... I'd want to take it all the way back--Paleolithic, baby. I know; the dawn of humanity puts people off, on account of its butterfly life-spans, intense exercise, mammoths goring you to death all the time... but that's just the downside. Stone Age hunter gatherers actually lived in the environment our minds evolved in. Unlike us, their descendants, who inherited all their weird instincts but don't know what to do with them. They also enjoyed more leisure time than any more modern societies have since. Time for art, music, and ritual. Who am I kidding? I wouldn't last five minutes without my laptop.

Describe your novel in seven words or less?
Teen sisters hear people's wishes: danger ahead.

Please share with us about your favorite book and fictional crush to date?
Despite the fact that I read hundreds of novels per year and not even one tenth as much poetry, my favorite book is The Collected Works of Rumi.

My crushes, they're a bit nerdly. How nerdly? Like, Wolverine (or maybe I just have a crush on Hugh Jackman). And then there's my bipolar, alien, dwarf boyfriend, Miles Vorkosigan. If the above two suggest a pattern, I seem to crush on characters who cannot help being freakishly different, but who turn it into a strength and use that strength for good. (Characters who aren't a force for good in the world get uncrush-worthy for me really fast.)

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be / Why?
Truthfully, if a character is fully developed and real and human, then I wouldn't want to step into their shoes. I'm already human, and not at all anxious to trade my own flawed hand for someone else's. I'd pick a simple icon... James Bond, say. (Yes, really. It's time there was a female Bond anyway!) He's constantly being plunged into thrilling new experiences, from which he always comes out unruffled and unscathed. The only thing I can compare that to in real life is... being a reader.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you/ Why?
Hmm. Ask me again in thirty years, because at the moment no one in Hollywood looks remotely like me. It's a miracle my self esteem is intact! :) Seriously though, I do hope that before my career's over mainstream movies will be celebrating and including a wider variety of ethnic looks and body types. I do think it's headed in that direction and that makes me glad for girls growing up today.

For actresses, I'm thinking someone with a good sense of humor and who isn't afraid to look silly onscreen--like Drew Barrymore

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be – please explain?
"Guaranteed To Blow Your Mind." No, just kidding. I would like for each of my books to make readers think about something in a whole new way, but I don't see myself as biography-worthy... so a good title might be, "OMG: We Don't Know What Possessed Us to Publish This Tome About Some Writer Lady."

How would you describe yourself/life in seven words?
I'll steal a line from one of my favorite musical artists, Ben Folds, from his classic song "Philosophy:" "Crazy, but I get the job done." That goes for me and life, equally.

Bonus:

**Is there any additional info you would like to share with your readers about what’s next for you and your books?**.
Right now I'm working on a second YA paranormal called SUMMER FALLS. It's got a lot more romance than Whisper did, and is set in a creepy little tourist town with ghosts, pretty waterfalls, and malfunctioning memories. I am having the time of my life writing it and can't wait for it to be out there next year.

Thanks Phoebe for stopping by!

For more information about Phoebe Kitanidis and her books, please visit her website here.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Monday Madness (39): Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis

What is Monday Madness?

It’s the phenomenon affecting all book lovers as we count down the hours in hopes of getting our hands on highly anticipated books on release day. So, come join me throughout the week where I will be featuring Author Interviews, Reviews and Contests for great books.

WHISPER by Phoebe Kitanidis
Pub. Date: April 27, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Hardcover, 288pp
Age Range: 12

Summary (Goodreads)
I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears a frightening whisper from Jessica's own mind, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own.

Want More?
Browse inside WHISPER here

Order WHISPER @ Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders

Want More? Head over to The Book Butterfly on Tantalizing Tuesday for a special treat!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Winners of Inside Out!

The Winners are...
INSIDE OUT by Maria Snyder

CallMeKayla,
misskallie2000
InABox


Please email me your addresses within 48hrs.
Thanks to everyone for Participating!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Happy Blogoversary Contest!!!!!


Today’s my 1 year anniversary for my blog! Oh how the time flies. I remember when I first decided to start a blog. I really didn’t have anyone to talk to about books and my coworkers suggested that I start one. I took their advice and ran with it. So here I am.

It’s been a great experience getting to know everyone. So I’ll tell you more about the books I review and why I pick the ones I pick.

First and foremost, I love the fantasy genre. This is the reason I read, pure escapism from day to day activities in the real world. With fantasy, I can just sit back and relax and let my imagination take me to some great places that these authors have created. I don’t have to worry about analyzing the characters and their actions…much. In fantasy, anything can happen! I’ve been more open to contemporary fiction this year and so far, the books that I’ve read have paid off. The difference between the two genres is that I tend to compare the contemporary fiction genre to real life. In this case, I’m not always wowed by some of the books.

So now you know a little bit on why the books I feature are 98% fantasy.

Now to the good stuff!

I would like to thank all of my followers who taken time out of their busy lives to visit my blog.

I would also like to give special thanks to some bloggers. These bloggers gave me some good advice and were very helpful when I started my blog. You guys are AWESOME!

Jo @ Ink and Paper
Jenny @ Wondrous Reads
Shalonda @ Shalonda’s Blog
Kristi @ The Story Siren
Vania @ Reverie Book Reviews
Rebecca @ Rebecca's Book Blog

And a extra special thanks to Kim @ The Book Butterfly for joining up with me for book promotions. You're the best.

NOW FOR THE BIG EVENT – I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE READY FOR A CONTEST? I THOUGHT SO!
**CONTEST CLOSED**

Rules: So this is how it’s going to work – I’m going to list my favorite review and interview/ guest post. To be eligible - You have to list your favorite 2 reviews and favorite 2 interviews/Guest Posts = 2 entries.

There’s going to be 2 prize packs for each category, 1 Winner from each category will be picked randomly. So that’s 2 Winners!
Extra entries: Follower +2, Twitter +1, Link to blog +1 = total of 6 entries.

1ST CATEGORY – FAVORITE REVIEW
Pick 2 of my Book Reviews that makes you want to read the book. I will also throw in some swag. These are the 2 books that you will win!

My favorite review is Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick – This review is so different from all my reviews. It was sooo fun to write!

2ND CATEGORY – FAVORITE INTERVIEW/ GUEST POST
Pick 2 of my Author Interviews/Guest Posts that makes you want to pick up the author’s book. I will also throw in some swag. These are the 2 books that you will win!

My favorite interview is the Character Interview with Alyxandra Harvey. I loved Hearts at Stake - the characters are awesome! Don’t ask me how many times I’ve read this interview. I was laughing so hard. If you’ve read the book, I think you know what I’m talking about.

**You don't have to comment on any of the posts. Just list which 2 reviews you liked and which 2 interviews/gp you liked.**

EX:
Fav Review
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick & The Iron King by Julie Kagawa +1 (These are the books that you will win in the Favorite Review Prize Pack)

Fav Inteview/GP
Julie Kagawa (The Iron King) & Maggie Stievfvater (Shiver) +1 (These are the books that you will win in the Favorite Interview/GP Prize Pack)

Follower +2
Link to blog +1
Twitter +1
Total = 6

Contest ends @ midnight (CST) April 30, 2010. U.S and Canada residents only. (Sorry!)
**If you are an international resident and have someone in the states that I could mail the prize to, then you can enter the contest**

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Win The Clearing by Heather Davis!

**CONTEST CLOSED**
This is your chance to Win...
THE CLEARING (Signed) by Heather Davis
Swag: The Clearing & Never Cry Werewolf Postcards
Rules: 1 Winner!
1. Comment on Interview here: +1
2. Comment on Review here: +1
3. Link to blog: +1
4. Follow me on Twitter +1
5. Follower : +2
Total = 6 entries

Contest ends @ midnight (CST) April 29, 2010. U.S. & Canada Residents Only (Sorry!)
**If you are an international resident and have someone in the states that I could mail the prize to, then you can enter the contest**

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Review: The Clearing by Heather Davis

THE CLEARING by Heather Davis
Pub. Date: April 2010
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Paperback, 212pp
Age Range: Young Adult

In this bittersweet romance, two teens living decades apart form a bond that will change their lives forever.

Amy is drawn to the misty, mysterious clearing behind her Aunt Mae’s place because it looks like the perfect place to hide from life. A place to block out the pain of her last relationship, to avoid the kids in her new town, to stop dwelling on what her future holds after high school.

Then, she meets a boy lurking in the mist—Henry. Henry is different from any other guy Amy has ever known. And after several meetings in the clearing, she’s starting to fall for him.

But Amy is stunned when she finds out just how different Henry really is. Because on his side of the clearing, it’s still 1944. By some miracle, Henry and his family are stuck in the past, staving off the tragedy that will strike them in the future. Amy’s crossing over to Henry’s side brings him more happiness than he’s ever known—but her presence also threatens to destroy his safe existence.

In The Clearing, author Heather Davis crafts a tender and poignant tale about falling in love, finding strength, and having the courage to make your own destiny—a perfect book to slip into and hide away for awhile.

Amy longs to get away from the memories of her past emotional and physical bruises. How wonderful would it be to start a new life away from a haunted past? This is one of the reasons why I enjoy reading books like this. It’s the magical illusion of fantasy. Getting to start over or living in someone else’s shoes or books for the day. Amy’s life takes an unexpected turn where her wishes come true.

THE CLEARING is told in alternating viewpoints from Amy and Henry. I enjoyed getting inside these character’s heads and watching how their feelings for each other progressed. I‘d assume finding love in a time that’s quite different from the present wouldn’t be without hardships. But I would agree with Amy on one point-the guys were probably more gentlemanly in that era. I couldn’t help but find myself empathizing with Amy and everything she went through with her ex. And Dear Henry, What a sweetheart! Amy and Henry were perfect for each other.

Heather Davis crafted a magical tale where finding love on the wrong side of the tracks – I mean clearing can be breathtaking. I was completely surprised by the ending. I kept thinking everything happened as it was meant to. I loved that the characters took a leap of faith when life threw them curve balls. In the end, it paid off - Big Time. This was the first novel I’ve read by Heather Davis and I’ll be sure to go pick up her other works. Readers looking for a timeless love story where barriers can be crossed should pick up this novel.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Sensational Q & A with Heather Davis!


Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to hang out with your favorite author(s)? In an attempt to get a better understanding of authors, my Sensational Seven Q & A takes a closer or more personal look at these authors to give you a glimpse of the personalities behind the writing of your favorite books.

“Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book; a personality which, by birth and quality, is pledged to the doctrines there set forth, and which exists to see and state things so, and not otherwise.” By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Heather Davis is the author of the paranormal teen novels Never Cry Werewolf (HarperTeen hardcover, September 2009).

Heather is co-founder of www.BooksBoysBuzz.com a popular teen fiction blog she shares with five other YA authors. She loves writing empowering, transformational stories where anything is possible.

Her current novel, The Clearing is in stores today!

If you were given a chance to travel back in time, what year or place would you go / Why?
I don't think I could pick just one place and time. But, maybe I would like to go to Paris before WWII and hang out with the literati crowd and have great discussions with Sylvia Beach's crowd. I'm sure I could learn something just being a fly on the wall there.

Describe your novel in seven words or less?
It's a book about finding your destiny. (In love and in life.)

Please share with us about your favorite book and fictional crush to date?
It's too hard to pick a favorite book - but I loved The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Hm... crushes -- well, I have a crush on my own character Austin Bridges III, my British werewolf from Never Cry Werewolf. And don't even get me started on Henry from The Clearing.

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be / Why?
I would be Jo March in Little Women because I feel a little like I already am.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you/ Why?
If they made a movie about my life, I guess I would like Amber Tamblyn to play the younger me - or maybe Sandra Bullock for the current me. I'm just your average girl next door who sometimes has good hair days.

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be – please explain?
Writer Interrupted? I've always loved storytelling, but it took awhile to find my passion -writing YA novels. I was set to go to film school before life happened. Then, while living in a tiny town, I found a writing critique group and it changed my whole life.

How would you describe yourself/life in seven words?
Quirky, smart, cheerful, funny, a true friend. Living the writing life is harder to put into seven words. ;)

Bonus:

**Is there any additional info you would like to share with your readers about what’s next for you and your books?**.
Yes. I will have a another YA novel coming out from Harcourt in Fall 2011. WHEREVER YOU GO. It's about a girl caring for her grandfather, who has Alzheimer's -- and the ghost boy following them both.

Thanks Heather for stopping by!

For more information about Heather Davis and her books, please visit her website here.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Monday Madness (38): The Clearing by Heather Davis

What is Monday Madness?


It’s the phenomenon affecting all book lovers as we count down the hours in hopes of getting our hands on highly anticipated books on release day. So, come join me throughout the week where I will be featuring Author Interviews, Reviews and Contests for great books.


THE CLEARING by Heather Davis
Pub. Date: April 2010
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Paperback, 212pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Synopsis
Synopsis
In this bittersweet romance, two teens living decades apart form a bond that will change their lives forever.

Amy is drawn to the misty, mysterious clearing behind her Aunt Mae’s place because it looks like the perfect place to hide from life. A place to block out the pain of her last relationship, to avoid the kids in her new town, to stop dwelling on what her future holds after high school.

Then, she meets a boy lurking in the mist—Henry. Henry is different from any other guy Amy has ever known. And after several meetings in the clearing, she’s starting to fall for him.

But Amy is stunned when she finds out just how different Henry really is. Because on his side of the clearing, it’s still 1944. By some miracle, Henry and his family are stuck in the past, staving off the tragedy that will strike them in the future. Amy’s crossing over to Henry’s side brings him more happiness than he’s ever known—but her presence also threatens to destroy his safe existence.

In The Clearing, author Heather Davis crafts a tender and poignant tale about falling in love, finding strength, and having the courage to make your own destiny—a perfect book to slip into and hide away for awhile.

Want More?

Order THE CLEARING @ Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders

Want More? Head over to The Book Butterfly on Tantalizing Tuesday for a special treat!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

In My Mailbox (44)

For Review

Nightshade (Nightshade, #1) (ARC) by Andrea Cremer Pub. Date: October 19, 2010
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Format: Hardcover, 528pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Summary (Author's Website)

While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all. Click Here to visit the Nightshade website.


In My Mailbox was created by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Win For Keeps by Natasha Friend!

**CONTEST CLOSED**

This is your chance to Win...
FOR KEEPS (ARC) by Natasha Friend


Rules: 1 Winner!
1. Comment on Review here: +1
2. Link to blog: +1
3. Follow me on Twitter +1
4. Follower : +2
Total = 5 entries

Contest ends @ midnight (CST) April 24, 2010. U.S. & Canada Residents Only (Sorry!)
**If you are an international resident and have someone in the states that I could mail the prize to, then you can enter the contest**

Winner of Brightly Woven!

The Winners are...
Brightly Woven (ARC) by Alexandra Bracken

I received another ARC so I'm giving it away to another lucky winner

Jessy & Lili

Please email me your address within 48hrs

Thanks to everyone for participating!
 

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