In My Mailbox: Week 94

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:

The Hautned by Jessica Veryday (+ Abby's Hollow Perfume Kit) (Thanks, Jessica! I can't wait to read the book and the perfume kit is very cool as well! And it's signed as well!)

The Saphire Talisman by Brenda Pandos (For a Teen Book Scene book tour in November. Thanks, Brenda. I had mixed feelings about the first book, but I have a feeling this one will be very good.)

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler (I'm reading this one right now and it's really good so far!)

Halloween present from my lovely mother:

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl ( Eeeh! I can't wait to read this! I loved the first one!)

From Giveaway:

The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (I have a feeling this one will be really good! Thanks Bloomsburry!)

From Library:

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (This looks great!)

Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison (So does this one, but I've heard it's really sad so I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it through it.)

Other:

Taylor Swift's New CD Speak Now (If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen a few tweets from me about this album, but if you haven't, all I say is this is an awesome CD! I know not everyone likes her all that much, but I personally love Taylor's music, especially how I'm always able to find at least one song on every album that describes something similar to what happened to me. Anyhow, any other Taylor Swift fans out there? If so, which songs are your favorite on this CD? Mine are The Story of Us, Enchanted, Better Than Revenge, and well, just about all of them.)

In all, a really great week! Though, enough about me, what did you get this week? Let me know in the comments! :)

Oh, and Happy Halloween to all of you who celebrate it!

A Winner + Other News!

The winner of Kate Kaynak's Minder is Karen! Congrats, Karen! I just sent your address to Kate, so you should be receiving the book soon. Hope you enjoy it!

Didn't win? Well, there's still time to enter my Mostly Good Girls and Tyger Tyger giveaways, and you can always buy your own copy of Minder.

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In other news, did you know that Egmont USA announced recently that the e-book of THE DARK DIVINE by Bree Despain will be available for $2.99, from October 25 through November 22—wherever e-books are sold?

I absolutely LOVED this book (my review can be found here), so I highly, highly suggest you consider buying this book if you haven't read it yet or have an e-reader! It's well worth the money, plus you'll have plenty of time to catch-up before the sequel The Lost Saint is released on December 28th!

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Also, have you heard about the new YA Novel Discovery Contest? If not, here's all the info you need to know.

Have a young adult novel—or a YA novel idea—tucked away for a rainy day?

Are you putting off pitching your idea simply because you’re not sure how to pitch an agent?

No problem! All you have to do is submit the first 250 words of your novel and you can win both exposure to editors, and a reading of your manuscript from one of New York’s TOP literary agents Regina Brooks.

To find out more info (including how to enter, what you can win, etc.!), head on over here. I really hope some of you consider entering! :) 

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Further more, have you heard about Scholastic's new social network? It's called You Are What You Read, and it sounds really cool. Here's some more info about it in case you interested:

Through You Are What You Read, readers from around the world, including more than 130 famous “Names You Know,” will explore connections with each other, discover new books, and talk about the great reads of their lives. After logging into You Are What You Read via Facebook or Scholastic.com accounts, users can:

•Discover new books through an interactive web that shows how users’ Bookprints are connected
•Find and connect with users across generations and from around the world to see the books in their Bookprints
•Compare their Bookprints to those of the participating "Names You Know," and find out if they share a book in their Bookprint with famous athletes, award-winning entertainers, world-renowned scientists, or iconic business leaders
•"Favorite" other books they like and check out what similar users enjoy reading
•See which books have been chosen as Favorites from around the world Share a book in the real word through Pass It On, which encourages users to give a favorite book to a family member, a friend, or even a complete stranger.
•Coming Soon: Users can join ongoing conversations about books and Bookprints in "Book Buzz," a live feed of comments, news, and reviews.

You Are What You Read also features a separate community for young readers that provides kid friendly information about books and other activities.

Here's the link to my profile if you want to add me as a bookmate. :)

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Lastly, have you seen this book's cover yet?

Isn't it awesome?! I think so. I can't wait to read it not only because it's by one of my favorite authors but it's the much anticipated sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes, one of my favorite YA books ever! April 2011 could you get here any quicker?! :)

Oh, and last but not certainly not least I just finished this book:

It's one of the best books I've read this year. It's so raw and messed up, but yet so AMAZINGLY AWESOME. (Though, aren't the best always that way?) My review will be posted in late December, but until then pre-order it. It's well worth your money!

"The Familiars" Halloween Blog Tour

Andrew Jacobson and Adam Jay Epstein are touring the blogging world yet again this fall with a Halloween blog tour. At each site, there will be a special message, as well as a puzzle to fill out to win some FABULOUS prizes.

Though, before we get to that, let me tell you a little about The Familiars:

After three young wizard apprentices are kidnapped by the evil queen of a distant land, it is up to their familiars, their magical animal companions -- a street smart alley cat, a precocious blue jay, and a bumbling tree frog -- to save them. (Summary from Goodreads)

And without a further ado here’s a message from Adam and Andrew about their Familiar’s-themed Halloween Scavenger Hunt.  



They are also having a special Familiars-themed Halloween Scavenger Hunt! At each stop along the blog tour, they will be asking a trivia question from their book. After you fill in your answer, the letter that falls in the place of the * can be placed in the corresponding number of the larger puzzle. So for example, since this is question number 25, the letter that lands in the space where the * is can be filled in where the 25 is in the larger puzzle. The larger puzzle will form yet another clue, and anyone who answers it correctly will be entered into a drawing for an autographed book as well as a few other Halloween treats!

Be sure to visit The Familiars blog at http://www.thefamiliars.blogspot.com/ to find links to all other blog stops and find out where to send in your answers! All entries must be entered by November 15.

25. Who helps the familiars after they leave behind the buried city of Mukrete?

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___      ___ ___ _*_ ___

Hint:  Chapter Nineteen, Page 351

11    5    18    8    15    1       9            7    19    14    23    2    25    16    10    12    20
__  __  __  __  __  __  '  __        __  __  __   __   __   __   __   __   __   __


17    3    22    6          21     4   24   13
__  __  __   __       __  __  __  __

Traveling to Teens Tour: Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales (Review, Interview, and Contest!)

As part of Leila Sales' Traveling to Teens blog tour, I have an interview with her, a review of her debut novel, Mostly Good Girls, which is now out, and a contest for Mostly Good Girls! Exicted yet? :)

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Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

The higher you aim, the farther you fall….

It's Violet's junior year at the Westfield School. She thought she'd be focusing on getting straight As, editing the lit mag, and figuring out how to talk to boys without choking on her own saliva. Instead, she's just trying to hold it together in the face of cutthroat academics, her crush's new girlfriend, and the sense that things are going irreversibly wrong with her best friend, Katie.

When Katie starts making choices that Violet can't even begin to fathom, Violet has no idea how to set things right between them. Westfield girls are trained for success—but how can Violet keep her junior year from being one huge epic failure?

Review:

When I first saw this book, I just had a feeling that I would absolutely love it. And as turns out, my prediction was one-hundred percent correct, because Mostly Good Girls was one of the funniest, most smart, and addicting debuts I've read this year- if not ever! And Leila Sales? She's an author who I feel has a very promising YA career in front of her. Though, before I get too far into the review, let me tell you a little about Mostly Good Girls.

Mostly Good Girls begins just as Violet has started her junior year at Westfield, her ritzy, private, all-girls school, and because Violet wants junior year to be the best one yet, she has a list of goals to go right along with it. Some of her goals include passing her driving test, making Scott Walsh fall in love with her (Which will be hard since she has zero experience with boys), and doing many more awesome project with Katie, her best and equally funny friend. Though, as the year progress, it seems that Junior year may not be as amazing as previously thought, as Scott Walsh has landed a girlfriend who's not Violet, Katie is drifting away from Violet, and worst of all, Violet may just loose everything she loves at Westfield when a scandal comes out of the woodwork....so what will this private school girl do? Will she save the day, or fail to rise to the task? Only time will tell in this witty debut about friendship and the items it's composed of!

Violet was a fabulous protagonist, one that I had nothing but love and adoration for because of many different reasons. One was the fact that Violet could be a role model without even doing anything truly spectacular; instead it was just her regular personality traits that made her that way. Secondly, I loved how great of a friend she was to Katie, Scott, and just about everyone she talked to, and how she always tried her best to let nothing come between here and her friends, not boys, money, etc. Lastly, I adored how witty she was. Another character I adored was Katie, Violet's best friend. She was nearly the same as Violet...witty, adorable, role-model worthy, you name it. I also really liked the fact that she, as well as Violet, had normal problems, and how Katie's problems never really felt like I'm-a-poor-little-rich-girl ones, but instead ones regular people like me and you have.

Another part of this book I adored was the way its plot mostly focused on friendship, mainly the one Katie and Violet have. As anyone knows, friendships can be hard but totally worth it in the end and this was quite evident in the one Katie and Violet had. Further more, I loved the way that Leila used Katie and Violet's friendship to bring out not only more humorous scenes, but to also talk about the way that everyone feels lonely and worthless sometimes, but that never should stop you from going towards your fullest potential...a message that I felt was well-incorporated, as well as well-said.

Lastly, Leila Sales writing and world-building was simply spectacular, and this was always quite evident by how easily she made me love the characters from the start to how easily she portrayed their wealthy world in a universal way to the way she could take an ordinary idea and make it anything but that. She's just a fabulous writer, and one I can't wait to read more by!

If you buy one book this October, it should definitely be Mostly Good Girls, because quite honestly it's one of the best contemporary novels I've read in a while!! Though, word of warning, this is one novel that calls to be read in one sitting.

Grade: A+

Mostly Good Girls is now out!

Source: Publisher. Thanks Simon and Schuster!

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As part of the blog, tour I also had the chance to interview the lovely Leila Sales, so without a futher ado here are my questions and her answers....

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In your opinion, what are the top three reasons why teens, or even adults, should consider picking up Mostly Good Girls the next time they see it in stores or online?

1. Because it’s really funny, and laughing is good for you.
2. Because it centers on a solid, rewarding best friendship, and nearly everyone who reads it tells me that it reminds them of their relationships with their best friends.
3. Because, unlike a lot of romanticized versions of prep schools (like Gossip Girl), it shows how an elite all-girls prep school really is.

Mostly Good Girls is told from the perspective of Violet, so would you mind sharing a little bit about her? Also if you could offer her any type of advice, what would you say?

Violet is clever, smart, and incredibly devoted to her best friend, Katie. But she doesn’t always recognize her own best qualities. She’s so success-oriented that she can’t ever feel like what she has accomplished is good enough. She also has no idea how to talk to boys, but, honestly, who does.

My characters never listen to my advice—they’re too strong-willed! But if I could offer advice to Violet, I would tell her that she can’t have her happiness be so dependent on variables that are outside of her control (like whether she gets a good grade, whether Scott Walsh likes her back, etc).

One of my favorite parts of Mostly Good Girls is Violet and Katie’s friendship. Which leaves me to wonder the following: did you draw inspiration from your own high school friendships when writing about them?

Absolutely! Loads of details about Violet and Katie’s friendship is adapted from—or, okay, straight-out stolen from—my own friends. Like the conversation Violet and Katie have about how “guys like low-maintenance girls”? That was initially an idea that my high school friend Allie and I came up with. Ditto the pool sharks idea. Allie and I have been waiting to become pool sharks ever since we were fifteen. We’re gonna make millions.

I adore the tile of Mostly Good Girls, so how did it come to be? Was it always the title, or did it come later on in the game?

The original title I had for the book was Wayward Girls. But my publisher didn’t love it. They thought “wayward” was too unusual a word, or not evocative enough, or that it evoked, like, the eighteenth century. We brainstormed a lot. I spent one full Saturday sitting on the floor of a bookstore with my agent, trying to glean inspiration. I forget who eventually came up with Mostly Good Girls, but I like it—especially because no other books on Amazon have that same title.

I loved so many different scenes and lines from Mostly Good Girls. Which leaves me to wonder the following: what’s one of your favorite line or scene from the book?

This is a great question. No one ever asks me that! My favorites are always changing, but the scenes that most immediately spring to mind now are the pairing of “Genevieve is anorexic” and “Genevieve is not anorexic.”

If Mostly Good Girls had a theme song what would it be?

I’m not sure… I will say that I listened to Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” a lot while I was working on it. Mostly for the line, “I’m sick of sitting ‘round here trying to write this book.”

Name three random things your readers would be surprised to find out about you.

1. I can’t type properly. I use only my index fingers.
2. I can shake my eyes on command.
3. My favorite phrase is “a lingering penumbra.”

~~~

Thanks so much, Leila! To find out more about Leila, as well as her books, check out her author page at Simon and Schuster, as well as her website.

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Thanks to Simon and Schuster, I have five copies of Mostly Good Girls to giveaway. If you would be interested in owning a copy (Who wouldn't be? This book is AWESOME! ) read the rules below and then enter away.

Rules:

~ Open to US only.
~ Must be at least 13 years old to enter.
~ This contest will close on November 11, 2010 at 12:00 PM eastern.
~ Please fill out form to enter.

Book Trailer:

Q and A with Kersten Hamilton and Giveaway!

As part of Kersten Hamilton's Teen {Book} Scene tour for her debut YA Tyger Tyger, I have an interview with Kersten as well as a giveaway for her book!  So without a further ado....

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What are the top three reasons why teens or adults should consider picking up Tyger Tyger the next time they see the book online or in stores?

Wow. That is a hard question. Not because think that teens and adults won’t love Tyger Tyger, but because I have I really, really hard time talking about my books.

Writers are supposed to have a great ‘elevator pitch’ telling all about their book in thirty seconds. Mine is something like this: Um. I wrote a book. Want to read it? I am just not. Good. At. This. I can talk about the process of writing, the characters, my own life…but when someone asks me why I think they should read my book, my tongue sticks to the top of my mouth. My typing fingers freeze. And I look around for help. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll step aside and let three people who know how to do this take over:

Pick up Tyger Tyger for Action and Adventure: “Laced with humor, packed
with surprises and driven by suspense, the plot grabs readers from the start using the stylistic tactics of the best fantasy writing.” – Kirkus Reviews

Pick up Tyger Tyger for Characters and World-building: “I loved the
characters, the dialogs that had that witty and querky feeling I adore, the world-building; it's just not the goblin book you expect! I loved it because it was so utterly different from other YA fantasy novels. It was all at once touching, hilarious, action-packed and fast-paced.”— Roxane, The Honeyed Knot

Pick up Tyger Tyger for Romance and well, you know. Romance: “Ah Finn.
How do I describe him? Finn is one of those dreamy, charismatic and completely self-sufficient kind of guys. The type of literary boy (dare I say hunk?) that I can totally fall in love with. From the very beginning when he asks Teagan if he can kiss her, I was sold! Who doesn't love a boy who can not only charm you, but can handle himself in a fight? Ah Finn, you have my heart sir… Finn and Teagan have this deliciously tense relationship that keeps you on your toes. From the first moment they meet, there is this spark between them that refuses to let go. It was refreshing to see a "love" that wasn't instantly perfect. Does anyone believe in an instantly perfect love? A love that takes effort, compromise, and time? That is a love that I can be invested in!”—Jessica, A Fanatic’s Book Blog

What was your favorite part about writing Tyger Tyger? Also, do you have a favorite scene or line in it that you would like to share with us?

My favorite part of writing is always creating characters, and my favorite scenes are those which reveal character. My favorite scene in Tyger Tyger is Finn’s fight in the alley. Because if you understand what he does there, you understand Finn.

I absolutely adore the title of Tyger Tyger. So would you mind sharing with us how it came to be? Was it always the title or did it come later on?

As a child, I loved poetry. The Tyger by William Blake was one of the very first poems I memorized: http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~keith/poems/tyger.html It haunted me.

Even so, Tyger Tyger wasn’t the original title. The first book of the Goblin Wars actually started out as a picture book called Loveleaves and Woodwender. I was re-writing the story and it took a turn for YA when Teagan met Finn. Things started to sizzle. The book got longer. And older.

It wasn’t until I’d written the poem into the book that I realized it fit the theme and mood of the whole story arc. Tyger Tyger was the perfect title!

If Tyger Tyger had a theme song what would it be?

Run by Snow Patrol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQbgihHWNGo “Light
up, light up as if you have a choice…even if you cannot hear my voice.”

What are three things that most people would be surprised to find out about you?

1. I can’t remember ever getting a grade higher than an ‘F’ on a spelling test. Ever. No matter how hard I tried (and I tried really, really hard). This was because:

2. I have severe dysgraphia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Dysgraphia#Dyslexic_dysgraphia:

3. I am carrying a couple of pieces of shrapnel that I never bothered to have a doctor remove. It was just a flesh wound. Meh.

What’s up next for you book wise?

I just finished In the Forests of the Night, book two of Goblin Wars. I’m working on a realistic young picture book -- nitty-gritty for the itty-bitty if you will. I’m almost finished with the first book of a MG steampunk series, and putting the finishing touches on a “Holes”-esque, older MG which deals with suicide, Catholicism, immigration issues and one undead school administrator. After I wrap those up with buttons and bows, it’s back to the YA world for the third book of the Goblin Wars...

As you can see, I follow any story at any level that makes me happy. So far, the Goblin Wars is making me very, very happy.

I hope it makes your readers happy, too.

Thank you for interviewing me, Lauren!

~~~

Thanks so much Kersten! I loved finding out more about you and Tyger Tyger,  and I hope others did as well! :) To find out more about Kersten and her books be sure to check out her website.
And now the part you've all been waiting for.... THE CONTEST!

Though, before we get to that, let me tell you some more about a different contest that's going on at each tour stop during the tour:

•Each stop will be posting a letter that, when unscrambled, will form a word related to Kersten Hamilton.
•At the end of the tour please visit the link here and enter your name, email address, and the unscrambled word for a chance to win a KINDLE!
•My letter is...

 S

Kersten has also offered up a preordered copy of Tyger Tyger for one lucky ready as well. Though, as with any contest, there are rules:

~This contest is open internationally!
~This contest will close on November 9, 2010!
~ You must be 13 years or older to enter!
~ To enter please fill out the form!

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER.*

*This post was brought to you by The Teen {Book} Scene. To see all tour stops (as well as contest posts and other tours!) head on over to its offical page.*

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

Review:

I have to admit that when I first saw the cover of this book, I wasn't too sure about it, but after hearing so many fantastic things about it, I decided to give it a chance, and I have to say, I'm so very, very, very glad I did. Because Tyger Tyger is a fabulous, unique, and 100% addicting story and series opener that I just could not get enough of.

Soon after Tyger Tyger opens up Teagan is warn by her friend that goblins, evil, killing ones, are hunting Teagan. Thinking this is claim is nothing but a joke, Teagan quickly laughs this off and forgets about it, since her life is pretty much the definition of perfect. She has loving, attentive parents, an annoying but cute little brother, good grades and an even better internship, and a best friend who's a bit crazy yet has Teagan's back 100%. Though, soon enough, everything in Teagan's perfect world begins to crumble with the arrival of the swoon-worthy yet dangerous Finn Mac Cumhaill. Finn is different but in a way that intrigues Teagan...that is until he leaves with quite a mess in his wake and with Teagan seeing things, goblins, that just can't be real, can they? And what about Finn, who is he exactly, and will he end up saving the day in more ways than one? Only time can tell in this thoroughly thought-out paranormal drama.

Tyger Tyger was such a fantastic story and one of the main reasons that it was that way was because of four things and four things only: the charming characters, the intriguing, one-in-a-million type plot, and the world building that came with Kersten's fabulous writing.

The characters were one of the big parts I loved because of how unique and three dimensional they were. I loved the way Kersten brought them to life with her writing, and how she could bring about sympathy in me for even the most unsympathetic of characters. My favorite characters out of the mix were Teagon (because of the way she wouldn't give up the fight for her and her family's life for nothing), Finn (for basically the same reason as Teagon, plus he was swoon-worthy and had an accent...what's not to love about that?), and Abby (because she was an awesome side-kick and gave this mostly serious story a funny flare every now and then). Another part I loved about the characters was the spark of a romance Finn and Teagon shared, and what I liked even more about it was the way Kersten presented in such a way that she gave you enough that it didn't seem like she overdid it and made it overshadow over parts of the story in it's wake. Insead it left you eager for more Finn-and-Teagon scenes in future additions

The plot and world-building, as mentioned before, was also a high point of this novel, probably my favorite two things out of the story. I loved the way Kersten took the idea of goblins and another world and made it her own through interesting back-story and characteristics, as well as the way she presented the plot in a way that made Tyger Tyger one unputdownable story!! I simply can't wait for more additions in the Goblin Wars series, because they are going to be winners for sure.

In all, if you read one book this November, let it be Tyger Tyger, because this seriously one kick-butt paranormal book!
 
Grade: A+

Tyger Tyger will be released November 15, 2010!

Source: Publisher. Thanks, HMH!

In My Mailbox: Week 93

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

For Review:

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers (I'm so excited about this one, because Courtney's books are always AMAZING! Thanks, Courtney/St. Martin's Press!)

The Doggy Divas by Lauren Brown (Looks really cute! Thanks Lauren/Kay!)

Married with Zombies by Jesse Petersen (This looks like it'll be funny. Thanks Jesse/Orbit Press!)

In all, a small but great week! I can't wait to dig into the books I got. :-) Though enough about me, what did you get this week? Anything exciting?

Winners and Other News!

First of all, I have some winner announcements to make....

The winners of my Bloomsburry give are:

Cate of Lost Colony: Autumn

Secondhand Charm: John

Where the Truth Lies: Keitra

The winner of Steve Brezenoff's The Absolute Value of Negative 1 is: Leah

Congrats!

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Does anyone else just love this cover?!

In other news, Rachel Caine, author of the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires series (The newest book Ghost Town comes out October 26th!), is embarking on an 11-city author tour. Here's all the dates and info.

October 26: Murder By the Book at 6:30 PM
2342 Bissonnet St.
Houston, TX 77005

October 27: Mystery Bookstore at 7:30 PM
1036-C Broxton Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024

October 28: Books, Inc. at 7:00 PM
Not Your Mother's Book Club
Town & Country Village
855 El Camino Real #74
Palo Alto, CA 94301

October 29: Powell's (Cedar Hills Crossing) at 7:00 PM
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd.
Beaverton, OR 97005

October 30: Third Place Books at 6:30 PM
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

October 31st: Uncle Hugo’s at 4:00 PM
2864 Chicago Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55407

November 1st: Anderson’s Book Shop at 7:00 PM
5112 Main Street
Downer’s Grove, IL 60515-4601

November 2nd: Borders at 6:00 PM
Exton Square Mall
298 Exton Square
Exton, PA 19341

November 4th: Barnes & Noble at 6:00 PM
*With Heather Brewer, author of the Vladimir Tod series!
1442 Turner-McCall Blvd
Rome, GA 30161

November 6th: Barnes & Noble at 2:00 PM
1430 Plaza Place
Southlake, TX 76092

November 20th: Borders at 2:00 PM
2190 N. Rainbow Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89108

Hopefully, all you Morganville Vampires' fans will be able to make it to one of the stops! :)

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Also, Samantha Schutz, author of the newly released You Are Not Here, is having a photo contest in celebration of her new book. Here's some info about it straight from her site:

The awesome-ness of on-sale day is not just limited to You Are Not Here coming out. I am also launching a photo contest!

The contest begins October 1, 2010 and entries will be accepted until 11:59pm (EST) November 15th, 2010. Three winners will be announced November 22nd, 2010.

If your photo is chosen as one of the three winners, you will receive personalized/signed copies of You Are Not Here and my first book, I Don’t Want to Be Crazy.

To find out more be sure to head on over to her website.

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Also, ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars (Love this show!) has partnered with Get Glue. Here's some info about their partnership:

ABC Family has joined forces with GetGlue to support the network’s hit original series “Pretty Little Liars.” ABC Family and GetGlue have created special “Pretty Little Liars” stickers to recognize and reward loyal fans between the show’s summer and winter season. This is the most creative and one of the most extensive partnerships to date between GetGlue and an entertainment property.

Beginning today, fans can go to GetGlue.com to earn four different character stickers in order to unlock a fifth “secret” sticker. In addition, fans will be able to earn stickers that are tied to each of the holidays between now and the show’s return in January including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. These limited edition stickers will only be available on each individual holiday, which increases their value and exclusivity for fans.

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And last but not least, I've finally have more than 1,000 followers!!!!! Words can not express how excited I am about this, so I wanted to take a moment to say thank you....thank you to all my loyal readers who've stuck this blog from the beginning, as well as the ones who've joined in as the years have rolled on. You all are important to me, and I hope you continue to enjoy the content posted on my blog!

Oh, and MEGA CONTEST coming soon! Hopefully. :-)

Interview with Julie Berry, author of Secondhand Charm!

Today, I have a specie treat for you all! What is it, you may ask? Well, an interview with no one other than Julie Berry, author of the newly released Secondhand Charm, as well as The Amaranth Enchantment. So without a further ado, here it is...

In your opinion, what are the top three reasons why teens, or even adults, should consider picking up Secondhand Charm the next time they see it online or in stores?

I think Secondhand Charm is a great read if you’re looking for a story with danger, adventure and a magical twist (Reason One) that doesn’t leave you wanting to heave a brick at the brainless female protagonist (Reason Two: Evie’s not dumb) and if your ideas about what makes a love story just right – satisfying, not shallow, not cloyingly sweet – perfectly align with mine (Reason Three: you’ve got good taste in romance). :-)

Secondhand Charm is told from the view point of Evie Pomeroy, so would you mind sharing a little bit about her? Also, if you could offer Evie any type of advice what would you say?

Evie Pomeroy lives with her grandfather in the remote village of Maundley in the kingdom of Pylander. She’s always had a knack for healing, and she dreams of becoming a physician as her mother and father had been. I admire Evie for her tenacious focus on her goal, and specifically, her determination to further her talents and use them to help others. Her willingness to help others almost costs her greatly, but I can’t fault her good intentions. My advice to her would be to stay on target, and learn to distinguish friends who lift her up from those who may be dangerous.

If Secondhand Charm had a theme song, what song would it be?

Something by Mozart, I think. He fits the time period. If I tried to imagine something more contemporary with modern lyrics, it just doesn’t seem to fit. I wish I was more familiar with music from that period. “Greensleeves” could be the theme song of one of the characters in Secondhand Charm, but I won’t say who for fear of spoilers.

Do you have a favorite scene or line from Secondhand Charm? If so would you mind telling us a bit about it?

There’s a bathtub scene that makes me snicker every time. I love the scenes between Evie and her … um … how shall I say this obliquely … her newfound companion. And there’s a scene where Evie teaches a swimming lesson that I particularly enjoy. Come to think of it, almost all the scenes that stand out in my mind occur on a beach or in water. The morning after the shipwreck is one of those, and it’s a meaningful scene, for me.

What’s up next for you book wise?

I’m working on some proposals now that I’m excited about. One is set, again, in the past, though in the 19th Century as opposed to the 18th. The other is set well into the future, so this will be fun, seeing which voice and premise feel more convincingly natural.

~~

Thanks so much for stopping by, Julie! I can't wait to read more books by you.

To find out more about Julie and her books, be sure to head on over to her website. Also, you can check out my review of Secondhand Charm here.

Waiting on Wednesday (93)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My pick this week is:

Falling for Hamlet

by Michelle Ray

(July 5, 2011)

Meet Ophelia: a blonde, beautiful high-school senior and long-time girlfriend of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. Her life is dominated not only by her boyfriend's fame and his overbearing family, but also by the paparazzi who hound them wherever they go. As the devastatingly handsome Hamlet spirals into madness after the mysterious death of his father, the King, Ophelia rides out his crazy roller coaster life, and lives to tell about it. In live television interviews, of course.

Passion, romance, drama, humor, and tragedy intertwine in this compulsively readable debut novel, told by a strong-willed, modern-day Ophelia.

As soon as I saw the cover for this one and title I immediately added Falling for Hamlet to my wish list. And boosting it even higher on my wish list is the summary, which makes it sound incredible! I seriously can't wait for July 5, 2011 to get here. :)

Adios, Nirvana by Condrad Wesselhoeft

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

When you piss off a bridge into a snowstorm, it feels like you’re connecting with eternal things. Paying homage to something or someone. But who? The Druids? Walt Whitman? No, I pay homage to one person only, my brother, my twin. 

In life. In death.
Telemachus.

Since the death of his brother, Jonathan’s been losing his grip on reality. Last year’s Best Young Poet and gifted guitarist is now Taft High School’s resident tortured artist, when he bothers to show up. He's on track to repeat eleventh grade, but his English teacher, his principal, and his crew of Thicks (who refuse to be seniors without him) won’t sit back and let him fail.

Review:

By the end of the first page, I liked this novel a lot and knew there was a pretty high chance I would enjoy it, and by the end of the first chapter, that chance was inevitable, simply because Adios, Nirvana is a fierce, sparsely told, and stunning debut novel...one of my favorite boy-protagonist novels of the year, if not ever.

Adios, Nirvana is about the everyday life of Jonathon, Seattle's acclaimed, award-winning poet and guitar player. Though, everything is not nearly as sparkly as it appears, as it's been just a few months since the death of Telemachus, Jonathon's effervescent twin brother. With Telemachus gone, Jonathon is lost and this close to giving up on his junior year, life, and, well, just about everything. But with the aide of his school's English teacher and principal, he's put on the path of not failing and loosing it all, instead one that leads him to David, a sickly war veteran. With David, Jonathon is supposed to write a book about his life, earn a few extra dollars, and actually graduate with the rest of his class the following year, but as it turns out, there's more then meets the eye to David and what he'll bring into Jonathon's life.... What it is you may ask? Well, you'll just have to find out in Adios, Nirvana.

Jonathon was a complex main character. One who always had me on the edge of my seat, curious to find what he would do next and why he would do that said choice. At times, I simply adored Jonathon and his sarcastic, tell it like it was attitude, but at other times, all I wanted to do was shake him on the shoulders and remind him that he has so much going for him, and that Telemachus would want him to live his own life not become a shadow in it. Another part of Adios, Nirvana, I enjoyed was the portrayal of the relationships Jonathon shared with the people in it. From his relationship with his mom, who never really seemed like a mom, to the friendship he shared with his thicks (aka friends), to the one he had with Telemachus, to the one he shared with David... all of them were three dimensional and key parts in making the story the incredible, intense thing it was made to be.

While basic and sometimes predictable, the plot of this was pretty darn great overall. I loved the way Condrad expressed Jonathon's grief through Jonathon's poetry and actions, and how those items always made me feel like I was right there with Jonathon during the whole ordeal.

In all, Adios, Nirvana is one of those books that you simply need to check out this fall season, because if you don't, you're seriously messing out on one great contemporary debut! 

Grade: A+

Adios, Nirvana is now out!

Source: Sent by Publisher. Thanks, HMH!

Interview with Jessica Warman, author of Breathless and Where the Truth Lies!

Jessica Warman is the author of one of my favorite books of the fall- Where The Truth Lies (Now out!)- and today, she's here on Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf to answer a few of my questions. So without a further ado...

In your opinion, what are the top three reasons why teens, or even adults, should consider picking up Where the Truth Lies the next time they see it online or in stores?

First of all, I think my publisher did a fantastic job with the cover, so I hope it will draw people in and spark an interest in the story by itself. Beyond that, the story deals with a couple of themes that I think are somewhat universal, one of which is the idea of first love. Emily's relationship with Del is certainly a bit more dramatic than most people's first loves, but it's something that we all experience at one point or another - most of us when we're teenagers - and I hope people will find a thread within Emily and Del's story that they can relate to. The second theme deals with the realization that we all have, at some point or another, that our families are not perfect. When we're young kids, most of us tend to see our parents or guardians as pretty infallible, I think. But as we grow older, we begin to recognize them as flawed human beings who struggle with their own issues, just like everyone else. Again, the way Emily experiences this revelation is somewhat extreme, but I do think the general idea is something that plenty of people will be able to relate to.

Where the Truth Lies is told from Emily Meckler view point, so would you mind sharing a little bit about her? Also, if you could over her any type of advice, what would you say?

One thing I like quite a bit about Emily is the fact that, when the story begins, she is very innocent and somewhat naive, and all of that changes once Del Sugar comes into her life. Basically, she grows quite a bit throughout the story. As a writer, it was a lot of fun to bring so much growth to a character. By the end of the story, she's a very different girl.

I read on your website that like Emily you attended a boarding school. So in what ways are the boarding school you attended and the boarding school Emily attended similar? Different?

My boarding school was actually pretty similar. Like Emily's, it was coed. There was a very strong sense of community, as well as one of great isolation... it was like being in a little microcosm of the real world. And like Emily, I actually enjoyed boarding school a lot. It was sort of like having a hundred brothers and sisters, or getting to have a slumber party with your best friends every night. As far as differences... my school was much more strict! I don't think someone like Del Sugar would have lasted at my school nearly as long as he did at Stonybrook.

In my opinion, one of the most fascinating characters in Where the Truth Lies is Del Sugar, so can you share a bit about the inspiration behind his character? Also, how did you come up with his name?

Well, his name just sort of came to me one day about ten years ago. And I definitely hope that people will be interested in him, because he's probably my favorite character of all time (who I've come up with). I've been writing about him for years; I have tons of short stories, and even another novel, that deals with him as the main character. He has become very real to me. I guess you could say I have a crush on him. I definitely don't think readers have seen the last of him...

What’s up next for you book wise?

I have a thriller coming out next year, called "Between," that I'm SO excited about!

~~~~

Thanks so much, Jessica! I can't wait to read Between, and I'm so happy to hear that there's a possibility of more novels dealing with Del Sugar on the horizon.

To find out more about Jessica and her books, head on over to her website. To see what I had to say about Where the Truth Lies, head on over here, and to enter my contest for Where the Truth Lies (along with two other fabulous books!), head on over here.

In My Mailbox: Week 92

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

For Review:

Priceless by Nicole Richie (I'm looking forward to seeing if I'll like this one or not. Thanks, Simon and Schuster!)

From Netgalley (not shown):

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (I've read the first chapter of this, and I'm loving it as of now.)

From Library:

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto (I've heard that you either love or hate this one, so I'm looking forward to seeing what side I'll be on.)

The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon by Sara Beitia (Looks good! Plus, I love Flux titles. :)

In all, a great week book wise! Though, enough about me, what did you get this week? Let me know in the comments! :) 

Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

A high-spirited novel from the bestselling author of Must Love Dogs and Life's a Beach that will have you planning a girlfriend getaway in no time!

Just when Jill Murray's finally figured out how to manage on her own, her ex-husband proves that he can't even run away reliably. After seven long years missing in action, he's back-crashing into the man-free existence Jill and her ten-year-old daughter have built so carefully. And what's a good mother to do? To a child, even a deadbeat dad is better than no dad at all.

Jill's life just hasn't turned out quite the way she planned. By now, she'd hoped to be jetting around the world as a high-end cultural coach. Instead, she's answering phones for a local travel agency and teaching cooking classes at the community center.

Enter free-spirited entrepreneur Billy, who hires Jill as a consultant for an upcoming business trip. Is their relationship veering off in a new direction? And what about her ex? Jill couldn't possibly still have feelings for him . . . could she? Suddenly, her no-boys-allowed life is anything but.

They say that every seven years you become a completely new person, but Jill isn't sure she's ready for the big change. It takes a Costa Rican getaway to help her make a choice-not so much between the two men in her life, but between the woman she is and the one she wants to be.

Review:

Even though summer and beach season is pretty much over for many people, Seven Year Switch is by far the perfect beach/summer read, because it contains the just the right amount of humor, drama, and emotion to keep even the most reluctant of readers intrigued for at least a few hours.

Seven Year Switch tells the story of Jill Murray, a single-mom whose life hasn't always been the easiest thing in the world since her husband left her with no money, a baby, and a simple note saying nothing more than he had to leave. By now though, she has basically everything under control...her daughter seems to be doing fine in school, she has two steady jobs, and a possible love interest in one of her new clients. Though, everything soon changes when her husband lands back in the picture with promises to make everything right again. But how does one girl let a man back into her and her daughter's lives, when he's only caused them pain and heartbreak? And what will that same girl do when she suddenly feels feelings for the man who screwed her over the most in life? Only time will tell in this fun beach read!

Jill was the perfect character to lead the story. She was brave, funny, and a good mother...the perfect role model for any single mother out there in a similar situation. I was especially impressed with how well she had kept it together over the years, never letting even the worst disasters get in her way. Her relationship with her ex was a complicated one, filled with many mixed fillings, making it not only realistic but scandalous in a way that kept the story interesting. I also enjoyed the love interest Cook made in Jill's client Billy. He was sweet and charming, though I would've loved a bit more development into him. Jill's daughter was also another favorite character of mine; I liked seeing how she dealt with everything involving her father and her mother.

The premise of this was nothing short of sweet and fun worthy drama. I loved the idea of Great Girlfriend Getaways. It was an interesting and unique addition to the story! And while I wasn't always happy at how predictable this book could be at times, I didn't let it take too much away from of my enjoyment of the story.

Claire's writing was also a high point, which leaves her to be a writer I'm looking forward to reading more by in the future.

Seven Year Switch is the perfect holiday read!

Grade: B

Seven Year Switch is now out!

Source: Publicity Firm. Thanks, Jen!

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Review:

From the reviews I saw prior to reading The DUFF, 18-year-old Kody Keplinger's much talked about debut, I gathered one thing: You either loved this book or you disliked it, sometimes even to the extreme. I personally fall somewhere in the middle of love and hate for this one. I mean, in some areas I really enjoyed it, but some parts left me not the least bit impressed. Though, before we get to that, let me tell you a bit more about The DUFF.

Bianca Piper's always been the cynical and witty one out of her group of friends, and in her opinion, the least pretty of her trio. And when Wesley Rush enters the picture, he confirms the worst of her fears; she is the least attractive of her friends or in his words, "The DUFF aka The Designated Ugly Fat Friend". This makes Bianca upset, so she throws her drink in his face and walks away, promising herself never to give Wesley the time of day ever again. Though, as it turns out fate has another plan for, as she finds out when she’s paired with Wesley for an English project, and soon enough begins a fling with him after her home life takes a drastic turn in the most anti-positive of ways. So, what will this girl do when she starts to realize she may just be falling in love with her school's biggest players? Will she run away or admit it to him? And what about Wesley- is he truly as bad as he looks? Only time will tell in this highly addicting teen debut!

I feel like there's a bit of Bianca Piper in any teen girl out there, so I found her to be a relatable teen protagonist.... though one that wasn't much of a role model in some areas. I really liked Bianca's humor and view of her high school, because I found it to be funny and her dialogue often similar to something I would say in real life. I also liked the way readers got to see the vulnerable side to Bianca, one that wondered how she fits into her picture perfect looking mother's life, as well of her friends, and whether or not she really is a DUFF. The thing I didn't like about her character was the promiscuity. I didn't like how easily she turned to sex when she was down and how she used it as a way to make herself feel better about her problems without really facing them head-on. And I especially didn't like how she never truly faced any emotional backlash from her way of dealing with things; it just wasn't all that realistic. I did enjoy Wesley's character though. I thought he was somewhat charming when he left his tough guy guise down, but there were other times where I was surprised at seeing how this guy, who was such a jerk in the beginning, could turn out to be such a nice guy by the end. It just was surprising and a bit unrealistic, in my opinion. Because most guys like Wesley aren't the least bit nice, in my experience.

The premise of this was kick-butt. I loved the idea of addressing DUFFs and the sexual parts of teen lives, though the execution wasn't as nearly as good as it could have been. It was fun and addicting, of course, to see what was going to happen between Wesley and Bianca. But the characters, as well as the overall story, were lacking an emotional edge, one that would have made the story much better if contained. Another thing I wasn't too found of was Keplinger's writing. It was decent and better than I expected, but just like the characters and plot, it just didn't dig deep enough and was often clichéd.

While from my review it may seem like I completely hated this one, I didn't. I just had a lot of problems with it. But it's still worth a read because it is funny, addiciting, and cute read; and I do admit, I like how Kody pushes the limit in some ways with this one. And the biggest question of all- Will I read more by Kody? Yeah, because even though I'm disappinted by the lack of emotinal depth in The DUFF, I'm looking forward to seeing how she grows with each book.

Grade: B-/C+
 
The DUFF is now out!

Source: Publicity Department at Little, Brown. Thanks, Julia!

Waiting on Wednesday (92)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My pick this week is:

Between Here and Forever

by Elizabeth Scott

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could.

I absolutely adore Elizabeth Scott's books. Well, expect for The Unwritten Rule but that's besides the point. Anyhow, this one looks just as fantastic. I mean, the cover is adorable (Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers), the title is catchy, the premise seems great, and best of all, Elizabeth said on her blog recently that this book will contain two characters from Bloom, her first book and my second favorite book of hers. So, mark you calendars for May 24, 2011, because there's an extremely high chance that this book isn't one you want to miss!

Between Here and Forever will be released May 24, 2011.

Giveaway for SIGNED copy of Minder by Kate Kaynak

Thanks to the lovely Kate Kaynak, I have ONE copy of her novel Minder to giveaway to one of my lucky US readers.

Haven't heard of Minder before? Well, here's the summary:

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn is special, but she needs to figure out how to use her new abilities before somebody else gets hurt. Ganzfield is a secret training facility full of people like her, but it's not exactly a nurturing place.

Every social interaction carries the threat of mind-control.

A stray thought can burn a building to the ground.

And people's nightmares don't always stay in their own heads.

But it's still better than New Jersey--especially once she meets the man of her dreams...

To enter, please fill out the following form. Though, before that, here are the official rules of the contest:

~ Must have a US mailing address (Though, feel free to enter if you have someone in the US who can send the book your way.)
~ Open to ages 13 or older
~ Must fill out form to be entered
~ This contest will end on October 25th at 12:00 PM Eastern time.

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER.*

In My Mailbox: Week 91

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

For Review:

Across the Unverise by Beth Revis (Words can't express how excited I am to read this!! Thanks, Penguin!)

Blue Fire by Janice Hardy (2nd copy from Harperteen, so I guess I'll be giving it away once I review it.)

The Year Money Grew on Trees by Aaron Hawkins (Surprise review copy. Not too sure about it, though I'll give it a try. Thanks, HMH!)

Just Add Magic by Cindy Callaghan (This looks so cute! Thanks, Simon and Schuster/Rachel! )

Contagion by Joanne Dahme (This looks really good as well! Thanks Nicole!)

Heart with Joy by Steve Cushman (I've heard a lot of good things about this one. Thanks, Steve!)

From Library:

Monster High by Lisi Harrison (Looks cute!)

Raidance by Alyson Noel (This looks good!)

From Contest:

Alexis by Alexis Papalia (I love memoirs, so I can't wait to read this.)

I also got one more thing this week, and while it's not book related or something I got in the mail, I thought I would share about it regardless....

You see, I got a new dog on Saturday!! Her name is Babe (She came with it; I didn't pick it out). She is six and a brown lab. Isn't she just ADORABLE?!! I think so! So, that's my big news of the week! :)

Anyhow, what did you get this week? Anything exciting? Let me know in the comments! :)

Winners of Maybe This Time and I Now Pronounce You Someone Else

The winner of Jennifer Crusie's Maybe This Time is:

Victoria Zumbrum

The winner of Erin McCahan's I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is:

Andrea

Congrats you two! I hope you love your new book!

Didn't win? Well, you can also purchase your own copy of the book(s). Also, be sure to enter my Absolute Value of Negative 1 giveaway!

Boyology: A Teen Girl's Crash Course in All Things Boy by Sarah O'Leary Burningham

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

A crash course in understanding boys, Boyology delves into the many mysteries of teen guys, dissecting flirting tactics, offering dating suggestions, and providing tips on forming solid friendships. It's an up-close-and-personal look at boys in their natural habitats, with analyses by teen girls—and insight from the boys.

Review:

As you can probably tell by the cover, title and summary, Boyology is a go-to manual for all things boy related. Since from flirting techniques to breaking up to first dates, Boyology covers just about all of it for girls out there dying to know just a little bit more about boys, those unusual but beautiful and addicting creatures out there.

Boyology is told in a very fun way because not only does it include chapters about different things guy related by Sarah but pictures, Celeb Shout-Out/Guys Tell It Like It Is/Grant On... sections, quizzes, and song play lists, leaving it to be a great guide for all teen/ tween girls out there. I also liked the fact that it talked about boundaries and how to say no in an effective way.

While I do feel a bit more could have been talked about in Boyology, it still was a decent, fun, and quick read for girls out there looking to find out the difference between 'boy friend' and 'boyfriend and to hook your own hottie.

Grade: C+

Boyology: A Teen Girl's Crash Course in All Things Boy is now out!

Source: Author/Publisher. Thanks, Sarah/Chronicle books!