To celebrate the release of Joy Preble’s Haunted (which is now out!) Sourcebooks is making the ebook additon of prequel (Dreaming Anastasia) available for free from Feb. 1st to Feb. 7th.
To cash in on this deal and get your own copy, be sure to visit Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or whever you most like to get your ebooks!
And for those of you who don't know what Dreaming Anastasia is about, here's the summary:
What really happened to Anastasia Romanov?
Anastasia Romanov thought she would never feel more alone than when the gunfire started and her family began to fall around her. Surely the bullets would come for her next. But they didn't. Instead, two gnarled old hands reached for her. When she wakes up she discovers that she is in the ancient hut of the witch Baba Yaga, and that some things are worse than being dead.
In modern-day Chicago, Anne doesn't know much about Russian history. She is more concerned about getting into a good college—until the dreams start. She is somewhere else. She is someone else. And she is sharing a small room with a very old woman. The vivid dreams startle her, but not until a handsome stranger offers to explain them does she realize her life is going to change forever. She is the only one who can save Anastasia. But, Anastasia is having her own dreams…
Also, remember how I reviewed Elizabeth Eulberg's Prom & Prejudice last month? Remember how much I loved it? Well, here's your chance to win a copy (possibly) as well as some other fabulous prizes. How, you may ask? Well, at the official Prom & Prejudice Twitter Party.
Here's are the details you need to know:
Join Prom & Prejudice author Elizabeth Eulberg and Tirzah of The Compulsive Reader for a Twitter party Thursday, February 3, between 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST!
Be sure to follow Elizabeth @ElizEulberg and Tirzah @compelledtoread before the party! Join the fun! No one expects you or your tweets to be perfect; we’re just happy you made it to the party!
Watch for giveaways from @compelledtoread and win fun prizes!
To join the party, you can use a free service like TweetChat or TweetGrid or just search #PromAndPrejudice on Twitter. Ask Elizabeth questions or chat with other partygoers—just use the tag #PromAndPrejudice in all of your party tweets!
Please don’t post any spoilers and don’t forget to pay attention to the time zones, the party starts at 8:00pm EST.
Hope you are able to be there and enjoy all the fun that is sure to ensue!
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date.
After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious, very wealthy, girls-only Longbourn Academy are suddenly obsessed with the prom, which they share with the nearby, equally elitist, all-boys Pemberley School. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on scholarship, isn't exactly interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be-especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.
Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance, but less than impressed by Will Darcy, Charles's friend, who's snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it's because her family doesn't have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk—so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?
Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making?
Review:
Ever since Elizabeth Eulberg's fun and girl-empowering debut The Lonely Hearts Club, I've been eager to read more books by her, including her newest release Prom and Prejudice. Luckily enough, Prom and Prejudice is no sophomore slump for Ms. Eulberg. Quite the opposite, in fact, because not only is Prom and Prejudice sweet, heart-warming, and witty fun, but it's even better than The Lonely Hearts Club!
After a horrible first semester, Lizzie Bennett has finally come to terms with the fact that she just can't fit into the prestigious, girls-only Longbourn Academy. Longbourn Academy is a school for wealthy, mostly pompous trust-fund babies, which is something Lizzie just isn't. But, yet again, that's okay because she has her best friend Jane and major talent with the piano. Though, everything changes when Darcy, the charming yet snobby and full-of-himself best friend of Jane's crush Charles, walks into her life. At first sight, Lizzie puts Darcy aside as yet anther jerk, but, as the novel progress, she begins to wonder if there's more to him then meets the eye. Will Darcy and Lizzie come to terms? Better yet, will they see how perfect they are for each other? And how about Jane, will she end with her crush as well? Only time will tell this enchanting read perfect for any snowy afternoon by the fire.
One of the big things I always love about Eulberg's books is that she creates strong and intelligent female protagonists, ones who don't instantly fall in love with a guy they barley know or do ridiculous stuff, because when it comes down to it, those kind of characters are ones I think teens, like myself, have an easier time relating to. Luckily, Lizzie and her friend Jane are the perfect examples of this. Both are smart, witty girls who I had a blast reading about, especially when the charming yet pompous Darcy was involved, as well as Jane's sweet Charles.
While the plot of this is predictable, it didn't detract from the overall story one bit, because sometimes a nice, breezy read is just what you need. I thought Elizabeth did a great job of incorporating aspects of Pride and Prejudice into this, as well as creating the perfect amount of believable tension between Lizzie and the typical snobby Longbourn girl. I also loved how she constantly had me torn over if one particular character was good or bad. Which character is it, you may ask? Well, you'll just have to find out, and it's not the predictable choice.
In all, Prom and Prejudice is yet another enchanting and adorable read by Ms. Eulberg, one I highly recommend to girls (or even boys) who enjoyed The Lonely Hearts Club, as well as Meg Cabot and Sarah Dessen books.
Grade: A+
Prom and Prejudice is now out! To find out more about Prom and Prejudice, as well as Elizabeth, be sure to check out her website here, as well as her Facebook page here.
Source: Chelsy at Big Honcho Media/ Publisher
Book Trailer:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before making a career in the New York City book biz. She is also the author of The Lonely Hearts Club and lives outside of New York City. Learn more at http://www.elizabetheulberg.com./
*You can also find her here on her Facebook page.*
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Now the part you've been waiting for...the giveaway!
Thanks to Chelsy at Big Honcho Media and Scholastic, I have two copies of Prom and Prejudice up for grabs for two US readers.
Here are the official rules:
~ Must be 13 years or older to enter.
~ Open to US residents only.
~ Must fill out form to be entered.
~ This contest will close on January 31, 2011!
Today, I have a very special guest. Who is it, you may ask? Well, it's an author who goes by the name Elizabeth Eulberg! She's the author of an amazing book titled The Lonely Hearts Club(My Review!), and is here today to not only blog about friendship, but to also giveaway ONE $150 VISA GIFT CARD FOR YOUR OWN GIRLS NIGHT OUT which I personally think is one of the best giveaways featured on my blog so far.
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As The Beatles once said, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” As I have often been reminded in my life, having great and reliable friends is extremely important. While friends are important to have in your life for all those fun times, they are especially valuable when things aren’t going well in your life.
There are many times I’ve needed a shoulder to cry on during a break-up or particular stressful time. These are the friends you know will have your back no matter what. I’m very fortunate to have a lot of wonderful friends and a great support system. And I learned what a fabulous group of friends I had when I didn’t have use of one of my arms…
Not to gross anybody out, but my left shoulder would routinely dislocate. It wasn’t because I was playing sports or doing anything athletic. Nope. My shoulder would pop out when I’d reach for something or you know, put my purse on a counter. This was not normal. After screaming and speaking in foreign tongues for several minutes, I would put my shoulder back in its socket (yep, I’m one tough cookie) and go on with my day. Finally, after a particular bad dislocation, I was told that I had to have surgery to fix it. I would have my arm in a sling for six weeks and need physical therapy for six months. Oh and after my surgery, I wouldn’t be able to use my left arm for about 48 hours.
I’m a pretty independent person, so I thought, “No problem, I can handle this.” But after talking to a couple people who have gone through the surgery, it quickly became apparent that I couldn’t handle it. I needed help. And I knew exactly whom I could count on.
My friend Jen (who I named a character in The Lonely Hearts Club after) went with me to the hospital at five in the morning the day of my surgery. She was the first person I saw when I woke up. She also bullied the nurses into letting me take my painkillers earlier than they thought I needed them (I still remember hearing her say, “I don’t care if you think she shouldn’t be feeling pain, she is, so somebody better get me some water for her pills!”). She also hunted down our missing car driver while I was extremely drugged up waiting in the lobby.
Jen got me home and took care of me during the day. Then my friend Kathy came over for the night shift. Her husband also stopped by to set up my apartment with wireless internet so I’d be able to work on my laptop from bed. Jen and Kathy rotated for the first 48 hours, making sure I was eating, taking my pills and getting rest. There was also a lot of American Idol and Golden Girls watching…
The next few days were a parade of friends coming over with food. And the very important task of ponytail duty. I couldn’t lift my left arm at all and you need two arms to put your hair in a ponytail. And when you are drugged up, sore, and tired, the last thing you want to deal with is hair in your face. So it became a ritual, before anybody left, they’d have to re-do my hair. Wow, in writing that I sound like such a diva, “You there! Come over here and do my hair!”
My friend Tara, who I have known since I was three, picked me up and took me to stay at her house over the weekend. Her husband was out of town, so I hung out with her and her 8-month-old son Jack. Her son is adorable and I will freely admit that I was a way bigger baby and fussier than Jack was that weekend. I also took more naps…
Looking back on this time it should’ve been an all around miserable experience. However, I got something priceless. I didn’t just get by with a little help from my friends; I got love and support when I needed it the most.
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What a great story! Thanks Elizabeth!
Giveaway details:
Do you want to win a $150 VISA Gift Card, so that you can have your own girls night out? Well, look no further because here's the place to be. To enter, you first must have a US mailing address and comment on this post with a story about why YOUR best friend is awesome. The contest will remain open till next Tuesday (the 19th!) and the winner will then be announced the next day (the 20th!). So, what are you waiting for? Go comment.
Oh, and be sure to leave an email address if it's not featured on your blogger profile! Thanks and good luck!
To continue on to the next blog tour stop head over to Pop Culture Junkie on January 15th and view previous and future stops on Elizabeth's site!
Looking for a great new read? Well look no further because I have three brand new copies of The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg to giveaway thanks to Chelsy!
Here's the summary:
I, Penny Lane Bloom, do solemnly swear to never date another boy for as long as I shall live. All right, maybe I’ll reconsider it in ten years or so when I’m no longer living in Parkview, Illinois, or attending McKinley High School, but for now I’m done with guys.
They’re all lying, cheating scum of the earth.Yes, every last one of them. Pure evil.
Sure, there are some that seem nice, but the second they get what they want, they’ll dump you and move onto their next target.
So I’m done.
No more dating.
The end.
Love is all you need…or is it?
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating, so she vows: No more. She’s had one too many bad dates, and has been hurt by one too many bad boys. It’s a personal choice…and soon everybody wants to know about it. It seems that Penny’s not the only girl who’s tired of the way girls change themselves (most of the time for the worse) in order to get their guys…or the way their guys don’t really care about them.
Girls are soon thronging to The Lonely Hearts Club (named after Sgt. Pepper’s band), and Penny finds herself near legendary for her non-dating ways – which is too bad, since the leader of The Lonely Hearts Club has found a certain boy she can’t help but like…
The form is self explanatory. Though, this contest is open to US ONLY and will close on January 26th!
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .
Review:
When I first heard about this book I was couldn't wait to read it. Though, then I read some really negative reviews about it and some that put The Lonely Hearts Club in a good light. So when I ended up receiving this in the mail, I had no clue what to think. Would I love like I hoped I would? Would I hate it like some others did? Or would it just be a blah type of book? Luckily, The Lonely Hearts Club turned out to be one of the funniest and cutest books I've read this year!
There are so many great things going for this novel. For one, Elizabeth Eulberg has created a cast of diverse characters in this novel ranging form the popular girl to the jock girl to just the smart and semi snarky making this a novel that I think almost every girl could find someone to relate to in a little or big way. Even though I find it so hard to pick a favorite because I adored almost all the characters, my personal favorite would probably be a tie between Penny, the main character, and her best friends Tracy and Diane. All three where hilarious, good hearted and just all people that would be a blast to hang around if there existed in real life , leaving it to be so hard not to root for them. Oh, and Ryan was so adorable! But that's all I'll say about that topic.
Further more, I loved the premise of this novel even if I did find it to be a bit cheesy at times. Since, it was original and had a fantastic message! Plus, I loved all The Beatles references that were made since it brought the originality level even higher in my opinion. And the ending was so cute!
Overall, The Lonely Hearts Club is a novel that every girl out there should read! Though, I'll have to warn you that you'll probably be wanting to listen to all The Beatle songs mentioned in this when your done like I was. :)
Also, I want to make a point in suggesting this novel to fans of Jackson Pearce's As You Wish because for some reason this novel had the same kind of feel that Jackson's debut did in my opinion!
Hi! My name is Lauren. I'm a recent college graduate (chemistry major, surprisingly enough!), and will be starting graduate school in the fall. I've been blogging about books for the past nine years (with about a four year gap in between)! Click here to email me.
