30 May 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (63)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where book bloggers discuss the books that they are most anxiously waiting for! (And this fabulous button was designed by my dear blogger friend Lindsay at The Violet Hour)

This week I'm waiting on...


Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
© 6 November 2012 by Little, Brown & Company
In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

29 May 2012

Tween Tuesday Review: See You At Harry's by Jo Knowles

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great MG reads for tweens! 

Release Date: 8 May 2012
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Get a copy! AmazonB&N

Goodreads description:
Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. It seems as though everyone in her family has better things to do than pay attention to her: Mom (when she's not meditating) helps Dad run the family restaurant; Sarah is taking a gap year after high school; and Holden pretends that Mom and Dad and everyone else doesn't know he's gay, even as he fends off bullies at school. Then there's Charlie: three years old, a "surprise" baby, the center of everyone's world. He's devoted to Fern, but he's annoying, too, always getting his way, always dirty, always commanding attention. If it wasn't for Ran, Fern's calm and positive best friend, there'd be nowhere to turn. Ran's mantra, "All will be well," is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe it's true. But then tragedy strikes- and Fern feels not only more alone than ever, but also responsible for the accident that has wrenched her family apart. All will not be well. Or at least all will never be the same.
My Thoughts...

28 May 2012

YA Book Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Release Date: 24 April 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Get a copy! Amazon | B&N

Goodreads description:
Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free?
My Thoughts...

26 May 2012

Saturday Steals!

Every once in awhile I run across some really great deals for Kindle and Nook users that I am just DYING to share, so I thought since there are a lot of good ones out there right now I would go ahead and share a few of the ones I think are the most exciting!  I don't know what the time limit on these is so get them while you can! Images will take you to Amazon; title links will take you to B&N!

$0.99
Starcrossed with Bonus Material
Hereafter with Bonus Material


$1.00 to $2.99
The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend
Glow (Sky Chasers Series #1)
The Anti-Prom
$3.00 to $4.99
Need (Need Series #1)
Witches of East End (not discounted at B&N)

$5.00 to $6.99

The Iron King (Iron Fey Series #1)

25 May 2012

Heven & Hell Charade Blog Tour: An Interview with Logan


 Hey, everyone! Welcome to today's Charade: Heven and Hell Tour stop! I'm so excited to have Cambria Hebert stopping by today to share with you a little more insight into her fabulous series and you have the special opportunity to get to know a very special character--Logan! So without further ado, take it away, Cambria!
(PS~Be sure to read all the way to the end so you don't miss out on the fabulous giveaway!)
Hi Everyone!
So glad to be here today as part of the Charade Heven and Hell Tour!! Charade is my newest novel in the Heven and Hell Series and is being released on May 18th. I highly recommend you grab a copy and read it! (Did you think I would tell you to not buy a copy? Lol)
Here is a quick glance at the series so far:

Today, we are going to be talking about one character in particular. This character is relatively new to the series as he isn’t introduced until the end of Masquerade. But, when he does enter the series he brings with him a lot of mystery and suspicion. But, he also brings excitement for Sam. Why Sam? Because Logan is Sam’s little brother.
Logan is such an intriguing character that he has an entire novella dedicated to him! That novella is Between. It really lets you know more about him and about where Sam came from. It also gets you to raise your eyebrow in anticipation of Charade to find out more about Logan.
We are lucky enough that Logan has stopped by briefly to tell us about himself! And be sure to stick around for the giveaway at the bottom of the post!
Welcome Logan!
Logan: Thank you for having me here.
Tell us what is the best thing about being you?
Logan: Having Sam for a brother.
What is the worst thing about being you?
Logan: *shifts uncomfortably* The lost time. Sometimes when I go to sleep I wake up somewhere completely different than where I fell asleep. It’s scary and confusing and I can’t remember anything that happened.
How do you like your brother’s girlfriend, Heven?
Logan: She’s all right. She spends a lot of time with Sam and she’s nice to me but I can tell she doesn’t really like me. She just is nice because she has to be. I would rather have Sam all to myself.
What is your favorite thing to do?
Logan: *smiles* Play video games.
You live with Sam, now. Do you miss your parents?
Logan: I miss what our family use to be. After Sam left nothing was the same, my parents weren’t the same, so, right now? No, I don’t miss them. I miss who they use to be when I was little.
What else do you like to do besides play video games?
Logan: Read comic books!
Thanks for being here today Logan, it was fun getting to know you!

In celebration of Between and Charade Logan brought along a short excerpt from Between. Sit back, relax and get intrigued.
Between Excerpt
*   *   *

That night I dreamed of pain. Of wandering down a country back road that seemed to cut right through a wooded mountain. It was so dark that I could barely see three feet in front of me and it was eerily silent.
Then, from behind, a tree branch snapped.
I turned, looking over my shoulder, but nothing was there. I kept walking, looking for something, trying to find my way home. It was cold out and all I was wearing was a T-shirt. I tried to ignore the way my skin prickled with cold and I jammed my icy fingers into the front pockets of my jeans.
Suddenly, headlights flashed behind me, projecting a shadow of me across the ground. It was long and distorted, far wider than I could ever be. I studied it, imagining that I really did have those wide shoulders and head, that I looked that menacing and intimidating. No one would mess with me then.
I wasn’t concerned about the car closing in on me from behind, and I didn’t turn around until it stopped right behind me. The driver got out, but was no more than a dark figure, standing at the hood of the car, the headlight’s glare making the person impossible to see.
“I saw your car a few miles back. Did you run out of gas?” His voice was deep and low and it sent shivers down my spine.
I felt myself nodding.
“Nearest gas station is ten miles. Hop in and I will give you a lift.”
Suddenly, fear slammed into me. I couldn’t accept a ride from a stranger, even if it meant walking ten miles to civilization. My heart started slamming against my ribs and sweat prickled my skin.
“No, thank you,” I told the driver.
I saw him shrug and then climb back in the car. I heaved a relieved sigh and began walking again. I waited for the driver to go on by, but he didn’t. Instead, the engine revved and when I looked over my shoulder, the car was barreling toward me at an impossible speed. With a great shout, I began to run and dove off the road and into the trees.
The trees were close together here; there was no way that car could fit between. I watched in horror as the car backed up and then sped forward, slamming into one of the trees. There was a great cracking sound as the tree split and began falling toward the ground. Toward me.
I ran. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, ignoring the pull and tugs of the branches and the burning of my lungs. Then I stumbled.
And fell.
I fell forever, it seemed. My scream echoed around me, making it sound like I had screamed a hundred times.
Suddenly, I hit the ground and I heard the crunching of my bones. Pain exploded through my limbs and I lay there, sweating and shaking. A figure floated into my vision. Once again it was so dark I couldn’t see anything but the outline of the body.
I tried to get away, to get up and run. But my broken body wouldn’t move.
The person standing over me began to laugh. A high-pitched laugh that never ended and invaded my brain until it was all I heard. Every hair on my body stood on end.
Abruptly, the laughing stopped. The silence was so complete it was almost as loud as the laughing had been. Then the figure—the person—bent closer. I flinched, waiting for them to do something vile to me and wanting it to just be over.
But he didn’t touch me.
He whispered.

Welcome to Hell.
*   *   *

Thank you all for being here today!! We hope you enjoyed the excerpt and learning about Logan.  Please stick around and enter to win some prizes!
The giveaway: One Ecopy of Between, One Ecopy of Charade, a Bookmark set, signed and a magnet (featuring Sam) (Continue on for the Rafflecopter form!)
Have a great day!

About Charade:
Dying at the hands of a psycho was a shock. Having my life returned to me by an angel was incredible. Being named a Supernatural Treasure and being given Sam as my guard was pretty darn awesome. Acquiring a debt for it all—well, I should have seen it coming.

Now here we are, fighting demons from Hell, caring for a boy that I just don’t trust, and traveling to faraway places to return a treasure to its rightful place. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone wears a mask; everyone puts on a charade. It’s up to us to separate the truth from the lies and reality from fiction. A hard task when my new reality involves fallen angels, witches and dragons… and did I mention Hell?

Anchoring me down through it all is Sam. Sam, who must face tragedies of his own and is put to the test again and again.

If we fail in our task, life as we know it—life as you know it—will end. Forever.
Buy your copy today!
Cambria Hebert is an author who wrote her first book at the age of fifteen. It was terrible. But the passion for writing never went away so years later when she opened her laptop and started typing she worked until she wrote a book – Masquerade - that she hopes everyone will be as excited about as she is. Cambria is obsessed with werewolves and is terrified of chickens (they are creepy!) She is an animal lover that would choose coffee over food and her favorite TV show is the Vampire Diaries (Hell-O Damon!) When she isn’t writing you can find her stalking the young adult aisles at Barnes and Noble.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

**Giveaway has Ended**

24 May 2012

Pretty Amy Blog Tour: An Interview with @LisaBurstein!


I'm super lucky to be a part of the Pretty Amy blog tour! Today I have the author, the fabulous Ms. Lisa Burstein, stopping by to answer a few of my pressing questions about her awesome book! (Lisa's answers are in italics, questions in bold.)

The first thing that really struck me about Pretty Amy was how FUNNY it was at points. There were so many genuine laugh-out-loud moments! I loved it! If you have to pick one funny/snarky line that's your favorite, what would it be?

There are so many, but I love, "If bitching were karate, my mother would be a black belt."

Bahahahaha. I loved that line too. :)

If Amy had a theme song (like I'm sure many of us have imagined ourselves having at some point), what do you think it would be?

Criminal by Fiona Apple

Oh, I LOVE that song, lol! Perfect choice. :)

I thought Pretty Amy tackled a lot of important issues and themes without hitting you over the head with them, which is great in novels for teens. When you were writing Pretty Amy, what was the one thing (or most important thing) that you really wanted to get across to readers? 

That other people feel what they are feeling. I think one of the hardest things about being a teen is how alone you can feel- how you think no one understands you. I want them to know I do.

I always hear about writers having to cut characters during early edits.  Now, Pretty Amy has quite the cast and I thought they were all really great. Were there any unique characters in the first drafts of Pretty Amy that didn't make it into the final version? 

Actually characters were added in, if you can believe it! Aaron and Joe were not in the original version. You can thank my editor for that. :)

Thank you, kind editor, for giving us the boys. :D

Amy struck me as a very realistic young woman.  What would you say was the biggest challenge in crafting her character? (If there was one.) 

To make her likeable, or at least someone you would sympathize with. I am good that the snark, the soft stuff is harder for me.

Who is the one person you are MOST nervous about reading your book? 

My mom! Glad to report, she read it and loved it and still loves me. Now, it would be my husband (I never let him read drafts).

I don't let my husband read anything I write--even my resume. :)

I read/saw somewhere that you're going to be writing a companion novel about Cassie.  Can you tell us anything about that? (I'm excited about it, by the way.) 

Thank you. DEAR CASSIE follows Cassie's post-prom arrest to a rehabilitation retreat in the woods, told in Cassie's irreverent voice via her diary entries.

I can't WAIT for DEAR CASSIE! Thanks so much for answering my questions, Lisa!

Meet Lisa!
Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University and is glad to finally have it be worth more than the paper it was printed on. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats. Pretty Amy is her first novel. She never went to her senior prom.

She wrote her first story when she was in second grade. It was a Thanksgiving tale from the point of view of the turkey from freezer to oven to plate. It was scandalous.


She was a lot like Amy when she was in high school.


She is still a lot like Amy.

Get your own copy of PRETTY AMY today! 

Be sure to check out the rest of Lisa's awesome blog tour stops!

Monday, April 2nd http://aurorareviewsarchives.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 9th http://rowanknight.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 10th  
Wednesday, April 11th http://honestlyya.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 12th http://leahraemiller.blogspot.com/
Friday, April 13th http://thegrownupya.wordpress.com/
Saturday, April 14th http://www.booklovingme.com/
Sunday, April 15th  http://rachelwritesthings.blogspot.com
Monday, April 16th http://kissedbyink.com/
Tuesday, April 17th http://bumblesandfairytales.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 18th http://krazybooklady.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 19th http://read-a-holicz.blogspot.com/
Friday, April 20th http://www.hookedtobooks.com/
Saturday, April 21st http://jellylovesbooks.blogspot.com
Sunday, April 22nd http://nookofbooks.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 23rd http://www.booksbesidemybed.com/
Tuesday, April 24th http://www.rachelharriswrites.com/blog/
Wednesday, April 25th http://whatthecatread.wordpress.com/
Thursday, April 26th http://thebookvortex.com/
Friday, April 27th http://bookshelfbanter.com/
Saturday, April 28th
http://www.thefairytalenerd.com/
AND
http://shadowkissedcassie.blogspot.com

Sunday, April 29th  http://mindfulmundanes.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 30th  http://bookbreather4lyfe.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 1st http://www.oneadayya.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 2nd http://lovesbooksreviews.blogspot.com/
Thursday, May 3rd http://www.leavemommyalone.blogspot.com/
Friday, May 4th http://www.marjoleinbookblog.blogspot.com/
Saturday, May 5th http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blogspot.com/
Sunday, May 6th http://ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 7th http://www.wovenmyst.com/
Tuesday, May 8th http://mandybookwormeng.blogspot.com.br/
Wednesday, May 9th  http://www.ladybugstorytime.blogspot.com/
AND
http://melaniesmusings.net/

Thursday, May 10th http://thebookishbabes.blogspot.com/
Friday, May 11th http://mynotsorealife.blogspot.com/
Saturday, May 12th http://thereviewsofmar.blogspot.com/
Sunday, May 13th  
http://www.twochicksonbooks.com/
AND
http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html

Monday, May 14th http://BooksandSparkles.Blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 15th http://yastands.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 16th
http://unforgetablebooks.blogspot.com/
Thursday, May 17th   
http://scarletsilhouettes.blogspot.com
AND
http://www.yareads.com/
Friday, May 18th http://marilynalmodovar.blogspot.com/
Saturday, May 19th  http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/
Sunday, May 20th http://citrusreads.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 21st http://readeroffictions.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 22nd http://yascavengerhunt.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 23rd http://jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.com/
Thursday, May 24th http://readinginthecorner.blogspot.com/
Friday, May 25th http://wefancybooks.blogspot.com
Saturday, May 26th  http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.com/
Sunday, May 27th http://www.readandrepeat.co.uk/
Monday, May 28th http://awordsworth.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 29th http://www.thereadersden.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 30th http://snarkymamma.blogspot.com/
Thursday, May 31st http://inthenameofbooks.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 1st http://mtgreviews.wordpress.com/
AND
http://fortheluvofsanity.blogspot.com/

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